M-9 "Pavise" SDS Battle Station
Sarna News
| |
| M-9 Pavise | |
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Terran Hegemony |
| Type | Tug / SDS Space Station |
| Tech Base | Inner Sphere |
| Cost | |
| Introduced | 2720 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 1,500,000 tons |
| Length | 1,000 meters |
| Width | 2,000 meters |
| Thrust | Station Keeping Only |
| Fuel (tons) | 5,000 tons |
| Fuel (days) | 2.82 |
| LF battery | None |
| Armament |
|
| Armor | 4,125 tons Ferro-Carbide |
| Structural Integrity | 1 |
| Docking Collars | 12 |
| Crew/Passengers | SDS Drone Control System
|
| Grav Decks | 2 x 450 meters diameter |
| Escape Pods/Life Boats | 90/0 |
| Heat Sinks | 7,000 (double) |
| BV (1.0) | |
| BV (2.0) | 288,172[1] |
Contents
Description[edit]
The M-9 Pavise SDS Battle Station was an SLDF robotic defense outpost created as part of First Lord Jonathan Cameron's plan to protect the Terran Hegemony. These were the largest drones to enter service as part of the M-Series publicly, and the third largest overall after the failed M-6 Texas prototype[1] and M-11 Da Vinci.[2]
The Pavise was created as an automated space command outpost to maintain and coordinate a large fleet of SDS Robotic Drones within a star system. First deployed in 2720, the Pavise would typically be deployed to a star system's jump point or in orbit around an important world. Terra itself would have five of these battle stations protecting each of its jump points and other vital locations.
A small human crew would monitor the station's robotic systems, and its habitable section could accommodate visitors. Situated above the paired grav decks, the occupied section performed customs duties similar to any other monitoring station. This area also served as a space traffic control station and performed major human-performed maintenance on the vessel if needed. The other half was capable of autonomously defending and repairing itself, with no intervention needed to guide the automated decks with large robot gantries and complex computer systems.[1]
The station was a success as an SDS command and repair yard, though it did suffer from no movement capabilities, and could be outmaneuvered in any engagement, to General Kerensky's benefit during the final attack on the Hegemony. The SLDF relied on high-velocity attacks and lobbed bearing-only missile attacks to finally wear down the stations on the long drive to landing upon Terra, ending the station's use as a last defense.[1]
Weapons and Equipment[edit]
Equipment[edit]
Designed as a Command and Repair Yard for smaller SDS Drones, the Pavise Battle stations were equipped with a Naval Comm-Scanner Suite and an Autonomous Tactical Analysis Computer which would allow a Pavise to control up to 300 drones at a time. The station's two automated ARTS Pressurized Repair Bays could repair and rearm DropShip and M-5 WarShip-sized SDS drones.
The station had twelve DropShip collars, allowing it to handle two full squadrons of M-3 Drones or Howdah DropShips, while its fighter bays could house 144 Voidseeker drone fighter craft.
Encasing the station's hull was 4,125 tons of Ferro-Carbide armor, giving the station twice the protection of a Farragut or McKenna-class battleship.[1]
Weapons[edit]
A Pavise's weapons layout was equal to any typical heavy WarShip design of its era.[1]
Each of the weapon arcs (Nose, FL/FR, AL/AR, Aft) had the following weapon layout:
- Capital weaponry: 4 Heavy Naval Gauss Rifles, 8 Heavy Naval PPCs, Class-35 Naval Autocannon (w/200 each), 12 Class-55 Naval Lasers, and AR-10 Launcher (100 Killer Whales, 100 White Sharks, and 100 Barracuda Capital Missiles).
- Conventional weaponry: 4 Gauss Rifles, 6 Particle Projector Cannons, 6 Extended-Ranged Large Lasers, 4 Artemis IV guided 20-Tubed Long-Range Missile Launchers, 4 LB 10-X Class Autocannons, 6 Large Pulse Lasers with 12 Medium Pulse Lasers, and 12 Small Pulse Lasers serving as point defense.
Cargo[edit]
- Bay 1: Small Craft (10), 1 Door
- Bay 2: ARTS Fighter Cubicles (144), 21 Doors
- Bay 3: ARTS Pressurized Repair Bay (800,000 ton Capacity), 1 Door
- Bay 4: ARTS Pressurized Repair Bay (100,000 ton Capacity), 1 Door
- Bay 5: Cargo (157,585 tons), 2 Doors
- Bay 6: Cargo (50,000 tons), 2 Doors
Notes[edit]
The Pavise required no crew as it was completely autonomous, being able to maintain both attending vessels and itself. The station's internal automated defenses were often sufficient to fend off boarding actions.[1]