Ships Of The Galaxy : Extender

If you ask DDS fleet commanders which ships are the hardest worked in the fleet then the answer will be unanimous : the Extender oiler fleet. These ships provide a vital role in supplying and supporting the DDS fleet while away from base. Although called "oilers" for historical purposes the Extenders refuel DDS ships with nuclear fuel (to be more specific the reactant used in DDS fusion reactors, the main fuel source only needs changing every few years and is usually done at base, though Extenders can do this also). They also resupply ships with water, food and other supplies and can perform repair and maintenance.

When the DDS fleet was expanding in the early 2100s it was clear that a fleet of replenishment ships would be required. Naturally the then in development SUP (Standard Utility Platform) was used as the basis for this new ship and in 2105 the first Extender entered service. Since then the Extender fleet has put in the hard light years, supporting DDS ships away from base no matter where they may be. An Extender always accompanies a DDS deployment. Extenders, which are of course huge ships, also include extended leisure facilities to "refuel" ship crews also.

At the time of writing there are 17 Extenders in service with 4 more on order. The expanding DDS fleet and increased frequency of deployment means that the Extender fleet may have to keep growing even beyond that. Such is the intensity of their workload that an update of the earliest few ships had been postponed for a year as the fleet simply could not operate if it had to lose a few Extenders for a month each! It is hoped by this time next year the fleet will be large enough to finally release the pressure.

Ships Of The Galaxy : RC-2 Yel'Tema / Cosmos (updated)

The backbone of the HCS Fleet is the Cosmos cruiser, a powerful and reliable ship of Raegris design. The RC-2 Yel'Tema is the latest in a line of Raegris ships : powerful and sturdy though lacking in performance and firepower. In the 2090s the HCS bought 6 of them as they were becoming worried about their fleet being too Utrekian based, it proved to be a good move as when the Utrekians attacked the HCS the bulk of the HCS fleet was rendered helpless due to hidden control codes left by the Utrek. The remaining HCS fleet led by the Cosmos then proved their worth in averting total disaster.



After the war the HCS embarked on mass production of the Cosmos in one of the biggest space building programmes ever known. In less than 10 years they have built over 100 of the ships, the latest batch being the upgraded S standard. Production has now ended, originally the Clones wanted over 120 but production has now ended just short of 110. The HCS have improved the Cosmos design a lot especially in terms of firepower and performance. The Cosmos is equipped with the Super Cannon, a massive weapon second only to the DDS Z cannon. Speed has been nearly doubled from that of the original Raegris exports.

The Raegris are going to upgrade their fleet of RC-2s on similar lines, using DDS technology. The sheer number of RC-2/Cosmos in service means that they will be a common sight for the next couple of decades at least. Some earlier Cosmos are likely to be withdrawn over the next few years but the core will remain will into the 2120s. The HCS have found them to be the most survivable of their ships and have a high availability. The Cosmos does look somewhat archaic with it's unconventional design but looks are deceptive. Cosmos S cruisers are highly capable and would give anyone a run for their money.

Ships Of The Galaxy : Intruder LPD (updated)

The Intruder LPD is one of the key weapons in the HCS armoury and has revolutionised the deployment of land forces to planets, so much so that the DDS took the unprecedented step of buying an Intruder of their own!

The Intruder is based on the HCS' second generation Type C Transport design but includes a number of detachable landing pods which are launched from the Intruder in low orbit and then travel down to the planet. Each pod can include up to 40 troops and 2-3 AFVs. Intruders can carry a variety of configurations but the usual load is 20 pods meaning that one Intruder can deploy a HCS armoured batallion in minutes. Intruders would be used to deploy the first wave of an invading force.

When the DDS was looking at their equivalent they did look at trying to copy the design but the Intruder works so well they decided it would be pointless to go to the effort of re-inventing the wheel when the HCS were willing to sell. One Intruder was loaned/sold outright to the DDS while negotiations between the DDS and HCS were carried out about a proper DDS Intruder. Unfortunately over the last few years relations between the two superpowers have been somewhat fraught and at one stage the project was cancelled with just 1 ship completed and another half-completed ship the object of a legal tug-of-war. Pragmatism has now been restored, never let hostility get in the way of zarks they say. The Clones produce Intruder hulls which are then completed by the DDS with localised systems and engines to form the Pangaea class. Because of the delays the DDS are behind schedule though as the actual DDS Army which would be deployed by the Intruder is even more delayed it hasn't proved that big a problem yet!

Ships Of The Galaxy : Panther

In the early 2101s with the Pulsar starting to look a bit tired and the Quasar not quite living up to expectations the DDS began to investigate a new kind of warship that would be the most formidable fighting ship known. The ship would have tremendous firepower, speed, agility and resilience. At first the DDS looked into a new battlecruiser, the Starscorpion, but when that proved too costly they instead considered a light cruiser, the LCX. Finally they decided upon a new destroyer that would set new standards for combat performance. The D-X programme that resulted in the Panther.



