IJSF - Imperial Japanese Star Fleet

This information was originally posted at http://ijsf.firedrake.org/

This fleet is particularly fighter heavy so alternative fighter rules such as the Beta Fighter Rules are suggested.

Imperial Japan and the Fleet

Japanese is the official language of Imperial Japan, although English is so widely used as to be an unofficial second language. The space naval arm of the Japanese military is known as the Teikoku Hoshi no Kaigun (literally Imperial Star Navy); strategists and naval scholars generally refer to it in English as the Imperial Japanese Star Fleet (IJSF). There is no standard prefix for ship names, but a ship is normally formally referred to by its designation and name: Battlecruiser Kesshi. Ships are generally given poetic names rather than being named after specific people or battles.

The IJSF emblem is a rayed bright red, yellow or white circle on a black field. The black field is unique to the IJSF; other arms of the Japanese military, and indeed civilian flag users in Imperial Japan, use a white field (and typically a slightly more muted red).

History and Organization

The Japanese spacefleet has a very "corporate" feel; apart from those personnel directly exposed to combat, the typical officer comes over more like a career bureaucrat than like a typical military man. The combat arms are another story, however, with a tolerance for eccentricity which is not only greater than that in most of Japanese society but is sometimes greater than that of allied navies. Only one thing matters: competence. Promotion is rapid where ability is proven; some IJSF capital-ship captains are barely out of their teens.

The Japanese spacefleet has inherited the proud traditions of their wet navy fore-runners and their immense fighter wings are the match of any nation. The intimate connections between the corporate and defence forces have seen their fleet be the first to boast many state-of-the-art technologies, such as superior sensors, and immensely powerful weapons, such as the wavegun. The Japanese are said to still carry out ritual farewells before every combat engagement; these events stem from their traditional heavy reliance on fighters which had meant that when they took casualties they could be on particularly devastating scales. This is no longer true as a sizeable proportion of the Japanese fighters is now run by AI; however the rituals of farewell apparently persist none-the-less.

Ship Design Doctrine

The ships of the IJSF are generally extremely heavily armed with missile racks, fighters and the hyperspatial distortion cannon (a weapon which other powers generally regard as too inefficient for naval use, not to mention hazardous to fighter pilots who fail to keep formation), backed up with extensive beam armament. Thrust levels tend to be moderate or high; hulls are typically weak/average (25%); armour is generally not used, and screens only on dedicated fighter-carrier units. While most ships carry moderate point-defence suites, it is generally expected that on-board fighters will assist in fighter and missile defence. IJSF ships make extensive use of fighters, down to the battlecruiser class; fleet doctrine emphasises smooth integration of fighters from different squadrons, since in practice this seems to occur quite often.

Hyperspatial Distortion Cannon

Spinal-mount weapon - can fire within the 30-degree arc centred on the line along which it's mounted (almost always, but not necessarily, directly forward).

Mass = 4 for class 1, 12 for class 2, 20 for class 3; in general, (class x 8)-4.

Cost = mass x 3

It is necessary to plot the firing of an HDC in movement orders. This is because all fire directors and sensors must be shut down to avoid overload. So, during the turn on which a ship is firing an HDC, it may not use PDS or perform any function which requires target identification (no fire-control, no missiles). (As a corollary to this, an HDC may fire even if no fire-control systems are available.) Manoeuvres and fighter launches may be conducted normally; and if a ship has multiple HDCs, they may all be fired on the same turn. Fighter recovery requires sensor use from the firing ship, and therefore may not be conducted. Even if the ship has screens, the arc through which the HDC is firing will usually be considered unscreened; it is necessary to shut down the screens locally to avoid overload.

If the player wishes to maintain system operation while firing an HDC, all outside-pointing systems which are used (fire controls, weapons, screens if the arc through which the HDC is firing is not shut down locally) are considered damaged (as by a threshold check) immediately after the completion of that ship's fire. This is a desperation tactic.

If HDC fire has been plotted, it must be carried out even if it would prove inconvenient to do so.

The HDC is fired during the normal fire phase, when the ship is activated.

