Corvette

Corvettes are a class of space ship primarily intended for assault, patrol, and escort purposes. They are operated by nearly every FTL-capable society, and are typically one of the earliest space ships constructed after the development of hyper drives. Many of the first corvettes were already existing surface-to-space shuttles armed with simple weapons and equipped with an FTL drive. Modern corvettes are purpose-built, typically carrying an armament of light weapons, missiles, or point-defense capabilities. The main advantage of corvettes is their cost - compared to most other warships, they are extremely cheap and simple to build, as well as featuring a small crew complement. They are highly maneuverable compared to larger vessels, with oversized propulsion drives and the ability to evade incoming fire.

The role of corvettes in combat depends on the class, but a number of doctrines have emerged. "Brawler" corvettes are armed with short-range but powerful weapons such as autocannons and distruptors, and charge en masse into enemy fleet formations to disrupt them. "Screen" corvettes are armed with point-defense weapons, and are a cheaper escort alternative to destroyers. "Gunship" corvettes are typically armed with mid-range weapons, and are used for patrolling and anti-piracy duties. "Artillery" corvettes are armed with long-range missiles, staying back in a fight and launching their payload from a distance.

Length

Usually 150-250m

Complement / Crew

50-200 crew