Vehicle:Basilisk-Class Battleship

The Basilisk-Class is one of the several new classes introduced by the Drodo Empire in its efforts to replace its current, aging line. The Basilisk is intended to replace the venerable Impaler-class due to the Impaler's now prohibitive cost; The cost due to the amount of new technology needing to be refitted onto the now almost sixty-year old class. The Basilisk is expected to completely phase out the Impaler by 2812.

History
The Basilisk first started development in 2797, started because of the government's concerns over the approaching obsolescence of the Impaler. The Impaler-class by this time had served as the Drodoian ship-of-the-line for fifty years, and for most of that time only required the occasional refit. However, the Empire was and still is in an age of unprecidented technological advancement, and the Impaler's old design was starting to become burdened with its now nonstop refits and shoe-ins of advanced technology, such as the Hyperdrive. After six years of development, the Drodo Empire introduced the new design to the greater Gigaquadrant.

Characteristics
In many ways, the Basilisk is much like the Impaler. Its basic design (a dagger shape), dimensions, and even placement of many weapons systems and other subsystems is only slightly changed or exactly the same. What sets it apart, however, is its technology. Unlike the Impaler, which by the Basilisk's introduction was struggling to hold all of the myriad new technology, the Basilisk is able to hold existing technology and accpet new refits effortlessly. The Drodoian Ministry of War predicts the Basilisk to remain the standard ship-of-the-line for the Empire for another fifty to a hundred years.

Weapons systems
Turbolasers - One of the primary weapons for the Basilisk, the Turbolaser is an extremely powerful ship-to-ship or ship-to-planet weapon, capable of incinerating the crust of an unshielded planet.

Railguns - Firing a magnetically-propelled projectile, the railgun is another primary armament for the Basilisk. WHile the majority of railguns are extremely fast-firing rotary cannons, several others are much larger "railcannons"; Firing a massive projectile at nearly lightspeed to annihilate heavily-armoured ships and stations.

Flak cannons - Flak cannons are both offensive and defensive; Used to attack lighter corvettes but primarily to turn away enemy fighters.

Missile pods - The Basilisk has several missile pods, with eight tubes. The tubes can fire conventional, antimatter, armour-piercing, or nuclear missiles.

Autocannons - Another light weapon best used at extreme close range or against smaller ships such as corvettes or gunboats.

Hangarbay - Finally, the Basilisk has a Hangarbay of thirty Imperial Mirage Roi fighters, used to screen the fleets, attack softer targets, or to counter enemy fighters.

Defensive systems
Ray, energy, and phasic shielding

Chaff countmeasures - "Chaff" is a countermeasure in which a cloud or screen of aluminium or plastic shards distract computer-guided missiles or sensors, looking like a group of targets. It is usually used to turn away missiles.

Point defence Miniguns - Computer-guided miniguns that shoot down physical projectiles, such as missiles or larger railgun rounds.

Regenerative Armour Plating - Durasteel and Titanium plating that slowly repairs itself via nanites.

50. Caliber gauss turrets - Small (by comparison) gauss turrets that are operated by deck crews in the event of boarding or if enemy soldiers are on the surface of the ship. Many hundreds are on-board and are straegically-placed.

Quotes
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