Difference between revisions of "Black Lion"

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The '''''Black Lion'''''-class battlecruiser, named for former [[Director-General]] [[James McKenna]]'s famous battlecruiser, was developed after it became apparent that the infamous ''[[Cameron (WarShip)|Cameron]]'' class ships were not living up to their design specifications. Bypassing the usual procedure of accepting design proposals, the [[Star League Defense Force]] awarded a contract in [[2689]] to [[Boeing Interstellar]] for a modified version of the design it had submitted during the contract competition that led to the creation of ''Cameron''. Despite the unusual nature of its genesis, the ''Black Lion'' exceeded all expectations and Boeing would build two per year for the next 31 years.
 
The '''''Black Lion'''''-class battlecruiser, named for former [[Director-General]] [[James McKenna]]'s famous battlecruiser, was developed after it became apparent that the infamous ''[[Cameron (WarShip)|Cameron]]'' class ships were not living up to their design specifications. Bypassing the usual procedure of accepting design proposals, the [[Star League Defense Force]] awarded a contract in [[2689]] to [[Boeing Interstellar]] for a modified version of the design it had submitted during the contract competition that led to the creation of ''Cameron''. Despite the unusual nature of its genesis, the ''Black Lion'' exceeded all expectations and Boeing would build two per year for the next 31 years.
  
The ''Black Lion''s three [[Carston Pegasus]] interplanetary engines generate almost twice as much thrust as those used on the ''Cameron'' Class. With less weight than the ''Cameron'', the ''Black Lion'' became one of the quickest [[WarShip]]s of its size, but the size and complexity of the engines cause an increase in engine breakdowns due to maintenance difficulties. The ''Black Lion'''s second important improvement over the Cameron is increased armor protection. The ship's flight deck can carry 18 heavy [[AeroSpace Fighter]]s, and its four [[Docking collar|docking rings]] can handle the largest [[DropShip]]s.
+
The ''Black Lion's'' three [[Carston Pegasus]] interplanetary engines generate almost twice as much thrust as those used on the ''Cameron'' Class. With less weight than the ''Cameron'', the ''Black Lion'' became one of the quickest [[WarShip]]s of its size, but the size and complexity of the engines cause an increase in engine breakdowns due to maintenance difficulties. The ''Black Lion'''s second important improvement over the Cameron is increased armor protection. The ship's flight deck can carry 18 heavy [[AeroSpace Fighter]]s, and its four [[Docking collar|docking rings]] can handle the largest [[DropShip]]s.
  
 
The ''Black Lion''s lived up to most of the admirals' expectations, leading battle fleets into action and easily dominating battles in the [[Periphery]]. However like many [[Star League era]] WarShips, ''Black Lion''s cannot cope with swarms of enemy fighters and this proved their undoing during the [[Great House]]s' so-called [[Hidden War]]s and against the drones surrounding [[Terra]].
 
The ''Black Lion''s lived up to most of the admirals' expectations, leading battle fleets into action and easily dominating battles in the [[Periphery]]. However like many [[Star League era]] WarShips, ''Black Lion''s cannot cope with swarms of enemy fighters and this proved their undoing during the [[Great House]]s' so-called [[Hidden War]]s and against the drones surrounding [[Terra]].
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==Armament==
 
==Armament==
 
The most controversial aspect of the ''Black Lion'' is its choice of weapons. Instead of relying on energy weapons, the ''Black Lion'' mounts cannon and missiles as its primary weapons, four turrets carrying Scarsbrough [[NAC/30|30 Series]] autocannons and two turrets capable of firing [[White Shark]] missiles. The battlecruiser also carries four turrets of smaller autocannon and six tubes firing the [[Barracuda]] missiles. The designers used only non-energy weapons so the ship could mount a smaller and lighter power system. The main drawback to this choice of weapons is that the ship must devote interior space to carrying ammunition.  
 
The most controversial aspect of the ''Black Lion'' is its choice of weapons. Instead of relying on energy weapons, the ''Black Lion'' mounts cannon and missiles as its primary weapons, four turrets carrying Scarsbrough [[NAC/30|30 Series]] autocannons and two turrets capable of firing [[White Shark]] missiles. The battlecruiser also carries four turrets of smaller autocannon and six tubes firing the [[Barracuda]] missiles. The designers used only non-energy weapons so the ship could mount a smaller and lighter power system. The main drawback to this choice of weapons is that the ship must devote interior space to carrying ammunition.  
 
