Courageous Class Battleship

**This article, Courageous Class Battleship, was written by Cornish Moose. It may be linked to any page without asking for the author's permission.**

## Courageous class Battleship

Departmento Cartographicae pict-file of the Argos, a notable member of the Courageous class.

## Production and Service

### Manufacturer

Various Mechanicus shipyards, including Mars' Ring of Iron

### Used by

Various, notable examples include the Nemean Lions and Onyx Phoenixes Astartes Chapters

### Conflicts

Medean Crusade, 13th Black Crusade, Indomitus Crusade

## Specifications

### Crew

350,000 - 3,650,000
(dependant on vessel and level of automation)

### Length

~14km (Tranche one)
~10.5km (Tranche two)
~11km (Tranche three)
~11.5km (Tranche four)

*Note: Examples of recovered vessels with differing dimensions have been documented*

### Maximum speed

Exact figure unknown, capable of matching smaller capital ships

### Standard armament

Macrocannons, Lances, Torpedoes, Nova cannons, Laser Defense Grid

### Optional armament

Galloglach/Rift cannons, Stasis torpedoes (rarely fitted after first tranche)

*Feel free to create ships to use in your own articles. If you let me know I will add them to the notable vessels list.*

The ***Courageous Class Battleship*** was the designation given to a line of powerful warships, originally produced during the Great Crusade as task force flagships. As the crusade was increasingly dispersed across the length and breadth of the galaxy, it was noted that there was a lack of large combat/support vessels to assign to the myriad task forces and smaller fleets. The number of Gloriana class vessels was too low and their construction too lengthy and resource intensive to expand the line further to fill this shortfall. The Courageous class was conceived as a cheaper, easier to build line which ditched much of the Archeotech and advanced technology of the Glorianas to create a vessel which was overall less efficient and potent, but much faster to produce and nonetheless a capable combat vessel, able to hold large stores of supplies, repair facilities and troops. The Courageous class was highly successful at the time of its production, with many vessels produced. Heavy losses during the Horus Heresy dramatically curtailed their numbers however and the loss of much of the knowledge to produce them and the stagnation that followed meant that most of the survivors fell into disuse, with the class falling into obscurity soon after. Several millennia later, a number of warships began to be salvaged by the Imperium of Man from Space Hulks and newly discovered wrecks from battles past. Lacking the original class and designation thanks to the loss or corruption of the relevant records, these have been designated Courageous class, based on a partial data file on a vessel which is comparable to their length and tonnage. Courageous class vessels are typically between 9-14km in length and boast impressive equipment and armament, and as such are of great interest to the Adeptus Mechanicus when discovered.

After extensive studies of these recovered vessels, a decision was made to design and build new vessels based upon the newly collated data. To distinguish them, this class has been designated the Courageous Tyrannis class.

## Background

ADEPTUS MECHANICUS ARCHIVES DATABASE

LOAD

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!!! CREDENTIALS REQUIRED !!!

USERNAME:TV763-45-1995

PASSWORD:\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

SECOND PASSWORD:\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

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+++CLEARANCE: Magenta

+++DATE: 205.M38

+++RED NN. 478429-8

+++BY: Logis Agni Siphonorae, Adeptus Mechanicus

+++SUBJECT: Warship, Unknown classification

ACCESS GRANTED, LOGIS

+++CONTENTS+++

*Magos,*

*I have completed my analysis of the warship's specifications and cross-referenced the archives. As expected, the ship matches no current records and therefore we must comply with directive Om//:MM-1657393758274764746746470000000000767348973578683479832786348793484738747348734874387347487348734897/B/47629-2 and classify the vessel as Courageous class. Find attached a record of my analysis along with my evaluation of possible repairs to make the ship void-worthy once more. The Artisan's estimates suggest at least 100 solar years to effect these.*

*(reference file ++TMA/205.623.UV.++)*

*Ave Omnissiah!*

*I am ever your faithful servant,*

*Agni Siphonorae,*

*Logis, Adeptus Mechanicus*

<ref number>, Logoff, Back, <RETURN>, or Help:

