Archon warship

Archon-class Dreadnought


Overview
	Initial proposals for what would become the Archon-class were first put forwards in 3083 as a response to the Clan Leviathan II. The would be immediately buried under as much red tape as the more level-headed members of the naval review board could manage, and the LCAF naval arm would be bolstered by several series of capable, modern destroyers and light cruisers instead. Two and a half decades later and with tensions rising from the tepid peace after the Jihad, and with the financial woes of that period merely a memory, the proposals were at last reexamined.


Capabilities
	The largest warships ever constructed at the time, the Archon-class were designed in direct response to the perceived threat of the Clan Leviathans. Designed to be able to defeat one in armor and firepower and match its speed, the ships that would eventually be built were unable to live up to these goals. Nevertheless, they represented a frighteningly powerful ship that could reliably meet its fated foe on even terms.
	The one area that the Archon-class succeeded the initial design goals was firepower. With multiple banks of Naval Laser 55s and dozens of medium Naval Autocannons dotting its bow and broadsides and several AR10 launch tubes studding the hull to provide some nuclear capability, the sheer amount of destruction they could bring to bear was unmatched, and in some respects is still unmatched to this day.
	While incredibly heavily armored, the class did fail to meet expectations with protection only roughly three fourths that of the Leviathan II. This nonetheless serves the ships well, as do the multitude of Anti Missile Systems in each firing, providing overlapping fields of protection. Likewise in speed, the Archon-class fails to match up at a maximum thrust of only 1.5 Gs. Determined that her limited tactical speed not translate to lacking performance on the strategic scale, the ships mount a Lithium-Fusion battery to allow for two jumps in quick succession.
	Carrying enough ASFs to fill a Thera along with three dozen small craft and a further dozen dropships, the Archon-class has a frightfully large escort contingent. With the ship's massive size, every crewman and even bay personnel have their own first class quarters, a holdover from the original designs proposed by the social admirals of the 3080s. Five massive gravdecks provide spacious living area as well, while large fuel reserves and acceptable cargo holds allow the ship to operate away from friendly ports for significant periods of time without the usual drop in efficiency and morale associated wit long voyages.


Deployment
	First commissioned in 3121, Archon dreadnoughts form the center of large task forces and fleets within the Lyran Commonwealth. Usually deployed with an escort of several destroyers, the ships are responsible for guarding strategically vital areas and assets as well as spearheading attacks against important targets. The ship's slow speed limits its usefulness outside of defending or assaulting fixed positions, but at these tasks it excels.

Notable Ships
	The LCS Alessandro earned heavy accolades after finding itself ambushed in an early raid into Jade Falcon territory. The first action seen by the class, and what would prompt the doctrinal shift towards providing permanent escorts to heavy battleships, involved the ship bloodied and battered by a full Jade Falcon naval star including modernized refits of several Star League vessels. Despite this, the Alessandro was able to bring its tremendous firepower and still considerable armor to bear, resulting in the destruction of most of the Clan ships with one managing to break away and withdraw. Heavily damaged in the fight, the Alessandro withdrew to Lyran space.