Carrier

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V-class Carriers are designed to carry large numbers of combatant smallcraft (...under 100 tons), which in turn attack the enemy’s combatant vessels or world surfaces.

Technical Data.jpg

Library Data Referral Tree[edit]

Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information:
Starship:

  • Speed of Travel

  • Description (Specifications)[edit]

    Carriers are starships designed to carry large numbers of small combat vessels, termed either fighters or system defense boats, to screen the battle fleet or support a planetary invasion. The smaller craft are arranged into groupings known as carried squadrons.

    • Fighters and light SDBs are little more than an annoying distraction in a major fleet action, but they can be extremely effective against ships of cruiser class or less.
    • Frequently large displacement hulls are used with an unstreamlined dispersed structure. Imperial navies prefer hulls which can carry some armor and often use large launch tubes for rapid fighter deployment and recovery, often in place of a spinal mounted weapon, and sometimes in addition to it. Screens, repulsors, and defensive batteries are a top priority for protection and numerous small beam batteries are used to shoot down enemy fighters.

    Image Repository[edit]

    This image repository contains a selection of carrier images:

    Type VA Assault Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VB Battle Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VC Command Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VD Defense Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VE Escort Carrier / Very Light Carrier:

    1. A Hyperion class Escort Carrier in Nist military service cruising past a moon.
      Hyperion-class-Escort-Carrier Ade-Stewart 02-Nov-2019.jpg

    Type VF Fleet Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VH Heavy Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VL Light Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VM Medium Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VP Pocket Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VS Superheavy Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Type VT Tender:

    1. Please see Tender article.

    Type VU Ultraheavy Carrier:

    1. No image yet available.

    Strategy & Tactics (Doctrine)[edit]

    To understand carrier operations is to understand the utility and limitations of fleet fighters. Carriers are used to defend fleets from enemy fighters. They can maintain a combat space patrol. Fighters with sufficiently large and sophisticated computers can score hits on enemy minor combatants and degrade enemy escort strength. One squadron per escort is typical for massed volley fire. Fusion armed fighters rush in for close assaults to increase their chances of scoring penetrating hits against low agility lightly armored targets. Fighters can be used to finish weakened ships which have withdrawn from the line of battle for repairs. They can provide cover for boarding operations as well. They can provide close point defense by intercepting homing ordinance targeting friendly fleet assets. They are invaluable for planetary assaults and are critical for marines to survive. Close fighter support allows assault capsules to land, supplies to arrive and wounded to be evacuated. Fighter strikes are used to smash hard targets so that marine forces can bypass centers of resistance and maintain an accelerated offensive tempo vital for their style of assault. They leave protracted siege to follow on army units.

    Supraclass Roles[edit]

    Subcraft Carriers typically serve as Carriers or Tenders:

    Carriers typically serve the following roles:
    Largecraft & Bigcraft:

    V-class Carrier Supraclass Archetypes
    Archetype Type Code
    Assault Carrier VA
    Battle Carrier VB
    Carrier V (namesake)
    Command Carrier VC
    Escort Carrier VE
    Fleet Carrier VF
    Heavy Carrier VH
    Light Carrier VL
    Mercenary Carrier VE
    Micro-Escort Carrier VE
    Pocket Carrier VP
    Provincial Combat Carrier VF
    Range Carrier VF
    Strike Carrier VA
    System Defense Carrier VD

    Tenders typically serve the following roles:
    Largecraft & Bigcraft:

    VT-class Tender Supraclass Archetypes
    Archetype Type Code
    Attack Boat Tender VTB
    Battle Tender VTB
    Battlerider Carrier VTB
    Command Tender VTC
    Commercial Tender TV
    Communication Tender XT
    Cruiser Tender VT
    Defense Tender VTD
    Destroyer Tender VT
    Escort Tender VTE
    Fast Tender VTF
    Fighter Tender VT
    Fleet Tender VTF
    Frontier Tender VTF
    Heavy Tender VTH
    Interdiction Tender VTD
    Jump Carrier TV
    Jump Shuttle TV
    Light Tender VTL
    Medium Tender VTM
    Repair Tender VT
    Ship Tender VT
    Ship Transporter TV
    Strike Tender VTB
    Superheavy Tender VTS
    System Defense Boat Tender VTD
    Tender (Militarized) VT (Namesake)
    Ultraheavy Tender VTU
    Very Light Tender VTE
    Xboat Tender XT

