Planetary Defense Ship (Civ4)/Final Frontier/Civilopedia

As mankind spread its influence among the stars, the new Colonies began to amass wealth and power, and as is always the case, the need arose to defend these treasures from would-be pirates and thieves. Initially ships of all sorts were armed with projectile weapons and small missiles as a stopgap measure, but it became clear that these makeshift war-craft could not stand up against a determined and better-armed opponent. This led to the first large-scale development of dedicated military vessels. To reduce weight the earliest ships were fitted with inferior weapons and armor, sacrificing armaments for speed and maneuverability. Eventually some ships would be equipped with more powerful weaponry and tougher armor - though slower and less maneuverable, these "Planetary Defense" Ships were far better suited to defend fixed positions such as Star Systems and planets.