Difference between revisions of "Starship Types"

From Traveller Wiki - Science-Fiction Adventure in the Far future
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m (updated carrier links)
(Replaced content with "{{Disambig}} * Military Starship Types * Civilian Starship Types")
 
(17 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
== Starship Types (Military) Synopsis ==
+
{{Disambig}}
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 identified by a [[ship type codes|starship type code]], a one to three letter code attached to the starship class or description.
+
* [[Military Starship Types]]
 
+
* [[Civilian Starship Types]]
See [[Ship type codes]] for more information.
 
 
 
== Starship Types (Military) History ==
 
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. 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 demilitarized 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'' [[Escort 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.
 
 
 
== Starship Types (Military) Broad Ship Types ==
 
The [[Imperial Navy]] acknowledges six broad ship types in its service:
 
# Battleships
 
# Cruisers
 
# Carriers
 
# Escorts
 
# Fighters
 
# Support ships
 
 
 
Each type has its own function within the overall mission of the navy.
 
 
 
Note: Ships with the ''Strike'' prefix usually have higher [[Jump Drive|jump drive]]s than others types.
 
 
 
=== 1. [[Battleship|Battleships]] ===
 
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.
 
 
 
* [[Battleship#BB | Battleship]]
 
* [[Battleship#BR | Battle Rider]]
 
* [[Battleship#BL | Light Battleship]]
 
* [[Battleship#M  | Monitor]]
 
* [[Battleship#BS | Strike Battleship]]
 
* [[Battleship#BI | Superbattleship]] aka Dreadnought
 
 
 
=== 2. [[Carriers]] ===
 
Carriers are designed to carry large numbers of small combat craft, which in turn attack the enemy’s combatants or world surfaces.  A subset of carriers, termed tenders, are designed to either carry larger combat vessels or which fill the role of transport, supply vessel, and repair shop with little innate combat ability.
 
* [[Carriers#VH | Heavy Carrier]] - 100,000 - 500,000 Tons
 
* [[Carriers]] - 50,000 - 100,000 Tons
 
* [[Carriers#VS |Strike Carrier]] - 20,000 - 100,000 Tons
 
* [[Carriers#VF |Fleet Carrier]] - 75,000 - 200,000 Tons
 
* [[Carriers#VL |Light Carrier]] - 5,000 - 30,000 Tons
 
* [[Carriers#Fleet Tenders|Fleet Tender]]
 
** [[Carriers#BV |Battle Tender]] — 200,000-1,000,000 Tons
 
** [[Carriers#VC |Cruiser Tender]] — 30,000-750,000 Tons
 
** [[Carriers#VI |Interdiction Tender]] ''(carries small combat ships, usually [[System Defense Boat|SDBs]])''
 
** [[Carriers#VE |Escort Tender]] ''(carries small combat ships, usually [[System Defense Boat|SDBs]])''
 
 
 
=== 3. [[Cruiser | 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.
 
 
 
* [[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]]
 
* [[Mercenary Cruiser]]
 
* [[Cruiser Rider]] — 10,000-75,000 Tons
 
 
 
=== 4. Escorts ===
 
Escorts are vessels intended to protect and assist larger vessels. They are capable of independent action, but are often assigned to support battleships, carriers, and cruisers. They also fill a variety of other roles including security, scouting, exploration, deterring aggression, pirate hunting, rescue, and force projection.
 
 
 
==== 4a. Destroyers ====
 
* [[Destroyer Leader]]
 
* [[Destroyer]] - 3,000 - 10,000 Tons
 
* [[Destroyer Escort]] - 500 - 2,000 Tons
 
* [[Strike Destroyer]]
 
* [[Pursuit Destroyer]]
 
 
 
==== 4b. Escorts ====
 
* [[Escort]]
 
* [[Escort Corvette]]
 
* [[Close Escort]] - 200 - 500 Tons
 
* [[Fleet Escort]] - 1,000 - 5,000 Tons
 
* [[Corvette]]
 
 
 
==== 4c. Frigates ====
 
* [[Frigate]] - 200 - 5,000 Tons
 
* [[Fast Frigate]]
 
* [[Light Frigate]]
 
* [[Patrol Frigate]]
 
 
 
=== 5a. [[Fighters]] ===
 
Fighters are small craft which usually have no jump capability.  Their role is in-system offense and defense.  Although many have the capability for in atmosphere operation, their primary area of operation is in space. 
 
