Database and Lore

The Italq Mark 3 Class Attack Battleship

*Spoilers if you haven't read past Gabatrix: The First Peace arc* “The Italq 1 and 2 are impressive warships, but looking at the Italq 3 is like looking at a hotrod of former Earth. Its technology is the best that the Itreans can offer on an affordable frame. It may even outshine the dreadnoughts that come after it.” Captain Usenko, 2350 AD. Much like the Italx Mark 3 that was adopted by the Aksren clan, the T’rintar Italq Mark 3 is considered the successful evolution of the Mark 2. By many, the Italq Mark 3 is the best warship available to the T’rintar clan that can be produced in quantifiable numbers. Its ability in combat is not withheld and has been proven to be a viable battleship. However, there are still limitations to the warship that question it from being the best of Itrean battleships of 2350. Design The Italq Mark 3 was almost seen as a response to the Italx Mark 3 introduced by the Aksren clan. At the time, the T’rintar clan heavily debated if they needed to upgrade and find improvements to the Italq Mark 2 model. However, economic limitations and military assessments concluded that nothing needed to be done to the Mark 2. Even if the Aksren clan had an improved warship in the mid-2340s, it would take time for the T’rintar clan to recognize that something needed to be done. The Italq Mark 2 was still an impressive warship on its own, even when pressed against the Italx Mark 3 in a singlehanded fight. By 2350, Mark 2s would still form the core frontline defensive fleet and still be used in the occasional attack runs against other clan assets. Regardless, by 2345 the T’rintar clan started to consider the effect of the Italx Mark 3. Itrean clan doctrines were sometimes slow and stubborn in wanting to engage in technological arms races against the other. In the hundreds of thousands of years of Itrean war history, better technology didn’t always lead to victory. Higher-cost warships and vehicles would sometimes get easily overwhelmed by the numerous lower-tech equipment. Unlike human history, Itrean warfare was a constant reminder that quantity was usually better than quality. However, that mentality began to change quickly in the 24^th century. With less population to operate the ships, the Itreans began to focus more on building higher-quality warships. In 2340, the concept of quality started to become more focused on that of quantity, even with economies that had been stunted by the Emphra War. By 2345, a design bureau began to lay down the framework design of the Italq Mark 3. While it was easy to say that it utilized many of the skeletal frameworks of the Mark 2, there would be numerous advancements to be incorporated into it. The ship's goal was to beat an Italx Mark 3 in a one-to-one fight. Therefore, the cost wouldn’t be considered unless the expenditures reached an unimaginable level to drop the project. However, there were a number of innovations that would be incorporated in the Italq Mark 3. The most significant advancement was the ablative armor weave. While hard to produce, the incredibly durable armor was immensely powerful. It is supposedly strong enough to withstand light and low-powered railgun strikes while providing high protection against anti-armor missiles and guided munitions. The Mark 3 would place this layer over the front bow and bridge compartment sections. This would increase the ship's survivability, but it was recognized that economic limitations still prevented the entire vessel from being covered. Another series of advancements lay in the armament. The Italq Mark 3 utilizes an advanced CIWS array. This includes a system similar to ancient Kashtan CIWS turrets of former Earth. Two dual heavy Gatling CIWS guns are connected to two box launchers capable of firing short-range anti-missile missile munitions. This would dramatically improve the warship's ability to combat enemy munitions instead of solely relying on the VLS missile array system to destroy guided munitions from extended ranges. This advanced CIWS turret would be further incorporated into other T’rintar clan vessels. The last notable feature of the Italq Mark 3 is the railguns. Invented by a Shal’rein engineer that had lived in T’rintar clan space, the turrets would face an evolutionary change for Yutilian and T’rintar clan standards. The Gatling railgun consists of four light barrels interlaced together. While not as powerful as the medium railguns used in the Italq Mark 2, the Mark 3’s turret is capable of littering a target with tungsten shells. This would allow the Mark 3 to fire short bursts of concentrated fire and cause more widespread damage. While more costly than the medium railgun turrets, the T’rintar clan surprisingly accepted the idea into the frame. It was argued that the reintroduction of the Dixik Mark 2 would further push the Italq Mark 3 to receive more radical changes to differentiate between the two battleships. In late 2345, the T’rintar clan accepted the offer to begin mass producing the Mark 3 but in limited numbers. History No doubt the early years of the Italq Mark 3 were mainly muted. While they very slowly began to fill in the ranks of some fleets, their numbers were very small. Mark 2s were still prioritized through the shipyard production, even as far as 2348 and 2349. At the time, the Mark 3 was seen as more of a novelty item when compared to the mass-produced Italx Mark 3 battleships. However, that would start to change in 2348 in the Battle of Sector Gizer-3. In the battle, a fleet of four Italq 2 Battleships and one Italq 3 battleship would face a fleet of five Aksren Mark 3 battleships. In the even head of the fight, the Aksren fleet had managed to destroy three of the Italq Mark 2s while only losing two of their warships in return. While both sides would withdraw from the skirmish, it was further revealed that the single T’rintar Italq Mark 3 had saved the other T’rintar warship from destruction. It had taken two direct hits in the forward compartment and took minimal damage while managing to take out of the Aksren ships. While the Battle of Gizor-3 wasn’t any major fight, it served as a reminder that Aksren quality warships were starting to gain an edge in battle. The T’rintar clan adjuncts had declared that the Italq 3 needed to be prioritized in construction. Even if the ship costs more than the Italq Mark 2s, the future of T’rintar fleet warfare may be at risk. By 2349, all Mark 2s had almost all but ceased in construction. Mark 3s would now start to be produced as fast as the shipyards could be made. By 2349 and 2350, the warship started appearing more often in T’rintar fleets. Their arrival has often served as a sense of wonder to the UHN, who view it as one of the best warships among the Itreans. Is the ship technically better than the Aksren Italx Mark 3? Most analysts say yes, but only by a slight margin. The Italx could technically carry more munitions than the Italq equivalent. However, the Aksren warships also suffer from the lack of sufficient armor. The Italx’s CIWS armament and single medium railgun turrets make it suffer a little bit more in close-range combat. Many T’rintar clan adjuncts have often viewed the Italq Mark 3 as the future of clan warfare. However, some also view it as a perfect supplement and frontline hitter for the rear line Dixik class Battleships. For now, it remains the go- to vessel for the T’rintar clan as the years continue.