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Space Marine Escorts

From Lexicanum

Space Marine Escorts are few in number, like other Space Marine ship classes, but are designed to fulfil similar roles as other Imperial vessels. Usually these vessels are faster than their Imperial equivalents and somewhat more heavily armed and armoured, though they exist in fewer numbers.

Gladius

De	Gladius-Klasse

Gladius Class

The Gladius Class Frigate fulfils the role that the Sword Class Frigate does in the Imperial Navy. The ship is crewed mainly by the chapter serfs that the chapters rely on to crew their vessels, with only a squad of Space Marines on board. The members of the Astartes who are on board will be either on the bridge, or at other command posts around the ship.¹

The Gladius is armed with a mid-sized weapons battery, much like the Sword classes, but its engines are about 20% more powerful than the Swords. This enables the Gladius to take advantage of the enemies' movements, darting into holes left in the battle line, and using its weapons batteries to good effect. The ship is shielded as well as any other escort, but due to the nature of its role in combat, has an excellent turret array for its size, comparable to that of a standard Imperial Navy cruiser.¹

Hunter

De	Hunter-Klasse

Hunter Class

The Space Marine Hunter class destroyer is designed to fulfil the role of the Cobra Class Destroyer of the Imperial Navy. Although available to all space marine chapters, the class is mainly used by the Dark Angels, due to their distrust of other sections of the Imperial hierarchy. The Dark Angels maintain large flotillas of Hunter class ships within their battlefleets.¹

The Hunter class is armed similarly to the Cobra, but is a little faster, allowing it to react quickly to openings the enemy provides. The same shield and turret array complement is fitted on a Hunter class, as is seen on the Cobra class. It is also more heavily armoured than a Cobra, providing it with a little more survivability in a combat situation.¹

Nova

De	Nova-Klasse

Nova Class‎

The Nova Class Frigate is a Space Marine lance boat, much like the Firestorm Class Frigate in the Imperial Navy. It is a much more controversial ship however, because it does not follow the Codex Astartes. It is a pure-breed warship, it can not land troops, or transport them to other ships. It is ineffective in planetary assault also, but a very capable capital ship hunter. Both the Imperial Navy and Inquisition have taken issue with the class, as it encroaches on the duties of the Imperial Navy, and upsets the balance of power within the Imperium, giving too much to the Adeptus Astartes. Due to this, the Nova remains a rare sight in the fleets of the Space Marines.¹

It is armed with a single turret-mounted lance in the prow of the ship, able to fire to the sides, and in front of the ship, and two small weapons batteries, also turret mounted. However, its engines are much more powerful than a Firestorms' making the Nova almost twice as fast as a cruiser of the Imperial navy. This speed and manoeuvrability allow the Nova class to get to favourable firing positions, deliver the lance armament's bite, and withdraw before the enemy can react to bring their guns to bear on the Nova.¹