“What the @#$%!?”
-Last recorded words of a Stratego pilot engaging “Great White”
Specs
Classification: Leviathan class mass area of effect carrier/Assault fortress
Superior Alliance reporting name: Great White
Length: 4 Km main body
Shielding: Collective shield generator x many, psychic barrier generator x many
Armour: Bio-plast 100 cm thick on glacis (Special metal particle reinforce chitin)
Powerplant: Main adrenal bio-generator, secondary bio-generators x many, psychic energy storage crystals x many
Top speed: Mach 70
Cruising: Mach 40
Misc systems: FTL drive, Interdimensional drive, psychic effect field
Weapons:
Main body (other capital ship class bits covered later):
Anti-fighter turrets(bio-plasma, shard, or acid) x many, anti-capital ship turrets (bio-plasma or shard) x many, Primary psychic cannon x 1, Secondary psychic cannon x 1 (cannon jutting out on the mech’s groin), Tertiary psychic cannon x 2 (Two arm on mech’s body), Attack claw w/ Quaternary psychic cannon x 2, Primary Bio-plasma cannon x 1, Primary shard launcher x 2, Psychic charged shard launcher x 1, Seeker nest x 3, Manipulator arms x4, Anti-fleet blade x 1, misc anti-ship melee weapons x many, main launch bays x 4
Carrying capacity: 10,000 various Bio-weapons (Limited hammer space technology makes this possible)
Crew complement (Whole strike package, main body and all associated bio-weapons and manned bits, estimated): 80 million
Background
With the cold war drawing to a close the Collective sought a super weapon which would ensure them victory against the other humanoid factions. Many years previous a Collective scouting fleet was able to capture a partially destroyed Grand Arms Sturmtiger and some Inferis fighter craft. Reverse engineering these weapons allowed the Collective to build the massive Leviathan class carrier. Of course a craft of this size and with the technology it would contain was no easy task to complete. Many years and setback would finally see this carrier/fortress see completion. As a testament of its insensible power it destroyed a Stratego Giga Kaiser Class carrier/Assault fortress in its first sortie.
Size
This massive 4 Km long carrier was the largest Collective construct to date. Its size as well as some help from converted hammer space technology allowed for the Leviathan to carry a very sizable complement of Bio-weapons in its hanger bays. The rest of the capital ship class bits could latch onto the outside of the Leviathan when in transport.
Complement
With an impressive 10,000 bio-weapons carrying capacity the Leviathan had the power projection ability of an entire comparable Collective fleet. With the development of many newer Bio-weapons the complement of the Leviathan became that much more versatile.
Offensive weapons
Only the largest and most powerful weapons available were loaded onto this fortress of death. The primary cannons raison d’etre was for full planetary destruction, hence the slightly downward pointing direction. Very few units could even take a glancing blow from this weapon and it was usually fired in a depowered state to save on psychic potential and to avoid overkill. As with many previous Grand Arms designs the primary cannon was backed up by many other psychic cannons, while not as powerful as the main gun they could work as back up weapon for planetary destruction. In practise they were used to rain destruction in wide swaths on a battlefield. Other weapon system of note was the oversized anti-fleet blade which could slice thru capital ships with ease.
Defensive systems
Multiple banks of shield generators protected this immense craft. Very intense and heavy bombardment was needed to down this carrier. The armouring and shield was heavy enough that the Leviathan as a typical strategy could ram other fortresses bringing its melee ability into play against targets that couldn’t retaliate.
Drives
The usual sublight, FTL and interdimensional drives were equipped onto the Leviathan. For a ship of its size it could move surprisingly fast in sublight though as typical of a ship of this size FTL was still slow.
Misc systems
The buildup of psychic potential of so many beings so close together creates a so called psychic effect field. This field allows for the manipulation of many smaller bits without the need for a crew of Collective pilots to be on board. This field effect has a limit to its range but for all intents and purposes if you can see the Leviathan you are probably in the fields range.
Weakness
The heat and psychic phenomenon generated by the Leviathan cannot be hidden very well. As well the soldier required to man the complete strike package is very large. It is unknown by the other factions what the breeding cycle of the Collective is like but they speculate that even the loss of a portion of the strike package could be a crippling blow to the overall soldier population number. As always heavy use of psychic weaponry is draining on the user and prolong combat may not be in the Leviathan’s game plan.
History
As mentioned before the first appearance of the Leviathan was against a Stratego super weapon a Giga Kaiser class carrier. After this initial appearance the “Great White” would continue to stalk the interdiemnsional battlefield hitting targets of opportunity. The Leviathan would very quickly be revered as a legendary Collective bogey man whose appearance would precipitate an overwhelming defeat. This massive beast of war would continue to reign supreme on the battlefield for many years until the appearance of anti-Leviathan taskforces created solely for the purpose of taking down this menace. Even then the “Great White” did not go down easily…
Mobile bits
Manipulated and powered by the psychic effect field these bits served as close in defense or reinforcement for bio-weapons.
Type 1 x many
Equipped with a shard launcher this bit was pretty average in all areas.
Type 2 x many
Equipped with a bio-plasma cannon
Type 3 x many
Equipped with a melee blade for thrusting against enemy joints or cockpits.
Type 4 x many
Equipped with shield generators these bits acted as damage sponges. Added to the difficulty of taking down the Leviathan strike package with bombardment alone.
