Klingon Vor'cha class Attack Cruiser:
The writeup of the Vor'cha class is designed to be used after the Star
Trek Six: The Undiscovered Country up to and including Star Trek:
Next Generation episodes as well as during Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine and Star Trek: Voyager Episodes.
The Vor'cha class cruiser is one of the most common ships in the Klingon
fleet and is the Klingon equivalent of the Federation Excelsior class although
construction was started later. While the ship class is slightly smaller
than the Excelsior class, the ship has about the same firepower, defenses,
and armor. The ship class is newer that the Federation Excelsior class
but is older than the Federation Galaxy class. Unlike the Birds of Prey,
these ships often act as heavy combatants. A unique feature of this ship
is that it has facilities for diplomatic missions. Like most Klingon ships,
the Vor'Cha class cruiser has a cloaking device.
The ship is well armored and has shields as powerful as those carried
on the Excelsior class even though the Vor'cha class is slightly smaller.
The ship has two impulse engines to give the ship a higher survivability.
The ship main weaponry is decent but not as powerful as might be expected.
The ship carried five siege disruptor banks on the main hull and has a
forward firing and an aft firing photon torpedo launcher. Where the ship
really stand outs is the external weapons pod. This pod can add up to four
additional photon torpedo launchers, four mega disruptors, or a mixture
of five siege phaser banks and two additional photon torpedo launchers.
The first pod gives the ship more missile launchers than any previous ship
class except the Federation Starstalker class, the second gives the ship
almost the same firepower as an Avenger class frigate or Truxton class
cruiser, and the final pod gives the ship about the same firepower as an
Excelsior class cruiser.
The ship carries enough fighters to act as a light carrier and the ship
carries assault shuttles for planetary assaults. The ship also carries
200 marines but when the ship is used for diplomatic missions, the marine
berthing areas may be converted to quarters for up to 100 passengers.
This design is written to be able to interact with modified phase world
rules. See
Revised Starship Rules for Phase World for more details.
There is a lack of hard detail on this ship. Some materials have
suggested accelerations that are simply beyond scope. I have taken a moderate
level in writing up this starship for Phase World because otherwise the
ship would either be far too powerful or far too weak for Phase World.
Warp speeds are far slower than the FTL speeds for Phase World but they
are very close to those from the original series and Star Trek: The Next
Generation Technical Manual. Also, a note on the mass of starships. The
original sources indicated much smaller masses for starships than Star
Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual does and where possible, both masses
are listed for the gamers to choose which one seems most appropriate.
Model Type: Vor'Cha class Assault Cruiser
Class: Assault Cruiser (would be classified as a Heavy Cruiser
in Phase World due to size)
Crew: 260 (36 Officers and 224 Enlisted)
Troops: 200 Marines, 80 fighter and Shuttle pilots (Ship can
carry 100 Passengers in place of marines)
Vehicles:
Fighter Compliment:
Shuttles:
| 6 | Assault Shuttles |
| 6 | Standard Shuttles |
M.D.C. By Location:
| Siege Disruptor Cannons (6 banks of 2 each): | 1,000 each bank |
| Torpedo Tubes (2): | 1,000 each |
| External Weapons Pod: | 10,000 |
| Warp Nacelles (2): | 28,000 each |
| Impulse Engine (2): | 10,000 each |
| [1] Bridge Support Structure | 15,000 |
| [1] Primary Bridge: | 25,000 |
| [1] Auxiliary Bridge (Also used as Flag Bridge): | 25,000 |
| [2] Main Body: | 90,000 |
| [3] Variable Force Field: | 10,000 a side (60,000 Total) |
Notes:
[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 does have an auxiliary
bridge. Even if both of the bridges is 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 bridges that do not penetrate
the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge. Destruction
of the support structure of the bridge will remove the bridge section from
the rest of the ship. The auxiliary bridge is buried in the main section
of the ship and is not effected.
[2] Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the Cruiser out of
commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support
and internal gravity. The ship 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% (3000 MDC) per melee round.
Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship
to travel up to 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate
at the rate of 0.8 percent of light per melee round.
As an alternative, the starship can reach .99 of the speed of light
but is normally restricted to slower speeds so that starship is not effected
severely by time attenuation that occurs at the higher sublight speeds.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Cannot travel within an atmosphere efficiently.
Stardrive: Uses a warp engine to travel faster that the speed
of light.
Without the Weapons Pod, The ship can travel at Warp Factor
7.0 on cruise (0.075 light years per hour), Warp Factor 9 Flank (0.17 Light
Years per hour), and Warp Factor 9.6 Emergency (0.22 Light Years per Hour).
