A the time of writing, there is only one class of first-generation X-ship built by the Federation with a Move Cost between .5 and 1, namely the advanced heavy war destroyer in Module X1R. (There is a conjectural CLX based on the Texas-class CL in Captain's Log #36.)

Of course, it should be noted that the DDX arguably punches above its weight as X-destroyers go. While the HWX can be fielded in a "Z" variant, with a pair of special sensors and room for four F-111s, in order to go RTN-hunting.

But still, perhaps there could be cause for a team of designers to consider a hull type which would be better suited for mission variants (such as RTN-hunting) on the one side, yet which might be cheaper to build than the NAX on the other.

So, I was thinking of an advanced medium cruiser design, but not one based on the medium cruiser in SFB Module R12. Rather, it would be an X-version of a would-be "new medium cruiser", that itself would have been built up from the NDD. To put it another way, the CM has two 12-box NCL warp engines and a 2-box "warp pack" of the kind used on the CB and BC; the resulting ship has a Move Cost of 3/4. This proposed CMX would, instead, have three 12-box DDX warp engines, add a new hull section where the third engine would be attached, and also be given a Move Cost of 3/4.

The resulting ship could then be given an RTN-hunter variant, with two of its photons swapped out for special sensors and with the added room in the new hull section leveraged to make way for a flight of six F-111s.

Now, if this concept is dead on arrival, well and good. If it turned out that Star Fleet simply built more HWXs than other empires did in order to backstop the anti-RTN efforts of their GVX and GSXs, even better. But, if there was room for an X-raider which did for the Feds what the D5PX and SparrowHawk-EX did for the Klingons and Romulans respectively, perhaps a would-be "CMX" built up from the DDX might be a way to get there.


On a side note, I suppose if the Romulans ever cared to field an X-variant of the GryphonHawk, and then to install a pair of E-modules into such a vessel, that would perhaps be a closer point of comparison to this idea here than the SPEX is at present.

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Monday, August 12, 2019 - 12:53 am: Edit

Do the Feds really NEED a ship in that size range though? I think not.

I don't have the rules in front of me, but I'm a bit confused as to why you say the HDWX cannot have 2 sensors and 6 F-111s as I'm under the impression that all HDWS can have two sensors and 6 PFs (or F111s if the case of the Feds) and an x-conversion wouldn't lose this capbility, surely?

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Monday, August 12, 2019 - 12:55 am: Edit

Also, the Feds can't make more than two F111 carriers a turn in F&E which is also their maximum HDWX build rate possible, so not really possible to make more such RTN hunters every six months by building this new design you propose.

By Alan Trevor (Thyrm) on Monday, August 12, 2019 - 09:52 am: Edit

In Module X1R the Federation does get an X-tech Strike Cruiser, which has ⁵/₆ MC. It is, however, tn "unbuilt variant". It's been a while since I looked at that ship but if I recall correctly, it does have the same weapons and power as the CX. Less internal durability but more power available for weapons, EW, etc. at high speed.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Monday, August 12, 2019 - 10:39 am: Edit

Richard, I believe that Gary Carney is proposing a ship for the Andromedan War, year 195.

unless you think the Federation needs to expand on the current F-111 carrier limit? (I admit, it doesnt sound like thats what you want, but then, why bring it up when discussing a YIS ship for year 195?)

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Monday, August 12, 2019 - 12:43 pm: Edit

It was in response to something Gary said about building RTN hunters as a justification for the new hull. I was pointing out that the Feds can already max it with X-ships that do the job without needing a new hull for the purpose.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Monday, August 12, 2019 - 01:09 pm: Edit

The F-111 thing came up in a discussion with SPP over in the "questions on ships" thread, though the exact correspondence has since been scooped up as part of the Great BBS Cleanup of 2019. I apologize to SPP if I am mis-remembering any of the details, but the reading I got from it was something like this:

On the one hand, an HDW or HWX being set up as a PFT can use the mech-link refit to upgrade a pair of tractor beams on the base hull, as well as adding four PF mech links to the NWO boxes, while still leaving enough room for a pair of special sensors on the RA option mounts. Indeed, the alternate timeline Feds can do this from alt-Y198 onward over in the "dark future" from Module C3A.

However, there is no means to install a "fighter mech link refit" to the tractor beams on the base hull of the Federation HDW or HWX. A full flight of 6 F-111s would take up all four NWO boxes and the RA option mounts, thus rendering the ship useless as an RTN-hunter. However, SPP noted that HDWs (and HWXs) are permitted to field fewer than six heavy fighters under (J10.111); thus, one can deploy four F-111s from the NWO mounts and retain the use of special sensors on the RA mounts. (This has since been provisionally listed as the "-Z" variant for the HDW and HWX on the most recent Federation SIT.)


Now, that still leaves the question open as to whether or not a single GVX, a slowly growing number of GSXs, and an as-yet-unspecified number of HWXZs are enough to spearhead the campaign against the array of Andromedan RTN nodes to be unearthed across Federation space, or if there might be a need for a light-to-medium-sized X-raider design which can help in that regard.

For what it's worth, I was going to suggest that a single prototype CMX would have been built at some point prior to Y195 (as a "combat variant"), with the design resurrected (or rather, re-configured as an RTN-hunter) and a few more built from Y196 onwards.

But, once again, if ADB deems the current crop of Star Fleet advanced technology RTN-hunters as being sufficient for the task at hand; or, if it isn't, if they would prefer an alternate approach (say, by perhaps offering an RTN-hunter variant of the NAX instead); well and good.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 - 12:17 am: Edit

Richard, I **think** Gary is trying to justify a new hull design, not expand production of the HDX and HWX types. It is not how I would have chosen to present the case, nor do I suspect that it will convince others to join him in his position.

wish I could help explain, but Gary has managed to leave me very confused about what he wants to do.