Bravo Fleet
Difference between pages "Hutet Class" and "K't'inga class"

Difference between pages "Hutet Class" and "K't'inga class"

From Bravo Fleet
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{{icons|card|bfc}}{{Specifications
{{Specification
| image = [[Image:HutetClass.jpg|275px]]
| image = [[Image:Ktingaclass.jpg]]
| name = Hutet
| displayName = '''''K't'inga'' Class'''
| affiliation = Cardassian Union
| name = K't'inga
| role = Battleship
| affiliation = *[[Klingon Empire]]
| dateEntered = 2375
*[[Old_Romulan_Star_Empire|Romulan Star Empire]]
| expectedLife = 50 Years
| operator = *[[Klingon Defense Force]]
| expectedRefit = 5 Years
*[[Old_Romulan_Star_Empire#Romulan_Star_Navy|Romulan Star Navy]]
| timeResupply = 6 Months
| status = Active
| crewComplement = 2,500
| role = Battlecruiser
| emergencyCap = 25,000
| type =
| length = 550 meters
| precedingClass = Sech
| width = 425  meters
| succeedingClass = Vor'cha
| height = 205 meters
| dateEntered = 2258
| decks = 45
| productionEnd = 2369
| retired =
| expectedDuration = 100 Years
| expectedRefit = 15 Years
| timeResupply = 3 Years
| crewComplement =350
| emergencyCap = 1,500
| civilians =
| populationCap =
| flightCrew =
| passengers =  
| length = 349.54 meters
| width = 251.76 meters
| diameter =
| height = 98.41 meters
| decks = 25
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 6
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 7
| maxSpeed = Warp 8.5
| maxSpeed = Warp 9.6
| emergencySpeed = Warp 9.1 (12 hours)
| emergencySpeed = Warp 9.8 (12 hours)
| energyWeapons =*2 Sextuple-Mounted Heavy Phaser Arrays (Forward)
| energyWeapons = 6x disruptor cannons
*14 Heavy Phaser Emitters
| torpLaunchers = *1x forward
| torpLaunchers =*18 Heavy Torpedo Launchers (Six Forward, Six Starboard, Six Port)
*1x aft
| torpPayload =*2000 Photon Torpedoes
| torpPayload = *150 photon torpedoes
*500 Quantum Torpedoes
*100 plasma torpedoes (Romulan version)
*160 Heavy Gravimetric Torpedoes
| shields = *Deflector shields
| shields =Regenerative Shielding
*Cloaking device
| shuttleBays =1 (Amidships)
| dockingfacilities =  
| shuttles =20
| shuttleBays =  
| runabouts =6 [[Hideki Class|Hideki-class Patrol Ships]]
| shuttles =  
}}The '''''Hutet''-class battleship''' is a rare Dominion War-era Cardassian warship, which saw service only in the closing months of the war. It is a massively scaled-up version of the same technology in use aboard both the [[Galor Class|''Galor''-class]] destroyer and the [[Keldon Class|''Keldon''-class]] cruiser, and is the largest starship ever built by the Cardassian Military. Slow, unwieldy, and expensive to maintain, this class of ship has two purposes: the defense of important Cardassian worlds and the devastation of important enemy worlds.
| runabouts =  
== Science and Exploration ==
| fighters =
With an endurance of only six months without support, the ''Hutet'' is not suited to exploratory missions of any kind. It does have a handful of science labs, but even a ''Galor''-class ship would be a better choice for scientific missions. This class is meant purely for war.
| aux =
| msd =
}}The '''''K't'inga''-class battlecruiser''' was historically and prominently the frontline battlecruiser of the [[Klingon Empire]] for the second half of the 23rd century and well into the 24th century. Through various refits and modernizations, the ''K't'inga'' continued service well past her intended design life and into the [[ma:Dominion War|Dominion War]]. Although a much rarer sight in the 25th century with the wide deployment of the [[Vor'cha Class|''Vor'cha''-class]] battlecruiser, the ''K't'inga'' can still be found throughout Klingon space and the frontier as a multi-purposed ship of war.
===Exploration and Science===
Although a ship bred for war and used as a battlecuiser, the ''K't'inga'' is a deceptively adept exploration platform. The original design expectation that the ''K't'inga'' would be forced onto the fringe frontier of Klingon space for months or maybe even years at a time required that the ship be equipped with a suite of sensors to handle the unknown. This served multiple purposes in being able to relay mapping data, both passive and active, back to Klingon command to be analyzed as well as using the ''K't'inga's'' advanced sensor suite in combat situations against perspective targets. Historically, because of the advanced ''K't'inga'' sensors, the ubiquitous nature of the vessel throughout its lifetime, and the data collected over the years, the [[Klingon Defense Force]] was able to passively map out large swaths of the Klingon frontier.


