The Battlecruiser
These massive, heavily armored combat ships are virtual flying
fortresses, built to keep the peace and dominate the space lanes
of the Koprulu sector. Outfitted with bristling laser batteries
and thick neosteel armor, these imposing vessels are among the
most powerful to be found in terran space. Many commanders use
battlecruisers as their command vessels during extended
campaigns. There are several examples of vessels specifically
refitted for this purpose, such as General Duke's Norad II and
Norad III, as well as the battlecruiser Hyperion commanded by
Jim Raynor.
The old Behemoth-class battlecruiser has proven to be an
enduring design when kept up to date with periodic upgrades.
Even the more modern Hercules- and Minotaur-class ships have
retained the distinctive hammerhead shape which so defines the
classic terran battlecruiser. Research has led to the
development of two alternative weapon upgrades that can be
retrofitted into a battlecruiser hull to supplement its already
formidable armament.
The Yamato cannon is a terrifying weapon that uses an intense
magnetic field to focus a nuclear detonation into a cohesive
beam of energy. The cannon requires a huge reserve of energy to
fire, but its effects on the target are impressive, to say the
least. Plasma torpedoes give battlecruisers an armament capable
of saturating a target area with a lethal deluge of fire, ideal
for breaking up oncoming attack waves or ravaging a defensive
position. As with the Yamato cannon, a battlecruiser needs to
build up a sufficient reserve of energy to unleash a plasma
torpedo bombardment.