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CARRIER CLASSES

CARRIER TYPES

The imperial navy has several basic carrier designs,

The auxiliary carrier built to provide protection for small in system convoys

The light attack carrier based on a light cruiser design

The light escort carrier based on a light cruiser design

The medium support carrier based the heavy cruiser design

The large Battle group carrier based on the battleship design

The large fleet attack carrier based on the battleship design

All have hulls much deeper and wider than their originals and are

fitted with larger non standard prows and higher capacity engine designs..

The history of the dedicated carrier is a long and distinguished one in Imperial service. From the early experiments with the furious to the first fully fledged dedicated torpedo bomber carrier the admiral, space farers have been fascinated by the mighty power of these vessels. The discussions re the suitability of these vessels to modern space warfare rage on still but until they are resolved  the carrier continues to hold pride of place in the modern navy.

" The carrier represents the ultimate projection of imperial power. Use it well and serve the empire with pride"

Adml. Maximillian Von Schullenberg. graduation ceremony officer training facility Ark imperial 

LARGE FLEET ATTACK CARRIER

Designed to fight its battles at long range. Would expect to be seen in major fleet actions only or in ambush situations subject to surprise attack. This vessel is vulnerable it´s loss would be devastating and it will need defending at all times.

Full details and photographs of the fleet carriers can be found at

ARK IMPERIAL

Designed to fight its battles at long range. Would expect to be seen in actions involving several major weapons platforms of BB classes or in ambush situations subject to surprise attack. This vessel is vulnerable it's loss would be devastating and it will need defending at all times. The most effective class of this type of carrier was and perhaps still is the Hermes class. Built in the ship yards of Mars in the early years 35th millennium, this class has seen constant action and are  much desired assets in all admirals fleets.

Full details of the class can be seen at

Designed for direct support , this vessel is meant to be in at the sharp end. Hence it has good manoeuvrability and high speed from its larger capacity engines. There are several versions in operation. All are basically the same function but they vary in artistic licence.

Full details and photographs of the medium support carriers can be found at

In the years preceding the Horus heresy naval tactics were constantly being reviewed with large factions both for the gun school and the ordnance school. Each of these factions were further divided between lance/beam and bomber/torpedo. The Admirals class carriers were the product of the ordnance missile faction. Ordnance was already proving very effective and many ships had been retrofitted with launch bays (much as the Furious class grand cruisers were.)  The naval authority at Boraspore  proposed the adoption of the torpedo bomber as the principle anti ship ordnance. This idea had many problems, the first of which being that the size of TBs meant that a converted warship could carry only a very limited number. It was this that inspired the design of a whole new class designed to carry TBs in quantity. The resulting deep bellied vessel was large and power hungry, resulting in a design that could not support any form of anti ship weaponry. The ordnance purists pointed out that launching the ordnance equivalent of 4 cobras per launch operation almost eliminated the need for on board weaponry and the vessel was given the go ahead. thus was born the first of a long line of unarmed dedicated carriers culminating in the huge ark imperium class of today's navy. 

          A limited number of admirals can still be found operating in the imperial ranks as functioning torpedo bomber carriers. however the antiquity of their designs means of course that they do not have auto loaders, back blast seals or improved damage control systems making them very  susceptible to hangar bay damage and it's resultant catastrophic effects. Much has been learned since these vessels were first built. It is also not designed to operate some ofd the later designed ordnance such as stealth fighters and shield busters etc. The vessels were very popular with their crews and were considered very attractive vessels, so much so that the new design prow was later incorporated in the Grand cruiser classes such as the Vengeance, avenger etc.    

When playing BFG with standard rules the ship launches TBs and fighters only . It can be armed with A boats as per the Emperor.  

Full details and photographs of the medium support carriers can be found at

LIGHT ESCORT CARRIER

These ships were designed to provide versatile attack craft support in actions not involving the main fleet. They were envisaged accompanying cruisers and escorts on convoy duties etc. And have proved to be imminently successful, carrying a varied complement of attack craft capable of diverse and versatile operations.

MATER CLASS LIGHT CARRIER

    The Mater class became the Empire's standard front line support carrier. It carries a large variety of ordnance types that allow it a flexibility that even some of it's bigger cousins would envy. there are those however whop say that this very flexibility is in fact it's weakness as the diversity of types mean that often it does not have enough of certain types to perform the missions it is allocated. it was this belief that led to the design of the incubator class vessels and wings.  