== Diplomacy ==
The ''K't'inga'', being the workhorse battlecruiser of the Klingon Empire for almost 100 years, also served as its premier ship of exploration in any sense that the Klingon Empire was interested in such endeavors. Compared to other Klingon vessels of her era, the ''K't'inga'' is the most well-equipped for scientific duties. Although, for a Klingon warship design, that leaves much to be desired. If ever a matter of science or exploration was required, the ''K't'inga'' was the ship that was deployed for such matters during much of its lifetime. In the modern era, ships with more advanced sensor suites such as the ''Vor'cha''-class or [[Negh'Var Class|''Negh'Var''-class]] would primarily be deployed to any exploration assignments of importance.
The ''Hutet'' has luxurious accommodations for very senior officials and visiting dignitaries, but its chief diplomatic utility is its ability to devastate whatever planet it happens to be orbiting. These monstrous vessels are so resource-intensive, that the Cardassian Union would never send one on a diplomatic mission, except perhaps to secure the surrender of a troublesome word.


== Engineering ==
===Diplomacy===
The ''Hutet'' is the largest starship ever built by the Cardassian Union, and it only vaguely resembles its smaller counterparts. While it maintains the standard ankh-shaped horizontal cross-section common to all Cardassian warships, the ship's forward section is nearly as tall as the wings are wide, providing it with an imposing cross-shaped silhouette from head-on. With 45 decks and more internal volume than even a Federation [[Galaxy Class|''Galaxy''-class starship]] or Romulan [[D'Deridex Class|D'Deridex-class warbird]], the ship has six sets of warp coils in the wings, which still manage to only propel it at a very modest maximum speed of Warp 8.5, with an absolute emergency maximum of Warp 9.1. This low speed was deemed acceptable as the ''Hutet'' was not intended to keep up with the battle fleet, it was meant to either remain in defensive positions around Cardassian worlds or to secure planets after the main fleet had done most of the dirty work in space.
Much like exploration, the ''K't'inga''-class was not designed with diplomacy in mind other than through superior firepower against enemy forces. However, the ''K't'inga'' has historically been used by the Klingon Empire as a ship of diplomatic gesture throughout the mid to late 23rd century. To that end, the ''K't'inga'' has been equipped with a limited amount of conference rooms and stately guest quarters for visiting dignitaries.


It is slow and ungainly at impulse speeds, using two primary impulse engines in the wings and two secondary ones lower on the main hull. This is usually not an issue, though, as the ship is meant to engage planets, stations, and other similarly ungainly large vessels.
===Engineering===
A ship [[ma:Federation-Klingon_War_(2256-57)|born out of and bred for war]], the ''K't'inga''-class was an amalgamation of the best parts of the separate [[Great House|Great House's]] designs rolled into one vaguely familiar frame. The ''K't'inga''-class battlecruiser incorporated aspects of the [[M'Chla class|''M'Chla''-class]], [[Chargh class|''Chargh''-class]], and [[Qugh class|''Qugh''-class]], but especially from the [[Sech class|''Sech''-class]] and [[BortaS bir class|''BortaS bir''-class]]. Overall, the design appeared as a predator stalking the depths of space. The primary hull was almost wing-like, with two nacelles on each side, connecting a long "neck" with a "head" command section.


The main reactor module on the stern is heavily shielded and armored but must be oversized relative to the rest of the ship to accommodate the massive heat dissipation systems necessary to keep the ship from frying itself at full power. While recent attempts have been made to increase the power and speed of this design, it has not been a high priority given the lack of widespread conflict in the quadrant. However, the Cardassian Union has quietly commissioned not only a Type-2 ''Hutet'' design since the war, but also a Type-3 and Type-4, using more modern equipment. These upgrades remain at the ready to be integrated into the existing ''Hutet''-class ships, should war erupt.
===Tactical===
At the time of its deployment, the ''K't'inga''-class battlecruiser was easily the most formidable ship in the Alpha or Beta Quadrants. The ''K't'inga'' excels in combat, boasting an impressive weapons array, a cloaking device, incredibly resilient shields, and a new generation warp drive capable of propelling the ship to sustained speeds of Warp 9. The new warp drive also efficiently routed power through the vessel to its weapons systems, allowing for a more powerful disruptor blast than anything that had been fielded by the Klingons previously. Due to its main weapons array pointing forward from the ship, the thruster design throughout also makes it one of the most maneuverable vessels of its era for its size, able to bring its main weapons to bear against an enemy with ease.


