Capital ship

"At Bliss, it took a single capital ship to break through our orbital defences. An unidentified dreadnought-class vessel. Unless new countermeasures are employed, the admiralty can expect a very short war."

- Classified ONI communiqué

A capital ship is a broad title which is applied to the very heaviest fielded by any navy, generally acknowledged as the most single-most important combat vessels in a given  unit. Although no formal definition has been accepted, capital ships are expected to have the independence to achieve their own objectives in a battle scenario without support. As the backbone of all higher-level fleet units, they are responsible for coordinating smaller escorts and inflicting the most damage in most combat situations. They can range from just under ten million tonnes in mass in the case of the smallest cruisers, to several billion on the other end of the scale with dreadnoughts and.

It should be noted that despite their popularity in such a role, not all capital ships are spatial combatants, with some being relegated for support or even carrier and transport operations.

Characteristics
"If the capital ships are beaten, the navy is beaten. But if the rest of the navy is beaten, the capital ships can still operate."

- William S. Lind's description of a capital ship's role.

Although the many classifications which bear the title often vary widely in durability, raw firepower, and carrying capabilities, they all share some common characteristics which bind them together. All capital ships, by virtue of their size, are inherently powerful and durable in some way. Their thick armour and dozens of armaments allows a single member of this supergroup to routinely fend off entire squadrons of smaller escorts while suffering only minimal visible injuries. Even carriers that lack adequate weapons are still considered powerful because their firepower is instead focused within their on-board complement of. This perception of safety means that all capital ships have the space to coordinate other naval ships within their local region of space, with many hosting command staff such as flag officers.