Kaiser Franz II-class Heavy Cruiser
| Kaiser Franz II Class Heavy Cruiser | |
|---|---|
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| Class Overview | |
| Class name: | Kaiser Franz II-class Heavy Cruiser |
| Namesake: | Nobles and Other Figures of Note |
| Builders: | Deimos Steel Works, Enlis Drive Yards, and others |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Heavy Cruiser |
| Displacement: | 231,500 tonnes |
| Length: | 810m |
| Beam: | 81m |
| Height: | 115 m (Superstructure) 275 m (Masts) |
| Complement: | 2,050 |
| Power Generation: | 16x Beranek Mk IV LP Furnaces Twin bank Kampon-Wahl Coronatite Expansion Engine |
| Propulsion: | 4x D-b9a Impellers |
| Maximum FTL Speed: | 35.2 Kempes |
| Sensors Systems: | 2x KW/SY-12C Sleipnir Ominsensor Domes 3x Mk IV Argus Fire Control Sensors 20x Mk XXI Panoptes Sensor Drones |
| Electronic Warfare Systems: | 2x KW/SQ-10E Artemis-II Integrated EW Array 10x Flight 5C 'Dixie' Decoys |
| Armament (Kaiser Franz II): | 21x 20 cm SK/27 Kadwell Rifles (7x3) 52x Mk IX 40 kg DP Reinhold Guns (28x1; 12x2) 24x L/40 Torpedo Tubes (4x6) 108x 8.8 cm FlaK-80 (54x2) 4x 8 cell Point Defense Missile Launchers |
| Armament (Steel Prince): | 21x 20 cm SK/27 Kadwell Macrocannons (7x3) 52x Mk IX 40 kg DP Reinhold Gun (28x1; 12x2) 2x Mk XIV Anchor-III Interdictor Engines 96x 8.8 cm FlaK-80 (48x2) 4x 8 cell Point Defense Missile Launchers |
| Shielding: | Mk XI Priwen Ravelin Array |
| Armor: | Hull: 50 cm Belt: 150-300 cm Bulkhead: 100 cm Trunk: 250 cm Turret: 350 cm Barbette: 350 cm |
| Small Craft Carried (Kaiser Franz II): | 1x J.21 'Uhlan' |
| Small Craft Carried (Steel Prince): | N/A |
The Kaiser Franz II class Heavy Cruiser is a large cruiser sized vessel of the Imperial & Federal Navy, intended to bridge the gap between capital ships and cruisers. The Kaiser Franz II class is named for nobles and other figures of note in Imperial and Federal and Old Terran history. Almost twice the size of the Wallenstein class Cruiser, and heavily armed, the Kaiser Franz II is often used to strengthen and stiffen light fleets. Filled with a high power reactor, the Kaiser Franz II is still able to keep up with Wallenstein's and other light ships. The vessel is often as a command ship for frontier squadrons and fleets, as well as a major supplemental vessel for the scouting fleet of main battle fleets. They are also used heavily to lead independent squadrons of lighter vessels in trade interdiction or escort missions, or shadowing hostile fleets. As a stepping stone between line cruisers and capital ships, the Kaiser Franz II outguns most other vessels of its size, and is very well protected, while still being able to keep pace with lighter vessels at transition and STL speeds.
Development
The Kaiser Franz II class Heavy Cruiser was designed to fill a perceived gap in Imperial & Federal naval capability. Many theorists were concerned that the Navy was too 'top heavy', with too many resources concentrated in capital ships that were considered too valuable to risk in frontier combat operations. In addition, the line cruisers and other light vessels were believed to lack the firepower to effectively deal with large threats. Engagements such as the skirmishes in the Valtelline seemed to support this theory and interpretation of the R.u.B Navy's structure. The 'heavy cruiser' was intended to fill this gap, providing a heavy combat vessel that would be inexpensive enough to not be husbanded like capital ships were. The basic hull form was essentially that of an expanded Wallenstein class line cruiser, but nearly doubled in length. The increased length allowed for several improvements to be made, especially the installation of funnels to allow improved cooling of the reactors.
The vessel was intended to supplement other cruisers and similar light forces. As a result, the Kaiser Franz II class was equipped with a large number of 20 cm mass drivers as its main battery, supplemented by standard lasbolt secondary and other point defence weapons. In addition, the class--in order to emphasise its ability to operate as a cruiser leader and support vessel in full fleet actions--was further equipped with a very large and powerful torpedo armament. The Kaiser Franz II 's torpedo armament is intended to allow the heavy cruiser to effectively engage even capital vessels, as well as providing the vessel with effective stand off weaponry.
Operational Record
Characteristics
Power Generation and Propulsion
The Kaiser Franz II class features two boiler compartments on the port and starboard sides of the ship, each fitted with eight Beranek Mk IV liquid phlogiston furnaces. The ship also mounts two separate engine rooms, one between the two furnace rooms, and a second one directly aft. Each of the engine rooms fits a twin bank Kampon-Wahl engine, which is fed highly energised activated coronatite from the furnaces. Each furnace room provides about half its production to each of the engine rooms, with the capacity to redirect all output to a single engine room if need be. This helps to ensure that a single hit destroying one engine or boiler room will not completely disrupt power production.
The vessel's main STL drive system is made out of a quadruple D-b9a ion drive mount. These drives enable the Kaiser Franz II to match the speeds of line and light cruisers consistently. However, at FTL speeds, the Kaiser Franz II class can outpace all but light cruisers, mounting a Class 8 Transition Drive.
Weapons
Defences
Like all Imperial & Federal warships, the Kaiser Franz II class has a three layered defence system: interception, deflectors, and armour.
The Kaiser Franz II class breaks away from the standard Imperial armor scheme of 'all or nothing', and instead creates several 'bastions' within the hull, connected by armored trunks. These bastions are covered by belt armour of various thickness on all sides vulnerable to hostile attack (port, starboard, ventral, dorsal), and bulkhead armour on their interior surfaces. These bastions contain the vessel's vital machinery and other systems, with non vital systems and areas kept outside the bastions in areas only covered by the standard hull armour.The connecting trunks allow crew, power, and other equipment to be transferred freely between the bastions.