Tharkad (WarShip class)

This article is about the WarShip. For the planetary system, see Tharkad.
Tharkad JHS3070.jpg
Tharkad
Production information
Manufacturer Bolson-Tamar Shipyards
Introduced 2690
Production Year 2690[1]
Use Battlecruiser
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Cost 20,341,685,416 C-Bills
Technical specifications
Mass 900,000 tons
Length 975 meters
Sail Diameter 1490 meters
Fuel 3,952 tons
Burn Rate 9,77
Safe Thrust 1.5 g
Top Thrust 2.5 g
Sail Integrity 5
KF Drive Integrity 18
LF Battery Yes
Armament
Armor Ferro-Carbide
DropShip Capacity 6
Crew 474
Grav Decks 2 (95m)
Escape Pods/Life Boats 30/35
Heat Sinks 7,000
Structural Integrity 80
BV (1.0) 205,482
BV (2.0) ???



Description[edit]

The first in a line of new WarShips for the Lyran Commonwealth during the Star League era, the Tharkad-class battlecruiser was easily a match for the vast majority of its contemporaries, and was only really outclassed by the Texas and McKenna-class battleships. Carrying a vast array of weaponry, moderately heavy armor, and possessing above-average speed, the Tharkad helped enforce Lyran will across the nation. Unfortunately for the Lyran navy, only 28 were produced between its introduction in 2690 and the destruction of the Bolson-Tamar Shipyards at the beginning of the First Succession War.[2] The last functioning Tharkad was believed lost in 2853 until its reemergence in 3067.[3][2] In 2765 the Lyran Commonwealth was already operating eleven Tharkads, with a single Tharkad forming the heart of each of six Lyran navy patrol squadrons and another Tharkad positioned in each of the static fleets located at Tharkad and each state capital;[4] each Tharkad was commonly escorted by one or more Commonwealth-class light cruisers.[5]

Armament[edit]

The Tharkad is armed primarily with a wide variety of naval-grade autocannons and lasers, providing a selection of weapons to properly respond to an enemy threat without needlessly wasting firepower on smaller targets. The vessel also carries a number of Medium and Heavy Naval PPCs and four massive Heavy Naval Gauss Cannons, making the Tharkad a threat to heavier WarShips as well. Unusual for its era, the Tharkad carries a significant number of conventional weapons to fight off aerospace fighters. WarShips of the time usually relied on their attending DropShips to provide screens against enemy fighters. Although the practice is commonplace on modern WarShips, conventional weapons were often seen as a waste of tonnage on vessels deployed during the Age of War and the Star League. Outside of the ship's strong armor and prolific firepower, this ability to fend for itself was likely one of the reasons that the LCS Invincible was one of the last functional WarShips in the Inner Sphere until the Clan Invasion.[6][2]

Cargo[edit]

44,914.5 tons

  • Bay 1: 36 fighters
  • Bay 2: 8 Small Craft
  • Bay 3: Cargo

See Also[edit]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. MUL online date for the Tharkad (WarShip class)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Technical Readout: 3075, p. 288
  3. Jihad Hot Spots: 3070, p. 143, and Blake Ascending, p. 303
  4. Field Report 2765: LCAF, p. 5: "The Vacuum Fleet"
  5. Field Report 2765: LCAF, p. 23: "Commonwealth (Light Cruiser)"
  6. Jihad Hot Spots: 3070, p. 144, and Blake Ascending, p. 304

Bibliography[edit]