Crusader-Class Battleship

## Offensive and defensive specs

### Armament

1 100cm coil gun, 8 70mm guns in 4 double turrets, 2 35mm turret in 1 double turret, 6 10mm point-defense guns, 65 crusader missile pods

## General information

### Power system(s)

1 nuclear fission reactor (Later 1 fusion reactor)

## Overview

Commissioned in 77 DoS the Crusader was the first true capital ship of the Grand Duchy. Built to enforce the Grand Duchies will in the far reaches of Julitharian space.

## History

### Early life

15 were built in their original run but in 101 DoS the Grand Duchy found themselves at war with the Cantium. Well the Grand Duchy had more powerful ships then the Cantium, they could simply be outnumber. More Crusaders were commissioned for the war effort. However a large amount were lost as many were sent out on near suicidal missions to buy time for the Antiquity class to be complete. In August of 103 DoS the Cantium launched a blitz into Julitharian territory and 7 Crusaders were lost in the defense with a further 3 crippled. By the end of the war 22 were lost or so heavily damaged that they had to be scrapped, well the newly finished line of Antiquity cruisers hadn't suffered a single casualty (outside of 2 lost during construction). Following this the remaining 10 were put into long range patrol and assumed that they would serve the remainder of their life their.

### Mid life

Over the next 234 years the council tossed around the idea of fully scrapping their remaining ships but having more capital ships was something they wished to have in their back pocket. In 127 DoS the Antiquity class was put into the reserves and it was brought up retiring the remaining Crusaders (3 had been decommissioned over engine issues at this time). But the lighter repair costs of the Crusader kept them from being fully pulled. In 147 DoS the Grand Duchy commissioned the Nightmare Class Dreadnought and it once again seemed like the Crusader was going to be fully scraped. Being over 200 years old and now with 5 fully decommissioned ships it seemed fate was sealed for the Crusader class. However the council decided to let the remaining 5 run the course of their lives out in the outer most fleets.

### Grey fleet crisis

In 151 DoS the Grey Fleet crisis began and the Crusaders were going to be brought up to the front line to reinforce the Grand Duchy's fleet numbers. However upon seeing the Mass Alliance's Everest class dreadnoughts the council decided to keep them far away from their front line, under the belief that the Crusader line would not look intimidating enough and make their rivals believe that the Nightmare's were in short supply where as they outnumbered the remaining Crusaders. The 5 remaining Crusaders would be sent to the Omeme and Sho'ma system.

### Serpent war

In 177 DoS the Serpent war broke out, the Grand Duchy initially stayed out of the war until the battle of the Shield where the Mass Alliance lost their capital and it was decided that the Grand Duchy could no longer stand at the side lines. The remaining 5 Crusaders were sent in to help in the war effort. All but one would be loss over the course of the war. The remaining ship was the Warden which was heavily damaged and couldn't return to port under her own power. Following this she was almost scuttled twice as the crew feared they wouldn't be able to make it to port and had to be assisted by Mass Alliance Peller tug boats. The crew was unsure if the Mass Alliance was interested in helping them or wanted a look at the ships interior. However they were brought to port and allowed to repair.

### Post war

Following the end of the Serpent war the Warden, the only remaining Crusader left, returned to the Grand Duchy and was made a museum ship.

## Cost

Construction price: 33,705,000 Duchies

Armor cost: 16,852,500 Duchies

Weapon cost: 87,664,120 Duchies

Internal systems cost: 17,000,000 Duchies

Total cost: 155,221,620 Duchies