Elysium-class heavy cruiser

The Elysium-class heavy guided-missile cruiser, also known as the Elysium-class command cruiser, was a class of heavy cruiser that was overshadowed by its close cousin the Marathon-class. Introduced in 2511 it was marketed as a superior replacement for the ineffective, it was the first of the “modern” generation of warships with top-of-the-line weapons and armor.

It was popular among flag officers and frequently used as flagships. Its only drawback was its expensive price tag. While a superb ship it was complex to build and too expensive to be used en masse and was more suited as a command ship thanks to its advanced command-and-control features, sometimes giving the designation of a command cruiser. Addressing these issues, the -class was built as an improvement of the Elysium and was easier to produce with less complex electronics and a heavier arsenal of two Magnetic Accelerated Cannons.

Once it entered production they immediately supplanted the Elysium in its role of defending the Inner Colonies. Instead of being scrapped most of the Elysium’s were transferred to the Outer Colonies and left to fade. Most of them were eventually donated to the and were prized by the CMA who used them as flagships. When the Human-Covenant War erupted they were its most modern and effective capital ships. During the war they were a rare sight and never more than two participated in a single battle. The class’ lead ship, the UNSC Elysium, served as Admiral Sebastian T. Shelby’s flagship for several years until the Battle of Midvale in 2526. The UNSC Mobile Bay served as Admiral Elliot’s flagship before the Battle of Arthur’s Point in 2530. Most of them were destroyed during the Fall of the Outer Colonies but several survived till late in the war and fought at Ballast, Miridem, New Cartage, Alluvion, and Skopje.

The last operational Elysium-class cruiser, the UNSC Lepanto, was destroyed during the Fall of Reach.