MOC Ti'Kara Heavy Assault/Defence Vehicle (Cruiser)

The Ti'Kara Heavy Assault/Defence Vehicle [prefix InterStellar Heavy Defense Vehicle] is a type of cruiser built and operated by the Ta'Yal League of Allied Nations.These cruisers are intended as the mass-production version of the Ma'Rana battlecruiser - they are a fair amount smaller though, making the Ti'Kara easier to construct.

Whilst the Ma'Rana is a heavy-hitter, and the LAN strongly believes that larger spacecraft able to carry more weapons are better, they also recognise that they cannot have a spaceforce comprised almost exclusively of the rare battlecruiser. Another factor is that which drove the Light Assault Carrier project - the ability to fire from many positions at once. The Ti'Kara can be built in large numbers, a neccesary trait for the less technologically advanced LAN. Ti'Kara cruisers are part of the MOC's Foreign Combatant Task Force.

General Construction
In similar fashion to the Ma'Rana battlecruiser, the Ti'Kara lacks an external centrifuge but is made up of a Nose, Core [1], Core [2] and Engine section. Like the Ma'Rana, its Engine Section makes up a large proportion of its body, giving it great delta-V capacity, and so the ability to carry twin ring reactors. A second design, not yet in production, would allow it to carry a cold fusion powerplant, potentially giving it greater FTL speed than a Ma'Rana or Ti'Kara with both ring reactors active. The Engine Section is comprised of a tapering core which contains the TEWHY drive, monopropellant and reserve thruster propellant. Six nascelles positioned around this core contain yet more fuel, and end in large NERVA engine clusters. The clusters are positioned in a radially symmetrical elipse, with space between the two sets of three nascelles that could be used for two extra nascelles, fuel drop-tanks, monopropellant drop-tanks, or other mission-appropriate modules. This feature is not yet in use. Like the Ma'Rana, there are four fin-like structures attatched to the hull which are emblazoned with the LAN sigil, and are used for high-leverage RCS rotation. Each of the six nascelles has fold-away radiator arrays.

The Nose section is similar to a Pri'San class ISTTV's, having five ferry hangars and no observation deck. The hull in this section is more heavily reinforced than any other LAN spacecraft of its size. The Core [1] Section contains ammunition, missiles, and hydrogen gas containers for its particle weaponry, as well as storage for crew items and rations. The outer decks make up the missile launch arrays. The Core [2] Section contains a small Internal Centrifuge, only half the diameter of the Section. A larger centrifuge or internal centrifuge would be a hazard or structural weakness in combat, with the mass restricting maneuvering times. This Section also contains crew quarters, waste recycling systems, secondary life support, ten turret mounts and six shuttle hangars. The entire spacecraft has a length of 0.6Km, and a maximum diameter of 0.22Km.

Defence
Like the Ma'Rana Type 1, the Ti'Kara HADV utilises fluid armour, though this is fitted over several metres of titanium armour. On important surfaces that need to survive the abrasion FTL causes, there is a coating of beryllium alloy armour, which is able to take heavy impacts well. The Ti'Kara also has an omnidirectional flak grid to combat incoming missiles, fighters, boarding craft and such.

Offence
The Core [1] Section contains 38 missile launcher arrays, each comprising of nine launchers. This allows the rapid fire of missiles, intended for swarming the target. When large numbers of Ti'Kara cruisers are present, this can be especially notable, and can overwhelm enemy Point Defence. The Nose Section has sections of hull protecting forward facing railgun weapons. These are useful for firing along an orbital path. The Core [2] Section has six large turrets, similar to the dual barrelled railguns on the Ma'Rana battlecruiser, except with one barrel replaced by a partcle beam weapon, independently swivelling to account for the targeting differences caused by the difference in speed between the projectiles of the two weapons - the near-lightspeed particle accellerators and the 0.3c railguns.

Like its battlecruiser brother, the Ti'Kara carries modified ferries fitted with railguns, missiles and TAMPAWs. Some of the ferries may be fitted with their own TEWHYs. Also, shuttles, which carry light railguns, PD, exoatmospheric machineguns, and atmospheric electrolasers.

Utility
The Ti'Kara can carry twin ring reactors, giving it similar total FTL speeds to the Ma'Rana battlecruiser - 0.031LY/h, or 0.75LY/d, which is a 25% increase in speed over a single reactor. However, the second reactor is usually offline to conserve hydrogen fuel. The cruiser can carry five ferries and six shuttles. Its sections are interchangable with other spacecraft of its size and diameter.