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KASF Battlecruiser 1.8

8th and final version of the 1st generation of the KASF Battlecruiser series. This upload serves as a secondary backup. This design features a dedicated ammunition storage section behind the glacis. A cluster of 4 reactors and a ring of propellant tanks between 3 blast bulkheads provide protection for the command module against internal detonation. A 200 kW backup reactor in front of the command module allows the ship to retreat if its weapons bays and main powerplant are destroyed.

The Gen 1.8's armament consists of 1,384 missiles, 6 drones, 4 150 MW railguns with 40,000 rounds of 10mm x 100g steel armatures, 4 5 MW railguns with 20,000 rounds of 5mm x 5g armatures, and 20 40mm autocannons with 84,000 rounds of 100g tungsten bullets (inspired by "The Expanse"; the uploaded file is likely missing 4 10,000 round drums of 40mm). 4 'targeting' lasers allow setting engagement range (here: 100 km).

Deployment:
Used 'realistically' the Gen 1.8 uses its missiles to destroy enemy capital ships at range. Its interceptor drones provide excellent defense against incoming drones and missiles, and are also effective strike platforms. Railguns and small (2m) missiles provide point defense against missiles. The 20 40mm autocannons, originally its primary point defense system, also serve as its most powerful close-in weapon -- delivering a theoretical maximum of 400 rounds of 100g tungsten bullets per second at 2 km/s (effective within 100 km). The 4 large 150 MW railguns deliver 100g steel rounds at 10 km/s and provide effective heavy fire beyond 100-150 km. The railgun array exceeds the powerplant (620 MW vs. 400) -- this design decision gives a 'margin' allowing maximum rate of fire even when some guns are disabled or have no line of sight. It also prevents 'wasted' power capacity in a gunfight in the event some guns are disabled. The Battlecruiser features heavy shielding on its nose cap and glacis, with light armor throughout. This means the ship must face the enemy while taking fire, though its powerful engines aid in evasion when possible. Sustained broadside impacts will penetrate, potentially leading to a magazine detonation if hit behind the glacis.

Other Design Decisions:
In most cases mass was the optimized constraint. The game's Data/Limits.txt file was modified to allow 20 armor layers for differential armor and decals. Few missiles (VM-C3N, VM-L2N, VM-S4K) feature nuclear motors -- this is to reflect their special nature as 'exotic' and likely expensive weapons despite their competitive material costs. Nitromethane is the designated propellant for monoprop missiles. RP-1/LOx is used for primary missiles due to performance and ease of storing kerosene (RP-1). Decane is used for nuclear-motor missiles due to its performance and low volume compared to methane. It also out-competed kerosene in trials. Nuclear-motor missiles are also 'torch' drives with no reactor shielding. Drones use nuclear motors with some shielding since they'll be serviced between engagements. They use methane despite the better performance of decane for compact spacecraft because the Battlecruiser can refuel them between sorties. This leads to very effective interception and flexible strike options in gameplay. A single large command module is used to simulate the ship's role as a high-endurance flagship. The ship has room to store much more ordnance: the current amount was selected to guarantee command-module survival in the case of magazine detonation.

Other design shortcommings:
The main anti-capital torch missiles, the VM-C3N, will destroy the command module if it detonates near its launch bay. I believe this detonation can occur when the missile is launched when the TEG2 A railguns are firing: the missile may fly 'through' the gun and get shot by it and detonate.

Ordnance mass: 1,030,918 kg
Ordnance material cost: 6,639,996 c.
Missiles mass: 969,738
Large fragmentation/kinetic missiles: 752

Ship Delta-V: 7.68 km/s
Ship Mass: 21.9 kt (ratio: 3.32)
Ship Length: 238 m
Ship Material Cost: 269 Mc
Required Crew: 139
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This was a very rewarding design to develop and lead to a lot of new ideas.