OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: Create an assault battleship for planetary invasions and support landing operations.
- Image Source: This & That are the only ones found.
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: Acclamator-class, Venator-class, Mandator-IV-class, The Phalanx
- Manufacturer: Macharian Industries Corporation
- Affiliation: New Imperial Order
- Market Status: Closed-Market
- Model: Bucephelus-class Battleship
- Production: Semi-Unique
- Material: Impervium, Alusteel, Suprasteel, Transparisteel, Titanium, Duranium, Agrinium, Tungsten, Frasium, Electrum, Oak wood, Auromidium 7/181
- Classification: Planetary Assault Ship
- Length: 4,600 meters
- Width: 1,850 meters
- Height: 1,950 meters
- Armament: Very High
- Orbital autocannons (wings, 60° arcs)
- Quadruple heavy long range megamasers (dorsal, 270° arcs, turrets)
- Twin heavy long range megamasers (broadside, 100°, turrets)
- Triple heavy long range ion cannons (dorsal, 270° arcs, turrets)
- Octuple heavy turbolaser barbettes (broadside, 100°, turrets)
- Proton beam cannons (prow/front, 15°)
- Twin heavy ion cannons (broadside, 100°, turrets)
- Heavy rail-mass-driver cannons (HE, AP) (broadside, 45°, gun-decks)
- Twin point-defense laser cannons (all around)
- Single point defense rotation blasters (all around)
- Heavy assault concussion missile tubes (prow/front)
- Boarding torpedoes (prow and aft broadside)
- Defenses: Very High
- Plating & Materials
- Impervium-Alusteel Armor Plating, sloped layers with turtleback scheme around vital parts like magazines, engines, reactors
- Alusteel-Suprasteel-Impervium Hull
- Titanium-Frasium Frameworks
- Duranium Bulkheads (general)
- Transparisteel Windows
- Duranium-Frasium-Tungsten Reactor Chamber Plating
- Auromidium Bulkheads (Sanctum)
- Multi-layered Shielding, Military-Grade, Battlecruiser Rating
- Electronic Countermeasures
- Electronic countermeasures suite
- Communication jammers
- Anti-communication jammers
- Anti-electronic warfare suit
- Encryption system for communication
- Code cylinders for on-board security and access
- Genetical coding for Sanctum entrance
- Automatic firefighting, counter-toxin and vacuum locking
- Damage and hazard control systems
- Primary, secondary and tertiary life support systems
- Plating & Materials
- Hangar Space: High: 32
- Hangar Allocations:
- Starfighters: 20 squadrons
- Support Craft: 12 squadrons
- Maneuverability Rating: Very Low
- Speed Rating: Average
- Maximum acceleration: 2.000 g
- Maximum atmospheric speed: N/A
- Engine units: 4x Primary ion engines, 4x secondary ion engines
- Reactor Units: Sun Generators (primary), Hypermatter Annihilation Reactors (secondary and tertiary)
- Hyperdrive: Primary: 1.0 class, backup: 12.0 class
- Sensor Phalanx with secondary backup, including hyperwave signal interceptor, dedicated energy receptors, electro photo receptor, life form indicator, radiation sensor, heat pit sensor, crystal grav-field trap, military grade
- Navigation Computer
- Crew (Optimum): 75.000 + 5.000 droids + EPHEMERIS
- Crew (Skeletal): 1 + 5.000 droids + EPHEMERIS
- Passengers: 40.000
- Complement (excluding hangars):
- 1.000.000 battledroids
- 8.000 tanks/walkers/wardroids
- 10.000 artillery pieces
- 30 Stormeagles (not-deployable in space combat)
- Cargo Capacity: 90.000 metric tons
- Consumables: 1 year
STRENGTHS
- Plated Charger: The Bucephelus-class is built for direct combat, its weaponry designed to get rid of all types of warships, its armor and shields protecting it from damage in brawls while it engages the enemy straight on. It is desinged to punch a hole into a blockade or line to deliver its troops to battle. Its impressive array of weapons can annihilate all but the strongest armored or shielded opponents, its hull featuring a strong structure and the shields, especially due to the usage of Molecular shields, being difficult to overpower.
- Invader: The class is designed to overcome planetary defences and carry its troops into battle, it can support invasions with its heavy weaponry and deliver devastating bombardements to either level defences or shoot them right for the taking. It supports a large landing force as well as being capable of delivering their air support.
- Warmasters Choice: The ship is designed with the intention of leading both fleets and especially ground forces into battle and therefore boosts strong communication, sensor and scanning arrays, including Crystal gravfield traps. It shall concentrate and work through the large streams of information which are fed to it, giving them out in an instant to its subordinates.
