Cathul Thuku
Admiral, Therapy Command
Two Ison surface emplacements
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To provide a high-yield surface-to-orbit weapon
- Image Source: Zoriy
- Canon Link: N/A
- Restricted Missions: N/A
- Primary Source: V-150 Planet Defender
- Manufacturer: Ringovinda Systems
- Model: Ison surface-to-orbit turbolaser
- Affiliation: Open-Market
- Modularity: Can be mounted as surface-to-orbit emplacements or as shipboard emplacements
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material: Standard Blaster components, standard reactor components.
- Classification: Surface-to-orbit turbolaser
- Size: Stationary or Ship-Mounted
- Length: 40m
- Weight: 2000 tons
- Ammunition Type: Power Cell and Gas Canister
- Ammunition Capacity: Effectively unlimited.
- Effective Range: Surface-to-orbit for ground-bound hardpoints, if used on space stations or in ships, standard heavy long-range turbolaser range
- Rate of Fire: Standard heavy long-range turbolaser firing rate
- Surface-to-orbit capability
- Seven power settings
The Ison was borne from the realization that most applications of the Ziost super-heavy long-range turbolaser fit the maximum of three barrels, and one. Designed to fit in emplacements where a Ziost super heavy long-range turbolaser hardpoint, or equivalent, could fit, the assembly requires its own reactor, usually located underneath the turret and, in the surface versions, underground. The surface versions usually come with their own sensor array as well, mounted on the above-ground walls of the emplacement, alongside the fire control and living quarters of the crew. Understandably, due to the large size of the emplacement, the crews required to service it are pretty significant and also may be required to live on-site for sizeable tours of duty at a time in the ground case, so ground versions have enough space to store consumables for their crews to last a standard year without further resupply. Also, seven power modes are in use so that they can be adjusted to the type of target being engaged, in ascending order, with lower modes being used for warning shots or against smaller enemies that took hits from other sources and higher modes for use against destroyers, battlecruisers and even flagships. The power drain of the highest modes is significant and, for this reason, it can be mounted on frigate-sized ships and up, but mount one on a frigate at your own risk.
Important note: an Ison emplacement is worth 150 turbolasers for shipbuilding purposes
Strengths:
- Long range: can hit capital ships in low and even medium orbit (even high orbit if installed on smaller planets) from the surface of a planet
- Can adjust firepower depending on targets
- Heavy firepower
- Slow traverse and elevation speeds: it is effective only against ships whose mobility is up to an average frigate
- If used in spaceborne applications, the Ison can only be mounted on frigates and larger due to the high power drain
