Confederate

191px
Confederate
Production information
Manufacturer Kong Interstellar
Production Year 2602[1]
Use 'Mech/ASF Carrier
Type Spheroid
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Technical specifications
Mass 1,860 tons
Structural Integrity 10
Length 32.6 meters
Width 36.4 meters
Height 32.6 meters
Drive System Thordan 650X
Safe Thrust 2 g
Max Thrust 3 g
Fuel (tons) 135 tons
Fuel (days) 73.4 days
Armament 14x Large Lasers
20x Medium Lasers
Armor Ferro-Tile 87
Fore: 22
Sides: 19
Aft: 13
Crew 10
Escape Pods/Life Boats 2/0
Heat Sinks 92
BV (1.0) 2,733[2]
BV (2.0) 3,220



Description

The Confederate-class military DropShip was once the standard Lance transport of the Star League Defense Force. Resembling a scaled down Union, it was launched in 2602 by Kong Interstellar and served with the SLDF up to the Amaris Civil War. Many Confederates took part in Aleksandr Kerensky's Exodus, although some stayed behind to serve with the remaining Inner Sphere militaries. However, the technological decline of the Succession Wars meant maintaining the Confederate's advanced technology difficult, and by 3057 only two were still in service in the Inner Sphere. While initially mothballed upon their arrival at the Pentagon Worlds, Kerensky's Clans would reactivate their surviving Confederates for the Clan Invasion.[3][4]

The Confederate used one of the most advanced engine designs of the Star League era, its Thordan 650X engine taking up twenty percent less room and weighing ten percent less than its predecessors. This also makes living conditions on a Confederate less cramped than a comparable DropShip, and allows its cargo bays more versatility in carrying either BattleMechs, Aerospace Fighters or a combination of both, along with general cargo.[3][4]

Armament

With a load-out of fourteen Thunderbolt DT Large Lasers and twenty Hammon Medium Lasers, the Confederate lacks the diverse armament and punch of other DropShips such as the Leopard. However, its 46 tons of armor offer far superior protection, and the nature of its weapons ensures that ammunition is never an issue. This, coupled with the Confederate's efficient use of fuel, makes it a very self-sufficient vehicle capable of extended independent operations.[3][4]

Cargo

The Confederate has three Cargo Bays; the first and third bay has two access doors, while the third has three. In service to the SLDF, the Confederate's typical load-out was either two ASFs and four 'Mechs, or six 'Mechs, although this diminished the amount of cargo space available.[4]

Variants

  • Clan 
    Despite their advancement in technology, the Clans made very few modifications to the Confederate. The only difference is that it is designed to carry a complete Star of OmniMechs, divided between the first and second bays, with the third assigned spare parts for the 'Mechs.

See also

Notes

In German products the unit's proper name was translated to Konföderation', which rather means Confederation.

Gallery

References

  1. MUL online date for the Confederate
  2. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 209
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Technical Readout: 2750, p. 148-149
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, p. 72-73

Bibliography