The ''Hutet'' has a large hanger bay that runs through the center of the ship, from port to starboard. It carries 30 shuttles, as well as 6 [[Hideki Class|Hideki-class patrol ships]], which serve in a point-defense capacity and as air support during planetary invasions. Fully-loaded, the ''Hutet'' can support 10,000 troops.
The ''K't'inga''-class is also an efficient combat vessel in several other areas including ship-to-ship combat, troop transport and deployment, and orbital or siege bombardment of stationary targets. In fact, compared to its contemporaries at the time, the only real threat to a ''K't'inga''-class battlecruiser in one-on-one combat was the [[Starfleet]] [[Constitution Class|''Constitution''-class]] starship.


== Tactical ==
===Shipboard Life===
The sheer size of the ''Hutet'' allows her to mount some of the largest space-borne weapons ever developed by the Cardassian Union. The most distinctive feature of this class is two sextuple heavy phaser mounts on the bow, which are interconnected with the twin primary deflectors. The output of these weapons is equivalent to the most advanced weapons used by other Alpha and Beta Quadrant powers, though keeping nimble ships in its firing arcs is a chore for the clumsy battleship. All-around coverage is provided by fourteen heavy phaser emitters, which are over three times as powerful as the smaller ones found aboard lesser ships.
The ''K't'inga'' was never built with comfort in mind. With that being said, the vessel was far more comfortable than its previous counterparts or contemporaries. The ship boasted actual leisure facilities; this was specifically unlike the Klingon designs that came before it. Leisure facilities vary between the Klingon and Romulan configurations of the design but largely include a massive mess hall, training facilities including a gym and bat’leth hall, and even limited holo facilities. However, when fully manned with troops for transport, quarters on the ''K't'inga'' are cramped and even the ship's captain would be forced to share accommodations.


Despite the prominence of the main phasers, the ''Hutet'''s signature weapons are its eighteen heavy torpedo tubes. These tubes were designed to handle munitions of many different sizes, with electromagnetic launching systems that can expand to handle heavy planetary bombardment weapons or mines or contract to handle standard torpedoes. As part of its standard ordnance, the ''Hutet'' carries gravimetric torpedoes, which are designed to devastate planetary ecologies both through the power of their explosions and through the devastation caused to the planet's crust and core by manipulating gravity. These heavy torpedoes are armored to survive atmospheric penetration and are larger than standard torpedoes. ''Hutet'' captains must choose carefully when to load these weapons, though, as it can take up to thirty seconds to reconfigure the launch tubes back to handling standard torpedoes, and that's enough time for a clever enemy to take advantage of the momentary vulnerability.
==Class History==
The ''K't'inga''-class battlecruiser first came to life as a design brought forth to the [[ma:Klingon High Council|Klingon High Council]] by [[ma:Klingon Chancellor|Chancellor]] [[ma:L'Rell|L'Rell]] in 2257. The original design within the ''K't'inga''-class, the D7 spaceframe, was an amalgamation of the greatest successes of the different designs that the Great Houses employed through their individual fleets. These designs were disparate from one another, indicative of the fracturing of the Klingon people during this time period in Klingon history, but all derived from much older designs such as the [[ma:Klingon_Bird-of-Prey_(22nd_century)|''Vo'n'talk''-class]], [[ma:D5_class|''Devastator''-class]], and [[ma:Raptor_class|''Raptor''-class]] of centuries past. Chancellor L'Rell saw the new ''K't'inga''-class as a unifier of the Klingon people and ordered its mass production throughout the Great Houses as a symbol of that Klingon unity. The first ''K't'inga's'' were deployed only a few months later in order to assist the [[ma:USS_Enterprise_(NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'']] against a rogue Federation armada. After this battle, the ''K't'inga'' did finally enter mass production as the Chancellor had asked for and quickly became the flagship and backbone of many of the Great Houses, and therefore, the Klingon Defense Force as a whole.
[[Image:Klingond7.jpg|thumb|left|The original D7 spaceframe of the ''K't'inga''-class firing a torpedo.]]
The first major change to the ''K't'inga'' came in the mid-2260s. By that point, the ''K't'inga'' had been in service for over 5 years and the engineers of the Klingon Defense Force had several suggested refits and remodels for the ship to increase its performance. This lined up with a budding alliance with the [[Romulan Star Empire]], in which the Romulans were incredibly interested in the ''K't'inga'' design. The Klingons, knowing that the original ''K't'inga'' design was about to undergo a significant upgrade, traded the original design to the Romulans in exchange for the Romulans relinquishing all claims to the contested planet of [[ma:Khitomer|Khitomer]], a Klingon stronghold and one of the most strategically important planets in the Empire. Shortly after, the Klingon ''K't'inga's'' were upgraded from the D7 spaceframe to the D7A spaceframe, leaving the Romulans with the older design while the Klingons moved forward.