The D-X programme is one of the most expensive in DDS history though has also drawn on development work from the Starscorpion and LCX work. The result is a ship slightly bigger than a Velocity and Isometric with twin engines and triple distributed power systems. Panther is the first production class designed to exceed 1000c (the target is 1100c though at the moment ships are only able to make around 1028c but work is continuing on optimisation).

Much of the Panther is dedicated to weapon systems. Panther is the first major combat ship built in the post-TPM universe and it is said the ship is designed around the need to fire as many TPMs as possible. Panther has twin quad-bank missile launchers and can carry up to 96 missiles (though at maximum firing rate that would only last 6 seconds!) A turreted Z5i cannon is also carried. The combat system of the Panther can simultaneously track and engage dozens of intercepts.

The Panther is not a flying missile launcher though, its a fighting ship. It has the highest thrust-mass ratio of any ship in the known galaxy (except the Neptune which was a research ship) and incredible agility. Panther is designed to be able to defeat anything the enemy can throw against it. Of course as yet the Panther has not yet been fully tested. It did not play a role in the Utrek War but the next time the DDS do have to fight Panther will be ready.

A multi-role version of Panther was considered at one stage but was later cancelled as it was felt the Panther is flexible enough to become multi-role itself instead of creating another class. Panther is the first 4th generation DDS ship meaning modularity is a big part of it's combat role though as yet the only module created for Panther is a reconnaissance module which has yet to be used. Panther is due to remain inservice until the middle part of this century and is sure to play a big role in the DDS' future adventures.

Ships Of The Galaxy : Velocity (updated)

The Velocity class destroyer was the third and final part of the DDS' so-called "Generation 3" warships, a fast and powerful destroyer. However as the prototype was being built the DDS had a change of policy and no longer needed ships of it's type. The order of 12 was cancelled though the prototype was considered too far gone to cancel so construction was completed.

The Velocity emerged as a highly useful warship able to sustain high speeds for long periods of time and thus proved highly useful as a long-range scout and rapid-response warship. The DDS decided to build some more examples, however the rig intended for the class had already been taken over for the Terran Sea frigate so a small rig used for singleton class ships was used instead. This meant that only one Velocity at a time can be produced and as the ship was complicated the DDS could only complete one every 11 months.



The last few to be build were to the Velocity S specification with higher performance and updates. The Velocity survived by a thread but now is one of the most popular classes in the DDS and has filled a useful niche. A third variant called the Solaris III is about to enter service, it is being built by the Raegris on a much bigger jig which means the old problems of slow building will end.

Solaris III has a larger hull and improved weapon-load and performance. Over time the Velocity has fitted into the DDS portfolio as a long-range scout, command ship for smaller fleet detachments and excellent capital ship escort. After a long and difficult entry into service the Velocity seems finally to gaining momentum.

Ships Of The Galaxy : Isometric (updated)

In the mid-2090s the DDS began to look at a successor class to the Starsystem frigate using G3 technologies. Initially the DDS considered an updated version of the Starsystem and the Isometric Prototype was indeed that, a rebuilt battle damaged Starsystem with far greater performance and firepower. However the DDS decided to evolve the design using experience from the new Quasar cruiser. The result, the Isometric, is an evolution of the Starsystem in many ways but also shares a lot of design similarities with the Quasar especially in terms of the smooth streamlined design of the Quasar (although of course there are no aerodynamics to consider in space a smooth design does bring advantages to construction and warp-field efficiency as well as looking cool).

When the Isometric arrived on the scene it immediately bought a great boost to DDS capabilities having a cruise speed over 700c together with advanced sensors and firepower. Later on the Isometric was improved still further with a version of the Z-cannon that could be attached for combat missions. Nowadays though most Isometrics carry these all the time (and the ILU programme will finally make these Z-cannon fittings permanent). All Isometrics can also carry TPMs and also have a basic ground-attack capability.



The Isometric is a sturdy and reliable ship, one example SS Carboniferous has been used for a number of very long range missions against the Rectoids and other enemies by Windscorpion and succeeded of course. Windy was so impressed by the ship he made it his flagship. The Isometric has been largely superseded in combat missions by it's later brother the Terran Sea but the Isometric remains one of the best ships in the DDS fleet.

The Isometric has begun it's first major update the ILU programme which greatly improves the ship's performance and combat ability. The ship remains the backbone of the fleet, although a plan for long-range modifications (the Rhombus class) was eventually cancelled some ships have been fitted out for minesweeping command by installing the Pave Yellow system.

