Kongō-class fast battleship

The most numerous type of large capital ship in the Consortium and by far the most well-received, the Kongō-class fast battleships were initially designed as battlecruisers, with insufficient armor in exchange for greater speed. They are notable for being the last Consortium battleships to be contracted out to independent shipyards such as Akahime Starworks, with all others being built by state-operated Orbital Naval Arsenals.

Design
The Kongō class battlecruisers were designed with the intention of maximizing speed and maneuverability, and as such are not as heavily armoured as other Consortium capital ships. Nevertheless, the Kongō class possesses significant quantities of armour, and were heavily upgraded during their modernizations. Their armor is 10 inches (254 mm) thick, while their main armor belt is 13.5 inches (354 mm) thick. Like all Consortium starships, they feature an exposed bridge, and this is reinforced not only with heavy shields but also 3.1 inches (80 mm) of quantum-crystalline composite reactive armor, making it nigh-impervious to assault.

Even after these modifications, the armour capacity of the Kongō class remained much less than that of most large capital ships, a factor which played a major role in the destruction of Kasa and Tateshina at the hands of Accord cruisers and battleships during the war.

Armament
The class’s primary armament consists of sixteen 46 cm/45 Type 47 naval guns and twelve 46 cm/50 Type 47 maser cannons, respectively, giving them an impressive amount of firepower capable of overwhelming their adversaries’ shield systems in less than five minutes. The particle shells featured are capable of being loaded at any angle and feature a firing cycle of fifteen seconds.

As built, the Kongō class’s secondary armament originally consisted of ninety-two 39 cm/45 Type 41 batteries, but this was later modified to fit additional secondary 39 cm/50 Type 41 maser cannons alongside additional ion cannons. The maximum rate of fire on these weapons is twenty rounds a minute, but sustained fire is only around fifteen. The anti-starfighter suite consists of over a hundred quick-firing 12.7 cm/45 Type 89 and 12.7 cm/50 Type 89 guns, making them quite formidable against smaller targets but still requiring their own fighters to chase off stray bombers that manage to break through.

The Kongō class battlecruisers were designed with the intention of maximizing speed and maneuverability, and as such are not as heavily armoured as other Consortium capital ships. Nevertheless, the Kongō class possesses significant quantities of armour, and were heavily upgraded during their modernizations. Their armor is 10 inches (254 mm) thick, while their main armor belt is 13.5 inches (354 mm) thick. Like all Consortium starships, they feature an exposed bridge, and this is reinforced not only with heavy shields but also 3.1 inches (80 mm) of quantum-crystalline composite reactive armor, making it nigh-impervious to assault. Even after these modifications, the armour capacity of the Kongō class remained much less than that of most large capital ships, a factor which played a major role in the destruction of Kasa and Tateshina at the hands of Accord cruisers and battleships during the war.

History
Launched as a response to the Pandava-class Grand Cruisers being fielded by the Consortium’s most immediate adversary, the Kravyad Federation, the Kongō class features an enhanced and enlarged amount of firepower when compared to that class and is superior in nearly all aspects, resulting in the Kras-class and Nagato-class being fielded respectively by both sides in the ongoing naval arms race.

Prior to the involvement of the Consortium in the Second War in Heaven, all ships then in service underwent major construction programs and were subsequently reclassified as fast battleships. They were the most active Consortium capital ships of that conflict, participating in almost every major engagement of the war, and remain as the most active large capital ships the Aetanii field, being fast and maneuverable enough to keep pace with the battlecruiser fleet.

Due to an increase in available resources and state-owned slipways, the Kongō class were the last Consortium battleships to be built by private shipyards.

Kongō
Main article: Consortium battleship Kongō The lead ship of her class, HSF Kongō was laid down and built at Akahime Starworks under extreme secrecy, with the intent of providing a testbed for what would become the most useful capital ships in the Consortium fleet. She was the first battlecruiser of her class, designed by naval engineer Yatogami Tomoka.

Kongō underwent two major reconstructions. Shortly before the Second War in Heaven, the HSF rebuilt her as a battleship, strengthening her armor and improving her speed and power capabilities. Her superstructure was completely rebuilt, her speed was increased, and she was equipped with launch catapults for interceptors. Now fast enough to accompany the growing starfighter-carrier fleet, Kongō was reclassified as a fast battleship.

Kongō fought in a large number of major naval actions during the Second War in Heaven. She covered the landings of Aetanii and Alparan ground forces at the Third Battle of Lingga, before engaging Accord forces at the Battle of Trupp and during the Fourth Offensive. She participated in the last decisive capital ship engagement of the war, the battle of Phelarion Major, which saw her engage and destroy the Accord dreadnought Lucal Wesker in close combat.