Designation: Tirolian Battleship

Names and disposition:

• general purpose command ship and Reflex Cannon vessel.

Ship's Complement:

• Command (Scientist, War, and Muse Triumvirates): 100;
• Ship's Complement: circa 1,000;
• Clone Warriors : circa 3,000;
• Total : circa 4,100;
• Permanent life support capability: around 10,000 humanoids;
• Emergency life support capability: around 15,000 humanoids.

Dimensions:

• Length: 510 meters (oa).
• Width : 200 meters (oa).
• Height: 298 meters (oa).
• Mass : 1,220,000 tons.

Propulsion Systems:

• Gravitic Maneuvering Drives: The standard reaction engines installed in all Zentraedi and Earth ships have been omitted in favor of three gravitic maneuvering drives. These drives are smaller versions of the main sub-light drives and are mounted on the three axis of the ship. The use of these drives in unison will create the required thrust into any direction, thus eliminating the maneuvering problems present in the larger drive. These smaller drives are rated for a maximum acceleration of 1.5g. Also, the drives do not use reaction mass and can thus be operated indefinitely.
• Gravitic Displacement Drive for sublight travel: Local, monopolar-induced gravitic space-time distortion, powered by main protoculture reactors, accelerates vessel at 400-500 g, but the vessel's maneuverability is reduced to such a degree that only minor course corrections are possible. Typical cruising speed is .001 C, though higher speeds can be achieved.
• Space Fold: A hyperspace system that catapults the vessel through space-time. The spacefold system is used for travelling from one system to another quickly. Range: Unknown, presumably limitless. However, extreme long-distance jumps are always made in a series of smaller jumps.
• Planetary Capability: The Battleships, by way of the maneuver drives, can enter an atmosphere and maneuver around in it for as long as necessary. Note that because of the decidedly non-aerodynamical shape of the ship the maximum speed and maneuverability of the ship are extremely limited.

Endurance and mobility limits:

• Effectively limitless through fold and sublight drive systems. Protoculture reactors will function for 50-65 years, depending on the individual system's design age and the level of use it gets.

Weapon Systems:

• Reflex Cannon: An incredibly destructive particle beam with a range of over 300,000 km, mounted in the front of the vessel. The model used by the Battleships utilizes the same technology as the mini-Reflex cannons mounted on the Tirolian gunships, and does not require the ship to split and open up in order to fire.
  The effects of this weapon against planets are equal to the heat and blast effects of the detonation of a fusion weapon of 5 megatons, if fired at full power. Note that at the time of the Second Robotech War the energy levels in the Tirolian ships were so low that the cannon could no longer be fired by most ships, and in the ships that still could fire the cannon, the blast effect seldom exceeded 150 kilotons.
  If utilized against starships, the largest vessels can be destroyed with one salvo. The weapon can also be set to a wider dispersal. While not nearly as effective as a tight beam against warships, it is capable of clearing a wide area of fighters and other mecha.
  The Reflex cannon could also be fired at 0.5 kiloton yields, which had the same effect as the firing of a large particle beam (with which this vessel was not equipped). The ships could fire this lower intensity salvo over six times per minute.
• AAA Lasers: All Battleships mount over 400 of these weapons. They are designed to suppress attacking mecha, constructed with the Invid's suicidal ramming tactics in mind. They can deliver 10 MJ of laser energy each and can fire every 1.5 seconds.

Defense Systems:

• Force Shields: Each Battleship has advanced force-fields. When activated these shields can stop all solids and energy beams up to 1500 MJ. However, like most more advanced Tirolian technology, they require huge amounts of power and that was in such low supply near Earth that the shields were only seldom activated.
• Absorbative & ablative hull: The hull of each Battleship is extremely tough and energy-weapon resistant. It is constructed with a mix of high-density metals, ceramics and other, classified materials. Though it can be pierced, the hull will limit the damage done by all fire that passes through it.

Special Equipment of Note:

• Hyperspace communications
• Long-range laser and satellite relay communications
• Long-range radar
• Cloning chambers
• Radar and communication dampeners
• Electronic warfare devices.
• The ships also contained everything needed to lead and sustain an offensive by smaller vessels for several days.

Mecha and Air Group Complement:

• Bioroids : circa 800 to 1200 units.
• Typically about 35 shuttles, recon drones and others.

Design Notes:

As Tirol's gargantuan early colony ships (later refit and called Motherships) were not numerous or expendable enough for all possible tasks, the Tirolians needed a space fleet capable of defending point targets, performing escort duties for the Motherships, and serving in other miscellaneous tasks such as transport and recon missions. Two types of ships were designed for these: the combat-oriented Destroyer, and the larger and more general-purpose Battleship. Both designs directly descend from the vessels of Tirol's republican period, though the current models include all of the technological innovations made since the beginning of the Robotech era.

The Battleships of the Tirolian Mercantile Empire were built in one piece, but looked to be built from several sections. The main hull was the familiar rectangular column with the smallest face in the vertical plane. The aft-most portion of the ship was mounted by a superstructure, and a very tall and slightly aft of center, a massive command tower rose from this superstructure, flanked by two thick hyperspace sensor booms extending to the tower's port and starboard.

The main reflex cannon was mounted in the nose of the vessel, as part of the rectangular hull section. The smaller AAA lasers were scattered around the ship, hidden behind movable bulkheads. The hundreds of Bioroids were stored in more than twelve separate hangars, scattered equally through the ship. All Bioroids were equipped with an anti-gravity skysleds.

Several of the large, distinctive, and metallic-hued docking ports were mounted on the Battleship, allowing for fast docking with their Motherships. The ports could also double as quick-release airlocks for the Bioroid complement.

History:

The Tirolian Battleships were designed to be multi-purpose vessels, commanding fleets of Destroyers, providing a mobile base for landing and exploitation parties, serving as couriers between Motherships and other miscellaneous tasks for which the Destroyer was too specialized or too small. Additionally, they were to be a heavy back-up to the smaller Destroyers. In order to achieve these ends, it was not necessary to arm the Battleships as extensively as the Destroyer; the ship needed only to carry its large Reflex Cannon and have enough additional armament to hold of attackers for a short period. It was, however, necessary to increase the amount of Bioroids by a substantial factor.

The Battleship then dispensed with the multiple anti-ship cannons of the Destroyer, replacing them with a far heavier Reflex Cannon. This cannon could be fired in low-power salvos, and thus there was no real need for the multiple smaller cannon. The AAA armament was more extensive than on the Destroyer, as the Battleship was a larger vessel. The Bioroid complement was increased, and now between 800 and 1200 Bioroids with their skysleds. However, under normal circumstances, no Assault Carriers were stationed on the Battleships. These characteristics made the System Battleships into true workhorses; reasonably armed, they had enough speed to run from what they could not defeat; their large mecha complements could handle most situations where ground or space mecha were needed; and they had the necessary systems for prolonged detached duty from the fleet. This latter included flag quarters, fleet communication centers, and large storage holds for supplies.

Serving in wider roles than as escorts, like the Destroyers were, the Battleships became far better known throughout the Empire, as their duties often led them away from the Motherships, which mainly remained near Tirol or in deep space. Among their diverse duties in the Second Robotech War was that of excavation command ship, fleet command ship, stand-off bombardment ship, heavy reconnaissance vessel and, for the most depleted units, service as an emergency shelter for the less important clone survivors of the destroyed flag Mothership. Over 200 of these ships were built, though none are known to have survived the Robotech Wars.

See additional design notes.

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Copyright © 1997, 1995 Robert Morgenstern, Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen
Last Updated: Friday, April 3, 1998 11:31 AM