Gunstar Hephaestus (BSG-193)

[Roger Davis]

Gunstar Hephaestus (BSG-193)

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General

Class: Prometheus Class Gunstar
Role: Escort, Blockade-runner, Light Carrier, Combat Boarding

Length: 820m (2690 ft)
Width: 202m (663 ft)
Height: 97m (318 ft)


Time between refits: 5 years
Time between resupply: 15 months
Speed: FTL

Personnel
Max Crew Totals
Officers: 120 Max
Enlisted Crew: 500 Max
Marines: 500 Max
Passengers: 75 Max
Total: 1195 Max

Current crew Breakdown
Command and CIC: (15 Officers / 45 Enlisted)
Vipers: (40 Officers)
Raptors: (20 Officers)
Deck Crew: (3 Officers / 150 Enlisted)
Engineering: (7 Officers / 110 Enlisted)
Medical Staff: (4 Officers / 20 Enlisted)
Support staff: ( 4 Officers / 75 Enlisted)
Marine: (24 Officers / 500 Enlisted)
Gun Crews: (3 Officers / 100 Enlisted)
Civilians: 0

Total: 1120

Armament

Bow
4 - 255mm anti-ship railgun turrets
6 - 205mm kinetic anti-ship turrets
12 - 55mm kinetic point defense turrets
2 - Nuclear Warhead Tubes
8 - Magnetic Grapnels

Port
10 - 155mm kinetic anti-ship turrets
29 - 55mm kinetic point defense turrets
30 - 35mm kinetic point defense turrets
10 - Launch tubes
2 - Magnetic Grapnels

Starboard
10 - 155mm kinetic anti-ship turrets
29 - 55mm kinetic point defense turrets
30 - 35mm kinetic point defense turrets
10 - Launch tubes
2 - Magnetic Grapnels

Nuclear warheads
10 - 5 megaton warheads



Small Craft complement:
40 Mk VIII Vipers (40 Pilots)
10 Raptors (10 Pilots/10 E.C.O.s)
1 Colonial Shuttle
6 Landram Mark II Ground Assault Vehicles


Flight Pod Capabilities
The Prometheus Class is unique in that its flight pod is located on the ventral/underside of the craft and thus retracts up into the belly of the ship (the layout inside is also inverted with the deck above the open hanger). This specific design was not simply meant to retain symmetry for a ship with only one hanger but serves two combat purposes.

Ground Landings
The Titan Class is capable of landing planetside and functioning as a massive drop-ship. Once the Gunstar has successfully touched down, it can extend its flight pod downward until it reaches the surface of the planet. The large marine contingent can thus be deployed swiftly and in force directly from the hanger. (A daring commander with a brave crew could potentially deploy while still several feet off the ground rather than performing a complete landing.)

Boarding Operations
The Titan is equipped with numerous magnetic grapnels. In extremely close range engagements, the Gunstar can grapnel with the enemy vessel and then pull itself (or the enemy vessel if its mass is significantly less than the Gunstar's) directly onto the hull of the other vessel. Once firmly attached, the flight pod can form a soft seal with the enemy ship. Either by accessing an airlock(s) or simply cutting through the hull, a large force of marines can pour through into the enemy vessel much like they would for a planetside landing.

[Roger Davis]

Crew

Command Staff

Commanding Officer:Colonel Leoben Asier
Executive Officer: Lieutenant Colonel Esteban Rodriguez
Civilian Government Official: Open

CIC Staff

Officer of the Deck:
Communication Officer: Open
Tactical Officer: Open
Helmsman: Open
Damage Control Officer: Open

Flight Staff

Commander Air Group: Captain Mackenzie Talbot
Viper Pilot: Lieutenant Junior Grade Sheridan Palmer
Raptor Pilot: Open
E.C.O: Open

Hanger Deck Staff

Chief of the Deck: Chief Petty Officer Pacifica Tilton
Deckhand: Open
Landing Signal Officer: Open

Engineering Staff

Chief Engineering officer: Open
Engineering Crew Chief:Open
Engineer: Open

Medical Staff

Chief Medical Officer: Open
Surgeon: Open
Medical Officer: Open
Combat Medic: Open
Nurse: Open

