Pikeman Class

Built from highly modified Baron Class hull, the Pikeman Class sacrifices speed and manoeuvrability for firepower and defence. She is equipped with warp drive however (unlike some Monitors) in order to add flexibility to planetary defence forces; Pikeman Class Hellbore Monitors can be redeployed to a hot zone far quicker than mines can be constructed. Since being equipped with a single underslung Photon Cannon, armed with Proximity Shells, she is also a vital part of ACW (Anti-Cloak Warfare) Fleets, although her limited impulse speed does require faster ships to intercept the weakened enemy vessels caught in such hunts.

## Development

Much like long-lived Klingon "Wing and Boom" Heavy Cruisers beginning with the D3 LeTH (Sword) Class and continuing on through the latest refits of the D7C qItI'tinga' (Great Powerful Conqueror) Class and C7 Qo'noS (Kronos) Class, Hydran Heavy Cruiser design settled on basic planform in the 2170s and incrementally improved upon it ever since. Designed in the depths of the Great Exodus, the Baron Class was designed along the same principles as all previous Hydran Heavy Cruisers; to support the Royal Navy's Destroyer Flotillas with long-ranged Hellbore Cannon volleys.

After regrouping in the Lost Colonies, the then First Star Lord of the Hydran Royal Navy, Duke Ereototh, requested a study into the causes of the Hydran military collapse. The results of the study showed that whilst the Home Fleet engaged enemy strike fleets, smaller, faster groups evaded the main battle and threatened various Hydran worlds including Hydra herself. To ensure this never happened again, Duke Ereototh commissioned the design of a Hellbore Monitor; a ship with the power of a Dreadnought but (relatively) inexpensive enough to produce in sufficient numbers to protect vital strategic assets. The design was constantly modified with the latest technology and tactics in mind, finally entering service shortly after The Return.

## Operational History

The resulting Pikeman Class was brought into service in 2286 to protect the newly reclaimed homeworld, with subsequent Monitors being built to defend newly reclaimed worlds as the Royal Navy recovered the territory lost during the Great Exodus. She saw little action during the Organian Conflict, other than driving off a few Klingon D6S Maj'NuQ (War Scout) Class Scout Cruisers probing Hydran defences. During the War of Pacification however, the new Monitors proved invaluable, their long range firepower proving extremely troublesome to Interstellar Pacification Force vessels, although their low speeds meant they were unable to fully exploit this advantage.

She saw no action during the General War of 2292.

## Apocrypha

The Pikeman remained in service into the opening years of the 24th Century, although her low sublight and warp speeds proved to be increasingly problematic. Ultimately, even her formidable firepower was unable to avert the political turmoil and Imperial drive of the Romulan Star Empire and the Klingon Empire, and she served until the very last days of Hydran independence in 2323, with reports of Pikeman crews remaining at their posts and Pikeman Class Hellbore Monitors remaining at their assigned patrol points even in the face of overwhelming enemy forces.

## Specifications

* **Class:** Hellbore Monitor
* **Hull Type Designation:** HMH
* **Length:** 385m
* **Crew:** 440
* **Warp Nacelles:** 2

* **Maximum Sublight Speed:** 2000 k/s (20 Mk/s)
* **Cruise** **Warp Factor Speed:** wf 5.5
* **Safe** **Maximum Warp Factor Speed:** wf 6.6
* **Hull Rating:** 450 HSF
* **Shield Rating:** 580 FSP

* **Sensor Rating:** 800 SRU

* **Armament and Equipment:**
	+ Primary
		- 2 × Hydran Type Gatling Phaser Emitter
	+ Secondary
		- 1 × Photon Cannon - Proximity Shells
	+ Heavy
		- 4 × Hellbore Cannon
	+ Advanced
		- None
	+ Equipment
		- Tractor Beam Emitter
		- Probes
		- 5 × Halberdier Fusion Beam Fighter

## Ships in Service (2292)

HMS Pikeman

HMS Halberdier

HMS Spearman

HMS Schiltron

HMS Tathadar

HMS Arutha

HMS Unkelar

HMS Schrolteth

HMS Gorronoth

HMS Phalanx

HMS Hoplite

HMS Thorakitai

HMS Thureophoroi

HMS Sarissa

HMS Billman

HMS Poleaxe

HMS Longarm

HMS Thunderer

HMS Thunderclap

HMS Rumbler

HMS Thunderblow

HMS Thundercall

HMS Thunderous

HMS Thundation

HMS Thunderspace