  
 
==Cargo==
 
==Cargo==
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==Variants==
 
==Variants==
 
Less than a dozen ''Black Lion''s survived [[Operation Liberation]] to company the [[Operation Exodus|Exodus Fleet]], but each has become prized by the [[Clans]] as [[Galaxy]] flagships. The Clans have made few changes, save for installing [[HarJel]] Hull Sealant technology and [[Lithium-Fusion Battery]] systems.
 
Less than a dozen ''Black Lion''s survived [[Operation Liberation]] to company the [[Operation Exodus|Exodus Fleet]], but each has become prized by the [[Clans]] as [[Galaxy]] flagships. The Clans have made few changes, save for installing [[HarJel]] Hull Sealant technology and [[Lithium-Fusion Battery]] systems.
 
  
 
==Named Vessels==
 
==Named Vessels==
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:*CSJ ''Streaking Mist'' - Originally built for the [[SLDF]], the ship was used as part of [[General]] [[Aleksandr Kerensky|Aleksandr Kerensky's]] [[Exodus Fleet]].  Later the ship became part of [[Clan Smoke Jaguar|Clan Smoke Jaguar's]] touman of WarShips. It became the Clan's flagship by the [[31st Century]].  The ship served during the invasion of Huntress by [[2nd Star League]] as transport for [[Khan]] [[Lincoln Osis]] and his reserve forces from [[Strana Mechty]].  Ultimately, it was used for severely wounded Khan withdraw to Strana Mechty. It unclear what exactly happened to the ship after the Great Refusal and death of its Clan.<ref>''[[Twilight of the Clans]]'', p. 11, ''[[Shadows of War]]'' (novel) & ''[[Prince of Havoc]]'' (novel) - Ship mentioned as part of Clan Touman and its actions.</ref>
 
:*CSJ ''Streaking Mist'' - Originally built for the [[SLDF]], the ship was used as part of [[General]] [[Aleksandr Kerensky|Aleksandr Kerensky's]] [[Exodus Fleet]].  Later the ship became part of [[Clan Smoke Jaguar|Clan Smoke Jaguar's]] touman of WarShips. It became the Clan's flagship by the [[31st Century]].  The ship served during the invasion of Huntress by [[2nd Star League]] as transport for [[Khan]] [[Lincoln Osis]] and his reserve forces from [[Strana Mechty]].  Ultimately, it was used for severely wounded Khan withdraw to Strana Mechty. It unclear what exactly happened to the ship after the Great Refusal and death of its Clan.<ref>''[[Twilight of the Clans]]'', p. 11, ''[[Shadows of War]]'' (novel) & ''[[Prince of Havoc]]'' (novel) - Ship mentioned as part of Clan Touman and its actions.</ref>
  
:<u>[[Com Guards]]</u>
+
:<u>[[Clan Wolf]]</u>
:*CSV ''Blake's Strength'' - The ''Blake's Strength'' was assigned to the [[ComStar WarShip Fleet|ComGuard Second Fleet]] at [[Ross 248]]. It was lost during the ill-fated [[Case White]].
+
:*CW ''Stealthy Kill'' - The ''Stealthy Kill'' served as a part of [[Task Force CRONUS]], the predominantly-Clan naval force responsible for capturing the [[Titan Yards]] in [[3078]] as a part of the allied coalition efforts to liberate [[Terra]] from the [[Word of Blake]]. The ''Stealthy Kill'' was destroyed by a combination of [[Caspar]] drones, fighters and [[Pocket WarShip]]s during the battle for the Yards.<ref name="JHS:Tp98">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 98, "Terror At Titan"</ref>
  
