The Reinforce-class is a light cruiser used by the Earth Federation Forces and the League Militaire in the series Mobile Suit Victory Gundam.
Technology & Combat Characteristics[]
Allegedly deployed in the U.C. 0100s, the Reinforce-class Cruiser is a modified version of the Clop-class Light Cruiser, and is part of the same modernization program which produced the Space Ark-class Training Cruiser. Amongst these modifications are a retractable bridge, larger boosters, a mobile suit recovery deck mounted to the rear of the ship, and internal fuel tanks similar to the ones possessed by the Space Ark. Unlike the Space Ark however, the Reinforce-class does not lack any sort of heat dispersing radiator fins, but instead miniaturizes them and relocates them under the ship, allowing fuel and power consumption to be kept to optimal efficiencies. Thanks to these upgrades, the Reinforce-class Cruiser is well armed for its size, mounting four twin mega particle cannons as its main weapons.
The speed and maneuverability of the cruiser class was upgraded as well, propelled by a pair of main thrusters and a cluster of six secondary engines, allowing the ship a very favorable thrust to mass ratio. While the class of ship was smaller than its predecessors, it was shown to be capable of carrying and maintaining a moderately large number of mobile suits for its size, capable of launching up to six RGM-122 Javelin and LM111E02 Gun-EZ mobile suits, though in some cases, it's been seen to carry eight. Extensively used in the U.C. 0130s, this class remained in service until U.C. 0153 but it has already aged so much that ships of the class were close to becoming decommissioned for scrap. Despite being an old design, the namesake of the class (handed to the League Militaire) proved to be capable of going toe to toe with some of the new ship classes of the Zanscare Empire.
Armaments[]
- Twin Mega Particle Gun
- The primary armament of the Reinforce are four dual-barreled mega particle turrets, with two mounted on the sides of the ship behind the launch deck and one mounted on each side of the engine array. These guns cannot rotate or traverse to cover the port or starboard sides of the flank, though the guns mounted on the sides of the engines could rotate to aim aft. All guns can rotate on their mountings to aim forwards, above, and below the vessel.
- Triple Anti-Aircraft Gun
- The Reinforce is equipped with eight tri-barreled defensive guns for use in anti-mobile suit defense. Six of these guns are located on the upper hull behind the bridge, with three on each side. The remaining two are mounted on the forward facing edge of the upper engine sections, with one on each side. These defensive anti-aircraft guns are in ball mounts and are shown to have a wide range of articulative movement.
- Missile Launcher
- The Reinforce is equipped with four missile launchers in the bow and depending on the loadout used, are capable of being utilized for anti-ship or anti-mobile suit combat.
History[]
Fielded before and after the Cosmo Babylonia War, the Reinforce-class was deployed by the Earth Federation Forces as an alternative to the Clop-class and the Salamis Kai-class, although it never reached the same level of deployment.
Early during the war with the Zanscare Empire, the name ship of the class, the Reinforce, was dispatched to the League Militaire by the Londonderry Garrison in Ireland and joined the Camion Corps.
Battle of Keilas Guilie[]
After arriving in space and joining up with the Alexandria-class cruiser Gaunland, both vessels proceeded to engage the Keilas Guilie Fleet of the Zanscare Empire. While the Gaunland, having been evacuated and placed under remote computer control, acted as a decoy to draw the escort elements of the Keilas Guilie Fleet away, the Reinforce approached the Squid-class ship Squid 1 and proceeded to board and eventually take over the vessel. This action marks the defeat of the Keilas Guilie Fleet and the capture of the Keilas Guilie cannon for the League Militaire.
Refit[]
Shortly after the defeat of the Keilas Guilie Fleet, the Reinforce brought along the Squid 1 to the La Vie en Rose IV where the two ships were dismantled and rebuilt into a combined battleship, the Reinforce Junior.
Gallery[]
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