Designation: ZentCom-1 Gunboat

Note: all data is provisional

I. Dimensions:

(w/o sensor antennae)

• Length with gun booms deployed: 83 m
• Length with gun booms retracted: 65 m
• Width : 49 m
• Height : 24 m
• Weight : Unknown

II. Type:

• Design: unknown.
• Builder: unknown, possibly none but an unknown number of prototypes were constructed.
• Type: Three man aerospace gunboat.

III. Propulsion:

• Two main reaction engines, make and output unknown, on the lower flanks of the boat.
• Two secondary engines, make and output unknown, in the rear of the boat.
• Two secondary engines, make and output unknown, in two fins on top of the boat.
• Numerous attitude and maneuvering thrusters, possibly with vectorable nozzles, in these locations: aft (2), aft flanks (4), main engine pods (8), forward flanks (6) and possibly others.
• Main power system unknown, but likely a miniature protoculture-fueled Reflex furnace cluster.

IV. Performance:

• The maximum acceleration, sustained or burst, is unknown.
• The capability of the gunboat to operate in an atmosphere is unknown. If it is so capable, its performance characteristics are unknown.
• The delta-v capacity is unknown.
• The protoculture supply endurance is unknown.

V. Sensory Systems:

• Make, number and range of the sensory systems is unknown.

VI. Armament:

Cannons:

• 1 x main cannon in the nose of the vessel.. From the data available, it is suspected that this is a development of the Makral Mossil 918 particle/laser cannon mounted in large numbers on Zentraedi vessels. The gun mount appears to contain two of these cannons side by side. Provided that the above is true, guesses can be made as to yield and range of the main armament. If the power generators can provide the required energy, this should give a salvo of 2000 MJ yield. However, the firing rate is unlikely to be as fast as that of the larger vessels. In addition, the targeting sensors are likely not as long ranged, resulting in a perhaps significantly reduced effective range, unless outside targeting data is provided.
• 1 x secondary double-barreled turret ? The images of this boat show a smaller, traversable and possibly elevating turret with what appears to be a smaller version of the Makral Mossil 918 particle/laser cannon . The veracity, yield, intended use, and other information regarding this turret is unknown.

Missiles:

• Unknown.

VII. Armor:

Unknown. However, it is unlikely that a Tirolian design bureau would create a warship with less armor than that on other Zentraedi naval auxiliaries such as the Quel-Quallie.

VIII. Development:

Almost nothing is known about this craft, codenamed ZentCom-1 (Zentraedi Combatant 1), aside from the fact that a scant piece of data - only the above picture and basic measurements and crewing data - was found in classified orders from the Masters to the Robotech Factory satellite guarded by Zentraedi commander Reno. Along with this image was salvaged a single message regarding this craft; it had recently been developed as a gunboat, several prototypes had been built and tested, and it would be rushed into production as soon as a factory could be tooled up. All other information regarding this weapon system was deleted from the database.

None of these boats have ever been observed in any circumstances or near any planet. It is generally assumed that the prototypes were destroyed by the Invid in their assault on Tirol, although this can not be confirmed.

The RDF Spacy Academy and RDF Command School, which have done several wargames with ships of the estimated performance, have extrapolated that this gunboat can best serve in two functions. either as a cheap method of fielding numerous capital vessel weapon systems in defensive situations, or as mobile gun emplacements in situations that support from the large vessels is not feasible. An instance of the latter can be attacks against bases with long range, high-yield energy weapons (usually Reflex Cannons) where the larger ships would be easily picked off, but the smaller gunboats can close in by mingling with the aerospace mecha and taking out the opposing gun emplacements, thereby clearing the way for the fleet proper.

See additional design notes.

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