Tripathia-class Third-Rate Ship of the Line

* Tripathia-class
* Full Burn
* Fleet
* Squadron

> "*Stand to quarters and clear for action, we shall be staying put for the evening...*"
> - Commodore Anthony Hadleigh, at the Battle of Validar II.
>
>

The ***Tripathia*-class Third-Rate Ship of the Line**  is a Centran capital ship manufactured by Keeper's Dance Fleet Yards. First launched in 0284 PCU, the class was the most powerful ship design in the Centran Defence Force at the outbreak of the Frontier War in 0290 PCU. The *Tripathia*-class saw heavy service during the conflict, and became known as one of the most venerable and well-respected warships ever to serve in the CDF.

## Design

### Spaceframe

At a length of 261 metres and a width of 61.7 metres, the *Tripathia*-class features the classic lozenge-shaped frame of a Centran warship. The fore hull structure houses the ship's quarterdeck and other command facilities, protected by a layer of secondary armour, as well as the magazines and gun decks. Towards the rear of the fore hull section is the ship's through-deck hangar bay for fighter and small craft deployment.

The ship's rotating crew centrifuge forms the ship's mid section. The ship's aft section hosts the main propellant tanks and engine room. Outside of the crew centrifuge, the *Tripathia*-class has a thrust-gravity deck arrangement, with decks stacked perpendicular to the direction of thrust to take advantage of gravity from acceleration.

### Propulsion

The *Tripathia*-class mounts engine arrays of three Propulsive Dynamics G19-L D/FTR Prograde Engines in its aft hull, and two G18-S D/FTR Retrograde Engines in its fore hull. This engine arrangement allows for direct and immediate adjustments in velocity.

The *Tripathia*-class also mounts eight reaction control systems for attitude control.

### Armament

Similar to nearly all Centran warship models, the *Tripathia*-class adheres to a doctrine of specialisation, designed to serve a very specific role within a battlegroup. Within a larger fleet, it performs its role primarily as a gun platform meant to deal and take punishment throughout the duration of a battle. Ther *Tripathia*-class' main armament is twelve twin-barrelled 15-inch Broadhead-Lock medium coilgun turrets. Six coilgun turrets are mounted on each side of the hull, with three mounted ventrally and three mounted dorsally on each side. Their positions on the hull allow them to aim and fire in multiple directions around the ship.

The main armament is supplemented by a secondary armament of Bodkin-Lock light coilguns, which offer an improved rate of fire at close range. The *Tripathia*-class mounts four sponson-mount twin-barrelled light coilguns, which can be retracted into the ship if necessary, as well as a chase armament of four retractable twin-barrelled bow chasers, and four stern chasers of the same type. These allow the ship to continue engaging whilst pursuing a target or withdrawing from action.

### Defences

The *Tripathia*-class is protected by several layers of titanium-aluminide hull armour, with a secondary layer inside the fore hull section to protect the quarterdeck and command facilities. However, the *Tripathia*-class lacks on-board point-defence or missile systems, relying on its small air wing and on accompanying corvettes or destroyers for active defence against missiles and small craft.

### Sensors and communications

The *Tripathia*-class carries a large array of sensors and communications systems. Imaging LIDAR is used to survey targets and create a digital 3-D representation, while a phased-array radar system is used to find and track targets. A LightCOM Transstellar Communication System allows for in-system communications.

### Crew facilities

The *Tripathia*-class is often sent on long-term deployments, usually far from safe harbour. As such, the ship is equipped with four midships centrifuge habitation modules that form the ship's living quarters and recreational facilities. In combat or while under acceleration, these modules are designed to retract into the ship's frame and link their compartments with the thrust-gravity deck arrangement across the rest of the ship. These facilities support a crew complement of 270, plus barracks facilities for fifty Centran Marines.

