Knight Class

The vanguard of the Hydran Home Fleet, the Knight mounts a powerful Fusion Beam Emitter along the underside of her hull. This weapon is devastating, especially against exposed hulls, but cripplingly short ranged. This means the Knight relies on fast, slashing attacks; darting in firing Gatling Phasers, unleashing a Fusion Beam strike and pulling out to recharge the weapon and reinforce her shields. The Hydran Royal Navy has proven extremely adept at perfecting these tactics.

## Development

The traditional battle tactics of the Hydran Royal Navy were compared, by adversary and ally alike, to ancient cavalry charges (or, as the Captains of the Klingon Defence Force put it, "bringing a D'ktagh to a Disruptor Rifle fight, and winning). The Royal Navy focused on Destroyer-class warships, armed with the devastating Fusion Beam. This weapon, although powerful, was very short ranged, requiring warships armed with it to close to point-blank range. To this end, the Royal Navy deployed Gatling Phasers, weak but rapid firing Phasers, intended to suppress enemy defences as their warships closed to Fusion Beam range, and the Hellbore Cannon, a long ranged weapon particularly good at neutralising shields. The Heavy Cruisers of the Royal Navy were designed as specialised fire support ships, intended to fire volleys of Hellbore rounds to weaken the defences of enemy targets as the Destroyers advanced to deliver the killing, Fusion Beam blow.

Following this same ethos, the Knight Class was an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, design, with incremental improvements over earlier Destroyer designs. She featured high sublight speed, an underside mounted Fusion Beam Emitter and a trio of Hydran Type Gatling Phaser Emitters. Not as aggressively armed as Klingon or Lyran Destroyers, she featured stronger shielding than these designs, helping her to close to her targets. She entered service with the Hydran Royal Navy in 2252.

in 2282, shortly after the introduction of the Fusileer Hellbore Fighter, the Knight was refit to carry three of the Strike Fighters to act as her own fire support wing.

## Operational History

First seeing fleet combat during The Return and the subsequent Organian Conflict, the Knight and the tactics behind her use proved extremely effective, but somewhat rigid. Knight Class crews were renown for their bravery, but losses were somewhat high. The Paladin Class Destroyer Leader was introduced to try and reinforce Knight Flotillas (with the older Regent Class Light Cruiser proving unable to keep up with the fast Knights).

Against the forces of the Interstellar Concordium, Knights proved very effective, if they could hit the Echelon formation by surprise and avoid their fearsome Type I Plasma Torpedoes as they closed to Fusion Beam range.

During the General War of 2292, a Knight Destroyer Flotilla was sent by Monarch-Queen Emoleth III to aid the beleaguered Federation in the early days of the conflict. They helped to repel invading Klingon forces from Federation territory alongside the Gorn Royal Navy.

## Apocrypha

Despite her increasing age, the Knight remained an effective Destroyer, especially with her light Fighter complement, until the dawn of the 24th Century. Several proposals were put forward for a replacement, but none entered service before the end of Hydran independence. A Flotilla of Knights was present at the Battle of the Last Alliance in the Targreth System in 2323.

## Specifications

* **Class:** Destroyer
* **Hull Type Designation:** HDD
* **Length:** 218m
* **Crew:** 145
* **Warp Nacelles:** 2

* **Maximum Sublight Speed:** 4425 k/s (44.25 Mk/s)
* **Cruise** **Warp Factor Speed:** wf 7.4
* **Safe** **Maximum Warp Factor Speed:** wf 9.3
* **Hull Rating:** 210 HSF
* **Shield Rating:** 405 FSP

* **Sensor Rating:** 800 SRU

* **Armament and Equipment:**
	+ Primary
		- 3 × Hydran Type Gatling Phaser Emitter
	+ Secondary
		- None
	+ Heavy
		- 1 × Fusion Beam Emitter
	+ Advanced
		- None
	+ Equipment
		- Tractor Beam Emitter
		- Probes
		- 3 × Fusileer Hellbore Fighter

## Ships in Service (2292)

HMS Knight

HMS Chasseur

HMS Cavalier

HMS Dragoon

HMS Lancer

HMS Hussar

HMS Cataphract

HMS Gendarme

HMS Uhlan

HMS Cuirassier

HMS Cossack

HMS Horseman

HMS Grognard

HMS Gallant

HMS Heroic

HMS Charger

HMS Fearless

HMS Tartar

HMS Hacker

HMS Slicer

HMS Outrider

HMS Hunter

HMS Chaser

HMS Catcher

HMS Rapid

HMS Bandit

HMS Highwayman

HMS Trampler

HMS Smasher

HMS Carabiner

HMS Hobilar

HMS Horseguard

HMS Lifeguard

HMS Star

HMS Havock

HMS Daring

HMS Argent

HMS Hasty

HMS Dasher

HMS Banshee

HMS Fervent