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| Ardala's launch | |||
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| Race: | Draconian Empire | ||
| Type: | Star fortress-class capital ship | ||
| FTL: | |||
| Propulsion: | |||
| Crew: | |||
| Capacity: | |||
| CO: | Princess Ardala | ||
| XO: | Kane | ||
| Role: | {{{role}}} | ||
| Weapons: | Various offensive and defensive weapons | ||
| Armaments: | {{{arm}}} | ||
| Defenses: | {{{def}}} | ||
| Aircraft: | Numerous Hatchet fighters | ||
| Aviation facilities: | {{{facilities}}} | ||
| Fate: | Destroyed above Earth, 2491 CE | ||
| Emblem: | [[Image:{{{emblem}}}|175px|Ship's Emblem]] | ||
| Other Images: | Gallery | ||
| Length: | {{{length}}} | ||
| Width: | {{{width}}} | ||
| Height: | {{{height}}} | ||
| Weight: | {{{weight}}} | ||
| Wingspan: | {{{wingspan}}} | ||
| Other: | {{{otherdi}}} | ||
| Cost: | {{{construction}}} | ||
| Construction Time: | {{{construction}}} | ||
| Hull Size: | {{{hull size}}} | ||
| Hull: | {{{hull}}} | ||
| FTL Cooldown: | {{{ftl cooldown}}} turns | ||
| Speed: | {{{speed}}} m/s | ||
| Turn Rate: | {{{turn rate}}}°/turn | ||
| Armor Total: | {{{armor total}}} | ||
| Armor Left: | {{{armor left}}} | ||
| Armor Right: | {{{armor right}}} | ||
| Armor Front: | {{{armor front}}} | ||
| Armor Rear: | {{{armor rear}}} | ||
| Armor Top: | {{{armor top}}} | ||
| Armor Bottom: | {{{armor bottom}}} | ||
| DRADIS Range: | {{{dradis range}}} m | ||
| Processing Power: | {{{processing power}}} | ||
| Munition Slots: | {{{munitions}}} | ||
| Munition Cooldown Period: | {{{munition cooldown}}} turns | ||
| Squadron Slots: | {{{squadrons}}} | ||
| Special Abilities: | {{{special abilities}}} | ||
| Additional Information | |||
| Information on Ardala's launch filming model | |||
| Ardala's launch in the separate continuity | |||
| Ardala's launch in the primary continuity | |||
- For information on the model, see: Draconia (model).
Draconia is the flagship of the Draconian Empire in 2491 CE. The ship is one of many of King Draco's star fortresses.
History
While on a fake mission of peace to Earth, Princess Ardala and the ship's commander, Kane, use Draconia to launch Hatchet fighters to disrupt the Earth's food supply lines. This faux peace, along with the deployment of Hatchet fighters, is a prelude to invasion.
En route to Earth, Hatchet fighters intercept Ranger 3 and its preserved occupant, Captain William "Buck" Rogers, bringing the 500 year old relic to Draconia. After reviving and debriefing the occupant, as well as fitting the ship with a microtransmitter, Ranger 3 and Rogers depart from Draconia en route to Earth.
After arriving on Earth, Ardala offers Draconia to the Earth's people as a token of goodwill, claiming it to have the newest and greatest in technologies from the Draconian realm.
After taking advantage of Ardala's desires of power and conquest, Rogers is able to infiltrate the ship. He discovers that the ship is not unarmed as per the Draconian's agreement with the Earth Defense Directorate, carrying the very "pirate" fighters that have harassed the Earth's transport ways. Having a thirst for power, and humiliated by Rogers' clear deceit, Ardala orders Kane to ready Draconia for an all out attack against Earth.
After placing explosive munitions in the "tailpipes" of the Hatchet fighters, Rogers is able to incapacitate Draconia's fighter forces, thus permitting the Defense Directorate to take the offensive against Draconia. The ship is subsequently destroyed, thus thwarting the Draconian Empire's plans (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
Other Draconia-type star fortresses are later used by Princess Ardala, suggesting that this is a primary ship class in the Draconian Empire's fleet (BR25: "Escape from Wedded Bliss", "Ardala Returns", "Flight of the War Witch").
Ship
As a star fortress, it bristles with an unspecified plethora of firepower, including squadrons of Hatchet fighters (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
This aggressive, majestic craft colored in bathed in dark reds, with the ship's outer hull festooned with a variety of golden onion dome structures, giving the ship's hull a distinctive asymmetrical appearance.
In addition to a two-pronged "fork" like mandible at the front of the ship, the ship is known for a distinctive "cobra-head" bridge hovering amidships.
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Draconia under attack by "pirates" with amidship explosions (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
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Thunderfighters attached to the Third Force of the Earth Directorate round Draconia's large bulk after launching (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
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The Third Force of the Earth Directorate flies toward Draconia, whose underbelly is briefly seen (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
Locales
Bridge
Draconia's bridge is the nerve center of the ship, featuring a standard repertoire of consoles, viewports, and the like (BR25: "Awakening").
Launch Bays
The launch bays stow small crafts for storage, as well as provide a maintenance and embarkation area for pilots to enter their crafts.
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The Third Force of the Earth Directorate met by Princess Ardala and her entourage (BR25: Film, "Awakening"). Note the upper level in the ceiling above.
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The Third Force of the Earth Directorate's Col. Wilma Deering and William "Buck" Rogers met by Princess Ardala and Kane (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
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Pilots of Third Force of the Earth Directorate scramble to their Thunderfighters aboard Draconia during the faux Pirate Attack on Draconia (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
Launch Channels
Snub superiority fighter crafts, such as the Hatchet fighter, are deployed via launch channels—irregular pentagon-shaped tubes connected to an interior launch bay deeper within the ship. They exit from the underside of Draconia's belly (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
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Hatchet fighter launching from the irregular pentagon-shaped aperture (BR25: "Awakening").
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A clear, unobstructed view of Draconia's launch channel (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
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Four of Draconia's launch channels in a staggered array (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
Landing Bays
Smaller crafts are received in a landing bay.
In the case of Ranger 3, a tractor beam is employed to bring the unpowered relic aboard (BR25: "Awakening").
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A trio of Hatchet fighters flank Ranger 3 as its unpowered bulk is retrieved via tractor beam into Draconia's landing bay (BR25: "Awakening").
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Ardala's Chamber
Princess Ardala's chamber is quartered aboard, featuring various amenities of opulence, including a large bed, make-up station and even a walk-in bath. These chambers feature a recessed floor from the main entry (BR25: "Awakening").
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Princess Ardala tended to by two of her handmaidens (BR25: "Awakening").
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Princess Ardala tended to by her handmaidens aboard Draconia, while Kane informs her of their recovery of Ranger 3 and its human pilot, William "Buck" Rogers (BR25: "Awakening").
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Ardala in her bath, tended to by her handmaidens (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
Ardala's Launch Bay
Princess Ardala's launch is dispatched from the front bay, between the center forward "fork" head of the ship (BR25: Film, "Awakening").
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Ardala's Launch leaves from a bay in Draconia's forward fork (BR25: Film, "Awakening").