Charging - HDCs have an extremely large power requirement and must be charged from other ship systems. The weapon may only be fired every other turn.

An HDC which is damaged (due to threshold check, needle damage, etc.) immediately does damage equal to twice its class number directly to the hull.

The HDC pulse damages every target that the wavefront passes over. On the turn of firing, this will be every target in a triangle, with its apex at the firing ship, a total length of 24MU, and a width of 2MU at its wide end; measure between these points to determine the boundaries of the effect and the targets that take damage. Each succeeding turn, the pulse moves outwards a further 24MU and widens by 2MU; for example, the turn after firing, it covers a trapezoid from range 24MU to 48MU of the firer's initial position, 2MU wide at 24MU and 4MU wide at 48MU. The next turn, the area covers an area 4MU wide at 48MU from the initial position and 6MU wide at 72MU. This progression of areas is the same no matter what class of HDC was fired.

On turns after the one on which it was fired, the HDC pulse does damage immediately before the "Ships Fire" phase.

The wavefront is actually moving at the same time as the ships, fighters etc., so its on-table position during the Ships Move isn't where it is really located at the time. Because of this it only inflicts damage on units those which move through it from its "front" (from in front of the damage template to a position inside it, through its leading face), and those the wavefront itself moves over in the Ships Fire phase, but not on units which move through it from "behind"; they are assumed to be moving behind the wavefront without actually catching up with it. (If a ship moves through the wavefront from behind and then gets caught as the wavefront moves during the Ships Fire phase, it is assumed to have caught up with the wave front instead of just moved behind it.)

Initial damage level of the wavefront is (class x 2) dice; on each turn after firing, this drops by 2 dice.

Damage is done as full dice, not beam dice; it is affected by screens and armour as a Phalon PB (a ship with screen-1 ignores any dice rolling 6; one with screen-2 ignores any rolls of 5-6; armour absorbs damage normally). Any fighters or missiles caught in the template are destroyed automatically.

Multi-mode Fighters

Multi-mode fighters may fight either as attackers or as interceptors in any given turn (to be decided when the group first engages in combat in the turn)

Cost = 7 points per fighter (42 points per group)

Ninja class Scoutship

FT1302

Mass 10
NPV 36  CPV 27
Weak Hull 2 (1/1/)
Main Drive 8
FTL Drive
FCS
2 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs

Names include: Ninja, Amatsukaze, Arashio, Ariake, Asagao, Asashio, Ayanami, Hakaze, Harusame, Hatsume, Hatsushimo, Hatsuyuki, Hayashimo, Hayashio, Hibiki, Hokaze, Kaede, Kaki, Kamikaze, Kasumi, Kishinami, Kuroshia, Maikaze, Matsukaze, Mikatsuki, Minegumo, Mochizuki, Nara, Natsugumo, Natsuzuki, Nenohi, Oboro, Oinami, Oite, Onami, Otake, Sanae, Shigezakura, Shigure, Shikinami, Shiratsuyu, Suzukaze, Tachibana, Takanami, Ume, Uzuki, Wakaba, Wakatsuki, Yoitsuki, Yudachi

Naginata class Strikeboat

FT1322
Mass 10
NPV 37  CPV 28

Fragile Hull 1 (1//)
Main Drive 6
FTL Drive
FCS
2 x Class 2 beam battery (AP/FP/F, F/FS/AS)

The Naginata/S variant replaces the two beam batteries with four forward-facing submunition packs.

Names include: Naginata, Fuyo, Harutsuki, Hayate, Inazuma, Kagero, Katana, Kuwa, Manrikiju, Momi, Momo, Murasame, Sakura, Sandanju, Shirayuki, Shuriken, Sugi, Tachikaze, Tanikaze, Tsuta, Ushio, Yukaze

Bakemono class Strike Corvette

FT1303
Mass 16
NPV 58  CPV 45
Weak Hull 3 (1/1/1)
Main Drive 6
FTL Drive
FCS
PDS
2 x Submunition Pack, F
Class 2 beam battery, FP/F/FS

