Fiction:Intergalactic Supercarrier

The French Pax Franconica, launched during the Great Xonexian Schism.

“There are two types of nations in the Gigaquadrant. Those without ambitions for intergalactic power projection, and those in the possession of supercarriers.”

- Silke Kirsch, CEO of the AX Group responsible for early French supercarriers

An intergalactic supercarrier, often referred to simply as a supercarrier in many navies, is a type of star dreadnought design pioneered by the French Colonial Empire in the early 2800’s. For many, intergalactic supercarriers are the ultimate weapon of intergalactic power-projection, capable of carrying around the logistical structures necessary to keep a navy operating independently from supply lines for months at a time. Their size places generally them at upwards of 30 km in length.

Fulfilling a primarily noncombatant role, supercarriers are outfitted with a wide array of facilities, from truly massive supply depots to airfields, shipyards to manufactories, army living quarters to hospitals, training facilities to theatre command. In modern supercarrier doctrine, their primary purpose is to carry an entire navy's worth of supply while on campaign, as well as the facilities to load, organize, and dispense that supply. Yet, given their strategic value, they are often heavily armored and capable of taking a beating. Later designs would incorporate heavy Riftfire broadside guns and other weaponry which turned them into capable tactical assets as well.

History and doctrine

Great Xonexian Schism

Though large ships with logistical capabilities were fielded by Gigaquadrantic navies long before the Hyperspatial Revolution and the advent of hyperspatial warfare, intergalactic supercarriers emerged in the 2800's as a distinctive type due to the increasing size and supply weight of navies, the expansion strategic considerations to include conflicts in distant corners of the Gigaquadrant, and doubts about the reliability of intergalactic networks of communication and transportation in the event of open conflict. All of these considerations gave birth to a class of star dreadnought whose primary purpose was strategic – to carry months worth of supply along with an advancing navy – as opposed to the traditional tactical role of large ships in swinging pitched battles.

As a result, intergalactic supercarriers as developed by France and emulated by a number of other powers with similar strategic needs were designed primarily around the requirement of having a monstrous cargo capacity, as well as the necessary facilities to efficiently load, organize, and dispense supply. Other facilities were then added, such as hospitals, troop quarters, training facilities, airfields, and primitive factories, as well as armament ranging from the defensive to the offensive––though never enough to compete fairly with regular combat ships.

Supercarriers were also distinguished by their use in the field, often as the logistical center of expeditionary fleets deployed to faraway theaters were it would be impractical, expensive, or undesirable to stretch extensive supply lines. Early supercarriers – such as the Pax Franconica line – were kept out of frontline combat entirely due to their relatively light frames and lack of armament. Yet, they were essential to the deployment of troops to foreign environments: where they went, entire navies followed. Some later incarnations toyed with the addition of different kinds of armament, though approaches differed from navy to navy. The Algolurn Popular Republic outfitted their supercarriers to enhance the offensive and defensive capabilities of their ships during massed fleet operations. The French launched their Souverainetée-class with significant armor, shielding, and riftfire bombardment guns meant to engage other superships and megastructures from behind the front line. Near the end of the Great Xonexian Schism, the strategic use of France's light supercarriers was enhanced with the ability to launch hyperspatial cruise missiles.

Post-Schism

After 2806, other Xonexian navies began to move in the direction of the supercarrier by modifying their existing design paradigms. The Tybusen Intergalactic Allied Federation began work on the USS Vontarion in 2808, termed a "logistics dreadnought." Combining the supercarrier concept with the heavy armament of the TIAF's conventional frontline dreadnoughts, the Vontarion was intended to serve both tactical and strategic roles in both conventional and hyperspatial warfare. Meanwhile, strategists in the Draconid Imperium's Aetheral Talon Corps spoke of taking similar steps, adapting the design of future Titan-class starships to serve in the supercarrier role to address the evolving demands on Andromedan grand strategy. In Mirus, these heavily armed forms of supercarrier, which often possessed significant fleet repair capacities as well, would become known as juggernauts. This term stuck and spread from there on out.

While supercarriers are most often thought as facilitating the direct exercise of military force, they demonstrated their worth as a diplomatic and psychological tool of "soft power" in 2810 when France deployed the Pax Franconica to Borealis. The Franconica's mere presence in the galaxy caused the French rebel elements fighting in the Commonwealth Civil War to seek a peaceful compromise with imperial authorities.

