Winter-Class Cruiser

HMGDS-Winter-Class-Cruiser

## Offensive and defensive specs

### Armament

2 250cm spinal mounted coils guns, 32 80mm cannons in 16 double turrets, 60 25mm point-defense guns in 30 double turret emplacements and 560 crusader missile pods

## Overview

Comissioned in 122 DoS by the Grand Duchy of Julithar the winter class was built to be as tough as they came, as harsh as winter and as deadly as a blizzard. Pushing the size of military cruisers and was the largest cruiser type in Aetherian aside from the Federation of Cathlium's Jerico class cruiser and wouldn't be beat until the Freeda class battle cruiser midway through the Serpent war.

Well few in number their size and firepower has put them near the top of all none-capital ship type craft. Its sheer size and internal space made it ideal for carrying large amounts of cargo and troops. Its also relatively fast for its size with its two massive fusion engines giving it a massive specific impulse far above any ship in its class. It would later inspire much of the design of the UCC's Defender class Heavy cruiser with a similar brick like shape and duel engine/duel coil gun set up.

## History

### Concept

After the Karadchia conflict in 126 DoS the Grand Duchy was riding high on a wave of renewed nationalism and the growing threat of the Mass Alliance Grand Duchies Remia Shaltara introduced a new spending plan to increase their naval power. Part of this spending plan was bigger cruisers to act as flag ships for their minor fleets. The initial plan was a more modern version of the Antiquity heavy cruiser but much smaller due to the intense cost of construction of those ships.

### Early production

The main goal of the Winter was to have a ship that could take a hit and return fire, as well as fit the new 250cm coil guns that were being developed. As such the Grand Duchy design department turned out an initial model that was very thin and quick, this design was rejected as not fitting the desired roll that Grand Duchies Remia Shaltara wanted. The design was reworked in order to be larger and stronger. Largely this was to impress the new rising star Lunaria Ellinia XIV who was already rumored to be the next Grand Duchies after Remia Shaltara. The first of the line, the HMGDS-Winter, would be laid down in 127 DoS and completed in 129 DoS along with her sister ship HMGDS-Blizzard.

### Late production

By 136 DoS the last of the Winter cruisers were complete just a year before Lunaria Ellinia XIV would be crowned. This final action would be the cement Remia Shaltara's legacy as a strong Duchies, however it would become more famous soon after in the Grey Fleet Crisis under Lunaria Ellinia XIV who'd use them to strike fear into the Mass Alliance and Republic of Judecen forces with their large size and intimidating fire power. Soon the Winter class would become more associated with the Nodachi Queen more so then its creator.

### Serpent war

In 177 DoS the Serpent war broke out and would soon pull all the nations of Aetherian into it, including the Grand Duchy. When the Grand Duchy entered the war they had not commissioned any additional Winter class cruisers, instead banking on the overwhelming numbers of Scar class destroyers and the recently recommissioned Antiquity class heavy cruiser. The Winter class proved more then adequate against Serpent's none capital ship. It had the ability to take a large hit and keep slugging. However this was largely due to its size rather then internal bracings and ablative armor and a dozen Winter cruisers were lost over the course of the conflict (lost in battle or returned to port and deemed beyond repair). Luckily their large size allowed them to evacuate crews and no ship of the class was lost with all hands.

## Cost

Construction price: 28,000,000 Duchies

Armor cost: 10,476,744.18 Duchies

Weapon cost: 1,250,880,000 Duchies

Internal systems cost: 12,520,000 Duchies

Total cost: 1,301,876,744.18 Duchies