Editing Cruiser

{{:Starship-Nav-Bar-Two-2019CE}}
[[Cruiser|C-class Cruiser]]s are military [[starship]]s capable of independent operations and of support of the main line of battle. 
* Cruisers are intended to fulfill two diverse missions: Independent operations (Raider CruRons) and Dependent operations (Support CruRons). 
* A [[CruRon]] is a ''Cruiser Squadron'', a major military combat or line formation. 
* 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]]) ==
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 battle- ships and carry combat to areas where a battleship is not considered necessary. 

Cruisers are intended to fulfill two diverse missions. In battle, they support and reinforce the larger [[capital ship]]s (... either [[battleship]]s or [[battle rider]] [[squadron]]s) which are present and which form the main line of battle, generally from the flanks. They also perform independent operations, often forming the center of task forces which have no capital ships. Cruisers are also put to use as independent ships.

Cruisers are often multi-mission capable vessels defined by their higher maneuver capability and/or longer independent cruising range (... normally defined as higher jump capability and/or fuel capacity) than what is normally considered standard for fleet mobility parameters. Nevertheless there are some vessels that are called cruisers that do not quite match the high-mobility standards typical of the supra-class, most of which tend to suffer reassignment or reclassification of their mission descriptor at some subsequent point in their operational history.  

=== Image Repository ===
'''[[Armored Cruiser|Type CA Armored Cruiser]]:'''
# No image yet available. 

'''[[Battlecruiser|Type CB Battlecruiser]]:'''
# No image yet available. 

'''[[Frontier Cruiser|Type CF Frontier Cruiser / Colonial Cruiser / Vanguard Cruiser]]:'''
# A [[Nemesis class Intruder Cruiser]] patrolling in front of a [[moon]] lit up by a nearby [[star]]. <br> [[File: Nemesis-Intruder-Cruiser-MT-RESIZE-SS-Crompton-TTD11 06-Sept-2019b.png|400px]]
# A line drawing of a [[Kinunir class Vanguard Cruiser]]. <br> [[File: Trav-Adv1-Kinunir.PNG|400px]]

'''[[Missile Cruiser|Type CGM Missile Cruiser]]:'''
# No image yet available. 

'''[[Heavy Cruiser|Type CH Heavy Cruiser]]:'''
# No image yet available. 

'''[[Light Cruiser|Type CL Light Cruiser]]:'''
# A [[Foghoks class Heavy Cruiser]] under high velocity in [[deep space]]. <br> [[File: Foghoks-Hvy-Cruiser-MT-RESIZE-T-Peters-Rebellion-pg-79 10-Sept-2019b.jpg|400px]]

'''[[Medium Cruiser|Type CM Medium Cruiser]]:'''
# The [[Aek Naz class Battlecruiser]] is a sturdy, utilitarian design built by the [[Vargr]] for hard combat. <br> [[File: Aek-Naz-Battlecruiser-MT-RESIZE-T-Peters-Rebellion-pg-78 10-Sept-2019b.jpg|400px]]

'''[[Strike Cruiser|Type CS Strike Cruiser]]:'''
# A [[Zhodani]] [[Vlezhdatl class Strike Cruiser|Vlezhdatl]] strike formation in [[high guard]] position. <br> [[File: Vlezhdatl-class-FASA-CT-Cover 15-July-2019a.jpg|400px]]
# An [[Arakoine class Strike Cruiser]] on route to bombard an enemy [[mainworld]] into submission. <br> [[file: Arakoine-Strike-Cruiser-CT-RESIZE-P-Jaquays-pg-29 12-Sept-2019b.jpg|400px]]

'''[[Very Light Cruiser|Type CVL Very Light Cruiser / Escort Cruiser]]:'''
# A [[Type C class Cruiser]], a mass-produced [[very light cruiser]] or [[escort cruiser]] used to patrol the [[star lane]]s. <br> [[File: Cruiser-T5-Core-Rules-Pg-359 25-July-2018a.jpg]]

'''[[Mercenary Cruiser|Type CY Mercenary Cruiser]]:'''
# An [[Aositaoh class Mercenary Cruiser]] cruising through [[space]] with a deadly load of [[Aslan]] warriors. <br> [[File: Aositaoh-Merc-Cruiser-MGT-1-RESIZE-Aslan-pg-95 12-Sept-2019b.jpg|400px]]
# A [[Broadsword class Mercenary Cruiser|''Broadsword-class'']] exiting an [[atmosphere]] with a [[modular cutter]]. <br> [[File: Broadsword-class SGK-03-Jae-Stewart 10-June-2019a.png|400px]]

