Editing Subcraft Carrier

{{:Starship-Nav-Bar-Two-2019CE}}
[[Subcraft Carrier]]s are [[vessel]]s designed to carry [[subcraft]], whether small ones designated [[smallcraft]], or larger ones designated [[bigcraft]]. 
* [[Carrier]]s and [[Tender]]s form the mission category: [[Subcraft Carrier]]s.
* The most common types are '''[[Carrier]]s''' and '''[[Tender]]s.''' [[Carrier]]s carry [[smallcraft]] [[fighter]]s and [[tender]]s carry [[bigcraft]] [[battle rider]]s.
* Commercial or [[civilian tender]]s tend to be called [[Ship Transporter]]s among other terms.
* ''Subcraft Carrier''s are used to describe [[Paramilitary Ship|paramilitary]] and [[military craft]]. Equivalent [[Civilian Ship|civilian]] or [[commercial craft]] are generally called [[Transport]]s 
* The [[Supraclass]] designation is also known as [[Ship Mission]], [[Ship Mission Code]], Mission, or [[Ship Hull Designation]]. 
* It is a [[starship]] [[supraclass]].
[[File: Technical Data.jpg|right]]
 
=== Library Data Referral Tree ===
Please refer to the following [[AAB]] [[Library Data]] for more information: <br>
'''[[Starship]]:'''
{{:Referral-Tree-Starship-User-Types}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Advanced-Ship-Classifications}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Basic-Ship-Classifications}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Ships-by-Function}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Speed-of-Travel}}

== Description ([[Specifications]]) ==
''Subcraft Carrier''s are important and might one day disrupt the dominance of big gun battleships as they once did in the navies of maritime Terra, reversing the trend again. They transport a variety of smallcraft and bigcraft to the battlefield, where they perform combat support missions attacking skirmisher secondaries, disrupting missile flights, and decreasing the effectiveness of big gun battle wagons. As technology progresses, better miniaturized antishipping weaponry may lead to the fall of those same big gun battle wagons.
* Various battle rider and jump tender strategies have already begun to innovate and experiment with a carrier strong future.
* The "V" classification code is a holdover from pre-spaceflight (and pre-[[Anglic]]) [[Terra]]n naval history. When wet-navy ships were first used as floating bases for aircraft, said ships were classified as "aViation" (from [[English]], with the same meaning as in [[Anglic]]) or "Voler" (from [[French]] for "to fly") by some of their larger navies at the time.
* Arguably it could now be used for "Vessel" (as in "carries other Vessels") or "Void" (since the system of a [[carrier]] and its [[smallcraft]], when deployed, extends through the space between them). However, most naval officers in charge of classification who have expressed an opinion on this have preferred to cite historical precedent as justification.

=== Image Repository ===
This image repository contains a selection of carrier images:

'''[[Carrier|Type V Carrier]]:'''
# No image yet available.

'''[[Tender|Type VT Tender]]:'''
# A [[World class Battle Tender]] laden down with [[Nolikian class Battle Rider]]s. <br> [[File: World-class-Tender Starter-Trav-CT 24-July-2019a.jpg|400px]]
# A [[Bullfrog class Fighter Tender]] in deep space deploying small [[spheroid]] [[subcraft]]. <br> [[File: Bullfrog-class-Boyd-Stone-T5-Jim-K 25-July-2019a.jpg|400px]]

=== Strategy & Tactics (Doctrine) ===
''Subcraft Carrier''s are not intended to enagage in direct ship-to-ship combat with the forward line of warships. rather they deploy their [[subcraft]] as combat multipliers meant to help the heavy [[spinal mount]] [[warship]]s deploy in the most advantageous positions and they are meant to disrupt the maneuver of the enemy's fleet combat elements.