Ships Of The Galaxy : Quasar (updated)

Although the Pulsar was the principal DDS ship and proving to be easily able to make mincemeat out of the HCS the DDS began a project in 2095 for a new cruiser based around the Z cannon, then in development. The Quasar took advantage of much data gathered during the Tarbotian war and it's design was heavily influenced by the Tarbotian Kenora cruiser. The Quasar was the first of G3 or 3rd Generation DDS warships designed with a much more simpler structure and shell (for ease of maintenance and improved hyperspace field dynamics) and great firepower and performance. The Quasar was the second ship to use Neptune technology for it's engine and was the first DDS cruiser to be able to exceed 800c.

The Quasar arrived in 2101 just in time for it to help turn the tide in the war against the Utrek then ongoing. The Quasar has incredible performance and firepower, but then the problems started. Development had been rushed and the Quasar to found to have a seemingly endless number of bugs. Although few of these bugs were in critical systems there were several occaisions when a Quasar had to break off from a winning position because it's weapons or sensor suite had decided to shut down. It took several years to iron out these bugs and the Quasar unfortunately gained a bad reputation from crews. Also in that time the Pulsar received it's ILU and then MULE updates to bring it back to the forefront of the DDS fleet. The Quasar had been intended to be the new flagships but now was pushed into a position of supporting act.

The Quasar has been gradually restoring it's reputation and the ILU update has bought the Quasar back to the cutting edge of the DDS. At one stage the DDS did not really like the type though and sold several to the Raegris, with DDS attention switching to the Panther class as primary combatant. The Quasar probably missed out on it's chance for greatness but then again has another 25-30 years service in it so maybe it's time is yet to come.

The latest role for the Quasar is as a strike bomber and it will eventually replace the Pulsar in that role. The ILU has also improved the C3 facilities of the Quasar meaning it will be the command ships of future operations. The DDS have recently begun exploring the possibility of re-opening the production line to build an upgraded variant to replace the Pulsars when they are withdrawn from 2110-2. The Quasar story may have only just begun.

Raegris Quasar, some say the future Quasar builds could be like this.

Ships Of The Galaxy : Pulsar (updated)

The Pulsar Heavy Cruiser is still a key weapon in the DDS fleet though the fleet is now entering it's final few years with final withdrawal planned for 2112.

After some mixed success with it's first generation of singleton class warships (USM, Solaris et cetera) in the late 2080s the DDS selected two types for it's second generation : Pulsar and Starsystem. The Pulsar was designed as the backbone of the fleet, a very powerful heavy cruiser able to beat anything else in space. The first Pulsar cruiser entered service in 2094 and eventually 17 were built when production ended in 2102 (though production was not continuous during these years). Being at the forefront of DDS operations has meant nearly half of the Pulsars have been lost in action and currently there are 9 in service.



The Pulsar is a solid chunky design built around a highly powerful engine and reactor bank. Initial fire power were 3 large laser cannons though in subsequent years the Z-cannon and latterly transphasic missile launchers have become the major weapons. The Pulsar also has a number of secondary weapons though in practice these have not proven to be that useful and a mooted future update considered removing some of these weapons. The Pulsar is designed for survivability, the command module can detach from the rest of the ship should the ship receive critical damage. The sheer size and bulk of the ship means that weapons have to penetrate some way before they can reach the reactors.

The Pulsar has received 2 major updates. The first, ILU, added the Z-cannon and later the MULE improved systems and performance all across the ship. MULE kept the fleet viable until the mid-part of the 2110s when it was originally planned to rebuild them again (Pulsar Life eXtension PLX) for service into the 2120s however the PLX was cancelled as a cost saving and the fleet will be phased out early in the 2110s.

One problem with the Pulsar is it is a G2 design and later DDS technologies such as Open Architecture and FIDO are difficult to fit to the Pulsar because it's core architecture is of an older generation. While engines and weaponry continue to be updated the Pulsar is falling behind later designs such as the Quasar, Panther and Isometric because of the age of it's architecture. The cost of maintaining the Pulsar is also huge and was a major reason for the decision to phase it out of service. Maintaining a Pulsar is said roughly to be around 170% of the cost of maintaining a Quasar with further costs on top of that because of having to maintain and store non-standard components.

That is not to say though that the Pulsar role has not continued to evolve. During the Utrek War the Pulsar was turned into a formidable nuclear bomber and extensive communications & control equipment was gradually being added to the fleet also. Although still one of the most formidable warships in the known galaxy it's primary role is now as a strike bomber and command ship. Occasionally there are thoughts of keeping at least a handful of Pulsars in service maybe even in an orbital command post role but the DDS are determined to not let sentiment divert them from the truth that the Pulsar is a ship that belongs to an earlier time and after nearly 2 decades of service it will be finally time to end it's story.