    Size-Class Roles for Carrier Vessels[edit]

    Carriers:

    1. Utility Craft (U) (1 to 99 tons)
    2. Escort Carrier (VE) (100 to 2,499 tons)
    3. Light Carrier (VL) (2,500 to 99,999 tons)
    4. Medium Carrier (VM) (100,000 to 199,999 tons)
    5. Pocket Carrier (VP) (200,000 to 249,999 tons)
    6. Heavy Carrier (VH) (250,000 to 499,999 tons)
    7. Superheavy Carrier (VS) (500,000 to 999,999 tons)
    8. Ultraheavy Carrier (VU) (1,000,000 or more tons)

    Supraclass Archetypal Roles[edit]

    These vessels typically serve the following archetypal roles:

    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 carriers and tenders. Carriers carry smallcraft fighters and tenders carry bigcraft battle riders.
    • V = Vehicle Carrier, aViation or voler, etc.
    • Voler is a Terran French word meaning "to fly."
    Assault Carrier VA Wind class Strike Carrier Assault Carriers specialize in planetary assault using their fighters to conduct round-the-clock surface bombardment missions and then shuttling down troop transports and armored fighting vehicles.
    • 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 fighters into combat. Generally a dispersed structure (...of up to one million tons), it transports a squadron of a number of fighters 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 Carriers perform flagship roles, coordinating large numbers of fighters. courier vessels, scout vessels, and line combatants, as the center of a battle fleet. This role is ordinarily taken by a fleet's premier battleships.
    • C = Command
    Defense Carrier VD No exemplar yet available. Defense Carriers are a specialized form of carriers that forward deploy fighters in similar roles to SDBs. The use of defense carriers can strategically deny fleets access to gas giants or other fuel sources 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 Carriers are small vessels that displace between 100 to 2,499 tons 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 fighters, or for strikes against lightly defended targets. They can also be built relatively quickly, staffed quickly, and quickly deployed into action. Many fleets operate escort carriers because of their usefulness within their identified roles.
    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 ships. They are dependent on other capital ships and auxiliary elements such as tankers or combat support ships.
    • F = Fleet, Combat Support, Strategic, etc.
    • VF-11: The massive VF-11 was produced to provide support for the vast numbers of fighters 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 vessels that weigh between 250,000 to 499,999 tons. Heavies are very large craft, as big as many cruisers and battleships and capable of carrying a large, powerful load of subcraft, enough fighters 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 vessels that weigh between 2,500 to 99,999 tons. Light vessels can be impressive craft, just under 100k in tonnage, which is more than large enough to threaten merchant vessels, smaller system defense fleets, and many lesser targets including smaller world-states.
    • L = Light
    • VL-15: The higher-tech trend is to smaller carriers. The VL-15 light carrier
    Medium Carrier VM Antiama class Fleet Carrier A Medium Carrier is a size-displacement category which includes vessels that weigh between 100,000 to 199,999 tons. Medium vessels are large vessels, cruiser-sized, and are general considered capital ships, 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 vessels that weigh between 200,000 to 249,999 tons.
    • P = Pocket
    • VP-15: Even smaller than the light carriers is the VP-15 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 vessels that weigh between 500,000 to 999,999 tons. 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 resources, and massive crews. 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 Tenders carry bigcraft, which is to say subcraft that are 100 tons or larger in displacement. These subcraft are significantly larger, more powerful, and longer-legged than the smallcraft fighters 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 Tenders and entire schools of naval strategy have arisen concerning their usage and deployment. [1]
    Ultraheavy Carrier VU Kliqrv class Battle Carrier A Ultraheavy Carrier is a size-displacement category which includes vessels that weigh 1,000,000 or more tons. 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 ships for the largest fleets.
    • U = Ultraheavy
    Commercial Tender & Ship Transporter TV Mariner class Frame Carrier Ship Transporters or commercial tenders are similar to carriers and tenders, 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 ships or jump trains, specialized to carry variable cargos, or as jump shuttles.
    NOTES: There is semantic overlap between many of the classes and codes. Some codes organize by mission or capability, others by size and tonnage, and yet others by other characteristics.

