Zhukov War Zeppelin

**Key Features** | »» Multiple coaxial anti aircraft guns»» Multi-celled rigid airship hull (x2)»» Gastroburner chemical dispenser»» Squadron of LaGG-68 interceptors»» Captain's chair (more comfortable than other chairs)

*"Enemy spotted behind that cloud! Helm to 105! Gun bays open, and alert the aerial squadron. We have the dogs now!"*

- Zhukov Airship captain
## Tactical Analysis

* **Power supreme:** The Zhukov is purpose built to destroy other airships, which shows in its armament. It has heavy flak cannons that can rip holes in other airships, and missile armed LaGG-68 interceptors to swat away slightly faster foes like helicopters.

* **No interruptions:** The Zhukov is built not only to dish out great amounts of punishment, but also to withstand it. The massive, twin-hulled airship is capable of keeping pace with your Kirovs, and can charge up and fire a Tesla cascade beam, dealing heavy damage to an aircraft before bouncing to another target, up to for times, for smaller aircraft and/or hardier heavy aircraft.

* **The Achilles heel:** Despite its formidable arsenal, the Zhukov has a few weaknesses; the flak cannons are too slow to track fast moving fighters, and the LaGG-68s aren't much better. Additionally, the Zhukov has no weapon systems capable of attacking ground targets; leave that to the Kirovs.

* **In-flight repairs:** Decorated Zhukov captains often use their pull to gain access to stores of 'Garroch' repair drones, to be used to repair nearby aircraft on the fly. These Zhukov captains often use that same influence to receive priority for stocks of the new vacuum shells for their cannons. And their Tesla beam is upgraded to induce EMP on hit, while not strong enough to completely shut down other zeppelins (only massively slow them down), lighter aircraft are completely knocked out, to crashing results.

## Background

For years, the Kirov Airship had reigned supreme as queen of the skies. No airplane came close to its size. But to the Soviets' chagrin, in recent years it seems every world power has a massive airship that challenges the Soviets' superiority not only in that area, but also in pride. To that end, the Politburo took the unusual step of intervening in Red Army matters by ordering Krasna Aerospace to stop work on new Kirovs (the backlog of half finished airships would mean losses would be replaced) to instead make a new airship. It would be unlike anything made before, and would ignite the imaginations of workers everywhere, enough to take their mind off degenerate Allied *"comic"* books and other fallacies. Though initially a propaganda venture, it was thought that the only thing better than making a larger airship than your enemies was to use your larger airship to blow up others.

To that end, Krasna worked feverishly on the problem. When the entire Politburo was invited to view the unveiling of the new airship (along with almost every camera in the Union), expectations were high. It is an understatement to say that these expectations were exceeded in every way. The new twin-hulled zeppelin was simply the largest thing to ever fly; so large, Krasna had to make its main hangar door larger just to let it out, and this hangar was designed to hold multiple Kirovs. Between the gas cells in the zeppelins, massive guns stood ready to blast any enemy slow enough to be caught by the large shells. Suspended between the hulls was the gondola was a bridge designed to easily control the monster, along with crew quarters and the Zhukov's secret weapon, a hangar.

Since early calculations determined that these alone might not win against a hypothetical foe, Krasna dipped into an old American concept of airship carried airplanes. They designed the LaGG-68 interceptor for this purpose alone, carrying nothing but air to air missiles and lacking any landing gear, instead using a ring built on the top to grab onto a hook that would carry them into the hangar. The whole airship was dubbed the **Zhukov War Zeppelin** after the great World War II general, and was sent on a tour of all Communist nations, though its crews were more eager to find a worthy foe.

The Zhukov had its chance to prove itself soon enough. An unknown airship announced its presence in Siberian airspace when it razed several remote outposts. When several fighter squadrons and Barrage Balloons dispatched to neutralise the threat failed to report back, the Soviets decided to send the Zhukov *"People's October"* to bring down this threat. After several days, the *"People's October"* finally encountered the unknown airship and engaged it in combat.

Over the course of the duel, the two airships circled and bombarded each other with their weapons. However, despite the unknown airship's strange energy weapons and technologies, the *"People's October"* had the edge with its LaGG-68 fighters, which destroyed the turrets and propulsion units of the unknown airship until it was crippled. Finally, a full salvo from the Zhukov was enough to send the damaged airship down, wreathed in smoke and flames. Later, ground forces sent to recover the strange airship's debris did not find any sign of it, leading the Soviets to believe the airship was completely destroyed somehow. The Zhukov had proven its worth beyond a doubt, and now the skies are dominated by these massive symbols of Soviet might.

## Behind the Scenes

The Zhukov may be based on Crimson Skies.