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Roland class
Name: Roland class
Type: Destroyer
Affiliation: RMN logo small boxcolored Star Empire of Manticore
Date Introduced: 1921 PD
Preceded By: Wolfhound class
Mass: 188,560 tons
Acceleration: 780 G (max.), 624 G (80%)
Crew: 62
Armament: chase:
  • 2 grasers fore and aft
  • 6 missile tubes fore and aft

broadside:

  • 5 lasers port and starboard

defense:

  • 20 countermissile tubes
  • 30 point-defense laser clusters
Magazines: 240/250 Mark 16 missiles
800 countermissiles

The Roland class was the latest and most advanced destroyer class of the Royal Manticoran Navy at the outbreak of the Second Havenite-Manticoran War.

Origins and design notes[]

The Roland class reflects much of what the Royal Manticoran Navy has learned in the course of the war against Haven. In terms of sheer size, it is the largest destroyer ever produced, rivaling the size of other navies's light cruisers.

The Royal Manticoran Navy has been caught short of suitable flagships for cruiser and destroyer service during the First Havenite-Manticoran War, and the Rolands were one attempt to address that shortage. Every member of the class was fitted with extensive command and control capability and, in essence each can operate as the flagship of a destroyer squadron.

One of a family of post-war designs which included the Edward Saganami-C-class heavy cruisers and the Avalon-class light cruisers, the Roland-class destroyers were developed after the First Havenite-Manticoran War to make full use of technological advances such as multi-drive missiles, off-bore launchers and electronics.

Classed officially as "destroyers" by BuShips, at 188,560 tons the Roland-class ships were larger than many pre-war light cruiser classes, the "destroyer" designation being used by BuShips to ease approval of the class design by the Janacek Admiralty.

The first units of the class were ready for deployment in 1921 PD. (SI2)

Specifications[]

The Roland was the smallest warship to carry the Mark 16 dual-drive missile, mounting a cluster of six launchers in each hammerhead. Using off bore fire, it could bring all missiles to bear on a single target. The obvious downside of this arrangement was that a single hammerhead hit could take out half the total missile armament. The Roland was a match for any conventional light or even heavy cruiser without multi-drive missiles of its own. It was able to engage at a range far outside the opponent's, and fast enough to make a run for it if its MK16s were unable to penetrate the enemy's defenses.

As with the Wolfhound class, the Roland class had no place in the modern RMN wall of battle, and all of the units commissioned were deployed to the Talbott Quadrant or Silesia for use as pickets, system defense and convoy protection. The Grayson Space Navy has modified its Paul class versions. (Companion)

Known ships of the class[]

External links[]

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