Lux Tactical Vessels, Part One
Celeritas Cutter
Type: Celeritas
Class: Tactical
Specification: Cutter
Designations: Fast Light Maneuverable Multi-Dimensional Raider
Scale: Micro
Size (longest dimensions):
- Length: Approx. 8 Studs
- Width: Approx. 4 Studs
- Height: Approx. 1 Bricks
Part Count: 21 Bricks
The Celeritas design is of a streamlined little ship, minimally armed and armored and built for incredible speed and maneuverability. Like most smaller Lux vessels, a Purefire Core runs along its center length and serves as both the ship’s primary mode of propulsion and its main gun simultaneously. The vessel fires a beam of Purefire energy along some limited trajectory and the Core pulls the vessel along that beam with incredible precision and a modicum of speed via its Affinity Engines. The bulk of the Engines are usually situated at the rear of the vessel (where most of the ship’s armor is placed) but extend along the Core’s length, encapsulating it. They have the unique ability to contain and recycle Purefire energies, so fuel consumption among most Lux vessels is virtually nil outside of combat situations, especially combined with the Lux ability to breach the Astral Plate and travel there. While this mode of transportation is certainly serviceable, it isn’t particularly faster than most other BrikVersian technologies. In fact, it’s a little slower than most, although almost always more reliable and efficient. The Celeritas’ Core has been specially modified to eke out as much speed as possible and it is always incorporated with a Celerity Spirit (which is where the design gets its name) to help toward that end. These ships do not fire conventional ammunitions, instead relying on light Purefire beams fired from its Broadsides (usually while spinning wildly) or from its main gun, the smallest version of a Consecration Cannon. Celeritas designs wear anywhere from two to eight reinforced Broadsides, each hooked directly into the Core. Celeritas ships run fast and hot but they burn out incredibly fast. Celerity Spirits have some of the greatest lack of self preservation skills among Lux Spirits, not because of a lack of self interest but because of sheer, bloody recklessness.
Vox Dei Gunboat
Type: Vox Dei
Class: Tactical
Specification: Gunboat
Designations: Dense Highly-Armored Multi-Dimensional Warship
Scale: Micro
Size (longest dimensions):
- Length: Approx. 9 Studs
- Width: Approx. 4 Studs
- Height: Approx. 3 Bricks
Part Count: 25 Bricks
Also called “Boomers” or, more literally, the “Voice of God,” Vox Dei Gunboats are little more than spacefaring ordinance. Like most other smaller Lux vessels, Vox Dei have a Purefire Core which runs the length of the ship design and functions as both a propulsion system riding its own rails and as a main gun. Unlike other vessels, the Vox Dei design incorporates dense armors to protect its Spirit and its Affinity Engines…though this armoring is as much to protect the ship from itself as it is to protect against enemy vessels. The Vox Dei has one gun and one gun only, a highly modified and reinforced Consecration Cannon mounted in its usual place within the bow of the ship. The CC does not have the usual ability to collect and transform ambient energies and thus the Vox Dei are perhaps the most finite resource the Lux Navy has in its employ. This is offset significantly by the Berserker Spirits these bulky ships come equipped with. These Spirits have no sense of self preservation and will thoughtlessly burn themselves up just to see the enemy’s atoms scattered unless they are under the control of an extraordinarily strong willed Captain. Crew quarters and cargo space are sparse aboard a Boomer, all the better to pack more armor and more constraints in. Berserkers are rammed into as small a space as possible (so there are variations on the basic Vox Dei design to account for size and spirit ability) so that they exist always at some level of enraged. They can channel this rage in blast after colossal blast of charged, explosive Purefire energy in perhaps the deadliest concentration possible.
Vigilatus Corvette
Type: Vigilatus
Class: Tactical
Specification: Corvette
Designations: Light Escort Patrol Multi-Dimensional Warship
Scale: Micro
Size (longest dimensions):
- Length: Approx. 15 Studs
- Width: Approx. 6 Studs
- Height: Approx. 5 Bricks
Part Count: 87 Bricks
The Vigilatus is a solid protector boat that balances armor, weaponry, speed, maneuverability, transport, and crew compliment as evenly as possible in a small, but still imposing, frame. In addition to its CC, the Vigilatus allows for anywhere between eight and sixteen Superlight Lancers, capable of Purefire (which pulls from the Core as normal) or conventional munitions fire. There are several Command Centers aboard a Vigilatus vessel, in addition to a small residential area a few decks deep (the equivalent of a Lux village). Vigilatus ships are often seen in a bodyguard position around Command vessels in battlegroups and fleets but are also known for their superb function as patrol boats, being the first ones into an area to sweep it clear, the ones to guard and blockade entrance through a perimeter, and the last ones out after securing a site. To this end, Vigilatus boats are equipped with Guardian Spirits, incredibly adaptable Spirits with enormous reserves of energy. Where some Lux vessels might overuse the ram scoop function of their CCs and some might not even have access to one, Vigilatus vessels rarely need it except to top up the Guardian Spirit’s energy reserve as a precaution. The energy shielding on a Vigilatus ship is incredible and two or more of them can generate a kind of massive shield wall that becomes more and more impenetrable with each Vigil added.
Umbra Corvette
Type: Umbra
Class: Tactical
Specification: Corvette
Designations: Fast Light Maneuverable Multi-Dimensional Communications Infiltrator
Scale: Micro
Size (longest dimensions):
- Length: Approx. 24 Studs
- Width: Approx. 7 Studs
- Height: Approx. 4 Bricks
Part Count: 141 Bricks, Ring is 30
The Umbra Corvette is a Half-Fallen design, purposed for long range scouting, communications relay, and infiltration. It’s relatively small for all the equipment and crew packed into it but it serves the Lux admirably as a mobile data hub. Often, Umbras will be used as Command vessels by battlegroup or fleet leaders for their sheer versatility. They aren’t heavily armed, however, typically possessing only four Sniper Lancets (extraordinarily long range Superlight Lancers) and the eight Broadsides which surround and protect the ship’s Comm Ring. The Ring itself is detachable and maintains enough crew and cargo space to serve as a very small, limited Space Station. The Ring is, however, equipped with basic maneuvering thrusters and an Astral Phase Drive. Sometimes, Umbral ships are served by Shadow Spirits, dark spirits of merciless death that are even more difficult to control than Berserkers, but this is rare. More often, Umbra ships integrate with Celerity or WarSpirits. The Umbra design is equipped with conventional stealth systems but these are used only as a last resort in the face of the much more effective tactic of not being seen at all by slipping into the Astral. It is important to note, however, that Umbra ships have a significantly greater ability to “pierce the veil” (see from the Astral into the RealVerse) than most other Lux ships (who must often analyze data for several minutes to hours to get a clear picture of the other side or else must pop back into the RealVerse to obtain that data immediately). Umbra ships have only a few seconds “lag,” for want of a better term.
Size Comparison of Tactical Vessels: Celeritas, Vox Dei, Vigilatus, and Umbra
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