Sampan III Class Cutter (WarShip)

==Overview==
The Sampan III-Class Cutter is a unique type of WarShip which was constructed in a Shipyard in the Kowloon Star System within the Quarantine Zone. Using blend of ancient Primitive JumpShip technologies, with modern WarShip technologies to create small but lethal craft.
Intended for Coast Guard service in the Lyran Commonwealth, the ships are intended to police the Quarantine Zone, which is the home of horrific pandemic originating on the world of Arluna, thus the apply named "Arluna Flu". The cutters are used handle traffic coming in & out of the Zone. They can act in the role of a first responder vessels with civilians are need or when crimes accrue. Thirteen worlds have been given the Sampan IIIs to police their respective Solar Systems as part of collective of Coast Guard.
The ships of the Sampan III Class were originally produced in 3059 by the Boojum Shipyard in the Kowloon System. 
On it's roles for it's policing role, these ships carry large compliment of marines.
However, the ships have been known to support larger WarShips as escort vessel when national urgency calls them to be pressed into Military Service. Largely, these ships are not as well known outside the Quarantine zone and the Inner Sphere.
*WIKI EDITOR NOTE: These ships have been used in multiple fan story settings (alternate Universes) originally conceived by fan writer, Cannonshop. The Quartine Zone does not exist in the Alternate Ngo AU.
==Background Information==
===Engineering History===
Based on a much earlier pre-dreadnought vessel produced by the Terran Alliance (the Type 51 gunboat), the Sampan series first debuted as a unique class in 2773 as a repair/conversion of Type 51 Gunboats mothballed by the Rim Worlds Republic after the Reunification War.  The Sampan 1's were utilized as convoy escorts by the short-lived "Republic of Kowloon" during the Amaris war, providing route security for Kowloonese supply vessels bringing replacements and supplies to the 171st Kowloon Volunteers Brigade as part of that world's support for the Kerensky-aligned SLDF.
The Sampan 1 was a 51,000 ton gunboat armed with two naval lasers and a four tube missile system mounted amidships and it served until the Annexation Treaty with the Lyran Commonwealth was signed. After which, they were at first relegated to local commerce enforcement. Then at some point, 'dropped off the map' in the 2830s as Kowloon's contribution to the ongoing war effort in the 1st Succession War shifted more and more toward integration with regular LCAF line units.
In the 3040s, a replacement/refurbished version was designed that did not see production until the early 3050s under Duchess Elizabeth Ngo.
The 3050s version, or Sampan II retained the original design's mass, base jump-range, and complement. However, added was a 'dumbed down' and reduced size LF capacitor system. Which allowed for doubling the jump range per charge to 30 light years. Additionally it was upgraded the sensors, electronics, and communications with an early-model copy of the Black Box FTL transceiver installed in the ship's CIC.
In the late 3050s and early 3060s, a 'cutter leader' version was laid out.  24,000 hydrogen-tons larger than both 1 or 2 models, the Sampan III retained the same armament, but with an expanded smallcraft/boat bay, larger missile magazine, and more advanced armor plating, along with significantly better sensor, communication, and detection equipment.  It also incorporated a better laid out, more comprehensive point defense array.
The Sampan III became the standard Kowloon Coast Guard cutter in 3062. It displaced the aging Sampan II refits and forming the basic core of Kowloon's Coast Guard naval assets.
===Battle History===
Designed to serve primarily as a commerce protection and short-range regional patrol vessel, the Sampan III operational history is loaded with instances where it was pushed to, and beyond, the limits of the original design intent.  Sampan IIIs were used extensively in 'commerce raiding' missions against Clan Jade Falcon during the incursions of the 3060s, accounting for several million tons of Jade Falcon shipping destroyed. Hampering their advance into the Lyran Commonwealth and providing enough strategic opportunities for Adam Steiner to lead his counter-attack into Jade Falcon controlled territory, resulting in the Blair Atholl Accords.
During the FedCom Civil War, Sampan III's struck at Kathrine-Loyalist forces after Regent Nondi Steiner declared all neutrals to be enemies and launched attacks on Lyran worlds in the Melissia theater.  Some of the operations these vessels conducted were deep, penetrating strikes against Lyran Alliance Navy vessels, including the sinking of the Battlecruiser LAS Yggdrasil in Ender's Cluster, a feat accomplished while operating in concert with the first batch of Landmark class destroyers.
Sampan IIIs would remain in service and mass series production into the Jihad era, serving as forward sweeps and reconnaissance assets for the Lyran Commonwealth Navy, engaging in strikes against Blakist shipping, and conducting 'jeep ship' missions of various sorts during the fighting.  
One particular instance is notable: the LCS Nueva Pueblo infiltrated the Word of Blake Protectorate all the way into the Sol system to make contact with the Belter communities of the Metis Coalition.  This enabled LCN to have a leg up when approached a few years later by Devlin Stone and Chandrasekhar Kurita's international coalition, as the routes into the Sol system had been mapped for the LCN. This enabled them to bypass most of the Blakist pickets. As well as avoiding the traps laid out for Lyran forces on the approach to Sol, thus catching the Blakist forces holding the Solar System on the back foot.
===Tactical Use===
Cutters are 'Jeep ships', that is, they're relatively inexpensive and simple to helm and crew, capable of a limited number of duties suitable for lightweight vessels, and mass produced at the Boojum Yard complex in the Kowloon system.  They are not powerful ships.  Their main punch comes from a four tube capital missile array with varying loadouts, and a pair of naval lasers.  Their fighter complement is small, their smallcraft or 'longboat' complement, even smaller, they are not considered suitable for most of the jobs Ground Warfare experts want a warship to perform, but they are more than an even match for any combination of 'pocket warship' assault dropships.  Kowloonese and later Lyran doctrines equip a number of 'warshots' or thermonuclear missiles for capital ship sized targets.  
Cutters in wartime run in groups called 'patrols'-this is a pack of four of these, with a conventional jumpship serving as a 'tender' with fuel, additional ammunition, and extra consumables.  their tactics are wolfpack tactics, with multiple cutters targeting the same opponent at long range, making use of their small size and reduced silhouette combined with massed fire and interlinking point defenses to make up for small size, thin armor, and light weight.
===Conditions aboard===
Sampan III's on duty are cramped vessels, corridors and nearly every living space are loaded with additional supplies when on patrol.  Conditions aboard have been described as somewhere between an oil rig, and a world war one (Pre-spaceflight) submarine.  crews tend to become extremely tight-knit miniature societies, perhaps as a result of having to 'share the head' until the extra supplies have been consumed.  Hot-bunking is not merely common, but necessary.  The largest open space aboard where the crew can gather, being the flight deck, which must be kept relatively clear for launch and recovery of fighters and smallcraft.
Like all Kowloonese (and now, most Lyran Commonwealth) vessels, when going into combat, the Sampan III depressurizes the hull to limit the effects of shockwaves and prevent or control the outbreak of fire.  Crew simply tend to 'live in' their skin-tight spacesuits, wearing utility overgarments when and where necessary.
==Armaments and Capacities==
Intended for skirt around treaties and technologies thought lost in course of time, the Sampan IIIs improve on what has been slowly developed. 
Using it's Primitive K-F Drive which is limited to jump the tiny vessel maximum of 15 Light Years, in-comparison to modern ships able go 30.
The ships is main capital weapons include pair fore side mounted Class 45 Naval Lasers, with four nose mounted AR10 Capital Missile Launcher. The ship carries 40 White Shark (Medium) and 40 Barracuda (Light) Capital Missiles. These ships quietly, carry nuclear tip warheads when dealing with large and more powerful WarShips. The ship conventional weapons includes array of four Large Pulse Lasers that cover the fore/aft and broadside firing arcs of the ship. As part it's active defenses, each it's firing arcs is fitted with eight Anti-Missile Systems (Guns) to shoot down incoming fire. While not intended for heavy combat, the ship is protected by 165 tons of Ferro-Carbide armor. The ship also carry large compliment of Marines, 50 of them for boarding actions as well assistance on the ground.