 
:<u>[[Clan Wolf-in-Exile]]</u>
 
:<u>[[Clan Wolf-in-Exile]]</u>
 
:*CWS ''Implacable'' - Former Star League and later Clan Wolf-in-Exile controlled vessel, which was part of the Kerensky's exodus fleet.  The ship became property of the Clan Wolf and journey to Inner Sphere as part of Operation Revivial.  She later became part of Warden control faction of Clan Wolf, known Wolf-in-Exile which made made their home on [[Arc-Royal]]. The ship participated in battle for Tharkad in 3066, where it fought the Lyran battlecruiser [[Mjolnir#Named_Vessels|LAS ''Yggdrasil'']].  Later in the Jihad, the ship fought off Blakist raiders attempting to strike Arc-Royal.  It was later drafted in coalition force to take world [[Odessa]], where Blakist's hidden cache of WarShips lay. The coalition was successful, as it took the system and seized the "Ruins of Gabriel".  However, the Blakists managed to retake the facilities, the ''Implacable'' fell victim to Clan Ghost Bear, when it fired warning shot at their ''[[Leviathan (Battleship)|Leviathan II]]'' class heavy battleship. The ship was mauled by the Ghost Bear's WarShip in May [[3075]], with only 68 survivors.<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 37: Rogue Bear hit Odessa & Insults and Injury - ''Implacable'' destroyed in Odessa by ''Leviathan'' class WarShip</ref>
 
:*CWS ''Implacable'' - Former Star League and later Clan Wolf-in-Exile controlled vessel, which was part of the Kerensky's exodus fleet.  The ship became property of the Clan Wolf and journey to Inner Sphere as part of Operation Revivial.  She later became part of Warden control faction of Clan Wolf, known Wolf-in-Exile which made made their home on [[Arc-Royal]]. The ship participated in battle for Tharkad in 3066, where it fought the Lyran battlecruiser [[Mjolnir#Named_Vessels|LAS ''Yggdrasil'']].  Later in the Jihad, the ship fought off Blakist raiders attempting to strike Arc-Royal.  It was later drafted in coalition force to take world [[Odessa]], where Blakist's hidden cache of WarShips lay. The coalition was successful, as it took the system and seized the "Ruins of Gabriel".  However, the Blakists managed to retake the facilities, the ''Implacable'' fell victim to Clan Ghost Bear, when it fired warning shot at their ''[[Leviathan (Battleship)|Leviathan II]]'' class heavy battleship. The ship was mauled by the Ghost Bear's WarShip in May [[3075]], with only 68 survivors.<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 37: Rogue Bear hit Odessa & Insults and Injury - ''Implacable'' destroyed in Odessa by ''Leviathan'' class WarShip</ref>
 +
 +
:<u>[[Com Guards]]</u>
 +
:*CSV ''Blake's Strength'' - The ''Blake's Strength'' was assigned to the [[ComStar WarShip Fleet|ComGuard Second Fleet]] at [[Ross 248]]. It was lost during the ill-fated [[Case White]].
  
 
:<u>[[Free Worlds League]]</u>
 
:<u>[[Free Worlds League]]</u>
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:*SLS ''Severen Leroux'' - The ''Severen Leroux'' was a [[Clan Nova Cat]] vessel assigned to the Mystic Naval Star.<ref>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 96, "Naval Fleet"</ref> The ''Severen Leroux'' destroyed the ''ronin'' [[Draconis Combine]] ''[[Kirishima]]''-class ''Urizen II'' in the [[Avon]] system in July [[3072]]. The ''[[kokuryu-kai]]''-controlled spacecraft was indiscriminately attacking Nova Cat vessels before its destruction.<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3072'', p. 98, "Fight or Die!"</ref><ref>''Field Report: DCMS'', p. 5</ref><ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 23, "Timeline of the Jihad''</ref>
 
:*SLS ''Severen Leroux'' - The ''Severen Leroux'' was a [[Clan Nova Cat]] vessel assigned to the Mystic Naval Star.<ref>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 96, "Naval Fleet"</ref> The ''Severen Leroux'' destroyed the ''ronin'' [[Draconis Combine]] ''[[Kirishima]]''-class ''Urizen II'' in the [[Avon]] system in July [[3072]]. The ''[[kokuryu-kai]]''-controlled spacecraft was indiscriminately attacking Nova Cat vessels before its destruction.<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3072'', p. 98, "Fight or Die!"</ref><ref>''Field Report: DCMS'', p. 5</ref><ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 23, "Timeline of the Jihad''</ref>
  
:*SLS ''Tripitz'' - The center of the so-called [[Tripitz Affair]], left behind after being heavily damaged during the [[Amaris-Kerensky Civil War]] the Tripitz was rediscovered by the [[Taurian Concordat]] in [[2979]], before being secretly destroyed by [[ComStar]] to prevent their recovery attempts.
+
:*SLS ''Tripitz'' - The center of the so-called [[Tripitz Affair]], left behind after being heavily damaged during the [[Amaris-Kerensky Civil War]] the Tripitz was rediscovered by the [[Taurian Concordat]] in [[2979]], before being secretly destroyed by [[ComStar]] to prevent the Tautian recovery attempts.
  
