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The Duron Battle Fleets

The Duron Battle Fleets are the most well-rounded of the three Great Families. They are slower because they mount super heavy alloy armor for maximum protection. Not very flashy, they are designed to be effective war machines without regard to looks. Duron ships also carry hanger bays for the use of some fighters on its heavier warships, giving them a depth of tactical capabilities not open to the other Great Families' battle lines. Finally, Duron ships as a whole are two-thirds the size of other races ships of the same class due to the smaller size of the Pelorans. A one meter tall race does not require two meters of head room in the hallways. This combined with ecm means that Duron ships are hard to hit...



Stone Wind class Super Dreadnaught

The most powerful ship in the fleet, the Stone Wind was originally built using captured Alkari technology during the Alkari War and was used to anchor the Duron Battle Fleets when they took to the offensive during the last years of the war. Like other Alkari War vintage designs, the Stone Wind was not originally equipped with artificial gravity. Unlike many others, she was fitted with a rotational section capable of generating gravity via spin. The modern Stone Wind and her compatriots have locked these spinning sections in place and have built gravity plating into the decks. Because of the orientation of the old spinning sections, the transition between them and the rest of the ship often takes practice to get just right. One of the more interesting ideas used in this design is modularity and full featured ejection systems. Should the ship ever be lost, the habitation sections and the primary weapons pods on each side of the central core are all designed to separate from the ship and move away from it with small maneuvering thrusters. This setup makes it easy to replace damaged sections and also in theory increases survivability of the crew. As no ship of this class has ever been lost though, many question the wisdom of such a design. Each weapons pod mounts four capital class missile launchers, two above and two below for a total thirty-two launchers along with eighty rounds of ammunition, that can fire missiles in all directions, and one heavy photon cannon designed to fire into the broadside arcs. The engine section mounts another four heavy photon cannons designed to fire at anything behind them, and the command section mounts eight for forward bombardment. Ten avenger class missile launchers with a thousand rounds of ammunition support the forward firepower, and two launch bays capable of carrying a small craft squadron each are housed there as well. She also has a defensive grid that can project fire from fifty small photon turrets for anti-fighter use in all directions.



Hound Slayer class Dreadnaught

Designed ten years after the Alkari War to look exactly like the Rock Hound, the dreadnaught can only be distinguished from her smaller cousin by the fact that she is twice as long. Most alien races have trouble differentiating them at first glance, a fact which has often led them to surprise when facing them in battle for the first time. The Hound Slayer doubles the forward firepower of the photon lasers up to four, but still lacks aft beam firepower. She has however upgraded the eighteen double-barrelled avenger launchers to launch the capital class missiles, giving her the capability of sending a total of thirty-nine ship killers into space. The standard armaments are supported by forty small photon turrets for anti-fighter use, and a launch bay capable of supporting a squadron of small craft. Five hundred ship killers reside in the Hound Slayer's magazines.



Rock Hound class Battleship

Designed during the Alkari War, the Rock Hound class battleship was designed to sling as much firepower as possible at the enemy. All other design ideas were ignored. She mounts three ship-killer heavy missiles launchers and in recent years has been upgraded to mount two heavy photon lasers in her nose, though she still has none facing aft as is normal for a Confederation battle line unit. She makes up for that lack by massive projection of firepower by other means. A total of eighteen double-barrelled missile launchers round out her offensive firepower. They launch the new avenger class missile designed especially for this battleship that is less powerful then the standard ship-killers, but more powerful then the missiles fired by most bombers. The pure numbers of these swift missiles that can be fired at full volley speed are very impressive, and tactical simulations showing thirty-six of these missiles englobing an enemy unit and hitting it from all sides have been most satisfying. Estimates are that she will be able to hold a thousand of the smaller missiles and thirty ship-killers, making her a true terror when firing in stealth mode into an enemy fleet. The "standard" armaments are backed up by thirty small photon turrets placed in each arc, and a landing bay capable of servicing a squadron of small craft.



Jeweled Dagger class Battlecruiser

A post Alkari-War design, this ship was designed with integral gravity plating so never had to be rebuilt as the other battle line ships have been. Mounting four heavy photon cannons buried in the bow and two more firing aft, seven double-barreled electromagnetic launch rail turrets capable of firing bomber class missiles or slugs in all directions, and two forward firing ship-killer missile bays, they are a sight to behold in battle. A pod capable of firing six of the new avenger class missiles at a time is afixed on the starboard and port sides of each of these ships, along with an ammunition storage bay capable of holding sixty missiles for each pod. The standard weapons are backed up by twenty photon turrets in each arc and a landing bay capable of transporting a squadron of small craft.



