DSS Bonaventure

Summary
The DSS Bonaventure was the first major FTL-Drive ship of the new Bonaventure-class, designed for Drive use, rather than on the old Archaeo-max frame. It was renowned for its speed and firepower, but as a battlecruiser it was felt to be lacking in armour, as shown by the heavy damage it took as Grand-Admiral Bellico's flagship at the Battle of Altair Gate.

History
The discovery of the FTL Drive by the research labs at Altair led to a frenzy of competition among the various starship manufacturers and designers of the Neo-Terran Directorate to design the first new non-Archaeo-max warship. The design short-list was said to include Directorate Autonetics' Vengeance-class, Deneb Fleet Systems' Resolution-class, and Centauri Star Facilities' Conqueror-class. However, the laurels went to the hitherto little-known Imperial Battle Designs' Bonaventure-class, which was considered to be appropriately different and fast. Its predecessor, the Dreadnought-class, had been considered too slow and its main armament, while powerful, to be unreliable.

The Bonaventure was commissioned by Directorate Aero-space Command on the executive authority of the Ruling Council of Neo-Terra at the Capella central shipyards. It was supposed to be the command ship of an all-new FTL-Drive designed battlefleet that was to be sent to investigate, and hopefully recover, the Sol system. Shortly after its completion, however, the Altair Rebellion broke out, and it was merged hastily into the Combined Directorate Armada sent to Altair.

At the Battle of Altair Gate it was widely praised for its impressive speed, which enabled it to catch the rebel fleet off-guard, however its speed was so impressive that it outpaced the rest of the armada and was thus forced to attack the entire fleet by itself. Its impressive firepower devastated the enemy vessels, a testament to its powerful Quad Phase-Transition engines, but its relatively light armour meant that it was almost destroyed. Fortunately, as history shows, the rest of the Combined Directorate Armada arrived in time to save the Bonaventure and Grand-Admiral Nanako Bellico, its commander.

Following the battle, it was required to spend extensive time at Capella being repaired and refitted, and as a result did not take part in the controversial Scouring of Altair. Its sister ship, the DSS Deviator was temporarily flagship during that action and until the Bonaventure returned to active service as flagship of the newly reformed Directorate Star Forces.

The Bonaventure continued as flagship throughout the subsequent Neo-Terran Directorate intervention in the Acturus Sucession Crisis, the quelling of the Vega Supremacist Front, and the unfortunate Epsilon Sagittarii Seccession Incident.

Its poor armour and overclocked speed continued to be a matter that plagued its class until its official replacement by the Belisarius-class battleship. The Bonaventure-class continues to remain in service, however, and the Bonaventure itself is now serving in the Capella Defence Fleet under Hecto-Admiral Akito Harris.

Battle Honours
Altair Rebellion Altair

Acturus Allied Action Tau Ceti, Acturus

Vega Detached Duty Naos, Mira, Beta Aquilae, Vega

Epsilon Sagittarii Battlefleet Duty Aldebaran, Alpha Trianguli Australis, Epsilon Sagittarii

Its poor armour and overclocked speed continued to be a matter that plagued its class until its official replacement by the Belisarius-class battleship. The Bonaventure-class continues to remain in service in a heavy-support role, however, and the Bonaventure itself is now serving in the Capella Defence Fleet under Hecto-Admiral Akito Harris.