Elephant

Elephant.jpg
Model 96 Elephant
Production information
Manufacturer Nimakachi Fusion Products Limited
Production Year 2652[1]
Use Tug,
Assault Ship
Type Military Spheroid
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Technical specifications
Mass 15,000 tons
Structural Integrity 25
Length 150 meters
Width 68 meters
Height 68 meters
Drive System PlasmaStar Interplanetary Drives
Safe Thrust 2.5 g
Max Thrust 4 g
Fuel (tons) 700
Fuel (days) 1.84
Armament
Armor 76.5 tons standard
Nose = 371
Sides = 325
Aft = 279
Crew 7 officers
28 enlisted/non-rated
9 gunners
25 marines
192 bay personnel
Passengers None
Heat Sinks 200 (400)
BV (1.0) 13,097[2]
BV (2.0) 12,887;[3]
11,331[4]

Description[edit]

The Model 96 Tug, also known as the Elephant, was a Star League heavy tug-class DropShip used for moving large craft around orbital shipyards, with a secondary role as an assault DropShip in support of invasion task forces. This dual requirement was created by the Star League Navy's Department of Procurement to help with its growing number of WarShips, which only Nimakachi Fusion Products Limited was able to meet, and production was started in May of 2652.[2]

In its role as a tug, the Elephant is built with a reinforced bow and massive PlasmaStar engines capable of 4 Gs of thrust, allowing it to push around even the largest WarShips. At each point of its bow are powerful, retractable magnetic locks, which give the ship the appearance of an elephant's head. For assault missions, the Elephant carries an impressive array of weaponry and nearly 77 tons of Ferro-Aluminum armor, as well as enough cargo space for a Combined Arms battalion.[2]

Just over one hundred Elephants were produced in total, with most attached to major naval fleets and shipyards. The class' most notable usage was during the Amaris Civil War when fifty were stationed in defense of the shipyards above Titan, Mars & Venus in the Terra system. Two squadrons of the SLDF's 23rd Wing ("The Little Beavers") fought against Rim Worlds Republic forces in the opening days of the conflict, destroying one of the Republic's Dart-class light cruisers, the RWRS Conquistador, above Mars before being destroyed themselves.[3][2]

During the Succession Wars, ComStar produced a limited number of these ships between 2882 and 2994. These newly built Elephants were deployed to ComStar's secret fleet bases in the Ross 248 and Luyten 68-28 star systems assisting its Faslane Yardships.[3]

Several of these vessels defected to the newly formed Word of Blake splinter faction in 3052 during the ComStar Schism. In the years following the Schism, the Word of Blake navy expanded, requiring the production of more Model 96s to meet their needs. According to intelligence reports, Elephants have been sighted in use in Deep Periphery near the Hanseatic League in a context tied to one project codenamed Erinyes.[3]

Armament[edit]

An ER large laser with two medium lasers, four ER PPCs, two Gauss rifles and an LRM-10 are mounted in the ship's nose. Another ER Large Laser with two medium lasers, along with two ER PPCs, two Gauss Rifles and an LRM-10 cover the forward firing arc. The rear firing arc is covered by two ER Large Lasers with two medium lasers and two Gauss rifles. Located in the aft of the ship are four ER Large Lasers with two medium laser and an LRM-10. All LRMs are fitted with Artemis IV Fire Control Systems, and the Elephant carries 240 Gauss rounds and 72 LRM missiles.[2]

Cargo[edit]

In its role as an assault DropShip, the Elephant is equipped with five cargo bays. The first bay is used for general cargo, with a capacity of 2,178.5 tons and two doors. The second bay is used to carry four Small Craft with one door. The third carries a company of twelve BattleMechs which can be accessed through four doors. The fourth is a vehicle bay, able to carry eight heavy vehicles, with two doors. The last bay is dedicated to carry infantry, typically four platoons of Jump Infantry, with two access doors.[2]

Variants[edit]

  • Model 96 "Elephant" (2600) 
    The original variant introduced in 2600 differed from the later 2755 variant only in that it mounted standard PPCs, which the later variant subsequently replaced with ER PPCs, although this change evidently didn't merit a change in designation, as both the 2600 and 2755 variants were described as Model 96 "Elephant"s. BV (2.0) = 10,750[5]
  • Model 96C "Howdah" 
    The Howdah-class SDS drone control vessel was based off an early version of the Elephant.

Notes[edit]

See Also[edit]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. MUL online date for the Elephant
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Technical Readout: 3026 Revised, p. 120
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Technical Readout: 3075, p. 196
  4. Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 87
  5. Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 86

Bibliography[edit]