Empress-class Multirole Battleship

## **Overview**

The **Empress-class** is a multi-purpose type of capital ship, designed and built for the Royal Navy of the Eternal Empire. The previous design of Multirole Battleship, the Retribution-class, saw considerable success in its initial uses as trade interdictors, but they were unable to properly sustain themselves to specialized capital ship fire, as its multitude of weaponry - Proving somewhat effective to any kind of vessel and structure -, deemed it not very capable of fighting heavier vessels than their own structures and defensive capabilities. The Empress-class came to remedy that lack of protection and firepower, however, turning the attention of commerce-raiding tactics towards a much more offensive fleet support vessel in order to both receive protection by the fleet, and provide breaches for an entire exploit of the friendly force in the vicinity. The Empress-class still maintained an adaptive propulsion system, being capable - Like the previous Retribution-class - of movement in space, orbit, atmosphere, sea and submerged vicinities.

There were five vessels ever constructed of the Empress-class for Her Majesty's Sovereign Armada; **HMS Empress** (Flagship of the class) and her sister ships, **HMS Immortal**, **HMS Indestructible**, **HMS Impenetrable** and **HMS Fearless**. The warships began their construction by 2315, in New-Earth and New Jamestown. All Multirole Battleships of the class were destroyed at the Battle of Aasha, as they rushed Ortus, in an attempt to land in the frozen seas of the planet, in 2326.

## **Tactical & Strategic Value**

The concept of the Battleship - A slow moving superstructure housing thousands of operators and capable of withstanding fire from all sides, whilst pounding anything daring to approach it - has already existed for thousands of years, evolving through the many human ages towards many wild concepts in Old Earth. Heavy Cruisers, Battlecruisers, Super-Heavy Battleships and even Dreadnoughts are clear examples of shipbuilding evolution. In the advent of space warfare, however, a new category of warship was formulated in order to classify more modern designs of revolutionary vessels; those were the new class of fast-moving capital ships, the **Multirole Battleships**.

Previously never tested, the idea of a craft capable of launching every possible weaponry available at its enemies, whilst still maintaining cohesion through speed and sheer protection values was only an Utopia for the ship designers of the Eternal Empire. An Utopia that, in the latter half of the 23rd. Century, became a eye-catching reality, with the construction of the first class of Multirole Battleships; the Retribution-class. With the advancement of time, its first exemplary, the HMS Hood, was proof that such kinds of design could work in the Eternal Empire, being, at the very least, commerce raiders. It became a strong background for boosting newer designs of Multirole Battleships, which were only requested and introduced in the 24th. Century, by order of the Eternal Empire's highest authorities in the military. Finally adapted to conventional modern warfare, the Empress-class was designed between 2310 and 2315, bigger, heavier, tougher in relation to its nimble predecessor.

> *"My response lays deeply within Dyss territory, the stage where the **Battle of the High Seas** took place. No matter how stubborn may I be, my opinion is that the Multirole Capital ship kind is a dead ship kind. Commodore Darjeeling [Evergarden of Emala], despite her recent retirement - And secret adoration of the new class -, agrees to my somewhat negative, but realistic comment. What they [Naval Designers] added in sheer size and brutality is certainly a compensation for what they lack between their legs…"*
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> -Admiral of the Black Storm, referring to the introduction and personal offer for captainship of the Empress Multirole Battleship, 2315-
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Despite the considerable upgrade, many officers and lower ranks who served in previous vessels of the Retribution-class - like famous Admiral Enos Mackleburry - came to criticize the new design as a waste of resources, as they argued that the Multirole Battleships were already outdated, even before the new class could enter the battlefield and prove itself in combat.

Apart from being a logical evolution of the Retribution-class, the newer Multirole Battleship presented a very fatal flaw in its ultimate construction; Cost. The building of a single craft of the class was equivalent of two other modern Line Battleships, something that, ultimately, would be proven vital, especially after the destruction of the Armada in Aasha, and the fierce battle years later in orbit of New Earth. The adaptive characteristics of the class, along with its variety of weaponry and operators, made repairs and updates a costly hustle to conclude, making the vessels flexible in battle conditions, but slow when in peacetime and repairing situations came to bear their times.

## **Ship Characteristics**

Unlike previous intentions of Multirole Battleships, the Empress and her sister ships were drawn up to fulfill the role of support vessels, acting as vanguards, escorts and even landing ships for specialized troops. It's dimensions are a clear sign of her capabilities, but also falter in comparison to other heavier designs, like Commonwealth's Archon-class Heavy Dreadnought.

