Kingship is a military designation for Vanduul capital ships that serve as the apparent flagships of some especially large Vanduul Clans. The Kingship is the largest type of Vanduul capital asset encountered and is the most powerful class of known warship. Functionally, a Kingship is a dreadnought, fleet carrier, command and control ship and assault transport combined in a single hull. They are very rarely seen, and have only been observed during large-scale Vanduul raids. When present, they operate with a large number of other craft, including ships of the line, support vessels and screens of skirmishers. Xeno-anthropologists believe that the possession of a Kingship is a powerful symbol in Vanduul martial culture, signifying a Clan's power and strength.
CONSTRUCTION
While the method of a Kingship's construction is unclear, based on scans of the ships and evidence collected from raid sites, they seem to have been built in zero gravity environments with the aid of advanced technology. Kingship silhouettes can differ from Clan to Clan, suggesting that the ships are either custom made or modified by the Clan in possession of it. Clans may add weapons, armor, modules, and other pieces to the base ship as they conduct raids and grow in martial prowess.
ENCOUNTERS
Kingships have likely been in service for centuries, though their discovery by the United Empire of Earth(UEE) is relatively recent. The UEE first encountered a Kingship on 18 February 2712, during the Vanduul invasion of the Orion system. The Kingship in question surprised Orion's defenders and immediately turned the tide of the battle in favor of the Vanduul, forcing the UEE Navy to retreat to the Tiber system. The Vanduul did not continue their raid beyond Orion. Instead, the attacking clan kept the ship in question in orbit of the former Human colony for over a year as it gathered resources.
On 7 July 2884, a Clan led by a Kingship slipped past the Caliban system's sensor beacons and sparked the Fall of Caliban, resulting in both the loss of the system and the 89th UEE Navy Logistic Support Squadron. The Kingship reentered Vanduul space shortly after the end of the battle.
In 2940, the UEE Navy severely damaged a Kingship as part of Operation Unilateral Force, a covert military operation that intended to weaken a single Vanduul clan and inspire infighting in the hope it would distract them from raiding Human colonies. Though the overall operation failed to have the expected impact, the 78th Squadron succeeded in inflicting heavy damage on the Kingship.
A Kingship did not appear in Human space again until 5 October 2945, in the Battle of Vega II. The Navy's 2nd Fleet led by Admiral Ernst Bishop engaged the Kingship and remaining clan. After a fierce battle, the UEES Gauntlet charged the weakened Kingship at ramming speed. Both the Gauntlet and the Kingship were destroyed, marking the first time Human forces have successfully downed a Vanduul Kingship.
IMPACT
The sheer mass, firepower, and mystery surrounding Kingships has made them an object of extreme interest in the UEE. Due to their presence at key Vanduul invasions of Human space they have become symbolic of the extreme nature of the Vanduul threat. Human politicians frequently cite the threat of Kingships as justification for increased military spending.