Grand Admiral, First Order Central Command
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION:
- Intent: To create a Missile Cruiser for the Iron Empire, because I owe Isamu for his arting.
- Development Thread: If needed
- Image Source: Gladiator-class Star Destroyer recolor found on this page.
- Manufacturer: Iron Wrath Industries
- Model: Longclaw-class Missile Cruiser
- Affiliation: Iron Wrath Industries, The Iron Empire, Approved Factions
- Production: Minor Production
- Modularity: N/A
- Material: Damage Reduction Armor, Matrix Armor, Durasteel and Turadium Hull, Glasteel Viewports
- Classification: Missile Cruiser
- Length: 600m
- Width: 375m
- Height: 220m
- Maneuverability Rating: 14
- Speed Rating: 14
- Hyperdrive Class: Class 1.0 (Class 15.0 Backup)
- Crew: 2,700
Minimum Crew: 945
[*]Passengers: ~900
[*]Cargo Capacity: 2,100 metric tons
[*]Consumables: 2 years
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Communication Systems:
Communication Wave De-scrambler - Encryption Module
- Frequency Jammer
- Holonet Transceiver
- Hyperwave Transceiver
- Ranger Transceiver
- Subspace Transceiver
[*]Environmental Systems:
- Artificial Gravity
- Brig
- Distress Beacon
- Infantry Drop Pod
- Vehicle Drop Pod
- Escape Pods
- Environmental Converter
- Inertial Damper
- Infantry Barracks
- Life Support
Backup Life Support
[*]Medical Bay
[*]Navigation System
[*]Propulsion Systems:
[*]Ion Drive
[*]Maneuvering Jets
[*]Repulsorlifts
[*]Sensor and Targeting Systems:
- Aural Sensor
- Com-scan
- Comm laser
- Hyperwave Signal Interceptor
- Life Form Indicator
- Long-range Sensor
- Targeting Laser
- Targeting Sensor
- Tri-Tracker
- Wide-range Sensor
ARMAMENTS:
- Rating: 17
- Armaments:
Capital Armaments:
6x Dual Heavy Turbolaser Turrets - 12x Dual Turbolaser Turrets
- 12x Dual Ion Cannon Turrets
- 8x Twin Deck Cannon Turrets
[*]Warhead Armament:
- 10x Heavy Warhead Launcher (VLS tubes amidships)
- 30x General Purpose Warhead Tubes (Port)
- 30x General Purpose Warhead Tubes (Starboard)
Types of Ordnance:
Assault Concussion Missile (Heavy Launcher) - Heavy Proton Torpedo (Heavy Launcher)
- Cruiser Missile (Heavy Launcher)
- Advanced Concussion Missile (Warhead Tubes)
- Cluster Missile (Warhead Tubes)
- Advanced Proton Torpedo (Warhead Tubes)
- Ion Torpedo / Disruptor Torpedo (Warhead Tubes)
- Flechette Missile (Warhead Tubes)
- Discord Missile (Warhead Tubes)
- Type-B Homing Mine (Warhead Tubes)
[*]Defensive Armament:
- 10x Point Defense Cannon
- 10x Quad Laser Turrets
- 10x Antimissile Octet
- 10x Flak Cannons
DEFENSES:
- Rating: 10
- Shielding:
Particle Shields - Ray Shields
[*]Systems:
HANGAR:
- 1x Squadron
- Multiple troop, and vehicle, transports.
- Strengths:
[+] Bringing the Pain: The Longclaw punches well above its weight thanks to a heavy armament of missiles. - [+] Fighter Contingent: The Harbinger can house a squadron of starfighters.
- [+] Missile Versatility: Similar to real-world VLS, the Longclaw can fit almost every type of general purpose warhead.
[*]Weaknesses:
- [-] Missiles: Comparatively short ranged, can be shot down, limited ammunition.
- [-] Not so tough: A focus on the offensive means something has to give. The Longclaw is designed to fight alongside (and slightly behind the more common Harbinger as a fire support ship, not be the front line vessel.
- [-] Bit Sluggish: Compared to other Cruisers its size, the Longclaw is slow.
DESCRIPTION:
The Longclaw-class Missile Cruiser was designed to complement the Harbinger, bringing versatile firepower to the Iron Navy as a fire support ship. The ship initially appears lightly armed and armored, and slow for a medium-sized cruiser. But what it does feature is a large number of innovative missile tubes. Designed specifically for the Longclaw-class, the sixty missile tubes are designed in such a way that any standard galactic ordnance (that is, not proprietary tech) can be fitted with a booster, sabot, or casing and then easily configured to be fired out of said tubes.
The tubes are reloaded rapidly from a secure internal magazine, which often features many different types of warheads. The whole system is largely automated, with the decision of what to reload the tubes with made from the Missile Control room, who receive orders from CIC or the Bridge. The system is fairly robust and the magazines are well protected, but there remains the ever-present risk that a good hit could result in a cascading detonation all but certainly destroying the ship from within. As an emergency safety procedure an ionic coolant flooding system can be activated to completely flood the magazines and disable or slow down the aforementioned reaction. This does of course render all the warheads still in the magazines useless, but it beats losing a whole cruiser.
Besides the warheads, the Longclaw features a respectable armament of conventional turbolasers and ion cannons, with the addition of a number of deck cannons to keep pressure on the enemy Particle Shields while the missiles are reloading. Defensive armament is likewise spread out across all the bases, and is quite effective at keeping enemy strike craft and warheads away. Finally the ship features a rudimentary hanger with space and support for a single squadron of fighters, typically used to either support those flying off the Harbinger's or for defense.
In contrast to the armament, the passive defense systems are quite rudimentary. The Longclaw features only standard armor plating and a shield suite barely rated to cover it's size. While not a 'fragile' ship the Longclaw is simply not well suited for standing up to other similarly sized cruisers in pitched fights.
Despite being designed as a fire support ship, the conventional batteries, small marine barracks, and plenty of space in the hanger for shuttles and the like means that ship performs adequately as a patrol cruiser, especially if deployed in pairs. However it is most often seen accompanying the larger Harbinger, and the two ships together work as a fearful team.
PRIMARY SOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_41_Vertical_Launching_System
