Vanadius-class

=== Classification: ===
Imperial Vanadius-class extra-system patrol ship, customized
* Primary role as a smuggling vessel for Terran criminal organisations
* Secondary role as a blockade runner for Terran military organisations, in a similar configuration
Builders:
Large number of Clanholds
Operator:
In this configuration:
* Terran Confederation
* Apex Consortium
In its original configuration: 
* Terran Confederation (retired)
* Elven Imperial Navy
* Etherite Federation
* Various private Elven enterprises.
Preceded: Various models
Suceeded by: Various models
Completed under this configuration: About 250
Type: Corvette
Displacement: 3400 space tons
Length: 55m
Propulsion (space): Dual Ion-Fusion turbine
Propulsion (warp): Ion-Deuterium warp drive
Propulsion (jump): Jump Buoy Connection
Effective range: 18 jumps before refuelling is required, up to 460 Warp Jumps
Crew: 24 Crewmen, up to 20 marines, can be built to have passenger capabilities.
Armament:
Port side gun array: 2 x 2 Light Fusion or Particle cannons (depending on the operators)
Starboard gun array: 2 x 2 Light Fusion or Particle cannons (depending on the operators)
* Mixing guns was rather common on these ships, due to being operated by private operators.
6 x GaeBulg missile launchers (3 port, 3 starboards) (On external mounts, unshielded)
10 x 20mm GM61A railgun CIWS
Equipment:
Warp Descrambler
4 Cargo bays (Sometimes converted into hangars)
Shield:
80 Churchill-rated shield generator
Armor: Combination of Lunarsilver-Orichalcum and Titanium-Tungsten alloys, depending on the operator
Hangar: 1 of any Shuttle-type.
=== Description ===
While the original design of the Vanadius was age-old for the Imperial Fleet, it was adopted by the Terran Confederation as a stopgap while they were developping their own ships. The vast majority of them were incredibly cheap to purchase off their Elven allies, who were replacing their old Vanadius with newer models, and served a perfect role as a patrol ship and as light exploration craft. As a stopgap measure, they were discontinued for general usage by the military as locally (or Consortium-produced) models became available, with the existing ships then being resold to private military contractors, private citizens and different Hunter's Guilds. 
The Terrans had done a lot of work on the Vanadius by the time it was more or less completely retired. The entire CIWS system had been revamped from Point-Defense missile systems with more economical (and reliable) 20mm GM61A, adding a pair of railguns to the stern portion of the weapon array to increase defensive capacities of the ship. While the main guns remained a pair of double old school "Kohala"-class on the majority of the vessels, those who had seen their final refit were equipped with early "Blue Heaven"-class light particle cannons (sometimes the guns were mixed on the sides, especially on models in use by private organizations). The shuttle docked on the bottom of the ship was put in a protective compartment, while the modular pods near the bow of the ships were also reinforced to be able to carry a variety of equipment. Late models in service for the Confederation often carried a pair of SF-1 Wrath or Illusions in portable hangars with limited equipment, giving the ship an incredible punch for their size. 
Service history of most Terran-owned Vanadius classes generally features patrol duty, coast guard operations and, at time, blockade running. Their lack of firepower kept them as far away as possible from the front as possible during the Protectorate, Grey and Korrenian conflicts, but they were not an unseen sight in the home front or as messenger ships, and quite a few were in use by the CIA as mobile field offices.
=== Notable ships of this class ===
* CWS Clyde (Assigned to the Colony of Fort Louisbourg, served as a mobile field base for the local Commissariat and served as a prison transport vessel in the fight against organized crime on the frontier.)
* CWS Bonnie (Sister ship of the CWS Clyde, was assigned to the frontier Commissariat as well, helping with police actions against organized crime)
Category:Spaceship
Category:Terran Confederation
Category:Elven Star Empire