defy the tyrannous stars
- Intent: To submit an elite line of carriers for the Mechanicum's use to patrol the Zhar hex, continue their mission of scientific discovery, and for general use in CIS fleets.
- Image Source: Hyperion by Brian Sum, Arks and Nexus Andromeda Initiative Orientation
- Canon Link: /
- Restricted Missions: /
- Primary Source: /
- Manufacturer: Confederacy of Independent Systems | The Mechanicum
- Model: Ark-class Control Carrier
- Affiliation: (x) The Mechanicum, (x) Confederacy of Independent Systems
Production: Limited
- Material: Alusteel, Duraplast, Solarium Glasteel
- Classification: Dedicated Carrier/Control Ship
- Length: 2000 meters
- Width: 600 meters
- Height: 600 meters
- Armament: Low
Pulse-Wave Cannons - Plasma Railguns
- Bio-Energy Array
- Gauss Cannons
- Plasma Torpedo Launchers
- Point-Defense Laser System
[*]Defenses: High
- Molecular Shield Generator
- Particle Shield Generator
[*]Hangar: Very High: 15 Squadrons
[*]Maneuverability Rating: Low
[*]Speed Rating: Low
[*]Hyperdrive Class: 1
- Advanced Sensor Array
- Advanced Targeting Systems
- Encryption Network
- Hypermatter Annihilator Reactor
- HoloNet Transceiver
- Long-range Communications Array
- Reinforced Hull Plating
- Standard Detention Cells
- Limited Life Support Systems
- Tractor Beams (x32)
Warmind: Each Ark is directly overseen by a Warmind, powerful super tactical droid brains which directly interface with the carrier's electronic systems. Capable of not only vastly improved strategic analysis over Separatist era designs, each Warmind functions not merely as a ship's commander but effectively its entire bridge crew. While a small support team is required for maintenance and certain secondary systems, the super tactical droid effectively automates most command level functions.
Central Control Computer: Not far from the bridge is the Ark's central core, which allows it to instantly relay information and orders from droid to droid across an entire planetary body. Normally this is used to assist its drone squadrons in more efficient use of tactics, but should the situation call for it an Ark's hangar can be loaded up with troop transports instead and function much like a Separatist era Lucrehulk.
Molecular Shields: A special form of deflector technology, absorbing energy fire instead of deflecting or neutralizing it so that it may be converted into powering an Ark's own weapon systems. In addition to being more durable than standard capital grade shielding, this absorption process allows for the carrier to return fire even under reactor strain. Resistant to most short ranged weapons fire, a sustained barrage is the most effective method of attack, although the deflectors are more vulnerable to heavier hitting weaponry like heavy turbolasers or energy torpedoes. They are, however, ineffective against physical projectiles such as HVCs and concussion missiles. A backup particle deflector provides some kinetic resistances, but is not as durable as the molecular shielding.
Stellar Observatory: While the primary purpose of the Ark-class is system defense and combat patrol, like all larger Mechanicum vessels at least some space is reserved for research that might further the machine cult's overall objective of scientific exploration and discovery. Fine tuned sensors are designed to assist their operators in mapping spatial anomalies and other stellar phenomenon with exquisite detail.
Self-Repair Protocols: With abundant artificial crew to spare, Ark repair teams are able to patch up severe structural damage even in the midst of battle. Concerns such as a lack of life support, extreme temperature differentials, even exposure to the vacuum of space are at most a minor inconvenience. Most Arks are deployed with at least several squadrons of tender drones, which makes limited repair operations on the starship's outer hull routine.
Hypermatter Nacelles: Specialized housing attached to the rear of the starship, these elongated prongs on the carrier's aft extend out from alongside the hull shortly before and during hyperspace travel. While exposed to subspace the nacelles act as collectors, siphoning off additional hypermatter energy to power the Ark's reactor core. This makes it possible for the starship to execute sustained jumps across greater than average distances as well as remain safely at lightspeed for longer periods of time.
- Warmind: Instead of a typical bridge crew consisting of individual organic or droid officers, each Ark is run almost entirely by a single supercomputer. Essentially a highly advanced tactical droid brain housed inside a static superstructure, this allows the starship to react to stimuli and execute commands with a unity of thought. A Warmind comes with significant benefits to the carrier's overall command level reaction time.
