Helghast Cruiser

The Helghast Cruiser is the standard warship of the Helghast Fleet. Their design is based on the vessels developed by the Helghan Corporation prior to the First Extrasolar War. Despite of its rather antiquated design, the cruiser's features fulfilled the requirements of both Helghast combat doctrines and war economy necessities in the decades leading to the Second Extrasolar War.

Specifications
The cruiser is approximately 500 meters long from bow to stern and measures approximately 200 meters at the widest point between the port to starboard engines. It has atmospheric input and output capacity, achieved through a parabolic movement at a reduced angle to avoid overheating and melting its surfaces with friction. The bridge is located in an out-rigging superstructure on the ship's topside, which is heavily armored from incoming fire. The cruiser holds up to six Overlord Dropships on its stern deployment racks, and twenty-two Leech Pods (with eleven mounted on each side). It has a ventral cargo hold used to carry supplies and vehicles. A smaller and secure bay is located under the bridge, between the server room and the engine room, in which it used for storing hazardous materials such as fuel, explosives or biohazard samples. Communications are performed through a folding antenna located behind the engines. Four modules placed in front of the bridge, between the dorsal "fins", forms an overlapping sensor network for combat and navigation. The cruiser is also equipped with floodlights.

The cruiser's six massive repulsion engines, very similar to those found on the Overlord Dropship, provide the vessel with the necessary thrust to keep up and in motion and are powered and cooled through a series of conduits that connect them to the ship's main reactor in the engine room. Though not confirmed, the ship's main reactor is powered by Petrusite. A series of characteristic "fins" visible in different points of the ship, the most prominent of which are located at the bow and in front of the deck, provide the necessary control surface for atmospheric maneuvers while secondary thrusters are used for space operations.

Though heavily armored, the cruiser is outclassed in direct battle against its far more advanced UCA and ISA counterparts due to its obsolescent armor plating and archaic design based on upgrading the older Helghan Corporation colonial transport ships. The Helghast compensated this technological disparity by relying on overwhelming force and unconventional combat such as launching boarding operations via Leech Pods.

Armament
The cruiser's weapon systems includes long-range missile batteries located in three modules on each side in front of the engines and numerous anti-aircraft artillery posts placed on the surface of the ship.