=== Supraclass Roles ===
''[[Subcraft Carrier]]''s typically serve as [[Carrier]]s or [[Tender]]s:

''[[Carrier]]''s typically serve the following roles: <br>
''[[Largecraft]] & [[Bigcraft]]:''
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!colspan="4"| V-class Carrier Supraclass Archetypes
|-
! Archetype
! Type Code
|-
| [[Ambush Carrier]]
| (VD)
|-
| [[Assault Carrier]]
| (VA)
|-
| [[Battle Carrier]]
| (VB)
|-
| [[Carrier]]
| (V) (Namesake)
|-
| [[Command Carrier]]
| (VC)
|-
| [[Escort Carrier]]
| (VE)
|-
| [[Fighter Support Ship]]
| (VL)
|-
| [[Fleet Carrier]]
| (VB)
|-
| [[Heavy Carrier]]
| (VH)
|-
| [[Light Carrier]]
| (VL)
|-
| [[Light Figher Carrier]]
| (VL)
|-
| [[Medium Carrier]] 
| (VM)
|-
| [[Mother Ship]]
| (V)
|-
| [[Pocket Carrier]]
| (VP)
|-
| [[Provincial Combat Carrier]]
| (VF)
|-
| [[Range Carrier]]
| (VF)
|-
| [[Strike Carrier]]
| (VS)
|-
| [[System Defense Carrier]]
| (VD)
|-
|}

'''[[Tender]]s''' typically serve the following roles: <br>
''[[Largecraft]] & [[Bigcraft]]:''
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!colspan="4"| VT-class Tender Supraclass Archetypes
|-
! Archetype
! Type Code
|-
| [[Battle Tender]]
| (VTB)
|-
| [[Commercial Tender]]
| (TV)
|-
| [[Communication Tender]]
| (XT)
|-
| [[Cruiser Tender]]
| (VTQ)
|-
| [[Escort Tender]]
| (VTL)
|-
| [[Fighter Tender]]
| (VT)
|-
| [[Fleet Tender]]
| (VTF)
|-
| [[Interdiction Tender]]
| (VTD)
|-
| [[Jump Carrier]]
| (VT)
|-
| [[Jump Shuttle]]
| (VT)
|-
| [[Repair Tender]]
| (VTQ)
|-
| [[Ship Tender]]
| (VTQ)
|-
| [[System Defense Boat Tender]]
| (VT)
|-
| [[Tender]]
| (VT) (Namesake)
|-
| [[Xboat Tender]]
| (XT)
|-
|}

==== Size-Class Roles for Subcraft Carrier Vessels ====
''[[Carrier]]s:''
# [[Utility Craft]] (U) (1 to 99 [[ton]]s)
# [[Escort Carrier]] (VE) (100 to 2,499 [[ton]]s)
# [[Light Carrier]] (VL) (2,500 to 99,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Medium Carrier]] (VM) (100,000 to 199,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Pocket Carrier]] (VP) (200,000 to 249,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Heavy Carrier]] (VH) (250,000 to 499,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Superheavy Carrier]] (VS) (500,000 to 999,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Ultraheavy Carrier]] (VU) (1,000,000 or more [[ton]]s)

''[[Tender]]s:''
# [[Utility Craft]] (U) (1 to 99 [[ton]]s)
# [[Escort Tender]] (VTE) (100 to 2,499 [[ton]]s)
# [[Light Tender]] (VTL) (2,500 to 99,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Medium Tender]] (VTM) (100,000 to 249,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Heavy Tender]] (VTH) (250,000 to 499,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Superheavy Tender]] (VTS) (500,000 to 999,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Ultraheavy Tender]] (VTU) (1,000,000 or more [[ton]]s)

==== Military Subcraft ====
Military [[subcraft]] (...both [[smallcraft]] and [[bigcraft]]) are carried by nearly all of these [[vessel]]s:
# [[Battle Rider]] (BR)
# [[Combat Barge]] (WBG)
# [[Combat Transport Smallcraft]] (UI)
# [[Fighter]]s (F)
# [[Militarized Utility Craft]] (UQ)

