Note: this is an old post. The most recent incarnation of this ship design can be found here:
[Ship Design] Precursor Drifter Shipline and Modules
The following is a calculated concept for a balanced, flyable Drifter Battleship & associated modules
Hold on to your heads of state- the Argo is here! These Tyrannos battleships have been seen roaming the cluster for the last couple of years, and approaching developments will finally drop them into Capsuleer hands. This Tech 4 ship has the “Storyline” tag, and makes heavy use of Overloading. Its skill requirements include Jove Battleship V, and each of the “ancient race” technology skills at level I. Here’s a short list of a few of the ship’s advantages and disadvantages:
- Has the highest base max velocity of all battleships, high agility, and very low mass
- Increased base warp speed, compounded by skill bonus
- Has a spread sensor range- difficult to successfully jam
- Low Shield Thermal and no Armor EM base resistances
- Cannot use drones- has no drone bay or bandwidth
- Cannot fit a Cloak or Cyno Generator
- When destroyed, no pod is ejected and the pilot loses their clone
Skill and Role Bonuses include a total 50% increase to warp speed, a massive reduction to heat damage taken by modules, and a total 150% addition to the overload bonuses of three new module types that will be introduced alongside the ship, which include an energy turret, a prop mod, and a unique Shield+Doomsday combo that can only be fitted to the Argo - more detail on these further down.
New Modules:
Turret - “Channeled Warp Lance” - High Power
Market Group: Ship Equipment → Turrets and Bays → Large Energy Turret
- Tech IV: Channeled Warp Lance IV
- Storyline: Lux Kontos
Prop Mod - “Toric Drive Repeater” - Medium Power
Market Group: Ship Equipment → Propulsion → Drive Repeaters
- Tech IV: Toric Drive Repeater IV
- Storyline: Kopi Caelus
Shield+Doomsday - “Reactive Core Distributor” - Doomsday - High Power
Market Group: Ship Equipment → Turrets and Bays → Doomsday Devices
- Tech IV: Reactive Core Distributor IV
- Storyline: Aegis
Now for the Argo’s stats!
Argo:
Description:
Emerging from Anoikis in early YC117, the Argo was the first Drifter vessel to be encountered by Capsuleers. The hull first played a protective role, guarding and harvesting materials from the offlined Jove Observatories spread across the cluster, and displayed its full combat potential during the Vigilant Tyrannos invasion of the Throne Worlds following the assassination of Empress Jamyl I in August YC117.
While primarily based on Sleeper and Heaven-era Jove frameworks, Drifter hulls also incorporate numerous design elements and specializations attributed to the other “ancient races” and the modern Empires alike. The speed and maneuverability of their vessels is unmatched by any other hulls of their size, owing to a unique propulsion system which reroutes a ship’s warp core output along external propulsion rods during sub-warp travel to produce force by interacting with the space surrounding it.
Due to their highly specialized design, Drifter vessels cannot accommodate a capsule; a pilot must forego the convenient escape a pod provides and interface directly with a ship in order to operate it properly. The ship does, however, contain the necessary utilities to perform a successful infomorph transfer, though this integral system is far more reminiscent of that used by Clone Soldiers than of the standard Hydrostatic Capsule’s Transneural Burn Scanner.