    History & Background (Dossier)[edit]

    Historically different navies have used fighters differently.

    • Imperial fleets do not heavily emphasize carriers as the ships that decide battles. They carefully pair carriers with assault squadrons and battle squadrons with fleet tenders. Fighters can screen the launching and recovery of battle riders. Battle riders are used to destroy enemy ships of the line and the fighters make sure some survive recovery operations.
    • Vargr fighter pilots are widely regarded as fierce and unpredictable opponents. Corsairs use fighters when available. Fighter pilot duty is seen as extremely charismatic among the Vargr.
    • Zhodani fleets are more likely to place fighters on small patrol ships for intelligence gathering and recon. Some of this is thought to be supplemented by psionic crew members. They use the fighters as a force multiplier to give smaller ships more batteries to bring to bear against smaller combatants and are very helpful during commerce raiding deep behind enemy lines.

    Selected Variant Types & Classes[edit]

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Assault Carrier:

    1. Type VA class Assault Carrier
      1. Lorimar class Strike Carrier
      2. Mar class Strike Carrier
      3. Sveinhelm class Assault Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Battle Carrier:

    1. Type VB class Battle Carrier
      1. Liaoning class Strike Carrier
      2. Wind class Strike Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Command Carrier:

    1. Type VC class Command Carrier
      1. Echaahan class Command Carrier
      2. Ishker class Command Carrier
      3. Rapacious class Command Carrier
      4. War Child class Command Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Defense Carrier:

    1. Type VD class Defense Carrier
      1. Stanter class Defense Escort Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Escort Carrier:

    1. Type VE class Escort Carrier
      1. Bengal class Carrier
      2. Cavern of Fangs class Escort Carrier
      3. Centaur class Mercenary Carrier
      4. Das Reich class Very Light Carrier
      5. Hyperion class Escort Carrier
      6. Nisina class Escort Carrier
      7. Ranger class Escort Carrier
      8. Sakhai class Assault Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Fleet Carrier:

    1. Type VF class Fleet Carrier
      1. Indomitable class Fleet Carrier
      2. Vindicated class Fleet Carrier
      3. White Dragon class Fleet Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Heavy Carrier:

    1. Type VH class Heavy Carrier
      1. Midway class Heavy Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Light Carrier:

    1. Type VL class Light Carrier
      1. Avenger class Escort Carrier
      2. Bullfrog class Fighter Tender
      3. Cluster class Light Fleet Carrier
      4. Collossal class Light Carrier
      5. Dauntless class Light Carrier
      6. De Gaulle class Light Carrier
      7. Fuchuan class Warship Carrier
      8. Garin class Light Carrier
      9. Heng-O class Light Carrier
      10. Hangar class Light Fleet Carrier
      11. Hybrid Zeno class Light Carrier
      12. Kosigar class Light Carrier
      13. Liaoning class Light Carrier
      14. Nova class Light Carrier
      15. Regal Ark class Light Fleet Carrier
      16. Skimkish class Light Carrier
      17. SLC8 Penetia class Light Carrier
      18. Vati class Support Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Medium Carrier:

    1. Type VM class Medium Carrier
      1. Antiama class Fleet Carrier
      2. Exilicanda class Medium Carrier
      3. Spirit class Medium Carrier
      4. Victorious class Medium Fleet Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Pocket Carrier:

    1. Type VP class Pocket Carrier
      1. Horror class Strike Carrier
      2. Jderveledr class Fleet Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Superheavy Carrier:

    1. Type VS class Superheavy Carrier
      1. Mordax class Superheavy Fleet Carrier

    Military Ship - Warship - Subcraft Carrier - Ultraheavy Carrier:

    1. Type VU class Ultraheavy Carrier
      1. Kliqrv class Ultraheavy Battle Carrier

    Ship Summary List[edit]

