Vigilant
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| |
| Vigilant | |
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Introduced | 2320 |
| Production Year | 2320[1] |
| Use | Corvette |
| Tech Base | Star League |
| Cost | 1,484,746,000 C-Bills |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 140,000 tons |
| Length | 266 meters |
| Sail Diameter | 660 meters |
| Fuel | 1,000 tons (5,000) |
| Burn Rate | 19.75 |
| Safe Thrust | 1.5 g |
| Top Thrust | 2.5 g |
| Sail Integrity | 3 |
| KF Drive Integrity | 5 |
| LF Battery | No |
| Armament |
|
| Armor | 88.5 tons standard |
| DropShip Capacity | None |
| Crew | 130[2]
Bay Personnel: 42 |
| Grav Decks | 1 x 30 meters diameter |
| Escape Pods/Life Boats | 20/20 |
| Heat Sinks | 800 (single) |
| Structural Integrity | 33 |
| BV (1.0) | 21,599[2] |
Description[edit]
Designed shortly after the Bonaventure-class corvette, the Vigilant was designed for reconnaissance and surveillance, and most frequently was deployed as a triad of first-line defenses including paired-pair squadrons with Bonaventures and remote surveillance satellites. These "naughty picture runs" involving four-corvette squadrons of Boneventures and Vigilants would sweep prospective targets for the Hegemony Armed Forces before unleashing assaults on the systems.[3] The Vigilant is small — in fact, very small for a combat JumpShip. The Vigilant is only slightly larger than a Merchant-class JumpShip, and bow to stern distance is actually shorter than the height of a Behemoth-class DropShip, or the diameter of a Mammoth-class DropShip.[2]
A lack of armor — less than many military dropships, underpowered engines barely able to reach a maximum of 2.5 G acceleration, and a lack of advanced sensors or computers all eventually overshadowed the impressive weapons array. In 2409, the Capellan Confederation invaded Terra Firma, despite the best efforts of Vigilant-class vessels. In the wake of the invasion, the Vigilant was slowly relegated to mothballs or sold to the navies of neighboring great houses. The Vigilant, like the Bonaventure, was officially replaced in 2432 by the introduction of the Vincent Mk. 39-class corvette.[2]
The Terran Hegemony would later sell these ships to the major Inner Sphere interstellar powers. While in service of other navies, these ships would see action in Periphery during the Reunification War and later conflicts.[4][5] The Federated Suns had at least ten Vigilants active during the Case AMBER ambush at Tentativa, although the losses to the Federated Suns Navy during that engagement were considerable.[6] The Capellan Confederation kept three Vigilants in service during the Star League era alongside three Vincent-class corvettes,[7] while the Lyran Commonwealth was operating four Vigilants in 2765.[8] The greatest user of the Vigilant at this point in time was the Rim Worlds Republic, however; the Republican navy consisted of more than two hundred and seventy WarShips in April 2765, of which thirty were Vigilants.[9]
No Vigilants accompanied the EXODUS Fleet, while a few survived the first years of the Succession Wars and were eventually destroyed.[2] The last reported pair of Vigilants were restored to active service by the Draconis Combine during the early Succession Wars and were destroyed during the Second Succession War in 2853 in battle over Hesperus II.[10]
Armament[edit]
For its size, the Vigilant was very well armed. The vessel boasted five small naval autocannons and three White Shark missile systems. The ship also possessed lasers, autocannons, and PPCs. However, the Vigilant's targeting and tracking system made it difficult to adequately utilize its armament.[2]
Cargo[edit]
A full company detachment of space marines was available for use by the class. Like the Bonaventure-class with which Vigilants were frequently paired, the Vigilant was not designed for cargo. The vessels have no DropShip collars, and only three bays. Bay 1 is capable of transporting a squadron of aerospace fighters, useful for tying up invading forces. Bay 2 is designed for cargo, with a mere 13,514.5 tons of capacity and Bay 3 can manage up to 4 small craft. Being able to carry these support vessels kept the class relevant and cost-effective, though was unable to stave off progress indefinitely.[2]
See Also[edit]
Gallery[edit]
Original Vigilant from TRO:3057 Revised
References[edit]
- ↑ MUL online date for the Vigilant
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, p. 188: "Vigilant Corvette Profile"
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, pp. 194–195: "Bonaventure"
- ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 67: Malagrotta: "Federated Suns Order of Battle" - Vigilant's ships are listed and named.
- ↑ Combat Operations, pp. 123, 126, 128, 131, 133: Force Faction Tables for CapCom, FedSuns, FWL, and House Steiner - Shows the Vigilant listed as part of their pre–thirty-first-century WarShip navy.
- ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 69: "Battle for Tentativa"
- ↑ Field Report 2765: CCAF, p. 5: "Guarding the Vault of Heaven"
- ↑ Field Report 2765: LCAF, p. 5: "The Vacuum Fleet"
- ↑ Field Report 2765: Periphery, p. 4: "WarShips of the Territorial States"
- ↑ Tactics of Desperation, Part 1