Covenant-class Multipurpose Cruiser
Name/Type: Covenant-class Multipurpose Cruiser
Designer/Manufacturer: Infinite Empire / Kashan Defence Industries
Designation: Multi-role Cruiser
Crew: 972 + 64 Gunners
Length: 450 Meters
Speed: 45 MGLT
Hyperdrive: x0.6
Shield Rating: 2560 SBD + 2560 SBD Back-up
Hull Rating: 1520 RU
Weapons: 16 KDI J-L7.3 Quad Defence Cannons, 12 Starflare-class Missile Launchers, 8 Hansen Feathertouch Tractor Beam Projectors.
Fighter Complement: Varies according to Module.
Troops: Varies according to Module.
Support Craft: Varies according to Module.
Other: KIBC II, Apollo AI System, SSDS.
Description: Few of the Ratakan ship frames among New Oceanus were very large. However, a quartet of them were not only in good shape, but also identical as well. Fulfilling the treaty between New Oceanus, the frames were sent off to Kashan and rebuilt with Confederation technology. The ships are manned mostly by natives of New Oceanus trained at the Academy while the rest of the crew being drawn from throughout the Confederation. The Covenant is also unique within the Confederation fleet as being the only stealth capital ships within it; the Covenant has exceptional long-range stealth, making it difficult to detect at range, but otherwise at close ranges, it can be generally detected and targetted by its engine exhaust. The Covenant is also the first modularly designed capital ship within the Confederation.
Automation: Automation is still widely used on Confederation ships, despite the amount of manpower available to the fleet. Also, it freed up space to be used for other systems and cargo/passenger space. As such, most systems of the ship have been automated as much as possible without reducing efficiency. Although most of this automation technology was designed by the former CIS Separatist members, the Covenant’s automation has been improved upon since the days of the Clone Wars.
The droid brains that make up most of the automation system have been programmed with data collected from actual crewmembers in the actual jobs that they do, making the ships as effective as if they were run by actual crewmembers. There are several “automation personalities” available for each system of the ship, making them unpredictable to the enemy. For further improved performance and unpredictability, the droid brains have been allowed to learn. The droid brains can be overridden by a command code from the officer in charge of the system that it automates. Thus, the weapon’s officer can override the weapons automation, etc.
In order to protect the droid brains, they are armored with Ultrachrome and Dallorian alloys and are positioned towards the centre of the hull to prevent damage from glancing hits on the vessel. Access to the droid brains themselves is severely restricted and is heavily protected by the ship’s security system, which is discussed below.
While automation certainly has its advantages for the Kashan Fleet, it does have on drawback. Moving and living creatures can help with damage control. Stationary Droid brains aren’t quite as effective to say the least. Thus, the efficiency of the damage control would below average for a ship it’s size if not for the Repair Droid Complement.
KDI Multi-Core Power System: Most starships use a single, massive reactor. The Covenant does not, instead reflecting the redundant system philosophy that dominates Kashan engineering. Instead, it relies on a series of smaller reactor cores which are scattered throughout the central regions of the ship linked into two separate power networks. As a result, it is significantly harder to disable the vessel because it would require the destruction or ionization of two separate power systems.
Engines: One of the prime advantages of the Covenant-class is its high speed. The ion engines that propel the warship by themselves are very typical, albeit larger in proportion compared to most ships. As speed is one of the Covenant’s assets, the engines are not only well-protected, but also have dedicated maintenance and repair crews composed of LE Repair Droids supervised by human mechanics to repair damages and tune the engines for optimal speed.
Armor: The Covenant is KDI’s first venture into capital ship stealth (as most of its other capships, using ultrachrome plating, were unusually easy to detect because of their armor’s density). Instead of Ultrachrome plating, the cruiser instead uses Quadranium Carbide. As with other hard refractory ceramics, Quadranium Carbide has an extremely high melting temperature due to its strong interatomic bonding between molecules, making it effective in enduring heavy amounts of turbolaser fire for a limited time without receiving significant damage. A side benefit of this layer is that it does not conduct energy at all, making it effective in stopping the effects of ion weapons as well its hardness making it resistant to slugs. One the primary benefits of the Quadranium carbide for the Covenant is its low FST cross-section and dark colour. The armor is then covered by several coats of parylene, a dielectric coating, which further reduces the FST spectrum and keeps the electro-magnetic waves generated within the craft inside of the hull, completely reducing emissions from the craft to the outside. Lastly, the entire craft, which is black from its construction, is molecularly bonded with the same gloss paint used on the original Deathsaber Mk I. Like the previous craft, this reflects the starscape. In order to ensure that it does not reflect anything else, the gloss coating has been manufactured to only show colors of the stars.
Hansen FeatherTouch Heavy Tractor Beam Projector: this tractor beam unit is capable of amazingly fine operations. They can harmlessly pull a bird out of mid-flight, or rip a small freighter to pieces. The FeatherTouch is turret-mounted, allowing it to be used in a multitude of configurations (CUSWE). The particular version used on the Covenant-class is the heaviest one available, and can perform as well as any other capital-grade tractor beam as well.
