Chaos Escorts
Infidel Class Frigate
Size: 1.5 KM long, 0.3 KM abeam at the wings
Crew: 24,000
Max Acceleration: 5 g
Defences: faramite-alloy armour plating, 1 Escort class Void shield.
Standard Main Armament: 4 sub-macro plasma weapon batteries (2 per broadside), 4 light torpedo launchers
Standard secondary Armament: Turbo lasers, missile banks and autocannons (belly and spine mounted, undetermined numbers)
Auxiliary craft: 2 Arvus lighters
Lore: The Infidel is the original design for, and 'sister class' to, the Falchion Class frigates in service with the Imperium. The Infidel was effectively designed as a replacement for the Cobra Class destroyers, having the same number of torpedo tubes and similarly high speed, but with greater ship-to-ship firepower and armour protection. Combining the duties of torpedo boat with a fearsome battery of plasma weapons and frigate durability. When compared to the Falchion she has comparable armour, has similar speed and more torpedo launchers; but has weaker weapon batteries. The Conflict of Abumbria demonstrating the superiority of the Imperial weapon batteries, the Falchions able to evade the mass torpedo attacks and destroy the Infidels with their greater number of mass-driver weapon batteries.
The deadly combination of the armour and firepower of a frigate with the torpedo armament and speed of destroyer did make the Infidel a deadly threat to the Imperium in large fleet engagements and in raids however. Squadrons could launch many torpedoes to break up formations and cripple large targets, then close in and destroy enemy escorts and even damage larger targets when focusing fire with their weapon batteries. They could shrug off damage from similar sized weapon batteries and make a swift get away with their high speed. Most notable action of the Infidel being when Talon squadron, made up of 5 Infidels, critically damaged the Ship of Rogue Trader Jeremiah Blitz in the Calixis sector. The enraged outlaw swearing to reduce every Infidel he saw henceforth into drifting wrecks.
Idolator Class Frigate
Size: 1.6 KM long, 0.4 KM abeam at the wings
Crew: 26,000
Max Acceleration: 4.8 g
Defences: faramite-alloy armour plating, 1 Escort class Void shield.
Standard Main Armament: 1 lance battery (4 lance barrels, prow mounted), 4 laser-based sub-macro cannons (2 per broadside)
Standard secondary Armament: Turbo lasers, missile banks and autocannons (belly and spine mounted, undetermined numbers)
Auxiliary craft: 2 Arvus lighters
Lore: The Idolator is a mysterious and terrifyingly powerful escort that continues to prove an enigma to Imperial fleet intelligence. Little about this ship is known beyond the numerous confrontations involving vessels and what could be salvaged from wrecks. Best guesses put the ship's origin being from Xana II, a forge World corrupted by Chaos near the Eye of Terror, and the ship incorporates technology which is of Tau origin. How and when Chaos got their hands on such technology is unknown, but what this Xenos technology is used for is clear in the ship's armament.
The Idolator has a prow mounted lance battery, a feat that should be impossible for a ship of her size given the power requirements, and a few highly accurate and long range weapon batteries. The stolen technology is being used to enable the Idolator to power a cruiser-grade lance battery, as well as an advanced targeting matrix allowing for the terrifying accuracy at long range. The Idolator is also faster than its Imperial rival, the Firestorm, the only comfort the Imperial navy having in terms of advantages being that the Idolator is not as numerous as the Firestorm nor is it as heavily armoured. The Idolator's firepower and speed make her a true menace to ships of any size. A single Idolator able to match the firepower of a whole squadron of other escorts, a group of the tiny terrors able to systematically take apart larger cruisers and even Battleships in relatively short order with their lances.
Iconoclast-class Destroyer
Size: 1.3 KM long, 0.4 KM abeam at the wings
Crew: 16,500
Max Acceleration: 7.2 g
Defences: faramite-alloy armour plating, 1 Escort class Void shield.
Standard Main Armament: 10 sub-Macro Weapon batteries (4 on each broadside, 2 on frontal turrets)
Standard secondary Armament: Turbo lasers, missile banks and autocannons (belly and spine mounted, undetermined numbers)
Auxiliary craft: 2 Arvus lighters
Lore: Iconoclast is perhaps the most numerous vessel in service with Chaos. The ship is also a rare vessel for being a ship in service with Chaos which is of neither Imperial or Chaos origin, the Iconoclast being designed and built by pirates and private dockyards. The ship design's age is unknown, but being produced on mass by both Chaos in the Immaterium and by pirate and traitor dock yards hidden across the Imperium, the ship is the most numerous and frequently sighted Chaos service vessel. Frequently being found raiding convoys and attacking space stations across many sectors within the Imperium seemingly since time began.
The Iconoclast follows a simple, pirate-centric, design philosophy: Stick as many guns as possible onto as fast a ship as possible with as much cargo space possible. This means the Iconoclast stands out among other escorts for its impressive number of short-range weapon batteries and high speed. However, she has thin armour even by escort standards: a Sword Class frigate is able to tear a Iconoclast in half with its Laser-based batteries. The Iconoclast mostly gets around this weakness by being so incredible numerous. Roving swarms of the ships being found in service with Chaos and Pirate forces. With private forces its high speed is used to get in among convoy columns and blast any enemy escorts into oblivion with the large number of plasma weapon batteries, cripple the transport's engines and life support systems, and then get away quick with a substantial amount of loot using the ship's larger-than-average cargo bays. In Chaos service, they are used as a disposable shield for larger vessels and as cannon fodder in large assaults, the ships often being crewed by Pirates and mercenaries joining the Chaos fleets through promises of riches and spoils of war.
Apostate Class Heavy Frigate
Size: 3 KM long, 0.5 KM abeam at the wings
Crew: 34,000
Max Acceleration: 4 g
Defences: faramite-alloy armour plating, 1 Escort class Void shields.
Standard Main Armament: 1 Lance turret (dorsal/prow mounted), 4 Laser-Macro Cannons (2 per broadside)
Standard secondary Armament: Turbo lasers, missile banks and autocannons (belly and spine mounted, undetermined numbers)
Auxiliary craft: 4 Arvus lighters
Lore: It is unknown exactly when or for what purpose the Apostate was designed to fill, but the Imperial Navy's encounters with the ship have confirmed it is highly effective as Both a combat vessel and a commerce raider.
The ship is uncharacteristically large and slow for a Chaos vessel, much like its Loyalist cousin the Turbulent in that regard, but it also carries a monstrous armament. Each Apostate is equipped like a miniature cruiser: with a front-dorsal lance turret and a (albeit small) battery of macro weapons. This makes the Heavy frigate a brutal opponent for any who face her in a gunnery duel, able to stand toe-to-toe with any light cruiser; her only real weaknesses being her slow speed and relatively weak armour protection. A Dauntless cruiser, or even a Turbulent Heavy Frigate, being quite capable of catching her and ripping through her thin protection: provided they can survive the savage reply to such an attack first.