Editing Starship Types

A '''Starship Type''' is a description of the '''mission statement''' of a Starship. This should not be confused with [[Starship Classes]], which is a particular design. Each design is usually assigned to a particular type of starship, and each type will usually have many different classes.

A starship type is usually identifed by a [[ship type codes|starship type code]], a one to three letter code attached to the starship class or description. 

Sometimes a starship will move from one type to another. Often former battleships became cruisers, and cruisers became destroyers, when the maximum ship size increases with the tech level of the computer<ref>High Guard</ref>. For example a ''CH'' [[Heavy Cruiser]] is a front-line warship, however as they age, and technology advances, a class may be no longer fit for the front-line, and moved to a more secondary role such as ''DE'' [[Escort Destroyer]]. Sometimes the same design with different armaments will be of a different type (e.g. ''CS'' [[Strike Cruiser]] vs ''CC'' [[Cruiser]]). Its also common to downgrade the starship mission for political reasons, so a cruiser could become a destroyer, if arms regulations restrict heavy warships in a demilitarised zone.

The mission statement tell the purpose of a ship, but not its size or performance. e.g a ''CP'' [[Patrol Cruiser]] is often smaller than a ''DE'' [[Escord Destroyer]], even if the first has the mission to cruise behind enemy lines, while the second has the mission to escort the main battle group and to destroy fighters and other small vessels. The ''Starship Type'' is therefore confusing and the performance characteristics for civilian and military vessels is better explained by the [[ISP|Imperial Ship Profile]] code.

==Military ==

=== Broad Ship Types ===

The [[Imperial Navy]] acknowledges five broad ship types in its service: scouts, escorts. cruisers, carriers, and battleships. Each type has its own function within the overall mission of the navy.

*'''Battleship''' The power of the Imperial Navy is concentrated in its battleships. The definition of a battleship is a ship which, due to its armament and protection, is capable of standing in the line of battle. When a battleship meets any lesser type of ship, its victory is almost guaranteed. When battleships on two sides meet, victory goes to the better armed, better armored, and better directed ship.

:*'''Dreadnought''' A dreadnought is a superbattleship, designed to be the best possible battleship. The Imperial Navy places the dreadnought designation on its latest, most-effective battleships, redesignating them simply as battleships when their superior abilities are supplanted by newer construction. The concept of dreadnought does not mean that battleships are not built as well. Due to the expense of dreadnoughts, the Imperial Navy also acquires battleships as such.

:*'''Battle Rider''' A battle rider is a nonjump-capable vessel which is otherwise armed and armored like a battleship. By eliminating the jump drives and their associated controls and power plant support, the internal space they would occupy may be allocated to additional armor, weaponry, or agility. of any two vessels of equal tonnage, a battle rider (which is not burdened with jump drives and required jump drive support) would logically be superior to a jump-capable battleship (until it needs to retreat).

:*'''Battle Tender''' A battle tender is a ship designed to carry battle riders into battle.

*'''Cruisers''' Cruisers are more lightly armored and less heavily armed than battleships. To unarmed, unarmored ships, this difference is negligible, since a cruiser can easily attack and destroy any noncombatant ships. Cruisers are assigned to support battleships and carry combat to areas where a battleship is not considered necessary.

*'''Carriers''' Carriers are designed to carry large numbers of small combat craft, which in turn attack the enemy’s combatants or world surfaces.

*'''Escorts''' Escorts are vessels intended to protect and assist larger vessels. They are capable of independent action, but are usually assigned to support battleships and cruisers. 

*'''Scouts''' Scouts are survey and exploration ships normally employed in the scout service. They are transferred to naval duty in time of war or when otherwise necessary. Many scout ships are couriers for the navy.

Ships with the ''Strike'' prefix usually have higher [[Jump Drive|jump drive]]s than others types.

