Nekohono'o

Nekohono'o.jpg
Nekohono'o
Production information
Manufacturer BBP Industries[1]
Production Year 3065[2]
Use Assault Ship
Type Military Spheroid
Tech Base Star League
Technical specifications
Mass 16,000 tons
Structural Integrity 16
Length 120 meters
Width 117 meters
Height 137 meters
Safe Thrust 2.5 g
Max Thrust 4 g
Fuel (tons) 400
Fuel (days) 1.84
Armament
Armor 57 tons Ferro-Aluminum
Crew 42
Escape Pods/Life Boats 6/0
Small Craft/
AeroSpace Fighters
9 / 6
Heat Sinks 295 Double Heat Sinks
BV (1.0) 26,980[3]
27,193[4]
BV (2.0) 31,231[5]


Description[edit]

The Nekohono'o (also known as the Flaming Cat) class assault DropShip was designed to stop (or slow) the WarShips of Clan Ghost Bear. The Draconis Combine Admiralty presented a report to the Coordinator that showed even with the Combine WarShip program running at maximum capacity, if the Bears decided to attack the Pesht Military District with their entire WarShip fleet they could not be stopped. Though this situation would call for the Bears to discard zellbrigen completely, an unlikely event, it was still a reality. The Coordinator, displeased with this statement, instructed the Admiralty to find a way to stop the Ghost Bear WarShips.[3]

The DCA decided that what they needed was a way to get capital weapons into the fight to destroy WarShips. Though the WarShip production lines were running at full speed, DropShip manufacturers still had some capacity available. Using the Rose-class DropShip as a starting point, the DCA engineers reduced the cargo capacity of that ship to add aerospace fighter and small craft launch bays, a preparation area for battle armor equipped boarding teams, increased armor protection, and most importantly a trio of Capital Missile launchers.[3]

Once the prototypes were complete, several were sent to Clan Nova Cat for testing and feedback. Attached to the Cats' Alpha Galaxy, the DCA expects to gain valuable insight from the largest user of battle armor in Combine space. The Eridani Light Horse also operate a pair of Nekohono'os, taking delivery of them after the Horsemen returned from their St. Ives peacekeeping mission.[3]

Armament[edit]

To accomplish its primary mission, the main offensive punch for the Nekohono'o comes from the three Kraken-T launchers mounted in the nose. These massive missiles are capable of inflicting large amounts of damage to an attacking DropShip or WarShip. Supplementing these is a suite of conventional weaponry designed to drive off enemy aerospace fighters and small craft. The LB-X Autocannon and Pulse Lasers make a hit against these smaller targets more likely, while the Artemis and Streak missile systems insure that any missiles that lock onto the target will cause serious damage. Finally, the Nekohono'o can impede enemy fire by using its pair of Screen Launchers to launch obscurants and noisemakers between itself and the enemy.[3]

Cargo[edit]

The Combine engineers didn't stop with weaponry to make the Nekohono'o a threat to enemy WarShips. The 'Cats are also designed to deploy nine NL-42 "Battle Taxis" from Bay 2, each carrying ten battle armor wearing infantrymen (who assemble in Bay 3). Having ninety suits of Kage or Raiden armor running around their ship is enough to make any WarShip captain pause. Bay 3 is also the assembly area for the remaining eighteen battle armor troops who are assigned to defend the Nekohono'os from enemy boarding attempts.[3]

To cover the Battle Taxis as they approach their targets, Bay 1 was converted into a launch facility for a squadron of Combine aerospace fighters.[3]

To feed and supply all 108 infantrymen, six Fighter pilots, their technical support staff, and the crew, Bay 4 is capable of carrying 587 tons of cargo.[3]

Variants[edit]

  • Nekohono'o HQ 
    Developed at BBP Industries plant on New Samarkand by Charles Mitchell Lamb III, this experimental version of the Nekohono'o is intended to coordinate ground combat operations in much the same way as the Conquistador while simultaneously providing fire support. By removing the MRM systems, designers found enough room to mount a pair of Cruise Missile 120 launchers and a sextet of Cruise Missile 70 launchers. These heavy weapons allow the Nekohono'o to support ground combat operations from kilometers away, much like the Fortress class DropShips. For closer artillery support, the ship mounts a quartet of Arrow IV missile launchers. One consequence of this is the removal of all but one of the Kraken-T launchers from the ship's nose. To increase the defensive firepower of the ship, the standard ER PPCs were replaced by Heavy PPCs, and the remaining MRM launchers received the Apollo Fire Control System upgrade. Over five hundred double heat sinks control the heat generated by all these weapons. Additionally, the Small Craft bays have been replaced by a Company of Mechs. To remain relevant in space combat, the Nekohono'o HQ is equipped with a Large Naval Comm-Scanner Suite and Naval C3 system. BV (2.0) = 40,137[1]
  • Nekohono'o SCL 
    Another version developed during the Jihad, the Nekohono'o SCL replaces the Kraken-T launchers with a battery of Sub-Capital Lasers. Like the Nekohono'o HQ the SCL version carries a Naval C3 system.[6] BV (2.0) = ????

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Experimental Technical Readout: Kurita, p. 13
  2. online date for the Nekohono'o
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Technical Readout: 3067, p. 182: "Nekohono'o Ship Profile"
  4. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 259
  5. Record Sheets: 3067 Unabridged, p. 309
  6. Technical Readout: 3085, p. 191

Bibliography[edit]