In the Terran year 2014 Grand General Amarkovek Galkarot put forward the idea for a large-scale warship to "... Cast Strax's shadow upon whatever world they orbited." He stated that the newly formed Ascendancy required a powerful vessel to lead its future fleets if it is to be able to go toe to toe with the similar ships fielded by the Solaris Union.

After three years of conceptualization, slowed by the Ascendancy's focus on rebuilding Strax, the Relentless-class was first introduced in 2017 by Admiral Kriserik Orakal as he personally presented the vessel's schematics to the Grand General Galkarot. The Grand General immediately approved the design and ordered it to be produced.

The first vessel, the S.N.V. Relentless, was launched from the Hellion V Kron shipyard 04 in 2020, the ceremony being displayed all across both Strax and the factory world. A year later the second ship, the S.N.V. Hammer, was launched, with vessels of its class being produced twice a year since then. In 2026, production was ramped up to three per year with the opening of the Megalith Shipyards on Strax.

For nearly forty years the Relentless-class has proved to be a rugged, sturdy design that has seen continuous use as the backbone of the CAFSA's Naval Corps. They have become one of the most instantly recognizable symbols of Ascendancy might. 

HULL
With a stunning 900 meter length, the Relentless-class is one of the largest Class 8 warships in the Arm. Blending the concept of a carrier and warship, the Relentless is technically a 'battle-carrier' however it is officially designated as a 'battleship' by the CAFSA. 

The ship's bow and underbelly are up-armored and covered in reusable thermoregulation tiles in order to allow the ship to safely enter a planet's atmosphere. The ship's efficient ventral thrusters give it lift enough to maintain altitude for days at a time without refueling, or longer if the crew decided to transfer fuel from the RCS system.

The 'wings' serve as armored radiators. Allowing the vessel to vent heat out of the rear of the wings.

ARMAMENT
The primary guns used on these ships are six mass drivers, housed in three armored turrets on the dorsal side of the hull. These large bore cannons were designed to fire two different conventional payloads, an armor piercing slug for targeting ships and installations, and a capped, high explosive warhead for use against smaller vessels and orbital bombardment.

The mass drivers are supplemented by an array of twelve heavy gauss cannons situated in six armored turrets lined along the hull sides forward of the mass driver turrets. These were originally mounted upon the frigates that were already in service with the Ascendancy navy and had proven to be incredibly effective; they have since become the standard secondary armament on Ascendancy designs following the introduction of the United Maintenance Plan in 2026. 

Along with these, in the middle section of the hull is a vertical launch system that carries a variety of torpedoes for use against various targets. These include armor-piercing high explosive for general use, area-effect cluster high explosives for use against formations of enemy small craft, electromagnetic pulse for disabling enemy ships, and nuclear warheads. The torpedoes have their own number of RCS thrusters on their casings, allowing them to quickly change directions in order to keep up with targets.

For defense, the ship utilizes a combination of both close-in weapon systems and flak cannons. With focus on the CWIS turrets, they are the primary defense for Ascendancy warships. They are fast-firing triple barrel guns that fire armor piercing shells at a target.

The flak cannons are a secondary defense even seen on civilian vessels. These fire a canister that explodes at a set distance from a target, sending thousands of pieces of shrapnel into the surrounding area. These are primarily used against enemy warheads or bombers.

COMPLIMENT
In its twin hangar bays, the Relentless-class carried two full squadrons of fighters along with flights of bombers, interceptors, and VTOL gunships. Along with these were dropships, heavy lift transports and smaller, auxiliary craft such as repair boats and shuttles. To launch their fast response craft, generally comprised of interceptors, the hull has twelve launch tubes which make use of airlock catapults in order to quickly deploy the craft.

The design also had two secondary, reserve hangars for carrying additional cargo, combat craft, and the like depending on what the specific mission required.

The craft also carried a full company of Colonial Assault Corps infantry. As well as an air wing of 225 pilots and support personnel. 

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Finally finished design for the Ascendancy's battleship c: after many iterations :U