Difference between revisions of "Bounty"
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The [[Foundation]] had an agreement with the Alliance that, following the war, all surviving Bounty-class ships were to be sold back to the Foundation at cost. While the Alliance generally tried to comply, few member worlds did. Many of the ships were kept by worlds that otherwise did not have the capacity to build warships. Still others were illegally sold on the secondary market, where they became extremely popular with mercenaries, smuglers, and other such individuals of ill-repute. Ironically for the name, the Foundation was forced to issue a "bounty" on all Bounty-class ships that could be either returned to the Crimson Blade or proven destroyed. | The [[Foundation]] had an agreement with the Alliance that, following the war, all surviving Bounty-class ships were to be sold back to the Foundation at cost. While the Alliance generally tried to comply, few member worlds did. Many of the ships were kept by worlds that otherwise did not have the capacity to build warships. Still others were illegally sold on the secondary market, where they became extremely popular with mercenaries, smuglers, and other such individuals of ill-repute. Ironically for the name, the Foundation was forced to issue a "bounty" on all Bounty-class ships that could be either returned to the Crimson Blade or proven destroyed. | ||
| − | ==Design | + | ==Design== |
The Bounty was never conceived as a production-model ship. Instead, it was constructed as a Metal Prototype, Multi-technology Test Bed and equipment demonstrator. During the [[Battleship Crisis]], the [[Foundation]] was desperate for ways to field more ships; one proposal formed the mianstay of the Bounty's design: it would rely on active shielding, rather than armor, to protect itself. This concept, definitely not revolutionary, was not well-recieved by the Crimson Blade regulars. Still, [[Starship Shield Systems|shield technology]] had come a long way, particularly in the area of Projection Shields(which can stop torpedoes), so the metal-prototype received the green light. | The Bounty was never conceived as a production-model ship. Instead, it was constructed as a Metal Prototype, Multi-technology Test Bed and equipment demonstrator. During the [[Battleship Crisis]], the [[Foundation]] was desperate for ways to field more ships; one proposal formed the mianstay of the Bounty's design: it would rely on active shielding, rather than armor, to protect itself. This concept, definitely not revolutionary, was not well-recieved by the Crimson Blade regulars. Still, [[Starship Shield Systems|shield technology]] had come a long way, particularly in the area of Projection Shields(which can stop torpedoes), so the metal-prototype received the green light. | ||
Along with the new shielding requirements, Bounty was slated as a test bed for a new type of compressed energy weapon being developed by [[Industrial Face Annihilators]]. The charged particle cannon was built using lightweight composites, making them much easier to produce. It was slated to be the main gun on an upcoming battleship design, but IFA's scientists had grave doubts about it's combat-readyness. | Along with the new shielding requirements, Bounty was slated as a test bed for a new type of compressed energy weapon being developed by [[Industrial Face Annihilators]]. The charged particle cannon was built using lightweight composites, making them much easier to produce. It was slated to be the main gun on an upcoming battleship design, but IFA's scientists had grave doubts about it's combat-readyness. | ||
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| + | The original Bounty design also fielded next generation engine technology, as well as numerous sub-system enhancements that would see use on other starships for years to come. | ||
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| + | Many of Bounty's original design-elements were lifted from the Mauarader-class of [[Fast-Attack Ship]]. The Bounty was over three times as long, but with about the same beam. | ||
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| + | ==Operational History== | ||
| + | As a test platform the Bounty preformed well, achieving full operational readyness and being deployed on several missions as a student ship. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As a test platform, it was deemed an over-all failure; active shielding provided sufficient defense, but not sufficient endurance. | ||
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| + | The new beam canon was also found to be a failure. While the casing itself was sufficient, the sub-systems to the weapon for found to have serious design flaws that resulted in the weapon effectively breaking every time it was used. The composite casing program was also scrapped, as while it was considered effective under normal usage, it was deemed to have a very short operational lifespan when fired "at battle speeds". A variant of the composite version did see usage on many Alliance-manufactured variants. | ||
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| + | While the Bounty was considered a failure as a test platform, the Alliance, who was allowed access to several of the tests, immediately saw great potential in the ship, and asked to purchase several of the design, upgraded with improved stealth technology. | ||
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| + | ==Production== | ||
| + | The Foundation initially made no plans to produce "the modified Marauder", but the Alliance requested a small production run. The saw use for the ship in home guard, convoy escort, and commerce-raiding roles. While the Foundation did not agree to the usefulness of the vessel, they acquiesced to sell the Alliance thirty ships modified for mass production. | ||
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| + | Initial changes included: a slower, but more robust FTL drive(one which would now allow the vessel to keep up with Crimson Blade fleet ships), and a standard-production model of the main gun. Most of the other design features were left as-is from the original Bounty, with a few changes made to make the ships easier to produce. | ||
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| + | The original agreement held that the ships could not be used for commerce-raiding. Presumably this agreement included a large number of exaggerated winks and air quotes, as the contract included zero provision for enforcing this caveat. Within a matter of decades, the Foundation had begun to openly engage in raids on Kamian shipping as well, and all future contracts for Bounty-class ships did not include the raiding prevision. | ||
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| + | Many ships were legitimately scrapped, only to have their components flood the open market and make continued operation of unregistered Bounty-class ships possible. | ||
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| + | ==Notable Examples== | ||
| + | *[[Leros]] | ||
Revision as of 22:23, 9 May 2017
G.S.S. Bounty, M-203-F, was the line-leader for the Bounty-class Fast-Attack Stealth Ship. Bounties were built in huge numbers during the Kamian Succession Wars and operated primarily by the Alliance and member-worlds. The Crimson Blade ultimately fielded very few of them, despite about 1/3rd of all models being constructed directly by the Foundation. The rest were built under contract by the Alliance, which was given special dispensation to purchased IFA heavy beam cannons and military-spec'd Fairview FTL Drives. Countless more knock-off ships, made with civilian-grade drives and cheap copies of the main cannon, were also constructed by various powers.
