PACT Assault Carrier


 * An Assault Carrier... Swift as a battlecruiser, and supported by a squadron of ryders like a carrier.-Veniczar B. Fontana

The PACT Assault Carrier is the most advanced warship in the PACT armada. Designed as an instrument of planetary conquest, it combines battleship-grade firepower with the speed of a cruiser and the ability to transport and launch up to 30 ryders. Only the best ryders in the PACT arsenal are attached to an assault carrier wing. Armor and hull upgrades during the Liberation Day period have made this ship and even more potent foe.

Background
The Assault Carrier was developed under the PACT naval modernization program by Veniczar B. Fontana, who observed the deficiencies of the traditional New Empire fleets during the Compact uprising. Recognizing that ordinary carriers had become too vulnerable, Fontana oversaw the creation of a radically new design that could defend itself more effectively. Because it was meant to operate with battleship squadrons, the Assault Carrier does not carry rockets or shield generators of its own.

Though superficially similar to the Sunrider, the Assault Carrier has a rather different design and heritage. It is twice as large as the Sunrider, with significantly greater firepower, and is designed for planetary invasions rather than anti-piracy duties. The far greater ryder capacity reflects its purpose, being necessary to support its offensive operations.

Weapons
It has almost the same weapons as the Sunrider but lack the rockets and Pulse cannons.However this does not decrease it's danger in battle in the slightest. It's weapons are powerful and can be double fired making the ship excel in close and long range combat in a way not even a Battleship can match, showing of their different heritage as a ship designed for planetary invasions rather than anti-piracy duties.

Laser
Laser banks for long-range engagements; powerful but slightly inaccurate for a laser. Can be double-fired. Got downgraded in Liberation day(?).This weapon is countered by shielding.
 * damage: 350 x 1 (320 x 1 in LD)
 * energy cost: 60 EN
 * base accuracy: 100

Kinetic
Extremely hard-hitting, moderately accurate cannons that can be double-fired, these kinetic weapons make the Assault Carrier a fearsome close-range combatant in a way not even the battleship can match.
 * damage: 350 x 2
 * energy cost: 60 EN
 * base accuracy: 65

Missiles
The missile banks are a fearsome long range weapon useful in doing good reliable damage even against distant enemy units. Countered by Flak.
 * damage: 50 x 10
 * energy cost: 30 EN
 * base accuracy: 80

Assault
The vessels flak cannons can be used offensively against enemy targets and are particularly devastating against poorly armored enemy ryders. Its high shot count makes it a very reliable damage dealer even against highly evasive targets, and the high damage per shot means a relatively high degree of armor is needed to stop it. Accuracy remains poor but is still superior to those of other PACT vessels.
 * damage: 30 x 15
 * energy cost: 30 EN
 * base accuracy: 55

Ryders
Though the Assault Carrier has powerful weapons, its real threat arguably comes from its ryder complement.

Unlike the standard carrier, the Assault Carrier follows specific rules for deploying ryders:
 * If no PACT Supports are on the field, spawn a Support.
 * Else, if there is only one PACT Elite or none present, spawn an Elite.
 * Else, if the number of Supports and Elites combined is less than 10:
 * If (number of Elites - 1) > (number of Supports), spawn a Support.
 * Else, spawn an Elite.
 * Else, don't spawn any ryders and engage the enemy directly instead.

PACT Elite
More dangerous than a cruiser, these advanced ryders will generally make life difficult for opposing fleets without sufficient flak and shield protection.
 * energy cost: 60 EN

PACT Support
Perhaps the nastiest thing the Assault Carrier can do. Deploying one of these in a turn means the enemy can expect to have their ships stripped of shields, flak and/or energy the next turn if countermeasures are not taken, leaving them wide open for a follow-up killing blow by rockets and laser weaponry.
 * energy cost: 60 EN