=== Supraclass Archetypal Roles ===
These vessels typically serve the following archetypal roles:
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!colspan="4"| V-class Subcraft Carrier Supraclass Archetypes
|-
! Archetype
! Type Code
! Exemplar 
! Remarks
|-
| [[Subcraft Carrier]]
| V (namesake)
| [[Lurenti class Battle Carrier]]
| V-class vessels represent a school of thought using larger vessels to deploy smaller ones, or [[subcraft]]. The [[Subcraft Carrier]] [[supraclass]] includes both [[carrier]]s and [[tender]]s. [[Carrier]]s carry [[smallcraft]] [[fighter]]s and [[tender]]s carry [[bigcraft]] [[battle rider]]s. 
* V = Vehicle Carrier, a'''V'''iation or voler, [[etc.]]
* ''Voler'' is a [[Terran]] [[French]] word meaning "to fly."
|-
| [[Assault Carrier]]
| VA
| [[Wind class Strike Carrier]]
| ''[[Assault Carrier]]s'' specialize in planetary assault using their [[fighter]]s to conduct round-the-clock surface bombardment missions and then shuttling down [[troop transport]]s and [[armored fighting vehicle]]s. 
* A = Assault, Attack, Strike, [[etc.]]
* VA-14:  These Carriers carry assault landers and other craft whose missions are focused on ground assault mission, rather then fighters.  These vessels usually carry large numbers of troops.
* VS-13/-15: The VS-13/-15 series is a new line of '''carriers''' designed independent of the VF-11/-12 series.
|-
| [[Battle Carrier]] 
| VB 
| [[Wind class Strike Carrier]]
| ''[[Battle Carrier]]:'' Interstellar ship transport intended to carry [[fighter]]s into combat. Generally a [[dispersed structure]] (...of up to one million [[ton]]s), it transports a squadron of a number of [[fighter]]s ready for immediate launch upon entry into a [[system]]. While the fighters press the attack, the battle carrier stays in reserve for protection.
* B = Battle, Combat, Far, Fast, Frontier, [[etc.]]
|-
| [[Command Carrier]]
| VC
| [[War Child class Command Carrier]]
| ''[[Command Carrier]]s'' perform flagship roles, coordinating large numbers of [[fighter]]s. [[courier vessel]]s, [[scout vessel]]s, and line combatants, as the center of a battle fleet. This role is ordinarily taken by a fleet's premier [[battleship]]s. 
* C = Command 
|-
| [[Defense Carrier]]
| VD
| No exemplar yet available.
| ''[[Defense Carrier]]s'' are a specialized form of carriers that forward deploy [[fighter]]s in similar roles to [[SDB]]s. The use of defense carriers can strategically deny fleets access to [[gas giant]]s or other [[Jump Bridge|fuel source]]s and thus deny enemy battle battle fleets strategic mobility and flexibility. 
* D = Defense 
|-
| [[Escort Carrier]]
| VE
| [[Hyperion class Escort Carrier]]
| ''Escort Carriers'' or [[Very Light Carrier]]s displace between 100 to 2,499 [[ton]]s in size. While not very useful for larger fleet formations, they are great in an escort role, putting out a sensor picket, protecting against other [[fighter]]s, or for strikes against lightly defended targets. They can also be built relatively quickly, staffed quickly, and quickly deploy into action. Many fleets operate escort carriers because of their usefulness within their identified roles.  
* E = Escort, [[Very Light Carrier]], [[etc.]] 
|-
| [[Fleet Carrier]]
| VF
| [[Antiama class Fleet Carrier]] 
| ''Fleet Carriers'' are built to operate as part of a fleet, not independently. Their [[subcraft]] provide tactical and strategic support to a line a battlefleet a [[CruRon]] or a [[BatRon]]. Their fighters provide sensor pickets, an expanded sensor net, either in a tactical or strategic sense, provide missile shields intercepting enemy munitions, or provide strike assets damaging enemy [[capital ship]]s. They are dependent on other [[capital ship]]s and [[auxiliary]] elements such as [[tanker]]s or [[combat support ship]]s.
* F = Fleet, Combat Support, Strategic, [[etc.]]
* VF-11: The massive VF-11 was produced to provide support for the vast numbers of [[fighter]]s that fleet tactics required. The size and design of the VF-11 call for an independent refueling [[tanker]], the TV-11. 
* VF-12: The technological development of the VF-11 into the VF-12 also called for a similar [[tanker]], but rather than design a new vessel, the TV-11 was used without change. 
|-
| [[Heavy Carrier]] 
| VH
| [[Midway class Heavy Carrier]]
| A ''[[Heavy Carrier]]'' is a size-displacement category which includes [[vessel]]s that weigh between 250,000 to 499,999 [[ton]]s. Heavies are very large craft, as big as many [[cruiser]]s and [[battleship]]s and capable of carrying a large, powerful load of [[subcraft]], enough [[fighter]]s to seriously threaten most battle fleets. 
