Meabh
Sarna News
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| Meabh Heavy Cruiser | |
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Lyran Commonwealth |
| Use | Naval Escort |
| Tech Base | Succession Wars (Nontournment) |
| Chassis Type (Size) | Naval Vessel (Large, Template C) |
| Equipment Rating | |
| Cost | ??? |
| Introduced | 2807 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 10,000 |
| Speed | 12 |
| Top Speed | 129.6 Km/h |
| Power Plant | Fusion |
| Fuel (Type/Range) | Unlimited |
| Armament | 6 x PPCs 2 x Large Lasers 12 x Medium Lasers 8 x AC/5s 2 x LR Torpedo/10 2 x SR Torpedo/6[1] |
| Heat Sinks | 112 |
| Armor | 27 tons (BAR 7) |
| Crew | 19 Officers, 28 enlisted/non-rates, 66 gunners, 20 bay personnel. |
| BV (1.0) | ??? |
| BV (2.0) | ??? |
Contents
Description
The Meabh Heavy Cruiser was constructed during the Succession Wars by the Lyran Commonwealth as a naval escort and sea patrol replacement for Star League era blue-water naval cruisers. These SLDF cruisers were originally tasked with the defense of underwater command bunkers, but with the fall of the Star League the ability to maintain these ships became lost and they quickly fell to ruin. This left the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces in a debate with itself not just with a replacement but whether to retain some type of blue-water capability. As it happened most Lyran Social Generals argued in favor of a replacement, insofar as it would allow them to keep what were derisively called their "personal pleasure yachts," and after much wrangling the new Meabh-class heavy cruisers were finally approved for construction in 2807.[1]
In spite of their inauspicious beginnings the Meabh cruisers performed well and were highly praised. Their ability to "outgun every ship they could not outrun and outrun every ship they could not outgun" made these ships the standard by which other LCAF cruisers were measured. Streamlining and automation updates kept the Meabh current and in production well into the 2870s. However it was factors other than the ships' performance which brought about their downfall. The undersea command posts which the class had been designed to defend, expensive luxuries even during the Golden Age of the Star League, had become increasingly rarer. What few bunkers remained could also be better defended by newer, cheaper vessels, namely the Neptune and it's carbon copies. Additionally the LCAF made a decision in 2932 to hand off authority (and the corresponding expenses) for most naval forces, including the Meabh, to local planetary authorities. These factors resulted in the decommission of the Meabh-class heavy cruisers; those which weren't scrapped would be turned into museum ships.[1] No effort has since been made to resurrect the class.[2]
Weapons and Equipment
The ship's main weaponry consists of six Particle Projector Cannons, mounted in triplets in two turrets. A single Large Laser is also mounted in each turret. Along the port and starboard sides of the ships are mated pairs of two Medium Lasers and two Autocannon/5s, each covering the left or right firing arcs of the bow or stern, with another pair of medium lasers mounted on the bow and stern by themselves. For underwater defense, the ship mounts two ten-tube Long Range Torpedo launchers and two six-tube Short Range Torpedo launchers, one each mounted on the bow and stern covering the fore and aft firing arcs. These weapons are coordinated by a basic fire control system, while its ammunition holds contain sixteen tons of autocannon rounds, six tons of long-range torpedoes and twelve tons of short-range torpedoes.[1]
In addition the Meabh mounts two tons of communication equipment, a MASH unit with two operating theaters, six searchlights mounted forward, aft and on the turrets, a Helipad for taking on VTOL aircraft, two Field Kitchens and fourteen lifeboats. Accommodations are provided for with twenty second-class quarters. A 6,120-ton Fusion Engine gives the ship a cruising speed of 86.4 Km/h.[1]
Cargo
- 4 Light Vehicle Bays
- 976 tons standard Cargo Bay - 2 Doors (Aft-Right/Aft-Left)
Named Vessels
- LCS Sarah Steiner - One of the last of the Meabh-class in LCAF service. Served on Czarvowo with her sister ship Stadt Fischingen and the smaller locally-built Cliona-class frigates Cliona, Tethya, and Axinella. The Sarah Steiner along with the Tethya and Axinella were later scrapped.[1]
- LCS Stadt Fischingen - One of the last of Meabh class in LCAF service. Served on Czarvowo with her sister ship Sarah Steiner and the smaller locally-built Cliona-class frigates Cliona, Tethya, and Axinella. The Stadt Fischingen and the Cliona were converted into naval museums, only to be later stolen by environmental terrorists intent on shutting down the planet's underwater military complex. They were subsequently sunk under mysterious circumstances and it remains unclear if the sinkings were accidental or not. In 3070, the wreck of the Stadt Fischingen was discovered and an organization of private investors was formed to raise and restore the vessel once again to its role as a museum.[1] The Jihad apparently put a stop to these plans as no effort had been made to raise the ship by 3084.[2]
Design Quirks
The Meabh-class Heavy Cruiser is subject of the following Design Quirks:[1]
Notes
As of this writing, there are no published record sheets for the Meabh-Class Heavy Cruiser at this, no there is any official listing for it's Battle Value in it's profile on the Master Unit List for Catalyst Game Labs.