Styx-class Heavy Cruiser

The Styx-class Heavy Cruiser was used throughout the Segmentum Obscurus and in many fleets of the Ultima Segmentum during the 32nd and 33rd millennia. In most fleets they were later phased out, in favour of the new Mars-class Battlecruiser was created with its deadly nova cannon armament. With the advent of the newer cruisers, many of the old heavy cruisers were given less and less attention for refits and rearming. This led to a number of Captains denouncing the Imperium and turning renegade. In the Gothic War the Styx class was essential for the followers of Abaddon in many battles, as its considerable flight bays can house and launch almost as many attack craft as an Emperor-class Battleship. Particularly during several planetary assaults, bombers from Styx class heavy cruisers were used for destroying ground based defenses before larger vessels and troop transports entered low orbit.

Mustering a considerable array of long range weapons batteries to complement its sizeable launch bays, the Styx is even more formidable than its considerable tonnage would suggest. There are seven recorded instances of Styx class heavy cruisers fighting against the forces of the Emperor in the Segmentum Obscurus before the Gothic War. During that conflict, this figure rose to thirty nine major fleet battles involving Styx class ships, demonstrating the value the followers of the Ancient Powers placed on their capabilities. Although there were at least five ships of this class ranged against the Imperium during that campaign only two were identifiable: the Horrific and the Heartless Destroyer. Both laid down in the Cypra Mundi dockyards in the early 33rd millennium, the Heartless Destroyer and Horrific were frequently in action together. In 299.M35 the Heartless Destroyer, the older of the two vessels, withdrew from an engagement against traitorous raiders, leaving its companion ship to reduced to a hulk and captured. Until their reappearance during the Gothic War, there had been no more reports of either ship. Certain incidents when the two vessels fought together indicated there was still a great deal of enmity between them and in the Battle for Duran, the Horrific repaid the earlier treachery. It abandoned the Chaos fleet during the final assault of that battle and the Heartless Destroyer was crippled. The badly mauled heavy cruiser was then eventually destroyed when it drifted into range of planetary defense platforms.

Notable Styx Grand Cruisers

 * Horrific
 * Heartless Destroyer

Important Data

 * Hull: Heavy Cruiser
 * Class: Chaos Styx-class Light Cruiser
 * Cross Ref: Blasphemy/Treachery/Heresy/Abomination
 * Security Rating: Epsilon Primus
 * Threat Rating: Alpha Majoris
 * Classification: Maximus
 * Current Location: Unknown
 * Current Status: Active
 * Recommended Response: Termination with Extreme Prejudice