Mercury Class Battlecruiser
The Mercury Class Battlecruiser is a Battle Cruiser class of the Imperial Navy.
Overview
Developed by the Tech-Priests of Bakka at the request of Admiral Knightsbridge in the aftermath of the 12th Black Crusade, the Mercury was designed to counter smaller pirate and raider vessels. The design took less than two centuries to construct, and proved to be the fastest Imperial capital ship built in several millennia.[1]
The Mercury combines a basic Cruiser layout with the engineering suite normally used on a Battleship, resulting in a much faster propulsion system that can move at speeds to keep up with raider vessels. The broadside weapons batteries and dorsal lance turrets mounted on the Mercury have a range comparable with battleship, along with a Nova Cannon, allowing it to rapidly dispatch these smaller vessels. However, this performance came at a price, namely its armour protection and as a result the ships can only withstand as much punishment as other cruiser-class vessels. Despite this, the Mercury remains a popular choice among many officers of Battlefleet Bakka.[1]
Notable Ships
- Gorgon - Destroyed an Eldar Shadow Class Cruiser[1]
- Long Serpent[1]
- Medusa - Destroyed, creating a Plasma Drive overload that destroyed the Lunar Class Cruiser Lord Chalfont and leaving a convoy of transports at the mercy of Ork raiders[1]
- Nemesis - destroyed an Ork Terror Ship and three Ravager Attack Ships single-handed[1]
- Righteous Might[2]
- Scylla - Destroyed by Chaos vessels in 467.M41, creating a Warp Drive malfunction that destroyed an entire squadron of Escorts and damaging the nearby Battleship Mailed Fist
Sources
- 1: Battlefleet Gothic 2010 Compendium, pg. 41
- 2: War Zone Nachmund: Rift War, pg. 15
