Thr35Fingers
Tsushima-class Frigate
The Tsushima-class Frigate is a holdover from before the formation of the Nipponi Empire. While cutting-edge in its time, now its only redeeming quality is the large number of them in reserve. Originally classified as a heavy destroyer, modern systems have so outclassed it as to justify a reclassification.
While its heavy laser cannons are powerful, they are very slow to recharge, unreliable and due to using antique liquid-chemical reaction chambers are unfortunately prone to unplanned rapid kinetic self-dissasemblies. Plans to upgrade the Tsushimas' systems were scrapped by the Imperial Naval Board when it was recognised that the cost would be more than it took to buy newer Flechette-class destroyers.
Tsushimas are best known for being cheap, aging vessels, usually falling apart from poor maintenance and using antiquated systems well past their shelf life, barely kept running by the sweat and desperate prayers (not to mention curses) of their harassed and overworked engineers.
Thankfully, Tsushima frigates are quite rare nowadays, mostly due to the Imperial-Consortium war of 2305. When the Harpes Consortium laid siege to Arthur IV in order to secure preferential trade taxes, the Emperor angrily demanded that the Imperial Fleet respond with maximum force. The Imperial Council tried to reason that Arthur IV was poor, minor colony, and that the siege was undoubtedly costing the Harpes Consortium far too much to sustain for long, but it was overruled by the Throne.
Being commited to military action, the Council decided to kill two birds with one stone. The rusting fleet of Tsushima-class frigates had long been an enormous drain on the Imperial coffers. Forced by the Emperor into sending a naval task force, the size and composition of said task force was left to the Council's discretion.
Every single Tsushima, no matter its state of disrepair or how understaffed, was assembled into the 2nd Imperial Squadron. Put under the command of the eccentric but competent Admiral Rodensky to give the appearance that the Council were ardent suppporters of the Emperor's decision, the fleet was sent to the far edges of Imperial space to relieve Arthur IV.
The journey to the besieged planet was an ordeal all in itself. With his ancient fleet frequently breaking down and his consripted sailors showing poor discipline, Adm. Rodensky was infuriated at the poor judgment of his superiors. No less than a dozen Tsushimas were deemed "totally irrepairable" by the Admiral and launched into the nearby suns, their crews parceled out among the fleet to alleviate manpower shortages.
Despite the various breakdowns, mutinies, diseases, training accidents and supply problems, the 2nd squadron nonetheless made it to Arthur IV, where it suffered one of the most crushing, one-sided defeats in galactic history.
The huge fleet of over two hundred vessels was virtually annihilated by the Harpes Consortium ships. Only a small number (including the Admiral's) managed to escape. They inflicted negligible casualties among the corporate vessels, and, it goas without saying, totally failed in their goal to lift the siege. Ironically, the Harpes Consortium gave up their claims soon after the battle, being unable to sustain the cost of the siege.
The legacy of the Tsushima-class frigate is tragic indeed.
"I would be better off instructing them each to ram the enemy... but I doubt they would be capable even of that!" -- Admiral Rodensky, on seeing his new command of the 2nd Squadron.
Tsushima-class Frigate
The Tsushima-class Frigate is a holdover from before the formation of the Nipponi Empire. While cutting-edge in its time, now its only redeeming quality is the large number of them in reserve. Originally classified as a heavy destroyer, modern systems have so outclassed it as to justify a reclassification.
While its heavy laser cannons are powerful, they are very slow to recharge, unreliable and due to using antique liquid-chemical reaction chambers are unfortunately prone to unplanned rapid kinetic self-dissasemblies. Plans to upgrade the Tsushimas' systems were scrapped by the Imperial Naval Board when it was recognised that the cost would be more than it took to buy newer Flechette-class destroyers.
Tsushimas are best known for being cheap, aging vessels, usually falling apart from poor maintenance and using antiquated systems well past their shelf life, barely kept running by the sweat and desperate prayers (not to mention curses) of their harassed and overworked engineers.
Thankfully, Tsushima frigates are quite rare nowadays, mostly due to the Imperial-Consortium war of 2305. When the Harpes Consortium laid siege to Arthur IV in order to secure preferential trade taxes, the Emperor angrily demanded that the Imperial Fleet respond with maximum force. The Imperial Council tried to reason that Arthur IV was poor, minor colony, and that the siege was undoubtedly costing the Harpes Consortium far too much to sustain for long, but it was overruled by the Throne.
Being commited to military action, the Council decided to kill two birds with one stone. The rusting fleet of Tsushima-class frigates had long been an enormous drain on the Imperial coffers. Forced by the Emperor into sending a naval task force, the size and composition of said task force was left to the Council's discretion.
Every single Tsushima, no matter its state of disrepair or how understaffed, was assembled into the 2nd Imperial Squadron. Put under the command of the eccentric but competent Admiral Rodensky to give the appearance that the Council were ardent suppporters of the Emperor's decision, the fleet was sent to the far edges of Imperial space to relieve Arthur IV.
The journey to the besieged planet was an ordeal all in itself. With his ancient fleet frequently breaking down and his consripted sailors showing poor discipline, Adm. Rodensky was infuriated at the poor judgment of his superiors. No less than a dozen Tsushimas were deemed "totally irrepairable" by the Admiral and launched into the nearby suns, their crews parceled out among the fleet to alleviate manpower shortages.
Despite the various breakdowns, mutinies, diseases, training accidents and supply problems, the 2nd squadron nonetheless made it to Arthur IV, where it suffered one of the most crushing, one-sided defeats in galactic history.
The huge fleet of over two hundred vessels was virtually annihilated by the Harpes Consortium ships. Only a small number (including the Admiral's) managed to escape. They inflicted negligible casualties among the corporate vessels, and, it goas without saying, totally failed in their goal to lift the siege. Ironically, the Harpes Consortium gave up their claims soon after the battle, being unable to sustain the cost of the siege.
The legacy of the Tsushima-class frigate is tragic indeed.
"I would be better off instructing them each to ram the enemy... but I doubt they would be capable even of that!" -- Admiral Rodensky, on seeing his new command of the 2nd Squadron.