Battleship Grand Rorigan

522 Hettic refit

* 8x 310mm guns in 4 turrets
* 10x 150mm casemate guns
* 8x 32mm anti-air guns in 2 turrets
* 2x 90mm multipurpose guns

HRMS *Grand Rorigan*, later HNS *Grand Rorigan* in Hettic service, was a Bressian Prince Belsett class battleship and the second of the class's three ships. She would be sold to the Hettic navy in 520, making her the Hettic navy's only capital ship, and would briefly serve in the Second Leersog War, before being sunk in 526.

## Design

The Prince Belsett class battleships were proposed to the Bressian Admiralty in the late 400s as "coaster battleships", with a greater focus on armor and armament for use in littoral waters or in the Kartasian Sea, in contrast with the more mobility and seakeeping-oriented, long-range warships that made up Bressia's battle line. While the original plan had been to iterate on the earlier Garrond IV class battleships with increased armor, armament, and displacement, the final design as built would undergo significant changes.

Grand Rorigan was the second ship of the class to be built, launching in late 503, beginning sea trials in early 504, and commissioning in early 505.

## Career

### Third Spat

#### Kartasian Sea Campaign

Grand Rorigan would enter service with the North Kartasian Fleet in 505, conducting operations off of Rogacia, Darsan, Aulia, and Theres throughout the year. There, she would be largely entrusted with shore bombardment, blockade, and counter-incursion duties. She would see relatively little action, though she would become subject to one of the first successful attacks on a ship by aircraft. While on patrol in the Aulean Sea, hoping to intercept the Baldrean 1st Fleet on its way to port, she would come under attack by a group of Baldrean floatplanes, sustaining a single bomb hit to her forward funnel, resulting in minor damage to her upper works and four injuries.

Her only major ship-to-ship action in the Kartasian sea would be her encounter with the Baldrean battleship BS *Haudreron* on her way back to St. Essa. While she was able to sink *Haudreron*, she was forced to return for Fallesdam for repairs, having sustained more damage than could be repaired at St. Essa's facilities.

#### Action off Cape Great Byne

Following repair in Fallesdam, Grand Rorigan would be transferred to the Aldesic Oceanic Battlefleet in early 506, taking part in the Action off Cape Great Byne on the 8th of Terli, 506. There, as part of Admiral Lindecroft's battleship force, she would be credited with the destruction of, or majority of damage dealt to, at least three Chergarian battleships - CINS *Herne*, CINS *Koordvar*, and CINS *Leigstrunn* (with some crediting her for the damage and eventual scuttling of Admiral Olberich's flagship, CINS *Kaeser* *Hars Velbrecht*) - as well as battlecruisers *Klaas Hengel* and *Johenn Wendtkross*, five cruisers, and a destroyer. Though wreck analysis is still ongoing, the most widely accepted estimate of ships (not including small craft such as torpedo boats) sunk by Grand Rorigan during the action sits at a total of 11, with more generous estimates suggesting as many as 15, and more conservative estimates based on inability to precisely calculate damage done going as low as 6. Nevertheless, she sustained significant damage and casualties during the battle, including at least four torpedo hits and losing up to 30 crewmen. While she was able to return to Fallesdam, repairs would still be underway as the war ended, and she and her crew would be unable to attend the Harhaan Naval Review, with Captain Aldrey Varrett insisting on remaining in dock to oversee repairs.

### Sale to Hettic Navy

In the late 510s, in light of the Lusivakian Commonwealth's increasing influence in the Westenlands, the Bressian Navy would sell a number of older vessels, particularly those specialized in coastal operations, to allies to the west. For Hetland, this included *Grand Rorigan*, with the Prince Belsetts and other coaster battleships having lost their relevance as Bressia shifted its focus to long-range operations, along with a number of *Dierrau* and *Baughlt* class destroyers of the line, *Switfte* class escort destroyers, *Aedental* class escort frigates, and a number of minesweepers, minelayers, torpedo boats, and riverine craft. While some consideration was given to renaming *Grand Rorigan*, her name was retained owing to her reputation, and out of respect for Bressia.

### Syrvanian Incursion

[Placeholder; planned to put to sea to accompany Chergarian fleet off Syrvanian coast; difficulties in port prevented launch. Deployment cancelled after Elandric navy's intervention]

### Second Leersog War

[Placeholder; remained in Lingaen harbor or close to shore to ward off potential Syrvanian attacks by sea or air

Hit by two torpedoes, possibly from Syrvanian submarine; one failed to detonate, but hull impact alerted the crew; second torpedo struck amidships, absorbed by anti-torpedo bulges; torpedo may have struck further aft and damaged propulsion if the ship had not made emergency maneuvers]

### Sinking

[Placeholder; provided offshore bombardment during battle of Tába; command staff remained above-decks, rather than going into armored command station, to more effectively conduct fire. Attack by bombers destroyed the bridge, killing command staff and rendering damage control efforts disorganized. Second bomb penetrated amidships and set fire to propellant charges, causing fire to spread to the magazine, resulting in detonation.]