In the skies above the Monolith Plate Worlds, Massive SHIPs travel across the realm and into alternate dimensions to do battle with enemy fleets. However the most modest Capital ship or even Destroyer is far too big to be practical on most Plate Worlds. So the Armies and Navies of organizations rarely interact with one another, or their enemies.
The Cordova Naval Coalition is the exception to the rule.
Coming from fringe elements of the same group that also fractured into the Monolith Bratva and Imperiya, and Based out of the "Mu" cluster, home to the largely successful Tethys Drive Yards, A collection of 13 Plate Worlds signed the "Cordova Naval Treaty" vowing to protect their independence by utilizing Naval teknology in a way no other had seriously considered before.
Rather than using Massive and cumbersome Cruisers and Destroyers (Which the Coalition also did produce). They introduced the innovative "Pocket Frigate", A fleet ship on a much smaller scale designed to support ground operations to maximum effectiveness.
Despite being a smaller faction, the Coalition commands tremendous respect for their tek innovations and skill of their individual soldiers and pilots
20190913_225619 by John Thumb, on FlickrThe "Molay" Pocket Frigate is a small, heavily armored airship capable of space travel. Utilizing a crew of no more than 6. Plus a compliment of Coalition Marines, It is designed as an airborne Headquarters and firebase. The common tactic of the Coalition is to rush Molays into a region at such a ridiculous altitude, that the enemy often can't even see them. From there it's guns will point downward and start harrassing anyone unlucky enough to not have a roof over their head.
Onboard a unit of Marines will either disembark by way of jetpack, hitching a ride on a lander, or most deviously, by throwing a device called a "PETS" over the side of the ship, which once it hits the ground and deploys, it becomes a miniaturized teleport beacon allowing limitless amounts of troops to teleport through
20190913_225641 by John Thumb, on Flickr
20190913_225654 by John Thumb, on Flickr
20190913_225723 by John Thumb, on FlickrThe Molay is powered by three compact antigrav engines. Some ships will install modular ball turrets on various connections if facing air threats. In addition to specialized Engineers, some ships may also carry a compliment of drones for repair or other purposes
20190913_225733 by John Thumb, on FlickrOnce at a safe altitude out of "Space" It is possible for minifigs to exit the ship and remain onboard the deck or various posts across it's hull. Here for example, a Marine is seen in a post on the stern. Engineers could use this as a position to work on the engines, or sentries could spot, snipe or fire rockets from this position if the situation permits it.
20190913_225758 by John Thumb, on FlickrThe bridge is small. Only 3 or 4 personnel can fit inside of it, the bridge itself is only intended for 2. A ladder is found in the bridge to the ships interior underneath where gunner stations and the cargo hold exists. Some ships have managed to cram basic facilities inside them too for their crew and marines.
20190913_225901 by John Thumb, on FlickrWhen faced with desperate measures, the Marines may deploy a deck gun that is hung off the side of the ship. The deck gun is typically only used against hardened targets that are at high altitutde. The Molay's wing cannons are far more effective against ground targets, and they are a modular system that can accept a variety of weapons.
The deck gun is mostly just for the fun of Marines. If one is brutally honest.
20190913_225930 by John Thumb, on FlickrThe "Personal Energized Teleport System" Or PETS is a highly advanced and enigmatic device that is uncerimoniously hurled off the Molay at extremely high altitudes, It will splatter any minifig dumb enough to be underneath a falling hunk of steel. But once it deploys, Marines can teleport freely to its location , Giving the potential for a situation to spiral out of control very quickly if the Coalition is allowed to deploy one, or five against an enemy
20190913_225950 by John Thumb, on FlickrMore to come.
The interior isn't finished yet. I got quite ill after working on this all night, it was a long day before I even started this.
