Olympus Mons class

May 2, 2025

Affiliation: Compact Navy
Role: Heavy command cruiser / strategic projection platform
Origin: Mars, during the Earth–Mars War
Current Status: Largest active warship class in the Compact fleet
Notable Examples: CNV Utopia Planitia, Valles Marineris

Summary:
The Olympus Mons–class is a long-serving capital ship line within the Compact Navy, originally developed by Mars during the Earth–Mars War as a counterbalance to Earth’s early naval might. The first of its kind, the Olympus Mons, became a foundational vessel of the newly formed Compact Navy, where it remained in service as both a warship and a political symbol.

Successive generations of the class have grown larger and more powerful, consistently upgraded over time. One earlier run was refitted into the Zephyr class, a streamlined variation with a lighter profile. The current Olympus Mons design is the largest and most powerful vessel type in the Navy, rivaling only Earth’s Woodrow Wilson class in size and prestige.

Design and Capabilities:

  • Hull Shape: Long octagonal cylinder, a hallmark of Martian naval design

  • Projection Drive Arrays: Dishes mounted on the bow and stern enable the ship to generate and stabilize wormholes without hypergate infrastructure

  • Hangar Facilities: Shuttle bays capable of receiving smaller vessels such as the Alcubierre

  • CNC Location: The Command-and-Control Center (CNC) is buried deep in the ship’s center, offering maximum protection from external attack and catastrophic hull breaches

  • Combat Systems: Equipped with full naval armament, heavy shielding, and multi-layered point defense grids

  • Crew Capacity: Sized to support long-term deployment, including full fleet command staff, logistics teams, and AI systems

Strategic Role:
Olympus Mons–class vessels are built as flagships, used for large-scale fleet actions, planetary sieges, and critical strategic missions. Their ability to self-generate wormholes makes them indispensable during crises where gate access is compromised or unavailable. Their defensive configuration—including the recessed CNC—reflects the design priority of battlefield survivability and continuity of command.

Relation to Other Classes:

  • Zephyr Class: A lighter, earlier variant of the Olympus Mons class, later repurposed for mobile support and rapid deployment roles

  • Woodrow Wilson Class: Earth’s flagship capital ship class, evolved in parallel and serving similar command functions. While the Olympus Mons favors cylindrical design and inline projection architecture, the Wilson class resembles more traditional carrier layouts. Both are periodically refit and remain cornerstones of the Navy’s strategic doctrine.