Eyrecae Alzari
Dark Star
Shadowed Sarix Assault Cruiser
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a heavier warship for the Shadow Knights. This will serve as the main line ship of the nomad fleet giving all-round flexibility.
- Image Source: Here.
- Canon Link: Somewhat based on the Dreadnaught for stat reference, but updated.
- Permissions: Shadow Knights and subs created by Elpsis Kerrigan's writer provided with permission.
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: Shadow Knights, their faction.
- Affiliation: Shadow Knights.
- Market Status: Closed market.
- Model: Shrouded Sarix Mk1
- Production: Semi-Unique
- Material: Standard ship materials.
- Classification: Assault Cruiser
- Length: 750m
- Width: 110m
- Height: 120m
- Armament: Very High
- Many turbolaser & ion cannon batteries.
- Many quad lasers & point defence systems.
- 4 x heavy quad turbolaser cannons (2 per side).
- Some assault concussion missile launchers.
- Defenses: Very High (Extreme when advanced defence protocols engaged.)
- Hangar Space: Low: 3
- Hangar Allocations: 1 x fighters, 1 x bombers, 1 x shuttles/landers
- Maneuverability Rating: Average
- Speed Rating: Average (Low when advanced defence protocols engaged.)
- Hyperdrive: Yes, 1.0
- Standard ship features.
- Military barracks.
- Large cargo hold.
- Tractor beams.
- Spirit Gem interface (if required).
- Hydroponics farm.
- Advanced defence protocols allow engine power to be diverted to defences at cost of speed and agility.
- Interdictor field generator.
- Heavy firepower. The Shrouded Sarix has a lot of firepower for a cruiser. It can easily take on most ships of its class and devastate smaller ships it can catch. This makes it a terror at raiding convoys, engaging outposts and providing line firepower.
- Solid defence. To go with the heavy firepower, the Shrouded Sarix has very heavy defences. Multiple armour layers, redundant shields, plus a large internal garrison makes it a strong and sturdy ship.
- Strategic operations. With a small hanger, heavy firepower, large cargo area and hydroponics bay, the Shrouded Sarix can sustain independent operations for years. It can operate also as a flagship for a specific operation or operate with limited escorts. It also has an interdictor field generator to help ambush enemy ships.
- Attack craft. For its size the Shrouded Sarix has a smaller hanger than average, and only one squadron of fighters. Therefore, it needs to be supported with both flak and fighter support against enemy bombers.
- Bigger ships. As the largest non-unique ships the Shadow Knights possess, the Shrouded Sarix must be conscious of running into larger ships. Despite its strong defences and weaponry, a Star Destroyer will be able to overwhelm it with heavy firepower, and enemy cruisers can fight it to a draw.
- Engine boosting. Boosting the defences of the ship not only takes time but also greatly reduces the ship's speed. This means if engaged it's hard for the ship to escape combat if it does not prevail.
- Rare. These cruisers represent the pinnacle of the Shadow Knights' efforts at ship design. Retreat is almost always preferred to risking losing them.
The Shrouded Sarix of the Asuran Vanguard, as always shortened to manageable levels, is the largest warship commonly produced by the Shadow Knights. This strains their production capabilities to the limit, and so of the dozen planned only eight are in operation currently, though that number might change with later circumstances.
The Shrouded Sarix is designed to be both a line ship for the Shadow Knights, a battlegroup commander and a powerful independent raider. The ship features the ability to operate independently for years if needed, whilst also keeping up to a thousand soldiers on board for assault operations. The value of this ship is that it can do most things necessary as part of a fleet or on solo operations. Each Shrouded Sarix is commanded by an Admiral, representing the investment put into these ships.
Of the eight active Shrouded Sarix cruisers, the efforts of two in particular show their range.
The first case involves SS-3 commanded by Admiral Yvras Astane, a longtime Eldorai exile who fought with the original Galactic Republic after the dark age before returning to the Shadow Knights as a respected officer. She was given two Umbral Blade and a couple of CR-90 refitted corvettes and given the mandate to raid Firemane, Sith, pirate and Hutt assets across the galaxy.
As she left the nomad fleet with a not inconsiderable portion of the Shadow Knight's naval forces, many were concerned this was a wasted effort. Little was heard for long periods, but eventually Admiral Astane returned to the fleet over a year and a half later. Though she had lost one of the Umbral Blades and a couple of corvettes she had more than repaid that with a pair of Sith cruisers captured during the fall of their empire. Over the course of her raiding expedition the taskforce had destroyed 80 ships ranging from freighters to cruisers, looted vast stores of wealth and even rescued several hundred prisoners from a Firemane detention station. The Admiral was given the title of "The Champion of the Astral Sea" for her efforts.
The second case involved SS-7 commanded by Admiral Zina Jai Ashaa, a Qadiri of great promise, and so was entrusted with what was then the newest of the cruisers. Her first trip was essentially a shakedown cruise with the new ship, but as she travelled to a remote system, she encountered a Firemane squadron engaged with a pirate force. Admiral Ashaa did not hesitate, navigating around a small moon to come at the Firemane ships from behind she delivered a savage onslaught to the already depleted ships. A Sentinal class cruiser leading the Firemane squadron was the first target, and heavy firepower soon crippled the engines, allowing SS-7 to continue to hammer it without retaliation whilst it set on other ships with its guns.
Confusion was rife especially amongst the pirates who did not engage until the surviving Firemane ships had fled. This allowed Admiral Ashaa to engage and cripple several pirate corvettes and frigates before they too retreated. Damage was minor, but great damage had been inflicted with four confirmed capital ship kills that day for the SS-7, and leading to a hero's return for the ship.
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