Samarkand Block I (WarShip class)

This article is about the original carrier design. For other uses, see Samarkand.
Samarkand Carrier.jpg
Samarkand Block I
Production information
Manufacturer Draconis Combine
Introduced 2579
Production Year 2579[1]
Use Aerospace Carrier
Troop Transport
Orbit-to-Surface Fire Support
Escort Ship
Tech Base Inner Sphere Advanced
Technical specifications
Mass 350,000 tons
Length 501 meters
Sail Diameter 967 meters
Fuel 2,678 tons (6,562 points)
Burn Rate 66.42 (maximum days)
Safe Thrust 2 g
Top Thrust 3 g
Sail Integrity 3
KF Drive Integrity 8
LF Battery no
Armament
Armor Standard Armor
DropShip Capacity 3
Crew 35 Officers, 110 Enlisted/non-rated,
30 Marines, 204 Bay personnel
Grav Decks 150 meter
60 meter
Escape Pods/Life Boats 25/0
Heat Sinks 950
Structural Integrity 71
BV (2.0) 18,398



Description[edit]

The Samarkand-class Carrier is a WarShip-size aerospace fighter carrier, that was first used at the dawn of the Star League era. The design was noted for its good fighter complement and escort qualities.

The carrier was the idea of Draconis Combine Coordinator Hehiro Kurita, who quickly put the ships into production for the inevitable conflict with Periphery powers. Hehiro's orders for creation of the carriers boosted the economies of several worlds.

Hehiro ordered four ships of the Class that were launched between 2579 and 2585. These ships served well during the Reunification War, and only one was lost during fighting in the Outworlds Campaign.

An economic boom followed the Reunification War, during which the three surviving ships were assigned to colonization efforts of the Combine. These ships were used to ferry supplies, equipment and other supplies which led them to become symbols of this prosperous age.

These ships were used to escort Coordinator Sanethia Kurita to the new national capital of Luthien.

Over 89 years later, an improved version of the class was produced, the Block II.[2]

Armaments & Capabilities[edit]

Weaponry[edit]

The capital weaponry for a ship its size it is considered to be lightly armed. In its front arc it has a single medium naval PPC, while two Class 10 naval autocannon rounding out its front-side weapons. In its broadsides it only has a single light naval PPC per arc, while its aft sides pair of Class 35 naval lasers. Protecting its aft arc, there is a pair of Class 45 naval lasers.

For its conventional weaponry: on its bow is armed with five LRM-20 launchers, backed up four medium lasers. On the ship's front sides, it four LRM-10 launchers and three SRM 4 launchers providing close up protection. On its broadsides, it has ten machine guns per broadside, providing last-ditch defense with 100 rounds per side.

It aft sides, The ship has pair of large lasers and pair of medium lasers together in a weapons bay per side. Backup in separate weapons bay is six machine guns per side with 100 rounds of ammo.

In the aft, has a pair of medium lasers and six machine guns providing protection against conventional threats.[3]

Protection[edit]

The Samarkand has 494 tons of armor protecting its quarters fairly evenly with slight increase in armor to bow. Its structural integrity is up to 71, giving it survivability.[2]

Cargo[edit]

The ship's carrying capacity includes:

  • Bay 1: Fighters (36) - 4 Doors
  • Bay 2: Small Craft (12) - 1 Door
  • Bay 3: Fighters (36) - 3 Doors
  • Bay 4: Cargo (46,757) - 5 Doors

See Also[edit]

Variants[edit]

Notes[edit]

  • It was believed that only four Block I Samarkands had been constructed.[4][5]
No. Yorktown is unlikely to be a Block I Samarkand. TRO 3075 is pretty clear that the only Block Is were Samarkand, Benjamin, Dieron, and Alshain. No more Block Is appear to have been constructed, and all of the Samarkands built when production was restarted were Block IIs.
  — Catalyst Game Labs: Ask The Writers, 27 Mar 2013
However, that information was based on research released in 3075;[4] it has since been confirmed that only two Block I Samarkands were in service in 2765:[6] and that the Kagoshima was one of those ships.[7]
There was only 2 Block Is in operation by 2765. The other two had been removed from service by the introduction of the Block IIs. So the DCS New Samarkand is a Blck II, while the DCS Samarkand was a Block I that was probably decomissioned during the Star League era.
  — Catalyst Game Labs: Ask The Writers, 05 Feb 2014
It was confirmed that in contrast to the information presented in Technical Readout: 3075, at least two additional Block Is were created - the Kagoshima and the DCS Irece:
All the Samarkands are flagships. The two Block Is (DCS Kagoshima and DCS Irece) are the flagships of the Pesht fleets, while the rest of the fleets have Block IIs.
  — Catalyst Game Labs: Ask The Writers, 05 Feb 2014
  • No canon record sheet has been produced for the Samarkand Block I, at the time of this writing.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. MUL online date for the Samarkand Block I (WarShip class)
  2. 2.0 2.1 Technical Readout: 3075, p. 216: "Samarkand (Carrier)"
  3. Technical Readout: 3075, pp. 216–217: "Samarkand (Carrier)"
  4. 4.0 4.1 Technical Readout: 3075, p. 218: "Samarkand"
  5. Catalyst Game Labs: Ask The Writers, 27 Mar 2013
  6. Catalyst Game Labs: Ask The Writers, 05 Feb 2014
  7. Catalyst Game Labs: Ask The Writers, 05 Feb 2014

Bibliography[edit]