The evolution of the modern fighting starship started in 2300 with the launch of the TAS Dreadnought. Admiral James McKenna used the Dreadnought and her sister ships as a power base from which to overthrow the corrupt Terran Alliance and establish the Terran Hegemony. The early battles fought by the Hegemony Navy shaped the development of more advanced designs, culminating in the Monsoon-class battleship. This new and powerful vessel became the blueprint that naval architecture would follow for the next four hundred years. Far superior conceptually and technologically to anything else afloat, these massive battleships established for themselves a fearsome reputation, first during the expansion of the Hegemony and then later during the destructive "Age of War". Their exploits would ultimately form part of a naval tradition that carried on into the Star League Navy.
         It was this tradition that kept the Monsoon in service for so long. The Hegemony Navy was reluctant to retire ships with legendary names such as Barham, Richelie and Thunderer. The Admirals (many whom had started their careers as young Midshipmen in the gun room of a Monsoon-class Battleship) let sentimentality cloud their judgment, and the Admiralty spent excessive amounts of money to repair and upgrade the Battleships.
         The Reunification War was to be the last campaign for these grand old ships. Although they once more terrorized enemy fleets, it was becoming ever more apparent that the Great Houses finally had designs that could outclass the Monsoon-class. A Final modification to fit lithium-fusion batteries proved difficult and costly. In light of the budgetary cutbacks following the War, it became increasingly difficult for the Admiralty to justify the expense of the upgrade. The modifications were only performed on ten ships before the last Monsoon-class battleship was finally retired in 2668.

Terran Hegemony
Barham, Richelie and Thunderer