Kamerling class

Name: Kamerling class Type: Light Cruiser Affiliation: Star Kingdom of Manticore Date Introduced: 1921 PD Preceded By: Broadsword class Mass: 276,250 tons Length: 569 m Beam: 59 m Draught: 46 m Acceleration: 592.8 G 741 G (maximum) Crew: unknown – 592 Marines Armament: 4 graser mounts (Broadside) 8 missile tubes (Broadside) 12 countermissile tubes (Broadside) 12 point-defense laser clusters (Broadside) 2 graser mounts (Chase) 6 point-defense laser clusters (Chase)

The Kamerling class was a class of light cruisers built and operated by the Royal Manticoran Navy to serve as support cruisers for Royal Manticoran Marines in 20th Century PD.

Origin and design notes

While designated as light cruisers, this class was actually more of a replacement for the Broadsword class of heavy cruisers.

This class was designed to overcome the shortage of Marines on modern vessels because of the automation employed. With smaller Marine complements, the capabilities of Marines to deal with boarding actions, act as prize crews, engage in piracy suppression and similar missions were effectively lost. This class dealt with this problem and carried three companies of Marines with support equipment and sufficient small craft to deploy the whole complement in a single drop.

While officially a light cruiser, the class full designation was "System Control Cruiser". This designation reflected the main purpose of the class. While capable combatants against pirates and privateers, these ships were not meant to engage with first-rate starships, since their armament was directed more towards defense, with additional space consumed by life support for large Marine complements. These ships were purely intended to police commerce and restore the peacekeeping and humanitarian mission capabilities, which had been lost in the low-manpower designs of modern starships of the RMN.

Only 48 of these ships had been constructed as of 1921 PD with no more planned until at least 1923 PD. Most of these ships were assigned to Silesia Station to Admiral Mark Sarnow's Ninth Fleet. (Companion)

Known ships of the class

• HMS Kamerling – lead ship of the class