Frigate
From Encyclopedia Hiigara
A frigate is a kind of military vessel designed for escort or picketing duty. Frigates are, under some classifications, a kind of capital ship as they can run independently of a support ship and are capable of initiating hyperspace jumps. However, unlike most capital ships frigates are usually deployed in large groups and have significantly less armor than their larger brethren, relying on speed and manueverability to get the better of stronger foes. For this reason and others frigates are often classified separately from capital ships.
The main advantage of a frigate is the fact that it has strong firepower, often close to that of a larger capital ship, with more manueverability and speed. Furthermore, with the exception of ion frigates, frigates generally have good coverage for a large ship and are effective anti-strike craft vessels. Frigates are therefore often designated as capital ship escorts, protecting the larger vessels from enemy strike craft. However, on occassion frigates are used in a purely offensive nature, particularly ion frigates.
However, because frigates have such weak armor compared to larger capital ships they are often vulnerable targets for bombers and larger capital ships.
[edit] Sub-classifications
- Assault frigates
- Vaygr Heavy Missile frigates
- Firelance-class Ion frigates
- Pupeteer-class Drone Frigates
- Defense field frigates
- Support frigates
