The Invictus class Fold Ship is an unarmed and lightly armored drop ship transport using external docking linkages. These linkages, or collars, allows for the ability of this ship to carry a number of attached vessels inside a large hyperspace fold bubble.

Accounting for an estimated 46% of all registered FoldShips in the Kingdom of Vice and Virtue, the popular, cost-efficient, and widespread Invictus class is the archetypal FoldpShip. Despite its martial name, it is a civilian design and ill-suited for combat. It does, however, possess sophisticated communications gear and can maintain radio and laser-link feeds with up to ten transmitting stations, making it an ideal vessel to coordinate a task force or convoy.
51% of all Invictus are operated by the Great Houses of Reservoir, 32% are owned by giant corporations, and the remaining 17% are owned by Mercenary units or private citizens.

The Invictus's most distinctive design feature is a pair of hydroponic garden domes. They produce food and oxygen for the crew, even a small surplus for trade with docking DropShips. Although fully automated, frequent system failures mean that the gardens have to be maintained manually by the crew on every third ship. Many older ships also have a design flaw that could cause the hydroponics booms to lock in the extended position, preventing the vessel from jumping.

Featuring a large Starlight Sail Apparatus and several storage capacitors, allowing for long range hyperspace fold operations, the Invictus is an ideal civilian or military drop ship hauler as well as large cargo transport, sporting six hard points for FTL travel. The Invictus's most distinctive design feature is a pair of hydroponic garden domes. They produce food and oxygen for the crew, even a small surplus for trade with docking Drop Ships. The original design of the Invictus was not armed. This, and the thin armor, has led to Invictus being regarded as a non-combatant, civilian ship.

The mission specialization covers this ship's most common uses.

* Transport of attached Cargo pods, military combat shuttles, and drop ships.
* Coordination of a task force or convoy.

The Invictus appears to be a long thin shaft with a bulbous head sporting two additional dome attachments. Attached to the tail of the shaft is an eight pointed spider web style sail assembly used for the collection of solar energy. A small thruster assembly is attached behind the sail used for minimal thrust for station keeping. Along the spine of the shaft is two thick squarish blisters, each sporting three disk shaped collars.

Initially constructed to begin the process of spreading "The Word of Bro'seif", several technical failures slowed investment into the second wave colonization efforts. Once Wofleonium was found upon Atraxis, Starship fold drives began to advance to usable and reliable vehicles of space exploration.

• The Helios

With minimal armor and shields, little thrust, and no armaments, The Invictus fits every definition of a civilian starship. Little more than an Hyperspace fold drive with docking sections for attachable ships or cargo pods, as well as a habitat and control module for the crew to live, this ship fulfills it's role and little more.

* **Class:** IPS Invictus
* **Type:** Large FTL Transport
* **Designers:** Seamus Zuider
* **Manufacturers:** Ioto Galactic Enterprises/ Tron heavy industries/ Blackwell Defense Industries
* **Fielded by:** Military/Corporate/Independent
* **Production:** ~1,000~ ships

**AI Suite:** 1
**Drone:** 100
**Crew:** 30 operators are recommended, 2 are required.
**Maximum Capacity:** There are accommodations for 100 people. About 800 people can fit aboard in an emergency, but the ship would be extremely cramped.

* **Length:** 750 meters (Command Module: 200 meters)
* **Width:** 250 meters (Sail Diameter: 1270 meters)
* **Height:** 150 meters (Sail Diameter: 1270 meters)
* **Decks:**
* 50 in the Command Module (Approximately 3 meters each)
* 8 in the Hyperspace Fold Drive Module (Approximately 3 meters each)
* **Mass:** 430,000 tons

* **Hyperspace Fold Drive:** 0.3 ly/m
* Max range per jump: 30 LY
* **Sublight Engines:** 0.1g
* **Lifespan:** 20 Years
* **Refit Cycle:** 5 years

Depending upon the age of the ship, various levels of degration can be noted. From hallway plating not replaced to multiple splicing of power conduits running in hallways. The older a ship gets, the more patchwork it becomes.

The Invictus has 50 decks in the Command Module and 8 decks in the Hyperspace Fold Drive Module.