Logoff█

### Origins

When naval vessels are recovered by Imperial forces; during investigations of Space Hulks, scouring of ancient battlefields or re-emerging after Warp shenanigans, they are typically sent to a Forge World for repairs and examination. Due to the passage of time, sometimes ten millennia or more, the Mechanicus cannot always identify what the original class of the vessel was, so they assign a new class based on identifiers such as the vessels length and tonnage, armament or combat purpose. The Courageous class is the designation given to vessels larger than a Retribution class but smaller than a Gloriana, between 9-14km in length. Such warships boast massively thick armour and void shields as well as incredibly powerful weaponry. The origin of this designation is a partial file located deep within Mechanicus archives, which holds a few scant details on the original vessel beyond the name and basic dimensions. Ironically, many of these vessels are indeed members of the original Courageous class line, though the modern Imperium will likely never being able to definitively confirm this for themselves.

## Original Use

The original Courageous class was a vessel of its era. Designed as a fleet flagship and support vessel, boasting impressive arsenals but also massive hangars and storage facilities, everything you need for long term detached campaigns. Designs varied significantly between Forge Worlds, as each vessel was a built to a set of specifications rather than a unified project. Thanks to their position and duty in exterminating the most dangerous of the Emperor's enemies, the Dark Angels acquired a large proportion of these vessels but they saw widespread use throughout the twenty Legions and the wider crusade. A sizeable number saw detached service as flagships of task forces dispatched to the fringes of the galaxy, a notable example being the *Anabasis* assigned to Taskforce Onyx, which was lost alongside them when they vanished into the Ghoul Stars.
Losses in the Horus Heresy and Scouring left few Courageous class vessels still operational and this number continued to dwindle as the needs of the Astartes transitioned to the smaller Battle Barges and Strike Cruisers with the splitting of the Legions into Chapters. The vessels also lacked the bombardment cannons and dedicated Exterminatus weaponry of Battle Barges, something that was increasingly deemed important as campaigns where a single ship would be dispatched became more commonplace. By the 33rd Millennium the class had been all but lost and forgotten by the wider Imperium, with only partial records surviving and a handful of examples hidden away in mothballed reserve fleets.

### Design

Though the vessels varied somewhat between shipyards, the Courageous class followed a base specification provided to the various Forge Worlds. This specification called for a vessel that was intended to operate as a flagship, a dreadnought without equivalent amongst those it faced. In addition to this combat prowess, it would also be able to act as a fleet support vessel, with large hangar bays and a formidable squadron support capability. Armour was prioritised over speed, the vessels intended for slugging it out in battle lines rather than chasing down raiders. Despite this, the nature of its massive propulsion engines meant that it could still keep pace with its escort fleets, once its sluggish acceleration caught up. A particularly useful feature for the Legiones Astartes was the expansive internal bays dedicated to troop housing and equipment. These could be easily modified to form the basis for a mobile command centre or Fortress-Monastery. Vessels assigned to the Armada Imperalis often used these spaces to set up foundries to supply ammunition and fighters while deployed away from supply lines.

#### "Mars" & "Lucius" Patterns

While the class was never truly homogenous to begin with, thanks to deviations between shipyards in their construction efforts, the variants had been similar enough to come under the same pattern during the first and second tranches. However after the mixed performance of the second tranche, a more distinct split began to appear, with two parallel philosophies developing. Mars dutifully began design and construction of a new variant, which followed the same basic hull as the second tranche, using their skills to accommodate the additional systems required to fully achieve the intended goals of the second tranche in the third with only minimal enlargement. A group of Forge Worlds centred around Lucius however, argued that a larger vessel would ease the difficulties of fitting these systems on board and allow the new tranche to increase its repair facilities and hangar spaces. Thus the *Lucius pattern* (as it became known) was created, a design with larger dimensions than it's predecessor, which also boasted greater repair facilities and larger hangars and similar combat effectiveness, while being significantly easier to produce and still much more effective than a regular Battleship in both battle and command roles. While Mars was not happy with this perceived slight on their design, they begrudgingly accepted that their *Mars pattern* vessel would be limited to only the sophisticated shipyards, almost all clustered around Sol itself.
Ironically the Lucius pattern version of the third tranche would prove to be the more successful in the long run, as more examples have survived into the current era, likely due to being more durable. When the fourth tranche was started, a Lucius pattern was likewise created in parallel, though it would prove less effective than its predecessor.

