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_CORVETTES

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Corvettes provide the backbone of a nation’s patrol and quick-response force. Larger and much more versatile than bombers, but smaller and more nimble than frigates, Corvettes bridge the gap between the larger starships and the smaller strikecraft. The primary role Corvettes play in peacetime is as a spaceborne patrol craft, differentiating themselves from carrier or base-launched scouts by being the smallest ships equipped with fusion reactors and jump drives, allowing them to undertake long and thorough patrols, without having to constantly return to base for refuel and resupply. While detection buoys with FTL communications are used to mark borders or high-traffic spacelanes, Corvettes are much more mobile and versatile, capable of responding to threats and situations immediately, or to retreat and relay important information for a more appropriate response. In wartime, while the Corvette’s primary role as a patrol and early warning craft is still applicable, but are also used in a more proactive offensive and defensive role. Corvettes work closely with larger starships and smaller strike craft, able to engage multiple strikecraft and drones simultaneously, and packing enough firepower to dent larger starships. In fleet actions, corvettes are often used to escort fighter and bomber teams to their targets, acting as heavy gunships to cut their way through the enemy’s own fighters and help in taking down enemy shields for bombers to deliver their nuclear payloads. In a defensive role, Corvettes act as part of a planetary defense force or militia, bolstering fighting forces in orbit as well as on the surface. Most Corvettes are SSTO-capable and can reach orbit and continue fighting, without significant fuel penalties, due to the fusion reactors they carry, and are often called in for local fire support missions to aid ground forces in a standoff or close-air support role. Due to their independent and versatile nature, Corvettes also undertake a variety of secondary roles, including high-profile escort, communications relay, long-range scouting, planetary probing, transport as well as search and rescue.

 

Allied League Navy

Mantis class

 

Mantis class corvettes are unique among corvette classed ships, with a focus on space operations and combat as opposed to the more multirole nature of corvettes from other nations. While still retaining in-atmosphere operational status and SSTO ability, Mantis ship armaments are tailored for spaceborne warfare, as per the Allied military's doctrine of specialist units for specialized roles. As a result, Mantis corvettes possess the highest output particle beam lances found on corvettes of any nation, powered by the highest output reactor of its size class.  Mantis ships also lack the turreted pulse auto cannons corvettes carry as a "sidearm" for CAS and fighter anti strike craft operations, relying instead of its large missile payload to support its gun armament. Mantises also carry the most advanced sensor, communications and electronic warfare suites, as is standard on all Allied ships. The lack of an autocannon has been severely criticized by their captains and gunners, with the inability for the gunships to manually engage strikecraft and incoming ordnance. As a result, Block-II Mantises are scheduled to receive a retractable bow automatic pulse cannon in their design, but rising costs and development concerns have forced current Block-I Corvette crews to mount external gun pods as an interim solution, until the Block-II ships are able to enter service, and the Block-Is upgraded accordingly.

 

Royal Candalus Military

Cutlass class

 

Cutlass class Corvettes are a recent addition to the navies of the Royal Candalus Navy, replacing the aging Sai class corvettes, veterans of two wars fought by the Royal Candalus Navy. Cutlasses are among the fastest corvettes in service by any nation, sacrificing engine efficiency for raw thrust output. As a result, her engines require larger than usual heat radiators to cope with the high performance fusion torch engines. Cutlasses are nimble and fast in and out of atmosphere, a trait of its Sai heritage, making it an extremely capable pursuit and patrol craft. Considered moderately armed, Cutlasses share the VLS Missile launchers with larger ships, carrying a mixture of anti fighter and standoff attack munitions. RCM Cutlasses are currently undergoing refits to upgrade their sensor arrays, as well as the addition of the new Yarimuda “Oculus” External Targeting Pods, to improve starship weapons acquisition and targeting.

