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The Albatross-Class Zeppelin-Kampfkruiser is a large C.E. Battlecruiser and also a pocket-battleship.
Part of the multiple new classes of airships constructed to match their Oscdean equivalents in the C.E.-Oscdean war, the Albatross Class is a gigantic zeppelin primarily designed for ship-on-ship battles and large ground assault operations.
History
The Albatross-class was designed in early 3019 by Chisel Dynamics, the research and design subsidiary of Chisel Enterprises. Work began on August of 3019, twelve ships were completed by the end of 3019, with two being completed in January 3020. These ships are the Nachtfalter, Greta, Wespe, Libelle, Jäger, Titan, Stand and Deliver, Forthright, Anna, Klause, Geörg, Fayette, Leö and Benét-Mercié. Six more Albatross-Class ships are expected to be completed by the end of August 3020.
Weaponry
The Albatross-Class' weapons are designed for bombardments of both airships and cities alike. The main 2.5m guns fire some of the largest, if not the largest caliber shell from any airship existing on Terra. During testing at the C.E. British Coast Corporate Testing Range, one shell from one of these massive guns was reported to have flattened an entire village, leaving only a smoking crater to remain. These shells are assumed to be capable of penetrating the armor and shields of any craft, albeit the largest capital ships. However, a full broadside from these massive guns is enough to collapse the shields of anything that might stand in its way.
The Albatross-Class zeppelin also has dozens of other cannons, varying from smaller auto-cannons to large anti-ship cannons, as well as hundreds of machine-guns. It also has several bomb bays containing racks of high-explosive ordinance for city and fortress bombing, making the Albatross an instrument of terror to civilian populations. Standard practice is to slowly drone of a city, dropping bombs and strafing moving targets with cannons and machine-guns.
There are several silos on the underside of the gondola and on top of the main body that serve as launching points for canisters containing Übersoldaten or robots.
Additionally, several larger silos on top of the main body contain ballistic missiles for use against other airships or ground targets.
Troop/Aircraft Compliment
Meant to also serve as a platform for ground invasion, the Albatross-Class holds veritable small army of troops and vehicles, as well as squadrons of aircraft, and deployment mechanisms for each.
The troop compliment of the zeppelin consists of a mixture of C.E. PMC's, Übersoldaten, as well as robots such as Assaultrons and Destructrons. Other, larger robots such as HK Cephlapods and Eliminators are also carried. It should be noted that while the official troop compliment is 2,300, this only consists of humans and quasi-human (Übersoldaten) forces. Including robotic forces, of which many of the more humanoid variants can be stored in compact form, this number can increase to as much as 3,200. These forces either rope down from the airship, parachute down, are deployed via transport aircraft, or, in the case of Übersoldaten and some robots, are deployed via canisters launched from silos dotted around the airship.
Alongside these forces, several vehicles such as Zkdfzz. 644 APCs and Pzkpfw. 10 "Crusher" tanks are carried. These mechanized and armored forces are often referred to by the name of their respective ship - I.E. the "NachtfelterPanzerarmee". These vehicles are often carried into battle by VTOL, or lowered by cables from the Albatross itself. The airship can also land and deploy them via ramps in less volatile situations. In rare circumstances, glider wings can be attached to certain armored vehicles to allow a few to be deployed rapidly directly from the Albatross. The glider wings are detached upon the vehicle's landing, and it fights as usual.
Squadrons of aircraft such as VTOL's, fighter jets, and Vulturen robots are capable of being deployed from the Albatross. Around twenty-five transport VTOL's and forty jets of different types are carried, as well as twenty Vulturen robots. The last of these are able to be stored and deployed from racks on hangars located along the underside of the main body, allowing for hundreds of them to be carried.