Like the Human Alliance, the Consortium constructs their own Orbital Fortresses to protect inhabited planets and important military posts. Simply put, a fleet cannot be everywhere at once. Almost all militaries in the Three Galaxies with any space capabilities at all have some form of fixed defenses even if they are just moon based missile batteries.
Often the Consortium will set up light fortresses to protect a newly formed colony and they are transferred to the system's defense forces after the population grows to be self supporting. At first the Consortium used the Human Alliance fortress designs but eventually developed their own fortress designs. The Consortium also is willing to sell these fortresses to defense forces within the Consortium although at a rather steep price. These fortresses also form the defenses of some resupply bases although major facilities are more often protected by larger fortresses.
These fortresses are quite a bit larger than the Human Alliance light orbital fortresses. These smaller fortress are designed to be able to defend a planet against attacks from cruisers and other relatively small vessels. While a number of these smaller fortresses can deal with battleship class vessels, in most cases larger fortresses are used to fortify systems under potential attack by heavier vessels. As with the Human Alliance design, the fortresses are build in sections designed to be easily carried in freighters. Once in the system, they can be assembled relatively quickly. While they can be theoretically, rarely are orbital fortresses disassembled and moved to another system once they are set up.
Due to not using space for drives, a fortress can carry far more firepower than a starship of similar mass. They are also generally less expensive to build and maintain. Their lack of mobility can a major weakness compared to starships because they cannot dodge incoming missiles. This means that anti-ship missile can be fired beyond the range of the anti-ship missile batteries of the fortress and come in on a ballistic course.
These fortresses are armed with four 20 cm heavy laser cannons backed up with eight 12 cm laser cannons and eight 8 cm rail guns. The rail guns are designed to deal with heavy targets which are impervious to energy weapons. As with most fortress, while the lack drives, they have maneuvering thrusters to allow them to spin to fire all direct fire weaponry on a single target. They also mount four capital missile batteries and six long range missile batteries. While the fortress can throw a single volley of capital missiles equal to a Protector class battleship, the fortress lack the ability to fire as many volleys as the battleship. During times of war, these fortress are often surrounded by minefields and these can be tied into the fire control of the Fortress.
Point defense of the fortress in quite heavy with twelve particle beam batteries, twelve gravity rail gun batteries, and twelve mini-missile batteries. These are designed to deal with fighter and missile attacks that get through the long range defensive missile batteries. Shields are similar to those which are used on a Warshield class cruiser and form a last line of protection. As might be expected, these fortresses are quite well armored and can withstand damage that would obliterate virtually any cruiser.
Another tactic when dealing with fortresses is to use fighters beyond the anti-fighter missile batteries of the fortress but within range for capital missiles. For this reason, and to give the ability to support locations away from the fortress itself, most fortresses carry a large fighter compliment. Fighters can be launched from fortresses and engage far faster than from a planet because a fighter has to climb out of the atmosphere. . This fortress is designed with the ability to embark five squadrons of light fighters and four squadrons of medium fighters. While an effort has been made to replace fighters with newer fighters, older fighters are more commonly found on fortresses than starships. In addition to light and medium fighters, most fortresses have a single squadron of heavy fighters. There has been an effort to replace all older fighters with the Proctor to give some long range scouting ability. The fighter compliment is supplemented by space power armors in most cases.
These fortresses are designed to be able to be operated by a fairly small crew. In addition, these fortresses have a minimal troop compliment. Because these fortresses are often protecting isolated colonies with minimal luxuries, these platforms are designed specifically for crew comforts. They have an extensive hydroponic section to provide fresh fruits and vegetable. To make the platforms less of a hardship, the Consortium tries to regularly rotate the crews of the platforms in isolated areas. Still, a surprising number tend to settle in the system that they are assigned and often join the system defense forces.