Stone Cutter class Cruiser

Designed long before the Alkari War, these ships also originally sported habitation systems capable of generating gravity via spins and were the bulk of the firepower of the Duron Battle Fleets during that war. Since refitted with gravity plating, the habitation areas have been locked down and fitted with ejection systems similer to those seen on the Stone Wind class Super Dreadnaught. These ships carry two photon cannons foreward and four aft, along with two cannons on turrets that can be rotated to fire either fore, aft, or to the sides. She only mounts one ship-killer missile bay and twelve electromagnetic launch rail turrets capable of firing aft, foreward, and to the sides to support the main cannons though. Fifteen photon turrets in each arc and a single squadron-sized hanger bay round out the ship's armament.



Stone Vision class Light Cruiser

Mounting two photon cannons fore and aft, two capital class missile bays, and four double-barreled electromagnetic launch rail turrets that can fire into each of the four arcs, the light cruisers remind people of a beefed-up destroyer in armaments though looking nothing like it in looks. The Stone Vision was designed and built after the Alkari War with integral gravity plating. Sixteen photon turrets in each arc are designed to scare off fighters.



Stone Flight class Destroyer

The oldest ship in service with the Duron Battle Fleets, the Stone Flight was actually the first true line warship built in Confederation space. Two centuries of improvement in the technologies of war have left these once proud warships little more then a sideshow in the confrontation of behemoths that a modern line of battle is, but these old ships have been steadily upgraded with new technologies over the years and have proven themselves to always have a niche in the Duron Battle Fleets. They mount two photon cannons to the front only, two missile bays and four electromagnetic launch rail turrets that can fire into each of the four arcs. Fourteen photon turrets in each arc give her adequate protection against fighters.



Rock Slinger class Frigate and Emerald Death class Missile Frigate

Mounting two missile bays and four electromagnetic launch rail guns in the bow, along with one to each of the other arcs, the standard frigate is not considered a true capital class warship. She normally commands survey or security flotillas, but is seen supporting the battle lines at need. Twelve photon turrets protect her against fighters.

The Missile Frigate is designed to look like standard frigates but discards the electromagnetic rails and replaces them with more capital class missile bays. A total of five missile tubes with standard loads make this a dangerous ship when firing from long range in stealth mode. Twelve photon turrets protect her against fighters.



Diamond Slayer class Corvette

A post-Trex war design of corvette first built in 2414 to act as escorts for the main battleline, they mount a single photon cannon for anti-warship fire in the nose and a single electromagnetic launch rail gun running the length of the hull for point-blank anti-warship fire or for close orbital bombardment. The corvette's secondary weapons array is five photon turrets planted in each arc. Designed for anti-warship uses, they are minimally effective against fighters, but tend to surprise warships with their ability to quickly penetrate shield grids, especially in large numbers.



Diamond Guardian class Corvette

Mounting a single missile bay for long range bombardment, the corvette's main weapons array is the twelve photon turrets planted in each arc. Maintaining a halfway position between gunboat and frigate, they are often used to fight fighters or other small craft in support of frigates or their own fighters.



Kh'arden class Light Carrier

Named after an ancient Duron warrior, these were once the primary carriers of the Duron Battle Fleets. They were replaced by the heavier Kar'drak class carriers during the Alkari War but still support battle lines and one of these leads each system's patrol forces. They mount no heavy weapons, but do sport twelve photon turrets in each arc like corvettes. They carry four squadrons of small craft, usually a balanced force of one fighter, bomber, AWACS, and gunboat squadron.



Kar'drak class Fleet Carrier

Mounting heavier armor, shielding, and weaponry then their smaller cousins, these ships were designed during to the Alkari War to support the battle lines in warp assualts. Actually mounting two ship-killer missile launchers in their bows with five rounds each, and five more designed to fire the bomber-class missiles for a nearly limitless number on board, this class can actually be used in fleet engagements after launching her ten small craft squadrons. Based on cost and time to build however, this will not be considered standard operating procedure. Thirty photon turrets in each arc provide good anti-fighter cover.



