Aotrs Shipyards April 2023 Release: XGA01 Starfleet Wave Two

[Aotrs Shipyards]

Aotrs Shipyards April 2023 Release: XGA01 Starfleet Wave Two

This time, as much-heralded, is the first of two waves of the XGA01 starfleet (the first wave being part of the scifi miscellany from January 2022 or even further back if you count the Shapeways releases a decade prior!)

Getting the XGA01 fleet up into CAD form has been a long time coming. Partly, I knew that it would be the absolute nightmare of doing the Battleships (which was proven to be 100% correct), but, at long-last, the fleet is here.

For the first phase contains the three ships which existed outside of CAD form that were converted, plus the first of the new designs.

Updated catalogue link

More detail on XGA01 is here.

XGA001 Alien Ellipsoid (4)

Two versions of this strange vessel have been observed; the XGA01-SV03-CE “collector ellipsoid” and the SV03-AE “attack ellipsoid.” Visually identical, there are no surface features on the mirror smooth hull to distinguish between them. Due to the XGA01’s hull’s inherent sensor-disruption properties, even sensors have difficulty.

The collector ellipsoid was observed collecting biological samples from an unihabited planet. As it did not engage in combat, its offensive capabilities are unknown suspected none), but other capabilities from recorded data suggest similar drives, armour and shields.

The attack ellipsoid falls into the grey area between small capital starship and large smallcraft, erring towards the latter. Despite its comparatively larger size for a smallcraft, the attack ellipsoid has excellent agility, with an acceleration of 43mc and manoeuvrability rated at 480 MEUs, in the same league as many standard fighters.

It has shielding rated at 400 TXq, and the mirror-sheen hull’s skin, in addition to being inherently stealthy, is rated at 400 TXq.

All of the ellipsoid’s weapon systems appear to use the entire hull as an emitter array.

And those weapon systems are considerable. Initial encounters were unprepared for a vessel little larger than an assault shuttle to be armed with a particle accelerator array with an output of 738TXq and with an accuracy envelope of a staggering 700 000km. This is backed by a 990 TXq-rated blasterbeam point defence system with an engagement sphere of 4.35Ym³.

Direct price: £2.40
Only-Games: £1.05 Link
Shapeways: £4.00 Link

XGA103 Alien Scale (4)

The SV05-SC “Scale” has demonstrated the most number of configurations of an XGA01 vessel so far, with three observed: SV05-SC-D (Disrupter Scale), SV05-SC-P (Point-Defence Scale) and SV05-SV-M (Missile Scale). Without a decent data scan, we can only estimate its systems from the values we can fill in, or from extrapolating from observed performance from the battle logs.

All three seem to share the basic profile: an acceleration of at least 21.9mc, manoeuvrability estimated at around 240 MEUs and approximately 200 TXq-rated shields with a like Armour Integrity Capacity, which makes for substantial defences for a corvette of this size.

Their weapon load appears to be the major difference. Both the SC-D and SC-M appear to have similar blasterbeam point-defence arrays, estimated at 990TXq from the known values from the SV01-CE attack ellipsoids. The SC-P may have as much as five times this output, as it appears to be a dedicated point-defence vessel. Given the already excellent engagement sphere of the XGA01 blasterbeams, it is not entirely surprising that the vessel has no longer-range interdiction system that we have observed. There weapons, like the ellipsoids, do not have an apparent arc or emitter, but fire from any point of the Scale’s surface.

The SC-D Disrupter Scale appears only to carry a single cohesion disrupter array in addition to its defences. This discharges from any point the front rim of the vessel, but appears only to be able to be brought to bear in the forward hemisphere. It has a relatively short estimated accuracy envelope of only 200 000km. However, the estimated power out is an estimated 1650TXq. The Scale has the manoeuvrability to get into close range to use this weapon to full effect.

The SC-M replaces this armament with four missile racks, each carrying we what believe is forty 230TXq-yield warheads. This is roughly consistent with missile vessels of comparable size and technology. They appeared to have missile shields like Aotrs warheads. Oddly, while there is no appreciable drive glow (as they are gravitic drives), they have a green-blue glow like bioluminescence though the reason is unclear. It is unlikely to be purely aesthetic, since XGA01 does not appear to be especially vision-based, but like the purple crystal hull sections, perhaps this is some sort of scent-replacement visual analogue.

These missile racks fire out of the front rim of the vessel through closed hatches that are seamless and invisible when not in use, as typical with XGA01 technology. As of yet, we have only observed what appear to be conventional anti-matter warheads and no specialist munitions.

Direct price: £2.50
Only-Games: £1.45 Link
Shapeways: £4.00 Link

XGA104 Alien Squid Frigate (2)

(The photo is a of a squadron of four instead of two; I fracked up when I took the photo and it’s too late at night (and thus too dark) to replace it right now without delaying the whole release: I’ll fix it in the stores at some point down the line.)