Traits:
Jove Battleship Skill Bonuses (per skill level):
10% bonus to ship warp speed and warp acceleration
Sleeper Technology Skill Bonuses (per skill level):
10% reduction in module damage from overheating
Takmahl Technology Skill Bonuses (per skill level):
30% bonus to the benefits of overheating Channeled Warp Lance modules
Talocan Technology Skill Bonuses (per skill level):
30% bonus to the benefits of overheating Toric Drive Repeater modules
Yan Jung Technology Skill Bonuses (per skill level):
30% bonus to the benefits of overheating Reactive Core Distributor modules
Role Bonuses:
100% bonus to Large Energy Turret damage
Can fit Reactive Core Distributor
Cannot fit Cloaking Device or Cynosural Field Generator
Destruction of this ship will trigger immediate clone loss
Attributes:
Slot layout: 7H, 4M, 7L; 5 turrets, 0 launchers
Fittings: 15900 MW, 535 CPU, 2 Rig Slots, 350 Calibration
Defense (shields / armor / hull): 8000 / 13600 / 5000
Base shield resistances (EM/Therm/Kin/Exp): 32.5 / 12.5 / 32.5 / 32.5
Base armor resistances (EM/Therm/Kin/Exp): 0 / 50 / 50 / 50
Capacitor (amount / recharge / cap per second): 6650 GJ / 950 sec. / 7
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 186.64 / .55 / 10,900,000 / 6.8s
Base Warp Speed: 2.5 au/s
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 0 mBit/sec. / 0 m3
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 78km / 85mm / 7
Sensor strength: 15 RADAR + 15 Gravimetric + 15 Magnetometric + 15 LADAR
Signature radius: 400m
Cargo Capacity: 450m3
Fuel Bay: 1500m3
Required Skills:
- Jove Battleship Level V
- Sleeper Technology Level I
- Takmahl Technology Level I
- Talocan Technology Level I
- Yan Jung Technology Level I
Industry:
Required Skills:
- Advanced Large Ship Construction I
- Sleeper Technology Level I
- Takmahl Technology Level I
- Talocan Technology Level I
- Yan Jung Technology Level I
Required Materials:
Materials:
1x Sleeper Foundation Block
4x Sleeper Thermal Regulator
1x Takmahl Dynamic Gauge
6x Takmahl Gyro Ballast
1x Talocan System Interface Unit
8x Talocan Partition Plates
1x Yan Jung Nano Fabric
10x Yan Jung Plenary WireComponents:
39,500x Tungsten Carbide Armor Plate
265x Graviton Reactor Unit
3,950x Pulse Shield Emitter
7,000x Nanomechanical Microprocessor
114x Capital Doomsday Weapon Mount
5x Emergent Neurovisual Interface
18x Fullerene Intercalated Sheets
50x Nanowire Composites
16x Reconfigured Subspace CalibratorMinerals:
3,000x MorphiteItems:
30x R.A.M.- Starship Tech
35x Antikythera Element
Manufacturing Time: 8d 8h
Three new module types are being rolled out alongside the Argo, along with a new Isotope required to activate one of them. Though they’re intended for use with this hull to reach full potential, all but the new Doomsday+Shield combo module can be fitted to any battleship-sized hull. Each of the new modules receive significant boosts when overloading. Each module’s stats are listed and explained below, and each section also includes the effective stats for an example fit on the Argo.
There are two versions for each module type being introduced alongside the ship: a base Tech IV module - constructed with advanced components and sleeper salvage - and a Storyline version, which has a unique name and is constructed with a Tech IV version of the module plus various relevant ancient race salvage (already used in current storyline modules).
Each module type applies a specific set of penalties while fitted to the ship - the Storyline version of each module is stronger, but comes with increased penalties. Additionally, each Storyline module increases the penalties of the other Drifter module types by a total of 50% while simultaneously fitted. Having all three Storyline module types fitted will double each of their respective penalties. This significantly reduces the effectiveness of the ship - each module has its strengths, so decisions matter and choice is key.
The Channeled Warp Lance module combines fair base DPS and tracking with very good range. Requires no ammo, but has increased cap usage and fitting reqs., non-adjustable range or damage, and omni spread damage - making it impossible to focus on resist holes. Each turret reduces max capacitor while fitted. Requires and receives damage bonuses from both Large Beam and Large Pulse laser specialization skills.
Description:
Channeled Warp Lance IV:
This weapon is highly capable in a wide spread of situations. Each turret draws from the host ship’s warp core and channels it outwards as a beam of twisted space, releasing a broad spectrum of disruptive energies against its target. Additionally built in are rear stabilizers and an onboard power supply, which offloads a portion of the weapon’s obscene power draw to the unit itself and allows turrets to hang suspended above their wielder’s vessel, increasing their range of movement.
Penalties:
-1.4% reduction to max capacitor capacity while fitted.Note:
May only be fitted to Battleship-class vessels.
Lux Kontos:
This weapon is highly capable in a wide spread of situations. Each turret draws from the host ship’s warp core and channels it outwards as a beam of twisted space, releasing a broad spectrum of disruptive energies against its target. Additionally built in are rear stabilizers and an onboard power supply, which offloads a portion of the weapon’s obscene power draw to the unit itself and allows turrets to hang suspended above their wielder’s vessel, increasing their range of movement.
Penalties:
-2.8% reduction to max capacitor capacity while fitted.Note:
+10.0% to Toric Drive Repeater penalties while fitted.
+10.0% to Reactive Core Distributor immobility and warp delay duration while fitted.
May only be fitted to Battleship-class vessels.
Penalties:
(With all Storyline module types fitted, 5x Storyline turrets reduces capacitor by 28%.)
