Editing Howdah

{{InfoBoxDropShip
| image = Howdah.JPG|191px
| name = Model 96C ''Howdah''
| manufacturer = [[Nimakachi Fusion Products Limited]]
| production year=2695
| year reference= <ref>''[http://masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/7149/model-96c-howdah-sds-command-ship/ MUL online date for the ''{{PAGENAME}}'']''</ref>
| Use = Tug,<br />SDS Controller Ship
| Type = Military Spheroid
| Tech Base = Inner Sphere
| Mass = 15,000
| Structural Integrity = 25
| Length = 150
| Width = 68 
| Height = 68 
| Drive System = PlasmaStar Interplanetary Drives
| Safe Thrust = 5 
| Maximum Thrust = 8
| Fuel (tons) = 700
| Fuel (days) = 1.84
| Armament = <span></span>
* 10x [[Gauss rifle]]
* 12x [[PPC]]
* 11x [[ER Large Laser]]
* 4x [[LRM 10]] w/ [[Artemis IV]]
* 10x [[Medium Laser]]
| Armor = 77 tons [[Ferro-Aluminum|Ferro-Aluminum armor]]<br/> Nose = 371<br/> Sides = 325<br/> Aft = 279
| Crew = 9 officers<br/> 38 enlisted/non-rated<br/> 9 gunners<br/> 10 bay personnel
| Passengers = None
| Heat Sinks = 200 (400)
| BV (1.0) = 
| BV (2.0) = 10,750<ref>''Technical Readout: 3075'', p. 196: Battle Value 2.0</ref><ref>[http://masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/7149/model-96c-howdah-sds-command-ship MUL Profile with Battle Value/Introduction Date for the ''Howdah'' SDS Command Ship]</ref>
}}

==Description==
The '''Model 96C''' [[SDS]] Command Ship, also known as the '''"''Howdah''"''', was a drone command ship employed by [[Star League Defense Forces]] to control drone fighter spacecraft.

Commissioned in [[2695]], the ''Howdah'' was originally was based on an early variant of the [[Model 96]] "''Elephant''" space tug. Aside from its role of providing a mobile drone controlling platform, the ship would also act as aerospace drone fighter carrier, controlling and maintaining six drones.

When it was first commissioned, the drone fighter complement consisted of six [[SwiftStar|MK20 ''SwiftStar'' Robotic Drones]], which were replaced over the decades with [[BlackWasp|Mk30 ''BlackWasp'']] and later [[VoidSeeker|Mk39 ''VoidSeeker'']] robotic fighters.

The ''Howdah'' saw service during the [[Star League Civil War]], and ultimately all were scuttled by order General [[Aleksandr Kerensky]] as part his efforts to destroy all SDS related technology.<ref>''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1'', pp. 171–172: Model 96C ''Howdah'' - Detailed background of the ''Howdah''</ref>

==Armament and Capacities==
The ''Howdah'' shares much of the [[2650]] update of the Model 96 ''Elephant''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s armor, engine, [[tug adapter]], and weapons. Unlike later versions of the ''Elephant'' it does not feature [[Extended-Range PPC]]s. For protection, the ship is armored with 77 tons of [[Ferro-Aluminum]] armor, with slightly more of this thick armor protection found on the nose.

The weapons bays are laid out as follows:
* Nose Section: [[ER Large Laser]] with two [[medium laser]]s, four standard [[PPC]]s, two [[Gauss rifle]]s and an [[Artemis IV Fire Control System]]-enhanced [[LRM-10]] launcher;
* Forward Side Arcs : One bay contains an ER Large Laser with two medium lasers, along with two standard PPCs, two Gauss rifles and an Artemis-enhanced LRM-10 launcher;
* Aft Arcs: Two standard PPCs, a pair of medium lasers, and two Gauss rifles in their own weapons bays;
* Aft Arc: This section of the ship has four ER large lasers, a pair of medium lasers and an Artemis-enhanced LRM-10 Launcher.

For its primary mission as a drone command ship and aerospace fighter carrier, the ''Howdah'' features an [[Autonomous Tactical Analysis Computer]] (ATAC), which can handle up to 20 drones at a time.

==Cargo==
* Bay 1: Cargo (1,462 tons) - 1 Door
* Bay 2: Small Craft (2) - 2 Doors
* Bay 3: ARTS Fighter Cubicles (6) - 4 Doors

==Related Designs==
*; [[Elephant|Model 96 "Elephant"]]: The base design from [[2600]] on which the ''Howdah'' was based. Early version of the ''Howdah'' were converted ''Elephant''s of this version, prior to the ''Howdah'' getting its own production line.<ref>''Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War'', p. 86: Model 96 Type DropShip "Elephant" - Early version mentioned as base model of the ''Howdah''</ref><ref>''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1'', pp. 171–172: Model 96C ''Howdah'' - Detailed background of the ''Howdah'' originating based on the original version of the Model 96 Type "Elephant" Cass DropShip</ref>

==See Also==
* [[:Category:Individual Howdah-class DropShips]]
*As of this writing there are no known examples of this class surviving beyond the [[Star League Era]].

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2]]''


[[Category: DropShip classes]]
[[Category: Spheroid DropShip classes]]
[[Category: Military DropShip classes]]
[[Category: Special purpose DropShip classes]]