Galleons and other ships

Koriri Starships

There are 2 divisions of Koriri ships, essentially these are warships with significant numbers of Koriri on board and commercial/industrial ships crewed entirely by Helots.

Koriri military ships can be further subdivided into 3 broad categories being Galleons, frigates and sloops.

Galleons

Galleons are large battleships with significant Fury and Myrmidon squads and equipped with anything from 60 heavy guns on 2 gun decks (i.e. Keto Class) up to 120 guns on three gun decks (i.e. Ladon Class). The Kraken class galleon has been termed a 'heavy 1st rate galleon' as it has 144 guns across 4 gun decks though this ship is a relatively recent design and it's massive operating expense has seen relatively few commissioned.

The job of a galleon is broadly to achieve space supremacy with a view to landing Furies and Myrmidons on a planet and then to provide artillery support. Like all Koriri ships (with the exception of the Ladon Class) galleons are more vulnerable to the prow and stern as they carry their main battery of guns on their flanks. Most galleons will be armed with lighter Cottonade guns (named for Ygnio Cottus Urathinor, their inventor) in the fore and stern as well as to some degree across the dorsal and ventral. Cottonade guns are rapid firing beam weapons but lack the punch at long range of main battery 'long' guns. The number of Cottonades is not included in the rated number of guns and varies between individual galleons.

When not involved in combat galleons will often be used by their masters to transport cargos on trade missions to Houses that have only a fragile cease fire with the galleon master's own house. The use of a galleon to transport cargo will tend to deter all but the most opportune and well equipped privateer.

Classification

The exact design of a Koriri Galleon owes much to the Master or Autokrator who orders the galleon and also to the shipyard which builds it.

Kraken Class

The 1st rate (sometimes called heavy 1st rate) Kraken Class Galleon is the most recent galleon design and carries 144 guns, 72 on each side across 4 decks of 18. Galleons are costly to operate at the best of times requiring a vast crew if helots to carry out the majority of functions but the increased size and weaponry of the Kraken class makes this cost even greater than the usual first rate cost. The Kraken class is however unrivalled in its devasting broadside and the survivablity that its heavy armour provides.

Ladon Class

The 1st rate Ladon Class Galleon is the only galleon to carry a battery of (18- 9 pairs of 2) heavy long guns in her bow. 51 guns are carrier on each side split across 3 decks of 17. Despite the loss of broadside the Ladon is still a popular galleon especially with young Masters. The forward battery and the additional bow armour make it the galleon of choice for an aggressive master and the 18 gun forward battery is a match for the broadside of all but the largest frigates.

Stheno Class

The 1st rate Stheno Class is the most common galleon among Autokrators. The Stheno carries 114 guns, 57 on each side across 3 decks. It's design is unusal in that it's engine block is split into 2 separate parallel sections. While all galleons differ slightly If viewed from above the Stheno class has a prominent forked shape.

Kolchian Class 

The 2nd rate Kolchian Class carries 96 guns, 48 on each side split across 2 decks of 24. The Kolchian class has a larger forward cargo bay and bow doors which allow it to deploy a considerable number of Furies during planetary assaults. It suffers from an increase in vulnerability to the bow as a result of the long deep cargo bays.

Hydra Class

.The 2nd rate Hydra Class carries 92 guns, 44 are arrayed in 2 decks of 21 along each side while 2 turrets lay along the doral and ventral axis. The internal layout of the Hydra is the most defensive of all galleon classes which results in the few that are captured in battle being beyond repair. The fortified internal layouts also give the ship its legendary durability.

Echidna Class

The 3rd rate Echidna class is the oldest galleon design dating from shortly after the first forrays into space by the Koriri. It carries 68 guns being 34 in either side across 2 decks of 17. The design is considered cramped as progressive technolgy has resulted in ever greater space being taken by equipment. Never the less it is still a fearsome opponent for smaller vessels.

Keto Class

The 3rd rate Keto Class takes it name from the Vathuarglae galleon Trident of Keto built by the Autokrator Pontia Rhueis Vathuarglae. It is the only galleon design which is not an attempt to out gun a previous galleon design. Rhueis concieved the Keto to balance speed, handling, fire power and durability into a galleon that would be afforable to those Koriri rising through the ranks and seeking to commission their own galleons. The Keto carries 74 guns, 37 on each side. The lower gun deck comprises 20 guns and the upper a further 17.

Frigates 

Frigates are considerable smaller than galleons and will tend, with the exception of torpedo frigates, to carry between 20-50 guns. These ships also can carry a small group of Furies or Myrmidons and due to their well balanced speed and fire power are the most common types of ship to conduct cross border raids, attacking enemy Helot ships.

Agave Class

The 40 gun 5th rate Agave carries 2 decks of 10 guns on either side. It has one cargo bay and sufficient facilities to accomodate up to 4 squads of Furies or Myrmidons. It is considered the most versatile frigate. It is common in larger battles for 2 Agaves to accompany a Galleon protecting it from torpedo sloops and frigates while the galleon concentrates its fire on other galleons or orbital defences.

Hylas Class

The Hylas class of frigate is the most variable design of all Koriri warships. Broadly speaking any fast frigate which carries a Cottonade only armament is a Hylas class. As such, ships with 20-56 Cottonade guns fall into this category. The Cottonade is a ferocious short range, fast firing beam weapon perfect for clearing Furies, torpedos and sloops that may approach and threaten a slow moving galleon whose own broadside of long guns may not be sutied to engage a swarm of targets. The disadvantafe of the Cottonade is its short range which relegates it to a defensive fleet role (or pure helot ship hunter role). To engage a Frigate or Galleon a Hylas class would have to brave a barrage of long gun broadsides before trying to strike back with whatever firepower was left on the bombarded ship.