- Central Control: Primarily used as a network hub for each carrier's drone squadrons to stay up to date on each other's whereabouts and tactics, it is also possible for an Ark's hangars to be filled instead with battle droid troop transports. This specialized loadout allows the ship to function in a secondary role as a planetary assault carrier.
- Exotic Arsenal: While the Ark-class is lightly armed, those emplacements it does possess consist primarily of plasma based weaponry. For the most part more effective against shields than armor, this is mitigated somewhat by high impact railguns and gauss cannons. The most conventional turrets on the carrier are its array of point-defense lasers.
- Molecular Shielding: A unique form of deflector technology with improved resistances especially at short range, molecular shields absorb energy fire rather than deflecting or dispersal. This absorbed energy is passed along to the Ark's own weapon systems, allowing it to maintain fire even at low power levels if its shields are still up and being attacked.
- Mobile Research Center: Primarily a combat vessel, as an organization the Mechanicum is built on the drive for a greater understanding of the universe and its fundamental nature. Space on board is reserved not only for a fully equipped state of the art stellar observatory, but other research labs and experimental programs are interspersed throughout each carrier.
- Overautomation: While most carriers retain a complement of cyborgs within the ranks of their senior officers, in line with the machine cult's ethos Arks are extremely reliant on system automation. Operations that would require entire departments on ships run by biologics are handled entirely by protocols and subroutines, even the most senior command level is run entirely by a single tactical droid. Needless to say, one disruption or malfunction often proves catastrophic.
- Ion Vulnerability: Not only due to the starship's focus on automation, but also because of the Mechanicum's high rate of synthetic crew. Ion fire and EMP pulses are just as devastating to an Ark as turbolaser or projectile fire, often even more so.
- Power Distribution: The Ark-class features a whole host of systems which require large amounts of power consumption, making it impractical for every part of the ship to run at peak efficiency simultaneously. Particularly when drawing on its central computer core to relay information, power must be diverted from shields, weapons, or the Warmind in order to maintain continuous uninterrupted function.
- Spare Parts: With its exotic nature comes a truly exotic repair bill, making it an impractical venture to seek more comprehensive assistance outside Mechanicum space should a carrier take heavy damage. Mechanicum design philosophy combines a myriad of independently developed forms of technology in a decidedly ad hoc manner.
"The soul of the Machine God surrounds thee.
The power of the Machine God invests thee.
The hate of the Machine God drives thee.
The Machine God endows thee with life.
Live!"
The power of the Machine God invests thee.
The hate of the Machine God drives thee.
The Machine God endows thee with life.
Live!"
The Litany of Ignition
Striding the line between star destroyer and battlecruiser, the Arks Mechanicus are some of the most impressive starships to be manufactured in the shipyards orbiting Zhar. Command carriers designed to defend and patrol Mechanicum space, like almost all their designs there is also a focus on exploration and scientific inquiry. While for the most part these carriers are a sight confined to the Cadavine sector, encountering lone Arks throughout the galaxy on long range exploratory assignments would be improbable but not unnatural.
The design of an Ark combines a sleek outer hull with a labyrinthine internal structure logical only to a droid which makes no aesthetic considerations whatsoever. Partially and fully exposed mechanical systems, corridors lined with wiring and heavy cables, entire sections where life support is non-functioning, it is not a ship designed with carbon based life primarily in mind. Cavernous hangar bays are lined with racks of Mechanicum drones on stand by mode awaiting their next flight mission.
What little capital grade firepower an Ark does possess is almost entirely plasma based in nature. Pulse-wave cannons as well as plasma railguns and torpedoes make up the bulk of its arsenal, but the carrier also utilizes gauss cannons and an alternative form of ion weaponry known as a bio-energy array based on organic technology. All these batteries function primarily to provide support by fire to each Ark's impressive complement of drone squadrons.
Since extensive automation and minimal crew living requirements allow for additional space, what parts of the ship not used for carrier operations are reserved for laboratory space, including a specially designed stellar observatory. Each Ark has its own cartography division assigned to map out known space in as much detail as is scientifically possible by today's standard of sensor technology.
