Seneca
Class: Cruiser
Operators: TOG Navy
Mass: 1,410,579 tons
Cost: 8,985,139,142 talents
Engines:
Right Engine Rating (31,000)
Center Engine Rating (30,000)
Left Engine Rating (31,000)
Thrust: 2
Weapons:
Type (Location)
C Spinal Mount (F)
50 37.5/15 (L)
50 37.5/15 (R)
25 37.5/30 (A)
100 30/20 (L)
100 30/20 (R)
100 7.5/30 (F)
Type D Missile System (3 Shots at 100 Points)
Fighters: 72 at 300 tons (One Group)
Small Craft: 12 at 1,000 tons
Cargo: 10,000 tons
Crew: 1,438
Passengers: 200
Marines: 253
Overview[]
The Seneca is one of the newest ships in the TOG Navy. Designed from plans approved in late 6817, the Seneca experienced a complicated series of growing pains before finally reaching the first-line units in the spring of 6826. Built to replace the Syracuse, the Seneca avoids some of the basic design flaws that limited its predecessor. With both standard speed and armor, the Seneca usually serves in battleship squadrons. The addition of a forward bay, which supplements the Type C spinal mount, and the single aft bay provide the Seneca with additional protection and the ability to strike out on its own if necessary. The ship itself is not large, but it has a high power requirement. This increase in power and decrease in size has given Commonwealth captains some difficulty.
Although the weapons systems are not as massive as those of older designs, the diversity of the weapons is seen as an acceptable tradeoff for the heavier hitting power of a single array of lasers within a bay. Captains praise the improved missile-delivery system on the Seneca as its single greatest improvement.
Capabilities[]
The Seneca does most of its fighting at medium range. The weapons array is built around the Type C spinal mount. The compactness of the Seneca has caused unforeseen difficulties when it fires its spinal weapon. The spinal mount strains the entire structure of the ship. This prompted designers to install a second set of braces along the main shaft of the weapon. This bulky support network has given the servicing technicians nightmares, as normally accessible openings are now obstructed by 100 tons of steel. A spinal mount is expected to take up much room on a capital ship, but on the Seneca, it makes up almost one-third of the mass. Supporting any damage caused by the spinal mount is a bay of 100-gun 7.5/30 lasers. These "stubbies" provide an excellent attack, but the short range limits their usefulness.
The broadsides of the Seneca were designed for twin bays of complementing lasers. The 50-gun 37.5/15 laser bays have a range of 1,500 kilometers. At a range of 1,150 kilometers, the 100-gun 30/20 laser bays triple the attack strength. The aft section mounts a single bay of 25-gun 37.5/30 lasers. Though their range is exceptional, the aft lasers are not deployed in sufficient numbers to provide the Seneca with a credible deterrent. The bays do allow the captain to snipe at careless Renegade targets attempting to register a cheap shot on the cruiser's aft.
The missile system is considered first-rate. Even though heavier systems are available, they invariably suffer from severe maintenance problems in any class lighter than a battleship. The original design called for the heavier Type E missile system. Though designers had confidence in their system, they reluctantly agreed to downgrade it to provide better access to maintenance points.
The fighter bays of the Seneca take advantage of every available technological advancement. With sophisticated and flexible maintenance equipment, the Seneca can house the most modern fighters available. On a normal patrol, the Seneca carries twelve squadrons of mixed Spatha and Gladius fighters. Because of TOG fighters' heavy reliance on missiles, the Seneca carries enough reloads for four sorties.
During normal combat operations, these fighters move ahead of the cruiser, serving as a screening force for enemy fighters. These fighters often engage a separate target, leaving the cruiser to engage larger ships. The twelve small craft are used for standard messenger duties, as well as fighter support and search-and-rescue operations.
Deployment[]
As a new design, only 40 of these new cruisers have been delivered to their duty assignments. Of those delivered, 32 have been posted to the Commonwealth front. Thus far, no Senecas have been lost in combat. As the months have passed, squadrons have come to regard these ships as luck charms.