- Starwalker: The Bucephelus-class is a ship designed for space and will not go deeper than into the upper atmosphere as the structural integrity of the ship is otherwise compromised and it will break apart.
- Lumbering Behemoth: The battleships of this class are very slow to respond to rudder maneuvres and are therefore in a disadvantage to more agile ships, especially in close quarters where this class is meant to excel.
- Sun, Sun, Sun: The Zakuulan Sun Generators are easy to sabotage with devastating effects. If someone succeeds to sabotage them and they charge up to full output, it is likely that an entire fleet can be annihilated due to the size and number of generators used on a single these ships.
- Exhaust Pipes: The engine units of the Bucephelus are rather exposed and not entirely integrated into the hull itself, therefore they are easy targets when the shields are down.
- No Magic Amulets: The ship has no defences against attacks based on the Force except for its size, mass and the common distance in space.
- Reserve Program: The emergency program which is based around the entire control of the EPHEMERIS system can only be activated by a member of the Rim-Guard Order with a high security access and the ship can therefore be without control in case of a critical primary bridge takeout.
DESCRIPTION
Already before the Battle of Ilum the shortcomings of the Phalanx had led to requests to the engineers at Macharian Industries to develop something with a bigger tonnage which could also prevail in pitched battles. The Phalanx was definitely built for quick assaults and leadership of the original Eternal Fleet in a scenario of galactic conquest, but not for prolonged combat without escorts and against heavily armoured warships.
The new class should still offer the characteristics of a planetary assault ship, while also being capable of fighting off enemy capital ships. The sacrifice would be speed. The Vandemarian Legions would only to a very limited amount conduct operations on its own in the current state and therefore speed to surprise enemies would not be elementary, just to keep with with enemies and allies alike.
It was important thought to maintain the flagship standards in regards to communication and coordinations, therefore the relays and sensors were with the best available systems. The inner structure was changed entirely and the Strategium made accessible directly from the Sanctum.
The structure itself was adopted to more pragmatic needs and considerations. The bridge was moved away from the outer hull with actual visual sight, but to the rearward center of the ship, below the halls of the Legions Sanctum. Critical hits to the bridge were virtually impossible from the outside, while instead of focusing on visuals, the bridge officers would focus on much more accurate data and readings. Additionally a second bridge with reserve stations for a skeleton crew headed by an EPHIMERIS system inside the halls of the Legions Sanctum was included to counter possible sabotage and system failures, even though it could only be unlocked by generic code and personal password of a high ranking Order member.
The hangars itself were protected by their own shield generators with swiftly closing hangar gates if the need should arise. Inside the areas were divided between the Orders vehicles and those belonging to the navy. Ordnance, ammunition and fuel was stored in secured, armoured and shielded magazines.
The Legions Sanctum is protected by a variety of security measures. A genetic code as well as a sigil are needed to gain access through the auromidium bulkheads which are always guarded by a pair of Legionnaires, automatic firing blasters and emergency blast doors. Behind the doors are the quarters, armouries and great halls which span several decks. They layout is unique on every ship though but all are devoted to the same principles of a combination of pragmatism, devotion and heroism. The individual cabins are without any luxuries, most not even having more than a bed, armor stand and desk. The main hall was decorated with auromidium and electrum, featuring statues of heroes from both Zakuul and the Legion, large banners of red, blue, silver and gold hanging from the ceiling, weapon and armor displays at the side. Occupying the decks above the primary bridge, the Sanctum is still not close to the outer hull, a fortress inside the warmachine.
The ship itself does not follow the classical triangular shape of imperial-era ships, but has a boxy form, while being in a long cylindrical shape, with a larger section at the front, connected by pure gun decks to the major section with engines, bridge, sanctum at the back. The hull was designed to last even through the heaviest of bombardment when the shields would go down and had multiple layers of strong sloped plating. The pure armor scheme would be that of a turtleback, a very strong outer hull with layer of less strong but heavily sloped layers of more armour around vital parts like reactors, engines, magazines and other vital parts.
The shields itself are multi-layered with several smaller shield generators spread across the hull to allow for independent supply and individual reinforcements by conducting energy to specific areas.
In terms of offensive capacities, the Bucephelus-class has the means to play on the big stage. Designed to bust through planetary shields as well as tearing through ship hulls or bunkers, its very heavy armament is a challenge for every enemy and an edge when supporting invasions. Utilising the maser technology together with more common weapons, these battleships will wreck havoc amongst small and ill protected adversaries.
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