Fortresses often act as support facilities with the ability to both resupply smaller vessels, such as destroyers and frigates, and even perform light repairs on these same vessels. These fortress lack the facilities for major repairs however. In addition, they also have extensive medical facilities although are lacking compared to a full scale hospital. Still, small vessels often have only the most rudimentary medical facilities.
Power for the fortresses is from fusion reactors. Generally in systems refueling is much easier than for starships and hydrogen is extremely plentiful. The additional mass of fusion plants compared to anti-matter is also not critical as it is with many military vessels.
The orbital defense fortress design uses modified starship speed and range rules. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World for more details.
Model Type: CAF ODF-L5
Vehicle Type: Orbital Defense Fortress (Light)
Crew: 235 (34 officers and 201 enlisted)
Troops: 100 marines ( typically stay on board for ship defense),
250 fighter pilots / crews, and 24 power armor pilots.
Vehicles:
Power Armors & Robots:
| 24 | SH-CCW100 Silver Hawk Power Armors |
| 60 | SF-69 CAF Scorpion Light Star Interceptor (Wolfen Falx Supina in some cases) | |
| 24 | BIF-67 Katana Star fighters (H.A. Osprey Interceptor / Attack Fighter in some cases) | |
| 12 | SF-101 Black Eagle Star fighters (H.A. Osprey Attack Fighter in some cases) | |
| 12 | SF-101I Storm Eagle medium interceptor (H.A. Osprey Interceptor in some cases) | |
| 12 | LRF-25 Proctor Long Range Star Fighters |
M.D.C. By Location:
| 20 cm Main Laser Cannons (4): | 1,200 each | |
| 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons (8): | 800 each | |
| 8 cm G-cannon Turrets (8): | 800 each | |
| Point Defense Gravity Rail Guns (12): | 200 each | |
| Point Defense Particle Beam Cannons (12): | 150 each | |
| Cruise Missile Batteries (4): | 1,000 each | |
| Long Range Missile Batteries (6): | 600 each | |
| Mini Missile Launchers (12): | 100 each | |
| Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area): | 150 | |
| Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area): | 100 | |
| [1] Bridge / Command and Control: | 20,000 | |
| [1] Auxiliary Bridge / Command and Control: | 20,000 | |
| Hanger Bays (4): | 10,000 each | |
| [2] Main Body: | 80,000 | |
| [3] Variable Force Field: | 5,000 a side (30,000 Total) |
Notes:
[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon
to hit the bridge through the station's armor. This station also has two
auxiliary bridges. Even if both bridges are taken out, the station can
still fire weaponry on local control. Weapon hits near the bridges that
do not penetrate the station's integrity can injure crew members on or
near the bridge.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the station out
of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support
and internal gravity. The station itself will be an unsalvageable floating
wreck.
[3] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one
shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (1,500 M.D.C.) per melee round.
Speed:
Does not move; however, the station has station keeping Contra-Grav
thrusters and can rotate rapidly so it can bring all weapon mounts to bear
in all directions necessary. Contra-Grav Thrusters allows the station to
increase its rotate at the rate of 18 degrees per melee. It takes
5 minutes to get station rotation up to 360 degrees per melee. This is
normally the maximum the station will rotate at.
Statistical Data:
Length: 948.75 feet (289.18 meters)
Height: 222.5 feet (67.82 meters)
Width: 948.75 feet (289.18 meters)
Weight: 661,390 tons (600,000 metric tons)
Power System: Advanced Fusion with a 40 year life span. The
ship normally only goes 10 years between refueling and refitting.
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the station that allows
for the storage of up to 50,000 tons (45,360 metric tons) of cargo in addition
to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. Each enlisted crew member
has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Station officers have
more space for personal items. Most of the station's spaces are taken up
by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, and other equipment.
Market Cost: Platform costs the Consortium about 4.0 billion
credits to manufacture in present time in the Three Galaxies. When the
Consortium sells these platforms, they sell them for 8.0 to 12.0 billion
credits. Cost does not include embarked craft.
WEAPON SYSTEMS:
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