* **Length**: 3.2 Kilometers
* **Height**: 451 Meters
* **Width**: 390 Meters

In defensive measures, the class is a certain evolution when compared to its predecessor. The vessels accommodate a **2nd. Class Spiteful Shield Capacitor**, which was heavily influenced by extradimensional theories and proved quite effective at shielding against kinetic projectiles, especially during the Battle of Aasha, where the vessels came dangerously close to Ortus, before inevitably succumbing to concentrated ground fire. In addition, the class is armoured by 3.5 meters of Reinforced Durantium, capable of deflecting fire from even the heaviest of Commonwealth cruisers.

### **Crew**

* **4364** Deckers, sailors and shipwrights.
* **1500** Utility Systems and Automated Robots.
* **568** Royal Marines Most utilized for defence or expeditions outside of the vessel, they are specialized in combat and represent the standard defensive unit inside the vessel.
* **188** Pilots and Repairmen. Most know to operate and maintain the Fighter Squadrons within the ship.

### **Propulsion**

* **1 1st. Generation Merlon Interbiome Sublight Engine**. This experimental machinery is the backbone of movement in the vessel, yet it is prone to breaking under stress.
* **3 Mk.IX SEBP Auxiliary Engine Afterburners**.
* **1** **FTL Jump Engine**.
* **2** **Rolls Roice Experimental Reactor**. One found in the ship's waist, powering the engines, whilst other in the center, providing power for shields, armaments and other casual uses of electrical power.

### **Additional Support Systems & Equipment**

The Empress-class - Likewise the previous Multirole class - presents in its administrative grounds 3 main sections; The **Bow Section**, the **Home Section** and the **Stern Section**. All these groups divide up the ship and the crew to better organise and improve the ship's efficiency, both during combat and logistical issues alike. The officers responsible for controlling these sections carry the title of **Section Officer**, and usually there is only one posted in a ship's section, additionally, they are the highest ranking official operating outside of the Command Bridge.

* 6 Artificial Gravity Generators (2 set up around each Section).
* 2x 30\*30 Meters Medical Bay (On each level of the vessel).
* 1200 crew quarters (On each section, plus +500 on the Home Section).
* 4\*5 Meters Captain's Quarter.
* 100\*120 Meters Command Bridge.
* 75\*800 Meters Storage Space.
* 1000 Scarlet Rifles Mk.II (Counting Royal Marines, otherwise utilised by common Crew).

60 months of food and other maintenance supplies.

### **Weaponry & Aircraft**

Due to its Multirole nature, the warships of the class present a multitude of weapons; some fittet for space vessels, others for space structures, and even a collection of anti-aircraft defensive weapons for short-range offensives. Like proven by the HMS Hood, a variety of offensive capabilities can be a decisive factor for the survival of the vessel, yet the Empress-class lacks the most powerful weapon when comparing to the previous class, the Bow Disintegrator. It is speculated, that if the newer ships included such blasters, the costs of construction would rise astronomically, and it would be likely that other powerful nations, like the Commonwealth, would eventually utilize it against the Empire itself in battle or against civilian populations.

* **15x** **90' Inch Primary Laser Cannons** - Backbone of the Ship's arsenal. Alone, it can stand out in a duel with even the most advanced of enemy vessels, a true weapon of mass destruction, yet not the biggest one ever fitted on an Imperial warship. 90 crew members are required to operate it at its highest potential.
* **24x** **38' Inch Secondary Laser Cannons** - These guns are capable of keeping most enemy vessels away, presenting the biggest range of fire of the ship and proving to be a great defensive weapon against screen crafts.
* **18x** **28' Inch Tertiary Laser Cannons** - Third-rate defensive capability, usually designed for shore bombardment and ground troop support whilst in the atmosphere, but it also proves itself as a decent high caliber PD laser.
* **22x** **High Velocity Guided Torpedoes** - Weapons capable of penetrating armour and provoke high damage to shielding. If fired in salvos, it can prove devastating, but it's range lacks severely in comparison to other weapons.
* **60x** **Broadsiding High Explosive Rockets** - High Velocity Unguided Explosive rockets, can unleash crippling blows to closer vessels and severally damage stationary structures. Great against armoured targets, but fares poorly against shielded enemies.
* **390x 17' Inch Anti-fighter Mounted Guns** - Collection of small caliber PD Weaponry, mostly designed to counter Commonwealth's mass strikes and missile barrages. Usually requires 5 to 8 Crew members to operate.
* **31x Tempest Fighter Aircraft**
* **29x Meteor Fighter Aircraft**
* **18x Thunderous Fighter Aircraft**
* **16x** **Swordfish Naval Aircraft**