I'll also suggest the Vessel of the Fleet package since I've noticed you haven't taken it and at the bare minimum (1SP) it gives a +10 to all Command tests in the ship which includes the strike craft-related ones.
My lack of familiarity with this stuff is showing. I don't even know what you're talking about here and it sounds like a must-grab. Could you tell me where to find this too?
The Auto Temple is in Hostile Acquisitions, pg. 72.
Thanks! and it looks like there's no real drawbacks to having it. So yeah, def should be added.
And I do know how bombers cause damage and ignore voidshields, my point is that the lance would do nothing without the means to strip away the void shields. The lance is better replaced by a good laser macrobattery, as those can still strike several times and have good reach that's similar to the launch bays'. Torpedoes or a nova cannon would also be better options but those require acquiring reloads.
Solid point. laser macrobattery it is! Is that the Sunsear or something else... *checks various books* Okay, first, looks like I think you meant the sunsear laser battery. which seems like a good, solid choice. But, while I was looking, I stumbled over the Bombardment Cannon, and the +20 intimidate it gives vs planetary characters, and bonus progress towards military objectives against a planet. Thoughts on that vs the (unquestionably solid) sunsear lasers?
You have a good point when it comes to going full carrier. It's the best option as long as you can fill those bays, but I'm just a fan of having a good and reliable backup option at least temporarily while the PF isn't flowing, and macrobatteries do that. That and I had still to take a deeper look into the design; I've since seen you've stuffed it full of strike craft-related components which do incentivize just going full ham on strike craft, while I tend to go for (and had in mind) a barer design upon shipgen to keep enough PF for future upgrades.
rearranged your post because I wanted to respond to this last. specifically by attempting to build a stripped-down version of the ship design:
Hull - Dictator class cruiser:
speed 5
detection +18
armor 20
space 65
manoeuvrability +8
Hull integrity 70
turret rating 3
SP 63
Essential Components:
Plasma Drive - jovian pattern class 8.3 drive, generate 74 power, use 15 space, costs 1 SP
Warp Drive - Miloslav H-616.b, uses 10 power, 12 space
Void Shields - multiple void shield array, uses 7 power, 2 space
Geller Field - warpsbane hull AND an Emergency Field as a backup, 3 power, costs 2 SP
Life-Sustainer - Clemency-pattern Life sustainer, 5 power, 5 space
Crew Compartments - voidsmen quarters, 2 power, 4 space
Bridge - Flight Command Bridge, 2 power, 2 space
Sensors - M-201.b Auger Array, 5 power
Supplemental Components:
Runecaster, 1 space, (free eldar) SP cost
Pilot's Chamber, 1 power, 1 space, costs 1 SP
Small Craft Repair Deck, 2 power, 2 space, costs 1 SP
Auto Temple, 1 Power, 1 Space
weaponry:
Jovian-Pattern Launch Bays x2 (prepaid space and SP, 2 power cost)
Lathe-pattern Landing Bay: 1 power, 5 space, costs 2 SP
x2 = 2 power, 10 space, 4 SP
-no prow weapon-
42 / 74 power used
55 / 65 space used
SP cost: 72
Combined result:
Dictator class cruiser:
speed 5
detection +23
armor 20
space 65
manoeuvrability +8
Hull integrity 70
turret rating 3
2 void shields
armament:
2x Jovian-pattern Landing Bay (1x port, 1x starboard) (Strength 2 each)
2x Lathe-pattern Landing Bay (1x port, 1x starboard) (Strength 2 each)
note: total landing bay strength is 8, permitting a maximum of 24 squadrons, and by default coming with 8 squadrons already aboard.
special rules:
jovian pattern class 8.3 drive (Plasma Drive): Reliable Construction: If this Component becomes damaged, depressurized, or suffers a Critical Hit (including a 4 or 6 result on the chart), roll 1d10. On a 4 or higher, the effect is ignored.
Miloslav H-616.b (Warp Drive): Haste of the Damned: reduce the duration of all warp passages by half. However, roll on the Warp Travel Encounters table (page 186 of Rogue Trader) every three days rather than every five days.
