Guide:Ilthirin/Tanathooef

Ilthirin / Tanathooef
Class Overview
Category	courier / escort
Operational	Ilthirin courier: 2132 - 2181 Tanathooef escort: 2151 - 2182
Constructed	850 (total): Ilthirin: 320 (built 2132-2150) Tanathooef: 530 (built 2151-2167)
Dimensions
Length	82.1 m
Beam	42.2 m
Height	30.0 m
Mass	Ilthirin: 25,400 mt Tanathooef: 28,000 mt
Performance
Cruise Speed	w 3
Max Speed	Ilthirin: w 5.4 Tanathooef: w 5.9
Endurance	6 months
Complement
Officers	Ilthirin: 2 Tanathooef: 6
Enlisted	Ilthirin: 8 Tanathooef: 35
Tactical Systems
Beam Weapons	Ilthirin 1x phased particle beam emitter (2.2 GW) (dorsal bow) Tanathooef (original) 2x phased particle beam emitters (2.2 GW) (dorsal bow) 2x phased particle beam emitters (6.0 GW) (wingtip mounts)
Missile Weapons	Tanathooef (select 2161 refit 1x fwd twin torpedo launcher (w/ 20-60 photon torpedoes) (ventral bow)
Shields	1-layer graviton/subspace globular forcefield navigational deflectors (ventral bow flanks)
Transporters	Original: none 2161 refit: 1 GP (4-pad); Mk I
Auxiliary Craft	Ilthirin: 4x work pods Tanathooef: none
Historical
Ships of Note	IGW/USS Tashmaji (AGC-11-15/NCC-Q05) IGW/USS Lanita (AGC-11-482/NCC-I03)
Canonicity
Design	ENT
Name	Bennett “Uncertain Logic”, FASA
History	Bennett “Uncertain Logic”, FASA

Background: Hobbyist's Guide

Whereas the UESF struggled mightily with the challenges of supporting a deep space fleet, its advanced neighbors enjoyed such a significant lead in technology that their respective forces had virtually no logistics problems within their theater of operations. Vulcan and Andor took rather dissimilar approaches, however. The large voidcruisers of the former were self-sufficient units similar in many ways to the starships of the following centuries. The warships of the latter relied heavily on the use of tender and courier vessels, however, and Andor had a long tradition of fielding excellent support ships capable of respectable warp, surface operations, and a degree of self-defense in fleet action.

The final example of Andorian prowess in fleet logistics was the Ilthirin high speed courier, an 88-meter support ship capable of warp 5.4 maximum speed. Flown by just ten crew, the ship specialized in rapid delivery of spares and ordnance, yet could accommodate bulkier loads such as fuel or even troops with the use of modular midsection modules. A bow module of hexagonal cross section featured a flight deck atop, with wide portholes providing redundancy of vision for precision maneuvering at close quarters. The two middecks housed crew accommodation and a navigation/communications room plus a pair of workshops. The lowest deck, of reduced span, was a loading bay with twin forward doors and with twin deflector arrays at the flanks.

A typically unmarked Tanathooef in fleet outrider grey, ca. 2157. Imperial Guard units had gaudier color schemes and Star Fleet units in the 2160s were all repainted glaring white with red cheat lines. Star Fleet Ilthirins received a more subdued tan scheme.

Astern, the module tapered slightly to a perfectly hexagonal docking collar. In basic configuration, this attached directly to the propulsion section, with the antimatter powerplant in the middle, two warp coil and impulse engine cowlings atop, and four surfaces for atmospheric lift—two downcanted wings and one dorsal and one ventral fin, the latter two capable of swinging aft to meet and reduce the height of the ship and to facilitate landings. In addition to gravity manipulation, there was an air heating functionality to the impulse system, with the drive coils and vents mechanically shuttered and a series of waist inlets sucking in atmospheric gases for heating and propulsive expulsion. Wingtip landing gear complemented midhull foldout pads, while doubling as grapplers and umbilicals for, e.g., fuel transfer.

Fuel for combat vessels in need would be carried in hexagons inserted between the bow and drive sections. Most supplies would be hauled using both crewed and automated work pods stowed in the bow bay, however. In troop transport role, the ship would deploy personnel and vehicles directly to planetary surfaces from side hatches built into the appropriate payload modules. There was a defensive phased particle beam at upper bow, and an extensive forcefield shielding system and anti-targeting suite, but little or no hull armor.

The Ilthirin was produced in considerable numbers and saw major use in the final Vulcan-Andorian confrontations preceding the formation of the Federation, accompanying combat fleets and enabling them to conduct independent strategic maneuvering. Moreover, there was a combat-dedicated adaptation of the design, with heavy wingtip phase cannon in addition to a twinned bow turret. The Tanathooef escort was built in great numbers between 2151 and 2167 as a dedicated companion to Kumari and Thofsin cruisers, capable as she was of similarly high speeds when suitably configured and of providing cover against the suicidal tactics of Romulan small and medium units. She became one of the most important contributions of the Andorian Imperial Guard to the joint UFP Star Fleet and saw active use in certain Imperial Guard units as well.

In Star Fleet service, the Tanathooef was often equipped with a twin torpedo launcher in the ventral loading bay, firing standard 700 mm projectiles with a variety of warhead types. On the other hand, the ability of the vessel to take a fight or a study to the surface of a planet motivated Star Fleet to retain as much hold capacity as possible in the form of Ilthirins; some twenty were chartered by UESPA for an exploration program that the original designers could never have imagined associated with their vessel. SF Intelligence purchased outright at least half a dozen Tanathooefs for tasks previously handled by the excellent Vulcan insertion/extraction ships.

Neither UESPA nor SFI had the means of keeping the classes operational after the AIG discontinued logistical support for them in 2180. All Ilthirin and Tanathooef vessels were recalled by 2182 and released of their government commitments. Few remained in commercial use beyond the turn of the century.

Gallery

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  Ilthirin
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  Tanathooef
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Star Fleet Registry

Ilthirin subclass

• NCC-Q01
• NCC-Q03
• USS Tashmaji (NCC-Q05)
• NCC-Q07
• NCC-Q14
• NCC-Q15
• NCC-Q16
• NCC-Q18
• NCC-Q19
• NCC-Q21
• NCC-Q22
• NCC-Q23
• NCC-Q25
• NCC-Q27
• NCC-Q29
• NCC-Q30
• NCC-Q36
• NCC-Q37
• NCC-Q39
• NCC-Q51

Tanathooef subclass

• NCC-I01
• NCC-I02
• USS Lanita (NCC-I03)
• NCC-I04
• NCC-I05
• NCC-I06

Notes

• The years of Ilthirin construction are presumed to be continuous, from first ship, until emphasis was placed on the Tanathooefs.

• All ASDF comments were changed to "Andorian Imperial Guard".

• The prefix "USS" has been changed to "IGW" for warships of the Andorian Imperial Guard.

• It appears only about 20 Ilthirin and about six Tanathooefs ever served with Star Fleet. The Ilthirin are utilized as scouts and registered in the NCC-Q range, while the Tanathooefs are intelligence-purposed and registered in the NCC-I range. (The two lead ships were not transferred.)

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• Back to the Table of Contents
• Corvettes, Couriers, Escorts, Perimeter Ships & Light Scouts
• Appendix A: Of Ship Statistics
• Appendix B: Glossary
• Appendix C: Star Fleet Organization - General Outline
• Appendix D: Abbreviations From Outside