Intrepid class Battlecruiser
In class: 8
In service: 2754
Mass: 1,200,000
Sail Integrity: 6
Thrust: 4/6
Fuel: 3,000 tons
Structural Integrity: 80
Armor: 1919 ton, Improved Ferro Aluminum (N: 220, FL/R: 200, AL/R: 200, A: 180)
Docking Collars: 0
Fighters: 18
Small Craft: 20
Crew: 390 minimum (68 Officers, 322 Enlisted)
Marines: 210 (1 Battalion of
Jump Infantry)
Lifeboats: 60
Escape Pods: 60
Grav Decks: 2 200 meters in diameter
Cargo: 98,800 tons
Bay 1: Fighters (18) 4 doors
Bay 2: Small Craft (16) 4 doors / Marines (10 platoons)
Bay 3: Cargo (98,800 tons) 2 doors
Other Equipment
None
Weapons: (Heat Sinks: 6,000 [12,000])
Forward
6 Medium NPPCs
8 NL/55s
5 Large
Lasers
Fore Left/Fore Right
4 Heavy NPPCs
8 NL/55s
5 Large
Lasers
Left Broadside/Right Broadside
6 Medium NPPCs
8 NL/55s
5 Large
Lasers
Aft Left/Aft Right
4 Heavy NPPCs
8 NL/55s
5 Large
Lasers
Aft
8 NL/55s
5 Large
Lasers
Ammo:
None
Overview:
Perhaps the most well known
warship in the InnerSphere, or at least in Lyran space, was the Intrepid class
Battlecruiser. This notoriety is not doubt because of the seventh ship in the
class, the LCS Invincible. Research and development of the Intrepid class began
sometime in the late 2740s by a group of Lyran Admirals who wanted to augment
the current fleet with some fast stand alone battle cruiser. This was a radical
idea for the Lyran Navy because while it had considered commissioning such a
design several times before it had always passed on the battlecruiser in favor
of bigger and slower design. The Intrepid Project design was no different as it
was almost totally canned on two different occasions. Only the commitment of a
few foresighted and determined individuals within the Lyran Navy kept the
project afloat. Then in 2752 the Star League High Council passed an amendment
to the Edict of 2650 which allowed the Great Houses to double the size of their
private militaries. Almost immediately following the passage of the amendment
Archon Michael Steiner ordered a large military buildup which opened the door
for the ship’s construction. The keel of the first ship of the class, the
Intrepid, was laid at the Port Sydney Naval Shipyards on November 12, 2752.
Capabilities:
The Lyran Commonwealth once
again spared no expense in building their first battle cruiser. The Intrepid
incorporated some cutting edge technology such as double heat sinks. This high
tech heat dissipation system was vital to the Intrepid’s arsenal which was
composed entirely of energy weapons. The ships armament of 16 Heavy NPPCs, 18
Medium NPPCs, and 64 NL/55s was intended to aid the vessel during extended
campaigns. Forty Large Lasers provided the ship’s main fighter defense system
along with a wing of aerospace fighters that flew support. Extremely fast, for
a Lyran warship, the Intrepid was capable of a maximum of 3Gs. This high speed
and heavy armament of the battle cruiser came at the price of some structural
integrity. To compensate for this the Intrepid also featured high tech armor
that gave the ships near battleship armor protection. A full battalion of
marines and 16 small craft gave the warships the capability to board enemy
vessels. Large fuel tanks and a detachable jump sail were also included to help
the Intrepid during long term raids into enemy territory.
Finally a large cargo hold of
nearly 100,000 tons let the battle cruiser operate away from home bases for
extended periods.
Deployment:
A total of eight Intrepid
class ships (Intrepid, Valiant, Resolution, Courageous, Dauntless, Stalwart,
Invincible, and Vanquisher) were built by the Commonwealth over the course of
16 years. The construction process was long and complex do not only to the
ship’s immense size but the design’s high tech systems. Despite its excellent
design only one Intrepid, the Invincible, survived the 1st
Succession War. The Invincible of course disappeared during the 2nd
Succession War. There is little doubt that the Intrepids have gone on to
inspire other new warship designs like the Mjolnir class which shares many
similarities.
The Invincible is easily the most famous ship of this
class, participating in many battles during the 1st Succession War
and surviving. After the war the Invincible was stationed near Tharkad’s zenith
jump point where it was retired but not decommissioned.
The 20 year conflict had
destroyed much including many of the high tech advancements featured on the
Intrepids. Some parts of the Invincible could no longer be repaired so the
vessel was retired serving merely as a relic of a bye gone age. The House
Kurita’s efforts to seize Hesperus dragged the ship and it is surviving crew
out of retirement. The Invincible crushed its Kurita opponents both in space
and on planet saving Hesperus. Due to return to it’s retirement the Invincible
disappeared mid-jump on the way back to Tharkad. The ship has spawned many
legends. In fact many Lyrans still believe the Invincible has not been
destroyed and will return when the Commonwealth is most in need of her.
Recently the Dauntless was found a drift near the Dixie star system. Not long after the destruction of Bolson Shipyards on New Kyoto the High Command authorized Operation Payback. Eighteen fast warships under the command of Kommodore Julius Carter set out to destroy Marik shipyards and merchant shipping traffic. Their mission was wildly successful undercutting the Free Worlds League drive into Lyran space during the 1st Succession War. Captain-General Kenyon Marik became so infuriated that he ordered a special taskforce to hunt down and destroy the Dauntless. Badly damaged the ship was thought to be destroyed by Marik forces following numerous engagements. With no further contact the Lyran High Command declared the ship lost. It was not until the FedCom Civil War that the fate of Dauntless was determined. Found by staunch pro-Lyran loyalists who had been retreating from their unsuccessful takeover of the planetary government on Dixie. Not long after the Dixie Planetary Militia arrived and a battle ensued onboard. The Militia was victorious and claimed the ancient derelict as salvage. Since then the sister ship of the Invincible has fired the imagination of the Dixie citizenry and the people of surrounding systems. They are currently lobbying the government to restore the ship but it is unknown if such a project is even possible at this time.