“I think she’s got a big ass. Horrible usage of her space frame, she’s a whole lot bigger than she should be. I don’t think her thrust profile will be able to perform as well as they say with this kind of mass. She’s gonna be slow, she’s gonna be ungainly, and she’s gonna be a big fat juicy target!”

“More armor? Bigger engines? What?”

“I dunno, we start adding more stuff it just means more mass. The answer is to shave down her bow and maybe thin down her drive section.”

“That’s major surgery! It could mean months at dry dock.”

“It’s gonna happen. Maybe not now, but it’s something that needs to be done.”

- Overheard during the Avatar Manufacturing Design Review.

HISTORICAL & PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW-

The legacy of the Avatar Battle Cruiser is a lengthy one that begins long before Vanguard Fleet Systems began drawing up her specs. The history of the Avatar begins with her predecessor, the Archangel Class Battle Cruiser. In fact, to fully understand the Avatar herself, one must first examine her older sibling.

By 2940, the Republic Navy began asking for a cruiser that could perform flag duties in the event that a command ship was not present within the fleet. The Triumph Battleships were the veritable mainstay command ship of the Navy and plans were beginning to be drawn up for the new Conquest Class Battleship. The Navy however felt it necessary to field a vessel that could perform the role of flag ship in the event of the command ships destruction or reassignment elsewhere.

It was at this time that Vanguard Fleet Systems began bidding on what was called the Archangel project. A bold project, the Archangel series of vessel was to support all of the command and control functions of the larger Triumph Class Battleships on a space frame that was more lithe and more agile.

Despite having significantly less firepower and survivability that her larger cousin, the Archangel showed great promise due to her size and speed. Her size made it easier to produce and greatly reduced dry dock time. And, her speed gave her a greater capacity to act as forward command and control facilities to a highly mobile and fluid combat front.

Production of the new Archangel began on 2942. Remarkably, the first test bed was birthed not a year and a half later. However, that’s when the Archangel took a turn for the worse.

The Navy had been romanticized with the prospect of fielding military vessels that could perform various civilian mission profiles. Armed military vessels that could perform exploration duties into the vast, wild and volatile frontiers featured prominently within the Admiralty’s mindset. Additional duties that were attractive to the Navy were armed diplomatic couriers and even logistics vessels.

It was then that the Navy began asking for further optional mission profiles, like exploration and diplomatic functions. Then, even further they asked for the Archangel to act as a heavy escort for the battleships when they were assigned to the fleet.

This inexorably led to additional months at dry dock and further alterations to the Archangel’s space frame. As a result more space on the Archangel was devoted to non-combat functions, and her effectiveness as a combat vessel declined considerably.

With the birth of the R.N.S Archangel in 2945, Vanguard made another mistake by continuing to bill the vessel as a Battle Cruiser, with which she was originally billed as. As a Battle Cruiser, the Archangel is woefully under-gunned and under-armored. In fact, in the end, she was at best a low-performance Heavy Cruiser.

Many experts within and outside the Navy called the Archangel project a disaster. Becoming the quintessential Jack-Of-All-Trades, she tries to do too many things at once, and never performed anything very well.  In retrospect, perhaps calling the Archangel a disaster was too harsh in critiquing her performance. As an overall design, many admit that she was simply asked to be more than she was supposed to be.

Attempts to improve on the Archangel continued over the next four decades with four complete refits. None of these attempts proved satisfactory and the project was finally abandoned in 2982.

Learning from the Archangel, Vanguard Fleet Systems put before the Navy new plans for a Battle Cruiser that could fit the bill where the Archangel failed to meet. These plans significantly reduced the non-combat missions that the vessel would perform in favor of greater combat prowess and survivability. The Navy, having been denied the command ship that they were after with the Archangel was more accommodating with these new plans.

Thus, plans for the Avatar Class Battle Cruiser were finalized and the test bed for this new vessel put to birth in 2985. Notably, any request to expand the Avatar’s mission profile by the Navy was quickly rebuffed by Vanguard. This placed a strain on the relationship between the two parties. This strained relationship would later come to tarnish the Vanguard legacy and ultimately affect the outcome of the biding for the Orion and Seraphim Class Cruisers.

With the birthing of the R.N.S Avatar in 2987 many experts and enthusiasts point to this vessel as the last of her kind. The last of the single-minded warship, the Avatar Class Cruiser would come to be the final chapter in this kind of warship design, soon to be replaced by more multi-purpose warships.

The Avatar is a vessel that excels at her single-minded purpose of being a command and control front line warship. She is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most dangerous vessels in her weight class.