Marine Contingent Staff

Marine Commander: Open
Master-At-Arms: Open
Marine: Open

Gun Crew

Gun Commander: Open
Gunner: Open

Support Staff

Supply: Open
Kitchen: Open
Maintenance: Open
Janitorial: Ensign Jan E. Tor

[Roger Davis]

History of the Hephaestus

The First Hephaestus
The Gunstar Hephaestus was constructed in 1949 on Leonis and added to that Colony's personal fleet. A few years later, Hephaestus saw her first action in the First Cylon War. The Gunstar was lost with all hands in an engagement with the enemy over Virgon in 1960. Hephaestus' sacrifice was noted as a decisive factor contributing to a Colonial victory over a superior enemy force.


Rebirth and History Before the War
The second Hephaestus was the seventh Prometheus Class Gunstar built for the Colonial Fleet. Her hull was laid down in 1992 and the ship itself was finally rolled off the assembly line and pressed into service in 1994. Hephaestus' first several years of service were fairly quiet. The Gunstar performed a shakedown cruise, held an initial posting at the Scorpia Shipyards, and was later transferred briefly to the orbital garrison of Caprica and Gemenon.

In 1995, the Hephaestus began the first of five consecutive rotations along the Red Line. Six months on and six months off her crew guarded the Twelve Colonies from the potential dangers that lurked in the unknown darkness beyond. In 2000, Hephaestus was reassigned to the heart of the Colonies, in the Helios Alpha System, for the foreseeable future.

In 2001, Hephaestus was part of a task group that responded to a terrorist attack on Caprica. The Gunstar and two of her sister ships were dispatched after the terrorist group, made a combat landing on the sparsely populated planet of Icarus, and assaulted the enemy base. Hephaestus and her crew were commended for their efficiency and professionalism in the operation.

In 2003, Hephaestus again saw action as hostile activity picked up in their system. Hepheastus' Battlestar Group was dispatched to deal with heavy piracy believed to be based out of the many moons of the gas giant Zeus. What followed was one of the largest battles since the end of the First Cylon War. The ragtag pirate fleet swarmed the Colonial forces in a desperate defense of their home base. Hephaestus helped spearhead the Colonial offensive, grappling with and then boarding the pirate flagship. In her efforts to quickly subdue the enemy forces, Hephaestus took the brunt of the enemy fire but in so doing assured a decisive Colonial victory.


Prior to Joining the Fleet
Hephaestus was stationed at Colonial Fleet Headquarters on Picon on March 5th, 2004, the day of the Cylon Attack. The vessel was docked at a ground drydock undergoing major repairs after its last operation. It was here that it lay when the rest of the active fleet was annihilated in the skies above.

In the midst of the attack, Admiral Richard Castle organized what survivors he could and led them to the docked ship which was still off line and not completely repaired at the time. Under Castle's guidance, the ragtag crew managed to get the Gunstar airborne and jumped away while still in low atmosphere.

Hephaestus' new crew was comprised of an overwhelming number of marines (even for a ship compliment intending to be 45% marines). Only about 5% of the entire non-marine crew were actually trained and active duty personnel for their positions. Most of those serving in other departments from engineering to the deck to CIC were dock workers more familiar with building the ships than flying them. A handful of pilots, both those at Fleet HQ for business and a few former Viper jocks who had since moved on to administrative roles, manged to outfit one understrength fighter squadron. The one common factor of the crew was their shared survival story and their devotion to Admiral Castle for rescuing them.


Since Joining the Fleet
Hephaestus traveled alone for 27 days after the attack. The ship was initially in no fit state to fight anyone even if the odds were a bit more "fair." The Gunstar still needed last minute repairs and the crews needed to familiarize themselves with the demands of their positions as well as the nature of service aboard a star ship.

Four days after determining that the ship and the crew were finally prepared, the Hephaestus stumbled across Hyperion and her civilian fleet. Only moments later, a Cylon Basestar also arrived. Together the two Colonial warships destroyed the Cylon craft and Hephaestus attached itself to Hyperion's Battlestar Group. Admiral Castle transferred his flag to the Hyperion and assumed command of the entire fleet.