Colossus (DropShip class)

This article is about the DropShip. For other uses, see Colossus.
Colossus dropship.jpg
Colossus
Production information
Manufacturer Clyde Shipyards[1][2]

Mitchell Vehicles Interstellar[1][3]

Production Year 2718[4]
Use Assault DropShip and Mixed Force Carrier
Type Military Spheroid
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Technical specifications
Mass 20,000 tons
Structural Integrity 20
Length 125 meters
Width 135 meters
Height 165 meters
Safe Thrust 1.5 g
Max Thrust 2.5 g
Fuel (tons) 375 tons
Fuel (days) 203.8 days
Armament
Armor 60.5 tons Ferro-Aluminum[1] w/ CASE[3]
Crew 55[1]
  • 9 Officers
  • 37 Enlisted
  • 9 Gunners

Bay Personnel: 984

Escape Pods/Life Boats 25/4
Heat Sinks 255 single
BV (1.0) 6,720[3]
7,673[5]
BV (2.0) 7,366[1]
7,296[4]

Description[edit]

Embarrassed by a lack of coordination and cooperation among their units taking part in "war games" held in the Periphery in 2651, the Star League Defense Force High Command responded by creating their famous "Regimental Combat Teams" (RCT). Seeking a class of DropShip that could carry and support this new formation during operations, Mitchell Vehicles Interstellar responded with the Colossus-class, a design massing 20,000 tons and the largest assault DropShip ever built.[1][3]

The Colossus was designed from the start to fulfill the needs of an RCT and enhance the unit's qualities. It was equipped with the most advanced armor and weapons technologies for the era, driving the vessel costs to over 700 million Star League Dollars per ship. Despite the high cost, the Colossus was designed to be easily repaired and its components were remarkably robust, adding to its reliability.[1][3]

Ultimately, the cost of replacing the massive Dropships was the key to its downfall. After both the manufacturer and the majority of the ships were destroyed during the Amaris-Kerensky Civil War, the Colossus was replaced by the smaller Excalibur, at nearly half the cost. Only five Colossus ships were known to have survived, all of which left with Operation Exodus.[1][3]

A few examples have since been discovered: One crashed example was found on the Lyran Commonwealth world of Phecda by Snord's Irregulars in 3024, from which they salvaged unknown but presumably substantial amounts of Star League-era equipment; Lyran Commonwealth forces later cannibalized the ship. Another crash-landed vessel was recovered from a hidden Star League depot on Epsilon Eridani by the Lone Star Regiment in 3067 and restored to flight status.[6]

During the Jihad, smaller Federated Suns repair shipyards, including Clyde Shipyards in orbit of Firgrove, began building the ancient design once more for the AFFS. At the dawn of the IlClan Era they were still producing them. It appears that at least some newly fabricated was to be assigned to the Syrtis Scourge.[1][2][7]

Armament[edit]

The Colossus carries a dizzying array of weaponry, both to protect itself and provide fire support for its RCT. Located in the nose of the ship are two Arrow IV artillery systems, which can only be used when the ship is grounded. Joining them are two Gauss rifles, two ER PPCs, and an ER Large Laser with four medium lasers. Covering its fore left and right firing arcs are two LRM-20s, an ER PPC and an ER Large Laser with four medium lasers, with the same setup covering the rear firing arcs. Protecting the aft of the ship are two ER Large Lasers with four medium lasers. All four LRM-20s are fitted with Artemis IV fire control systems, and the ship's ammunition complement includes 30 Arrow IV missiles, 96 LRM-20 missiles, and 96 Gauss Rifle rounds.[1][3]

Cargo[edit]

The Colossus is equipped with four Cargo Bays, designed to carry elements of a Regimental Combat Team and its equipment to the battlefield. The first bay is a dedicated vehicle bay, able to carry 72 heavy vehicles, and is serviced by two doors. The second bay carries 36 BattleMechs able to enter and exit through four doors. The third bay is dedicated to transporting infantry, normally twelve foot platoons, also with four access doors. The last bay is reserved for general supplies.[1]

Variants[edit]

  • Colossus 2660 
    There are two known build standards of the Colossus; the original variant and the upgraded version introduced in 2760. The original Colossus 2660 was largely identical to the Colossus 2760, except that it mounted standard PPCs rather than the ER PPCs of the later variant. BV (2.0) = 7,084[8]

Named Vessels[edit]

(See List of named Colossus-class DropShips)

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Technical Readout: 3075, p. 198: "Colossus Ship Profile"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Objectives: Federated Suns, p. 27: "Industrial Systems [Periphery March]"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Technical Readout: 3026 Revised, p. 122: "Colossus DropShip Profile"
  4. 4.0 4.1 MUL entry for the Colossus (DropShip class)
  5. Combat Operations, p. 107
  6. Lawyers, Guns, & Money, p.??[citation needed]
  7. The Damocles Sanction, ch. 6
  8. Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 88

Bibliography[edit]