Snakeir-class carrier

Snakeir
Type	Carrier
Manufacturer	Kiranka Clan
Primary User	Kilrathi Empire
Introduction	2649

Snakeir-class Target Identification Shots.

The Emperor of Kilrah personally commissioned the production of the Snakeir-class dreadnought line in 2649, among the heaviest battleships to enter service until the final stages of the Terran-Kilrathi War. The dreadnoughts are built and manned only by members of the Kiranka Clan. At least 51 were produced, of which seven were destroyed by 2654 (five in combat and two in accidents). As is often the case with Kilrathi capital ships, multiple sizes exist: the 915-meter long standard version and a huge three to four kilometer long command ship. No Snakeir-class ship has ever been captured.

Six years later, the massive battleship design was revised into a smaller, dedicated fleet carrier. The Empire deployed between four and ten of the carriers in late 2654 and early 2655. They first saw action in the Ardai System, while combat testing the (at the time) new Hhriss-Class Fighter. Snakeir carriers went on to serve at the defense of Jakarta and with the strike fleets invading Firekka.

Major James Taggart led the first successful strike against a Snakeir - sacrificing a Rapier II and its pilot to destroy the carrier. Commodore Christopher Blair is credited with three confirmed Snakeir kills - the super-dreadnought KIS Grist'Ar'Roc, lured into a gravity well in the Sol System, and two carriers during the Firekka campaign.

Other notable Snakeir include the super-dreadnought KIS Shak'Ar'Roc, which led the fleet that attempted to capture the renegade TCS Olympus in 2654.

Snakeirs served throughout the remainder of the War, but were soon superseded by more modern carrier models like the Bhantkara.

Specifications

Source:	Claw Marks	Confed Handbook	Movie
Class:	Carrier	Super Dreadnought	Super Dreadnought
Length:	650 meters	915 meters	3,000 - 4,000 meters
Mass:	30,000 metric tonnes	67,000 metric tonnes	200,461 metric tonnes
Max Velocity:	150 kps	150 kps	150 kps
Cruise Velocity:	100 kps	100 kps	100 kps
Acceleration:	Poor	Poor	Poor
Max Y/P/R:	1/1/1 dps	1/1/1 dps	1/1/1 dps
Fore Shield:	37.0 cm equivalent	Meson	Meson
Aft Shield:	37.0 cm equivalent	Meson	Meson
Front Armor:	28.0 cm	28.0 cm	28.0 cm
Right Armor:	36.0 cm	36.0 cm	36.0 cm
Left Armor:	36.0 cm	36.0 cm	36.0 cm
Rear Armor:	24.0 cm	24.0 cm	24.0 cm
Guns:	Single mounted turreted laser (6) Dual mounted Turreted Laser (11) Triple mounted turreted laser (1)	Single mounted turreted laser (42) Dual mounted Turreted Laser (6) Antimatter Guns (2)	Single mounted turreted laser (42) Dual mounted Turreted Laser (6) Antimatter Guns (2)
Missiles:	Claw IR (2)	Torpedo Tubes (14)	Torpedo Tubes (14)
Fighter Complement:	100	200	200
Crew:	400-600	400-600, 500 Marines	400-600, 500 Marines
Service Entry:	2655	2649	2649

Official Authorized Wing Commander Confederation Handbook

Snakeir-Class Super-Dreadnought
Length	915 meters
Mass	67,000 tonnes
Max Velocity	150 KPS
Cruise Velocity	100 KPS
Guns	42 Point-Defense 6 Turreted Lasers
Missiles	14 Torpedo Tubes
Armor	Fore and aft meson shields 28 cm fore/24 cm aft armor 36 cm port and starboard armor
Fighter Complement	Fighter Complement

The largest warship in the known Kilrathi arsenal, the Snakeir was first observed in battle in late 2649. It is believed to carry hangar space for at least 200 fighter craft. In addition to serving as a large carrier, its other purpose is to act as a space-to-planet missile platform, launching high-orbital and even interplanetary munitions at static targets. Recently, reports of long range, self-guided ship-killer torpedoes being launched from Snakeirs at Confed warships have filtered through.

The capacity and capabilities of the Snakeir are highly speculative, as an intact specimin has never been taken in combat. Extrapolating from known design specs of earlier Kilrathi warships, it probably has a complement of officers and crew between 400 and 600 strong, plus additional space for up to 500 warriors, trained to served both as pilots and as marines.

A Snakeir is usually accompanied by at least three destroyers or cruisers, with at least a dozen Krant escort fighters guarding the force at all times. It is usually found escorting Kilrathi transports to the front.

51 individual Snakeirs have been reported engaged in operations on the front, of which four are known to have been destroyed in battle, and two believed lost to accident or mishap. All known Snakeirs have born the markings of the imperial house, suggesting that the individual clans and worlds of the Empire do not sponsor Snakeir production, but that the Emperor has personally commissioned these ships for use in the Confed conflict.

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  Snakeir supplement from Joan's Fighting Ships circa 2655