* H = Heavy
* VH-13: Very large carrier designed to serve as a force [[flagship]], carrying a large suite of defensive weaponry.  Due to its size, cost, and complexity, they were not considered effective units. The smaller carriers are favored due to cost effectiveness and tactical flexibility.
|-
| [[Light Carrier]]
| VL
| [[Skimkish class Light Carrier]]
| A ''[[Light Carrier]]'' is a size-displacement category which includes [[vessel]]s that weigh between 2,500 to 99,999 [[ton]]s. Light vessels can be impressive craft, just under 100k in tonnage, which is more than large enough to threaten [[merchant vessel]]s, smaller system defense fleets, and many lesser targets including smaller [[world-state]]s.
* L = Light 
* VL-15: The higher-tech trend is to smaller '''carriers'''. The VL-15 [[Light Carrier|light carrier]] 
|-
| [[Medium Carrier]]
| VM
| [[Antiama class Fleet Carrier]]
| A ''[[Medium Carrier]]'' is a size-displacement category which includes [[vessel]]s that weigh between 100,000 to 199,999 [[ton]]s. Medium vessels are large vessels, [[cruiser]]-sized, and are general considered [[capital ship]]s, serious combatants. They require serious resources, logistical support, and large crews, but they project power across interstellar distances when used correctly in ways that no [[escort]] or [[destroyer]] can match. 
* M = Medium 
|-
| [[Pocket Carrier]]
| VP
| [[Horror class Strike Carrier]]
| A ''[[Pocket Carrier]]'' is a size-displacement category which includes [[vessel]]s that weigh between 200,000 to 249,999 [[ton]]s. 
* P = Pocket
* VP-15:  Even smaller than the light carriers is the VP-15 [[Pocket Carrier|pocket carrier]] continuing the higher-tech trend to smaller, more inexpensive vessels.
|-
| [[Superheavy Carrier]]
| VS
| [[Mordax class Fleet Carrier]]
| A ''[[Superheavy Carrier]]'' is a size-displacement category which includes [[vessel]]s that weigh between 500,000 to 999,999 [[ton]]s. Superheavies are incredibly large vessels, bigger than the resources of the typical [[pocket empire]] or [[world-state]] can construct. They take years to build, requiring huge costs, massive expenditures of [[resource]]s, and massive [[crew]]s. They are rarely available in other than very small runs, but they have massive combat power.  
* S = Superheavy 
|-
| [[Tender]]
| VT (Namesake)
| [[World class Battle Tender]]
| ''[[Tender]]s'' carry [[bigcraft]], which is to say [[subcraft]] that are 100 [[ton]]s or larger in displacement. These subcraft are significantly larger, more powerful, and longer-legged than the [[smallcraft]] [[fighter]]s carried by traditional [[carriers]]. This gives significantly more strategic options than a [[fighter]]-equipped carrier, but not always better striking power within a fighter's range envelope. The [[Battle Rider]] is the prototypical bigcraft carried by [[Battle Tender]]s and entire schools of naval strategy have arisen concerning their usage and deployment. {{Unpublished cite|author= [[Maksim-Smelchak]] }}
* T = Tender, [[Ship Transporter|Military Ship Transporter]], [[Battle Tender]], [[etc.]] 
|-
| [[Ultraheavy Carrier]]
| VU
| [[Kliqrv class Battle Carrier]]
| A ''[[Ultraheavy Carrier]]'' is a size-displacement category which includes [[vessel]]s that weigh 1,000,000 or more [[ton]]s. Ultraheavies are not for the thrifty... Only the largest of [[supra-polities]] can afford them, and they are almost always specialized for very specific roles, typically as [[flag ship]]s for the largest fleets.  
* U = Ultraheavy
|-
| [[Commercial Tender]] & [[Ship Transporter]]
| TV
| [[Mariner class Frame Carrier]]
| ''[[Ship Transporter]]''s or [[commercial tender]]s are similar to [[carrier]]s and [[tender]]s, but instead of military subcraft, they carry civilian [[subcraft]]. The concept is similar to the [[battle rider]] concept, except in a civilian application. The class also includes various kinds of [[jump ship]]s or [[jump train]]s, specialized to carry variable cargos, or as [[jump shuttle]]s. 
* T = [[Transport]]
* V = [[Vehicle Carrier]], [[Subcraft Carrier]], Jump Con'''V'''eyance, [[Jump Shuttle]]s, [[Ship Transporter]], [[etc.]]
|-
!colspan="4"| ''NOTES:'' There is semantic overlap between many of the classes and codes. Some codes organize by mission or capability, others by size and [[ton]]nage, and yet others by other characteristics.
|-
|}

