Something capable of using virus warhead torpedo's, seems like something a pirate might find useful I'd be interested to know how this BC/RT campaign goes. Planning a similar thing myself using BC characters and game play with the RT ship rules (I'm still working on fixing the Battlefleet Koronus ground warfare rules).

DW

Basically, take a BC PC (Human), choose a career, generate as normal, then take a RT career (that fits), add in all the gear, talents and skills that cross over, add a ship role and done. Balances them out against CSM, do PF and SP like normal

I wrote up a long summary of what all the PCs in my group were (and a longer gen thing for the way we are doing it), but my computer ate the post and I dont have the energy to do it again, but in short: My PC is a slaaneshi apostate voidmistress who is technically the 1st officer, but in reality is the de facto captain on the ship, giving commands, ordering troops, etc. Though our RT does have final say.

Cymbel said:

Um, no broadside batteries fitted? Oh, it's a verra nice ship, but right now it has no better than a frigate's firepower. And, because it's a grand cruiser, it can't run away like a frigate… You're going to be very, very vulnerable until you get that fixed. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Cheers,

- V.

Oh I know, that is the problem when the GM insists on a super expensive hull, no SP left over for guns, besides with speed 8 and the sunsears can fire in 3 directions and some torpedoes (not to mention the heavy shields and such), it will be a tough nut to crack for most foes. Besides, what is the worse that can happen?

Well since you asked…. Raider armed with torpedos from behind.

It was more Rhetorical and you can always find a weakspot, plus most cruisers fall to that as well, this one at least is harder to crack

I know you've drawn up the grand cruiser but I only just spotted the thread. Consider a turbulent class heavy frigate, the manouverability of a frigate and it's tough as hell. It's got 20 armour as standard and a decent chunk of hull integrity, a very nasty piece of work for privateering you get negative to command checks on it but it's tough as hell while retaining good speed. It's worth considering at least.

My suggestion would be a Chalice battlecruiser. (Despite the very annoying drawback - make sure someone has a high Command…)

Example build:

Chalice Battlecruiser 75 63
Plasma Drive Saturine-Pattern Class 4A "Ultra" 94 14 0
Warp Engine Miloslav H-616.b Warp Engine 10 12 0
Void Shield(s) Multiple Void Shield Array 7 2 0
Bridge Ship Master's Bridge 4 3 0
Life Sustainer Vitae Pattern Life Sustainer 5 3 0
Crew Quarters Slave Quarters 1 2 0
Auger Array W-240 Passive Detection Arrays 3 0 1

Weapon Sunsear Laser Battery 6 4 1
Weapon Sunsear Laser Battery 6 4 1
Weapon Sunsear Las-Broadside 9 6 1
Weapon Sunsear Las-Broadside 9 6 1
Weapon Sunsear Las-Broadside 9 6 1
Weapon Sunsear Las-Broadside 9 6 1

Augments/Enhancements Poor Tenebro-Maze 3 4 1
Augments/Enhancements Poor Empyrean Mantle 6 0 1
Augments/Enhancements Poor Defensive Countermeasures* 2 2 1

Archeotech Energistic Conversion Matrix 1 1 1

3 power, no space left. 74 SP.

The empyrean mantle and passive detection array gives it some credibility as a pirate. A single full broadside (4 weapon component volley) can take down pretty much any ship with good rolls. The maze and countermeasures add survivability. The conversion matrix makes it faster than most raiders if necessary.

There's not a lot of room for improvement though. If that bothers you, you could replace some of the broadsides with less power/space intensive weapon components.

I would also worry about warp travel, depending on how the GM plans to handle that.

also, why would chaos pirates care about an auto temple? unless its a converted chaos temple, but even then pirates spend more time in space than planet side anyway…

1. I would love to, but again, the GM wants a BIG ship and well…

2. That is pretty cool, what about a fire suppression system? Torpedoes?

3. It IS a converted chaos temple, it doesnt have to be dropped on the planet (but it CAN), it adds morale, it doesnt cost SP and I dunno, it may be useful in the campaign somewhere, when we need to convert folks or cause dissent

The issue with the larger hulls is the actually make poor pirate vessels because they are slow and have muenevability.

^ A pirate's primary prey should be transports, and you don't need that much speed to run down a transport. Having a large powerful warship lets you take on entire convoys, fight off navy pirate-hunters, or attack well defended bases and colonies. So it's not all that unreasonable.

Regarding torpedoes, the salvo rule (page 220) makes multiple macrobatteries very effective in starship combat, especially in the hands of a PC gunner. (Arguably too effective.) Torpedoes don't measure up IMO. Torpedoes also have to be replaced, which is bound to get tricky sometimes if you're a pirate.

Yeah, as Iku Rex pointed out, a big hull has its advantages, especially if going into mass starship combat or such, I was really hoping a raider or frigate could be the hull we had to use, but oh well.

And well, the advantages of torpedoes is not sheer firepower, but range, couple with the variable warheads (plasma, boarding, melta, virus, etc.) and the fun things they can fire.

That said, what weapons do you reccomend on the repuslive class if we want torpedoes (I think we have the Gryphonne atm) on the prow?

I was thinking a sunhammer lance battery on the dorsal ridge, then some broadsides on the side, the question is which kind?

Melta Cannons? Plasma Broadside? Sunsear Broadside? I have 2 slots free on either side and a lot of power and space left for when we can pick some up.

Side Note: I can get two -10 Acquisitions, but we use the RT acquisition table, I was originally going to get some CQ Light Power Armor and some kind of pistol, like a plasma pistol, but now I am wondering, a GQ Ripper Pistol (or a Ripper Pistol with one overpriced weapon upgrade) could be good, but what to do with the armor? I cant apply HA, RH, etc. upgrades during character creation, only the BC ones. And with the overpriced BQ/Near Unique Prices (but the overly generous Single Item of +30, it is odd.

Cymbel said:

Don't forget the Disruption macrocannon Broadsides. Remember, gloriously succesful pirates steal whole ships, not just the cargo from a shot-up wreck. And for that, you'll need to be able to pilot the ship home, as it were.

(Personally, I favour having a couple of disruption broadsides on the right side of a Grand Cruiser, just for the poetically symbolic style of things.)

Well, this game seems more chaos raiders/pirates than just pure pirating, but it will probably be fun