Independent-class

The Independent-class is a class of large battleships and command vessels, currently manufactured at the Mount Arai Fleetyards facility orbiting planet Vergesso, and are in service with the Trident Foundries military.

Description
The Independent-class functions as a command-and-control starship, commanding and directing large fleets of manned and unmanned vessels, and also serves as a large mobile resupply base. Independent-class vessels are just as important to the Trident military as static Starbases and resupply stations.

Exterior
Externally, the Independent-class shares many similarities to the significantly older Solaris-class explorer, and the Crusader-class light cruiser that shares the vertical twin prong design, but the features are scaled up on the larger Independent. It also shares the V-Plate cooling system with those ships, as the system was designed by the PlazWorks Shipyard and Construction Company specifically for larger vessels.

A later addition to the design added a Sterling-class utility vessel in a purpose built hangar opposite the top missile batteries, as well as two Mako-class corvettes docked on two additional docking tubes flanking the central section.

Interior
Independent-class vessels have a fairly large seven-seater bridge module providing clear views of space in front of and around the ship. There is a large CIC directly behind this bridge, where an admiral can command an entire fleet. There is an officers' mess and bar on deck 2, just below the bridge, with their quarters on deck 3 close to the captain's quarters. Deck 4 houses the medical wing, with the main sickbay, intensive care and medical supply storage.

The Independent-class has a large primary hangar deck, able to store eight heavy fighters of the Archer-class, sixteen light fighters of the Swift-class, and four standard Krunkel-class shuttles comfortably. There is also a small secondary hangar on deck 2, just behind the bridge module, that houses two additional ''Mersu-class shuttlepods and a small workshop.

Systems
The Independent-class features three primary PlazWorks HCT-IND01 and four secondary PlazWorks HCT-IND02 hyperflux coil thrusters which are sufficient to propel the ship forwards at a sublight speed of 142m/s, significantly slower than any other Trident vessel. The Independent-class is also fitted with a huge array of reaction thrusters (RCS) on all parts of the ship, which is necessary to move the massive bulk of the ship in any direction other than straight forwards. Two huge internal Phase coils propel the ship at high Phase speeds.

Weaponry
The Independent-class is equipped with a huge plasma beam emitter at the central front section of the vessel, the largest mobile phase beam assembly built by PlazWorks. It is designed as a siege weapon to smash enemy shields and quickly melt enemy armour.

The class is also equipped with a number of conventional weapon systems, including six fixed-position plasma repeater cannons, multiple vertical fusion missile ports, several anti-ship plasma cannon turrets, and 24 twin-bank plasma beam turrets for point defence, with all the turrets partially inset for additional protection. In addition, the class is fitted with multiple PlazWorks "Ripper" PDCs in inset turrets.

Design
The very early stages of the design process for the Independent-class were started by PlazWorks just before the Union-Odium War broke out in GY 2412, but was paused as PlazWorks concentrated on production of existing warship classes to fuel the war effort. At this stage, the Independent was to have been a pure command vessel, with virtually no weaponry but huge interior volume for crews, fighters and pilots. Little progress was made during the war.

2415
With the war over in GY 2415, the design team revived paused design concepts, including the Independent-class, and modernised their specifications to comply with the development of technology. P1-az himself took charge of the Independent 's design team and revised its specifications once again, now calling for the Independent to be a heavily armed battleship, while retaining Command-and-Control facilities necessary for an admiral to coordinate a fleet, large cargo storage bays, as well as ample hangar space for several fighter craft. He added the huge forward phase beam emitter as well as personally designing the many inset turrets and the large, specious hangar bay.

The lead ship's construction proceeded comparatively smoothly, and was ready six months later. TRV Independent was launched with much celebration from the Mount Arai Fleetyards facility in January 2416, in a ceremony attended by the Trident military's top brass.

First operations
Independent-class vessels have served the Trident navy with distinction, with the three ships of the class performing plenty of missions of defence, resupply, diplomacy and invasion.

Notable Vessels

 * TRV Independent XV/CV-101
 * TRV Implacable CV-102
 * TRV Indomitable CV-103
 * Unknown Independent-class vessels

Trivia

 * The Independent is often referred to as "Indep"