Twelve of the torpedo launchers on the ''Hutet'' fire directly port and starboard. This can both be used to launch weapons on firing trajectories that allow them to circle back towards targets directly fore or aft, or to fight opponents on all sides during pitched battles. ''Hutet''-class ships have enormous standard torpedo magazines as well, which allow them to lob weapons from behind screens of smaller ships to assault enemy capital ships, as well as to wear down even the most hardened defenses.
In subsequent decades, the Klingons continued to upgrade the ''K't'inga'' spaceframe. One of the most infamous iterations of a spaceframe appeared in the 2290s when the flagship of the Klingon Chancellor [[ma:Gorkon|Gorkon]], [[ma:Kronos_One|''Kronos One'']], was deployed under the D7E spaceframe. ''Kronos One'' was vitally important to the signing of the [[ma:Khitomer_Accords|Khitomer Accords]], the [[ma:Treaty_of_Alliance|Federation-Klingon Alliance]] that blossomed from those accords, and the future of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants as a whole. Many years later, as a symbol of peace and friendship, the Klingon Empire gifted ''Kronos One'' to the Federation to be displayed in the [[ma:Fleet_Museum|Starfleet Fleet Museum]] over [[ma:Athan_Prime|Athan Prime]].  


''Hutet''-clas shields are nearly impenetrable, with multiple redundant generators located all around the ship. Combined with all-around weapons coverage forward, starboard, and port, the only chance an enemy would have to damage or destroy such a battleship would be to avoid its main weapons and get behind it to have a chance at hitting the reactor--though on a ''Hutet''-class ship, its rear shields are actually the strongest, for this very reason.
The D7E spaceframe continued as the primary deployment of the ''K't'inga''-class until the 2340s, when the D7F spaceframe was deployed as a significant upgrade to the internal systems of the ''K't'inga''-class. The ''K't'inga''-class continued for another 20 years undisturbed until the development and deployment of the ''Vor'cha''-class battlecruiser. Seen as the first significant class in the Empire in over a generation, the ''Vor'cha'' was slated to replace the ''K't'inga'' within a decade as a massive improvement in every aspect. However, as the next decade rolled around and a new enemy came into sight, the lifespan of the ''K't'inga'' was artificially inflated.  


The most common assignment for ''Hutet''-class battleships is to serve as monitors, heavily armed but slow warships used for planetary defense. They rival many starbases in their sheer firepower and their low endurance makes them suited for little else. They are never found alone, and always have a fleet of at least twelve ''Galor''-class destroyers and six ''Keldon''-class cruisers escorting them, because the only real danger a ''Hutet''-class vessel would be in is if it were swarmed by many smaller ships, wearing down its defenses from all angles.
Hundreds of ''K't'inga's'' in service at the start of the Cold War with the Dominion were slated for decommissioning and scrapping to use their raw materials to build a new fleet of ''Vor'cha's''. However, when the severity of the Changeling infiltration issue was realized by then-Chancellor [[ma:Gowron|Gowron]], the ''K't'inga's'' were instead repurposed back to war as the [[ma:Klingon-Cardassian_War|Klingon Empire invaded the Cardassian Union]] in 2372. When full-scale war broke out between the Dominion, now fully allied with the [[Cardassian Union]], and the Federation-Klingon-Romulan Alliance, the ''K't'inga's'' made up a huge backbone of the Klingon fleet. The designs, while older, were still a fearsome ship of war. The ''K't'inga'' took heavy losses during the war which was on par with the overall heavy losses of the Klingon Empire. However, by wars end, the ''K't'inga'' still numbered in the hundreds. With the decimation that the Klingon fleet took overall, the ''K't'inga'' again had its lifespan artificially increased to allow the Klingon Defense Force to build its own forces.  