With the Weapons Pod, the ship can travel at Warp Factor 6.5
on cruise (0.058 light years per hour), Warp Factor 8.5 Flank (0.141 Light
Years per hour), and Warp Factor 9.1 Emergency (0.018 Light Years per Hour).
Speed is calculate using a formula designed to emulate Star Trek: Next
Generation speeds. These speeds are very slow when compared to Phase World
ship, so if used in that universe, they could be increased enough to operate
within Three Galaxy speeds but should not exceed them.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either Drive system.
The ship carries about three years worth of supplies on board and a small
hydroponic section.
Statistical Data:
Length: 1,579.1 feet (481.32 meters)
Height: 350.6 feet (106.87 meters)
Width: 1,121.25 feet (341.76 meters)
Mass: 2,238,000 metric tons (Deep Space Nine: Technical Manual)
Power System: Anti Matter with 15 year life span. Ship normally
only goes 5 years between the ship being refueling.
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows
for carrying up to 50,000 tons of Cargo in addition to standard compliment
of supplies and ammunition.
Market Cost: 6.9 billion to construct.
Weapon Systems:
- Six (6) banks of 2 Siege Disruptor Cannons:
The ship primary
beam weaponry not including special weapons that are mounted in the ships
weapons pod. Two disruptor banks are located in the front of the ship,
one disruptor bank is located on each side, and two disruptor banks are
located aft. The weapons damage is about equal to laser cannons used by
the CAF but the Disruptors have a greater rate of fire. The disruptors
are also slightly shorter ranged but only slightly. Both Disruptor Cannons
in each bank can be linked or can be fired separately. They cannot be used
faster than the speed of light. Weapons system have half penalties to hit
fighters and small targets.
Range: 12,437 miles (20,000 km) in space and 12.4 miles (20
km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 2D6x100 each or 4D6x100 for both cannons in a bank.
Rate of fire: Maximum of Three (3) times per melee each cannon.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
- Two (2) Photon Torpedo Launching Systems:
The ship has two
launchers mounted in the main hull of the ship. One of the mounts is on
the forward of the ship and the other is on the aft of the ship.
Effectively very similar to Phase World cruise missile launchers but
instead of having groups of multiple launchers, the Klingon Empire has
concentrated on launchers that can launch more than one torpedo at the
same time. Once spread of torpedoes has been launched, the launchers must
reload and rearm before launching another spread of torpedoes.
Torpedoes has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space
has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship).
When drive goes dead, the torpedo will still cruise unless preset to self
destruct or receives a destruct code but has very low odds of hitting star
ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move
and torpedoes when dead at -25% to detect.) See Modified starship rules
for more details, Torpedoes have minuses to hit small targets but are all
considered smart missiles. Launchers can launch on multiple targets each.
Range: Powered torpedo range is 8000 miles (12,875 km) in an
atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space
Mega-Damage & Properties: Photon Torpedoes (Matter/Anti-Matter
Warheads): Old Series inflict 2D6x100 each, Star Trek Movies One through
Six inflict 3D6x100, and Next Generation inflicts 4D6x100 each.
Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, or 4 per launcher,
per melee round, for a maximum of 8 torpedoes per melee. Launchers are
reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
Payload: 100 Photon torpedoes each launcher (200 total)
- Weapons Pods:
The ship can carry a variety of different weapons
pods. One pod has all torpedo launchers, another pod has just disruptor
pods, and one pod has a mixture of both pod type. The type of pod carried
or if one is carried depends on ships mission and the captains requests.
- Type 1 (Photon Torpedo Pod):
The pod has four photon torpedo
launchers in it. The payload for each launcher is less than the payload
carried for the two internal launchers. Two launchers fire forward and
two launchers fire aft.
Effectively very similar to Phase World cruise missile launchers but
instead of having groups of multiple launchers, the Klingon Empire has
concentrated on launchers that can launch more than one torpedo at the
same time. Once spread of torpedoes has been launched, the launchers must
reload and rearm before launching another spread of torpedoes.
Torpedoes has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space
has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship).
When drive goes dead, the torpedo will still cruise unless preset to self
destruct or receives a destruct code but has very low odds of hitting star
ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move
and torpedoes when dead at -25% to detect.) See Modified starship rules
for more details, Torpedoes have minuses to hit small targets but are all
considered smart missiles. Launchers can launch on multiple targets each.
Range: Powered torpedo range is 8000 miles (12,875 km) in an
atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space
Mega-Damage & Properties: Photon Torpedoes (Matter/Anti-Matter
Warheads): Old Series inflict 2D6x100 each, Star Trek Movies One through
Six inflict 3D6x100, and Next Generation inflicts 4D6x100 each.
Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2 or 4 per launcher,
per melee round, for a maximum of 16 torpedoes per melee. Launchers are
reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
Payload: 200 torpedoes (because the launchers are right next
to each other they all use the same magazine).
- Type 2 (Mega Disruptor Pod):
Used as anti-capital ship weapons
and can take out frigates in one shot or do large amounts of damage to
bases or larger ships. The Disruptor cannons can be combined or used separately.
They cannot be used faster than the speed of light. Weapon has standard
penalties to hit fighters and small targets. The barrels can be fired either
forward or behind and can be rotated 30 degrees horizontally or vertically.
Range: 93,300 miles (150,000 km) in space and 93.3 miles (150
km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 2D4x1000 MDC each and can be combined for a damage
equal to 4D4x1000.
Rate of fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee per cannon.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
- Type 3 (General Weapons Pod):
- Five (6) banks of 2 Siege Disruptor Cannons:
The weapons
damage is about equal to laser cannons used by the CAF but the Disruptors
have a greater rate of fire. The disruptors are also slightly shorter ranged
but only slightly. Both Disruptor Cannons in each bank can be linked or
can be fired separately. They cannot be used faster than the speed of light.
Weapons system have half penalties to hit fighters and small targets.
Range: 12,437 miles (20,000 km) in space and 12.4 miles (20
km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 2D6x100 each or 4D6x100 for both cannons in a bank.
Rate of fire: Maximum of Three (3) times per melee each cannon.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
- Two (2) Photon Torpedo Launching Systems:
The payload for
each launcher is less than the payload carried for the two internal launchers.
One of the mounts is on the forward of the ship and the other is on the
aft of the ship.
Effectively very similar to Phase World cruise missile launchers but
instead of having groups of multiple launchers, the Klingon Empire has
concentrated on launchers that can launch more than one torpedo at the
same time. Once spread of torpedoes has been launched, the launchers must
reload and rearm before launching another spread of torpedoes.
Torpedoes has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space
has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship).
When drive goes dead, the torpedo will still cruise unless preset to self
destruct or receives a destruct code but has very low odds of hitting star
ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move
and torpedoes when dead at -25% to detect.) See Modified starship rules
for more details, Torpedoes have minuses to hit small targets but are all
considered smart missiles. Launchers can launch on multiple targets each.
Range: Powered torpedo range is 8000 miles (12,875 km) in an
atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space
Mega-Damage & Properties: Photon Torpedoes (Matter/Anti-Matter
Warheads): Old Series inflict 2D6x100 each, Star Trek Movies One through
Six inflict 3D6x100, and Next Generation inflicts 4D6x100 each.
Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, or 4 per launcher,
per melee round, for a maximum of 8 torpedoes per melee. Launchers are
reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
Payload: 100 torpedoes (because the launchers are right next
to each other they all use the same magazine).
- Cloaking Device:
The Klingon Vor'Cha class Attack Cruiser
has a cloaking device that allows the ship to be undetectable by most sensors.
The Klingon Empire originally got their cloaking technology from the Romulans
but has since been able to both copy and improve on their cloaking technology.
In phase world this system has the problem that it does not hide the ships
signature on gravitic sensors (This is even more of a weakness on Romulan
ships because they use a black hole in their power systems). The starship
cannot raise shields or fire any weapons while cloaked, for one attack
previous to cloaking, or just after decloaking.
When attacking and if ship is not detected, the ship has +8 initiative
bonus against a target that is not alerted and +4 initiative bonus against
targets that are alerted (at general quarters). If the cloaked ship get
a higher initiative, the ship can both raise its combat shields and can
fire its weapons previous to any opponents attacks.
Each time the ship main body gets damaged, the is a percentage chance
the cloaking device will be damaged. This is done by determining the total
damage the ship has sustained and dividing that by the amount of damage
the ship can take (90,000 in the Vor'Cha Cruisers case) and getting a percentage
of the hull that the ship has taken for damage. A percentile roll is then
made. If the percentile roll is less than the percentage of damage the
cloaking device is damaged and will be non operation.
[ Phase World™, Kreeghor™, and CAF™, are trademarks owed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books, Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books, Inc. ]
[ Star Trek is copyright © Paramount Pictures ]
Parts of Technical information are from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual (Mostly Ship Sizes).
CGI of Ship by Andrew Hodges. More of his CGI pictures of Star Trek Ships at Devil World 6
By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
I would like to recognize Henning Rogge
as giving assistance with the revision of the Star Trek starships.
Rifts Conversion Copyright © 1998 & 2000, Kitsune. All rights reserved.