Boasting exceptional speed and stamina she’s very well adapt at keeping up with the high volatility and fluidity of the modern day naval combat front. Her speed can easily match that of lighter designs. And, with a state of the art hyperspace module, she can quickly get to trouble spots around the Republic.

Her firepower is quite formidable. Featuring a healthy assortment of Extended Range and Turbo Particle Accelerators, along with Fusion Missile batteries she can direct a withering volley of fire in any direction.

Rounding her capabilities is her armored shell and exceptional deflector shield suite. She is one of few designs that actually feature armored cowlings for her turreted weapon batteries. This alone adds considerable survivability and lethality to the Avatar.

Her only drawback is her lack of fighter capabilities. In order to expand her firepower and survivability, Vanguard omitted fighter facilities. This is a stark departure from traditional Terran design philosophy and, many would say, is the Avatar’s only Achilles Heal.

In the decades that followed, the Avatar has proven herself a capable and decisive warship. Despite her single-minded design and inability to perform other vital non-combat mission, she has made herself a name both within the Republic and with the Republics many enemies.

As a command ship, the Avatar excels and she has found herself not only as a secondary flag vessel, but also as flagship for their very own battle groups. These battle groups, known as Strike Groups, are built to enhance the Avatar’s capabilities as a combat vessel.

With the introduction of the Orion Multi-Role Cruiser, the capabilities of the Avatar increased. Often three Orions would be assigned to a single Avatar, along with support from heavy Destroyers like the Antares and Masada. These Orions would act as the Avatar’s eyes and ears in uncharted frontier areas. The Orions would find the enemy, and transmit their coordinates to the waiting Avatar and Destroyers who would pounce upon the hapless opponents.

It is in this Assault Group role, that Avatar captains truly learned the potential of their vessels, as they drove their Battle Cruiser and Destroyer escorts straight into the very heart of the enemy formations. However, many in the Admiralty feel that this tactic is teaching Avatar captains bad habits.  As, so apt at her combat role, many Avatar captains must restrain themselves from pushing their vessel’s too far forward in battle. The temptation arises to push their Avatar’s straight into the very midst of opposing formations allowing her awesome firepower to exact their toll on the enemy. In the larger fleet engagements, however, this deprives the Avatar of her command position, as she is no longer in control of the fleet under her care. Many battles have been lost due to this over eagerness of Avatar captains to drive the battle to the enemy rather than direct the battle against the enemy.

PRODUCTION OVERVIEW-

As with most Vanguard Fleet System vessels, the space frame is easily upgraded and modified for specific field needs. The Avatar Class Battle Cruiser is no exception to this.

Since the introduction of the vessel in 2987, five major refits have taken place to the Avatar.

The Avatar Mk I Class had production dates from 2987 to 2993. Most vessel of this class has been mothballed however a few remain as museum exhibits. Others can be spotted within privateer fleets and Freeman Militant Navies.

The Avatar Mk II was commissioned in 2997 through 3008. The vessel increases in size along the bow to accommodate heavier fusion missile launchers. This class has also been mothballed. Some however can still be found in privateer fleets, with the Freeman militants or in museums.

The Avatar Mk III began production in 3006 through 3021. Several improvements to this vessel include an additional heavy fusion missile launcher and heavier drive plants. The vessel is faster than her predecessors and much better armed, increasing her lethality. Vessel of this class can be found with planetary defense fleets and in naval reserve forces. Militants of the Freeman Movement acquired a sizable number of these vessels when they raided the Brunson Naval Reserve Yards in 3059.

The Avatar Mk IV began production in 3025 through 3041. This vessel features a newer, more powerful metaphysic shield that allows the hyperspace module to be moved more within the vessel’s hull. Additional improvements include the addition of another three-tube Turbo Particle Accelerator battery at the expense of the Extended Range Particle Cannons emplaced there and a single Heavy Fusion Missile Launcher for the extra energy capacitors. This vessel still remains in service and has performed admirably.

The Avatar Mk V is the latest in the Avatar linage starting production in 3059 as a response to the loss of the Brunson Yards and the threat of so many Avatar III’s in the hands of the Freeman Rebels. By maintaining most of the Mk IV’s armament, the Mk V vastly increases the vessel’s survivability by the inclusion of armored cowlings around the weapon batteries. The vessel is somewhat larger along the beam cause concern among the vessels design staff. Some feel the vessel’s mass has out gained it’s thrust profile while other content that the vessel can operate just fine and the expanded size was necessary for the armor upgrades. With only a year of practical field trials under her belt, few are for certain if her engines can handle her increased mass.