#### Weapons

Vessels of the Courageous class are well equipped with large batteries of Macrocannons, Lances and Nova cannons, as well as smaller armaments. The vast majority of them were not given the exotic weaponry available to the Mechanicus at its peak, as this went against the premise of an easier and quicker vessel to construct. A select few were however retrofitted during their service with more esoteric weaponry, including rift cannons and stasis torpedoes, weapons that can rip tears in reality and affect the chronology of their foes. A Laser Defense Grid provided point defence, bolstered by a network of smaller flak turrets. They also carried large air wings of strike craft.

#### Void Shields

The Void shields of Courageous class were formidable, consisting of many overlapping layers powered by the impressive reactors the ships housed. When combined with the thick hull armour, the ships could withstand incredible punishment.

#### Propulsion

While the ship's massive bulk made it sluggish to manoeuvre and accelerate, the sheer power of its multiple engines meant it could reach impressive speeds and keep pace with escort vessels.

### Tranches

The original Courageous class is subdivided into 4 sub-variants or 'Tranches', with each variant being progressively simpler to produce as the scope of their usage expanded and greater numbers were required.

* **First Tranche** - Constructed at the void docks of Terra and Mars, some under the supervision of the Saturnine Dominion, the first Courageous class vessels were retroactively defined as Tranche One. Conflicting ideas and many unknowns pushed the design down a chaotic path, resulting in a highly experimental warship. It is said that no two ships of the first class were quite the same. The tranche was united primarily by the fact that all of the vessels would be equipped with Theta Plasma Drives, and the majority would be fitted with Gallogach canons.
The vessels would suffer from a 'jack of all trades, master of none' design philosophy, and were ultimately ill-suited for the job expected of them. Their broadside was mediocre for a vessel of their size, though this was somewhat offset by an impressive void wing complement. The ships boasted incredible shield strength and surprising speed, as the Theta class Plasma Drives could sustain considerably more energy output than was demanded. Its armour, while compromised due to its support systems, was surprisingly durable, something that was further improved by the common installation of Archeotech alloys that were self repairing.
By the time that the Great Crusade had expanded beyond the Sol system, the first tranche had ceased production and new designs were drawn up to be constructed across a larger array of void docks. It was decided that the design needed a radical overhaul to fulfil the original vision of the class. A standardised schematic was needed, and enough had been learned already to guide the next generation.

* **Second Tranche** - The second tranche of the Courageous Class was an attempt to standardise the design of the class and address the shortcomings of the first vessels. In some respects the designers were very successful, producing a largely uniform line of vessels with impressive combat potential, and trimming several kilometres off the length in doing so. It boasted firepower that surpassed in many ways that of its predecessor (at least those not fitted with exotic weapons), particularly in long range turreted weaponry. While the void wing was substantial, it was comparatively lacking due to smaller hangars. Another downside was that, despite still boasting a Theta Plasma Drive, the greater demands placed upon this drive by the removal of back-up power sources to save space meant that the vessel could only muster an under-powered void shield while other systems were active, and improving the strength of the hull would degrade the speed and manoeuvrability of the vessel. To remain effective, commanders were required to micromanage their power systems, shifting the supply between the shields, engines and weapons during combat. As a result, the ships required not only a massively oversized command crew but also a highly competent captain who could judge the right moment to shift power into a broadside or reinforce the shields against incoming fire. This judgement, both good and bad, was the deciding factor in a number of victories and defeats.
Ironically the attempt to both standardise and streamline the design of the class was the downfall of the second tranche, as the specifications decided upon were too specialised and the number of shipyards capable of meeting these exacting standards was so slim that the production line was severely bottle-necked. With the Great Crusade moving to a new stage, spreading far and wide through hundreds of expeditions, construction needed to be expanded not contracted. This was compounded by a growing scarcity amongst key pieces of Archeotech which were needed to construct the vessel. The final nail in its coffin was a number of losses caused by inexperienced and over confident captains. A small number of the vessels would continue to be built but focus rapidly switched to the upcoming third tranche.