The XGA01-SV08-FF frigate bears a slightly uncanny resemblance to a squid clutching a sphere. This lead to its moniker of “squid frigate” and almost immediately to the shortened “squigate” which became distressing popular among the crews.

Like the SV07-CH teardrop, the squigate was spotted in late 2348.

The SV08-FF appears to be a low-production cost harassment vessel. Despite the moniker of “frigate” is it nonetheless a fairly sizable vessel, quite close to the estimated mass of the SV06-DD. Whereas the SV06-DD is cumbersome for a small vessel the SV08 is extremely agile, with an acceleration of at least 31-32mc and an estimated 360-375 MEUs.

The vessel has only minimal protection, falling between the SV05-SC Scale and the SV06-DD. Shields are estimated at about 300TXq, with armour integrity projected at about 400TXq. However, this is still enhanced by the XGA01’s advanced hull stealthing techniques.

But even these are somewhat mitigated by the fact the squigate is primarily a point-blank range attack vessel. Of the three configurations observed so far, none have any long-range weapons.

The “standard” version – only so labelled since it has a slightly higher encounter rate than the other two – appears to carry nothing but small psionic sphere swarm shooters. Like those on the similar-sized SV06-DD, these emplacements are very small and hidden from immediate view behind a multitude of firing ports. However, on the SV06, the weapon emplacements are entirely forward-firing. The quad-S batteries appear to have an accuracy envelope of only 80 000 kilometres. However, their combined output is estimated at 1500TXq, which is considerable. Aside from the quad-S emplacements, the “standard” squigate has blasterbeam point-defence arrays of approximately 990TXq output, a factor shared by both other configurations.

The second configuration SV08-FF-S “strike squigate” carries a multitude of missile racks – but oddly, not capital-scale weapons as might be expected, but what is estimated at about two hundred fighter-scale missiles, with an accuracy envelope of 100 000km. Each warhead seems to be in its own tiny rack (again covered by a firing port). While this gives it a very considerable punch (the combined yield of all the warheads might be as much as 2400TXq), it lacks any range or longevity.

The strike squigate is not completely without teeth once its missiles are expended – in addition to its blasterbeam arrays, it has a spinal-mount laser beam array. This weapon is capable of an extended discharge and has an output that might reach 800TXq, but only an approximately 120 000km accuracy envelope.

The third configuration is the SV09-FF-L “laser squigate.” Aside from its point defence blasterbeams, the laser squigate is armed only with laser arrays. The total output is estimated at 600TXq over an accuracy envelope of 100 000km. From observed patterns, the laser squigate can thus manoeuvre in close to target vessel and stay with it. While its offensive capability is markedly less than the previous two, this ensures it to be a lower priority target itself and thus increases the longevity of its harassment duties. As the vessel itself is slightly more damage-resistant than the previous two configurations, it is non-trivial to eliminate and its weapons are still sufficiently powerful that it cannot simple be ignored. Given how simple laser technology is to produce, it is very likely this is the least resource-intensive of the configurations, making ideally suited for its role.

Direct price: £2.60
Only-Games: £2.03 Link https://only-games.co/products/xga104-alien-squid-frigate-2
Shapeways: £4.00 Link https://www.shapeways.com/product/6NLFHVVJC/xga104-alien-squid-frigate-2

XGA202 Alien Teardrop

The first new XGA01 vessel to be sighted since 2340, the SV07 “Teardrop” is roughly the size of a heavy cruiser. It was first spotted at extreme range as a silhouette against glow of a system’s red giant, hence its moniker. Seen more clearly, between the central psionic sphere swarm shooter mount, and the rear piping structures (of unknown function), the vessel has been noted as looking eerily like a disembodied eyeball.

Only a single configuration has been spotted at this time.

The teardrop’s spinal mount weapon is one of the rare visible weapon systems on an XGA01 vessel. As with most of the other quad-S emplacements, the spinal weapon defies easy concealment as the psionic sphere swarm shooters cannot be easily made into an array-based weapon. The teardrop’s quad-S is the largest such weapon thus far observed, with an accuracy envelope of about 480 000km and an output estimated at around 1250TXq.

The teardrop’s other main weapon system is a particle beam array. Unlike the ones on the SV04-BS battleship of SV06-DD destroyer, this array is omnidirectional. It has an estimated output of 2100TXq over a 500 000km accuracy envelope – comparable to largest Strayvian secondary batteries.

Finally, the teardrop has blasterbeam point defence arrays, totalling an estimated output of 1980TXq. In addition to the inherent stealthiness and sensor-disruptiveness of the XGA01 hulls and its high mobility, this makes the teardrop quite resistant to missiles.

