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Sentinel Class Omnidirectional Point-Defense Hardlight Beam Projection Dome:
The Sentinel Class Omnidirectional Point-Defense Hardlight Beam Projection Dome is the primary point defense system used by the Imperial Navy. A moderately sized dome concealed within the vessel’s hull until needed, the Sentinel can project up to 225 Hardlight beams of varying strength in any direction within it’s 180 degree firing arc, firing up or down within that arc. While not truly omnidirectional, it is still capable of engaging anything it can see.
The Sentinel consists of 45 hexagonal panels arranged in a dome shape, each panel capable of projecting up to 5 Hardlight beams simultaneously. These panels offer 180 degree coverage, as the corners and panel intersection points can also project beams.
The beams projected from the Sentinel vary in power, from comparatively low power beams meant to intercept missiles to higher power beams capable of engaging enemy small craft. More than point defense, the Sentinel Calais perform “point offense”; engaging enemy outboard systems such as hangers, sensors, point defenses, and other such things if the vessels are close enough and the enemy shields are down. This is rarely done, but it is possible. They can also be used for ground attack purposes, focusing the beams into high powered and precise beams that are fewer in number but capable of engaging ground targets.
Almost every vessel in Imperial Navy service is equipped with dozens of Sentinels set up to provide overlapping coverage for the entire vessel, providing a formidable array of point defenses. In addition to the conventional beam projection, each panel on a Sentinel unit can also temporarily give up its beam emitting capabilities to project a powerful but small hexagonal Hardlight shield at any point in range. This is used to intercept or help mitigate the impact of powerful energy weapons targeting the vessel.
Each Sentinel unit has its own small reactor and is coordinated by its own AI, networking with other Sentinels and the shipboard AI to coordinate fire or shield projections.