Leviathan-class battlecruiser
the early terran capital ship supplanted by the Behemoth
The Leviathan-class was an early type of terran battlecruiser that had largely been replaced by the Behemoth-class by the start of the 26th century. It could travel through warp space, but its auxiliary craft ports sat dangerously close to the bridge, leaving the class vulnerable to enemy boarding actions.
The Leviathan-class battlecruiser was an early type of terran battlecruiser, a capital ship used in the Koprulu sector. By the start of the 26th century it had become uncommon, having largely been supplanted by the newer Behemoth-class. Like the battlecruisers that followed it, the Leviathan took its name from scripture, sharing the biblical pedigree of the Behemoth that replaced it.
Design and capabilities#
The Leviathan-class was uncommon by the start of the 26th century, having largely been supplanted by the Behemoth-class that succeeded it. Like other battlecruisers, the class could travel through warp space, allowing it faster-than-light flight between the worlds of the Koprulu sector. Auxiliary craft docked at hydraulic ports built into the vessel, but those ports sat perilously close to the bridge, a flaw that made the Leviathan vulnerable to enemy boarding actions. As with the wider line of terran battlecruisers, the class was armed with laser weapons and protected by neosteel armor.
Successor and legacy#
The Leviathan-class belonged to the early history of the terran battlecruiser, a lineage that reached back to the days of the Terran Confederacy. Its weaknesses were addressed by the Behemoth-class, which became the most common type of battlecruiser during the Great War and a noticeable improvement over its predecessor. Where the Leviathan was confined to warp travel and exposed to boarders, the Behemoth could operate within atmospheres and land on planetary surfaces, and it proved far less vulnerable to enemy boarding actions. Two Leviathan-class ships were recorded by name, the Merrimack, a battlecruiser that had been converted into a prison ship, and the Thunder Child.
Frequently asked questions
- What was the Leviathan-class battlecruiser?
- The Leviathan-class was an early type of terran battlecruiser, a capital ship used in the Koprulu sector. It was uncommon by the start of the 26th century, having largely been supplanted by the newer Behemoth-class.
- What was the Leviathan-class capable of?
- Like other battlecruisers, the Leviathan could travel through warp space for faster-than-light flight. Its auxiliary craft docked at hydraulic ports, but those ports sat perilously close to the bridge, making the class vulnerable to enemy boarding actions.
- How did the Behemoth-class improve on the Leviathan?
- The Behemoth-class became the most common battlecruiser of the Great War and a noticeable improvement over the Leviathan. Unlike the Leviathan, the Behemoth could operate within atmospheres and land on planetary surfaces, and it was less vulnerable to enemy boarding actions.
- Which Leviathan-class ships were known by name?
- Two named Leviathan-class vessels were recorded, the Merrimack and the Thunder Child. The Merrimack was a battlecruiser that had been converted into a prison ship.
Sources
- WikiLeviathan-class battlecruiser — StarCraft Wiki entry
- WikiPrison ship — StarCraft Wiki entry
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Related entries
Battlecruiser
The battlecruiser was the terran sector's capital ship, a heavily armed and armored warship dating back to the early Confederacy that served as both a general-purpose combatant and a fleet command vessel.
Behemoth-class battlecruiser
The Behemoth-class was the most common terran battlecruiser of the Great War, an improvement over the Leviathan-class that could travel through warp space, operate in atmosphere, and land on planets. It was the class of the famed Hyperion and remained in service well into the Second Great War.
Neosteel
Neosteel was an exceptionally durable material used by the terrans for everything from battlecruiser hulls and CMC armor to bunkers and personal weapons. Its manufacture required catalytic elements, and to be "like neosteel" was a terran idiom for great strength of will.
Great War
The Great War was the first open conflict between the protoss and the zerg in the Koprulu Sector, with the terrans caught between two ancient enemies. It saw the fall of the Confederacy, the rise of the Terran Dominion, the infestation of Sarah Kerrigan, and the death of the Overmind over Aiur.
Terran Confederacy
The Terran Confederacy, also called the Confederacy of Man, was the dominant human government of the Koprulu sector before the Great War, ruled by the Old Families of Tarsonis and brought down by the zerg invasion and the Sons of Korhal rebellion.
Koprulu Sector
The Koprulu sector was a remote region of space on the galactic fringe, settled by exiled humans and once spanned by the Protoss Empire. It became the battleground of the terrans, protoss, and zerg across the Great War, the Brood War, and beyond.
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