The Emperor-class, or voDleH-class, was a type of Klingon Empire heavy battlecruiser used by the Klingon Imperial Fleet during the 2290s decade.
History and specifications[]
Information on this class of vessel was restricted and thus its capabilities were not truly known. At the time it was in service the Emperor-class was described as "one of the best ships fielded by the KDF".
The voDleH were designed to serve as a vital support element within the Klingon Defense Force by supporting the larger Accuser-class starships. It carried a trilithium-depleted photon torpedo launcher developed by Klingon scientists during that time period. This class of ship was a four-warp nacelled vessel along the classic D7 lines with a pair of nacelles on top with another below the rear section.
The Emperor class cruisers had greater firepower compared to their Federation equivalent, the Excelsior-class starships. However, the voDleH suffered in terms of deflector shield strength and speed, though they were more maneuverable than the Excelsior at impulse. Despite the disadvantages, these battlecruisers were reliable warships and only granted to the best of Klingon commanders due to the fact that they were rarely seen in the Klingon fleets. They tended to serve as sector command ships when a dreadnought was not available.
At the height of their deployment in 2291, two years before the Klingon Empire's major peace treaty with the Federation, there were three dozen ships in service while another four were under construction. Building these vessels was not much trouble for the shipyards as they were produced on strengthened D7 class platforms. Despite this advantage, they shared few components which lengthened its construction time to over two years. (ST video game: Klingon Academy)
