Warship Rating System

The Imperium and Colonial navy use the same system to rate vessels in their respective fleets.  The rating system classifies ships generally into categories by displacement and order of battle.  The rating system includes six levels, and then "unrated" vessels.  Any ship that falls into the rating order are referred to as "Man of Wars."

Unrated:  200 through 999 Dtons  (Corvette)
Unrated ships are combat vessels below 1000 Dtons, and 200 or above.  They serve in a variety of roles in the navy including patrol, suppression, scouting, and pursuit.  Warships below 200 Dtons are called "Gunships" or "Fighters" depending on the size.  An unrated vessel's commanding officer is typically a Commander, but is called a Captain while aboard his vessel.  Unrated ship's are commonly called "Corvettes" or "Sloops."

Imperial Examples:
Gazelle Escort (300 Dtons)
Type T Patrol Cruiser (400 Dtons)
Fiery (500 Dtons)

Colonial Examples:
Venture Class Corvette (400 Dtons)

6th Rate: 1000 through 4999 Dtons (Light Destroyer)
Commonly called "Destroyer Escorts" or "Frigates," this class of ship is frequently tasked with protecting naval supply lines.  A number of this class are always attached to a battle-group for any number of special assignments that may arise that does not merit deploying heavier combat vessels.  Light destroyers carry sufficient weapons to quickly overwhelm and destroy groups of lighter vessels, but typically are not equipped with the large bay weapons needed to defeat larger rated vessels.  The commanding officer of any 6th rate or better vessel must be a full Captain.

Imperial Examples:
Chrysanthemum (1000 Dtons)
Fer-de-Lance (1000 Dtons)
Nillvann (1200 Dtons)
Sydkai (2000 Dtons)

Colonial Examples:
Gilgamesh (2000 Dtons)

5th Rate: 5000 through 19,999 Dtons (Destroyer)
Destroyers are well equipped for engaging rated ships within their own class.  Working together, they are capable of taking down some larger vessels.  Destroyers devote much of their weaponry to large bay weapons, but are not large enough to mount massive spinal weapons, and so cannot take direct part in any larger battles.

Imperial Example:
P.F. Sloan (5000 Dtons)

Colonial Example:
Gettysburg (10,000 Dtons)

4th Rate: 20,000 through 39,000 Dtons (Cruiser)
Cruisers are one of the largest class of ships within the Imperial Navy.  The are the smallest ship to be able to carry a spinal mount weapon that runs the length of the ship.  Cruisers often coordinate together to defeat larger rated vessels, while not being robust enough to be on a battle-line.  Cruisers on independent operation often coordinate the defense of local imperial space.

Imperial Examples:
Gionetti (30,000)
Penarua8 (30,000)

Colonial Examples:
None

3rd Rate: 40,000 through 99,999 Dtons (Battlecruiser)
Battlecruisers are heavily outfitted warships, forming a cornerstone of naval fleets.  In battle they often perform assaults and independent action apart from the line of battle, though they can take part in the line of battle in an emergency.  Outside of the Imperium and other major powers, the battlecruiser is often the best ship a stellar nation is able to field, if that.  Battlecruisers often act as flagships for cruiser squadrons and subsector fleets.

Imperial Examples:
Azhanti High Lightning (60,000 Dtons)
Atlantic Heavy Cruiser (60,000 Dtons)

Colonial Examples:
Waterloo Battlecruiser (60,000 Dtons)
Bengal Class Carrier (80,000 Dtons) - This ship specializes as a fighter carrier rather than a direct action warship.

2nd Rate: 100,000 through 299,999 Dtons (Battleship)
Battleships form the core "line of battle" for the strongest empires.  Battleships are kept as powerful checks and balances between the strongest nations, very seldom going on independent cruises.   In battle, they face off in groups against one another, all of their weaponry specialized towards destroying other battleships.

Imperial Examples:
Plankwell class Battleship (200,000 Dtons)
Kokirrak class Battleship (200,000 Dtons)

Colonial Example:
Concordia class Supercarrier (200,000 Dtons) - This vessel is not equipped to act on a line of battle, instead projects force through massive groups of fighters and bombers.

1st Rate: 300,000 and up (Dreadnaught)
Dreadnaughts are powerful and too expensive to build and maintain to warrant large numbers of them.  Dreadnaughts are typically only deployed to areas of extreme national threat (Imperial Zhodani Border or the Solomani border).  On the line of battle, Dreadnaughts will form the core of the line to hold the formation together.  Only the strongest of nations can field ships of this rating.

Imperial Example:
Tigress (500,000 Dtons)

Colonial Example:
none