The teardrop’s drives are powerful, and seemingly similar in profile to that used by the SV02-BC battlecruiser with an acceleration of 21-22mc and approximately 240-250 MEUs. Indeed of the three sightings so far, in one instances, a pair of teardrops were apparently flying escort for one of the battlecruisers. The convergence of the two vessel’s weapon accuracy envelopes further supports this hypothesis.

Direct price: £2.60
Only-Games: £1.86 Link
Shapeways: £4.00 Link

XGA301 Alien Battleship

The XGA01-SV04-BS “Battleship” is the largest XGA01 vessel that has thus been seen. Given the level of technology the XGA01s possess, it seems unlikely that it is the biggest.

The Battleship’s primary weapon merits immediate focus. This is a monstrously powerful particle accelerator array, with a staggering accuracy envelope of 1 000 000 kilometres. It has a power output rated at 1095TXq. This devastating weapon, fired from them from of the vessel has one major limitation – it can only engage targets in its forward hemisphere.

The long-range firepower is supplemented by four forward torpedo tubes. These are, interestingly, again hidden from visual inspection when not in use, in the four points of the “blades” beneath the “horns.” When firing, the points split open left and right, discharge the warheads (sheathed in a deep red glow) and then close just as swiftly. These weapons have an accuracy envelope equal to that of the particle beam, meaning that it can engage in direct-fire attacks on vessels that for most of the galaxy are even out of guided weapon envelopes. The data scans suggest the vessel carries about 140 torpedoes, each with a yield of 900TXq.

While this firepower is predominantly for engaging targets to the fore, the Battleship is not without all-aspects weapons, if only at comparatively short ranges. Six psionic sphere swarm shooter emplacements, similar in design to those seen on Site Beta are placed in the middle hull, a rare example of XGA01 starships having readily identifiable weapons emplacements.

The Battleship has fairly average manoeuvring capability: 9.5mc acceleration, and a slightly below average 107 MEUs. The shielding is rated at 1780TXq, which is good but not exceptional. The armour belt is unusually stronger than the shields, with an Armour Integrity Capacity of 2255TXq.

This profile interesting suggests that the Battleship’s primary role is one more like artillery. Long-range weapons, but average speed and defences, since it is not intended to get into a brawl. Certainly, the considerable point-defence system supports this idea, with a number of blasterbeam arrays totalling 3960TXq in output.

This is somewhat at odds with the way the vessels have performed in action, however. But the explanation could be simple. It seems very likely that, like all the XGA01 encounters so far, the forces engaged have been autonomous systems, not under the command of the XGA01 masters. It is also possible to that the low diversity of the XGA01 fleet thus far encountered forced the Battleships into a role they are not ideally suited for.

Direct price: £4.30
Only-Games: £6.36 Link
Shapeways: £9.99 Link

XGA301T Alien Battleship (Tulip)

The XGA01-SV04-BS-T “Battleship (Tulip)” appears to be a variant of the standard battleship. It has not been observed in combat, only via analysis of long-range visual records. It gains it name from the fatter lower”flanges” beneath the horns that carry the standard battleship’s torpedoes. When seen from above, these resemble a styilised tulip shape. It is suspected that this version has a larger mass, and likely additional torpedo capability (whether larger tubes or ones with a higher rate of fire is unknown at this time). It is likewise suspected to have a larger payload. However, as there are no other obvious differences and the mass increase is not larger, it likely retains the same defensive and offensive capabilities as the standard version.

Direct price: £4.40
Only-Games: £6.56 Link
Shapeways: £10.22 Link

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Photos of the Resin versions from Only-Games.

Now, last time, I had feedback from someone that they didn’t like the black. I have traditionally tried to photograph starships in their natural environment, i.e. in space, which is Mostly Black. My wargames starcloths have always been really too reflective (as I Don’t Hold with false-colour and overly nebula’d starcloths because they don’t look right). I have more recently been trying less reflective black (which is better, but not ideal).

I could, however, change to start photographing the starships the same as the ground forces (i.e. on the Hexon II wargames terrain), if that would be customer preference, or I can at least experiment on it. But if I don’t get feedback, I can’t make any changes. (That I’ve been doing it the same way for years is because, if no-one ever says anything, I can’t know what could potentially be changed.) So if you would prefer to see the starships not on black, please say so!

Incidentally, the ellipsoids and scales were initially just buttons. I foolishly assumed in the former case it wouldn’t be hard to find ellipsoid buttons of the right size. For such a simple shape, they proved to be amazingly hard to find. It took YEARS before I actually found anything that was suitable and even then it was a compromise. Now, at least they are the right size and can be properly featureless as they were always intended.

Next month will be the second wave, which will include the larger capital ships and smallcraft.

 

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