Colonial Aegis Class Gunstar

Name: Aegis
Craft: Colonial Aegis Class Gunstar
Type: gunship
Scale: capital
Length: 1,447.8 x 505 x 295 meters
Skill: capital ship pilot
Crew: 850
Passengers: 350
Cargo Capacity: 36,000 tons
Consumables: 18 months
Jumpdrive: x410.67 (red line jump)
Nav Computer: yes
Maneuverability: 2D+2
Space: 6
Hull: 6D
Armor: 2D
Sensors

• Passive: 60/1D
• Scan: 120/2D
• Search: 180/3D
• Focus: 6/4D

Weapons

• Heavy Point Defense System

Fire Arc: all
Crew: 1
Scale: starfighter
Skill: starship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1-10/20/40
Damage: 4D

• 20 Primary Assault Railguns

Fire Arc: 2 forward, 9 port, 9 starboard
Crew: 5
Scale: capital
Skill: capital ship
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 2-13/50/100
Damage: 4D+2

• 6 Heavy Missile Launchers

Fire Arc: 2 forward, 2 port, 2 starboard
Crew: 5
Scale: capital
Skill: capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 2-35/70/140
Damage: 5D+1

• 4 Nuclear Missile Launchers

Fire Arc: 2 port, 2 starboard
Crew: 5
Scale: capital
Skill: capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 2-300/600/1,200
Damage: 6D+2

Compliment: 2-4 raptors, 2 shuttles

Description: The Aegis Class destroyers were built early in the 1st Cylon War when older destroyer designs proved inadequate to deal with the Cylon attack of heavy, coordinated air attacks. Colonial defenses were being overwhelmed by the sheer number of small, fast Cylon fighters attacking all at the same time. Heavier anti-fighter defenses were needed.

The Aegis Class were based upon the hulls of the earlier Provost Class destroyers, but were significantly lengthened and strengthened. Sponsons were added to port and starboard to mount the main anti-ship batteries, and the point defense batteries were doubled in strength and numbers.

Given the glaring weaknesses in networked computer systems exposed early in the war, the Aegis Class presented a decidedly low-tech, but robust approach to the problem- they were essentially floating gun batteries. While they lacked much of the flexibility of earlier classes, they excelled at one thing- placing a lot of ordinance on target in relatively short order. As a result, they saw duty primarily as convoy or Battlestar group escorts, but also fulfilled scouting, patrol, and shore bombardment missions as needed.

Following the Armistice, the surviving Aegis class ships were decommissioned and scrapped in favor of newer designs.

Quirks/Special Characteristics: The Aegis Class were built from off-the-shelf components available after the completion of the first Battlestars, and share common systems with the Galactica-type, Minerva, and Olympia classes. The Aegis Class destroyers were extremely well armed for their size, with excellent, overlapping fields of fire providing comprehensive coverage, and proved to be well suited for shore bombardment missions as their high thrust to mass ratio and heavy armor allows them to enter the fringes of the upper atmosphere and lay down precision weapons fire.

The major drawback of this class was the lack of facilities for small craft. This was partially addressed by carrying a pair of Raptors at external airlocks and cradles, and most of the class were later fitted with a small dorsal landing pad and attendant airlock/hangar, but maintenance facilities were always restricted and of little practical use.

Source: Battlestar Galactica: Thin Blue Line (page 104)