WarShip

Revision as of 13:08, 20 December 2010 by Wrangler (talk | contribs) (→‎Known WarShip Classes: finishing revision)

In the BattleTech universe, the term WarShip refers to starships that combine the capability of faster-than-light (FTL) travel with powerful inter-system thrust engines and heavy weapons and armor. Because of the former capability, they technically fall into the JumpShip category, but unlike these non-combatants, WarShips are geared for space combat. They outclass every common JumpShip and virtually any DropShip by an order of magnitude in size and power.


Description

Considered the pinnacle of starship engineering, the defining aspect of a WarShip is the use of a Compact Kearny-Fuchida Drive, an expensive component that has only half the mass of a similarly powerful regular Kearny-Fuchida Drive yet a better integrity, parameters useful for combat but next to useless for regular JumpShips.


Construction

WarShips could be described as super-large DropShips with jump capability; they do not suffer from the lack of mobility normally associated with JumpShips. Instead, they mount powerful transit drives and can move through space like DropShips, including combat maneuvering. However, unlike DropShips, WarShips are incapable of atmospheric operations.

Many, but not all, WarShips have Hardpoints that allow them to carry DropShips with them, further increasing their cargo capacity and combat capabilities.


Dissemination

The first WarShips were deployed by the Star League. At the height of the Star League, fleets of thousands of these behemoths roamed the stars, enforcing the League's will. The decline into Lostech during the Succession Wars left none operative and up until the Clan Invasion that begun in 3049, they were essentially extinct in the Inner Sphere, having fallen prey to combat losses, attrition and maintenance shortfalls.

When Aleksandr Kerensky departed the Inner Sphere with his forces, they took with them 1,349 JumpShips, escorted by 402 WarShips. Only 260 WarShips are known to have survived the Exodus Civil War. It is estimated that since then, the Clans between them have built anywhere from 50 to 300 more. While each Clan fields 18 WarShips on average in the Inner Sphere, the actual numbers differ wildly from Clan to Clan. During the invasion, Clan Jade Falcon deployed the largest number of 28 WarShips, most of them Aegis class. Clan Wolf deployed the smallest number (2 ships).

Back in the Inner Sphere, over 90% of the Successor State's WarShip fleets were lost in the maelstrom of the First Succession War. The last operative WarShips in the Inner Sphere were believed destroyed during the Second Succession War, save a number of non-salvageable derelicts and a small fleet secretly maintained and hidden by ComStar.

Following the Clan invasion and the rediscovery of lost technologies, WarShip construction restarted in the Inner Sphere. In October 3056, ComStar's First Circuit decided to allow the sale of transit drives for WarShips (which only the ComStar-controlled Rolls-Royce factories on Terra could produce at the time) to the Draconis Combine and the Federated Commonwealth, while aid from the fanatical ComStar splinter group Word of Blake located drives from derelict ships that the Free Worlds League and Capellan Confederation could recondition to function. Further recovery of lost technology has since enabled most greater powers in the Inner Sphere to field operational WarShips, but only the most industrious of Successor States can construct more than one at a time because of their extreme costs.

Manufacturing

WarShips are the largest class of starship ever built. As such, they are built at orbital docks. They do not differ significantly from other spaceships (DropShips and JumpShips) in operation.

Generally, all later WarShips are equipped with a Lithium-Fusion Battery system. Those that did not include one in their initial design have since been upgraded to carry one.


WarShip Categories

Like DropShips, WarShips are divided into categories based on their role. Most of these terms have survived since the days of sailing ships, and were updated to reflect the realities of space combat.[1]