Integrated Kashan Battle Computer Mk II: An upgraded version of the KIBC, it includes all of its predecessors equipment and abilities. The main purpose of the Battle Computer is to intertwine, triangulate, and transmit sensor data collected from each ship. This allows the ships to instantly gather target acquisition data and triangulate that data. The triangulation process ensures excellent target data, foiling many anti-targetting and sensor-jamming systems.
The main hardware upgrade was the use of the Uffel reverse-engineered positronic processors, which provide an intense amount of computing power. The KIBC II has more computing power than many Mid-Rim planet’s computers combined. As a result, the KIBC can plot and calculate micro-jumps to anywhere quicker than usual. That in itself still takes several minutes. However, by continuing to receive navigational data and supplementary computing power from other ships still in realspace, the user’s ship is capable of making micro-jumps anywhere in realspace. That being said, it is still slightly slower than its Imperial counterpart, but it also does not have energy problems of the Imperial counterpart either.
Like the original KIBC, the network can also provide navigational data from each ship along. Each vessel automatically transmits its location to the other vessel and shares navigational data with it as well. This allows the vessels of the Kashan fleet to act as navigation beacons for hyperspace jumps. As such, it is possible for Kashan ships to make instant intra-system micro-jumps to a Kashan vessel with the Battle Computer.
Security: Aside from the typical security monitors, security passes, and checkpoints, the Covenant uses Ultrachrome for the bulkhead lining of the entire ship. When an intruder is detected, it runs electricity through those linings, which then. Thus, the intruder is fried by the electric current, whether it be a living being or a droid. The power settings of the electricity can be adjusted from a shock that will normally knock a living being unconscious to the highest level, which can start circuits on fire.
Command Facilities: The Covenant has two bridges, like the rest of the Confederation Fleet. The Observation is located in the bow of the vessel like that of the Carrack-class Light Cruiser. The battle bridge is located in the core of the vessel for protection.
Apollo Artificial Intelligence System
Description: The AAIS has been under joint development by Kashan Automation Systems, Kashan’s premier droid manufacturer, and Kashan Defence Industries for over a decade. Because Kashan’s Seraph-class rely heavy on automation, there was speculation that a simple virus could make the entire Kashan Defence Fleet inoperable. In order to qualm those fears, the Apollo Anti-Virus Project was born. But as work progressed, the computer system became far more than the simple security system originally envisioned, but instead a computer that represented the ship itself.
True to the original vision, the Apollo is a security system that immediately detects any tampering with the ship’s electronic systems, (whether it be a dataport in the mess hall, a gunnery computer, or any of the automation hardware that keeps the ship running) by constant monitoring by controlling the ship’s security systems as well as making frequent diagnostics of every integrated electronic device onboard the ship. Not only does this prevent slicing, but it also allows the ship itself to monitor every beings activities within the ship.
Another aspect of the system is the use of rapidly changing code elements for locks and key systems of the vessel; making it harder for slicers, droids, and portable computers to gain access. Kashan programmers added another countermeasure by adding “flagged” codes to the computers. If any of the “flagged” codes are used by the slicer, it silently trips an alarm to both the Apollo and the troops stationed aboard the ship.
The idea of “fighting with fire with fire” was also on the mind of the designers when designing the AAIS. Thus, the Apollo has full slicing capabilities from programs designed by slicers from Kashan as wells as some bought via the black market from the rest of the galaxy. In order for the Apollo to start its own slicing activities, it must either be on a communication channel with the target or docked with the target. For more offensive capabilities, the Apollo can also send out “Trojan Horses”, which are normal communications or datafeed interlaced with the code of the viruses to the target. Parts of the AAIS are always developing their own unique slicing programs for use against the enemy. Most of the virus designed thus far allow the Apollo to take control of an opposing ship’s computer system or allow the AAIS to glean information from the opposition’s computers.
The AAIS is based in the central droid brains that the ship. In the unlikely advent that the droid brains are deactivated or for some reason are inoperable, all of the AAIS benefits are lost. The security systems then become the basic ones found on all warships.
SSDS (Stealth Ship Detection System): The Confederation uses a large amount of stealth fighters, and thus recognizes the value stealth can play in naval operations as well as its general advantage. In order to deny that advantage to its enemies, Confederation ships use the SSDS. The SSDS is a fleet-wide system routed through the KIBC Mk II in which the DERs found on all of the fleet’s vessels, from the starfighters to star destroyers, are geared specifically to pick up thermal signatures of ships, notably through most ships propulsion systems and heating systems required to make other ship’s inhabitable for their crews. The system’s detection ratings improve as the stealthed ship approaches closer to a Contegorian vessel, or in the reverse, when a fleet dispatches a S9 to a distant and faint signature, which the Deathsaber soon gets a closer and accurate signature of the vessel. In this way, it is possible for Confederation ships to track the general area of a where a most cloaked or stealth ship(s) reside. DERs and heat signaturing technology are also only effective against larger objects, and the SSDS is incapable of detecting or tracking stealthed or cloaked ships/objects that are under 50 meters of length, unless the said object for some reason makes a disproportionate amount of heat for its size because of some function. As well, the Covenant carries a pair of Full Spectrum transceivers in its package aside from the standard one. One is of a low frequency variety, uses a long-wavelength, which when used against smaller vessels, generates a partial-wave resonance effect, which can suggest the presence of a stealth ship or weapon(depending on its specifications) in the immediate area. The low-wave transceiver is even then somewhat limited in terms of accuracy and range, and no precise location for the target can be found by this sensor alone. The other transceiver sends out high-frequency and high-energy waves beams in coordination with the other two full-spectrum transceivers onboard. Since each transceiver is located in a different position in relation to each other, it is possible for them to cross-check and filter out the results in a manner similar to passive radar systems used on actual modern-day Earth.
