OBT Forum

Time to split the baby, or the warships to be precise. Part of my current project is trying to come up with accurate numbers on the existing Burrock and Star Adder fleets in the early 3050s before the Absorption War. Aside from FM Crusader Clans we have had some new canon sources recently that will hopefully add to this discussion. I would also like to speculate, going beyond what we can prove to put together the best possible guess on the Burrock fleet prior to the Absorption.

First off we have this quote from page 113 Field Manual: Crusader Clans in the Star Adder section. To me this would some to indicate that the Adder fleet was in poor shape almost two hundred years ago and Burrock was in better shape.

“Burrock was approached by Star Adder after the Mongoose Absorption (2868+) with a joint exploration plan. saKhan Harian N’Buta recognizing his Clan’s naval weakness after losses versus Mongoose and taking a page from the Nova Cats contacted Burrock Khan Stephen Linn. In exchange for a percentage of any usable discoveries Burrock warships would transport a dozen Adder exploration and colonization teams to various worlds. Eager to expand his Clan’s power and realizing the Burrock’s lacked the Adders technical expertise in exploration Khan Linn accepted. Almost immediately raw materials flowed from new discovers especially in the Paxon system. The moons of the gas giant Krakau held large enough reserves to revitalize Clan naval production.”

Of the twenty-eight warships in 3059 that we know of I can only confirm that two of them were property of their respective Clans. The Constantineau is mentioned in Historical Operation Klondike (page 46) as an Avatar-class serving as the flagship for Star Colonel Qudi Hutchinson during the battle for Dagda. This places that vessel squarely in the Burrock touman prior to the extensive Clan refit of the Avatars which would result in the result in the introduction of the Liberator class in 3024. We also know that the Admiral William S. Preston (Black Lion class Battlecruiser) was a Star Adder warship responsible for the destruction of the Blood Spirit flagship, Carmine Justice, during the Absorption War (Burrock Absorption). 

So twenty-six more decisions to make cause with all honesty, I am not aware of any other sources that definitively state one way or another. Taking my best guess with the available information I would say that four warships are Star Adder possessions. The Nygaard (Sovetskii Soyuz class Heavy Cruiser) is the Clan flagship and based on the name as well as this honored position likely long held it is my opinion that it is an Adder warship as of 3052. The Black Adder (Carrack class Transport), the Vicious Fang and the Arcadian Asp (both Fredasa class Corvettes) are in my opinion both Star Adder vessels. They are all relatively small and could have all been newly built to restore some of the lost naval strength of the Adders following the Mongoose absorption. Their names and this speculation lead me to make that conclusion.

For Burrock, I can only make two such claims. The Renown (Potemkin class Troop Cruiser) based on immense transport capability something which the Adders lack and the way the ship was placed in mothballs immediately after the Absorption War lead me to think that it was a Burrock vessel. I am a lot less sure of the Divine Conquest (Sovetskii Soyuz class Heavy Cruiser) but because of the difference in names between it and the Nygaard this split seems fair to me.

Like the Divine Conquest decision above the next twenty are difficult splits to make. All I have to go on is their names and perhaps the fact they were mothballed which indicates a lesser Burrock heritage or something far more practical (battle damage or overall better condition). Battleships are the only vessels I would split based on their size and average per Clan which indicates that one would be the right number for both Burrock and Star Adder prior to the Absorption. Does that mean that the Sovereign Right (McKenna clas Battleship) is a Burrock ship based on its age and the Absolute Truth (Nightlord class Battleship) is a Star Adder ship built to replace a Mongoose loss?
 
The Ares’s Might and Stellar Serpent (Aegis class Heavy Cruisers) I would likely split with the former going to the Burrocks and the later going to the Adders based solely on their names. The Cho Polu and Pompeii (Volga class Transports) could be split but given their similar names and transport capabilities they might just be Burrock ships. The Hagar, Yodan, Warlock, and Camerons Flame (Lola III class Destroyers) seem to be a 3 to 1 difference given their names.  The Eagle and the Tehuantepec (Essex class Destroyers) are separated by their names as well as the fact that the first was still active after the Absorption War and the other was mothballed. Only the Star Fire because of its name seems to be a Star Adder York class Destroyer/Carrier while the Exodus Avenger, Exodus Crusader, Exodus Ranger, and Exodus Sentinel could all be Burrock. I’d be tempted to say the Centaur and the Pegasus (Vincent Mk42 class Corvettes) were Hell’s Horse warships but could they be Burrock while the Vritra is a Star Adder?

I would love to hear what you think folks. Thanks for any input!