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Nobel class cruiser
Length: 566 m
Width: 200 m
Height: 218 m
Nobel-class cruiser was a part of FPKF global replacement & renewal program, which consisted of numerous types of vehicles and ships, including vessels like Sakharov-class carriers and Gandhi-class frigates. "Nobel"s role ought to be main artillery cruiser in the peacekeeping navy, providing cover for "Sakharov" carriers against heavy enemy capital ships and initially it was planned that the ratio of "Nobels" to "Sakharovs" would be 1:3.
"Nobel"s powerplant again was mostly the same as for the "Gandhi" frigates, but forced and with added protection. This level of unification between FPKF ships saved money on development and maintenance. On Sakharov-class it resulted in a lack of trust and therefore poor speed characteristics, but on "Nobel" modified engines perfectly matched FPKF's requirements.
Main armament consisted of 3 triple long-range gun turrets, torpedo/missile launching tube at bottom and 2 nose-mounted heavy beam guns, for defense it featured 8 anti-spacecraft turrets. If long-range and defensive turrets was in fact standard and were used on many types of ships, "Nobel"s main caliber - 2 beam guns became a source of problems on early production stage. Idea of their usage was quite simple - destroying ships under 150 meters in a single shot. But usually at the time this type of weapon was present only on big capital ships like battleships and dreadnoughts, and installing not one, but two beam guns on a cruiser even in a bit miniaturized form wasn't simple engineering task.
And so when first serial "Sakharovs" entered service, due to armament issues production of "Nobels" was further delayed, resulting in placing heavy weaponry on carriers and pushing them into more of carrier-cruiser role. When "Nobels" was ready to enter full-scale production, initial FPKF request of production in 1:3 ratio decreased to 1:5 ratio, mostly because navy was facing lack of government funding, and therefore was decided that in relatively peaceful galaxy at the period there was no need for large number of domestic artillery cruisers in peacekeeping forces.
Things changed when Insectoid wars started. Existing number of cruisers can't fulfill defense of carriers and supply ships against hoards of insectoid vessels, and their specialization on long range combat, which used to be an advantage, has now turned into a big disadvantage considering relatively light armor and current naval tactics. current tactics. "Nobels" was useful in large formations with Absolvent-class cruisers and other ships that could engage in close combat, while "Nobels" perform pinpoint strikes on damaged or significant enemy vessels. Aerodynamic shape and atmospheric cruising flight capabilities also turned out to be an advantage - "Nobels" often ambush insectoid ships using their long-range armament and clouds as a cloak or just lured enemy fleets into atmosphere, where cruisers easily could outmaneuver insectoid monstrosities and put them under the fire of planetary defense guns. After Insectoid wars Nobels faced mostly the same fate as Sakharovs - being sold to PMC's and local defense forces, where their long-range combat capabilities became useful again.
Nobel class cruiser
Length: 566 m
Width: 200 m
Height: 218 m
Nobel-class cruiser was a part of FPKF global replacement & renewal program, which consisted of numerous types of vehicles and ships, including vessels like Sakharov-class carriers and Gandhi-class frigates. "Nobel"s role ought to be main artillery cruiser in the peacekeeping navy, providing cover for "Sakharov" carriers against heavy enemy capital ships and initially it was planned that the ratio of "Nobels" to "Sakharovs" would be 1:3.
"Nobel"s powerplant again was mostly the same as for the "Gandhi" frigates, but forced and with added protection. This level of unification between FPKF ships saved money on development and maintenance. On Sakharov-class it resulted in a lack of trust and therefore poor speed characteristics, but on "Nobel" modified engines perfectly matched FPKF's requirements.
Main armament consisted of 3 triple long-range gun turrets, torpedo/missile launching tube at bottom and 2 nose-mounted heavy beam guns, for defense it featured 8 anti-spacecraft turrets. If long-range and defensive turrets was in fact standard and were used on many types of ships, "Nobel"s main caliber - 2 beam guns became a source of problems on early production stage. Idea of their usage was quite simple - destroying ships under 150 meters in a single shot. But usually at the time this type of weapon was present only on big capital ships like battleships and dreadnoughts, and installing not one, but two beam guns on a cruiser even in a bit miniaturized form wasn't simple engineering task.
And so when first serial "Sakharovs" entered service, due to armament issues production of "Nobels" was further delayed, resulting in placing heavy weaponry on carriers and pushing them into more of carrier-cruiser role. When "Nobels" was ready to enter full-scale production, initial FPKF request of production in 1:3 ratio decreased to 1:5 ratio, mostly because navy was facing lack of government funding, and therefore was decided that in relatively peaceful galaxy at the period there was no need for large number of domestic artillery cruisers in peacekeeping forces.
Things changed when Insectoid wars started. Existing number of cruisers can't fulfill defense of carriers and supply ships against hoards of insectoid vessels, and their specialization on long range combat, which used to be an advantage, has now turned into a big disadvantage considering relatively light armor and current naval tactics. current tactics. "Nobels" was useful in large formations with Absolvent-class cruisers and other ships that could engage in close combat, while "Nobels" perform pinpoint strikes on damaged or significant enemy vessels. Aerodynamic shape and atmospheric cruising flight capabilities also turned out to be an advantage - "Nobels" often ambush insectoid ships using their long-range armament and clouds as a cloak or just lured enemy fleets into atmosphere, where cruisers easily could outmaneuver insectoid monstrosities and put them under the fire of planetary defense guns. After Insectoid wars Nobels faced mostly the same fate as Sakharovs - being sold to PMC's and local defense forces, where their long-range combat capabilities became useful again.