^ Deck ^ Compartments ^
^ 1 | Sensors Array |
^ 2 | Command Bridge |
^ 3 | Main Communications Array |
^ 4 | Main Bridge |
^ 5 | AI Servers |
^ 6 | Captain's Quarters |
^ 7 | Captain's Wardroom |
^ 8 | Officer's Quarters |
^ 9 | Armory |
^ 10 | Armory/Munitions Dump |
^ 11 | PA Storage; PA Armory |
^ 12 | PA Storage |
^ 13 | Crew Quarters |
^ 14 | Crew Quarters |
^ 15 | Mechatronics Laboratory |
^ 16 | Medical/Infirmary |
^ 17 | Recreation Deck |
^ 18 | Recreation Deck, Mess Hall, Galley |
^ 19 | Hydroponics Dome; Food Storage; Hydroponics Dome |
^ 20 | Hydroponics Garden; Hydroponics Garden Dome Access; Food Storage |
^ 21 | Passenger Quarters; Passenger Wardrooms |
^ 22 | Passenger Quarters; Passenger Dining |
^ 23 | Passenger Quarters; Drop Ship Tower Access |
^ 24 | Structural Reinforcements; Hyperspace Fold Drive; Cooling Jacket |
^ 25 | Structural Reinforcements; Hyperspace Fold Drive; Lithium-Ion Storage Banks |
^ 26 | Structural Reinforcements; Hyperspace Fold Drive; Lithium-Ion Storage Banks |
^ 27 | Structural Reinforcements; Hyperspace Fold Drive; Cooling Jacket |
^ 28 | Main Engineering Upper Level |
^ 29 | Main Engineering |
^ 30 | Main Engineering Lower Level |
^ 31 | Drone Hive |
^ 32 | Drone Hive |
^ 33 | Automanufactory Module |
^ 34 | Automanufactory Module |
^ 35 | Automanufactory Module |
^ 36 | Cargo Bay |
^ 37 | Cargo Bay |
^ 38 | Cargo Bay |
^ 39 | Cargo Bay |
^ 40 | Flight Command and Wardroom |
^ 41 | Flight Deck |
^ 42 | Flight Deck |
^ 43 | Flight Deck |
^ 44 | Fuel Storage Tanks |
^ 45 | Flight Crew Quarters |
^ 46 | Flight Officer Quarters |
^ 47 | Environmental Processing Units |
^ 48 | Recreation Deck, Mess Hall, Galley |
^ 49 | Secondary Communications Arrays |
^ 50 | Sensor Array |

^ Deck ^ Compartments ^
^ 20 | Drop Ship Access; Docking Collar |
^ 21 | Drop Ship Access; Docking Collar |
^ 22 | Drop Ship Access; Docking Collar |
^ 23 | Drop Ship Tower Access |
^ 24 | Structural Reinforcements; Hyperspace Fold Drive; Cooling Jacket |
^ 25 | Structural Reinforcements; Hyperspace Fold Drive; Lithium-Ion Storage Banks |
^ 26 | Structural Reinforcements; Hyperspace Fold Drive; Lithium-Ion Storage Banks |
^ 27 | Structural Reinforcements; Hyperspace Fold Drive; Cooling Jacket |

A list of the Compartments and their descriptions

Equipped with an standard Armory, which is a rather basic compartment. It is a room, which has double layered walls in the event of a malfunction. It contains space for storing a large number of conventional weapons (rifles, pistols, Grenades) and a decent amount of compatible ammunition. Actual amounts stored depends on the size of the individual weapon. Any wishing to enter this room must have permission from either the ship's captain, XO, or Armorer.

This vessel carries a traditional Free Folk variable-configuration assembly bay, capable of producing anything from frame parts to toys. Like most equivalent modules, this system is fully automated by the shipboard AI construct.

An off-shoot of the main room contains the Automata charging outlets and workshops, which is actually little else than a wall lined with cable sockets and spools of cable. A semi-permanent feature of this room is the overwhelming number of Automata and machinery various states of (dis)assembly. From the roof of the room hang an array of robotic arms, which are capable of performing a limited number of autonomous tasks when operated by biological controllers, along with several cluttered work benches for tasks that may require them.

A service elevator is available from the main room to the two decks below it. However, this section is generally kept off-limits as it contains little else than the deafening hum of machinery, darkness, and a shifting nexus of machinery. There is virtually no walking space here so that assembly lines can be as efficient as possible. Other than the parts and equipment hopper beside the elevator entrance, there is little else to see unless one is willing to risk a venture into the shifting maze of machinery.