After 2810, actors outside of the traditional Xonexi bloc began investigating the supercarrier concept. The Loron Crisis led Delphan Emperor Lunarai I to commission a supercarrier design. Rambo High King Rambert Ramerval, seeking to reassert the Rambo monarchy's historical claim to govern the Quadrants, similarly invested heavily into the research of producing juggernaut-pattern supercarriers, leading into the Crossing Line incident where the Rambo tempered with alternate realities by use of an Interdimensional Warp Gate.

List of intergalactic supercarriers

Pre-Franconica (supercarrier-like starships)

Nation	Name	Class	Status	Construction start	Completion	Length	Armament
	Millennium Zero	Architect-class	Missing (~2811)	32000's BC	32000's BC	76km	1 phased laser array, CIWS
	Millennium One	Architect-class	Missing (~2811)	224 AD	229 AD	76km	1 phased laser array, CIWS
	Apalos	Apalos-class	Active	2765?	2772?	44.5km	6 multipurpose guns, CIWS
	Oath of Penance	Penance-class	Mothballed	2796	2799	16km	1 relativistic cannon, CIWS
	Shield of Faith	Penance-class	Active	2796	2799	16km	1 relativistic cannon, CIWS
	Armor of Contempt	Penance-class	Active	2796	2799	16km	1 relativistic cannon, CIWS
	Sword of Sacrilege	Penance-class	Active	2796	2799	16km	1 relativistic cannon, CIWS
	Momument of Purity	Penance-class	Destroyed (2824)	2796	2799	16km	1 relativistic cannon, CIWS
	Xonexi's Resolve	Heavenfire-class	Active	2799	2802	32km	1 Terys relativistic cannon, CIWS
	Sapius Prime	Sentinel-class	Active	2785	2792	30km	2 relativistic launchers, CIWS

Post-Franconica

Nation	Name	Type	Class	Status	Construction start	Completion	Length	Armament
	Pax Franconica	light supercarrier	Pax Franconica-class	Sold	March 27, 2801	July 2, 2803	55 km	CIWS
	Maxime	light supercarrier	Pax Franconica-class	Active	May 11, 2802	December 29, 2803	55 km	CIWS
	Souveraineté	juggernaut	Souveraineté-class	Mothballed	January 30, 2803	September 8, 2804	62 km	2 Riftfire bombardment guns, CIWS
	La République	juggernaut	Souveraineté II-class	Mothballed	November 4, 2804	February 25, 2806	62 km	3 Riftfire bombardment guns, hyperspatial cruise missiles, CIWS
	Charles de Gaulle	light supercarrier	Pax Franconica II-class	Being Refitted	June 5, 2805	December 10, 2806	55 km	hyperspatial cruise missiles, CIWS
	La Nation	light supercarrier	Pax Franconica III-class	Active	August 7, 2807	February 10, 2809	55 km	hyperspatial cruise missiles, CIWS
	USS Vontarion	juggernaut	Vontarion-class	Active	July 8, 2808	February 17, 2811	31 km	Angelfire launchers, hyperspatial cruise missiles, CIWS
	EAV Light of Avanti	juggernaut	Heavenfire II-class	Active	2807	2810	32km	1 Terys relativistic cannon, CIWS
	Pax Franconica	light supercarrier	Pax Franconica-class	Active	March 27, 2801	July 2, 2803	55 km	CIWS
	Veliktor	wormhole carrier	Veliktor-class	Active	December 2796	July 2803	45 km	Iron Fist Coils, CIWS
	Kevalve's Fortress	wormhole carrier	Veliktor-class	Active	2803	May 2807	35 km	Iron Fist Coils, CIWS
	Infinite Frontiers	light supercarrier	Pax Franconica-class	Active	July 29, 2803	October 2804	55 km	CIWS
	Aelius' Arrow	juggernaut	Pax Franconica III ME.1-class	Active	May 1, 2809	October 30, 2810	55 km	Heavy energy cannons, energy CIWS, Ion cannons, and Kinetic cannons
	Premonition	juggernaut	Pax Franconica III ME.1-class	Active	June 13, 2809	January 17, 2811	55 km	Heavy energy cannons, energy CIWS, Ion cannons, and Kinetic cannons
	Resolute	superdreadnought-servicer (heavy)	Assiduity-class	Active	2812	2815	479 km	CIWS, relativistic/hyperspatial cruise missiles (antimatter or kinetic payload)
	SOS Carnesiel	command carrier	Ophanim-class	Active	TBA	TBA	60km	Nightmare Torpedo Launcher, Phase Missile Banks, Hangers, Point Defense
	SOS Caspiel	command carrier	Ophanim-class	Active	TBA	TBA	60km	Nightmare Torpedo Launcher, Phase Missile Banks, Hangers, Point Defense
	SOS Amenadiel	command carrier	Ophanim-class	Active	TBA	TBA	60km	Nightmare Torpedo Launcher, Phase Missile Banks, Hangers, Point Defense
	SOS Demoriel	command carrier	Ophanim-class	Active	TBA	TBA	60km	Nightmare Torpedo Launcher, Phase Missile Banks, Hangers, Point Defense
	SMS Brunhild	superdreadnought	Brunhild-class	Active	October 21, 2805	January 16, 2807	55km	Spinal mounted MACS, phaser disruptor array, mass drivers, anti capital ship MACS, guided plasma lauchers, missile bays
	SMS Kaiser Leonhard I	superdreadnought	Brunhild-class	Active	November 13, 2805	March 20, 2807	55km	Spinal mounted MACS, phaser disruptor array, mass drivers, anti capital ship MACS, guided plasma lauchers, missile bays
	SMS Beowulf	superdreadnought	Beowulf-class	Under construction	TBA	TBA	65km	Vanguard cannon, phaser disruptor array, mass drivers, anti capital ship MACS, guided plasma lauchers, missile bays
	SMS Kaiserin Wilhelmina	superdreadnought	Beowulf-class	Under construction	TBA	TBA	65km	Vanguard cannon, phaser disruptor array, mass drivers, anti capital ship MACS, guided plasma lauchers, missile bays
	SMS Kaiser Ottofried II	superdreadnought	Beowulf-class	Under construction	TBA	TBA	65km	Vanguard cannon, phaser disruptor array, mass drivers, anti capital ship MACS, guided plasma lauchers, missile bays
	SMS Josef Bittenfeld	superdreadnought	Beowulf-class	Under construction	TBA	TBA	65km	Vanguard cannon, phaser disruptor array, mass drivers, anti capital ship MACS, guided plasma lauchers, missile bays
	Huángdì	juggernaut	Huángdì-class	Active	2816	2822	78.2km	Muon Disrupter, Matter-Energy Disintegrator, Point-Defense, Fighter/Bomber Wings