  • Corvettes - The smallest WarShip category, these craft rarely mass more than 500,000 tons. They're lightly armed and armored but extremely swift and equipped for extended tours of duty, making them ideal for commerce protection and raiding.
  • Destroyers - More heavily armed than corvettes, these ships perform the same raiding and escort duties, but also serve as guardians of orbital installations. They typically mass between 500,000 and 700,000 tons.
  • Frigates - Rarely smaller than 700,000 tons, these ships serve as escorts and picket ships. Usually they are equipped with excellent sensors and are deployed at the edge of a fleet to act as a sentry. Frigates also operate as transports, allowing DropShips to dock at their various hardpoints.
  • Cruisers - The most diverse ship category in any fleet, vessels in this class are typically further subdivided into light cruisers, heavy cruisers, and battlecruisers. As their speed is comparable to destroyers and frigates, they serve as escorts, raiders, and picket ships, but mount more firepower and armor than the other two ship types. Most cruisers pack enough equipment and supplies to operate away from technical support bases, making them ideal raiders. As a whole, cruisers typically mass between 700,000 and 1,200,000 tons, but there are rumors that the Terran Hegemony built some ships in this class that massed 1,500,000 tons.
    • Heavy Cruisers - Typically these ships trade away some of the light cruiser's speed for additional firepower. Clan toumans typically use these as command vessels.
    • Battlecruisers - These ships are loaded with heavy weapons and armor, but their over-sized engines allow them to remain very nimble and quick in a confrontation. Usually these ships are the "heavy hitters" of a fleet, providing most of its firepower.
  • Battleships - The single largest ship class in history, battleships are easily able to keep pace with frigates and outrun heavy cruisers. Their massive weapon payloads and armor protection insure that they serve as a fleet flagship, while hitting the most dangerous and determined opposition to break through and create opportunities for their smaller compatriots to exploit. The pride of the SLDF Navy, the McKenna class battleship, weighed two million tons, a record that was not broken until Clan Ghost Bear launched the 2.4 million ton Leviathan class ship.
  • Carriers - These are WarShip-sized Aerospace Fighter transports. Principally, there have been few ships dedicated to the carrier role; during the Star League era many navies used hybrid designs that combined the carrier role with another ship type. As a result, carrier tonnages have varied from Frigate to Battlecruiser size. These dual-role ships were not produced by most of the factions in 31st century during the brief resumption of WarShip production. The one exception was Clan Snow Raven, who produced the Conqueror class Battlecruiser-Carriers in limited numbers.

Known WarShip Classes

(See also: Category:WarShips)
  • Transports & Auxiliary Vessels
  • Carrack - 300,000 ton Transport, re-introduced 2950 by Clans following a minor redesign/upgrading of an old Star League ship class of the same name. Composite armor, 2 Hardpoints, 4 small craft. No Lithium-Fusion Battery.
  • Volga - 775,000 ton Transport, introduced 2709 by Star League. Ferro-aluminum armor, 4 hardpoints, 20 fighters. Based off the hull of a mothballed Quixote class frigate.
  • Faslane - 550,000 ton Yardship, introduced 2882 by ComStar. Ferro-aluminum armor, 2 Hardpoints, 2 small craft. Heavily armed mobile unpressurized shipyard/repair bay for vessels of up to 2,000,000 tons. No Litium-Fusion Battery. Based on older Newgrange class.
  • Volga - 775,000 ton Transport, introduced 2709 by Star League. Ferro-aluminum armor, 4 hardpoints, 20 fighters. Based off the hull of a mothballed Quixote class frigate.
  • Newgrange - 2,300,000 ton Yardship, it is the Star League predecessor to the Faslane class. Largest known ship created by League.
  • Surveillance Vessels
  • Tracker - Surveillance Vessel, older companion of the Nightwing class.
  • Nightwing - 100,000 ton Surveillance Vessel, introduced 2447 by Terran Hegemony. No hardpoints, 4 small craft. Designed to resemble a civilian JumpShip, mounts advanced surveillance gear. Phased out in favor of the more modern Bug-Eye when its integral electronics suite became outdated and could not be reworked.
  • Bug-Eye - 6,100 ton Surveillance Vessel, introduced 2620 by Star League. No hardpoints, fighters or small craft. Lightly armed reconnaissance vessel small enough to blend in with DropShip traffic. All remaining ships joined the Exodus, but were mothballed by the Clans who regard such tactics as dishonorable.
  • Corvettes
  • Zechetinu - 180,000 ton Corvette, introduced 3057 by Free Worlds League. 1 hardpoint, 6 fighters, fast convoy escort/raider.
  • Bonaventure - ca. 200,000 ton Corvette. Small patrol vessel noted for excellent surveillance capabilities but weak armament. Often deployed in pairs together with two Vigilant-class Corvettes for protection. Replaced by Vincent class in 2432. No fúrther details known.
  • Vigilant - ca. 200,000 ton Corvette; small patrol vessel, replaced by the Vincent class in 2432. Noted for being relatively well-armed but with limited detection capabilities, therefore often paired with Bonaventure-class Corvettes in groups of two each. No further details known.
  • Vincent - 412,000 ton Corvette, introduced 2432 by Terran Hegemony. Ferro-carbide armor, no hardpoints, 6 fighters (10 after Clan upgrade) + 4 small craft. Standard version was Mark XXXIX; upgraded Clan version is known as Vincent MK 42.
  • Inazuma - 200,000 ton Corvette, introduced 3058 by Draconis Combine. 3 hardpoints, 6 fighters, designed for high-speed attack runs and combat insertions.
  • Fox - 235,000 ton Corvette, introduced in 3057 by House Davion. Ferro-aluminum armor, 5 Hardpoints, 12 fighters + 2 small craft. Originally designated RX-78 class; renamed in honor of the late prince Hanse Davion, "the Fox".
  • Fredasa - 175,000 ton Corvette/Raider, introduced 2962 by Clans. Lamellor ferro-carbide armor, 1 Hardpoint, 20 fighters + 2 small craft. Notable for small emergence signature.


  • Frigates
  • Riga - ca. 750,000 ton Frigate. Produced in 2440, balanced armed & armored Warship of its time. It served as a escort vessel during its time in service with SLDF. The ship after centuries of service was replaced by Sovetskii Soyuz Class in 2735. Few years later, a new Destroyer/Carrier type Warship was given same Class name. The had 2 Hardpoints, carry 2 squadrons of Aerospace fighters.
  • Quixote - ca. 775,000 ton Missile Frigate. Heavily armed and armored. Drive system considered too small. Replaced by Congress class in 2542. Chassis used as basis for the Volga class.
  • Kyushu - 625,000 ton Frigate, introduced 3057 by House Kurita. Ferro-aluminum armor, 4 hardpoints, 18 fighters (or 12 small craft). Bays for 108 'Mechs which can be dropped from orbit.
  • Eagle - 630,000 ton Frigate, introduced by House Marik in 3060. 4 hardpoints, 6 fighters, intended as escort vessel for FWLM's Thera super-carrier.
  • Congress - 760,000 ton Frigate, introduced 2542 by Terran Hegemony. Ferro-carbide armor, 2 Hardpoints, 6 fighters (10 after Clan upgrade) + 4 small craft (5 after Clan upgrade).
  • Dante - Frigate class in production by ComStar up until 2949. Only 3 of these ship were constructed, were lost in during the Jihad.
  • Destroyers
  • York - 595,000 ton Destroyer/Carrier, introduced 2947. Lamellor ferro-carbide armor, 2 hardpoints, 50 fighters + 5 small craft. Clan refit of the older Riga class.
  • Suffren - 540,000 ton Destroyer, introduced 3062 by ComStar. Ferro-aluminum armor, 4 hardpoints, 8 small craft.
  • Tatsumaki - 520,000 ton Destroyer, introduced 3059 by Draconis Combine. 2 hardpoints, 18 fighters, 15 Small Craft, heavily armed JumpShip escort, heavily flawed and beset by technical problems. Because of these problems, only two ships were ever built.
  • Riga - ca. 595,000 ton Destroyer/Carrier, introduced 2747 by Star League. 2 hardpoints, no further details known. Extensively upgraded with Clan technology to re-designated as the York class.
  • Naga - Destroyer, introduced in 2645 by the Star League. Replaced the Terran Hegemony Essex class. Described as "unimpressive". No details known besides being over twice the mass of the Bonaventure class, and slower. Supplanted by modern Essex class in 2711.
  • Carson - Star League Destroyer first produced 2672. The ships poor preformance brought on its early replacement by second Essex class in 2711.[2]
  • Lola III - 678,000 ton Destroyer, introduced 2662 by Star League. Ferro-carbide armor, no hardpoints, 6 fighters + 4 small craft (or 10 fighters).
  • Baron - 480,000 ton Destroyer, introduced 2520 by Terran Hegemony. No Hardpoints, 6 fighters, 6 small craft. Described as slow and "unimpressive". Replaced by Essex class in 2711.
  • Davion - ca. 520,000 ton Destroyer, introduced before 2606. Composite armor, no Hardpoints, no fighter complement. Upgraded to Whirlwind class.
  • Essex - 612,000 ton Destroyer, introduced 2711 by Star League. Ferro-aluminum armor, no Hardpoints, 6 fighters + 4 small craft (10 fighters + 10 small craft after Clan upgrade). A previous Essex-class destroyer served in the Terran Hegemony in the 25th and 26th centuries.
  • Cruisers
  • Sovetskii Soyuz - 823,000 ton Heavy Cruiser, introduced 2742 by Star League. Current version (after Clan refit) has been upgraded to ferro-aluminum armor, 20 fighters + 8 small craft.
  • Feng Huang - 970,000 ton Cruiser, first launched 3058 by Capellan Confederation. 6 hardpoints, 26 fighters, intended to hold its own against Thera, heavily armored at the expense of weaponry.
  • Kimagure - Pursuit Cruiser with superior speed and maneuverability; no details known. Upgraded to Conqueror class.
  • Potemkin - 1,508,000 ton Troop Cruiser, introduced 2611 by Star League. Ferro-carbide armor, 25 hardpoints, 10 small craft. Capable of moving an entire division of troops.
  • Liberator - 830,000 ton Cruiser, Clan name for their upgraded version of the Avatar class. Ferro-carbide armor, 6 hardpoints, 30 fighters. Notable for small emergence signature.
  • Mjolnir - 1,350,000 ton Battlecruiser, introduced in 3062 by Lyran Alliance. 4 hardpoints, 36 fighters, originally light cruiser transformed into largest post-Succession War WarShip to compare to Avalon.
  • Kirishima - 790,000 ton Cruiser, introduced 3061 by House Kurita. Ferro-carbide armor, 3 hardpoints, 12 fighters + 2 small craft.