Modules: A main advantage of the Covenant-class is its adaptability because of its central, internal hold for a module. Each module is self-contained (and powered), making the task of changing modules simply an exercise in tractor beam handling.
Survey Module
Crew: 700 Shock Troopers (Scout Specialists), 500 Technicians, 1,200 Droids.
Passengers: 200 Exploration Droids.
Support Craft: 12 S9 Deathsabers Mk II, 20 Observation Airspeeders.
Description: The Confederation has settled and further colonized some planets, such as Genon or New Oceanus. It was learned from such expeditions that surveying not only took a days to complete, but was sometimes inaccurate (such as at New Oceanus). In order to solve these instances, the survey module was designed to facilitate such expeditions better. The module not only deploys its droids and scouts to observe the planet, but also has an advanced Aratech supercomputer to analyse sensor readings taken from the ships and the Deathsabers. Thus, it can analyse the entire planet within several days and determine possible colony sites and natural resources. Another purpose of the Survey module is to plot and calculate astrogation routes from already known routes to aid in the colonization process.
Observation Module
Crew: 500 Intel officers.
Passengers: 250 Probots and Observation Droids.
Fighter Complement: 12 S9 Deathsabers Mk II.
Description: Intelligence in war is key. And while Deathsabers make excellent scouts for gathering fleet intelligence, they are not suited for long-term observation of enemy assets; hence why the observation module was designed. This module allows the Covenant to perform espionage and long-range observation duties for intelligence gathering. Albeit it is capable of infiltrating the outskirts of most enemy systems undetected, the cruiser typically does not. Instead, it deploys Deathsabers, probots, and observation droids/drones to take a closer look, sometimes for direct infiltration, but more typically around the perimeter of the target for passive observation. Probots and drones typically run passive sensor scans, such as light and energy spectrum analysis, and eavesdrop on communications. Usually a few of the drones are equipped with advanced sensors, such as Cronau radiation sensors to detect routes and hyperspace movements.
Carrier Module:
Crew: 80 Starfighter Mechanics, 160 LE Repair Droids, 80 astromech droids
Passengers: 60 starfighter pilots
Fighter Complement: 48 S9 Deathsabers Mk II or 32 A3 Nemesis or 72 S10 Stomfires or 72 S12 SHadowcasters or equivalent.
Description: A module designed to turn the Covenant into a light carrier for long-range convoy escorts or to act as a hidden base ship for deep space operations behind enemy lines. It can carry a variety of Confederation starfighters with full repair and resupply capabilities.
Cargo Module:
Crew: 20 Binary Load Lifters, 80 Shock Troopers
Cargo Capacity: 20,000 Metric Tones
Description: A very basic module that allows the Covenant to act as a stealthy transport vessel; excellent for transporting sensitive material or for running an enemy blockade.
Missile Module:
Weapons: additional 24 Starflare-class Missile Launchers
Description: This module effectively turns the Covenant into a heavily armed missile cruiser, making it into an effective weapon platform. Combined with its relatively high speed and stealth, it can be a dangerous opponent for the unwary.
Heavy Weapons Module:
Weapons: 2 Heavy KDI Tachyon Cannons or 2 KDI III-7 Railguns, 6 KDI IX-7 Turbolaser Batteries, 6 KDI Dual Defence Cannons, 2 Starflare-class Missile Launchers.
Description: This module effectively turns the Covenant into a gunship, making it an average opponent in ship-to-ship engagements. It is one of the most commonly used modules of the Covenant-class. All weapons are equipped with fast-tracking Maglev turrets.
Gravity-Well Module:
Weapons: 2 CEC Gravity-well Projectors.
Description: This module effectively turns the Covenant into a light interdictor. The gravity-wells are not as powerful as those of the Immobilizer 418, but are still more than sufficient to perform its duties as the Confederation’s only designed Interdictor craft.
Escort Weapons Module:
Weapons: 16 KDI XIV-3 Light Turbolasers, 12 KDI VI-8 Light Quad Turbolasers, 10 Light Ion Cannons.
Description: This module effectively turns the Covenant into a close support vessel for screening larger vessels than itself. All weapons are equipped with fast-tracking Maglev turrets.
Mine-laying Module:
Weapons: 2 KDI Mine Launchers (32 Wraith Pulsemass Mines, 64 KDI Shadowwrath, 40 Merr-Sonn Ion Defenders, or 80 Arakyd Industries Types A, B, C, etc each).
Description: This module effectively turns the Covenant into a minelayer.
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