=== Heavyweight Cruiser vs Speedy Cruiser? ===  
''CONFUSING TERMINOLOGY:'' The term ''Cruiser'' can often be misleading. Defined namesake cruisers are large, heavyweight vessels that can support the line-of-battle, and are meant to slug it out in main fleet engagements. They are large, well armed ships, that can even overwhelm dreadnoughts and super-heavy vessels in sufficient numbers. Vessels such as the [[Arakoine class Strike Cruiser]] or [[Aek Naz class Battlecruiser]] represent these large vessels which can have displacements in the range of multiple tens of thousands of tons. Obsolescent members of the Cruiser classification (... such as the [[Lightning class Frontier Cruiser|Lightning class Fleet Intruder]], now reclassified as the [[Lightning class Frontier Cruiser]]) are often sold off to the [[IISS]], to Colonial or Provincial [[Subsector Navy|Subsector Navies]], or are put into strategic reserve for reactivation and reassignment to [[Subsector Navy|Subsector Navies]] in time of war.  

There are also vessels called "''Cruisers''" which lack the size and hitting power of the aforementioned [[Imperial Navy]] cruisers, but typically possess speed and endurance. They ''cruise'' or move  speedily compared to larger capital ships.  These are often small, speedy vessels that hit over weight for their size class, but would stand next to no chance against a naval-fleet sized slugger of a combatant. Vessels such as these are generally referred to as "Colonial Cruisers" and are typically found in [[Subsector Navy|Subsector]] and/or [[Planetary Navy|Planetary Naval forces]] as heavy patrol vessels.  Vessels massing in the 800-3000 ton range (... such as the [[Sydkai class Cruiser|Sydkai class Colonial Cruiser]] or [[Broadsword class Mercenary Cruiser]]) are representative of this smaller latter type. By [[Imperial Navy]] standards, they are ''cruisers'' in name only.

=== Strategy & Tactics (Doctrine) ===
Cruisers are more lightly armored and less heavily armed than [[Battleship|battleship]]s. To unarmed, unarmored ships, this difference is negligible since a cruiser can easily attack and destroy any noncombatant ships. Cruisers are assigned to support [[Battleship|battleship]]s and carry combat to areas where a [[Battleship|battleship]] is not considered necessary.

=== Supraclass Roles ===
''Cruiser''s typically serve the following roles: <br>
''[[Largecraft]] & [[Bigcraft]]:''
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!colspan="4"| C-class Cruiser Supraclass Archetypes
|-
! Archetype
! Type Code
|-
| [[Armored Cruiser]]
| (CA)
|-
| [[Assault Cruiser]]
| (CS)
|-
| [[Asteroid Cruiser]]
| (C)
|-
| [[Attack Cruiser]]
| (CS)
|-
| [[Battle Cruiser]]
| (CB)
|-
| [[Bombardment Cruiser]]
| (O)
|-
| [[Colonial Cruiser]]
| (CF)
|-
| [[Command Cruiser]]
| (CC)
|-
| [[Control Cruiser]]
| (CF)
|-
| [[Cruiser Rider]]
| (BR)
|-
| [[Defense Cruiser]]
| (C)
|-
| [[Escort Cruiser]]
| (CVL)
|-
| [[Exploratory Cruiser]]
| (L)
|-
| [[Fast Cruiser]]
| (CF)
|-
| [[Fleet Intruder]]
| (CF)
|-
| [[Flotilla Leader]]
| (CC)
|-
| [[Frontier Cruiser]]
| (CF) 
|-
| [[Gunned Cruiser]]
| (CG) 
|-
| [[Heavy Cruiser]]
| (CH) (...old CA)
|-
| [[Intelligence Cruiser]]
| (CF) 
|-
| [[Intruder Cruiser]]
| (CF) 
|-
| [[Light Cruiser]]
| (CL) 
|-
| [[Medium Cruiser]]
| (CM)
|-
| [[Mercenary Cruiser]]
| (CY) 
|-
| [[Mercenary Transport]]
| (CY) 
|-
| [[Merchant Cruiser]]
| (A, M, R, T)
|-
| [[Missile Cruiser]]
| (CGM) 
|-
| [[Patrol Cruiser]]
| (HP)
|-
| [[Provincial Cruiser]]
| (CF)
|-
| [[Rift Cruiser]]
| (CFJ) 
|-
| [[Scout Cruiser]]
| (CF)
|-
| [[Screening Cruiser]]
| (CS)
|-
| [[Strike Cruiser]]
| (CS)
|-
| [[Support Cruiser]]
| (C)
|-
| [[Vanguard Cruiser]]
| (CF)
|-
| [[Very Light Cruiser]]
| (CVL)
|-
| [[War Cruiser]]
| (CS)
|-
|}
 
