Seydltiz-class Heavy Cruiser

[Telan Desaria]

Seydlitz – class Heavy Cruiser

Picture Reference – SDCHC

Dimensions
: Keel – 850m
: Beam – 105m
: Mast – 110m hull / 195m with superstructure

Armaments
4 SDT-4s
((2 dorsal-mount turrets, two guns each))
34 Heavy Turbolaser Cannon (Casemented)
((10 port; 10 starboard; 7 fore; 7 aft))
6 Heavy Ion Cannon
((2 port; 2 starboard; 2 fore))
26 Firestorm Systems
((Various Locations About the Ship))

Defensive Precautions
Reinforced Quadranium
Internal Reactor Shell

-x4 TaggeCo Energy/Ray Deflector Generators
(2 superstructure, 2 sunken)

-x4 TaggeCo Particle Shield Generators
(1 superstructure, 3 sunken)

Propulsion and Power Systems
x4 Imperial Engineering Class II Primary Drive Units
- Hyperdrive: x1.7
- Reserve Hyperdrive: x3.5

x1 DuraCorp Solar Ionization Reactor

Miscellaneous Systems
: Cargo – 10,000 metric tones
: Consumables – 6 months

Compliment
:Crew:
-Officers - 290
-Gunners – 1,500
-General Hands – 12,770
-Flight Operations – 175

:Support Vessels:
x2 Sentinel III-class Landing Shuttles
x5 Lambda-class Shuttles
x4 Trian-class Landing Barges

:Combat Craft:
x4 Squadrons TIE Defenders Mark II (36 craft)
x2 Delta-class Assault Shuttles
x2 XG-9 Missile Boats

:Ground Combatants
- Embarked quarters for two full Light-Panzer battalions

Like many other Imperial vessels, the Seydlitz-class Heavy Cruiser is a purpose-built craft. Threats have recently arisen where there were not enough warships superior enough in guns – such as the Imperial III, IV, and V – class Star Destroyers – to be deployed at all trouble spots at once. As such, a serious gap in the Imperial naval arsenal has been exposed. While battleships abound as do the light cruisers and frigates that support them, there are too few heavy cruisers in the Fleet. The Dreadnaughts currently in service at six hundred meters are too slow to act as the central element of high-powered battle squadrons and have been relegated to planetary defense formations. The Hummel-class Heavy Cruiser, while well armed and fast, is highly experimental and will take a considerable amount of time before it can be deployed en masse. The Cuirassier-class Heavy Cruiser shall prove a considerable asset in filling this existing gap but shall need help - - help in the form of the Seydlitz.

The Seydlitz-class Heavy Cruiser can be produced at other Imperial yards such as Thyferra and Trebizond while Corellia begins production of the Cuirassier.

The Seydlitz has been designed with firepower in mind, and as such will deliver as evidenced by a total of four SDT-4s located in two dorsal turrets. A schematic has been attached to this dossier that shows the immense scale and size of the Super-Turbolasers themselves, disclosing yet again their power while underscoring the reason for their rarity of service.

In this design, the reactor is situated at the very heart of the ship, surrounded sequentially by: a layer of reinforced durasteel; cargo storage; crew quarters; gunnery positions; the outer hull. This encasing of the reactor in a shell of its own is not unique to this design but has proven highly expensive. The Empire’s coffers run over from the continually expanding sale of bacta, and so this innovation can be added. Extensions in the production time are expected to be minimal.

Production is to be eased by a modular construction method. The superstructure and primary hull/reactor segments can be built simultaneously and then fitted together at the appropriate stage. The completed chassis must then be towed or move on its own power to a secondary locale for the installation of the SDT-4s. Berths are being constructed above Eriadu for such a purpose.