As the control center of the ship, the bridge has all the necessary stations in it: Tactical, Defensive Systems, Navigation, Science, Communications, and Operations (the Captain's). Indented into the floor are the pilots' pits, totally immersive control environments. Pilots "fly" the ships using an advanced neural interface. At the center of the room are two stasis pods with neural interface plugs which is used for skeleton crews. A pilot and co-pilot can be placed in a physically unconscious state, allowing them to free up as much of their minds as possible to concentrate on ship operations. Even a single person can directly interface with the network not unlike an AI, and operate the vessel through the battalion of drones and control algorithms. The shipboard AI construct may also command the vessel in a similar manner.

The Invictus possesses additional communications gear and can maintain radio and laser-link feeds with up to ten transmitting stations, making it an ideal vessel to coordinate a task force or convoy.

The captain's suite is a very functional room. Its size depends on the size of the ship it's in, but it is usually larger than all other personal rooms on the ship. It has a personal restroom with a toilet, a shower/bathtub combo, and a sink with swing-away mirror/medicine cabinet above the sink.

Features include:

• Large bed
• Computer
• Mini-office/desk
• "Executive" type chair
• Closet
• Large viewscreen
• Titanium lock box

The Invictus has six Small Craft bays and can carry 7000 tons of cargo located in the Command Module. It also mounts extra external fuel tanks to refuel DropShips or Space Fighters on extended campaigns, making it an ideal base of operations.

The Invictus has six docking collars for Dropships or external cargo pods.

Many of the walls have been stripped bare to install Free Folk style micro-gravity sleeping tubes, which are horizontal tubes with a lockable hatch not unlike a torpedo tube. Each of these pods have a padded interior, with a computer interface, retractable drawers, and internal lighting. While sleeping in such a place may stir feeling of claustrophobia in some, they are actually much safer than traditional beds; a fully enclosed padded design allows for safe sleep even in micro-gravity, and the sealed hatch and honeycomb structure of the pods will allow sleeping crew to survive even a direct hull breach to the room. But for those who perhaps don't like enclosed spaces, there are usually a number of hammocks strung up in the corners of the room.

The Invictus features a large, self-service mess hall, with long benches, automatic beverage dispensers, and buffet-style tables carrying large, communal dishes. There is a large, fully equipped kitchen adjoining the mess hall. The dishes offered vary wildly in style and cultural influences, and are meant to please as many palettes as possible.

Meals are served during regular meal times. Made-to-order dishes could be requested during off-peak hours, if there is still a cook on duty. Even when no one is on duty in the kitchen, plenty of snacks and beverages are available. One would expect to find at least a few off duty crewmen inside the mess hall during all hours of the day.

Although fully automated, frequent system failures mean that the gardens also have to be maintained manually by the crew. This ship also has a design flaw that could cause the hydroponics booms to lock in the extended position, preventing the vessel from jumping.

The Invictus contains a well-equipped medical bay includes all the typical resources available to typical civilian vessels, such as production support for the creation of medicines and tools. The unusual commodities of this med bay include far more extensive surgical and regenerative facilities. Between each of these features is a collapsible wall which provides privacy and when properly sealed, prevention of contamination.

There are many hallways, which run from from the front to the rear of the ship, connected by occasional passageways across and by a system of elevators. Control panels in the halls can give the crew status-updated maps should they need them.

The other way of moving from place to place on board the ship is to use the network of access shafts and crawl-ways which run the length of the ship. Technicians often hang out in these tubes.

The floor is a glossy, polished black and the walls are made of typical gray paneling. Specially designed racks and a mass of red straps and black buckles hang on the walls and ceiling where power armor would be if the ship is fully manned.

Contains a large heated zero G swimming pool, a gym, and a sparring room.
For the Free Folk crew, a small server cluster was added. This contains a large informational data base, as well as an abundance of virtual reality games in almost gameplay style imaginable. A number of neuro helmets, or direct port interfaces for implants, are placed in reclining chairs near the walls of the room to access this database or run VR programs.

The floor is a glossy, polished black and the walls are made of typical gray paneling. If the bays are going to be used for some recreational purpose, the ship has netting that can be attached to rings that line the interior about a foot inside.

Though called a wardroom by some, it is closer to a mess hall. It is often used as everything from the usual mess hall to a meeting room. Some people may call it a "multipurpose" room because of it's all around usefulness. The wardroom's size varies by ship, but all contain the same things:

• Large Table(s)
• Rolling, padded chairs
• Direct access to the kitchen
• Several viewscreens, number depends on size of room
• Recycle/waste bins

Descriptions of the ship systems.