 
:<u>[[Word of Blake]]</u>
 
:<u>[[Word of Blake]]</u>
Line 89: Line 90:
 
*''Technical Readout: 3057'', pp. 150-151
 
*''Technical Readout: 3057'', pp. 150-151
 
*''Technical Readout: 3057 Revised'', pp. 148-149
 
*''Technical Readout: 3057 Revised'', pp. 148-149
 
  
 
==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
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* ''[[Field Manual: Free Worlds League]]''
 
* ''[[Field Manual: Free Worlds League]]''
 
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
 
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
 +
* ''[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]''
 
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3072]]''
 
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3072]]''
 
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3076]]''
 
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3076]]''
* ''[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]''
+
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]''
 
* ''[[Jihad Turning Points: Luthien]]''
 
* ''[[Jihad Turning Points: Luthien]]''
 
* ''[[Jihad Turning Points: Sian]]''
 
* ''[[Jihad Turning Points: Sian]]''
Line 104: Line 105:
 
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3057]]''
 
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3057]]''
 
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3057 Revised]]''
 
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3057 Revised]]''
 
  
 
[[Category:WarShips|Black Lion]]
 
[[Category:WarShips|Black Lion]]

Revision as of 04:55, 16 August 2012

Black Lion TRO2750.jpg
Black Lion
Production information
Manufacturer Boeing Interstellar
Introduced 2691
Use Battlecruiser
Tech Base Star League
Cost 5,881,527,001 C-bills
Technical specifications
Mass 810,000 tons
Length 772 m
Sail Diameter 1.433 m
Fuel 1,000 tons
Burn Rate
Safe Thrust 1.5 g
Top Thrust 2.5 g
Sail Integrity 4
KF Drive Integrity 17
LF Battery No
Armament 18 x NAC/30s
8 x White Shark Missiles
6 x Barracuda Missiles
32 x NAC/20
Armor 841.5 tons of Lamellor Ferro-Carbide
DropShip Capacity 4
Crew 208
Grav Decks 2 - 65 and 85 meter diameter
Escape Pods/Life Boats 20
Heat Sinks 1837 Double Heat Sinks
Structural Integrity 75
BV (1.0) ???
BV (2.0) 213,343[1]

Description

The Black Lion-class battlecruiser, named for former Director-General James McKenna's famous battlecruiser, was developed after it became apparent that the infamous Cameron class ships were not living up to their design specifications. Bypassing the usual procedure of accepting design proposals, the Star League Defense Force awarded a contract in 2689 to Boeing Interstellar for a modified version of the design it had submitted during the contract competition that led to the creation of Cameron. Despite the unusual nature of its genesis, the Black Lion exceeded all expectations and Boeing would build two per year for the next 31 years.

The Black Lion's three Carston Pegasus interplanetary engines generate almost twice as much thrust as those used on the Cameron Class. With less weight than the Cameron, the Black Lion became one of the quickest WarShips of its size, but the size and complexity of the engines cause an increase in engine breakdowns due to maintenance difficulties. The Black Lion's second important improvement over the Cameron is increased armor protection. The ship's flight deck can carry 18 heavy AeroSpace Fighters, and its four docking rings can handle the largest DropShips.

The Black Lions lived up to most of the admirals' expectations, leading battle fleets into action and easily dominating battles in the Periphery. However like many Star League era WarShips, Black Lions cannot cope with swarms of enemy fighters and this proved their undoing during the Great Houses' so-called Hidden Wars and against the drones surrounding Terra.

Armament

The most controversial aspect of the Black Lion is its choice of weapons. Instead of relying on energy weapons, the Black Lion mounts cannon and missiles as its primary weapons, four turrets carrying Scarsbrough 30 Series autocannons and two turrets capable of firing White Shark missiles. The battlecruiser also carries four turrets of smaller autocannon and six tubes firing the Barracuda missiles. The designers used only non-energy weapons so the ship could mount a smaller and lighter power system. The main drawback to this choice of weapons is that the ship must devote interior space to carrying ammunition.

Cargo

The Black Lion 63,700 tons of cargo split between an launch bays for 10 Small Craft and 18 Aerospace Fighters.