Capital ship class bit
These bits were much larger in size and required Collective pilots to man them. They extended the functionality of the strike package and allowed for the Leviathan to attend to other matters as they took care of other battles.
Class C x 7
Specs
Classification: Strike carrier
Length: 200m
Shielding: Collective shield generator x 5, psychic barrier generator x 5
Armour: Bio-plast 10 cm thick (Special metal particle reinforce chitin)
Powerplant: Main adrenal bio-generator, psychic energy storage crystals x 6
Top speed: Mach 30
Cruising: Mach 15
Misc systems: FTL drive
Weapons:
Shard launcher x 1, Psychic cannon x 1, Strike claw w/ psychic cannon x 1
Complement
200 Bio-weapons
Allowed for the Leviathan to deposit bio-weapons into hotly contested combat zones or acted as preliminary scouting forces. Due to hammer space use for the large number of bio-weapons this carrier lacked heavily in the offensive department.
Class R x 10
Specs
Classification: Attack ram
Length: 100m
Shielding: Collective shield generator x 10, psychic barrier generator x 5
Armour: Bio-plast 30 cm thick (Special metal particle reinforce chitin)
Powerplant: Main adrenal bio-generator, psychic energy storage crystals x 1
Top speed: Mach 60
Cruising: Mach 50
Misc systems: FTL drive
Weapons:
Psychic reinforced ram
Used to disrupt and harass enemy formations or capital ships. Hard to destroy and fast these bits were extremely annoying to forces facing them. Only weakness was lack of long range weapons and lack of maneuverability.
Class D x 5
Specs
Classification: Escort Destroyer
Length: 400m
Shielding: Collective shield generator x 10, psychic barrier generator x 10
Armour: Bio-plast 20 cm thick on glacis (Special metal particle reinforce chitin)
Powerplant: Main adrenal bio-generator, psychic energy storage crystals x many
Top speed: Mach 40
Cruising: Mach 25
Misc systems: FTL drive
Weapons:
Melee arms x 2, primary psychic cannons x 2, Strike claw w/ psychic cannon x 1, Bio-plasma cannon x 1, Shard launcher x 1, Seeker nest x 2, Nose ram x 1, anti-fighter turrets (shard, acid or bio plasma) x many
Hunted for enemy capital ships and other heavy weapons which could harm the strike package.
Class G x 10
Specs
Classification: Gunship
Length: 200m
Shielding: Collective shield generator x 5, psychic barrier generator x 5
Armour: Bio-plast 10 cm thick (Special metal particle reinforce chitin)
Powerplant: Main adrenal bio-generator, psychic energy storage crystals x 3
Top speed: Mach 45
Cruising: Mach 35
Misc systems: FTL drive
Weapons:
Seeker nest x 2, Extra kinetic Shard launcher x 1, Psychic charged shard launcher x 1
This quick bit reinforced the line when needed. Quick in both speed and attack this craft’s liability was the lightness of its armouring and shielding.
Class S x 1
Specs
Classification: Long range tactical cannon
Length: 300m
Shielding: Collective shield generator x 1, psychic barrier generator x 2
Armour: Bio-plast 5 cm thick
Powerplant: Main adrenal bio-generator, psychic energy storage crystals x 2
Top speed: Mach 20
Cruising: Mach 10
Misc systems: FTL drive
Weapons:
Primary bio-toxin hydrodynamic cannon x 1
Stores a massive amount of corrosive, toxic acid in a large bio-sac. This craft expels this vile mixture at hypersonic speed out of a specially made barrel. The unfortunate target usually cannot react in time before this stream of death hits them. Slow, rare and vulnerable makes this craft both highly hunted and valuable.
Class P x 2
Specs
Classification: Long range psychic cannon
Length: 200m
Shielding: Collective shield generator x 1, psychic barrier generator x 2
Armour: Bio-plast 5 cm thick on glacis
Powerplant: Main adrenal bio-generator, psychic energy storage crystals x 3
Top speed: Mach 20
Cruising: Mach 10
Misc systems: FTL drive
Weapons:
Primary psychic cannon
The psychic version of Class S. Similar strengths and weaknesses.
Class F x 2
Specs
Classification: Fortress
Length: 1Km
Shielding: Collective shield generator x many, psychic barrier generator x many
Armour: Bio-plast 50 cm thick (Special metal particle reinforce chitin)
Powerplant: Main adrenal bio-generator, secondary bio-generators x many, psychic energy storage crystals x many
Top speed: Mach 10
Cruising: Mach 5
Misc systems: FTL drive, Mass area of effect Psychic shield barrier, Electronic jammer field
Weapons:
Anti-fighter turrets(bio-plasma, shard, or acid) or x many, anti-capital ship turrets (bio-plasma or shard) x many, Primary Bio plasma cannons x 4, Primary Shard launchers x 2, bio-toxin hydrodynamic cannon x 2
Carrying capacity: 2000 Bio-weapons
The main protective element of the Leviathan strike package. These bits were fallback points if the task force ever found themselves in trouble and also acted as the elements to break up any attack gunning for the main body. Able to project massive protective fields they could nullify bombardments but at the price of preventing their own forces from striking back. Their secondary function was to jam and prevent planetary forces from leaving the surface of a planet. Both of these bits acting together could if positioned at the opposite polar region of a planet could jam and deny a whole airspace of a planet. Offensively they provided some extremely heavy fire support when needed. Their one weakness without too much of a surprise was their slow speed and large target area.