Attributes:
Required Skills:
Channeled Warp Lance IV:
- Gunnery V
- Large Energy Turret V
- Large Beam Laser Specialization I
- Large Pulse Laser Specialization I
- Graviton Physics III
Lux Kontos:
- Gunnery V
- Large Energy Turret V
- Large Beam Laser Specialization I
- Large Pulse Laser Specialization I
- Graviton Physics V
Industry:
Channeled Warp Lance IV
Required Skills:
- Graviton Physics Level I
- Yan Jung Technology Level I
Required Materials:
Components:
35x Antimatter Reactor Unit
32x Superconductor Rails
34x Particle Acceleration Unit
29x Thermonuclear Trigger Unit
33x Ion Thruster
1x Metallofullerene Plating
1x Nanowire Composites
1x Fulleroferrocene Power Conduits
7x Warfare Computation CoreMinerals:
300x MorphiteItems:
5x R.A.M- Weapon Tech
5x Antikythera Element
Manufacturing Time: 2h 44m
Lux Kontos
Required Skills:
- Graviton Physics Level III
- Yan Jung Technology Level V
Required Materials:
Materials:
10x Sleeper Heat Nullifying Coil
5x Takmahl Solid Mox
1x Talocan Solid Atomizer
15x Yan Jung Void MachineItems:
1x Channeled Warp Lance IV
1x Yan Jung Singularity Fact Sheet
Manufacturing Time: 1h
Effective Stats:
The Toric Drive Repeater module is a unique prop mod, not utilizing thrust like an afterburner or MWD - instead, it adds a flat max velocity bonus. Has no signature bloom, but reduces warp speed while fitted, reduces weapon accuracy while active, is shut down while warp disrupted, and has increased cap usage. Maximum of one module fitted per ship, and cannot be activated at the same time as an Afterburner or Micro Warp Drive.
Description:
Toric Drive Repeater IV:
This unique propulsion system respools and directs a portion of a ship’s warp core output along its hull, lowering it into a loose subspace dip in order to drastically increase velocity. The user’s ship’s warp speed will be permanently reduced while this module is fitted and online, and as a result of the subspace dip, weapon systems will lose precision while it is active.
This highly unconventional propulsion system was developed by the Drifters in tandem with their equally unconventional Propulsion Rods, designed to drastically amplify the boost gained from the subspace dip. Capsuleer pilots, however, will only attain maximum potential levels through overloading.
Penalties:
-20% penalty to warp speed while fitted.
Turret & Launcher accuracy and Drone Control Range reduced while active.Note:
May only be fitted to Battleship-Class vessels.
Kopi Caelus:
This unique propulsion system respools and directs a portion of a ship’s warp core output along its hull, lowering it into a loose subspace dip in order to drastically increase velocity. The user’s ship’s warp speed will be permanently reduced while this module is fitted and online, and as a result of the subspace dip, weapon systems will lose precision while it is active.
This highly unconventional propulsion system was developed by the Drifters in tandem with their equally unconventional Propulsion Rods, designed to drastically amplify the boost gained from the subspace dip. Capsuleer pilots, however, will only attain maximum potential levels through overloading.
Penalties:
-40% penalty to warp speed while fitted.
Turret & Launcher accuracy and Drone Control Range reduced while active.Note:
+50.0% to Channeled Warp Lance penalties while fitted.
+50.0% to Reactive Core Distributor immobility and warp delay duration while fitted.
May only be fitted to Battleship-Class vessels.
Penalties:
(With all Storyline module types fitted, Warp Speed is reduced by 80% while fitted, weapon accuracy is reduced equivalent to 2x turret/launcher disruptor I & drone range is reduced by 80% while active)
Attributes:
Required Skills:
Toric Drive Repeater IV:
- Acceleration Control V
- High Speed Maneuvering V
- Quantum Physics Level III
Kopi Caelus:
- Acceleration Control V
- High Speed Maneuvering V
- Quantum Physics Level V
Industry:
Toric Drive Repeater IV
Required Skills:
- Quantum Physics Level I
- Talocan Technology Level III
Required Materials:
Components:
293x EM Pulse Generator
354x Graviton Pulse Generator
325x Quantum Microprocessor
342x Deflection Shield Emitter
331x Magnetometric Sensor Cluster
1x Nanowire Composites
1x Fullerene Intercalated Sheets
1x Optimized Nano-engines
7x Reconfigured Subspace CalibratorsMinerals:
300x MorphiteItems:
15x R.A.M.- Energy Tech
10x Antikythera Element
Manufacturing Time: 20h
Kopi Caelus
Required Skills:
- Quantum Physics Level III
- Talocan Technology Level V
Required Materials:
Materials:
1x Sleeper Hyperbooster
5x Takmahl Quantum Sphere
15x Talocan Stasis Inverter
10x Yan Jung Thunder KiteItems:
1x Toric Drive Repeater IV
1x Talocan Intricate Formulas
Manufacturing Time: 1h
Effective Stats:
The Reactive Core Distributor module is a strong weapon behind a simple defense mechanism. Posesses high power, but has only a decent range plus a long damage falloff. Incurs suspect status and a weapons timer, and disallows remote assistance while active. Drastically reduces Armor EM and Shield Thermal resists by while fitted, and inflicts a significant immobility+warp delay timer after firing. Only reaches max offensive power when overloaded, after which it is guaranteed to burn out.