When used for invasion scenarios, the ''Hutet'' can embark 10,000 troops. It has many large-scale transporters and can take over a planet's capital within hours. Given that it is also always accompanied by other ships, it would be the centerpiece of an invasion of 50,000 or more troops, serving as the command ship for a very senior legate and multiple legions.
As the Klingon forces recovered, the ''K't'inga'' began to be slowly phased out by the Great Houses. By the early 25th century, the ''K't'inga''-class continues to serve many of the Houses but is no longer the backbone of most forces and becomes an increasingly dwindling sight in Klingon space.


== Shipboard Life ==
==Romulan D7==
As with smaller ships, ''Hutet''-class ships have accommodations segregated by rank. It has an exceptionally large crew of 2,500 to keep all of its weapons operating and to provide security. It is not a particularly comfortable assignment compared to other large vessels of other powers, because of how much of its internal volume is devoted to troop accommodations and weapons. Because they don't generally stray far from home, the trade-off for this is more frequent opportunities for shore leave.  
[[Image:romuland7.jpg|thumb|left|The Romulan configuration of the ''D7'', easily notable by the feathered wings painted onto the hull.]]During a short alliance between the Klingons and Romulans in the mid-2260s, several deals and accords were struck; this included a swap of the D7 spaceframe design of the ''K't'inga'' from the Klingons to the Romulans. This exchange immediately altered the history of the D7 spaceframe forever by adding the class to the Romulan fleet at the time when the ''K't'inga'' was receiving upgrades within the Klingon fleet.


These massive ships have palatial suites for their commanding officers, who enjoy a standard of luxury far beyond that found on other Cardassian ships, given that command of these ships is only ever given to the most senior guls. Most of the existing ''Hutets'' also serve as the flagships for entire Cardassian Orders, and so have an even grander space for their legate.
By the 2270s, active development and construction of the D7 spaceframe had been discontinued by the Romulans in favor of their own, unique refit design on the platform. Eventually, the Romulans deployed their own improvement in the Stormbird-class.


Troop accommodations are very spartan, but the ''Hutet'' does not embark ground troops during its defensive missions.
The only substantial tactical difference between the Romulan and Klingon versions of the ''K't'inga'' over its production run was the inclusion of plasma torpedoes on the Romulan version.


== Class History ==
==In Play==
As the Dominion War raged, it was clear that Cardassian shipbuilding lagged far behind that of its neighbors, as the burden for heavy firepower support was put almost entirely on Dominion forces. The Cardassian preference for medium-sized, medium-capability ships was failing to stand up to the Klingon preference for smaller, high-firepower designs, the Romulan preference for larger, highly-advanced designs, and the Federation's relentless ingenuity. As such, the ''Hutet''-class design was rapidly developed as the ultimate Cardassian war machine, which would be the centerpiece of any Cardassian fleet. The Cardassian Military intended to build twelve massive starships to serve as the flagships of all of the individual Orders, vessels that would be able to coordinate massive planetary invasions and serve as impregnable bulwarks over Cardassian worlds.
*The original D7 spaceframe has long since been retired by the Romulans and isn't a common sight for the Klingons anymore. However, over the years some have been lost, sold, or otherwise unaccounted for. This has led to these ships falling into the hands of civilians and outside of the government’s hands.  
*Although these ships are antiquated by 2401, they are still a formidable opponent that should not be underestimated.
*The Romulan configuration is most likely to be found in the hands of petty warlords or regional overlords that have popped up within Romulan space since the fall of Romulus.