 

Yarimuda Aerospace Engineering

Pyrois class

 

Relatively inexpensive, yet as versatile and well-armed, Pyrois ships are a common sight in the militaries of smaller nations. Derived from the popular civilian Ofelia-class Transporter hull, produced by the same company, Pyrois ships share a 60% part intercompatibility with its civilian counterpart, allowing operating and maintenance to be quick, easy and cheap. Pyrois ships are also favoured by the local militias on colonies of the larger nations, due to their inexpensive nature, and the reluctance of larger nations to field their advanced ships on low-priority sectors, for fear of revealing their true capabilities or becoming victims to espionage. Due to its prevalence, Pyrois ships are also notorious for being used by NGOs, pirate groups, mercenaries and PMCs, though Yarimuda has, on many occasions, denied allegations of the sale of their product to these afflictions. Pyrois corvettes are sold based on client requirements, effectively creating hundreds of subvariants of the class, ranging from armament choice, reactor output, engine performance, sensor and EW suites, as well as the inclusion of Yarimuda’s proprietary Combat Information Command and Control suites. Yarimuda continues to develop and improve the Pyrois class to meet the ever evolving requirements of its ships.

 

Kapaias Constellation Defense Force

Venturi Class Corvette

 

The Kapaias Constellation, an isolated state (not by choice, but by circumstance), occupies an area of space with extremely harsh and unforgiving worlds. Situated near the Stratus Core, a region dominated by old stars, black holes and dangerous anomalies, KDF ships all share similar design features that help them survive and operate in these dangerous environments. The KDF fleet employs proportionately more support ships such as corvettes, frigates and destroyers, compared to capital ships, due to the nature of their territory, with the bulk of the KDF Home Fleet operating solely in the Herrin Nebula until they are called for action. As a result, Venturi Corvettes are extremely hardy and well defended, a reflection of the KDF’s defensive-oriented combat doctrine, as well as a response to the harsh operating environments the Venturis work in. Magnetic interference, radiation storms and gravity fluctuations can be commonplace in many of the KDF’s area of operations, including near the colonies of Bythe and Lanoka, both of which orbit around stellar-mass singularities. While the colonies themselves are shielded, the unprotected void around them, where the Venturis operate in aren’t, and said anomalies can not only interfere and disrupt onboard systems, but being hazardous to crew safety as well. As a result, Venturis possess external ceramic-composite armour plating panels to shield critical systems, such as shields, life support and communications from excess solar radiation and magnetic interference. All systems operate on a triple redundancy, and spread out across the ship to minimize critical failure in the event a particular part of the ship is compromised. A beneficial side effect for this deliberate act of overengineering makes KDF ships like the Venturi extremely hardy and resilient to both natural and combat environments. The KDF also places importance on SAR roles on its ships, and the Venturi is no different, being able to perform complicated SAR missions that would take specialized ships from other nations to complete, which takes valuable time, a luxury not available when stranded in Kapaias space. Venturis are a rare sight outside Kapaias space, but can be occasionally seen taking part in international exercises with its allies. While Venturi, and by extension, all KDF ships seem old and worn out, it is merely a side effect of corrosion onto their external hull surfaces, which all ships in the KDF eventually succumb to. The corrosion is only surface-deep, as internal systems and structural integrity remain unaffected.

 

Coalition of Systems Armada

Tigershark class Corvette

 

The CSS Tigershark was developed as a direct response to the Allied Mantis class corvette. The Tigershark takes the space-superiority role of the corvette to its logical extreme, with a majority of its firepower focused forward; it is able to create extremely lethal barrages of fire to those caught in its sights. As a result, Tigersharks excel when engaging larger ships, such as destroyers and capital ships, able to bring their immense forward firepower to bear, quickly bringing down their prey’s shields and ultimately destroying them. However, focus on forward facing weapons allow Tigersharks to become vulnerable to strikecraft and drone interception. As a result, Tigersharks are extremely dependent on strikecraft and drone support, to prevent themselves from being targeted and focused by strikecraft of the opposing fleet. As a ship, the Tigershark, like most CSS ships are relatively simple in design and construction, which allows ease of maintenance and operation. Tigersharks are rarely used in-atmosphere, due to their weapon placements, though they have, on occasion, flown support solely using their pulse cannons to engage enemy infantry and light armour, but the risk of losing a corvette-sized ship to ground fire often outweighs the Tigershark’s battlefield contributions, and are often kept in orbit to focus on spaceborne threats. The CSS military has recently announced a new corvette type to supplement the Tigershark. Codenamed the “Cobra”, it will serve in support role to the Tigershark, and its design oriented to focus on engaging strikecraft, to cover the Tigershark’s glaring vulnerability. If successful, Cobra-Tigershark teams would be extremely dangerous and might prove challenging to counter, with many militaries already drafting new tactics or weapons systems to counter the potential combination.



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canniart's avatar
wow love these I want more....... lol