Warpsbane Hull (Geller Field): Shield of Faith: Any Navigation Tests to pilot the ship through the warp gain a +10 bonus. When rolling on Table 7-4: Warp Travel Encounters (see page 186), the GM rolls twice and allows the Navigator to chose which result is applied.
Emergency Field (Geller Field): If the ship unexpectedly enters the warp, roll 1d10, on a 3 of higher, the Geller Field activates automatically, protecting the ship from any warp intrusion that may have taken place.
Flight Command Bridge (Bridge): Flight Command: as long as the bridge remains undamaged, all Command Tests dealing with attack craft gain +5, and tests to ready new squadrons are automatically passed.
Flight Command Bridge (Bridge): Flight Control: All Trade objectives involving ground to orbit or small craft operations gain +25 Achievement Points
Clemency-pattern Life Sustainer (Life-Sustainer): Lifeline: Increase Morale permanently by +1. This starship reduces Crew Population and Morale losses due to Depressurization by 4, to a minimum of 0
Runecaster: Eye of the Warp: Navigators using this Component to pilot a ship through the empyrean gain a +20 bonus to all Navigation Tests. Additionally, any journeys made using this Component take half their normal time.
Runecaster: Fuelled by Fate: This Component never becomes unpowered for any reason.
Pilot Chambers: Combat Ready: Pilot Chambers grant a +2 bonus to the Attack Craft Rating of all squadrons aboard a starship.
Small Craft Repair Dick: Spare Parts: After any starship combat in which fighters, assault boards, or bombers are lost, a character may immediately make a Difficult (-10) Tech Use Test. For every degree of success on the test, two of these craft are recovered.
Auto Temple: Tend the Flock: The constant support of the Temple's Priests increases Morale by 2.
Auto Temple: Convert the Heretic: When working towards a Creed objective, the players earn an additional 150 Achievement Points towards completeing that objective.
Lathe-pattern Landing Bay: Energy Field: The security hatches on this bay must be open during the Strategic Turn when small craft are landing or taking off. If this component ever loses power when the hatches are open, this Component becomes Depressurised.
While making the stripped-down version I audited the original, and the numbers didn't add up. additionally I wanted to add the changes we were discussing anyway, so here it is:
Hull - Dictator class cruiser:
speed 5
detection +18
armor 20
space 65
manoeuvrability +8
Hull integrity 70
turret rating 3
SP 63
Essential Components:
Plasma Drive - jovian pattern class 8.3 drive, generate 74 power, use 15 space, costs 1 SP
Warp Drive - Miloslav H-616.b, uses 10 power, 12 space
Void Shields - multiple void shield array, uses 7 power, 2 space
Geller Field - warpsbane hull AND an Emergency Field as a backup, 3 power, costs 2 SP
Life-Sustainer - Clemency-pattern Life sustainer, 5 power, 5 space
Crew Compartments - voidsmen quarters, 2 power, 4 space
Bridge - Flight Command Bridge, 2 power, 2 space
Sensors - M-201.b Auger Array, 5 power
Supplemental Components:
librarium vault, 1 power, 1 space, costs 1 SP
Runecaster, 1 space, (free eldar) SP cost
Manufactorum, 2 power, 1 space, costs 2 SP
Medicae Deck, 2 power, 1 space, costs 1 SP
Pilot's Chamber, 1 power, 1 space, costs 1 SP
Small Craft Repair Deck, 2 power, 2 space, costs 1 SP
Auto Temple, 1 Power, 1 Space
weaponry:
Jovian-Pattern Launch Bays x2 (prepaid space and SP, 2 power cost)
Lathe-pattern Landing Bay: 1 power, 5 space, costs 2 SP
x2 = 2 power, 10 space, 4 SP
Sunsear Laser: 6 power, 4 space, costs 1 SP
53 / 74 power used
62 / 65 space used
SP cost: 77
Combined result:
Dictator class cruiser:
speed 5
detection +23
armor 20
space 65
manoeuvrability +8
Hull integrity 70
turret rating 3
2 void shields
armament:
Sunsear Laser Battery (prow) (Strength 4, Damage 1d10+2, Crit Rating 4, Range 9)
2x Jovian-pattern Landing Bay (1x port, 1x starboard) (Strength 2 each)
2x Lathe-pattern Landing Bay (1x port, 1x starboard) (Strength 2 each)
note: total landing bay strength is 8, permitting a maximum of 24 squadrons, and by default coming with 8 squadrons already aboard.