New technology incorporated into many Confederation small craft classes allows for the use of modular equipment packs that allow them to have more abilities then the older versions did. Some craft can only support 1 mount while others support 2 mounts. A heavy mount will usually drop speed and agility by 1 but boost another stat by 2. A light mount will usually drop only agility by 1 and boost another stat by 1. Two light mounts will have the same detrimental effects as a single heavy mount. A craft that can carry two mounts must always maintain balance with the same equipment packs on each side of the craft, so bonuses and detrimental effects are doubled.

Heavy Weapons Pack - Weaponry: +2

Light Weapons Pack - Weaponry: +1

Heavy Sensor Pack - Sensor: +2

Light Sensor Pack - Sensor: +1

Heavy Fuel Pack - Range: +2

Light Fuel Pack - Range: +1

The following packs can be used to increase speed or agility. When used, the light engine pack will counteract the loss of speed when adding a second light pack and push the second point loss over to agility. The light manuevering pack does the opposite, pushing the first point loss of agility over to speed. As they countereffect each other, they are never used in tandem. Also, the engine and manuevering packs effect only their opposite stat for detrimental effects.

Heavy Engine Pack - Speed: +2

Light Engine Pack - Speed: +1

Heavy Manuevering Pack - Agility: +2

Light Manuevering Pack - Agility: +1



Stone Fury class Fighter

The standard Duron fighter before the Stone Vengeance was designed, these ships are capable of atmospheric flight as well as space flight. Three centuries of upgrades have given them a superior range to that of other Duron fighters, but their firepower and dogfighting capability is substandard to that of normal fighters. They only mount two photon lasers and a single photon cannon for heavy hitting jobs.

Sensor: 1 Speed: 3 Range: 6 Agility: 3 Weaponry: 1



Stone Vengeance class Fighter

The basic small craft of the Duron Battle Fleets, they were an old design when the Alkari War started. The last century has seen numerous refit packages for these craft however, and they are easily a match for the newer Stone Giant class fighter/bomber. Armed with four photon lasers, and two fighter-class photon cannons for slicing and dicing, even the latest refit is incapable of atmospheric flight.

Sensor: 1 Speed: 3 Range: 2 Agility: 6 Weaponry: 2



Stone Giant class Fighter/Bomber

An Alkari War design of small craft, the present-day version mounts a single pulse photon laser in the nose and two fighter-class photon cannons beneath the upper wing structure. In addition, a single heavy weapons bay/mount (HWM) in the belly of the bomber allows it to carry rail cannons, missiles and bombs, and sometimes even a bomber-class photon cannon. The Mark 26 Fighter/Bomber allows for use of the new equipment packs coming off the production lines and can mount one heavy or two light packs.

HWM version - Sensor: 1 Speed: 3 Range: 2 Agility: 4 Weaponry: 4

no WM and MK 26 Base version - Sensor: 1 Speed: 4 Range: 2 Agility: 5 Weaponry: 2



Titan Smasher class Gunboat

The smallest jump-capable craft in the Confederation Navy, they carry four bomber-class photon cannons and have a single modular weapons mount (HWM) for other heavy weapons. Recent anti-grav drive units have made them capable of manuevering in atmosphere though they are best fighting in space. The Mark 10 version allows for the use of a single heavy or two light equipment packs.

HWM version - Sensor: 2 Speed: 2 Range: 5 Agility: 4 Weaponry: 6

no WM and MK 10 Base version - Sensor: 2 Speed: 3 Range: 5 Agility: 5 Weaponry: 4



Stone Watcher class AWACS

Built on the same basic platform as the old fighter, they sacrifice the photon cannons, mounting only the four photon lasers, and add a second "cockpit" on the back of the ship to give it heavy electronic warfare capabilities. The AWACS is not very manueverable compared to standard fighters and tries to keep it and its four photon lasers out of trouble when possible.

Sensor: 6 Speed: 2 Range: 4 Agility: 1 Weaponry: 1



Communications ships

Mounting ten photon turrets in each arc, these ships can defend themselves against fighters, but tend to avoid combat as much as possible. Their main mission is to keep a fleet in contact with other star systems with their hypercomm.



Transports

Mounting ten photon turrets in each arc like the comm ships, they also tend to avoid conflict when possible. Their main mission is to transport ground forces, cargo, and sometimes colonization teams in between planets. Above is a picture of a Duron standard transport and it's fighter escort under attack by raider squadrons sent from one of the Lesser Families. As you can see, the standard trial of possession has turned into a full-scale battle after the Lesser Family force fired on the transport in frustration.

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Since Sunday August 10, 2003