Operation of the module is somewhat complex, so there’s a section added here to help explain it.
Description:
Reactive Core Distributor IV:
This titanic spinal-mounted unit draws from a ship’s warp core and condensed Isogen-V isotopes to perform two linked functions. The first generates a split defensive field, separating shield emittance into two layers by partially redirecting the warp core along the outer hull. Upon depletion of the upper field, a strong wide-spectrum signal burst is emitted in order to break any target lock on or by the user’s ship, followed by activation of the second state. This function directs power from the warp core along a spinal Isogen-V based router to generate a destructive stream of compressed space and high-energy particles, which is repeatedly decompressed and recompressed violently along its path before striking the target with force reaching beyond the traditionally recognized “damage spectrum”. The offensive function can also be manually triggered by shedding the upper shield layer prematurely. A considerable cooldown period is required following activation.
Capsuleers cannot wield this module with the potency exhibited by Tyrannos pilots, as Drifter bodies are purpose-built to specifically accommodate the extreme stresses a pilot’s Infomorph experiences at max output. Overheating this module will produce a drastic increase in attack function damage, at the cost of guaranteeing module burn out following usage.
Penalties:
-25% reduction to Shield Thermal resistance while fitted.
-50% reduction to Armor EM resistance while fitted.
While active, ship cannot receive remote assistance.
After firing, ship cannot move or warp for 30 sec.Operation:
Can only be activated when shield is at full capacity: requires 85% of max capacitor.
When activated: Shield splits into 2 layers with HP equal to half of max Shield HP.
Overshield applies while module is active. Depletion of overshield deactivates module.
When deactivated: Target Lock Break, Armor rep, and Doomsday trigger.
Doomsday is fired at optimal target when module is deactivated automatically.
Doomsday is fired at selected target when module is deactivated manually.Note:
May only be fitted to Argo. Guaranteed to burn out following an Overload cycle.
Deactivation of module causes immediate buildup of heat in all racks to 100% status.
Following deactivation, ship will be unable to dock or jump for 60 seconds.
Aegis:
This titanic spinal-mounted unit draws from a ship’s warp core and condensed Isogen-V isotopes to perform two linked functions. The first generates a split defensive field, separating shield emittance into two layers by partially redirecting the warp core along the outer hull. Upon depletion of the upper field, a strong wide-spectrum signal burst is emitted in order to break any target lock on or by the user’s ship, followed by activation of the second state. This function directs power from the warp core along a spinal Isogen-V based router to generate a destructive stream of compressed space and high-energy particles, which is repeatedly decompressed and recompressed violently along its path before striking the target with force reaching beyond the traditionally recognized “damage spectrum”. The offensive function can also be manually triggered by shedding the upper shield layer prematurely. A considerable cooldown period is required following activation.
Capsuleers cannot wield this module with the potency exhibited by Tyrannos pilots, as Drifter bodies are purpose-built to specifically accommodate the extreme stresses a pilot’s Infomorph experiences at max output. Overheating this module will produce a drastic increase in attack function damage, at the cost of guaranteeing module burn out following usage.
Penalties:
-50% reduction to Shield Thermal resistance while fitted.
-100% reduction to Armor EM resistance while fitted.
While active, ship cannot receive remote assistance.
After firing, ship cannot move or warp for 60 sec.Operation:
Can only be activated when shield is at full capacity: requires 85% of max capacitor.
When activated: Shield splits into 2 layers with HP equal to half of max Shield HP.
Overshield applies while module is active. Depletion of overshield deactivates module.
When deactivated: Target Lock Break, Armor rep, and Doomsday trigger.