* [[Fighters#FH| Heavy Fighter]] 50-99 Tons
 
* [[Fighters#FS| Strike Fighter]] 50-99 Tons
 
* [[Fighters#FL| Light Fighter]] 30-75 Tons
 
* [[Fighters#FI| Interface Fighter]]
 
* [[System Defense Boat]] 10 - 10,000 Tons
 
* [[Fighters#FG| Gunboat]]
 
* [[Fighters#FM| Missile Boat]]
 
 
 
=== 5b. [[Assault Transport]]===
 
Assault transports are usually smaller vessels which specialize in delivering troops to hostile locations.  They are normally armored and may provide direct support for troops in ground operations. They also have roles associated with delivering supplies to combat zones, and as medivac and battlefield medical support.
 
* [[Assault shuttle|Assault Shuttle]]
 
* [[Assault Transport]]
 
 
 
=== 6. Support Ships & Others ===
 
Support ships play important roles in maintaining naval ships and ports.  These roles include replenishment, transportation, repair, port services, and research.  Scout ships assigned to the Imperial Navy also fall into this category.  Although most scout ships belong to the [[Imperial Interstellar Scout Service|IISS]], a small number are assigned to the navy and fulfill a variety of scouting missions and also serve as couriers.  Scout ships may also be reassigned to naval duty in the time of conflict or when deemed necessary.
 
 
 
* [[Auxiliaries]]
 
** [[Attack cargo vessel]] or Q-ship
 
** [[Fleet Tanker]]
 
** [[Replenishment Ship]]
 
** Transport
 
* [[Commerce Raider]]
 
* Courier
 
* [[Fleet Tug]]
 
* [[Patrol Boat]]
 
* Scout Ship
 
* [[Ship tender]]
 
 
 
== Starship Types (Civilian) Broad Ship Types ==
 
Civilian vessels fall into three broad categories:
 
 
 
* 1. '''Mercantile Vessels''': The first category are mercantile vessels constructed primarily for commerce and focused on interstellar transportation of goods and passengers. 
 
* 2. '''Auxiliary Vessels''': Auxiliaries are the second group. This group of vessels are used for transporting goods and passengers from space to planetary surfaces. They are also heavily utilized for surface to surface transport. They do not have jump capabilities. 
 
* 3. '''Non-commercial Vessels''': The final category is a catch all for other vessels whose primary purpose is not transportation. These include civilian law enforcement, customs, prospecting, construction, survey, and non-military support vessels.
 
 
 
=== 1. Mercantile ===
 
* [[Bulk Cargo Carrier]]
 
* [[Merchant]]
 
** [[Armoured Merchant]]
 
** [[Far Trader]]
 
** [[Free Trader]]
 
** [[Luxury Liner]]
 
** [[Merchant Cruiser]] (Armed Merchantman)
 
** [[Merchant Liner]]
 
** [[Subsidized Merchant]]
 
 
 
=== 2. [[Auxiliary]] ===
 
* [[Pinnace]]
 
* [[Shuttle]] - 20 - 200 Tons
 
 
 
=== 3. Non-Commercial ===
 
* [[Asteroid Miner]] - 50 - 800 Tons
 
* [[Prospector's Cutter]]
 
* [[Corsair]]
 
* [[Express Boat]]
 
* [[Laboratory Ship]] - 100 - 2,000 Tons
 
* [[Mercenary Cruiser]]
 
* [[Patrol and Surveillance Ships| Patrol/Surveillance Ships]]
 
* [[Police Cruiser]] - 100 - 600 Tons
 
* [[Scout/Courier]] - 100 - 200 Tons
 
* [[Scout Tender]]
 
* [[Survey Cruiser]] - 100 - 1,000 Tons
 
* [[Yacht]] - 100 - 1,000 Tons
 
* [[Tanker]]
 
* [[Towing vessel]] - 200 - 600 Tons
 
* [[Tugs]] - 100 - 10,000 Tons
 
 
 
{{Sources
 
|S1= [[High Guard (book)|Book 5: High Guard]]
 
|S2= [[FSSI|Fighting ships of the shattered Imperium]]
 
}}
 
 
 
{{LE|S|Ships}}
 

Latest revision as of 22:02, 8 February 2015