### Auxiliary craft

Although the class was not intended designed to be a carrier, the enormous size of the ship allows for a small complement of six S-36 Stardancer Multi-Role Attack Fighters, as well as three Fletcher-type Support Craft for personnel transport and Marine deployment. These craft are stored in the through-deck launch bay between the light duty coilguns, which carries resupply and refit facilities. Generally, the ship's small air wing of Stardancers is used primarily for short-range missile defence, but can also be deployed for a light attack or reconnaissance role.

## History

### Early history

The *Tripathia*-class is named for the Tripathia Archipelago on Centrum. Introduced in 0284 PCU, the *Tripathia*-class was the largest ship design in service with the CDF in the six years of peace prior to the outbreak of the Frontier War in 0290 PCU, with no first- or second-rate ship of the line having seen service since Halpern's War of the 0170s PCU.

### Frontier War

During the Frontier War of 0290 PCU-0300 PCU, the *Tripathia*-class was the most commonly-employed Centran capital ship. The class served in every major battle of the war, leading smaller battlegroups and forming the bulk of CDF battle lines in large-scale fleet engagements. At the outset of the war, the *Tripathia*-class played a key role in halting the Frontier Union's first offensive, the Tandil Rush.

Though it was ultimately supplanted as the CDF's most powerful capital ship by the launch of such vessels as the *Tetrarch*-class First-Rate Ship of the Line, the *Tripathia*-class became renowned as one of the most venerable warships ever to serve the Centrum Assembly.

### Post-war

Since the end of the Frontier War, the *Tripathia*-class has remained in service in limited numbers, and is considered an enduring symbol of Centran warship design. Two *Tripathia*-class ships of the line, the CSV *Shabayev* and the CSV *Bracewell*, were assigned to the Avalon Exploratory Initiative and deployed through Edric's Gate to the CDC-41-Gamma nebula in 0304 PCU. The *Bracewell* was ultimately lost engaging Advari forces native to the nebula.

## Ships

* CSV *Tripathia* - KDFY-1805-TC, Lead ship of the class, fate unknown
* CSV *Barricata* - KDFY-2304-TC, served during Frontier War, fate unknown
* CSV *Bracewell* - KDFY-1992-TC, Avalon Expedition, Lost with all hands
* CSV *Shabayev* - KDFY-2614-TC, Avalon Expedition, Active
* CSV *Lyrion Point* - KDFY-XXXX-TC, CDF, fate unknown. Likely named for the Battle of Lyrion Point.

## Behind The Scenes

The *Tripathia*-class was originally designed by Gabriel Fonseca, before the final 3D model was put together by Azzecco. Gabriel Fonseca has allowed the wiki team to show his original paper design.

Historically, third-rate ships of the line were the backbone of navies of the Age of Sail, embodying the best compromise between sailing ability, firepower, and cost. First- and second-rate ships of the line were larger and more powerful, but were expensive to build and maintain, especially in peacetime: of the twenty-seven ships of the line in Horatio Nelson's fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar, three were first-rates and four were second-rates, but twenty were third-rates.

## Gallery

A Tripathia spotted from the windows of another vessel.A Tripathia from its stern.Tripathia, Full Burn (1).Tripathia, Full Burn (2).A Tripathia in Orbit around Centrum (1).A Tripathia in Orbit around Centrum (2).Broadsides of the CSV *Shabayev*In orbit of a nearby starIn orbit of a gas giant and its ring system (1).In orbit of a gas giant and its ring system (1).Tripathia in Battle (1).Tripathia in Battle (2).Tripathia in Battle (3).Tripathia in Battle (4).A Tripathia and its flotilla.The Rangomu Lockstep in action against a Tripathia.CSV *Shabayev* in Ice.
## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *The Sojourn Visual Dictionary - Edition One*
2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 The Sojourn: Tripathia Class Third-Rate Ship of the Line | Ship Breakdown
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 *Theirs Not to Make Reply*
4. ↑ *Theirs Not to Reason Why*
5. ↑ Tripathia Class Third-Rate Ship of the Line | Ship Breakdown (Redux)