The design that was developed was incredibly lopsided in capabilities. Cardassians lacked experience building large ships, even with Dominion assistance, and so the engine technology left the ship with a paltry top speed. They also cost more than thirty ''Galor''-class destroyers to build and had massive crews. Only three vessels were completed by the time of the Battle of Cardassia Prime, being too late to have any impact on the war's ultimate conclusion. In practice, there were also teething problems with her advanced weapons, especially the torpedo launchers, which had a tendency to jam while being reconfigured to handle different munition sizes.
==Additional Information==
*Due to the mention of the ''K't'inga'' by Captain Pike by name in SNW: Supspace Rhapsody which is set in 2259, Bravo Fleet has taken the stance that all of the ships were of the ''K't'inga''-class and that the "D7" is the specific variant of the class that changes over time. A real world example of such a thing would be the [[wikipedia:Arleigh_Burke-class_destroyer#Variants|''Arleigh Burke''-class destroyer variants]] in the real world US Navy. The ships are outwardly identical or similar overall but have significant upgrades to technology over the years.


Following the war, the three existing vessels were used to transport refugees around the Union, their primary purpose gone. The remaining 9 space frames lingered in the shipyards, with six of them broken down within several years after the war to build non-combat vessels and to comply with arms limitations. Eventually, the remaining three were completed during the early 2380s, when it was feared that the Romulan situation would spiral across the quadrant.
{{clear}}
 
Presently, the six ''Hutet''-class ships are something of an albatross: they are theoretically very capable battleships, but their utility is limited in the absence of all-out war that would threaten either Cardassian worlds or allow the Cardassians to threaten enemy worlds. Still, they are a symbol of Cardassian pride and serve as the flagships of six of the twelve orders, while watching over important Cardassian worlds. It is not expected that more will be built, unless a war were to errupt.
 
The ''Hutet'' has been superseded in every way other than pure firepower by the [[Damar Class|''Damar''-class dreadnought]], which is faster, more advanced, and capable of long-duration independent missions that the ''Hutet'' could never dream of.
 
== ''Hutet''-class In-Play ==
 
* This ship is a monster. It's huge. It's also slow and hard to maneuver. Once it gets you in its sights, you're toast. It excels at hitting stationary targets like planets and starbases.
* You're not going to see one of these unless you're in the core of the Cardassian Union. There are only six of them and they're restricted to defensive duties.
* This is unlikely to be an exciting assignment because they stay close to home. You might go a whole tour on a ''Hutet'' with the ship never having gone to warp!
* Think of the ''Hutet'' as essentially a mobile defense platform or planetary bombardment weapon, rather than a tip-of-the-spear fast battleship.
 
== Gallery ==
 
[[File:HutetOrtho.png]]
[[Category:Cardassian Starships]]

Revision as of 21:15, 7 March 2024

Ktingaclass.jpg
K't'inga Class
Information
Affiliation
Status

Active

Role

Battlecruiser

Lineage
Preceding Class

Sech-class

Succeeding Class Vor'cha-class
Service
Operator
Entered Service

2258

Production Ended

2369

Endurance
Expected Design Life

100 Years

Expected Refit Cycle

15 Years

Expected Resupply Cycle

3 Years

Crew Capacity
Standard Complement

350

Emergency Capacity

1,500

Dimensions
Length

349.54 meters

Width

251.76 meters

Height

98.41 meters

Decks

25

Propulsion
Propulsion Systems

Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive

Cruise Speed

Warp 7

Maximum Speed

Warp 9.6

Emergency Speed

Warp 9.8 (12 hours)

Armaments
Energy Weapons

6x disruptor cannons

Torpedo Launchers
  • 1x forward
  • 1x aft
Torpedo Payload
  • 150 photon torpedoes
  • 100 plasma torpedoes (Romulan version)
Shields
  • Deflector shields
  • Cloaking device
Template:Specification

The K't'inga-class battlecruiser was historically and prominently the frontline battlecruiser of the Klingon Empire for the second half of the 23rd century and well into the 24th century. Through various refits and modernizations, the K't'inga continued service well past her intended design life and into the Dominion War. Although a much rarer sight in the 25th century with the wide deployment of the Vor'cha-class battlecruiser, the K't'inga can still be found throughout Klingon space and the frontier as a multi-purposed ship of war.

Exploration and Science

Although a ship bred for war and used as a battlecuiser, the K't'inga is a deceptively adept exploration platform. The original design expectation that the K't'inga would be forced onto the fringe frontier of Klingon space for months or maybe even years at a time required that the ship be equipped with a suite of sensors to handle the unknown. This served multiple purposes in being able to relay mapping data, both passive and active, back to Klingon command to be analyzed as well as using the K't'inga's advanced sensor suite in combat situations against perspective targets. Historically, because of the advanced K't'inga sensors, the ubiquitous nature of the vessel throughout its lifetime, and the data collected over the years, the Klingon Defense Force was able to passively map out large swaths of the Klingon frontier.