Full details and photographs of the medium support carriers can be found at

INCUBATOR CLASS LIGHT CARRIER

This is a conversion using parts of a dauntless and the prow from a plastic cruiser.. The back half is the dauntless superstructure and engines with a modified plastic bridge added. The prow is a standard plastic cruiser prow with an added antennae etc. to represent the ships advanced sensor array. The main body of the ship is scratch built from plastic card with bits and bobs scratch built and with pieces carved from the plastic weapons sprues, in order to add to the detailing. You can find a copy of fluff and stats along with a picture of the finished model at

Groups Commander Kellowitze spearheaded his fighter wing in formation on the rear starboard quarter of his majesty’s vessel "Matriarch" an Incubator class light carrier. They had just lifted from Golgotha prime to join their new command. 8 squadrons of battle ready Starfighters ready and raring to go. At first sight the ship had been a disappointment. It was short squat and damned ugly. Its deep belly inevitable if sufficient space was to be available gave it the appearance of a pregnant duck. Kellowitze prayed fervently to whatever god was available that he not be aboard when the vessel finally came into gunnery range. It had no ranged weapons and looked as manoeuvrable as a jam tart.

"Standby for drones" came the sharp crackle from his comm implant. From somewhere in deep space 8 squadrons of missile fighters loosed a volley of torpedoes. They screamed into the vessels defensive envelope. "Cap stand off. Do not engage. Testing CIWS" ordered flight control. Kellowitze snorted.. Some chance he thought, the ship was as good as dead without fighter support. The torpedoes edged ever closer the carrier.. It was then that Kellowitze noticed with interest, the large quantity of turrets that dotted the carrier’s hull. They gyrated and elevated in a mysterious and hypnotic ballet as they targeted the incoming threat. As if by magic (no orders were given) all systems engaged simultaneously. To his amazement the drones died instantly. Only the blast markers told the story of their former threat. Hmm thought Kellowitze maybe she’s not as soft as she looks.

"Standby for emergency full speed landing techniques" ordered control once again. "What??" fumed Kellowitze. These are crack squadrons, landing on that wallowing whale would present no problems at all. "All fighters, mark 20" he breathed into the command circuit As one body they moved toward the carrier. Or should we say towards the carrier as it moved away from them,.

"heheheh" whispered the flight controller. "Do try to keep in touch Wing commander". Angrily Kellowitze ordered the wing to mark 25 only to see the carrier apply boosters and surge ahead once more.. "SHIT" he yelled as he ordered the wing to mark 30.. He had learned something new.. This carrier could fly. Humbled he led the wing into a birthing maneuver. Maybe this posting wasn’t so bad after all.

The initial years of the Shalom insurrection were marked mainly by commerce raiding that turned quickly into encounter skirmishes between fast and rapidly deployed forces.. The incubator class light carrier was the empire’s response to naval demands for a light ordnance carrier capable of supporting the imperial escorts and cruisers hunting the insurrectionist raiders.

THE STATS & PICTURES

Full details and photographs of the medium support carriers can be found at

LIGHT ATTACK CARRIER

These vessels were designed to provide support for commerce raiders and convoys alike.. they carry only assault boats and have a limited role only.. The existence of the lance prow weapon is a result of the expectation that the vessels would be far from base and largely unsupported..

Nestor light attack carrier

Full details and photographs of the medium support carriers can be found at

AUXILIARY ESCORT CARRIER

THE FLUFF

                 The Golgotha rebellion had become a war of attrition. Neither side would risk an all out confrontation and so the heart of the conflict was based on commerce and its destruction. The methodology of warfare to had centred on ordnance. The problem was their were lots of convoys and few carriers. Sending a carrier to defend a few cargo ships just was not cost effective. The Shalomite rebels were the first to solve the problem. Their design expert Noah ben Shalek invented the disposable carrier. His idea was to use the bulk container vessels of which their were many and equip them with externally mounted fighter or bomber racks. These would accompany the cargo vessels squadroned with ships of the convoy. they would have the capability of launching ordnance in a one off action . The nature of the vessels meant that the ordnance could not be recovered. This was a small price to pay for the safe arrival of the transports. pilots were recovered by the use of ejectable life support pods.

 full details of the carriers can be found at 

THE STATS

     The golden shield:-  fleet auxiliary carrier