OPEN TRANSMISSION
OPEN TRANSMISSION

AMENDAR CLASS GUNSHIP

GPV-17 “ROMNEY BLACK”
Classification: Heavy Gunship / Assault Command Vessel
Almandar-Class

OVERVIEW

The Almandar-class gunship was designed as a forward assault and command platform during the early expansion conflicts of Aragos. Named for the ancient birthplace of Romney Black, the class honors a legacy of resilience, tactical brilliance, and unflinching resolve.

The lead vessel, GPV-17 Romney Black, is both a battlefield instrument and a cultural symbol. Where fleet cruisers hold territory, the Almandar breaks it open.

This is not a patrol craft. It is the first knock on the door.

PRIMARY ROLE

  • Asteroid belt combat operations

  • Assault insertion command platform

  • Heavy escort for convoy or diplomatic assets

  • Precision strike against fortified targets

  • Fleet spearhead in contested regions

DIMENSIONS

  • Length: 142 meters

  • Beam: 61 meters

  • Height: 38 meters

  • Mass (combat loaded): 38,400 metric tons

Compact by cruiser standards. Dense by design.

PROPULSION SYSTEM

Primary Drive: Contained Micro-Singularity Engine Core

The Almandar-class uses a tightly controlled micro-singularity reactor that functions as both power source and primary propulsion system. The vessel “falls” along a manipulated gravity gradient, converting containment stress into usable energy stored in distributed modular energy gel packs.

Aggressive well geometry allows rapid acceleration compared to cruisers.

Vector Field Drives

Hull-mounted gravity vector manipulators for steering and attitude control.

Secondary Systems: High-output impulse thrusters

Used for:

  • Combat burst movement

  • Asteroid field navigation

  • Docking and close-quarters maneuvers

POWER DISTRIBUTION

Triple-loop redundancy grid with combat-biased routing that prioritizes:

  • Forward weapons array

  • Shield lattice

  • Vector control systems

Power surge capacity: 140% for 22 seconds.

ARMAMENT

Primary Battery

  • 2x Forward Heavy Plasma Cannons (ventral reinforced mounts)

  • Optimized for shield cracking and armor penetration

Secondary Battery

  • 4x Dual-linked Coilgun Turrets

  • Mid-range anti-ship and kinetic saturation

Tertiary Systems

  • 8x Point Defense Laser Arrays

  • High-velocity interceptor grid for missiles and strike craft

Ordnance: Internal rotary magazine

  • Capacity: 24 tactical missiles

  • Payloads: EMP, anti-armor, grav-shear disruptor

DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS

  • Layered composite armor plating

  • Interlocking modular hull sections

  • Reactive kinetic shock absorption matrix

  • Mid-tier Shield Lattice (Short-cycle regeneration optimized for sustained firefights)

  • Electronic Countermeasures Suite (Signal disruption, decoy projection, tactical ghosting bursts)

CREW COMPLEMENT

  • Standard: 48 | Combat Ready: 63

  • Includes: Tactical command team, engineering rotation, and a 12-person Marine assault unit.

HANGAR CAPACITY

  • 2x Light Assault Shuttles or 4x Boarding Pods

No fighter wing. This vessel does not hide behind screens.

COMMAND PHILOSOPHY

The Almandar-class is designed to operate close to danger. It thrives in debris fields, near stations, and within gravity wells where larger cruisers hesitate. It punches forward, fractures resistance, and holds the breach long enough for heavier fleet elements to advance.

LEGACY NOTE

The naming of the lead vessel, Romney Black, elevated the class beyond its military designation. In later historical accounts, the phrase “Send the Black” became shorthand for decisive intervention.

When the Almandar arrives, negotiations are over.