* **Third Tranche (Mars pattern)** - As the shortcomings of the second tranche became apparent, the designers began putting together the plans for a third tranche that could address these issues. This tranche would be typified by its comparative ease of construction and lesser reliance on rare and exotic systems which had slowed and complicated the previous two tranches. This new unified designed was less rigid in actual specifics, focusing more on the systems and overall stats. This allowed the large shipyards in the Imperium to adjust the design slightly to accommodate their own manufacturing capabilities while still producing a ship that met the requirements and was familiar to existing captains. While the overall vessel was slightly larger than the previous iteration thanks to the reliance on bulkier but simpler systems, this proved to be a strength, as the extra internal volume enabled the fitment of an energy recapture system around the heat exchange of the Theta Plasma Drive. On the previous designs, this excess heat was wasted into the void and resulted in a lower output. A similar design was seen on the larger Glorianas around their unique drives, but prior to this tranche there had not been sufficient space to fit one to Theta Plasma Drive. This improved output was a significant improvement and ironically at a stroke solved the bulk of the issues that had plagued the previous tranche. The extra size also allowed for the true fulfilment of the original premise of a combat/support vessel that could support a fleet via repair and replenishment as well as acting as the flagship. Indeed the vessels boasted not only greater storage areas for parts and docking facilities but also a small manufactorum capable of building new components from raw materials. S a result the vessels were capable of refitting damaged or wrecked vessels, a great boon to maintaining the strength of a fleet.
The third tranche enjoyed the longest career of the Courageous class overall, serving for most of the Great Crusade, the following turmoil of the Horus Heresy and for a few centuries afterwards at least. As a result of this it is (particularly the Lucius pattern) one of the most commonly recovered hulks in the time of the later Imperium, albeit the odds of finding one with an intact plasma drive are even rarer still.
* **Third Tranche (Lucius pattern)** - Developed in parallel with it's smaller cousin, this design was significantly less effective than the Mars pattern tranche three or the preceding tranche two but also much easier to build. In order to increase the number of shipyards which could build these important flagships, the Forge World of Lucius created a new design which took an alternate philosophy to that of Mars. Rather than advanced and complicated manufacturing techniques to decrease the size of components to retain the capabilities in the existing frame, they increased the size of the vessel to allow larger and less sophisticated systems to be used instead, enabling the less advanced shipyards to build the vessels. The support facilities were enlarged and improved thanks to the greater volume, and the manufactorum expanded. Due to its easier construction, and ability to be built in much less advanced shipyards, this was the most widely constructed vessel, built in sizeable numbers.