  • Dart - Light Cruiser class, first launched 2305 by Terran Hegemony. The ship carries six DropShip, and was a used for early exploration. The design was later sold to Periphery powers, was already considered "ancient" by 2722.
  • Conqueror - 780,000 ton Battlecruiser/Carrier, introduced by Clan Snow Raven in 3052. 2 hardpoints, 100 fighters, Clan refit of Kimagure-class, originally intended as carrier-escort ships for the massive Leviathan dreadnought.
  • Cameron - 859,000 ton Battlecruiser, introduced 2668 by Star League. Ferro-carbide armor, 2 Hardpoints, 16 fighters (20 after Clan upgrade) + 2 small craft. Failed to live up to expectations.
  • Avalon - 770,00 ton Cruiser produced by Federated Suns. 6 hardpoints, 12 fighters, so-called Missile Cruiser for large number of AR-10 capital missile launchers it mounts.
  • Avatar - 830,000 ton Heavy cruiser, introduced in 2531 by Terran Hegemony. 6 Hardpoints, 24 fighters. Replaced Aegis class and was in turn replaced by Luxor class. Known for unresolved problem with shipboard electricity short-outs which led to the demise of the class.
  • Luxor - 890,000 ton Heavy Cruiser that was used to replace the aging SLDF Avatar class in the early 28th Century. All these ship were destroyed during the liberation of Terra in 2779.[3]
  • Black Lion - 802,000 ton Battlecruiser, introduced 2691 by Star League. 4 Hardpoints, 18 fighters (20 after Clan upgrade) + 10 small craft. Clan upgrade features Lamellor ferro-carbide armor.
  • Aegis - 745,000 ton Heavy Cruiser, introduced 2372 by Terran Hegemony, making it the oldest WarShip class still in service. Ferro-carbide armor, 4 Hardpoints, 6 fighters (20 after Clan upgrade) + 4 small craft (10 after Clan upgrade). Original class was mothballed in 2531, but reactivated in 2582 after all ships underwent a substantial upgrade program. A surprisingly capable and durable design, considering its age.
  • Agamemnon - 815,000 ton Heavy Cruiser, introduced by 3058 by Free Worlds League. 4 hardpoints, 18 fighters, sits between Black Lion and Sovetskii Soyuz with regards speed and firepower.
  • Carriers
  • Samarkand - 350,000 ton Aerospace Carrier introduced by Draconis Combine in 2579. It carries 72 fighters & the ship was designed primarily as Aerospace support ship. The ship could not handle large Warships and required escorts.
  • Thera - 960,000 ton Super-Carrier, introduced 3060 by Free Worlds League. 4 hardpoints, 216 fighters, 8 small craft. Able to carry four full aerospace regiments, largest fighter capacity than any Star League or Clan vessels.
  • Battleships
  • Monsoon - Battleship designed in the mid-24th century and replaced by Texas class in 2618.
  • Du Shi Wang - 900,000 ton Battleship, introduced by Duchy of Liao in 2380. An early design pre-dating the formation of the Capellan Confederation. The majority of the ship main weaponry were mounted on the bow. The class was primarily designed for fleet engagements & it remained in service until the early Succession Wars, where most of the class were destroyed
  • Atreus - Battleship built by House Marik, contemporary of the Monsoon class to which it compared favourably regarding firepower and maintenance requirements. No further details known.
  • Texas - 1,560,000 ton Battleship, introduced 2618 by Star League. Lamellor ferro-carbide armor, 6 hardpoints, 40 fighters + 16 small craft. Advanced ship commissioned to supplant the aging Monsoon class.
  • Nightlord - 1,200,000 ton Battleship, introduced 2932 by Clan Snow Raven. Lamellor ferro-carbide armor, 4 hardpoints, 20 fighters. Carries 100 'Mechs and and Elemental points each; regarded as the ultimate in Clan-produced weaponry.
  • Farragut - Battleship class noted for its strong and stress-resistant hull, used as basis to construct the McKenna class from. This
  • McKenna - 1,930,000 ton Battleship, introduced 2652 by Star League. Ferro-carbide armor, 6 hardpoints, 50 fighters, 16 small craft. Largest jump-capable craft built during Star League era, arguable best-known WarShip class. Excellent reputation.
  • Leviathan - 2,400,000 ton Heavy Transport/Heavy Battleship, introduced mid-3050s by Clan Ghost Bear. 8 hardpoints, 50 fighters, originally intended as largest Clan WarShip built, completed as transport ship to move entire Clan to Inner Sphere before being refitted to battlecruiser.

References

  1. AeroTech 2, pp 71-72
  2. Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, pp. 202-203 - Carson background.
  3. Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, pp. 224-225 - Luxor background.

Bibliography