Names include: Bakemono, Asagumo, Asanagi, Asashimo, Hatsuharu, Hatsukaze, Keyaki, Minekaze, Naganami, Okinami, Oyashio, Shinonome, Shirakumo, Sumire, Suzutsuki, Tamanami, Terutsuki, Urakaze, Wakatake, Yakaze, Yanagi, Yugure

Ashigaru class Patrol Frigate

FT1304
Mass 26
NPV 86  CPV 67
Average Hull 8 (2/2/2/2)
Main Drive 6
FTL Drive
PDS
FCS
Class 2 beam battery, FP/F/FS
2 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs
Submunition Pack, F 

Names include: Ashigaru, Akatsuki, Akebono, Akigumo, Akikaze, Akishimo, Amagiri, Arare, Enoki, Fumitsuki, Fuyutsuki, Hagi, Hagikaze, Hamakaze, Hasu, Hatsuzuki, Hinoki, Ikazuchi, Iwanami, Karukaya, Kashiwa, Kawakaze, Kazegumo, Kisaragi, Kiyoshimo, Kuretake, Kusunoki, Maki, Makigumo, Matsu, Michishio, Mutsuki, Nagatsuki, Natsushio, Niizuki, Nowake, Numakaze, Okikaze, Sawakaze, Sazanami, Shiranuhi, Take, Tsubaki, Yamagumo, Yamakaze, Yugamo, Yugiri, Yunagi

Shoya class Sensor Picket

FT1324
Mass 26
NPV 108  CPV 58
Average Hull 8 (2/2/2/2)
Main Drive 8
FTL Drive
PDS
FCS
Class 1 beam battery, all arcs
Superior Sensors (rated as 2 mass, 30 points)

Names include: Shoya, Asakaze, Fubuki, Hamanami, Hatakaze, Kaya, Minazuki, Nire, Shimotsuki, Tokitsukaze, Uranami, Usugumo, Yayoi, Yuki

Soyokaze class Destroyer

FT1305
Mass 36
NPV 123  CPV 100
Weak Hull 7 (2/2/2/1)
Main Drive 6
FTL Drive
PDS
FCS
2 x SMR, FP/F/FS
Class 2 beam battery, all arcs
Class 1 beam battery, all arcs

Names include: Soyokaze, Akitsuki, Asagiri, Fujinami, Hanatsuki, Harukaze, Hatsuzakura, Hayanami, Isokaze, Isonami, Kaba, Kashi, Kikutsuki, Kiri, Kiyonami, Kuri, Makinami, Murakumo, Namikaze, Nashi, Nokaze, Oshio, Sagiri, Samidare, Satsuki, Shii, Shimakaze, Shiokaze, Suzunami, Tsuga, Umikaze, Yuzuki

Arashi class Light Cruiser

FT1306
Mass 60
NPV 203  CPV 179
Average Hull 15 (4/4/4/3)
Main Drive 6
FTL Drive
3 PDS
2 FCS
3 x Class 2 beam battery (AP/FP/F, F/FS/AS, FP/F/FS)
2 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs
4 x Submunition Pack, F
SMR (FP/F/FS)

Names include: Arashi, Kinu, Kuma, Nagara, Naka, Natori, Noshiro, Oi, Sakawa, Sendai, Tama, Tatsuta, Tenryu, Yara, Yubari, Yura

Ronin class Patrol Cruiser

FT1307
Mass 64
NPV 217  CPV 194
Average Hull 16 (4/4/4/4)
Main Drive 6
FTL Drive
3 PDS
2 FCS
2 x Class 3 beam battery (F/FS, FP/F)
3 x Class 2 beam battery (AP/FP/F, F/FS/AS, FP/F/FS)
2 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs

Names include: Ronin, Agano, Aoba, Atago, Chikuma, Furutaka, Isuzu, Jintsu, Kako, Kinugasa, Kiso, Kitagami, Kumano, Kurutaka, Mikuma, Mogami, Myoko, Oyodo, Yahagi

Samurai class Heavy Cruiser

FT1308
Mass 83
NPV 281  CPV 267
Weak Hull 20 (5/5/5/5)
Main Drive 6
FTL Drive
3 PDS
2 FCS
SMR, FP/F/FS
5 x Submunition Pack, F
2 x Class 3 beam battery (F/FS, FP/F)
2 x Class 2 beam battery (AP/FP/F, F/FS/AS)
2 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs

Names include: Samurai, Chokai, Haguro, Maya, Nachi, Suzuya, Takao, Tone

Kesshi class Battlecruiser

FT1309
Mass 110
NPV 376  CPV 350 (+ fighters)
Average Hull 28 (7/7/7/7)
Main Drive 5
FTL Drive
3 PDS
3 FCS
2 x Submunition Pack, F
3 x Class 3 beam battery (F/FS, FP/F, FP/F/FS)
Class 2 beam battery, FP/F/FS
2 x SMR, FP/F/FS
Fighter Bay

Names include: Kesshi, Kongo, Hiyei, Nagato, Mutsu

Yamato class Battleship

FT1310
Mass 126
NPV 437  CPV 430 (+ fighters)
437 points, 126 mass
Average Hull 32 (8/8/8/8)
Main Drive 4
FTL Drive
3 PDS
3 FCS
Class 1 HDC, F
2 x SMR-ER, FP/F/FS
3 x Class 3 beam battery (F/FS, FP/F, FP/F/FS)
2 x Class 2 beam battery (AP/FP/F, F/FS/AS)
3 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs
4 x Submunition Pack, F
Fighter Bay

Names include: Yamato, Haruna, Nadesico, Yamashiro

Musashi class Super Battleship

FT1311
Mass 156
NPV 541  CPV 539 (+ fighters)
Average Hull 39 (10/10/10/9)
Main Drive 4
FTL Drive
4 PDS
3 FCS
Class 2 HDC, F
2 x SMR-ER, FP/F/FS
2 x Class 3 beam battery (F/FS, FP/F)
1 x Class 2 beam battery, FP/F/FS
2 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs
3 x FCS
4 x PDS
4 x Submunition Pack, F
2 x Fighter Bay

Names include: Musashi, Kirishima, Hyuga, Fuso

Shogun class Command Dreadnought

FT1312
Mass 263
NPV 930  CPV 1110 (+ fighters)
Weak Hull 62 (16/16/15/15)
Main Drive 3
FTL Drive
6 PDS
5 FCS
Class 3 HDC, F
4 x SMR, FP/F/FS
6 x Class 3 beam battery (F/FS, FP/F, 2 x AP/FP/F, 2 x F/FS/AS)
4 x Class 2 beam battery (2 x AP/FP/F, 2 x F/FS/AS)
3 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs
8 x Submunition Pack, F
4 x Fighter Bay

Names include: Shogun, Ise

Hiryu class Light Carrier

FT1313
Mass 160
NPV 564  CPV 408 (+ fighters)
Weak Hull 32 (8/8/8/8)
Main Drive 4
FTL Drive
4 PDs
ADFC
2 FCS
1 Screen Generator
4 x Class 2 beam battery (AP/FP/F, F/FS/AS, 2 x FP/F/FS)
2 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs
6 x Fighter Bay

Names include: Hiryu, Chitose, Chiyoda, Chuyo, Hayataka, Jinyo, Kaiyo, Katsuragi, Otaka, Ryuho, Shoho, Shokaku, Soryu, Taiho, Unryu, Unyo, Zuikaku

Akagi class Super Carrier

FT1314
Mass 269
NPV 960  CPV 831 (+ fighters)
Weak Hull 54 (14/14/13/13)
Main Drive 3
FTL Drive
7 PDS
ADFC
3 FCS
2 x Screen Generator
SMR-ER, FP/F/FS
6 x Class 2 beam battery (2 x AP/FP/F, 2 x F/FS/AS, 2 x FP/F/FS)
2 x Class 1 beam battery, all arcs
10 x Fighter Bay

Names include: Akagi, Amagi, Hitaka, Hosho, Hoshu, Kaga, Kasagi, Nisshin, Ryujo, Shinano, Zuiho