Super Dreadnoughts

Super Dreadnought SDN

Union Ship Classification and Hull number designation

This designation is on its way to become obsolete if Fleet Command could do anythng about it. However the Super Dreadnought like the Ultra Battleship are Union Public  Assembly born designations and  there is little Fleet planning can do.

It is no secret that "the Fleet" is among the most popular subjects and if there is such a thing as a Union wide hobby, it is the Fleet. It is a subject of  enormous pride to a large portion of the public. Over 80 % of all Union Citizen take active interest (across all species, including the Narth).

The SDN classification came to be in a discussion of a civilian club, the Union Fleet Civilian Support Association. This group is the largest civilian asociation there is and some scholars actually  classify it as the Number one "religion" because the UFCSA is represented with chapters in  virtually every Union community,has weekly well attended meetings, magazines, six GalNet channels and nine charities.

In that discussion one member asked can we not have a bigger Ultra Battleship? It vent viral from there and the fleet was flooded with everything from sketches on napkins to serious designs down to the last detail. Union School Art classes, design competitions and similar venues were busy for over a year.

Of course SII immideatly presented a design and the Fleet representative at the Assembly was approached by the UFCSA to propose it to Fleet Command.

An Assembly vote of 89 % approval left fleet with little choice.

The Asembly even approved an increase of Fleet Budget after Admiral McElligott objected on the grounds that a new ship class was not included in the Fleets budget.

So it came to be that 25,000 SDNs were ordered and every time the Navy tries to retire this "not needed" class, the Assembly points out that this is the "Union Will".

No real distinctive role has been identified for the SDN, as it takes the same role as an Ultra Battleship. That the USS Unionpride a SDN class ship under Captain Blackfloor (Quadiped) fought a truly heroic and distinctive

battle in the Nuro-Nogoll battle of 5051 eliminated any chance this ship class will be eliminated.

The SDN is in size between an Arsenal Dreadnought and a Ultra Battleship. It is not an Arsenal ship by definition, as it carries large numbers of fighter craft. (the ship was literally designed by public input and perhaps the most expensive

ship class by volume.

It features the largest mobile translocator cannon as core weapon system, has eight level TransDim shields, is the only Navy ship featuring Marine Drop shafts, The first and so far only Giga Load TL Gatling (not to be used by Fleet command *)

Carries 6 rotating Loki torpedo turrets (a Union Public invention) Has the largest Marine compliment of any Union fleet standard.

According to McElligott it is the most difficult and complicated ship class. The UFCSA however is so tremendously proud of "their ship class" that they continue to have discussions how to "improve" and scores of Union Citzens keep "designing" new features.

McElligott lost all hope to end this "madness" as Stahl once asked about the SDN class, said: "Who are we to question the collective will of the Union. They're big, ugly but boy do they deliver a punch."

The UFCSA (much to the horror of most fleet planners called of a "Super Super Battleship" ) and what was seen as a joke is now discussed almost everywhere.