Ship: Friesland Class Battlecruiser
Class Overview
| Class | Battlecruiser |
|---|---|
| Role | Frontline Brawler |
| Manufacturer | Betelgeuse Imperial Shipyards |
The Friesland class is an ancient design by galactic standards. It is a relic of the First Gate War, part of the Terran Empire’s Navy, and has all but been phased out by the Confederacy of Terran Gates. Now mostly used as museum ships, some ships of this class are still found in well-equipped pirate navies.
Ship Class Image
Class Specifications
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| HP | 52 |
| AC | 10 |
| Armor | 10 |
| Speed | 1 |
| Crew Skill | +2 |
| Power | 55 / 10 free |
| Mass | 45 / 4 free |
| Crew | 150 / 400 |
| Hull Class | Cruiser |
| NPC CP | 4 |
| Weapons | (see under Armaments (Game Mechanics)) |
| Fittings | Standard Nav Computer, Armory, Brig, Cargo Hold, Fuel Bunkers, Sickbay, Workshop, Officer’s Lounge |
| Hardpoints | 7 |
| Cost | 850m base price, 4m maintenance, 55m yearly crew cost |
| Hull Dimensions | Length: 420m Width: 95m Height: 140m Mass: 65,000t |
Others (Technical Fluff)
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Power | 3 x BIS Mk-IV “Titan” Fission Reactors |
| Propulsion | 6 x DEW Heavy Ion Drives, LYI B3-Class Short-Warp Core |
| Sensors | DEW RSET-33 Integrated Radar System, ZCS EC20 Long-Range Transciever |
| Armaments | 12x RMI 120mm Heavy Autocannon 6x RMI CIWS Turret 4x RMI Multi-Pod Missile Saturation Launchers |
| Cargo Capacity | 120 TEU |
Armaments here is what is physically mounted on the ship, for what weapons the ship can utilize in combat, see under Armaments (Game Mechanics)
Class Armaments (Game Mechanics)
| Weapon | Attack Bonus | Damage | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120mm Autocannon Turret | +2 | 2d8 | AP 10 |
| 120mm Autocannon Turret | +2 | 2d8 | AP 10 |
| L12 Modular Missile Pod | +2 | 2d8 | Guided Munitions, Concussive, Ammo 6 |
Defenses (Only on Military Ships)
| Defense Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Point-Defense System | Adds +1 to AC |
Operational History
Commissioned in 2315, three years before the outbreak of the First Gate War, the Friesland-class was the Terran Empire’s answer to planetary pacification. Unlike the UPoS Pelican Gun Destroyer, which favored versatility and maneuverability, the Friesland was built as a “sledgehammer.” Its design philosophy centered on the obsolete but intimidating doctrine of “Static Dominance”—the idea that a ship should simply park in a high orbit and absorb punishment until the enemy surrendered.
During the First Gate War, Frieslands were devastating in early engagements against civilian militias, but they suffered catastrophic losses once the UPoS Navy reorganized. Their BIS Fission Reactors, while powerful, were volatile and prone to cascading failure when hull integrity was breached. By the time of the Second Gate War in 2400, the class was widely considered a “coffin ship.” Crews assigned to Frieslands knew they lacked the electronic warfare suites and point-defense density to survive modern engagements in the Kryx Nebula. Following the formation of the Confederacy of Terran Gates, the entire class was aggressively decommissioned to cut maintenance costs. Thousands of hulls were scrapped, but hundreds were sold to “independent security contractors,” eventually finding their way into the hands of warlords, pirates, and rogue states.
Typical Missions
| Mission Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Pirate Mothership | Acts as a mobile base of operations for smaller fighters, using its cargo hold to store loot and supplies. |
| Planetary Terror Raid | Enters low orbit of undefended colonies to demand tribute under threat of mass driver bombardment. |
| Static Defense Platform | Engines are often disabled or removed; the ship is towed to a station to serve as a floating gun battery. |
| Black Market Transport | Utilizing its surprisingly large cargo hold to move illicit goods through lawless sectors like the Kryx. |
| Mercenary Flagship | Hired by desperate local governments to provide a “capital ship” presence against minor threats. |
Story Hooks
- The Reactor Leak: The players are hired to salvage a drifting Friesland, but upon boarding, they discover the “Titan” fission reactors are leaking lethal radiation. They must navigate the ship’s cramped, irradiated engineering decks to secure the cargo before their suits fail.
- The Ghost of the First War: An automated Friesland, lost during a classified mission in 2325, jumps into a populated system. Its primitive AI still believes the war is ongoing and identifies all modern UPoS ships as targets.
- The Warlord’s Prize: A local pirate warlord has managed to fully restore a Friesland, giving them a massive advantage over local authorities. The players are tasked with infiltrating the ship during a refueling stop to sabotage its vulnerable ammunition magazines.
- Museum Piece Activation: During a sudden invasion by the Free People of Badigo, the players and a group of civilians are trapped in a orbital museum. Their only hope of escape is to reactivate the exhibit—a stripped-down Friesland Battlecruiser—and get its ancient engines running one last time.
Additional Details
Known Issues:
- “The Betelgeuse Glow”: Crew members serving on Frieslands often report higher-than-average rates of sickness due to the poor shielding on the Mk-IV reactors.
- Manual Loading: The missile pods often require manual reloading crews, significantly slowing down rate of fire during prolonged engagements.
- Blind Spots: The sensor suite (RSET-33) has notorious blind spots in the dorsal-aft quadrant, a flaw frequently exploited by UPN frigates.
Variants:
- Friesland-C (Carrier Retrofit): The missile pods are removed to expand the hangar bay, allowing the ship to carry a squadron of 12 fighters. Common among pirate fleets.
- Friesland-B (Breacher): Up-armored bow plating and reinforced internal bulkheads, designed to ram stations or other capital ships.
- Friesland-M (Monitor): Engines removed entirely to make room for larger capacitors, powering oversized planetary bombardment lasers.