Space battleship
Encyclopedia
Fictional capital military spacecraft (frequently called space battleships, space cruisers) are spacefaring
warship
s most often found in science fiction
, which play similar roles to contemporary warships, though real spacecraft are used for military purposes. They may fight slow-paced battles across vast distances with long range guided weapons, never attaining visual contact, or fast-paced, relatively close range combat with unguided weapons and combat maneuvering.
-typical parallels derived from historic and existing naval
customs and technologies, fictional space battleships also often have some specific sea warfare battleship parallels, especially to those used in World War I
and World War II
:
, the meaning of the word "battlecruiser" is generally somewhat different from the historical warship of the same name. Usually it denotes a spaceship more comparable to the fast battleships of World War II: A large, fast and tough vessel with both high firepower and enough protection to dish out and take considerable amounts of damage (unlike the battlecruisers of World War I, which proved to have 'glass jaws'). However, in the Honorverse
, the battlecruisers are more like the historical version, or the Alaska class cruisers
which the United States deployed during World War II.
Spacefaring
To be spacefaring is to be capable of and active in the art of space travel or space transport, the operation of spacecraft or spaceplanes. It involves a knowledge of a variety of topics and development of specialised skills including : aeronautics; astronautics; programs to train astronauts; space...
warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s most often found in science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, which play similar roles to contemporary warships, though real spacecraft are used for military purposes. They may fight slow-paced battles across vast distances with long range guided weapons, never attaining visual contact, or fast-paced, relatively close range combat with unguided weapons and combat maneuvering.
Parallels to historic battleships
In addition to various military science fictionMilitary science fiction
Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking place, normally in space, or on a planet other than Earth...
-typical parallels derived from historic and existing naval
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
customs and technologies, fictional space battleships also often have some specific sea warfare battleship parallels, especially to those used in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
:
- Use of main guns (instead of more dispersed armaments) and intricate tactics to bring about large amounts of destruction
- Being ponderous and slow (or at least slow to accelerate), thus creating an excuse for starfighterStarfighter"Starfighter" is a science fiction term used to describe small, fast, usually one-manned craft designed for armed combat .The appearance and use of fictional starfighters is often modeled on fighter aircraft, with little regard for the actual physics of spaceflight...
s to exist. - Compensating speed and size with tremendous resilience, surviving multiple nuclear weapons strikes, in some cases.
- Having hundreds or even thousands of crewmembers.
- In the case of the Japanese animated series Space Battleship YamatoSpace Battleship Yamatois a Japanese science fiction anime series featuring an eponymous spacecraft. It is also known to English-speaking audiences as Space Cruiser Yamato; an English-dubbed and heavily edited version of the series was broadcast on North American and Australian television as Star Blazers...
(a.k.a. "Star Blazers"), not only is the old seaborne battleship used to hide a similar space warcraft, but the follow-on Earth battleships share naval architecture such as main, secondary and light gun turrets, superstructure etc.
Battlecruisers
In science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, the meaning of the word "battlecruiser" is generally somewhat different from the historical warship of the same name. Usually it denotes a spaceship more comparable to the fast battleships of World War II: A large, fast and tough vessel with both high firepower and enough protection to dish out and take considerable amounts of damage (unlike the battlecruisers of World War I, which proved to have 'glass jaws'). However, in the Honorverse
Honorverse
The Honorverse refers to the military science fiction book series and sub-series created by David Weber and published by Baen Books. The series is set primarily after Honor Harrington's October 1, 3961, birth; although she is the protagonist in most of the stories, more recent entries make only...
, the battlecruisers are more like the historical version, or the Alaska class cruisers
Alaska class cruiser
The Alaska-class cruisers were a class of six very large cruisers ordered prior to World War II for the United States Navy. Although often called battlecruisers, officially the Navy classed them as Large Cruisers . Their intermediate status is reflected in their names relative to typical U.S....
which the United States deployed during World War II.
See also
- List of fictional spaceships
- StarshipStarshipA starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
- Starship class
- Dropship (science fiction)
- Mother shipMother shipA mother ship is a vessel or aircraft that carries a smaller vessel or aircraft that operates independently from it. Examples include bombers converted to carry experimental aircraft to altitudes where they can conduct their research , or ships that carry small submarines to an area of ocean to be...
- StarfighterStarfighter"Starfighter" is a science fiction term used to describe small, fast, usually one-manned craft designed for armed combat .The appearance and use of fictional starfighters is often modeled on fighter aircraft, with little regard for the actual physics of spaceflight...
- Space warfare in fictionSpace warfare in fictionSpace warfare in science fiction has served as a central theme within the genre, tracing its roots back to the "future war" novels of the 19th century. Space warfare in science fiction has served as a central theme within the genre, tracing its roots back to the "future war" novels of the 19th...