Gazelle: Registry

Library Data

An Imperial Navy standard class built by the hundreds, and a common component of Navy task forces in the Marches. Designed specifically to protect the line-of-battle against enemy skirmish forces and for general escort duty, the class is well-armed for its size and type. L-Hyd fuel tanks may be dropped in extreme circumstances, allowing Jump-5. The tanks must be replaced unless a severe reduction in jump ability is to be tolerated.

General Specifications

Naval tactics in the Imperial Navy call for large ships to be accompanied by well-armed, small fighting craft capable of engaging the enemy at long range, before they approach the principle ships in a task force or convoy. These small ships may be fighter craft carried by the larger ships, or they may be independent close escort vessels.

Thousands of close escorts have been built in the past several centuries, and hundreds have been built in the Gazelle class. Many remain in service in the Imperial Navy, despite the fact that in a combat situation, they are nearly worthless. The close escort, even when new, was not intended to stand up to combat vessels; rather it was envisioned as an anti-piracy and revenue patrol ship. In that role, it has performed well, but when pressed into combat duties it has invariably suffered disporportionate losses.

The original specification (through CE-13791) called for the use of Particle Accelerator barbettes on the dorsal/ventral hardpoints. This was the first experimentation with this weapons system on a smaller craft. It was a respectable weapons configuration, however tactical simulations proved out in field trials, resulted in all new orders, and some completed ships to be refit, with the Laser/Missile configuration. The Al Morai design team was the first departure from the standard spec, brought on by the fact that their ships would be in private hands.

    Tonnage:             400 (special), 5,600 cubic meters.
    Acceleration:        4G constant. Without tanks: 5G.
    Dimensions:          48L x 23W x 8.5H.
    Crew:                4 officers, 8 men. Rarely ship's troops.
    Jump:                4. In L-Hyd mode: 5. Without tanks: 2.
    Powerplant:          5 (at 400 tons displacement). 7 (at 300 tons).
    Engineering:         Two Triptic Halonic fusion power plants coupled to
                           one IDC Fardrive jump unit and 2 model 16 impulse
                           maneuver drive modules.
    Gravitics:           Inertial compensators, plus 1G floor field.
    Range:               Unlimited maneuver. One jump-4. 100 days.
    Armament:            Dual outboard triple beam laser turrets. One dorsal
                           and one ventral barbette; fitted with charged/
                           neutral particle accelerators in single mounts.
    Electronics:         ISMM Model/6.1 on-board computer.
    Screens:             Armored hull.
    Capacity:            10 tons cargo.
    Ship's Boats:        One 21m gig.
    Special Feature:     100-ton L-Hyd Droppable tanks for greater Jump
                           range.

Variant Class

The Fiery class gunned escort is a variant based upon the Gazelle class, the major difference being a streamlined hull.

USP

CE-13768 Close Escort

Unicorn  CE - 3455762 - 300000 - 40100 - 0   MCr346.938          300 tons
    batteries bearing            2 2                            Crew = 12
            batteries            2 2                              TL = 14
    Passengers=0. Low=0. Cargo=10. Fuel=81. EP=21. Agility=0. Troops=0.
    Fuel Refinery & Scoops. 20T Gig.  Note: L-Hyd Drop Tanks add 100 tons
    of fuel and mass (CE-4444762) and cost MCr.11 (incl.)

CE-13712 Close Escort (refit and commercial service)

Gazelle  CE - 3455762 - 300000 - 50004 - 0   MCr343.688          300 tons
    batteries bearing            1   1                          Crew = 11
            batteries            1   1                            TL = 14
    Passengers=0. Low=0. Cargo=10. Fuel=81. EP=21. Agility=3. Troops=0.
    Fuel Refinery & Scoops. Magazines. 20T Gig.  Note: L-Hyd Drop Tanks
    add 100 tons of fuel and mass (CE-4444762), Agility=2, and cost MCr.11

Gig      GG - 0106B21 - 000000 - 20000 - 0   MCr27.8              20 tons
    Crew=1. Battery=1. TL=14. Passengers=7. Emer.Low=3(12). Cargo=0.
    Fuel=2.2. EP=2.2. Agility=6.

Dispositions

The Gazelle class is named for fast herbivores usually found in the Imperium. Two varieties of armament configurations may be used on the numerous elements of this class. The Particle Accelerator version is used in areas where skipping is more common.

In the Spinward Marches, Al Morai maintains a fleet of privately constructed route-protectors based upon the Gazelle class Laser/Missile configuration, the other version used by the Navy as well.

Gazelle (CE-13712) the first of class and the first to be refit with the Laser-Missile configuration. Still serving customs duty on the Spinward Main in Imperial territory. Refit: 101-1090.

JackRabbit (CE-13718) missed a scheduled station check-in for routine crew rotation out of Rhylanor/Rhylanor as of 012-1102. Pirates out of Vilis subsector are suspected as the cause.

Khteioiyw (CE-13722) first of ten ships crewed for Aslan frontier patrol out of Albe (2211 Trojan Reaches). These ships bear the Aslan names for fast herbivores (actually favorite prey) known to Aslan in the Hierate.

Kudie (CE-13792) in service as a route-protector for Al Morai, a sector-wide merchant line in the Spinward Marches. All ships in Al Morai service are named starting with the letter `K' for Kasim Al Morai, the founder of the company.

Statistics

The following table shows construction information and tail numbers for the Gazelle class of close escorts.

Note: there are still more names to come.

Last Update: 25 July 1996.