* **Fourth Tranche (Mars pattern)** - While the second and third tranches had largely perfected the design, as the Great Crusade reached its zenith the demands for yet more vessels continued to grow. With the production of the Theta class Plasma Drive continuing to be a roadblock in the production of new vessels, the Magi of the Adeptus Mechanicus began drawing up plans for a vessel which could utilise the comparatively easier to produce drives fitted to conventional battleships and cruisers. Since a larger conventional drive would need to be fitted to come close to matching the output of the Theta class Drive, the vessel's size needed to be enlarged once more to accommodate this. Any remaining Archeotech was likewise removed and replaced with other systems, so that the vessels would finally be truly unrestricted, able to be built at any shipyard that could produce a conventional warship, as long as it was large enough. The fourth tranche was resultantly larger and less efficient again, though this was partly offset by further adaptability. Some of the extra internal space was utilised to incorporate larger underside docking facilities, which were capable of storing a destroyer sized vessel. This, combined with the retention of the manufactorum (albeit a even smaller and less efficient one), meant that the vessel maintained most of the support ability of the previous tranche.
 While this new version was intended to built in large numbers, easier to build and could be built in any shipyard, it ironically only ended up being built in fairly limited numbers. In part this was due to the fact that those shipyards that were able to build the third tranche continued to do so. The primary reason for the low numbers however was the outbreak of the Horus Heresy shortly afterward production began, which curtailed any further production and it was not restarted after The Scouring due to the changing focus of the Imperium. Thus this variant is the rarest to see in M41, though also the most likely to be seen at full strength, thanks to its easy to repair/replace components.
* **Fourth Tranche (Lucius pattern)** - As before this was developed in parallel with it's smaller cousin, though this time the reasoning had changed somewhat. The intention of this version being to build a vessel that could match the combat capabilities of the second and third tranches, as the *Mars pattern* was considerably inferior in terms of firepower and shielding due to the less efficient drive systems. In order to maintain parity in capabilities, the vessel had to be significantly larger, some records suggesting as much as five kilometres longer. As a result the vessel was beyond the capabilities of most of the shipyards it had been intended for, ironically running contrary to the entire design reasoning of the previous *Lucius pattern* design. Nonetheless it was finished and a number of vessels built, though in even smaller numbers than the rest of the tranche. One advantage of the Lucius pattern was that the dock space was even more impressive, capable of docking a specially designed light cruiser along with two destroyer sized vessels, thus being able to effectively carry around its own escort group.

## Repurposed Designation

In the years following the fall to obscurity of the class in the 33rd Millennium, the once vaunted name Courageous was relegated to a deeply buried data file in a Mechanicus archive, which had degraded until only the name and broad specifications were decipherable. There it remained and likely would have been lost entirely, had not an event occurred which prompted the file to be viewed. Large vessels of unknown classification began to be discovered, vomited out of the warp as part of Space Hulks or towed in from ancient battlefields by Rogue Traders and other scavengers. The Tech-Adepts of the Mechanicus turned to their archives for guidance and discovered the Courageous class file. While it was badly corrupted, it still held a few details which matched those of the rediscovered ships, so it was therefore decided to use this designation to label these vessels, since no more suitable name for them existed.

### Requirements

As per the remaining information within the file, to meet this designation the recovered vessel must be between 9-16km long and fit the basic profile of an enlarged and elongated Retribution class Battleship. The other details are more flexible, thanks to the lost data and the fact that the state of repair the vessels are in varies wildly. Some are near pristine, bristling with weaponry and equipment that baffles the Tech-Adepts that survey them, others are little more than hulks requiring a complete rebuild and fitting of current-era weaponry and equipment. While the majority of the recovered vessels are ironically genuine examples of the original class, there are also a number of unique warships that have also been added due to broadly meeting the requirements.

### Weapons

A typical recovered Courageous class ship is outfitted with the same weaponry as a lesser Imperial Battleship, albeit in increased quantities. They often have generous hangar capacity and are equipped accordingly with large strikecraft wings. An extremely rare handful boast more advanced technology such as Rift cannons and Stasis torpedoes, though these vessels are almost universally stolen or stripped for extensive study by the local Forge World. Some vessels have retained a working Laser Defense Grid, though most have gaps in their coverage that need to be covered by conventional weapons.

### Void Shields

Strong void shields are an almost universal feature amongst these vessels, either before or after being repaired. Since they are priceless relics, all measures are taken to ensure they survive combat so often these are reinforced further.

### Propulsion

The majority of the recovered ships feature underwhelming acceleration and speed thanks to the lack of the knowledge necessary to repair/replace missing or damaged engines and plasma drives. As a result less efficient modern engines or drives are typically fitted as replacements. The resultant vessels are typically slow, sluggish ships that hinder their fleets until combat ranges are reached. Only a few still possess their original powerplants in serviceable conditions.