special rules:
jovian pattern class 8.3 drive (Plasma Drive): Reliable Construction: If this Component becomes damaged, depressurized, or suffers a Critical Hit (including a 4 or 6 result on the chart), roll 1d10. On a 4 or higher, the effect is ignored.
Miloslav H-616.b (Warp Drive): Haste of the Damned: reduce the duration of all warp passages by half. However, roll on the Warp Travel Encounters table (page 186 of Rogue Trader) every three days rather than every five days.
Warpsbane Hull (Geller Field): Shield of Faith: Any Navigation Tests to pilot the ship through the warp gain a +10 bonus. When rolling on Table 7-4: Warp Travel Encounters (see page 186), the GM rolls twice and allows the Navigator to chose which result is applied.
Emergency Field (Geller Field): If the ship unexpectedly enters the warp, roll 1d10, on a 3 of higher, the Geller Field activates automatically, protecting the ship from any warp intrusion that may have taken place.
Flight Command Bridge (Bridge): Flight Command: as long as the bridge remains undamaged, all Command Tests dealing with attack craft gain +5, and tests to ready new squadrons are automatically passed.
Flight Command Bridge (Bridge): Flight Control: All Trade objectives involving ground to orbit or small craft operations gain +25 Achievement Points
Clemency-pattern Life Sustainer (Life-Sustainer): Lifeline: Increase Morale permanently by +1. This starship reduces Crew Population and Morale losses due to Depressurization by 4, to a minimum of 0
Librarium Vault: Accumulated Data: Any Investigation Skill Tests made aboard this ship gains +10
Runecaster: Eye of the Warp: Navigators using this Component to pilot a ship through the empyrean gain a +20 bonus to all Navigation Tests. Additionally, any journeys made using this Component take half their normal time.
Runecaster: Fuelled by Fate: This Component never becomes unpowered for any reason.
Manufactorum: Manufacturing: if attempting extended repairs, each Manufactorum ads a +10 bonus to the weekly Tech-Use Test. If paying for repairs, each Manufactorum adds a +10 bonus to the Acquisition Test to restore Hull Integrity
Manufactorum: Additional Templates: Manufactgorums are equipped with a variety of templates for construction, so each Manufactorum adds an additional 10 Achievement Points for any Trade objectives. In addition, the Manufactgorums may be able to manufacture small numbers of personal items. The GM is final arbiter of what can and cannot be manufactured, but generally it should not be more than a few dozen of a Common item.
Medicae Deck: Diagnostics and Treatment: The Medicae Deck adds a +20 bonus to all Medicae Skill Tests performed within this Component. The number of patients that may be treated without penalty is increased to three times the character's Intelligence Bonus.
Pilot Chambers: Combat Ready: Pilot Chambers grant a +2 bonus to the Attack Craft Rating of all squadrons aboard a starship.
Small Craft Repair Dick: Spare Parts: After any starship combat in which fighters, assault boards, or bombers are lost, a character may immediately make a Difficult (-10) Tech Use Test. For every degree of success on the test, two of these craft are recovered.
Auto Temple: Tend the Flock: The constant support of the Temple's Priests increases Morale by 2.
Auto Temple: Convert the Heretic: When working towards a Creed objective, the players earn an additional 150 Achievement Points towards completeing that objective.
Lathe-pattern Landing Bay: Energy Field: The security hatches on this bay must be open during the Strategic Turn when small craft are landing or taking off. If this component ever loses power when the hatches are open, this Component becomes Depressurised.