The K't'inga, being the workhorse battlecruiser of the Klingon Empire for almost 100 years, also served as its premier ship of exploration in any sense that the Klingon Empire was interested in such endeavors. Compared to other Klingon vessels of her era, the K't'inga is the most well-equipped for scientific duties. Although, for a Klingon warship design, that leaves much to be desired. If ever a matter of science or exploration was required, the K't'inga was the ship that was deployed for such matters during much of its lifetime. In the modern era, ships with more advanced sensor suites such as the Vor'cha-class or Negh'Var-class would primarily be deployed to any exploration assignments of importance.

Diplomacy

Much like exploration, the K't'inga-class was not designed with diplomacy in mind other than through superior firepower against enemy forces. However, the K't'inga has historically been used by the Klingon Empire as a ship of diplomatic gesture throughout the mid to late 23rd century. To that end, the K't'inga has been equipped with a limited amount of conference rooms and stately guest quarters for visiting dignitaries.

Engineering

A ship born out of and bred for war, the K't'inga-class was an amalgamation of the best parts of the separate Great House's designs rolled into one vaguely familiar frame. The K't'inga-class battlecruiser incorporated aspects of the M'Chla-class, Chargh-class, and Qugh-class, but especially from the Sech-class and BortaS bir-class. Overall, the design appeared as a predator stalking the depths of space. The primary hull was almost wing-like, with two nacelles on each side, connecting a long "neck" with a "head" command section.

Tactical

At the time of its deployment, the K't'inga-class battlecruiser was easily the most formidable ship in the Alpha or Beta Quadrants. The K't'inga excels in combat, boasting an impressive weapons array, a cloaking device, incredibly resilient shields, and a new generation warp drive capable of propelling the ship to sustained speeds of Warp 9. The new warp drive also efficiently routed power through the vessel to its weapons systems, allowing for a more powerful disruptor blast than anything that had been fielded by the Klingons previously. Due to its main weapons array pointing forward from the ship, the thruster design throughout also makes it one of the most maneuverable vessels of its era for its size, able to bring its main weapons to bear against an enemy with ease.

The K't'inga-class is also an efficient combat vessel in several other areas including ship-to-ship combat, troop transport and deployment, and orbital or siege bombardment of stationary targets. In fact, compared to its contemporaries at the time, the only real threat to a K't'inga-class battlecruiser in one-on-one combat was the Starfleet Constitution-class starship.

Shipboard Life

The K't'inga was never built with comfort in mind. With that being said, the vessel was far more comfortable than its previous counterparts or contemporaries. The ship boasted actual leisure facilities; this was specifically unlike the Klingon designs that came before it. Leisure facilities vary between the Klingon and Romulan configurations of the design but largely include a massive mess hall, training facilities including a gym and bat’leth hall, and even limited holo facilities. However, when fully manned with troops for transport, quarters on the K't'inga are cramped and even the ship's captain would be forced to share accommodations.

Class History

The K't'inga-class battlecruiser first came to life as a design brought forth to the Klingon High Council by Chancellor L'Rell in 2257. The original design within the K't'inga-class, the D7 spaceframe, was an amalgamation of the greatest successes of the different designs that the Great Houses employed through their individual fleets. These designs were disparate from one another, indicative of the fracturing of the Klingon people during this time period in Klingon history, but all derived from much older designs such as the Vo'n'talk-class, Devastator-class, and Raptor-class of centuries past. Chancellor L'Rell saw the new K't'inga-class as a unifier of the Klingon people and ordered its mass production throughout the Great Houses as a symbol of that Klingon unity. The first K't'inga's were deployed only a few months later in order to assist the USS Enterprise against a rogue Federation armada. After this battle, the K't'inga did finally enter mass production as the Chancellor had asked for and quickly became the flagship and backbone of many of the Great Houses, and therefore, the Klingon Defense Force as a whole.

The original D7 spaceframe of the K't'inga-class firing a torpedo.

