Prosecutor-class Blockade Runner

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The is a successor to the deadly Blockade Runner, a Sangheili ship of ancient design. Extraordinarily fast, and extremely well armed, they serve as one of the fastest warships in the Republic.

History
A warship from the era before the Covenant, the Blockade Runner was designed for one very specific purpose. To outrun the Forerunner Dreadnought. Being both fast and extremely well armed, it was designed to appear, drop a colossal amount of firepower upon the enemy, then retreat. Their initial design was rushed, but lethal. While it had thin armour, it was extremely fast, and better armoured than any ship of similar class. It was undeniably successful against the San 'Shyuum and their ship, with squadrons launching daring raids. It was also used to evacuate ahead of the Dreadnought, being one of the few ships with a large capacity that could outrun it.

After the war, many languished. Some were refitted as patrol vessels, while others were refitted as exploration vessels. Most never saw frontline combat again, and existed at the fringes of the Covenant. When the Schism erupted, many of these vessels were pressed back into service, and returned to some state of combat readiness. Their high speed, and heavy armament, meant that they were perfect for the skirmishes and raids that went on during the dreadful Blooding Years. So popular were these ships, that they re-entered construction. Sword shipwrights, seeing an opportunity to gain an edge on their foes, thoroughly refitted these vessels, from top to bottom, giving them modern sensors and avionics, while upgrading their capabilities further still. These became the Prosecutor-class Blockade Runner, and often heralded the retribution of the Swords, and the Republic. The addition of sensor warping technology, stolen from the UNSC during the war, became a deadly tool in it's arsenal.

Design
In comparison to later design's it inspired, much of the Prosecutor's design is familiar. A long, slender design, organic curves, and flared hull elements towards the rear. Where it differs, is the two very large, very obvious engine units, mounted slightly rearward of the midsection. Also, quite curiously, its launch bays are mounted towards the front, rather than the sides or rear.

The Prosecutor sacrifices armour and complement in order to carry heavier weapons than most ships of a similar class. Its main armament is a fearsome number of plasma cannons, arranged in both broadside batteries and turreted mounts. These represent the majority of the ship's fire power, and can fire uninterrupted for long periods, allowing the ship a frightening torrent of fire. Augmenting these is two twin batteries, carrying the frightening Heavy Plasma Cannon. These guns, newly devised by the Republic, produce a heavy torrent of fire, enough to cripple most enemies. As a secondary armament, it has numerous pulse lasers, positioned to augment it's main armament, rather than make up for their inadequacies. These are arranged in clusters, designed to heap harm on the enemy. For it's protections, it has batteries of point-defence plasma cannons, though probably lesser than a ship of this size should. It's final armament is a energy projector, with two apertures. It has one on the dorsal and one on the ventral surface, allowing it to glass groundside positions, or strike down enemy ships.

Despite it's size and tonnage, it has armour far thinner than most ship's of similar size and classification. The armour is instead concentrated on key sections, along the prow, across the engines, and around key systems. However, because of this, it means it is vulnerable once it's shielding fail, especially from ground fire. Unusually, unlike most of it's successors, and many of it's contemporaries, it does not have multiple bays, but instead has one cavernous one. Sealed off from the rest of the ship in case of breach, it features numerous internal hangars for it's moderate compliment of fighters and dropships. Lastly, it has it's remarkable engines. It's primary drive unit consists of a bank of 4 repulsor engines, mounted at the rear of the vessel. Mounted along the port and starboard side are two massive 'sprint' engines. Colossal and power hungry in equal measure, these allow the ship to accelerate rapidly, giving it the incredible speed it's known for. These are hooked directly to the primary reactors, allowing for their massive and sudden acceleration. While older Blockade Runner's lacked fail safes in the event of engine damage, causing a destructive chain of damage that destroyed the vessel, the Prosecutor-class features numerous cut-offs and fail safes to protect the rest of the ship in the event the main engines are damaged.

As a final means, to compensate for it's weakness, the Republic has fitted it with an advanced electronic warfare system. This system has been based upon captured examples of sensors warping technology from the UNSC, with a little tried and tested Covenant technology thrown in the mix. It produces powerful effects to confuse the enemy's sensors, producing a distortion field that significantly reduces sensor capabilities within it's range. While this only lasts for a few minutes, its enough to cover an attack run. For the duration of it's effect, it jams RADAR, and blinds other forms of sensor, making an accurate lock on impractical.

Role
The Prosecutor's main roll is that of rapid attack. Being faster, and more heavily armed than anything of similar size and tonnage, it launches blistering hit and run attacks on the enemy's flanks and vulnerable rear. It can also go toe to toe with other warships, relying on speed over armour to quickly dispatch it's opponent.

It also excels in the role of reconnaissance in force, skirmishing with the enemy to gather valuable intel. Since it can jam their sensors and out run them, it can easily cause havoc, draw out the enemy, then leave without incidence.

Lastly, it can perform the role of it's name sake. With it's speed, and upgraded electronic warfare systems, it can outrun, evade or otherwise cut right through enemy defences, either to strike out the undefended target beyond, or deliver soldiers and supplies past the enemy's blockade. The Prosecutor excels at this, having enough room for a large complement and plenty of cargo, while enough speed to out run anything that mgiht give chase.