The Foundation had an agreement with the Alliance that, following the war, all surviving Bounty-class ships were to be sold back to the Foundation at cost. While the Alliance generally tried to comply, few member worlds did. Many of the ships were kept by worlds that otherwise did not have the capacity to build warships. Still others were illegally sold on the secondary market, where they became extremely popular with mercenaries, smuglers, and other such individuals of ill-repute. Ironically for the name, the Foundation was forced to issue a "bounty" on all Bounty-class ships that could be either returned to the Crimson Blade or proven destroyed.
Design
The Bounty was never conceived as a production-model ship. Instead, it was constructed as a Metal Prototype, Multi-technology Test Bed and equipment demonstrator. During the Battleship Crisis, the Foundation was desperate for ways to field more ships; one proposal formed the mianstay of the Bounty's design: it would rely on active shielding, rather than armor, to protect itself. This concept, definitely not revolutionary, was not well-recieved by the Crimson Blade regulars. Still, shield technology had come a long way, particularly in the area of Projection Shields(which can stop torpedoes), so the metal-prototype received the green light.
Along with the new shielding requirements, Bounty was slated as a test bed for a new type of compressed energy weapon being developed by Industrial Face Annihilators. The charged particle cannon was built using lightweight composites, making them much easier to produce. It was slated to be the main gun on an upcoming battleship design, but IFA's scientists had grave doubts about it's combat-readyness.
The original Bounty design also fielded next generation engine technology, as well as numerous sub-system enhancements that would see use on other starships for years to come.
Many of Bounty's original design-elements were lifted from the Mauarader-class of Fast-Attack Ship. The Bounty was over three times as long, but with about the same beam.
Operational History
As a test platform the Bounty preformed well, achieving full operational readyness and being deployed on several missions as a student ship.
As a test platform, it was deemed an over-all failure; active shielding provided sufficient defense, but not sufficient endurance.
The new beam canon was also found to be a failure. While the casing itself was sufficient, the sub-systems to the weapon for found to have serious design flaws that resulted in the weapon effectively breaking every time it was used. The composite casing program was also scrapped, as while it was considered effective under normal usage, it was deemed to have a very short operational lifespan when fired "at battle speeds". A variant of the composite version did see usage on many Alliance-manufactured variants.
While the Bounty was considered a failure as a test platform, the Alliance, who was allowed access to several of the tests, immediately saw great potential in the ship, and asked to purchase several of the design, upgraded with improved stealth technology.
Production
The Foundation initially made no plans to produce "the modified Marauder", but the Alliance requested a small production run. The saw use for the ship in home guard, convoy escort, and commerce-raiding roles. While the Foundation did not agree to the usefulness of the vessel, they acquiesced to sell the Alliance thirty ships modified for mass production.
Initial changes included: a slower, but more robust FTL drive(one which would now allow the vessel to keep up with Crimson Blade fleet ships), and a standard-production model of the main gun. Most of the other design features were left as-is from the original Bounty, with a few changes made to make the ships easier to produce.
The original agreement held that the ships could not be used for commerce-raiding. Presumably this agreement included a large number of exaggerated winks and air quotes, as the contract included zero provision for enforcing this caveat. Within a matter of decades, the Foundation had begun to openly engage in raids on Kamian shipping as well, and all future contracts for Bounty-class ships did not include the raiding prevision.
Many ships were legitimately scrapped, only to have their components flood the open market and make continued operation of unregistered Bounty-class ships possible.