==== Size-Class Roles for Cruiser Vessels ====
# [[Utility Craft]] (U) (1 to 99 [[ton]]s)
# [[Escort]] (E) (100 to 2,499 [[ton]]s)
# [[Escort Cruiser]] or [[Very Light Cruiser]] (CE) (100 to 2,499 [[ton]]s)
# [[Mercenary Cruiser]] (CY) (100 to 2,499 [[ton]]s)
# [[Light Cruiser]] (CL) (2,500 to 24,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Medium Cruiser]] (CM) (25,000 to 49,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Heavy Cruiser]] (CH) (50,000 to 99,999 [[ton]]s)
# [[Battlecruiser]] (CS) (100,000 or larger [[ton]]s)

==== Military Subcraft ====
Military [[subcraft]] (...both [[smallcraft]] and [[bigcraft]]) are carried by some 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"| C-class Cruiser Supraclass Archetypes
|-
! Archetype
! Type Code/s
! Exemplar
! Remarks
|-
| [[Cruiser]]
| C
| [[Kinunir class Vanguard Cruiser]]
| The overarching cruiser designation covers a variety of lone combatants with less combat ability than a battleship, but more than a  destroyer or escort. However, like all designations, craft across vast many [[technology epoch]]s are still in service, so there is a vast overlaps of many vessels definitions and types.
* C = Cruiser
|-
| [[Armored Cruiser]]
| CA
| [[Ghalalk class Armored Cruiser]]
| [[Armored Cruiser]]s are designed to combine long range, high speed, and heavy weapons. Their spinal mounted armament is the same size or only slightly smaller than that of ships of line, like their larger cousins the [[battleship]]s and [[dreadnought]]s. It is difficult to strike and perfect balance between mobility, protection and weapons. Imperial armored cruisers typically fall in the 50,000-75,000 ton range, larger cruisers often slip into the battle cruiser range. Armored cruisers usually carry armor and screens sufficient to protect them from any hits from turret mounted weapons. Only the largest missile bays and spinal mounts have any hope of seriously wounding them. These ships are often called upon for long range patrol and raiding. They might be tasked as a flag ship for a group of smaller ships. They often protect large fleet assets, such as carriers and assault transports. Their copious missile armament means they can provide devastating artillery barrages. Many commanders look upon their heavy cruisers as versatile survivors, ships capable of a wide variety of roles and tasks. 
* C = Cruiser
* A = Armored
|-
| [[Battlecruiser]]
| CB
| [[Vlezhdatl class Strike Cruiser]]
| [[Battle Cruiser]]s combine the spinal mounted meson or [[particle accelerator]] firepower of battleships and the armor and screen protection of cruisers. They tend to be fast with good strategic jump mobility. The trade off is in the realm of heavy armor plating. They are unable to sustain the punishment that battleships can deal out and absorb. Battle Cruisers' operational philosophy is to out run whatever they can not out gun. They are built to destroy and survival is of secondary importance. They often lead deep penetration raids to disrupt "secure" rear areas and terrorize merchant shipping lanes with a few fast escorts. <br>
[[Strike Cruiser]]s involve certain trade offs. They sacrifice nearly everything for extreme jump range, they all use the maximum jump drive for their respective tech level of manufacture. As a result they carry so much jump fuel, occasionally [[drop tank]]s or dis-mountable fuel tanks, they have less space left over for weapons, maneuver drives, or armor. This is the logical extension of the hit and run design philosophy. The deep strikes behind enemy lines require a special mind set, the captain of these ships act as assassins picking off key targets, vital assets, before sprinting away. <br>
[[War Cruiser]]s can be any type of cruiser, except a mercenary or rift cruiser, although they tend to be vessels with heavier armament.  They are often known as attack cruisers.
* (100,000 or larger tons)
* C = Cruiser
* B = Battle
|-
| [[Frontier Cruiser]]
| CF
| [[Lightning class Frontier Cruiser]]
| [[Frontier Cruiser]]s are usually mid-sized vessels with high jump capabilities assigned to frontier areas. They fill a variety of roles including frontier security, SAR, intelligence gathering, and force projection. Ships of this class may also be known as ''[[Fleet Intruder]]s'', and ''[[Scout Cruiser]]s''. These vessels are also known as [[Provincial Cruiser]]s. <br>
[[Rift Cruiser]]s are designated base on their operational area, stellar rifts. They have longer jump drive capabilities, and often have a priority on the assignment of naval personnel and replacement parts. Personnel assigned to a Rift Cruiser often get "risk" pay for duty in stellar rifts.
* C = Cruiser
