Akkan Battlecruiser
From Sins of a Solar Empire
 TEC
Akkan Battlecruiser
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Manual Description: Even in this modern age of faster than light travel, traversing between star systems can still take months. While military personnel grudgingly accept the cramped quarters of their warships, the distinctive biodomes of Akkan-class battlecruisers suggest civilian colonists are less compromising with their comfort on long voyages.
With the risk of combat now ever-present, the Akkan design was outfitted with additional weapons and a modest fighter bay.
Overview:The Akkan is a very durable ship, perhaps the most durable in the game next to the Kol. The battlecruiser, with its port-sided guns, is able to take on and destroy any other capital ship so long as the user of the Akkan knows the opposing cap ships weak points,(area where guns have little or no firepower. EX: Jarrasul weak point: back and sides.)has the time for a long battle and has agreed to a 1-on-1 cap ship battle with another faction. This ship should not engage any ship alone unless the opposing ship itself is alone.
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| Ship Type: | Capital |
| Faction: | TEC |
| Primary Role: | Support / Colonization |
| Shield Power: | High |
| Hull Points: | Very High |
| Armor Level: | Medium |
| Armor Type: | Capital |
| Weapons (Fore): | 2 x Pulse Lasers / 1 x Heavy AutoCannon / Ship-to-Surface Nuclear Missiles |
| Weapons (Side): | 4 x Heavy Pulse Lasers (Starboard) / 2 x Heavy Pulse Lasers (Port) / 3 x Heavy AutoCannons (Port) |
| Squadrons Supported: | 1 - 3 |
| Compliment: | 4,000 |
 Colonize |  Ion Bolt |  Targeting Uplink |  Armistice |  Ability Management |
 Attack |  Stop |  Move |  Tactics Management | Squadron Management |
[edit] Tactics
- As part of a group, Akkan Battlecruisers are most valuable for their Targeting Uplink "aura," which increase a fleet's engagement range and ability to counteract accuracy penalties (although this is situational, as the base level accuracy is 100%); and their ability to temporarily stun single targets with their Ion Bolt ability. The latter is perhaps most effective when preventing a fleeing capital ship from jumping out of the system; in concert with Demolition Bots, it can be difficult for enemy ships to both make it to the edge of the gravity well and execute a successful phase jump. On its own, the Akkan acts as a combination of meat shield, light carrier, colonization frigate, and orbital bombardment platform, making it an exceptionally versatile platform. Though its abilities do not contribute directly to combat in the same manner as a more specialized vessel, such as the Kol Battleship or Dunov Battlecruiser, the Akkan is valuable as an empire-builder.
- While its abilities may be limited on the offensive, one area in which it can excel in is when fighting on the defensive - its Targeting Uplink can grant extra range to defensive turrets, potentially allowing more to fire on hostiles than otherwise, and the Ion Bolt ability can be used to stall a hostile capital ships attempts to jump away if the attack is aborted - potentially allowing the massed firepower present to turn a narrow escape into a costly loss.
- Though not the most formidable capital ship in the TEC arsenal, the Akkan is a common choice for a player's first capital ship, if only because an Akkan can perform the functions of fleet of Cobalt Light Frigates and Protev Colony Frigates, only without the cost and micromanagement necessary to employ the latter. In addition, an Akkan can usually subdue all but the strongest garrisons, and can perform orbital bombardment if necessary. In short: by providing a player with the functions of a Cobalt, Protev, Percheron Light Carrier and Krosov Siege Frigate, all in one package, the Akkan, when taken as a player's first capital ship, permits players to devote resources to the following:
- An additional colonization group composed of Cobalts and a Protev, for rapid empire expansion
- Infrastructure and economy, namely trade ports
- Military research, specifically the acquisition of Javelis LRM Frigates or Percherons for early raids
- The only problem with the usage of an Akkan as an initial capital ship is its predictability. An Akkan as opening capital ship means that the player lacks a MILITARY capital ship, allowing the opposing player to attack with comparative safety. A well-played attack will usually trump rapid expansion, and an Akkan as opening capital ship broadcasts impending expansion. This, of course, can be used to a player's advantage: by choosing the ion cannon ability early on, the player can use an Akkan to trick the opposing player into a rush.
- Another mostly underrated point of the Akkan Battlecruiser is its Armstice ability. It essentially forces you and your enemy into a temporary cease fire. Useless you would think right? How wrong you would be. The Armstice ability on many occasions is what will save your very expensive fleet from total annhilation in the face of a superior fleet or more stalwart planetary defenses. By this I mean a Starbase where there was not one in your last scouting mission. Armstice will prevent the enemy from attacking your ships while they make a safe, unharmed and unmolested retreat. If your opponent decides to chase you it will be at least on neutral or your own territory then if not potential crisis averted.