The first major change to the K't'inga came in the mid-2260s. By that point, the K't'inga had been in service for over 5 years and the engineers of the Klingon Defense Force had several suggested refits and remodels for the ship to increase its performance. This lined up with a budding alliance with the Romulan Star Empire, in which the Romulans were incredibly interested in the K't'inga design. The Klingons, knowing that the original K't'inga design was about to undergo a significant upgrade, traded the original design to the Romulans in exchange for the Romulans relinquishing all claims to the contested planet of Khitomer, a Klingon stronghold and one of the most strategically important planets in the Empire. Shortly after, the Klingon K't'inga's were upgraded from the D7 spaceframe to the D7A spaceframe, leaving the Romulans with the older design while the Klingons moved forward.

In subsequent decades, the Klingons continued to upgrade the K't'inga spaceframe. One of the most infamous iterations of a spaceframe appeared in the 2290s when the flagship of the Klingon Chancellor Gorkon, Kronos One, was deployed under the D7E spaceframe. Kronos One was vitally important to the signing of the Khitomer Accords, the Federation-Klingon Alliance that blossomed from those accords, and the future of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants as a whole. Many years later, as a symbol of peace and friendship, the Klingon Empire gifted Kronos One to the Federation to be displayed in the Starfleet Fleet Museum over Athan Prime.

The D7E spaceframe continued as the primary deployment of the K't'inga-class until the 2340s, when the D7F spaceframe was deployed as a significant upgrade to the internal systems of the K't'inga-class. The K't'inga-class continued for another 20 years undisturbed until the development and deployment of the Vor'cha-class battlecruiser. Seen as the first significant class in the Empire in over a generation, the Vor'cha was slated to replace the K't'inga within a decade as a massive improvement in every aspect. However, as the next decade rolled around and a new enemy came into sight, the lifespan of the K't'inga was artificially inflated.

Hundreds of K't'inga's in service at the start of the Cold War with the Dominion were slated for decommissioning and scrapping to use their raw materials to build a new fleet of Vor'cha's. However, when the severity of the Changeling infiltration issue was realized by then-Chancellor Gowron, the K't'inga's were instead repurposed back to war as the Klingon Empire invaded the Cardassian Union in 2372. When full-scale war broke out between the Dominion, now fully allied with the Cardassian Union, and the Federation-Klingon-Romulan Alliance, the K't'inga's made up a huge backbone of the Klingon fleet. The designs, while older, were still a fearsome ship of war. The K't'inga took heavy losses during the war which was on par with the overall heavy losses of the Klingon Empire. However, by wars end, the K't'inga still numbered in the hundreds. With the decimation that the Klingon fleet took overall, the K't'inga again had its lifespan artificially increased to allow the Klingon Defense Force to build its own forces.

As the Klingon forces recovered, the K't'inga began to be slowly phased out by the Great Houses. By the early 25th century, the K't'inga-class continues to serve many of the Houses but is no longer the backbone of most forces and becomes an increasingly dwindling sight in Klingon space.

Romulan D7

The Romulan configuration of the D7, easily notable by the feathered wings painted onto the hull.

During a short alliance between the Klingons and Romulans in the mid-2260s, several deals and accords were struck; this included a swap of the D7 spaceframe design of the K't'inga from the Klingons to the Romulans. This exchange immediately altered the history of the D7 spaceframe forever by adding the class to the Romulan fleet at the time when the K't'inga was receiving upgrades within the Klingon fleet.

By the 2270s, active development and construction of the D7 spaceframe had been discontinued by the Romulans in favor of their own, unique refit design on the platform. Eventually, the Romulans deployed their own improvement in the Stormbird-class.

The only substantial tactical difference between the Romulan and Klingon versions of the K't'inga over its production run was the inclusion of plasma torpedoes on the Romulan version.

In Play

  • The original D7 spaceframe has long since been retired by the Romulans and isn't a common sight for the Klingons anymore. However, over the years some have been lost, sold, or otherwise unaccounted for. This has led to these ships falling into the hands of civilians and outside of the government’s hands.
  • Although these ships are antiquated by 2401, they are still a formidable opponent that should not be underestimated.
  • The Romulan configuration is most likely to be found in the hands of petty warlords or regional overlords that have popped up within Romulan space since the fall of Romulus.

Additional Information

  • Due to the mention of the K't'inga by Captain Pike by name in SNW: Supspace Rhapsody which is set in 2259, Bravo Fleet has taken the stance that all of the ships were of the K't'inga-class and that the "D7" is the specific variant of the class that changes over time. A real world example of such a thing would be the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer variants in the real world US Navy. The ships are outwardly identical or similar overall but have significant upgrades to technology over the years.
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