Thera Class Medium Carrier(3k)
Colonial Medium Carrier (8k)

The CVL light carriers were built in large numbers and served admirably, but unfortunately being based on the Xerxes Class light cruiser hull, they were desperately fragile. The CVA Battlestars were much more sturdier and had the ability to operate independantly, but they were too expensive to build in large numbers. So the Colonial Navy converted many other designs to carry more and more fighters - the DDV Destroyer Carriers were a prime example. Unfortunately for these converted designs they suffered from being just that, conversions and not purpose built carriers. What the Navy needed was a middle ground, a carrier that was large enough to transport enough fighters into combat to support it is squadron, not be light enough to fall apart at the slightest hammering of enemy fire, but not being too large so that it was too expensive to build. With these medium carriers, the CVL light carriers could be withdrawn from frontline service, or at least replaced in Destroyer-sized or heavier squadrons.

The Thera Class Medium Carrier was the result of this program. Built specifically around the size of a Libra Class Destroyer, the ship was able to carry two short squadrons of Vipers into combat along with additional Asp support. The ship was larger than the Light Carriers and able to mount additional firepower and protection, but luckily was small enough to able to build at a reasonably pace, and the class was not designed to operate independantly. It supported a squadron, and at the same time depended on their support as well. The Thera Class was a welcome addition to the fleet, but it was not perfect. The rear turbolaser batteries were slighty weak for a class of this size and the ship was very crowded. In addition, the two flight bays were effectively seperate entities - fighters were not able to be transfered between the two like in the larger Battlestars and this did sometimes cause problems, especially in combat heavy situations when the battle damage mounted.

Still, the ship was well liked by the crews that flew them and squadrons of all kind clammered for their inclusion so that there were never enough to go round.

The Thera was spliced by John Hall from drawings by Steve Wilson, and then designed by me my from the warship display by John Hall.

 

Game Rules (2k)

Thera Class Medium Carriers have two large shuttle bays. Each bay has a launch tube ([J1.54] which will propel a fighter flight to speed 12 and will launch in direction 5 [Alpha bay] or 2 [Beta bay]) and a standard shuttle hatch (launching and landing from direction 4 for both bays). Transfers between bays are only possible outside of combat situations.
The shuttle bays are large enough to accept yachts.
Thera Class ships have a hyperspeed multiplier of x1.

Colonial Thera Class Medium Carrier boarding diagram: