Abyssal Dragon

“We are registering multiple impacts on the enemy facility....ah, we are detecting a cessation of electromagnetic activity at the target site. Multiple short-lived gravitic spikes consistent with the collapse of gravitic forcefields and implosions of singularity powerplants! At least one megaton radiation event.”

“Any drive signatures?”

“None on the planet. All ceased at the same time as the second plasma bombardment. The only technological activity we’re picking up are two of the cruisers, damaged, and attempting to limp out-system.”

“Pursue and finish them off at long range.”

“Very good, War-Captain. Shall we scan and finish off any lifepods?”

“Standard scans only. If any of the brain-eaters have survived, they will know the consequences of raiding in our territory. Let them carry the word to their fellows, if they can, that they are NOT the alpha predators in this Arm!”

## Abyssal Dragon Battleship

The Abyssal Dragon is the Darkwaters’ variant on the Storm Dragon battleship, first introduced by the Hawkmoon clan. Positioning itself as the ‘deep space’ clan, the DarkWaters were pleased with the main firepower of the Storm Dragon, but felt that for such a large ship, its secondary armaments, especially its missile and point defense armaments, were badly lacking, rendering the ship a target to overwhelming swarm tactics. The Abyssal Dragon sought to remedy those shortcomings with a substantial overhaul and refit of the design, meant to increase the original design’s firepower.

### Modifications

The original missile armament has been beefed up; the launchers moved from their positions at the top of the hull to the lateral ‘wing’ nacelles, and both their rate of fire and magazine capacity greatly expanded. The secondary laser armament has been doubled and additional point defense systems have been added. The hangars have also been expanded to carry additional shuttles or fightercraft, depending on available manpower and mission needs.

All the added armament comes at a slight decrease in overall speed in normal space maneuvering speed, but the Darkwaters apparently have no problems with that; favoring using the greater missile barrage capacity to hamstring fleeing opponents, then close in for the kill.

The Abyssal Dragon also features an improved FTL drive, allowing for faster supra-light deployments, in keeping with the far-ranging Darkwaters’ deep space doctrines.

Abyssal Dragons have thus far appeared only in the aerospace forces of the Darkwaters. Currently the numbers of Abyssal Dragons to the original Storm Dragon is on the order of one Abyssal for every six Storm Dragons in the Darkwaters’ ranks, but that is expected to change as the Darkwaters gear up for larger-scale production of the improved warship.

## Abilities

Although the Abyssal Dragon can carry 24 fighters, these can be changed for an additional 8 assault shuttles.

1. [In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ships armor. This ship also has an auxiliary bridge. Even if both bridges are destroyed, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge and all weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge that do not penetrate the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge.
2. Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the vessel out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
3. Destroying the engineering section means that ship FTL propulsion systems are destroyed and maximum sublight acceleration is reduced to ten percent of normal (using navigational thrusters).
4. Destroying the two pods will prevent the vessel from landing and destroy the railcannon batteries.
5. Shield positions are variable and can be combined into one shield. The shields regenerate at a rate of 5% (400 MDC) per melee round.

Range: 10 years at optimal conditions, using both conventional and magical life support. If no organics are present the vessel can operate for three times as long (30 years).

Drive Type(s): Primary; Type-E CG drive rated for factor 500 FTL (5LY / hr.), sublight and atmospheric maneuvering.

Other Systems [In addition to standard starship systems as listed in ‘Fleets of the 3 galaxies’]

ECM generators. Advanced Sensor Package. Geologic Sensors. Targeting and combat computer (+2 to
strike, +1 to dodge). Auto-pilot & Supernavigation computer (60% skill). Atmosphere recycling system. 40 staterooms & 360 basic accommodations (troops are housed in barrack style areas). 2 Launch-bays. Artificial gravity. 3 Recreation facilities. 300 Stasis pod facilities. Medical Facility (200 patients). 70 FTL life-boats. FCE pod (bridge unit). Auto-Breach sealing. FTL communications system.

### Special Systems

#### Onboard Nanofacs

The Stormdragons carry a central axis nanofac assembly line that allows the ship to draw in space debris (including battlefield wreckage), break it down, and convert it into usable material, including rail gun ammunition, new missiles, ship repairs, and crew components.

#### Robotics/Bionics Bay

The Stormdragons come with a complete robotics/bionics ‘sickbay’ able to diagnose and repair just about any complaint or damage a SheMar is likely to suffer. The biomechanics bay also has the ability to manufacture and Awake new SheMar and NeShemar bionic full conversions.

#### Command Linkage

The cyber-psionic command and control exercised by the EShemar give them faster response times: +1 to Initiative and +1 to strike.

### Weapon Systems

#### Heavy Plasma Torpedo Ejector (1)

 Range2
 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Located in the “mouth of the 'dragon is a capitol ship scale version of the plasma torpedo batteries used by the Eshemar navies. When activated, the forward section of the ‘head’ opens up like a set of jaws and the firing gate is revealed; filled with compressed plasma. A few seconds later the plasma is expelled as a sphere almost 250 ft. wide!

This weapon remains unchanged from the original Hawkmoon configuration.

Damage is inflicted to all exposed areas, and in the case of capitol ships, the blast will damage at least 2 shield facings (GM‘s call).

Capitol Ship scale -14 to strike small targets.

#### Concealed Antiship Laser Batteries (12)

 Range2
 Damage
 Rate of Fire

Located port & starboard (4 dorsal, 4 ventral) with another four mounted in the tail quarter, and covered by folding armour plates are concealed medium laser batteries. Each battery has a 180º arc of fire to either side. Only called shots may damage the guns, and they are -25% to detect closed.

The DarkWaters have TRIPLED the number of these weapons from the original Hawkmoon design. The updated weapons also have a higher rate of fire in keeping with 3G medium laser batteries, while improved targeting reduces the penalties for striking smaller targets.

Capitol Ship scale -5 to strike small targets.

#### Heavy Railcannon Batteries (2)

 Range2
 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

1 battery of 2-guns is located in the front of each leg pod, resembling twin toe-claws.

The Shemarrians have an apparent love of heavy projectile weaponry, as almost all of their ships feature, or have been refitted with, a forward battery of heavy rail guns or gravitic cannon. The Storm dragon is no exception, mounting four weapons of roughly GR-3000 class.

These weapons remain unchanged from the original Hawkmoon configuration.

Additional ammunition can be stored as cargo, but will take 45 minutes to reload from stores.

Heavy Ship scale -11 to strike small targets.

#### GR-100 Grav Autocannon turrets (24)

 Range2
 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

These point defense gravity-guns are spaced evenly across the Storm dragons’ hull to protect from enemy fighters and incoming missile strikes. The turrets may be manually operated or set to auto-fire.

The DarkWaters TRIPLED the original number of these turrets.

Note: The rotating turret gives a +1 to strike (plus any WP, weapon system lock-ons and sensor bonuses). If set for auto-fire, the guns are +4 to strike (+6 if lock on has been achieved).

#### Point Defense Turrets (20)

 Range2
 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Standard Shemarrian-pattern rail gun/pulse laser combination in a common turret. The Darkwaters added these weapons for additional coverage as they become available and commonplace on Shemarrian warships; they are normally concealed under hull panels

Additional ammunition can be stored as cargo, but will take 45
minutes to reload from stores.

#### Vertical LRM / Torpedo Launchers (3; 1 each wing, one dorsal)

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The original three-tube launchers have been replaced with larger fifteen-tube batteries with larger magazine capacity. Typically these launchers are loaded with plasma or gravitic warheads.

Additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 1 hour (1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles).