Kalvessan Starwolves
Location: Unknown
Not a lot is known about the Starwolves, because most of the records of their dealing with the Old Republic was destroyed by the Empire. However, it is apparent they are relatively friendly to the New Republic.
At the time, I had not read the books these creatures are based on, so I sent out emails to those in the group that had and asked them questions to help me integrate them into the campaign. Here is the result.
About Starwolf fighter pilots – they also double as extra ground troops when needed, then they are counted as an elite fighting force, due to their higher training levels etc.
Do you have any stats on the carriers? How big are they? How many Starwolves do they carry? Do they use fighters? Are they space craft carriers or troop transports or a combination?
Yes the stats for the carrier are below. Yes they do use fighters see below for stats. The carriers are a combination of fighter carrier, troop carrier, battleship and school as they carry a great portion of the starwolf nation aboard each ship. Basically they are armed cities traveling the stars. They don’t even really need to return to base for repairs as the ships complement of droids can usually jury rig something up to replace the damaged sections.
Starwolves Fighters
Craft: Starwolf Fighter
Scale: Starfighter
Lenght:20m
Skill: Starfighter piloting :Starwolf Fighter
Crew:1
Cargo Capacity: 10kg
Consumables: 2 days
Maneuverability: 3D+2
Space:14
Atmosphere:505;1450kmh
Hull:5D
Shields:4D
Sensors:
Passive:30/+2
Scan:55/1D+2
Search:75/2D+2
Focus:10/3D+2
Weapons:
Accessary Cannon
Fire arc: Front
Scale; Capital
Skill: Starfighter gunnery
Fire Control: 3D+2
Space Range:1-5/24/45
Atmosphere range 0.5-1.5/4.5/7.5km
Damage 2D
4 Laser Cannons (fire linked)
Fire Arc: front
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1-3/16/34
Atmosphere range: 150-400/1.5km/3km
Damage: 6D
2 Laser Cannons (fire linked)
Fire Arc: Rear
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space range: 1-3/16/34
Atmosphere range: 15-400/1.5km/3km
Damage: 4D
2 Proton Torpedo launchers
Fire Arc: front
Skill: starship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space range: 1/3/7
Atmosphere range: 40-110/400/800
Damage: 9D
Craft: Starwolf Carrier
Type: Starwolf Carrier
Length: 3000m
Scale: Capital
Crew:2200, pilots:1000, skeleton 1/no penalty
Passengers: 4000
Cargo: 100,000
Hyperdrive Multiplier:x1/2 or x1
Backup: x7
Nav Computer:yes
Space: 4
Maneuverability: 3D
Hull: 6D
Shields:10D
Sensors:
Passive: 60/2D
Scan: 90/3D
Search: 150/3D
Focus: 30/4D
Weapons:
2 Conversion Cannons
Fire Arc: front
Skill :Capital ship gunnery
Scale: Death Star
Fire Control: 6D
Space Range: 1-50/51-70/70-140
Damage: 2D
8 Double Laser Cannons
Fire Arc: 2 Front, 2 Left, 2 Right, 2 Rear
Scale: Starfighter
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire control: 6D
Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere: 100-300/1.2/2.5km
Damage: 5D
30 Turbolaser Batteries
Fire Arc: 6 front, 5 left, 5 right
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 3-15/36/75
Atmosphere Range: 6-15/72/150km
Damage: 6D
20 Heavy Turbolaser Cannons
Fire Arc: 5 front, 5 left, 5 right, 5 back
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 5-20/40/60
Atmosphere Range: 10-20/80/120 km
Damage: 10D
Small Craft
1000 fighters
200 dropships/shuttles
300 assorted specialized craft
The Carriers act as the mobile strike force for the starwolf nation as such they are a fleet unto themselves. They carry over 1500 ships ranging for small non-hyperspace capable fighter to troop transports and other specialized craft. The families of the personnel station aboard are also part for the ship’s complement. The number of crew needed is reduced by the use of sentient computer systems that run all aspects of the ship’s functions, in all reality they are the ships. The fighters fight in packs of nine with one packleader and eight wingmen. The ships are specially designed for use by starwolves and there fore the inertia compensators are not powered up normally as Starwolves can take in excess of 2000G, other races of humanoid build can used the craft is retro fitted with compensators. The conversion cannons are if effect very large fusion weapons as when triggered 0.5kg of water is converted into energy with no waste. The other weapons are standard lasers and turbolasers. The ship also carries out the functions of educating all aboard. The ship also has the capabilities to manufacture replacement parts if materials are available. The science labs and simulators can be used to research any new item they come across and to keep the pilots trained with out having to leave the ship.
How do you see the space battle going? They will obviously side with the NR, but I’m not sure, given the history at the above web site, just HOW friendly they will be towards the NR.
They will demand what is there’s by right, as a requirement to helping the NR i.e. that the NR recognizees them as a race and not property seat on the senate etc.
What kind of command structure do they have? Is it any different from NR or Imperials? Ranks or castes or anything like that?
A group of fighter is called apack and has 9 fighters it’s leader is called packleader. the captain of the ship is refereed to by the title Commander it is one of high honor as the ship it self picks all it’s commanders.
Anything characteristic or special I should know about how the wage war? Special tactics, etc?
They tend to fight in waves, one wave using there Hyper-Metabolism while the rest hold back when they are to tired to fight the next wave enters and they withdraw to replace fluids and chemicals. this way the people actually fighting are always the fresh for a fight. They also use their high G force tolerance to pull stunts to lose other fighters one’s that no unassisted person can make.
Do you have any stats on the carriers? How big are they? How many Starwolves do they carry? Do they use fighters? Are they space craft carriers or troop transports or a combination?
Here some home brewed stats for the carrier mentioned in series.
Valthyrra Methryn
Craft: Alliance Devastator Class Star Cruiser
Type: Alliance Wolf Attack Carrier
Scale: Capital
Length: 7.2 Kilometers
Skill: Capital Ship Piloting: Wolf Class
Crew: 10/ Skeleton: 0 +10
Crew Skill: Astrogation 9D, Capital Ship Gunnery 8D + 2,
Capital Ship Piloting 9D + 1, Capital Ship Shields 8D, Sensors 9D
Note Ship’s AI can operate all ship functions and usally does
unless special circumstances apply.
Passengers: 5,000
Cargo Capacity: 5,000,000 Metric Tons
Consumables: 20/100 yrs (with Recycling)
Cost: Not available for sale.
Hyperdrive Multiplier: X1/4
Hyperdrive Backup: X1
Nav Computer: Yes
Manueverability: 3D+1
Space: 11
Hull: 9D + 2
Shields: 10D + 1
Sensors:
Passive: 200/ 2D
Scan: 325/ 3D+1
Search: 500/ 4D+ 2
Focus: 120 / 5D+2
Weapons:
Focused Partical Cannon
Fire arc: Front
Crew: 15
Scale: Death Star
Skill: Capital Ship Gunnery: Partical Cannon
Fire Control: 6D
Space Range: 5-30/90/200
Damage: Builds 1D of Damage every round to a maximum of 10D
Restriction: Requires one round to open and prepare to
fire. During this time the gun is exposed
Gun Hull: 7D+1
Main Laser Cannon
Fire Arc: Right, Front, Left
Crew: 10
Skill: Capital Ship Gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 20/50/125
Damage: 15D
60 Heavy Turbolaser Batteries
Fire Arc: 30 Front, 15 Left, 15 Right
Crew: 1
Skill: Capital Ship Gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 20/50/125
Atmosphere Range: 2-20/90/180 KM
Damage: 10D
116 Laser Turrets
Fire Arc: Equal Number on each side
Crew: 1
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: 5D+1
Space Range: 15/40/90
Atmosphere Range: 15/37/80KM
Damage: 7D
262 Semi-Sent. Missile Turrets
Fire Arc: Equal number on each side
Crew: 1
Skill: Capital Ship Gunnery
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: 5D+1
Space Range: 20/90/180
Atmoshpere Range: 20/50/100 KM
Speical Rules: May be used as mines, and use fire control
to hit. (Detect Diff.: 35)
Damage: 6D
3 Heavy Ion Cannons
Fire Arc: 1 Front, 1 Left, 1 Right
Crew: 1
Skill: Capital Ship Gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 20/50/150
Atmosphere Range: 25/65/140KM
Damage: 8D
Tractor Field Emplacements
Fire Arc: All
Space Range: 0-10
Damage: 6D
Note: The ship has two bays which store both fighters and capture ships. The bays are large enough to hold several large freighters. The two fighter bays can hold up to 450 fighters but now only has 90 a fifth of what she could hold. This ship has stealth sheilds which make it impervious to visual and sensors.
Some names of Starwolves carriers are: Kerridayen, Karvand, Methryn, Mardayn, Theralda Vardon.
The books mention that the carriers don’t carry as many Kelvessan as they could. We always just said that they had around 5,000. But we just used the number of around 300 who were actually fighting Starwolves. To your question about fighters yes they use fighters. In fact this is their primary weapon and most often seen item. They are extremely fast Both in hyperspace and real-space with truly excellent maneuverability, have good shields and a weapons package that is comprised of powerful lasers that can destroy other fighters with one shot. They can be equipped with an auxiliary cannons that can be used to take out destroyers. (Sorry I don’t have stats for their fighters). Side note: their shields can be modified so their ships can fly under-water, they said it was fly though just another medium. They do have transports they say they use them but generally the pilot uses their personal fighters to hop around. They have a transport/fighter combination that is used with something called Special Tactics.
How do you see the space battle going? They will obviously side with the NR, but I’m not sure, given the history at the above web site, just HOW friendly they will be towards the NR.
Well I believe that the carrier will come in with stealth shields at maximum an fire it particle cannon at the enemy capital ships to hit the greatest damage to as many ship as possible. Its fighters will perform an encircling maneuver to keep the ship from breaking up their concentration and to facilitate the most destruction. As to the question of which side, they will most likely work with the NR because of their previous history with the Imperials, but will they help with the ground battle with so little information. I just don’t know. After they get the skinny on what’s going on I believe they will be cautiously help the NR.
What kind of command structure do they have? Is it any different from NR or Imperials? Ranks or castes or anything like that?
Well this is a question. Their home command does have a supreme commander( who was human by the way), but all he did was take the carriers and ship commanders suggestions then he would SUGGEST a course of action that was more often then not taken. However onboard ship: Commander -who is commander of the ship at large; Commander designate- who is chosen from the pack leaders, will become the Commander when the former retires, and is in charge of the carrier as a fighting force; After this is the Helm- this person is second in command and occasionally gets to fly the ship, more importantly this person is the only person able to access the AI’s 6 memory storage cells. Then come the Pack Leaders or Captains- they are in charge of a pack which consists of 10 fighters. They are rank in order of seniority or if it shown ability. As to the rest of the crew… They are a fully functioning city with teachers to cooks. There are a large amount of automations that are either directly or indirectly controlled by the ship. So no Kelvessen janitors.
Anything characteristic or special I should know about how the wage war? Special tactics, etc?
They have a pack that goes from ship to ship when needed that is called Special Tactics It was comprised of two fighters and a transport. This group had to go into a base to retrieve another starwolf who captured. This group is the only people in the books who actually fight on planet. The pilots also could fight on the ground as a couple of pilots did in an enemies ship/space station. All Starwolves wear armor this is for two reasons: Protection and it is a full functioning vac suit with environmental controls to kept them cool during metabolism and normal times. They carry nasty weapons which they never give up on planet. They have a quote for this and it is Quote from book
“Shall I take your gloves, capes or guns? Dveyella smiled pleasantly,” We have two rules about our guns. First, we never leave the ship unless we are armed.”
“I can appreciate that,” Janarns agreed, ” And the second rule?”
“We shoot anyone who asks twice.””
[Carriers] In the books, they spend years (centuries?) away from dry-dock, and are basically pirate vessels – preying on cargo ships and the occasional military vessel. At one point the Methryn (one of the carriers) loads two or more of the enemy’s cruisers in her holds, but still has plenty of room for her crew and something like 4 squadrons of fighters – normally. StarWolf carriers are have capacity for 450 fighters, but I don’t think they *ever* use that many in the books. The typical squadron is 9 fighters, and the description states that Valthyrra carries 50 fighters — but that must include replacements for fighters that are damaged or worn out.
The crew is listed at around 2,000. Most of the 2,000 are there as backups in case the sentient computer (on the Methryn, it’s Valthyrra) fails. But the computers are so well protected and their systems so redundant, that a ship would have to be on the brink of destruction before the computer went off-line. No “troops” are carried, as the StarWolves (technically the term “StarWolf” only applies to the fighter pilots — the racial name is “Kelvessan”) do double duty as fighter pilots and the marine/ground troop, on the rare occasions when ground pounders are necessary.
From StarWolves, by Thorarinn Gunnarsson:
“Valthyrra Methryn slipped smoothly out of starflight to cruise at a speed that was just sublight, paralleling the freighter lane, just far enough out to avoid being seen. She was as vast and black as space itself, three kilometers long and more than one across the short wings of her arrowhead shape. Flaring main drives were tucked protectively beneath her wings; her upper hull was a smooth, armored shell that she could turn toward enemy fire. She moved like a warship, with the smooth, graceful control of a big ship with more than enough power for its size. She was beautiful and frightening to behold.
By design, the Methryn was a destroyer of immense size, all engines and weapons and very little crew. She could turn and accelerate like a ship a fraction her size, while cannons in her shock bumper were more than a match for a fleet of heavy cruisers. On the underside of her tapered nose was a cannon that could turn an entire planet into dust.
By definition the Methryn was a carrier, existing to provide for her handful of fighters. Tucked up against her belly, insignificant against her total bulk, were a pair of bays which housed ninety fighters, a fifth of what she could allow. In truth, for all her speed and power, the Methryn had not seen actual battle in more than half a century. Her fighters ran down and captured her prey, and defended her against the occasional warship daring and foolish enough to take her to task for her discreet piracies. She carried a crew of barely two thousand, existing only to tend her fighters and their own needs. Valthyrra Methryn took care of herself, and she was more than capable of that. There were only twenty-two like her in known space.”
How do you see the space battle going? They will obviously side with the NR, but I’m not sure, given the history at the above web site, just HOW friendly they will be towards the NR.
The series has them fighting for the “Terran Republic” against the “Union”. The Republic is the remains of the original Human government, that was based on Earth in the early stages of the war. The Union is basically a huge corporate state run by businesses for profit. The Kelvessan were genetically engineered by an alien race (the “Aldessan of Valtrys”) to defend the Terrans against the “Union”. So, they would probably find the racial equality and generally democratic ideals of the New Republic to be attractive, and worth fighting for.
Again, from StarWolves:
“Fifty thousand years ago we owned these stars we now haunt. But then the Union came like a sickness from within, a group of fringe worlds who thought that they would be happier and wealthier if they could run everything for themselves. And we fought them, back in the days when we were the old Terran fleet. But all of our bases were swallowed up, and our little ships were destroyed. We withdrew for a time to the one base the Union never found, and tried to think of how so very few could fight something so large.
Our friends, the Aldessan of Valtrys, did what they could. They gave us these big carriers, self-contained worlds, and these fast little ships that can run down anything. And they made us better, so that we can fly these ships. The Union learned quickly to leave us alone. They always think in terms of cost an profit, and it costs to much to fight us. They prefer to pay us ransom in the company freighters we take.
But it was a trap of our own making. They cannot defeat us without destroying themselves, and we cannot defeat them with the few carriers we have. We survive the only way we can, preying upon their freighters and protecting the fringe worlds. Four-fifths of the colonies are fringe worlds, not a part of the Union but dominated by it, and the companies steal away their lives and sell them back with transport charges attached. If we do any real good, it is in the fact that we keep the Union humble and the companies from making slaves of the minor worlds.”
That’s a speech from the main character’s mother to him in the beginning of the series. It later becomes clear that the Kelvessan were created at about the same time as the carriers, and for the carriers as much as the carriers were created for them. But the Kelvessan were also created with the capacity to evolve — which they do, some 50,000 years after they’re creation, during the books. And the Union is defeated, so most of the Kelvessan start thinking of other occupations than pirating – for instance, exploring the depths of space.
Would they fight for the New Republic? If they felt the cause were just and the enemy unjust, they probably would.
What kind of command structure do they have? Is it any different from NR or Imperials? Ranks or castes or anything like that?
Basically, there aren’t a lot of ranks. There’s the Commander of each ship, his/her First Officer, the bridge crew, fight crews (with a crew chief), the pilots, and a Pack Leader for each Wolfpack (squadron). That’s about it, except there’s a human Fleet Admiral back at their central base — but he doesn’t go out in the field, and the carriers operate independently for decades, if not centuries.
Anything characteristic or special I should know about how the wage war? Special tactics, etc?
Well, they’re very innovative, and have tolerances to G forces that would kill an Earth-normal human — they can walk and operate normally (without great effort) at accelerations of something like 20G (maybe more). If I recall correctly, they can also survive brief exposures to the vacuum of space without protection. They have four arms, making them very dangerous in combat, even without what amounts to superhuman strength (say, in SWRPG terms, about 7D or 8D strength, if you match the books — you probably want to tone this down for your campaign, or everyone will be playing StarWolves!) They’re ships are unbelievable nimble, and the fighters could easily fly circles around A-wings and TIE Interceptors. They are able to sense and attack ships in Hyperspace, and can even target and destroy a ship’s hyperdrive without damaging the rest of the ship. The carriers are bigger than Star Destroyers, require fewer crew, have armament enough to outgun a SD, not counting the conversion cannon which is equivalent to the Death Star’s Superlaser in destructive power, and their shields can take a direct hit from a conversion cannon, but not two. Also, the newest carriers (only two at the time of the books) have two conversion cannons apiece, thanks to advances in technology.
Tactics? Well, they don’t really need a lot once they engage in battle. Most enemies are so overmatched that a little caution will carry the day for the Kelvessan. They have two weaknesses: 1) Their primary combat mode, hypermetabolism, only lasts for 20 minutes or so, and then they need to rest (maybe even sleep) and certainly eat like there’s no tomorrow, and 2) their numbers are very limited, and they don’t reproduce very quickly, though they are extremely long lived. Hence, they’ve had to indulge in hit-and-run tactics against the Union for millenia. That, again, changes in the book series, until they manage to defeat the Union.