Gorgon-class battlecruiser
the most powerful warship of the Koprulu sector
The Gorgon-class was the most powerful battlecruiser ever fielded by the terrans of the Koprulu sector, larger than the Behemoth-class and able to withstand multiple Yamato cannon hits. Its best-known example was the Bucephalus, outfitted as the Terran Dominion flagship.
The Gorgon-class battlecruiser was a class of terran capital ship and the most powerful warship ever fielded by the terrans of the Koprulu sector. Larger than the long-serving Behemoth-class, it stood at the top of the lineage of battlecruisers that reached back to the early days of the Terran Confederacy, and, like several other battlecruiser classes, it took its name from mythology. Its best-known example was the Bucephalus, outfitted as the flagship of the Terran Dominion. (StarCraft Field Manual; StarCraft II: Flashpoint; StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty)
Design and capabilities#
The Gorgon-class was described as the most powerful warship ever fielded by the terrans of the Koprulu sector, and was larger than the Behemoth-class that had borne the bulk of terran fleet service through the Great War. Its interior included a bridge and extensive crew facilities, among them cantinas and rec rooms. The class was fitted with thousands of optic sensors and multiple laser batteries, and could field a crew complement of between six thousand and eight thousand terrans. (StarCraft Field Manual; StarCraft II: Flashpoint; StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty)
In terms of survivability, the Gorgon-class was set apart from earlier types by its ability to withstand multiple hits from a Yamato cannon, the heavy energy weapon carried by earlier battlecruisers. The class shared in the general battlecruiser lineage of neosteel armor, energy shielding, and warp-capable propulsion, but was distinguished by its scale and its resilience at the upper limit of terran shipbuilding. (StarCraft; StarCraft II: Flashpoint)
The Bucephalus#
The leading known ship of the class was the Bucephalus, a Gorgon outfitted as a flagship in 2503 and crewed by approximately 8,239 personnel. The Bucephalus was the flagship of the Terran Dominion and was, as of 2504, the largest battlecruiser ever built. It served Emperor Arcturus Mengsk and his son Valerian Mengsk through the Second Great War, including the campaign against Sarah Kerrigan on Char and the rogue flight that followed her rescue. (StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty; StarCraft II: Flashpoint)
The Bucephalus measured some 560 meters long and 82.4 meters wide, and was reckoned both larger than the Behemoth-class Hyperion and the biggest battlecruiser the terrans had ever built. (StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty; StarCraft II: Flashpoint)
Place among the battlecruiser classes#
The Gorgon-class belonged to a long progression of terran battlecruiser types. The Leviathan-class had been largely supplanted by the Behemoth-class by the start of the 26th century, and the Behemoth in turn was succeeded by improved designs including the Minotaur-class and, in Dominion Special Forces service under Valerian Mengsk, the Moirai-class. Against this lineage the Gorgon stood as the most powerful warship the terrans had ever produced. Its name, like the Minotaur's, comes from Greek myth, while the Behemoth and Leviathan take theirs from the Bible. (StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade; StarCraft: Queen of Blades; StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty; StarCraft Field Manual; StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Gorgon-class battlecruiser?
- The Gorgon-class was a class of terran capital ship and the most powerful warship ever fielded by the terrans of the Koprulu sector. It was larger than the Behemoth-class and stood at the top of the lineage of battlecruisers reaching back to the early days of the Terran Confederacy.
- What made the Gorgon-class more powerful than earlier battlecruisers?
- The Gorgon-class could withstand multiple hits from a Yamato cannon, the heavy energy weapon carried by earlier battlecruisers. It was fitted with thousands of optic sensors and multiple laser batteries, and shared the battlecruiser lineage of neosteel armor, energy shielding, and warp-capable propulsion.
- How large was a Gorgon-class crew?
- The Gorgon-class could field a crew complement of between six thousand and eight thousand terrans. Its interior included a bridge and extensive crew facilities such as cantinas and rec rooms.
- What was the Bucephalus?
- The Bucephalus was the best-known ship of the Gorgon-class, a Gorgon outfitted as the flagship of the Terran Dominion in 2503 with a crew of roughly 8,239. It measured some 560 meters long and 82.4 meters wide and was, as of 2504, the largest battlecruiser ever built.
- Why was the class named Gorgon?
- Like several battlecruiser classes, it took its name from mythology. The Gorgon and the Minotaur come from Greek myth, while the Behemoth and Leviathan come from the Bible.
Gallery
Images via StarCraft Wiki
Sources
- GameStarCraft, Blizzard Entertainment, 1998
- GameStarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Blizzard Entertainment, 2010
- GameStarCraft II: Legacy of the Void, Blizzard Entertainment, 2015
- BookStarCraft: Liberty's Crusade, Jeff Grubb, 2001
- BookStarCraft: Queen of Blades, Aaron Rosenberg, 2006
- BookStarCraft II: Flashpoint, Christie Golden, 2012
- BookStarCraft Field Manual, Rick Barba, Insight Editions, 2015
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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