Work In Progress Zenithian Warship - Cutters

[Nepheli N. Tzunidahr]

Ship Name: Cutter
Credits: ChatGPT
Type: Seaship
Purpose: Light Warship / Patrol / Escort (Sundagger-class)
Consolidation Thread: N/A (WIP)
Architect: The Shipwrights of Caridad — a coastal guild specializing in modular steamer-schooners outfitted for high maneuverability and light warfare.
Description: The Sundagger-class Cutter is a sleek, fast-moving warship that forms the core of Zenith’s pirate fleet. Built for speed and aggression, these vessels are rigged with reinforced sails and side-mounted steam turbines, giving them superior control in both pursuit and retreat. Their hulls are copper-braced and outfitted with rotating deck cannons, chain-shot mortars, and boarding ramps, ideal for fast skirmishes and ambushes. Though lightly armored compared to the flagship, their numbers and coordination allow them to overwhelm larger targets with precision strikes. The Sundagger’s figurehead varies by province but often depicts a stylized blade or sunburst motif.

ATTRIBUTES

• Main Stats
  
  • Defence: Average
    ▪ Defensive Elements:
    • Copper-braced hulls
    • Collapsible smoke canopies for concealment
    • Rudimentary steam-pressure shielding (short-range)
  • Offence: High
    ▪ Offensive Elements:
    • Twin deck-mounted chain-cannons
    • Harpoon gun and powder-ram catapult
    • Oil-drop mines deployable from stern
  • Durability: Average
  • Scarcity: Provincial (common across the Crown’s coastline)
• TvM Requirement: 4v1

Strengths

• Speed and Agility: Capable of quick maneuvers in shallow and narrow waterways, ideal for interception or escape.
• Pack Hunter Mentality: Sundagger crews operate in tight squadrons, using flanking and encirclement to take down slower or larger ships.

Weaknesses

• Limited Armor: Vulnerable to concentrated cannon fire and aerial bombardment.
• Short Operational Range: Requires regular refueling or supply ship support due to its steam-assisted propulsion.

Historical Information

The Sundagger-class Cutter was developed during Nepheli’s southern campaign as a multi-role vessel suited for piracy, patrol, and provincial defense. Their early deployment ensured swift domination of rebel coastal towns and blockade runners. Though none have seen major naval conflict yet, they’ve proven effective in quelling uprisings, escorting dignitaries, and establishing Zenithian naval presence along the frontier.