===Heavy Warships===
* [[Dreadnought]] - 500,000 - 1,000,000 Tons
* [[Battleship]] - 200,000 - 700,000 Tons
* [[Strike Battleship]]
* [[Light Battleship]]

===Riders===
* [[Battle Tender]] - 200,000 - 1,000,000 Tons
**[[Battle Rider]] - 100,000 - 300,000 Tons
* [[Cruser Tender]] - 30,000 - 750,000 Tons
**[[Cruiser Rider]] - 10,000 - 75,000 Tons
===Carriers===
* [[Heavy Carrier]] - 100,000 - 500,000 Tons
* [[Carrier]] - 50,000 - 100,000 Tons
* [[Strike Carrier]] - 20,000 - 100,000 Tons
* [[Fleet Carrier]] - 75,000 - 200,000 Tons
* [[Light Carrier]] - 5,000 - 30,000 Tons
* [[Fleet tender]]
===Cruisers===
* [[Battle Cruiser]] - 100,000 - 300,000 Tons
* [[Strike Cruiser]] - 20,000 - 75,000 Tons
* [[Heavy Cruiser]] - 50,000 - 100,000 Tons
* [[Cruiser]]
* [[Light Cruiser]] - 5,000 - 30,000 Tons
* [[Armoured Cruiser]]
* [[Patrol Cruiser]] - 100 - 2,000 Tons
* [[Command Cruiser]]
* [[War Cruiser]]
* [[Fleet Intruder]]
* [[Frontier Cruiser]]
===Destroyers===
* [[Destroyer Leader]]
* [[Destroyer]] - 3,000 - 10,000 Tons
* [[Destroyer Escort]] - 500 - 2,000 Tons
* [[Strike Destroyer]]
* [[Pursuit Destroyer]]
===Escort===
* [[Escort]]
* [[Escort Corvette]]
* [[Close Escort]] - 200 - 500 Tons
* [[Fleet Escort]] - 1,000 - 5,000 Tons
* [[Escort Tender]]

===Frigates===
* [[Frigate]] - 200 - 5,000 Tons
* [[Fast Frigate]]
* [[Light Frigate]]
* [[Patrol Frigate]]
===Support Ships===
* [[Fleet Tanker]]
* [[Fleet Tug]]
* [[Ship tender]]

===Smaller Ships===
* [[Missile Boat]]
* [[Corvette]]
* [[Commerce Raider]]
* [[System Defense Boat]] 10 - 10,000 Tons
* [[Gunboat]]
* [[Patrol Boat]] 
* [[Assault Transport]]
===Fighters===
* [[Heavy Fighter]] 50-99 Tons
* [[Strike Fighter]] 50-99 Tons
* [[Light Fighter]] 30-75 Tons
* [[Interface Fighter]]

==Civilian Types==
===Mercantile===
* [[Armoured Merchant]]
* [[Bulk Cargo Carrier]]
* [[Far Trader]]
* [[Free Trader]]
* [[Luxury Liner]]
* [[Merchant Cruiser]] (Armed Merchantman)
* [[Merchant Liner]]
* [[Subsidized Merchant]]

===Non-Commercial===
* [[Asteroid Miner]] - 50 - 800 Tons
* [[Corsair]]
* [[Express Boat]]
* [[Laboratory Ship]] - 100 - 2,000 Tons
* [[Mercenary Cruiser]]
* [[Police Cruiser]] - 100 - 600 Tons
* [[Scout/Courier]] - 100 - 200 Tons
* [[Scout Tender]]
* [[Survey Cruiser]] - 100 - 1,000 Tons
* [[Tanker]]
* [[Tugs]] - 100 - 10,000 Tons
* [[Yacht]] - 100 - 1,000 Tons

===Auxiliary===
* [[Pinnace]]
* [[Shuttle]] - 20 - 200 Tons

{{Sources|S1=[[High Guard (book)|Book 5: High Guard]]|
  S2=[[FSSI|Fighting ships of the shattered Imperium]]}}
{{LE|S|Ships}}