Lyonesse

Lyonesse Escort
Production information
Manufacturer	Andurien AeroTech
Use	Surface to Orbit Escort
Type (Shape)	Military Aerodyne
Tech Base	Inner Sphere Standard
Cost	12,629,340 C-Bills
Introduced	2513
Technical specifications
Mass	175 tons
Structural Integrity	7
Length	28 meters
Width	22 meters
Engine (Type)	Heat-Expansion Drive
Safe Thrust	1.5 g
Maximum Thrust	2.5 g
Fuel	5 tons
Burn Rate
Armament	1x LRM 20 1x SRM 6 15x medium laser 1x small laser
Armor
Heat Sinks	35 single
Crew	6 2 Officers 2 Enlisted 2 Gunners
Passengers
BV (1.0)
BV (2.0)	2,172 2,106

Description

The Lyonesse is a near-planet escort small craft, designed to provide protection for spacecraft operating from a planet and its near orbits. Its armor protection is comparable to many DropShips of the period and its array of energy weaponry is strong enough to take out any opponent that attempts to destroy its charges. The Lyonesse, after its introduction in 2513, met with great success in filling the near-orbit niche. This prompted Andurien AeroTech to build an additional model to complement the Lyonesse; the Aquarius. This sister ship eclipsed the Lyonesse in speed, mass, and popularity. Despite this, it did not overshadow the Lyonesse's excellent close-in firepower.

However, after Gibson Federated BattleMechs merged with Andurien AeroTech in 2562, the popularity of the surface-to-orbit escorts waned, and soon production for both the Lyonesse and its younger sister ship was discontinued. Both ships were replaced by more modern heavy aerospace fighters and some DropShip designs which had longer ranges than the short-legged escorts.

During the early years of the Jihad, the Lyonesse and its sister ship were revisited by House Marik and the Word of Blake, putting the designs back into production with newer technology to cope with the conflict.

Weapons and Equipment

The Lyonesse is equipped with primarily short-range weaponry. The ship's main battery includes four forward-mounted medium lasers, placed between its two wing sections. Three additional medium lasers and a single small laser are mounted in the ship's aft section to protect the rear arc. In addition to its medium lasers, the ship's forward batteries include a single SRM-6 launcher mounted in the nose, along with the Lyonesse' only long-range weapon, an LRM-20. Both launchers are supplied with two tons of ammunition.

The ship's only Achilles heel is its fuel tank. Designed for only near-planet operations, the ship has only been given five tons worth of fuel. The ship's engines are only able to move it at a maximum speed of 2.5 g.

Variants

• Lyonesse-M1 

  The Marik variant, built during the early years of the Jihad, replaces the ship's laser weaponry, which is upgraded to extended-range models. Its single heat sinks are switched out for double strength models. Unique to Lyonesse M1, it was given a pair of heavy PPCs to beef up its firepower. BV (2.0) = 2,512

• Lyonesse W1 

  At the same time as Marik's construction, Word of Blake's version of the Lyonesse went in a different direction. Many of the Lyonesse' weaponry was stripped out for an Arrow IV artillery launcher, changing the ship from the escort mission to one of mobile artillery; the ship must be on the ground to utilize the launcher. Also, the ship's armor is traded for ferro-aluminum, retaining the same armor protection as it did with standard armor. Also, the ship's engines are upgraded to increase its speed. BV (2.0) = 2,413

Related Small Craft

• Aquarius surface-to-orbit escort
• Tigress close patrol craft (gunship)
• Condottiere - Revival of the small craft escort in the Republic Age.

Notes

• The Lyonesse's speed has changed since its original release in TRO: 3026 Revised. Originally the ship's maximum thrust was 3 g; the newer TRO:3075 downgraded this to 2.5 g.

Gallery

• 

  Original Lyonesse from TRO:3026 Revised

Bibliography

• Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War
• Technical Readout: 3026 Revised
• Technical Readout: 3075