    Some of the most commonly used vessels in this role or these roles include:

    19 Representative Subcraft Carrier (V) Classes
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Exilicanda class Medium Carrier VM 13 100,000 4 1 Council of Leh Perash
    Garin class Light Carrier VL 10 10,000 1 5 Firstworlds No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VL-TBD
    Garin class Light Carrier VL 10 10,000 1 5 Firstworlds No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VL-TBD
    Garin class Light Carrier VL 10 10,000 1 5 Firstworlds No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VL-TBD
    Horror class Strike Carrier VPS 12 200,000 3 5 Old Worlds Navy No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VP-0LP53
    Hyperion class Escort Carrier VE 9 1,000 1 1 Nist Military Forces No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VE-KS11
    Ishker class Command Carrier VC 11 25,000 2 2 The Last Line No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VC-TBD
    Karna class Fleet Tender VTH 11 20,000 2 2 Regency of Muirimi No. Further developed by a fan. VTH-0MU34
    Merant class Fleet Tender VTB 10 12,000 1 1 Rimward Federation No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Merant class Fleet Tender VTB 10 12,000 1 1 Rimward Federation No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Mie class Fleet Tender VTB 13 10,000 4 4 Taakas Yh'Drak No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Sshkih class Carrier VTL 11 8,000 2 1 Sath Alliance No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VTL-08U12
    Stanter class Defense Escort Carrier VD 9 2,000 0 6 Uffan Strategic Space Forces No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VD-TBD
    Vati class Support Carrier VL 9 3,000 1 1 Descarothe Hegemony No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD


    0 Representative Assault Carrier (VA) Classes
    No results


    0 Representative Battle Carrier (VB) Classes
    No results


    1 Representative Command Carrier (VC) Classes
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Ishker class Command Carrier VC 11 25,000 2 2 The Last Line No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VC-TBD


    1 Representative Defense / Interdiction Carrier (VD) Classes
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Stanter class Defense Escort Carrier VD 9 2,000 0 6 Uffan Strategic Space Forces No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VD-TBD


    1 Representative Escort Carrier (VE) Classes
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Hyperion class Escort Carrier VE 9 1,000 1 1 Nist Military Forces No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VE-KS11


    0 Representative Fleet Carrier (VF) Classes
    No results


    0 Representative Heavy Carrier (VH) Classes
    No results


    4 Representative Light Carrier (VL) Classes
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Garin class Light Carrier VL 10 10,000 1 5 Firstworlds No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VL-TBD
    Garin class Light Carrier VL 10 10,000 1 5 Firstworlds No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VL-TBD
    Garin class Light Carrier VL 10 10,000 1 5 Firstworlds No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VL-TBD
    Vati class Support Carrier VL 9 3,000 1 1 Descarothe Hegemony No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD


    1 Representative Medium Carrier (VM) Classes
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Exilicanda class Medium Carrier VM 13 100,000 4 1 Council of Leh Perash


    1 Representative Pocket Carrier (VP) Classes
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Horror class Strike Carrier VPS 12 200,000 3 5 Old Worlds Navy No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VP-0LP53


    0 Representative Supraheavy Carrier (VS) Classes
    No results


    10 Representative Tenders (VT) Classes
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile
    Karna class Fleet Tender VTH 11 20,000 2 2 Regency of Muirimi No. Further developed by a fan. VTH-0MU34
    Merant class Fleet Tender VTB 10 12,000 1 1 Rimward Federation No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Merant class Fleet Tender VTB 10 12,000 1 1 Rimward Federation No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Mie class Fleet Tender VTB 13 10,000 4 4 Taakas Yh'Drak No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Senator class Battle Tender VTB 11 20,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD
    Sshkih class Carrier VTL 11 8,000 2 1 Sath Alliance No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. VTL-08U12


    0 Representative Ultraheavy Carrier (VU) Classes
    No results


    0 Representative Commercial Carrier / Ship Transporter (TV) Classes
    No results


    References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]

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    1. Information provided to the library by Maksim-Smelchak