The thinly armored hull is comprised of a titanium carbide layered plating reinforced by a Phenolic-Fulleride layered mesh that acts as both a means to absorb energy and release a high-capacity discharge designed to disrupt particle beams, plasma bursts, and even vaporize solid munitions.

The structuring of the outer hull is engineered for flash-welding and riveting, as opposed to the military styled tightly-linked hull design. While this leaves much to be desired in regards to the armor strength, it allows the rapid repair of damage sections -- even in the midst of battle.

The lift provides quick access from the main deck to the subdeck, or carry freight from the automanufactory to where the products are needed. Don't let that scratching sound overhead scare you; those are just the Drones scurrying about.

Hard points used to attach cargo pods or dropships to the Invictus. These are circular magnetic clamps with an airlock attachment in the center. In addition to the magnetic clamps, a male circular locking mechanism is available for those who have such a corresponding female attachment.

The following is a list of emergency systems used by the Invictus.

Located on all decks of a ship, and traditionally every twenty feet, are small damage control clusters that house repair parts and fire-fighting gear. Blast Fire Doors can only be disengaged by authorized crewmen, including officers and engineering staff.

Blast Fire Doors are doors designed not only to provide containment in the event of a hull breach but also resistant to fire, allowing them to also isolate fires from spreading. Blast Fire doors are not just located in the ship hallways but also within maintenance conduits to provide complete isolation and compartmentalization.

The FSS is the primary means for starship and station crews to fight fires. It is purely a gel based system to help smother fires. In conjunction with a ships life support systems, the ACS can also isolate fires from rooms by shutting off all oxygen producing plants or even closing off vents.

Required on all ships, in the event of ship loss or extreme failure of ship systems and the risk of destruction, are escape pods.

• 30 Escape pods.

The ship has a very thorough recycling system which breaks down anything classified into "waste" into its atomic components. The air recycling system (which is segmented and highly monitored for security reasons) can support up to 800 personnel up to twenty years. Water can be recycled for twenty years as well.

The systems for primary and secondary power generation

3 inline Tokamak T-86 fusion plasma power plants. These power plants provide sufficient power for ship systems as well as charging of the FTL capacitors when necessary. Fuel is required more often when the Tokamak power plants are run more often. Usually only one is necessary for critical systems, the second and third alternate for extra power needs, such as powering attached dropships and the manufacturer module. This allows for the power plants to be shut down and maintained in a safe work environment

Not a reactor system in itself, these magnetohydrodynamic generator converts thermal and kinetic energy into usable power by exploiting the motion of fluids or plasma to generate electrical energy. Since these contain no moving parts and can withstand high temperatures, they can boost the power efficiency of certain systems by a significant fraction without large maintenance requirements.

MHD Dynamos are used on some of the nuclear reactor assemblies of the transmutation facility in order to boost energy efficiency by a significant portion. By pumping warm coolant into an MHD generator prior to re-cooling it one can increase the output, or decrease the energy waste in weapon systems by up to two thirds.

The ship's electronic, sensor, and communication systems

The multiple laser, neutrino, and radar systems provide the AI system suite all the necessary telemetry, stellar cartography, and object tracking data necessary for interstellar travel, convoy management, and coordinated fold point maneuvers.

How the ship gets around and what systems help support those functions.

The archaic drive is comprised of a meters-thick core made of a titanium-germanium alloy (wrapped in a liquid helium jacket), controller, initiator, tankage and other associated equipment. The core acts as the prime capacitor to store the energy needed to burst through space.

Starlight Sails are located in between the masts and booms of the aft Sail superstructure. Made of a composite of voltaic cells of polymers and nano particles, Starlight sails are used to form a multi-spectral radiant energy collection material. Centuries of refining solar harvesting methods means that Starlight Sails can absorb most conceivable types of radiant energy, and with exceptional efficiency.

The energy harvested from Starlight Sails are stored in four very high density capacitor banks located along the spine of the vessel.

The capacitor banks can provide one additional charge for their FTL Drive. It serves as an extension of the drive's energy storage and allows for another jump without having to recharge the drive first. The battery can be charged (and quick-charged) in much the same way as the FTL drive.

These basic engine thrusters are mounted behind the Starlight Sail energy collection units.

Small particle deflection only

None

A list of the usual vehicle compliment. Individual ships may vary.

The Invictus has space for six shuttle sized ships in it's hangar.

Bullroarer created this article on 2018/04/15 07:16.

Art by Gunsight1

"Grandfathered" by Bullroarer on 2019/12/07.

Taken from https://www.catalystgamelabs.com/battletech/.
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