King Snake Class

Designed as a new fast patrol craft and fleet picket to take advantage of the newly invented Type G Plasma Torpedo, the King Snake is the smallest independently operating warship in the Gorn Royal Navy. Despite her small size, she packs a formidable punch.

## Development

In 2258 Gorn scientists perfected the first field practical version of the Type G Plasma Torpedo. Almost immediately, plans were made to replace the increasingly obsolescent Particle Accelerator Cannons then used as the Secondary Weapons system of choice by the Gorn Royal Navy with this new and far more powerful weapon. For Heavy Cruisers and above, this was not generally an issue, but for the smaller craft in the Gorn Royal Navy, power issues and their lighter spaceframes were unsuited to the new weapon. The Anaconda Class Destroyer, for example, could not be fitted with a Type G Plasma Torpedo Tube successfully, although eventually an alternative weapons system was found to replace her Particle Accelerator Cannon and she remained a competitive design.

Frigate-class warships had never been a part of the Gorn battle line, being considered too short ranged to serve with offensive fleets. They had served previously only as system patrol craft, police cutters and the like. However, with advances in warp core technology, and the new Plasma torpedo, some Gorn designers rather than thinking big, decided to think small. They believed they could build a "Fleet Frigate", capable of serving as a picket for the heavier warships of the Gorn Royal Navy as well as the traditional patrol duties of Frigates in the Gorn Confederacy.

Using a small, warp-streamlined hull (opposed to the brick-like planform of larger Gorn ships), the new small warship could be propelled with only a single nacelle, slung underneath the hull, tucked close to render it a difficult target. Manoeuvrability was impressive, for a Gorn ship, and her warp core was highly uprated, reducing the operating life span but giving great surges of power when required. She would also require regular maintenance, although considering she would operate closely with Gorn fleets or scheduled border patrols, this wasn't considered a problem.

Firepower for a ship of her size was enormous, mounting a Type G Plasma Torpedo Tube on her centre line flanked by four Gorn Type Phaser Emitters, rivalling that of a Euromastyx Class Heavy Cruiser, although without the capabilities to stand and face her foe. Her power reserves, shields and armour were too low for sustained assaults, rather she would use her blinding speed to make rapid, slashing attacks before withdrawing.

Before the design had even entered service, a variant was proposed. Rather than mounting the Type G Plasma Torpedo, which was after all part of the entire reason the new class had been conceived, this variant was to forego Secondary Weapons entirely, also sacrificing one of her Gorn Type Phaser Emitters, in order to carry a wide array of Electronic Warfare Equipment and powerful sensor arrays. In this form, she would service as a scout and electronic warfare ship. (See "King Snake-S Class")

## Operational History

The King Snake, as the design was christened, entered service in 2267, shortly after first contact with the United Federation of Planets in the Cestus System. She saw frequent service on the volatile Romulan border, and her first fleet actions during the 4th Gorn-Romulan War‏‎ of 2282.

Captaincy of a King Snake required an unusual breed of Gorn Captain, as she was not adapted to the usual form of Gorn tactics. Simply charging in, weapons firing, using thick armour plating to repel attacks until the enemy was defeated, would not yield success as it would (frequently) with other Gorn warships. (although, their tactics were more nuanced than that). To be a Frigate Captain required elan, a sense of dashing and knowing when to withdraw and let heavier forces take over. These tactics took time to learn, and losses were unpleasantly high during the King Snake's first two wars.

By the Organian Conflict however, Gorn Frigate Captains had been trained well, new tactics devised and the nuances of her use both tactically and strategically worked out. She gave the Gorn Royal Navy a lightning strike capability that they'd previously been lacking.

During the War of Pacification, King Snakes proved to be one of the few light warships able to stand against those of the Interstellar Concordium, although straight slogging matches were still ill-advised. Losses mounted through sheer attrition. Even the Gorn Royal Navy couldn't weather the storm indefinitely.

The General War saw another deployment of the King Snake, with some even rumoured to have been fitted with captured Klingon-Type Cloaking Devices for various clandestine activities.

## Apocrypha

The King Snake served with the Gorn Royal Navy until 2325, when the Gorn Confederacy joined the United Federation of Planets. Being of small size and with considerable firepower, the King Snake became a popular choice for local planetary defence forces inside Gorn space.

## Specifications

* **Class:** Frigate
* **Hull Type Designation:** GFF
* **Length:** 122m
* **Crew:** 49
* **Warp Nacelles:** 1

* **Maximum Sublight Speed:** 4650 k/s (46.50 Mk/s)
* **Cruise** **Warp Factor Speed:** wf 7.3
* **Safe** **Maximum Warp Factor Speed:** wf 9.3
* **Hull Rating:** 260 HSF
* **Shield Rating:** 150 FSP

* **Sensor Rating:** 800 SRU

* **Armament and Equipment:**
	+ Primary
		- 4 × Gorn Type Phaser Emitter
	+ Secondary
		- 1 × Type G Plasma Torpedo Tube
	+ Heavy
		- None
	+ Advanced
		- None
	+ Equipment
		- Tractor Beam Emitter
		- Probes

## Ships in Service (2292)

GNS Korngskinnk

GNS Kigksaaask

GNS Gorrsmsack

GNS Florsntaskt

GNS Dorulask

GNS Fronasket

GNS Kratlska

GNS Sornaksk

GNS Cornksirk

GNS Groniskakt

GNS Cnsskeskt

GNS Loprisnaskr

GNS Flojinask

GNS Jorknisssaken

GNS Dorrniskjer

GNS Eraskinner

GNS Flagrinkasier

GNS Saaarkinskt

GNS Morblandisk

GNS Forrrmskit

GNS Dargebeskt

GNS Florrknsk

GNS Spine

GNS Barb

GNS Horn

GNS Spur

GNS Claw

GNS Tooth

GNS Talon

GNS Fang

GNS Scale

GNS Coil

GNS Blade

GNS Sting

GNS Rajath

GNS Spinecrusher

GNS Kalessin

GNS Whiptail

GNS Fire Lizzard

GNS Iron Hide

GNS Bonecrusher

GNS Wyrm

GNS Yevaud

GNS Thecos

GNS Naja

GNS Thunderbolt