Overview[]
The County Frigate class carrier is a typical Commonwealth Royal Navy design. It uses the abundant power from its triple Balcock Engines to increase its maneuverability, enabling the ship to keep up with lighter forces within a fleet and also aiding its defense. The County class has cramped fighter facilities, but many pilots claim that the tight conditions force a pilot to hone his skill. Indeed, the County class makes an excellent training vessel for carrier pilots, who say that if you can fly from a County, you can fly from anything.
Scratchbuilt County model by Pete M (Pinterest)Source: https://www.pinterest.de/pete1037/sci-fi-spacecraft-renegade-legion/
The County is designed for one single purpose: to deliver a wing of fighters to the battle area, and its weapons complement neither helps nor hinders that objective. Weapons on the carrier are mainly defensive and mostly shorter-range. Power limitations and structural necessities have dictated the choice and placement of the weapon systems. Many variations on the weapons complement have been tested on the County class over the years, but no variations proved outstanding enough to become widespread.
County class carriers are normally organized into light carrier squadrons or as an additional element in a carrier group. Protected by squadrons and flotillas of cruisers, frigates, and destroyers, ships of the County class do not usually travel alone.
During fleet actions, County class carriers remain in the rear areas after launching their fighter complement. In any general engagement, they are prime targets, along with the larger carriers and transport groups.
Capabilities[]
The County class was designed as simply as possible to speed up its production time. Designed and built in the 6720s during the first crisis period of the Commonwealth-TOG conflict, its construction time was one of the fastest ever recorded for a frigate-sized craft.
The County class carries out her mission of fighter transportation remarkably well. Considered an extremely sturdy design, the entire ship is built around a single massive hangar and launch area, similar to the way most warships are built around their spinal weaponry.
Rated to carry an entire wing of 360 fighters of 300 tons, the County class is one of the most cramped carriers within the Royal Navy. With its single hangar area, the ship is susceptible to catastrophic damage if not properly protected by its escorts.
Scratchbuilt County model by Pete M (Pinterest) Source: https://www.pinterest.de/pete1037/sci-fi-spacecraft-renegade-legion/
The laser armament aboard County class carriers is minimal, as it was designed to rely on the defensive fire of other escorting vessels. Single 50-gun 37.5/5 bays are located on the fore hull section and on each side. The broadside battery is enhanced by two 25-gun 7.5/30 bays, one on each side. Additional 10-gun 7.5/30 bays are emplaced on the fore and aft section of the hull. A standard frigate turret array completes the weapons carried.
The County class also has super-powered Balcock engines for added thrust potential. This gives it the speed and maneuverability of destroyer-sized vessels, but with the added power and tonnage of a frigate.
Ample cargo and passenger accommodations are included, as well as an adequate marine contingent of 250. Ten small craft of up to 1,000 tons are also carried. These small craft include ship's cutters and gigs, marine landing craft, and FTL-capable couriers.
Deployment[]
The County class was designed as an emergency measure in the early years of the fighting between TOG and the Commonwealth. Rushed into production to stem the rising losses within the Royal Navy, the first ships of this class came into service in 6728. They were immediately in action all over the front, engaged in the costly defensive actions that defined this period of the conflict. As TOG Imperial Legions steadily captured Commonwealth systems, losses within the County class mounted as well. For several decades, construction could barely keep pace with losses, keeping the number of County class carriers relatively constant.