Quotes

“There are two types of nations in the Gigaquadrant. Those without ambitions for intergalactic power projection, and those in the possession of supercarriers.”

- Silke Kirsch, CEO of the AX Group responsible for early French supercarriers

“A true sign of dominance and achieved power. Recognised throughout the Gigaquadrant as a military achievement. Yet heavily over prized and appreciated.”

- High King Rambert Ramveral

“While the Delpha Coalition of Planets has Superdreadnoughts and transportable megastructures capable of the role, we haven't required a specialised logistics/support carrier for centuries. Our ships make use of the Grid, a network of warped space that connect stars and ships; and hypermatter. But as the hyperspace revolution continues to unfold, the limitations of hyperspace are becoming ever more exposed and exploited, the recent Apalos-Loron battle in Plazith is an extreme example of something that will become far more common. I shall see it that a supercarrier design is drafted.”

- Emperor Lunarai-Khan

“Useful, but I'd personally take a bunch of smaller ships that can support themselves for months at a time rather then one big one doing all the work. That way I don't have worry about supplies if I must flee and end up getting lost, or said big one gets blown up. Regardless the Supercarrier is the corner stone of a combat doctrine that needs to be adapted to in order to stay ahead.”

- Miru

Trivia

• This page is shared with the whole community and can be edited by anyone! Feel free to add your own creations.
  
• Any nation with sufficient technical and industrial knowledge can build a supercarrier. However, given the sheer size and amount of moving parts involved in building one, it might be cheaper, take far less time, and produce better results to order one from a nation that has all of the necessary contracts, plans, facilities, and specialists already in place.
• Supercarriers are inspired by the role that real-life aircraft carriers play in warfare and power-projection.
  

Disclaimer
Please avoid belittling! For example, France has only three facilities which can build supercarriers, all of which are former Dominatus installations in Mirus. It takes them between a year and two years to complete one, and is a very costly affair in both resources and coin. The ideal is for the building of even one supercarrier to convey power and prestige on the one who built it, not invalidate the efforts of everyone else. ^.^