== History & Background ([[Dossier]]) ==
'''Carriers:''' Carriers are designed to carry large numbers of small combat craft, which in turn attack the enemy’s combatants or world surfaces. {{Page cite|name= Fighting Ships of the Shattered Imperium |page=5}} 

Carriers remain a strong element of fleet battle groups to this day, deploying subcraft in roles that enhance the effectiveness of the forward line of battle.
 
=== Selected Variant Types & Classes - Carriers ===
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VA-Assault-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VB-Battle-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VC-Command-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VD-Defense-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VE-Escort-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VF-Fleet-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VH-Heavy-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VL-Light-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VM-Medium-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VP-Pocket-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VS-Superheavy-Carrier}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VU-Ultraheavy-Carrier}}

=== Selected Variant Types & Classes - Tenders ===
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTB-Battle-Tender}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTC-Command-Tender}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTD-Defense-Tender}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTE-Escort-Tender}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTF-Fleet-Tender}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTH-Heavy-Tender}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTJ-Jump-Shuttle}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTL-Light-Tender}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTM-Medium-Tender}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTS-Superheavy-Tender}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-VTU-Ultraheavy-Tender}}

=== Selected Variant Types & Classes - Civilian Subcraft Carriers ===
# [[Type TJ class Jump Ship]]
## [[Brown class Jump Ship]]
# [[Type TV class Ship Transporter]]
## [[Brown class Jump Ship]]
## [[Brutus class Ship Transporter]]
## [[Corporate class Range Carrier]]
## [[Endeavor class Ship Transporter]]
## [[High Liner class Bulk Freighter]]
## [[Mariner class Frame Carrier]]
## [[Marius class Ship Transporter]]
## [[Orowani Deep Space class Commercial Tender]]
## [[Sagacity class Bulk Freighter]]
## [[Type JS class Jump Ship]]

=== Ship Summary List ===
Some of the most commonly used [[vessel]]s in this role or these roles include:
{{Ship summary list|name= Subcraft Carrier |tdes= V}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Assault Carrier |tdes= VA}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Battle Carrier |tdes= VB}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Command Carrier |tdes= VC}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Defense Carrier |tdes= VD}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Escort Carrier |tdes= VE}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Fleet Carrier |tdes= VF}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Heavy Carrier |tdes= VH}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Light Carrier |tdes= VL}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Medium Carrier |tdes= VM}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Pocket Carrier |tdes= VP}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Supraheavy Carrier |tdes= VS}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Tenders |tdes=VT}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Ultraheavy Carrier |tdes= VU}}

== References & Contributors ([[Sources]]) ==
{{Intermediate}}
{{Detail}}
{{Sources
|S1= This article is an amalgamation of many different materials published since 1977.
|S3= Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology [[Maksim-Smelchak]] of the [[Ministry of Science]], Emeritus 
}}


[[Category: Ship Organization]]
[[Category: Ship type definitions]]
[[Category: Supraclass]]
{{LEN|}}