Doomsday is fired at optimal target when module is deactivated automatically.
Doomsday is fired at selected target when module is deactivated manually.Note:
+50.0% to penalties of Channeled Warp Lance and Toric Drive Repeater while fitted.
May only be fitted to Argo. Guaranteed to burn out following an Overload cycle.
Deactivation of module causes immediate buildup of heat in all racks to 100% status.
Following deactivation, ship will be unable to dock or jump for 60 seconds.
Operation:
Activation:
The module can only be activated when shields are at 100%, and activation requires 85% of the ship’s max capacitor. Requires 500 units of Isogen-V Isotopes, collected from new anomalies that will spawn in systems with type A0 Blue Stars.Using the module is a Suspect-level offense, making it legal for anyone to attack the user while it is active and for a time after. A weapons timer is applied as well, preventing docking or jumping while the module is active. Additionally, the user cannot receive remote assistance during use.
Shield:
When the module is activated, max shield HP is reduced by half and a second “overshield” layer with equal HP (displayed as a blue shield capacity bar) is added above it, keeping effective hitpoints the same. The module has no cycle time while activated, functioning like a cloaking device. When the overshield hits zero, the module “cycle” ends.These next effects apply at the “end” of the module cycle, like an armor repairer: all target locks on or by the user’s ship break, an armor rep is applied to give the impression that the shield has been shed with the armor layer intact (game mechanics would cause the damage to bleed through to armor otherwise), and the “Doomsday” fires. The module can also be manually deactivated to prematurely shed the shield and fire the Doomsday at a selected target.
Doomsday:
When the module “cycle” ends and it is deactivated, the Doomsday triggers alongside the target break and armor rep. The Doomsday can fire in two ways:
- Automatic deactivation: If the shield was depleted by external damage, the Doomsday fires on an automatically chosen valid target, selecting whichever one is closest to the module’s optimal+tracking sweet spot. It can fire on anything considered hostile, including any logi aiding an aggressor.
- Manual deactivation: If the module is manually deactivated, the Doomsday fires on the selected target. If safety is on and firing on the selected target is a criminal act, the criminal warning prompt will appear - if safety is off, the Doomsday will simply fire immediately.
Post-firing:
The module starts a significant reactivation timer, and applies a considerable immobility+warp delay timer to the ship. The immobility and warp delay timers are increased by the other Drifter Storyline modules, maxing out the standstill at a total of 120 sec. when all three Storyline types are fitted.Visually, the ship’s lights will also flicker and go out during the immobility and warp delay timer.
Penalties:
(With all Storyline module types fitted, ship cannot warp or move for 120 seconds after firing, in addition to having drastically reduced armor EM and shield Thermal resists)
Attributes:
Required Skills:
Reactive Core Distributor IV:
- Infomorph Synchronizing V
- Doomsday Operation I
- Hydromagnetic Physics III
- High Energy Physics III
Aegis:
- Infomorph Synchronizing V
- Doomsday Operation I
- Hydromagnetic Physics V
- High Energy Physics V
Industry:
Reactive Core Distributor IV
Required Skills:
- High Energy Physics Level I
- Hydromagnetic Physics Level I
- Sleeper Technology Level III
- Yan Jung Technology Level III
Required Materials:
Components:
35x Capital Antimatter Reactor Unit
32x Capital Superconductor Rails
34x Capital Particle Acceleration Unit
29x Capital Thermonuclear Trigger Unit
331x Pulse Shield Emitter
293x Nanomechanical Microprocessor
1x Fulleroferrocene Power Conduits
1x Electromechanical Interface Nexus
1x Neurovisual Output Analyzer
15x Spatial Attunement UnitMinerals:
300x MorphiteItems:
15x R.A.M.- Shield Tech
15x R.A.M.- Cybernetics
15x Antikythera Element
Manufacturing Time: 8d 8h
Aegis
Required Skills:
- High Energy Physics Level III
- Hydromagnetic Physics Level III
- Sleeper Technology Level V
- Takmahl Technology Level V
Required Materials:
Materials:
10x Sleeper Reintegration Control
15x Talocan Ignition Device
5x Takmahl Phrenic Appendix
1x Yan Jung Tachyon StetoscopeItems:
1x Reactive Core Distributor IV
1x Sleeper Profound Research Notes
5x Takmahl Centrifugal Primer
Manufacturing Time: 1h
Effective Stats:
All of the above attributes are also listed in this spreadsheet. The Argo and these modules will be coming to Tranquility soon™, so keep an eye out and fly safe!
