Work In Progress Zenithian Warship - Grappler

[Nepheli N. Tzunidahr]

Ship Name: Grappler
Credits: ChatGPT
Type: Seaship
Purpose: Boarding / Assault / Ship-Capture (Gildclaw-class)
Consolidation Thread: N/A (WIP)
Architect: The Ironsisters of Badas — an all-female collective of enginewrights and mercenary smiths specializing in siegecraft and maritime breaching mechanisms.
Description: The Gildclaw-class Grappler is a compact but brutal assault ship built to punch into enemy vessels and disgorge seasoned boarding parties. Its dual hulls are built with reinforced ramming prows and collapsible claw-like boarding arms powered by compressed steam pistons. These “claws” latch onto enemy ships and draw them in like prey, locking the vessels together for forced boarding. Smoke vents, arc-blade gangways, and fire-belching chimneys give it the look of a mechanical predator on the hunt. Its deck is sparse but rugged, optimized for fast troop deployment and brutal melee clashes.

ATTRIBUTES

• Main Stats
  
  • Defence: High
    ▪ Defensive Elements:
    • Shock-absorbing hull plating
    • Fire-dousing exhaust vents
    • Grapple anchor stabilizers
  • Offence: High
    ▪ Offensive Elements:
    • Steam-powered boarding claws
    • Forward ramming spike
    • Deck-loaded flame pots and thunder tubes
    • Spiked drawbridge ramps for forced ship-to-ship traversal
  • Durability: Very High
  • Scarcity: Semi-Unique (Used in elite raiding flotillas)
• TvM Requirement: 5v1

Strengths

• Close-Quarters Monster: Capable of physically seizing enemy vessels and locking them in place, enabling full boarding takeovers.
• Engineered Shock Assault: Equipped for rapid, high-pressure engagements meant to break morale and overwhelm crews before reinforcements arrive.

Weaknesses

• Limited Range Weapons: Ineffective at long range; must close distance before its tools are effective.
• Vulnerable to Fire Ships: Aggressive approach patterns make it easy to bait or trap if unsupported.

Historical Information

The Gildclaw-class was born from Nepheli’s demand for a vessel that embodied the violent charisma of her reign—fast, personal, and unrelenting. Built by the renegade smiths of Badas, these ships debuted during the final sweeps of La Palas, capturing rebel ships intact for Zenithian retrofitting. While untested in naval warfare abroad, their fearsome reputation has already spread among smugglers and corsairs, many of whom now scuttle their own ships rather than be taken alive by a Gildclaw.