Ships Of The Galaxy : Terran Sea (updated)

The Isometric frigate class was highly successful but an expanding DDS fleet saw the need for more. At first the DDS was going to simply build an improved Isometric with experience gained from combat. This "Isometric-B" eventually became different enough to become the "Isometric II". In 2106 the first of these ships began construction and by now it was known as the "Terran Sea" class.



The Terran Sea is more powerful and advanced than the Isometric, intended more for a fleet escort role than the Isometric which is designed primarily for patrol (though both can perform the other role excellently). The Terran Sea's most noticeable change was a permanent Z-cannon (though all Isometrics now carry the same). Apart from that the Terran Sea looks largely identical to the Isometric though internally is very different.

The Terran Sea uses greater wireless control and new technologies like Open Architecture. As production continued the DDS have improved the design. The Terran Sea-B (later Barents Sea) had an improved engine and ECM, the Terran Sea-C (later Arafura Sea) introduced improved passive sensors and FIDO VR technologies. The DDS are now seeking to bring the whole fleet up to the final C2 standard with 360 CIWS and have already merged the A & B.

At one stage the DDS were to replace production with an up gunned Isometric III but this was cancelled and some of the technology rolled into the C (creating the final spec C2). After the Utrek War the DDS decided to build a small number of uprated Terran Seas based on part of the Isometric III plans and work on the Raegris DF-1 Isometric. This was the Terran Sea D Sea Of Tranquillity class the first of which has just entered service. This is probably the end of the Isometric/Terran Sea story at least in DDS terms as future frigates are likely to use the Rome/Berlin platform.

In combat the Terran Sea has served well though a number have been lost, this is not down to any shortcomings with the design but simply a reflection of the fact they have been so often at the forefront. The Terran Sea fleet is due to remain in service until the early 2140s and forms (with the Isometrics) the backbone of the DDS fleet. This is likely to remain so for the next few decades which means the DDS will be working hard to maintain these reliable and popular birds' edge. The Terran Sea ILU is due for early in the next decade.

Ships Of The Galaxy : Solaris II (Updated)

The Solaris II has been a mainstay of the DDS for a few years now but is obsolete in DDS terms and it's time in DDS service has now ended. The Solaris was one of the first generation of DDS warships and served well in the late 2080s to early 2090s before its loss in action. When the plans for DDS fleet expansion were drawn up the Solaris design was considered for series production as the standard frigate but lost out to the Starsystem. Later on in the 2090s the DDS' fleet of long-range scouts the Ranger class was reaching the end of it's service life so the DDS decided to replace it with the Solaris for it's long-range patrol and surveying missions.

The series production Solaris (known as the Solaris II) differed only internally from the original ship. The production rig and tools from building the original ship still existed so to save money the design was left unchanged though of course internally the ship was totally different and much updated. The Solaris II was notable for it's fin-mounted shield generator in a large pod dating from a time when such equipment tended to be held externally to generate a better shield. Later on the shield was replaced by a newer model stored in the main structure. The pod nowadays holds passive sensors and ECM equipment.

The Solaris is well suited for long-range missions being a roomy and reliable platform and in it's day its top speed of 600c was very good. However in terms of firepower and protection the Solaris is lacking and several have been lost in combat including one to the Zones in 2107. At one stage it was planned to replace the Solaris with a long-range Isometric rebuild called the Rhombus, however in the end it was found the Isometric was already suitable to take over the Solaris' role unmodified. All but 1 Solaris was sold to the New Aritans with the survivor becoming a training frigate and survey ship for the DDS Departmental Fleet, however in 2108 as part of a cost saving push this remaining ship was also sold to the Aritans.

The 5 remaining Solaris II are popular in Aritan service and have been refurbished, though will need a major overhaul early in the next decade. The Aritans plan to keep the Solaris in service until the 2120s at least.

Ships Of The Galaxy Index

Below are profiles of some of the most famous and notable spaceship classes in the galaxy.

Extender Oiler (DDS)
Panther Destroyer (DDS)
Terran Sea Frigate (DDS)*
Dinomark XT (Dinos)
Kalahati Tuul - HCS Models (HCS)
Pulsar Heavy Cruiser (DDS)*
Dinomark NG (Dinos)
RC-2 Yel'Tema / Cosmos (Raegris/HCS)*
Starsystem Frigate (DDS)
Kenora Cruiser (Tarbot)
Dinomark RS (Dinos)
Solaris II Scout (DDS)*
I-1 Iona (Starbot)
Isometric Frigate (DDS)*
Samara Frigate (Tarbot)
Soulaki Cruiser (HCS)
Quasar Cruiser (DDS)*
Intruder LPD (HCS/DDS)
Velocity Destroyer (DDS)*

* updated