Styx Class Cruiser

Styx cruisers started their life off in an interesting position. The first four Planetcracker vessels had begun construction and it was decided that each would have a small flotilla with which to protect itself. It would be decided that there would be fifteen cruisers along with roughly fifty destroyers to act as screening units, overlapping their sensor networks and defence systems to allow the Planetcracker to fire unmolested. The Styx was designed with maximum sensor and defence, at the expense of offensive firepower, which would put it in good stead with any large fleet regardless of whether a Planetcracker was available. The first vessel was also equipped with dropship lock systems overlaying the fin and keel torpedo tubes.
On the same chassis as the Psiloi all the P-II torpedoes were removed and replaced by 18 Mark 5 tubes and 4 sensor bulbs. This arrangement lead to the nickname Beluga, because of its prominent humps. The two nuclear reactors were also moved back from their previous locations to take advantage of the extra space from removing the P-II ammunition bays. The first ship constructed, the Styx, was the only cruiser until the end of the Orion war capable of carrying dropships, but was never employed in this role.
The Styx Cruisers would be frequently deployed as screens for any large fleet, but would also serve in ones and twos as detector ships for destroyer swarms, and as an escort to carriers.
The Styx would prove to be a fan favourite, with 120 ships being made. 90 vessels survived the Orion War and would continue to be used as second-line ships during the Protectorate wars, of which 87 would survive. Two vessels, Pain and Strife, are kept in working condition in the Burlington Orbital Shipyard as museum ships, but they have not been released from moorings since their decommission.

Power Generation

2 Mark 7 Nuclear Generators, Later Upgraded to Mark 12b Generators

Propulsion

Nuclear powered Xenon Motors

Weapons & Armament

66 P-I tubes, with 3 spare weapons per tube

Armor and defense

10m of Ceramic Composite
53 Point Defence Lasers

Communication Tools & Systems

SPAR-Fibre Mod 2
Later Upgraded to XATR-Fibre Mod 1

Sensors

Six VIS3 IFR6 systems bow, stern, and along the beam
Later Upgraded to VIS4 IFR20 with better acquisition picture
Single MAG1 system in the bow
Later Upgraded to MAG5 with greatly increased sensor range and sensitivity

Additional & auxiliary systems

Fire Control System 4 Mod 4, later upgraded to FCS7 Mod 2
Auxilliary Sensor System 1 Mod 1 to link together the separate sensors together to drastically increase acquisition speed and quality
Later upgraded to ASS 3 Mod 2

Hangars & docked vessels

The Ship Styx was capable of carrying eight Zeus Dropships, but was never deployed as a carrier

Nickname

Beluga, for its sensor humps

Manufacturer

Sumnian Armed Forces

Owning Organization

Sumnian Navy

Rarity

120 ships completed

Beam

520m Port to Starboard

Length

1500m Bow to Stern

Height

520m Fin to Keel

Weight

16.1 Megatonne Displacement

Speed

2G Accelleration

Complement / Crew

399 Sailors