UNS Mors

The **UNS *Mors* (C-109)** is a fictional warship that appears in the *Foxtrot: Foxes in Arms* series. It is a modified *Sverdlov*-class light cruiser currently in service with the Urocyan Imperial Naval Forces and periodically serves as a command ship.

## Characteristics

### General Description

The *Mors* is a fictional warship, but the design of the ship is a modified *Sverdlov*-class, or Project 68bis, light cruiser that was built for the Soviet Navy in the 1950s; the last conventional gun cruisers built for them. Based on some of the real specs, the ship is 210 meters (689 ft 0 in) long overall and 205 meters (672 ft 7 in) long at the waterline, has a beam of 22 meters (72 ft 2 in) and draft of 6.9 meters (22 ft 8 in). The *Mors* appears to be based on members of the class that were converted to command cruisers, so would've had a standard displacement of 14,350 tons and then 17,890 tons fully loaded. *Mors* is powered by six boilers and propelled by two geared steam turbines driving two shafts. Overall power output is around 118,100 shaft horsepower (88,100 kW). This gave the ships a maximum speed of 32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph), and the ship would have a range of 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). Given her modernizations, the *Mors* has a crew of around 900.

### Armaments

*Mors'* armaments are quite different from the original *Sverdlov*-class design given her modernizations and modifications since construction. The primary armaments consists of nine 152 mm (6 in)/57 cal B-38 guns mounted in three triple Mk5-bis turrets, as opposed to the original twelve guns in four turrets, with the guns being able to shoot 6.5 rounds a minute at a maximum range of 30,215 meters, or 18.77 miles. The ship had a refit that saw much of the original armaments removed and new ones added, crossing western and Soviet systems into one unified platform. The secondary armament consists of four single-mounted 100 mm (3.9 in) dual purpose naval guns with a rate of fire of 78 rounds a minute and range of between 6,000 to 12,000 meters (3.7-7.46 miles), believed to be based on a French design. One set of secondary guns was removed to make way for a pair of quad launchers for MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles, which can strike targets around 120 miles (200 km) away. The ship is also armed with a single twin-mounted ZIF-122 4K33 "Osa-M" surface-to-air missile launcher armed with "Romb" missiles, or the SA-8 Gecko for defense against aircraft to ranges up to 500 km (310 mi). For point defense, eight AK-630 30 mm Gatling guns provide the last line of defense for the ship with a 10,000-round rate of fire and a maximum range of 5,000 m (16,000 ft).

### Armor

*Mors* is a light cruiser and has some armor in places, though the armor isn't as thick as a battleship. She has 100 mm (3.9 in) of belt armor and a 50 mm (2.0 in) armored deck. The main gun turrets were shielded by 175 mm (6.9 in) armor and the conning tower, by 150 mm (5.9 in) armor.

## History

### Origins

Much of the ship's history prior to the series is unknown, but it is known that the cruiser was likely built sometime in the 1950s and served the Soviet Navy for an indeterminant time. By the 1990s, the ship had been decommissioned, and later sold to Urocyia. It spent several years undergoing an extensive modernization and modification overhaul before undergoing trials and being placed in active service.

### Urocyan Services in the 21st Century

By 2000, the ship had been placed in active service with the Urocyan Navy being named *Mors*. Much of her service life after being commissioned was relatively quiet, though when Urocyia made the transition from a republic to an empire under Arian Torres, the new Imperial cruiser would see quite a bit of active service, being modified to periodically serve as a command ship. She operated with the newly created Imperial fleet and was even given her own surface action group.

#### Conflicts with America

As Urocyia began annexing territories in its quest to become the sole ruling body of the world, these attempts were met with international condemnation, though not many were willing to step in fearing a war would break out, though Congress in the United States authorized the use of military action to stall Urocyia and hopefully bring them to their senses, especially after the country had been given an ultimatum but did not stop.

The *Mors* and her battlegroup was stationed at a joint Urocyan military base at a remote atoll in the middle of the ocean along with other members of her battlegroup; three destroyers and four frigates. The flotilla was still in port when a fleet of US Navy ships and aircraft conducted an assault on the base to stall Urocyan activities in the area. Initially caught unawares, the Urocyan forces promptly began a counter attack. Several of the ships still docked at the base, including the *Mors*, aided in the defense of the base by launching missiles against attacking forces and utilizing their CIWS to destroy enemy missiles before they could strike their targets. However, the Urocyan base was still taking quite a bit of damage and incurring a number of casualties.

In a retaliatory strike, the *Mors* battlegroup managed to get underway while a number of ships still in port had been hit and damaged. After expending the last of her anti-ship missiles, *Mors* would end up finding herself within main gun range of the American battleship *Missouri*, which had been pounding the base with her big guns in the shore bombardment role. *Mors*' captain decided he'd do what damage he could and managed to close the distance enough for his cruiser's 6 in (152 mm) guns to be effective. Meanwhile, Arthur Snow, captain of the *Missouri*, gave orders to engage the cruiser and her supporting ships. At a range of about 14 miles (22.53 km), the two ships engaged in an artillery duel. Several 16 in (406 mm) rounds from the *Missouri* hit the *Mors*, causing severe damage and nearly rendering her inoperable. In turn, the *Mors* also scored some hits on the battleship, causing minor damage and limited casualties. Shrapnel from one of the 6 in shells from the *Mors* even injured Sewell Snow, Arthur's younger brother who was also serving aboard *Missouri* during this engagement. Ultimately, while the *Mors* and her task group valiantly fought in defense of the base, the damage suffered caused the ship, being assisted by a surviving destroyer and frigate, had to back down. After exiting the combat area, the *Mors* managed to make it back to mainland Urocyia for repairs, while the Americans would ultimately win the battle and disrupt Urocyan operations in the area.

With tensions between the US and Urocyia rising, work was made to repair the *Mors*' battle damage. The work took several weeks, and was soon back in the water just in time for Operation Tidal Wave, during which she would serve as a command ship for high-ranking officers to coordinate with Imperial forces in several different areas at once.

## Trivia

* The ship gets its name from the Roman mythological figure Mors, who is a personification of Death itself.
* *Mors* is based on real Soviet *Sverdlov*-class cruisers that were refitted as command ships prior to retirement.
	+ Specifically, the Soviet cruisers *Zhdanov* and *Admiral Senyavin* serve as the primary inspirations, with plenty of liberties being taken with the ship, including the use of French-designed weapons in the Urocyan modernization of the vessel.
* The C-109 designation style was inspired by those done by the British and Argentine navies, with the "C" standing for "cruiser".

## External Links

For the basis of the ship:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet\_cruiser\_Zhdanov

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet\_cruiser\_Admiral\_Senyavin\_(1952)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sverdlov-class\_cruiser