* F = Frontier, Fleet Intruder, Intelligence, Intruder, Provincial, Rift, Scout, [[etc.]]
|-
| [[Missile Cruiser]]
| CGM
| [[Vrysonu class Missile Cruiser]]
| [[Missile Cruiser]]s were developed to emphasize the overall benefits of [[missile]] armaments. Missile cruiser sacrifice the spinal mount to mount additional heavy missile bays.
* C = Cruiser
* G = Guided
* M - Missile
|-
| [[Heavy Cruiser]]
| CH
| [[Arakoine class Strike Cruiser]]
| TBD. (50,000 to 99,999 tons)
* C = Cruiser
* H = Heavy
|-
| [[Light Cruiser]]
| CL
| [[Gionetti class Light Cruiser]] <br> aka <br> [[SEH class Light Cruiser]]
| A [[Light Cruiser]] is typically the smallest fleet combatant with a [[spinal mount]]. They as fast as a destroyer with the range of a heavy cruiser. They don't carry as much armor. They are not intended to last on the line of battle versus heavier ships. They are used to escort carriers, [[Troop Transport|troop transport]]s, [[tanker]]s and logistical ships. They are also used to lead groups of destroyers. They scout ahead of main fleet elements and protect the flanks of large fleets. Imperial light cruisers are from 10,000 tons to just below 50,000 tons. Ships below 10,000 tons are [[fleet escort]]s, but some designs in that range are labelled [[light cruiser]]s.  
* (2,500 to 24,999 tons)
* C = Cruiser
* L = Light
|-
| [[Medium Cruiser]]
| CM
| [[Aek Naz class Battlecruiser]]
| TBD. (25,000 to 49,999 tons)
* C = Cruiser
* M = Medium
|-
| [[Strike Cruiser]] or [[Attack Cruiser]]
| CS
| [[Vlezhdatl class Strike Cruiser]]
| TBD
* C = Cruiser
* S = Strike, Attack, Combat, War, [[etc.]]
|-
| [[Very Light Cruiser]]
| CVL
| [[Sydkai class Cruiser]]
| [[Escort Cruiser]]s often carry powerful secondary and tertiary defenses in order to stick close to and defend high-value capital assets in a fleet formation (such as flag dreadnoughts or battle tenders) from attack or harassment by missiles and/or smaller and faster light vessels. [[Patrol Cruiser]]s may fill the role of both frontier and rear area security.  Although this role more properly belongs to smaller vessels, occasionally more powerful vessels are assigned. [[Reconnaissance Cruiser]]s are lighter cruisers with limited armament, but high jump and maneuver, and are equipped with extensive sensor suites. Also called [[Intelligence Cruiser]]s.
* (100 to 2,499 tons) 
* C = Cruiser
* VL = Very Light
|-
| [[Mercenary Cruiser]]
| CY
| [[Broadsword class Mercenary Cruiser]]
| [[Mercenary Cruiser]]s are an answer to the relative lawlessness of some regions of the Imperium that have long posed a problem to those in authority; they are torn between a need to provide protection and order to all areas under Imperial domain, and a rational understanding that cost is a continuing factor in such actions. One solution is the toleration of hired troop units within especially troublesome subsectors. Such units help maintain a basic semblance of order to the worlds and systems within, and are available (at a nominal additional cost) to those in the region desiring more action or greater attention to their own problems. The Imperial hand in such arrangements is clearly seen in their tacit approval of mercenary actions, including referrals in some cases where calls for help are received. The Imperial bureaucracy, in its efforts to provide assistance, has also taken the step of commissioning the design of a standard mercenary cruiser to carry such units throughout their areas of responsibility, and has made these ships available through the provision of low cost construction loans. The design itself is well thought out and has been used for innumerable other tasks, including some Imperial and subsector military missions, and as fleet auxiliaries to the Imperial Navy. There have been numerous arguments that such vessels should not have military designations, but they continue to do so.  They constitute a naval reserve with many navies.
* C = Cruiser
* Y = Mercenar'''Y'''
|-
| [[Cruiser Rider]]
| BR
| No exemplar yet available.
| [[Cruiser Rider]]s are any cruiser rated vessel which lacks independent jump capability, but instead relies on another vessel to provide jump capability. Such vessels are usually called "Cruiser Tenders." Due to the lack of a jump drive and associated fuel tanks, designers reallocate tonnage to weapons, armor, and in-system maneuverability.
* B = Battle
* R = Rider
|-
| [[Bombardment Cruiser]]  <br> "Siege"
| O
| [[Huron class Bombardment Cruiser]]
| [[Bombardment Cruiser]] are usually a heavy or light cruiser type containing armaments focused on providing supporting planetary assault operations.
* O = Ortillery
|-
!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.
|-
|}

