From Lexicanum

Light Cruisers are a type of ship used by the Imperial Navy. There are many variants in service and are a faster version of the Cruiser type of ship.

Contents 1 Dauntless Class 2 Defiant Class 3 Endeavour Class 4 Endurance Class 5 Obsolete Classes 6 Sources

Dauntless Class

The Dauntless Class Light Cruiser is a common scout craft within the fleets of the Imperial Navy. Imperial scout cruisers have generally always had enough firepower to fight off a determined attack by escort size ships, and can hold enough supplies to remain autonomous for months at a time, the Dauntless being no exception. It forgoes the traditional armoured prow of the Imperial Navy, balancing this lack by being substantially faster and more manoeuvrable than a full size Imperial cruiser. Due to the need for power savings, and to conserve supplies, the Dauntless has about half the shielding and turret cover of a full size cruiser, but given its expected opposition this is sufficient protection.¹

The Dauntless Class has respectable weapons batteries on either side, and an option of a full cruiser class compliment of torpedo tubes in the prow. A furious set of Lances are set to fire past the ships prow on any enemy coming to close. This devastating array of weaponry, combined with its speed and manoeuvrability, has ensured that an enemy Captain who carelessly overlooks the Dauntless based on its size never makes the same mistake again. The effectiveness of the Dauntless is even more apparent when paired, or operating alongside an escort squadron.¹

Notable Dauntless Class ships include:

Abdiel

Seen during the Gothic War.¹

Uziel

Seen during the Gothic War and it, along with the Baron Surtur, were the first ships to detect Warmaster Khuzor's fleet near the Formosa Cluster, allowing Admiral Sartus to bring the foe to battle.¹

Vigilant

Seen during the Gothic War.¹

Baron Surtur

Seen during the Gothic War and it, along with the Uziel, were the first ships to detect Warmaster Khuzor's fleet near the Formosa Cluster, allowing Admiral Sartus to bring the foe to battle.¹

Havock

Seen during the Gothic War.¹

Guardian

Seen during the Gothic War.¹

Defiant Class

The Defiant Class Light Cruiser is a variant of the Endeavour Class Light Cruiser, in this case its weapons batteries being replaced by flight decks. The Defiant is used as an escort for larger ships, and or as a convoy strike craft carrier. The Defiant is a capable carrier, but too vulnerable to operate without support, as it has no significant defensive capabilities. It is often seen alongside its sister variants, the Endeavour and Endurance Class Light Cruiser.¹

The Defiant has two flight decks and two short range lances upon its prow. Its lack of firepower often delegates it to operating as support to larger ships rather than in its intended role as an escort.¹

Notable Defiant Class ships include:

Forebearer

Seen during the Third War for Armageddon. Lost above St Jowen's Dock but destroyed the Kill Kroozer Grimzag's Ammer and crippled two Terror Class ships with the Archangel.¹

Archangel

Seen during the Third War for Armageddon. Lost above St Jowen's Dock but destroyed the Kill Kroozer Grimzag's Ammer and crippled two Terror Class ships with the Forebearer.¹

Endeavour Class

The Endeavour Class Light Cruiser lacks the speed of the Dauntless Class Light Cruiser, and is therefore unsuitable to the anti-piracy role. It is therefore used as a convoy flagship, or heavy escort for a large capital ship. To counter the vulnerability of being as slow as a larger capital ship, the Endeavor has a much better turret array than a Dauntless Class, however, the power to upgrade the shields to the same level could not be found. Two variants of the Endeavour class exist, the Endurance Class Light Cruiser and the Defiant Class Light Cruiser.¹

The large weapons batteries of the Endeavour class mean it can hold its own in a fleet engagement, usually equalling the firepower of a full size cruiser. These batteries have only a short range, equalling that of the shortest cruiser battery ranges, this is sufficient however for the Endeavour's role as a heavy escort. It also has a small torpedo compliment, but these are more of a distraction, rather than a serious threat to a capital ship, escorts however would do well to avoid them.¹

Notable Endeavour Class ships include:

Leonid

Seen during the Third War for Armageddon.¹

Sword of Voss

Seen during the Third War for Armageddon.¹

Sanctis Legate

Seen during the Third War for Armageddon.¹

Endurance Class

The Endurance Class Light Cruiser is a variant of the Endeavour Class Light Cruiser. The Endeavour's weapon batteries have been replaced with a lance deck. The two classes are often paired together, for mutual protection, and firepower. When this is done, the two ships and bring the firepower equivalent of a true cruiser to bear. However, far more Endeavor class ships are produced, so in practice, often three or four Endeavours are grouped with a single Endurance, providing a fearsome pocket of resistance for any enemy Admiral. The Endurance is often seen operating with the Defiant Class Light Cruiser as well as the Endeavour class.¹

Aswell as its short range lances, the Endurance also has a short range weapons battery and two torpedo tubes with which to protect itself. All these systems are short ranged, making the ship vulnerable to a larger, longer ranged ship, with weapons that can outrange it as the larger ship can attempt to stay out of range, whilst plastering the hapless Endurance with fire from a stand off range.¹

Notable Endurance Class ships include:

Ad Liberis

Seen during the Third War for Armageddon and destroyed nine Ork Escorts above Pelucidar before Admiral Parol ordered the retreat.¹

Obsolete Classes

There are currently no known obsolete Light Cruisers.

Sources

• ¹:Ships of the Gothic Sector

Vessels of the Imperial Navy
Type	Design	Class	Obsolete Classes
Capital Ships	Battleships	Apocalypse • Emperor • Oberon • Retribution	Despoiler • Desolator
	Grand Cruisers	Avenger • Exorcist • Governor • Vengeance	Executor • Repulsive • Retaliator
	Battle Cruisers	Armageddon • Mars • Overlord	Acheron • Hades • Styx
	Cruisers	Dictator • Dominator • Gothic • Lunar • Tyrant	Carnage • Devastation • Murder • Slaughter
	Light Cruisers	Dauntless • Defiant • Endeavor • Endurance
Escorts	Frigates	Sword • Firestorm
	Destroyers	Cobra - Destroyer • Falchion - Escort
	Freighters	Armed Freighter • Defense Monitor • Escort Carriers • Fuel Transport • Q-Ship • Troop Transport
Small Craft	Space	Fury interceptor • Starhawk
	Planetary	Lightning • Marauder Bomber • Marauder Destroyer • Thunderbolt • Vulture Gunship
	Transport	Aquila Lander • Arvus Lighter • Valkyrie