Trojan class (Manticore)

Name: Trojan class Type: Armed Merchant Cruiser Affiliation: Star Kingdom of Manticore Date Introduced: 1909 PD Mass: 7,352,000 tons Length: 1199 m Beam: 200 m Draught: 185 m Acceleration: 152 G (190 G maximum) Crew: 3000 – 2200 core crew – 300 LAC crew – 500 marines Power: 2 fusion plants Armament: Broadside: 10M, 8G, 10CM, 10PD Fore: 6CM, 6PD Aft: 6MP, 8PD Magazines: 180 missile pods Auxiliary Craft: 12 LAC bays carrying Series 282 LACs

The Trojan class was a type of Q-ship used by the Royal Manticoran Navy in the early 20th Century PD. It was based on Caravan-class freighter hulls.

Origins and design notes

Project Trojan Horse began at the turn of the 20th Century PD, designed to create and entirely new type of Q-ship. The resulting class' armament was unique at the time of its initial construction. The Bureau of Ships eliminated all cargo storage and used all of the freed up space for a number of weapon systems, standard as well as experimental.

The armament included the missile broadside of an contemporary heavy cruiser, but with superdreadnought-grade mounts. Different units tended to carry a different balance of missile and beam weapons, depending on what was available when they were built. The most common configuration was ten missile launchers and eight grasers.

The Trojans also had an internal storage and deployment system for missile pods, making them the first pod-laying warships used by any Navy. The prototype system had numerous inefficiencies and outright dangerous design flaws that had to be fixed in later generations.

Another unique ability was the launch of a squadron of Series 282 light attack craft from twelve internal bays, making the Trojan also humanity's first hyper-capable LAC-carrying warships. Their success paved the way for the construction of the first purpose-built LAC carrier. (Companion)

History

The first four ships of the class formed Task Group 1037, which was dispatched to the Silesian Confederacy in early 1909 PD to fight piracy. The most prominent actions during that mission were the Battle of Schiller, the First Battle of Marsh, and the Battle of the Selker Rift. (HH6)

After the early successes of these first units, the class continued to serve well for over a decade, and became a common sight in Silesian space; even though some pirates learned to recognize them, they remained a powerful deterrent. Manticoran merchant cartels took advantage of that effect by ordering more unmodified Caravan-class freighters for their Silesian convoys.

Edward Janacek's admiralty made plans to build an additional dozen Trojan-class units, but those plans were scrapped with the resumption of hostilities in 1919 PD. With the growing need for manpower, the Trojans were retired the following year, freeing up their crews for other ships more important to the war effort. (Companion)

Known vessels

• HMAMC Gudrid
• HMAMC Parnassus
• HMAMC Scheherazade
• HMAMC Wayfarer