Variants

Less than a dozen Black Lions survived Operation Liberation to company the Exodus Fleet, but each has become prized by the Clans as Galaxy flagships. The Clans have made few changes, save for installing HarJel Hull Sealant technology and Lithium-Fusion Battery systems.

Named Vessels

Clan Blood Spirit
Clan Ghost Bear
Clan Smoke Jaguar
Clan Wolf
  • CW Stealthy Kill - The Stealthy Kill served as a part of Task Force CRONUS, the predominantly-Clan naval force responsible for capturing the Titan Yards in 3078 as a part of the allied coalition efforts to liberate Terra from the Word of Blake. The Stealthy Kill was destroyed by a combination of Caspar drones, fighters and Pocket WarShips during the battle for the Yards.[6]
Clan Wolf-in-Exile
  • CWS Implacable - Former Star League and later Clan Wolf-in-Exile controlled vessel, which was part of the Kerensky's exodus fleet. The ship became property of the Clan Wolf and journey to Inner Sphere as part of Operation Revivial. She later became part of Warden control faction of Clan Wolf, known Wolf-in-Exile which made made their home on Arc-Royal. The ship participated in battle for Tharkad in 3066, where it fought the Lyran battlecruiser LAS Yggdrasil. Later in the Jihad, the ship fought off Blakist raiders attempting to strike Arc-Royal. It was later drafted in coalition force to take world Odessa, where Blakist's hidden cache of WarShips lay. The coalition was successful, as it took the system and seized the "Ruins of Gabriel". However, the Blakists managed to retake the facilities, the Implacable fell victim to Clan Ghost Bear, when it fired warning shot at their Leviathan II class heavy battleship. The ship was mauled by the Ghost Bear's WarShip in May 3075, with only 68 survivors.[7]
Com Guards
Free Worlds League
Star League Defense Force
Word of Blake
  • WoBS Blake Ascendant - Word of Blake controlled vessel during the Jihad. The ship assigned to give naval support later part of Battle for Luthien. The ship was damaged by inbound Clan Ghost Bear forces and was forced withdraw from the system December, 3074.[15] The Blake Ascendant was destroyed along with a dozen other Blakist WarShips - including it's sister vessel, the Rays of Enlightnment - in the battle to liberate Terra as a part of Operation SCOUR in 3078.[16]
  • WoBS Rays of Enlightenment - A Word of Blake-controlled vessel used during the Jihad. The ship was noted for its Sian raids of 3068 and again in 3074. The ship fought against Capellan Navy's Upgraded Feng Huang Cruisers and its few Impavido Class Destroyers. The ship took damage in these naval-actions and was forced withdraw in both events.[17] The Rays of Enlightenment was destroyed alongside the Blake Ascendant in the Sol system in 3078.[16]

Black Lion Ship Gallery

References

  1. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 17, "Black Lion" WarShip record sheet
  2. Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 30, "Blood Guard Keshik Profile"
  3. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 65, "Clan Ghost Bear Naval Assets"
  4. Era Report: 3052, p. 52
  5. Twilight of the Clans, p. 11, Shadows of War (novel) & Prince of Havoc (novel) - Ship mentioned as part of Clan Touman and its actions.
  6. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 98, "Terror At Titan"
  7. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 37: Rogue Bear hit Odessa & Insults and Injury - Implacable destroyed in Odessa by Leviathan class WarShip
  8. Jihad Hot Spots: 3070, p. 267-268 "Fleet Advisory: Shiloh"
  9. Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, pp. 108-109
  10. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 128, "Captured Ships"
  11. Field Manual: Updates, p. 96, "Naval Fleet"
  12. Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, p. 98, "Fight or Die!"
  13. Field Report: DCMS, p. 5
  14. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 23, "Timeline of the Jihad
  15. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, pp. 5, 7, "Naval Support", "Clan Ghost Bear" unit profiles: arrival date matches withdrawal date of battlecruiser
  16. 16.0 16.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 128, "Original Word Of Blake Fleet"
  17. Jihad Turning Points: Sian, p. 5, "Naval Support": name and fate revealed.
  • ComStar, p. 46
  • Field Manual: Free Worlds League, p. 119
  • Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, pp. 108-109
  • Technical Readout: 2750, pp. 136-137
  • Technical Readout: 3057, pp. 150-151
  • Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, pp. 148-149

Bibliography