==== Caledonian Frigates ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!colspan="4"| Caledonian Frigate-Cruiser Supraclass Archetypes
|-
! Archetype
! Type Code/s
! Exemplar
! Remarks
|-
| [[Caledonian Frigate]]s
| CL, CM, CH
| [[Sunderland class Heavy Frigate]]
| In [[Royal Caledonian Navy|Caledonian navy]] parlance, cruisers are called "frigates" ([[Heavy Frigate|heavy]] and [[Light Frigate|light]]). This is mostly for historical and traditional reasons.
* C = Cruiser
* H = Heavy
* L - Light
* M = Medium
|-
!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]]) ==
Even before the advent of spacefaring and later starfaring naval ships, in an era of oars, sails, and maritime navies, cruisers tend to form the backbone of any viable navy. Cruisers are the largest combat ships in an affordable class since [[battleship]]s are prohibitively expensive and only available to the superpowers of their era. Cruisers can be built much more quickly than battleships. Many cruisers can be built in two years or less compared to some battleships which might take many years.

=== Selected Variant Types & Classes ===
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CA-Armored-Cruiser}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CB-Battlecruiser}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CF-Frontier-Cruiser}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CGM-Missile-Cruiser}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CH-Heavy-Cruiser}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CL-Light-Cruiser}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CM-Medium-Cruiser}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CS-Strike-Cruiser}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CVL-Very-Light-Cruiser}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-CY-Mercenary-Cruiser}}

=== Ship Summary List ===
Some of the most commonly used [[vessel]]s in this role or these roles include:
{{Ship summary list|name= Cruiser |tdes= C}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Armored Cruiser |tdes= CA}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Battlecruiser |tdes= CB}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Frontier Cruiser |tdes= CF}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Missile Cruiser |tdes= CGM}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Heavy Cruiser |tdes= CH}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Light Cruiser |tdes= CL}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Medium Cruiser |tdes= CM}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Strike Cruiser |tdes= CS}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Very Light Cruiser / Escort Cruiser |tdes= CV}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Mercenary Cruiser |tdes= CY}}

== References & Contributors ([[Sources]]) ==
{{Metadata}}
{{Wikipedia|Armored_cruiser}}
{{Wikipedia|Battlecruiser}}
{{Wikipedia|Cruiser}}
{{Intermediate}}
{{Detail}}
{{Sources
|S1= This article is an amalgamation of many different materials published since 1977.
|S2= {{Ludography cite|name= Imperium |page= All}} 
|S3= {{Ludography cite|name= Library Data (A-M)|page=22}} ({{CT}} [[Supplement 8]])
|S4= {{Ludography cite|name= Fighting Ships|page=28-33|version=Classic Traveller}} ({{CT}} [[Supplement 9]])
|S5= {{Ludography cite|name= Dark Nebula |page= All}} 
|S6= {{Ludography cite|name= Fighting Ships of the Shattered Imperium|page=40-52}}
|S7= {{Ludography cite|name= Fighting Ships|page=12-14|version=Traveller D20}}
|S9= 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]]
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{{LEN|}}