Database and Lore

The Helix Class Guided Missile Battleship

“The UHN Gabatrix. It was the pride of the fleet long ago, yet it still holds surprises in the aging frame forty years later,” A Lieutenant that served onboard the UHN Gabatrix. What started as a project to replace the exploration battleships would help usher the rise of the 24th century guided missile battleship design. The UHN Helix class has been one of little use but the rising potential of what the UHN would become in 2350. There is no doubt that many often overlook these warships even though they had still pulled their own weight in UHN history. Sadly, the design saw little use in the war against the Itreans. Its legacy was mostly gone by then, but it still managed to hold a few unexpected events that would seal its fate into fame even if it is grossly overshadowed by the Magellan Class Battleships of today. Design For some early analysts, the Helix is little more than an older Ares or Adalay class Battleship frame that has been lengthened. While it’s true for the most part, there were some noticeable changes. For one, the Helix was intended to reflect the new philosophy of the UHN ideals for exploration to protection. By now, the UWA was continuing to build more and more probes that could effectively scout new locations in the hundred light-year span from Sol. With many places explored and the UHN building their own research vessels, the need for exploration battleships was not needed anymore. In addition, the extra sensor equipment took up valuable room that could be used for weapons. The Helix was the remedy to this problem. The sensor packages were dropped, and additional missile launchers were installed. Additional reloads with an increased frame drastically improved the reload storage as well.  What further increased the operational capability of the Helix was the fact that it replaced the rotating box centripetal habitat with a ring. Additional AIO turrets could also be carried near the reactor module to boost its offensive capability further. A through hangar was also introduced to carry three shuttles in case of an emergency. Despite the ideals in such a different design, the UHN still wanted to keep the costs of the vessel down. The end result was that much of the interior still used a lot of the same recycled parts and equipment from the earliest retired Ares classes and even as far as ancient Earth Exodus warships. There is some debate that such a move was what really doomed the class of vessels, even though that was only the partial reason. Priority was replaced in creating a viable warship platform and not being too revolutionary. Despite this, the Helix was well praised for the intention and was viable enough to begin construction. All ships would be named after stellar events with the exception of one that would be named after the famed pioneer, Gabatrix. History The UHN Pulsar would be completed in 2300, although testing would delay the full production until 2301. It proved to work rather well, although early maintenance issues proved to be problematic in the first line of ships. Many of these kinks and errors were cleared out within a few years as new ships quickly remedied the problem. If anything, UHN command staff felt happy that this new “generational vessel” would help spurn the development of many more. The Helix still had haphazard popularity to the UWA as a request for 30 was to be made. Politicians laid down the demand that only 25 would be built instead. Ultimately, the UHN would drop this to 23. It was a far greater number than battleships of the past but still poor when compared to the numbers of the ever-successful Magellan class. While many thought that the ships wouldn’t be used in combat, they ultimately managed to do so when the Nova Hamidou Pirates came into fruition. By then, the UHN had already deemed that an improved design, the Magellan class, would further replace the exploration battleship line. Two other battleships, the UHN Encke’s Comet and UHN Halley’s Comet, were to be canceled. Regardless, the Helixes did manage to perform a series of anti-piracy patrols through and around the belts, with the occasional combat engagement. While many felt that the Helix had performed adequately, the UHN felt otherwise. By 2320, the Magellans were being constructed. Using old parts had only proved to be problematic, and replacing them in maintenance was proving to cost more in the long run. In other words, it was simply cheaper to build a new warship and parts to go along with it than stick with the old. Due to this, many of the warships, including all of the Ares, Deimos, and Adalay class lines, were practically retired in 2315 and 2320. This would allow the parts to be moved over to the Helix class. Even with such a move, this didn’t stop the Helixes from being retired and scrapped at the beginning of 2338. However, a few of the Helix class lineage did see some usage in the 2340s as experimentation platforms for future weapons and equipment. The UHN Gabatrix would also see a series line of new AIO turrets implemented into its hull frame. This was to test the operational capability of the Mark 11 into future warship lines. By 2349, the last three surviving Helix classes would be housed at Titan for safekeeping and reserve operation. *Spoilers if you haven't read past Gabatrix: The First Peace arc* Obviously, one of the most famed of the Helix class would gain its debut in 2349. There had been some debate in activating the last three Helix battleships to boost the Martian and Cebravis defenses. By then, however, most UHN analysts had deemed that the warships would be in worse shape than the Magellan class that was already taking horrific losses. Regardless, the UHN Gabatrix, UHN Corona, and the UHN Andromeda were being brought up into full potential operation. Every ship was needed, and even an obsolete battleship could still help in some way. Interestingly, it would be a diplomatic call from the Itrean T’rintar clan that would actually spurn the UHN to reactivating the UHN Gabatrix to be used in the dangerous mission. Many historians argued well on the philosophy. While the UHN was preparing for the inevitable final battles to come, the UHN Gabatrix could be used in this dangerous assignment. If it were destroyed, the loss would be tragic but minimally compared to previous past defeats. In an exciting turn of feats, the T’rintar clan was telling the truth as the battleship would be used to host the diplomats for an alliance. Sadly, however, the warship would enjoy its last mission for humanity. Captain William that currently commanded the ship, had realized that an opposing Aksren clan dreadnought was closing in on his vessel and the T’rintar battleship. In hopes of saving the crew, he had everyone abandon the ship to the T’rintar warship as the battle status of the UHN Gabatrix was appalling. It didn’t carry many munitions onboard as they were kept elsewhere. Even the AIO turrets carried limited ammunition. In a defiant stand, William would sacrifice himself by ramming the Gabatrix into the Aksren warship, destroying both ships in the process. Meanwhile, he provided enough cover fire to help the T’rintar clan, the warship, diplomatic teams, and crews safely get back to Sol. The sacrifice of the UHN battleship and captain did not go unheard of, as it further helped spurn the alliance between the UWA and the T’rintar clan. Ironically, the battleship named after the famous pioneer would carry out one of the most critical missions for humanity. The UHN Corona and UHN Andromeda have been fully restored in operational condition but haven’t been commissioned into UHN service yet. They still remain at Titan, ready to be relaunched. Sadly, it had been well concluded that these warships are no match against the current Itrean battleships in turn. However, the legacy of the UHN Gabatrix showed that even with an old warship, a good crew and commander could make a difference.