Nekohono'o

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Nekohono'o
Production information
Manufacturer	Hinsdale Elec
Use	Assault Ship
Type	Military Spheroid
Tech Base	Star League
Technical specifications
Mass	16,000 tons
Structural Integrity	16
Length	120 meters
Width	117 meters
Height	137 meters
Safe Thrust	5
Max Thrust	8
Fuel (tons)	400
Fuel (days)	1.84
Armament	3xKraken-T Launchers 10xER PPCs 6xMRM-30s 2xMRM-40s 4xGauss Rifles 4xLRM-20w/Artemis IV 2xScreen Launchers 10xLB 10-X ACs 7xLarge Pulse Lasers 6xStreak SRM-4s 5xStreak SRM-6 6xER Medium Lasers
Armor	57 tons Ferro-Aluminum
Crew	42
Heat Sinks	295 Double Heat Sinks
BV (1.0)	26,980

Description

The Nekohono'o (also known as the Flaming Cat) class assault DropShip was designed to stop (or slow) the WarShips of Clan Ghost Bear. The Draconis Combine Admiralty presented a report to the Coordinator that showed even with the Combine WarShip program running at maximum capacity, if the Bears decided to attack the Pesht Military District with their entire WarShip fleet they could not be stopped. Though this situation would call for the Bears to discard zellbrigen completely, an unlikely event, it was still a reality. The Coordinator, displeased with this statement, instructed the Admiralty to find a way to stop the Ghost Bear WarShips.

The DCA decided that what they needed was a way to get capital weapons into the fight to destroy WarShips. Though the WarShip production lines were running at full speed, DropShip manufacturers still had some capacity available. Using the Rose-class DropShip as a starting point, the DCA engineers reduced the cargo capacity of that ship to add AeroSpace Fighter and Small Craft launch bays, a preparation area for Battle Armor equipped boarding teams, increased armor protection, and most importantly a trio of Capital Missile launchers.

Once the prototypes were complete, several were sent to Clan Nova Cat for testing and feedback. Attached to the Cat's Alpha Galaxy, the DCA expects to gain valuable insight from the largest user of battle armor in Combine space.

Armament

To accomplish its primary mission, the main offensive punch for the Nekohono'o comes from the three Kraken-T launchers mounted in the nose. These massive missiles are capable of inflicting large amounts of damage to an attacking DropShip or WarShip. Supplementing these is a suite of conventional weaponry designed to drive off enemy AeroSpace Fighters and small craft. The LB-X Autocannon and Pulse Lasers make a hit against these smaller targets more likely, while the Artemis and Streak missile systems insure that any missiles that lock onto the target will cause serious damage. Finally, the Nekohono'o can impede enemy fire by using its pair of Screen Launchers to launch obscurants and noisemakers between itself and the enemy.

Cargo

The Combine engineers didn't stop with weaponry to make the Nekohono'o a threat to enemy WarShips. The 'Cats are also designed to deploy nine NL-42 "Battle Taxis" from Bay 2, each carrying ten battle armor wearing infantrymen (who assemble in Bay 3). Having ninety suits of Kage or Raiden armor running around their ship is enough to make any WarShip captain pause. Bay 3 is also the assembly area for the remaining eighteen battle armor troops who are assigned to defend the Nekohono'os from enemy boarding attempts.

To cover the Battle Taxis as they approach their targets, Bay 1 was converted into a launch facility for a squadron of Combine AeroSpace Fighters.

To feed and supply all 108 infantrymen, six Fighter pilots, their technical support staff, and the crew, Bay 4 is capable of carrying 587 tons or cargo.

Variants

No variants are known to exist.