To enable the patrol and inspection missions the Sampan III has a large Naval Com Scanner Suite to greatly enhance its detection and coordination abilities.
==Cargo==
*Bay 1: Small Craft (2) 2 Doors 
*Bay 2: Fighter (4) 4 Doors 
*Bay 3: Light Vehicle Bay (2) 2 Doors
*Bay 4: Conventional Foot Infantry (2 Platoons) 2 Doors 	 
*Bay 5: Cargo (822.0 tons) 1 Door 
==Variants==
;Sampan I Class Cutter : The original version of the design. Limited jump capacity to 15 lightyears.
;Sampan II Class Cutter : 2nd variant of class, with additional Black Box transmitter, LF Battery.
;Sampan IV Class Cutter : A projected 4th variant of class, 100,000 ton vessel more using modern compact core casting techniques.
;Seahawk Class Cutter : Clan version of the Sampan III, weighing 75,000 tons. The ships perform the same as the Sampan IIIs, but are not armed with nuclear weapons. These ships fitted out for a Star of 10 fighters in their place and other Clan enhancements where it allows. The ships fell out server after the Jihad. Typically named for bloodname warriors for fell in battle honorable. (Class is currently only found in Alternate Ngo AU Stories). 
==Notable Ships of the Class==
*KCGS Mila Weintraub - Coast Guard assigned ship, used for training. The ship was noted for it's disappearance in 3085. It was soon discovered from a "Black Box" FTL communication from it's commanding officer, LT JG Samantha Daimh, that ship had a misjump was now near Clan Space in the Colleen Star System. The ship's crew found themselves in horrific situation which civilians population of world of Honor was under siege by Clan Star Adder. The Clan was waging genocidal war against their ancient enemies Clan Blood Spirit. Slaughtering helpless civilians Spirit civilians. The crew voted to do their duty and try to do what they can as ship of Kowloon Coast Guard would do. They managed to help fleeing civilians on DropShips to find shelter in the solar system away from the marauding Star Adder Battleships. The Mila Weintraub would be able to in a surprise attack use it's nuclear tip warheads to destroy both Star Adder WarShips. However, reinforcements had been called from the Clan Homeworlds, forcing the crew fight a last stand against the enemies after sending one last transmission to Kowloon which would arrive years after the battle. (Note: This ship appeared in the Alternate Ngoverse AU series of stories. not the Administrator AU.)
==Gallery==
File:Sampan III Class Cutter (Ngoverse).jpg|thumb|330px|Overhead view of a Sampan III under thrust.
==Notes==
*Naming Practices : Sampan class cutters are named for men and women who gave their lives for Kowloon or for the Lyran Commonwealth, between the years 2729, and the present conflict.
*Wiki editor note (Design Origin): The ships were designed by kindalas, whom had accepted the challenged to bring the ship which fan writer Cannonshop had written to life. Cutters are invention of Cannonshop, which is hybrid of both Warship & Primitive JumpShips. Using modern weapons & equipment, while it's KF Drive & other Propulsion Systems are Primitive Technology based. This was oldest type of Interstellar Ships created by mankind. 
*Wiki editor note (Ngo Megaverse): This ship is a designed which appears in multiple universes written by Cannonshop. Fluff appearing here is mix of both his The Administrator AU and his later Alternate Ngoverse AU which can be confusing.
*Art work Note: Sampan II was my original effort to make the Sampan III, but it felt it was not sizable enough and different enough from the original materials i had used to make the image. I do feel that the Sampan IV for all accounts is using the III's art but its bigger but not noticeably so.
==Also See==
*The Administrator
*Alternate Ngoverse
*Ngo Megaverse
==External Links==
*Spread Sheet for The Sampan III
*Forum Challenge for design of the Sampan III
==References==
Category:Small WarShips
Category:WarShipsCustom
Category:Works by CannonShop
Category:The Administrator AU
Category:Alternate Ngoverse
Category:Ngo-Megaverse