NOTABLE VESSELS-

R.N.S Shiva (CA-205)- This Avatar Mk V refit, under the command of the talented and spirited Admiral Catherine Sheldon has made quite a name for herself in the Republic Navy.

These accolades, however, didn’t translate well when the Shiva was assigned to flag C Group of Admiral Rodgers’ 1st Battle Fleet. Admiral Rodgers has always maintained a rocky relationship with the officers under his command. And, this relationship was especially difficult between Sheldon and Rodgers.

It was Sheldon’s unfortunate happenstance that her reputation had preceded her to the 1st Battle Fleet. As a result, Rodgers began to expect the impossible from her. And, as of late he has become overly critical of her performance.

Many officers often recount heated exchanges between these two admirals in the 1st Battle Fleet’s war room. Many of these officers fear that these two determined admirals simply won’t be able to work together should the 1st be activated during wartime.

R.N.S Ares (CA-2105)- Flagship of C Group, 192nd Battle Fleet, this Avatar Mk VI refit, under the command of Admiral Juan Edwarda, was present during the famous Battle of Gunterheim in 3057. During this pitched battle between the out-gunned and out-numbered Terran battle group and the Nummidian Warlord Vect’Dah Ma’Veteau.

This battle was later discovered to be an attempt by the Nummidian’s to destabilize the demilitarized zone with systematic attacks across several Terran military listening posts along the DMZ. It was hoped by Ma’Veteau that the Terrans would increase their military presence along the DMZ in response to his rampaging and indirectly incite a Terran/ Mauridian war.

After the destruction of several of these listening posts, Admiral Edwarda was able to predict that Ma’Veteau would strike the listening post at the Gunterheim system next and arranged to ambush the Nummidian Renegade.

Ma’Veteau’s task force came out of hyperspace just as Edwarda had predicted and there his battle group waited fully prepared to face down the Nummidian. However, the Nummidian didn’t go quietly into the night and formed up to face off with Edwarda’s waiting ships.

Despite being vastly out numbered by the Nummidian warlord, Edwarda had surprise on his side and had held some of his destroyers in reserve behind the sensor shadow of a nearby planetoid.

The first part of the battle plan was straight forward- the fighters would pin down the Nummidians’ Ven’Taras and their fighters as the Ares and her escort destroyers closed on the Gal’Ethons and Vel’Navegs. With the heart of their task force out of the combat, the Terrans would mop up the remaining Nummidian Frigates with ease.

The Nummidian task force was able to regroup from this surprise attack only to be surprised again when Edwarda unveiled the second part of his attack plan. As expected, the Nummdians fell back and consolidated near the planetoid and the reserve destroyers were unleashed to catch the floundering Nummidians in a withering crossfire.

Ma’Veteau’s command ship, the Gal’Nevekal was eviscerated in seconds leaving the Vel’Navegs isolated and in full retreat.

The final stand for the Nummidians was a concentrated barrage from the task force’s Ba’Radas, which gutted the Ares as she attempted to pursue the fleeing Vel’Navegs. The result was the destruction of the Ares with all hands lost.

To this day a memorial plaque of the Ares adorns the boardroom on the Gunterheim listening station which would have surly been destroyed had it not been for her heroism.

R.N.S Sekhmet (CA-918)- This Avatar Mk V refit is assigned to the 81st Battle Fleet stationed near the Terran/ Deisho border.

Admiral Jaya Shankar has put this Avatar and several others under a rigorous refit process to improve the vessels longevity away from supply lines.

It was believed by Admiral Shankar that the true strength of the Avatar Battle Cruiser lies within her Turbo Particle Accelerator Cannons. Thus, in an attempt to lengthen the supply lines for these mighty warships and give them longer staying power behind enemy lines, several of the 81st’s Avatars have had their Fusion Missile Launchers removed. This has freed up space for massive capacitors to power several of the vaunted Turbo Particle Accelerator Cannons.

All bow facing gun batteries have been replaced by T-PAC turrets granting the ships devastating direct firepower. These combined with the Avatar’s customary twin type XVI spinal mounted mass driver cannons allow the ships to unleash a withering assault on even largest targets while maintaining a relatively safe distance. Although the capacitors and batteries that power these weapons are sufficient to maintain them through a single battle, a rather lengthy time is required following the conflict for the ships’ reactors to recharge them.

Vanguard Fleet Systems and the Republic Admiralty are presently analyzing the schematics for this new refit perhaps with the prospect of introducing this as a standard refit to Avatar vessels station along border and frontier regions of the Republic.