design by Brad R. Torgersen
Original Design
NOTES:
Known Sphere Of Operation: Empire-wide use
Data Reliability: A for all models
Major Data Source: Klingon Sector Intelligence, Technological Exchange
Several years after the famed Camp Khitomer conference, which lead to the truce and subsequent alliance between the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of planets, Klingon engineers, in association with Federation scientists, took it upon themselves to try and combine the best attributes of three different -yet equally successful and popular – vessels: The D-7, D-10, and D-32 class cruisers. Also, it was hoped that the Klingon shipyards would be able to incorporate several safety and safeguarding technologies that had been parlayed from the Federation in return for data on modern Klingon cloaking device techniques. In the end, the final ship was to be of Frigate size and tote a heavy armament load. Unlike the three Klingon craft just mentioned, this new ship would be perhaps the first vessel in the inventory not designed to tackle high-tech Starfleet battle cruisers. Instead, it was seen that the ship’s main mission would be to blunt the hostile and cunning jabs of the Romulan Star Navy, which had been harassing the Klingons ever since Camp Khitomer.
Initial design of the ship took place under sub-contract to several major companies in the Empire, with cursory input from Starfleet Engineering Corps and the Vulcan Science Academy. It took less than ten months for the final prints to be drawn, and then another six months to re-tool for the first run of ten ships which would serve as the shakedown guinea pigs.
Also different from previous classes was the fact that there would be three distinct models right from the start. The craft charter called for the first model to be impressively armored and shielded, yet relatively undergunned, seeing as how all A model ships would be billeted to serve the Klingon Empire training schools. Model B would have the same impressive protection, but would posses full weaponry and serve as the main ship of the line. Model C would be up-gunned with the addition of longer-range torpedoes and the replacement of the center-line torpedo assembly with the KP-6; the most damaging Klingon torpedo in the fleet. This last model would be assigned to the command of Imperial Heroes, officers of distinguished service, ranking leaders on the high council, and other nobles in the Empire.
Shakedown cruises for the first run of ten ships were rough, as usual, punctuated with the mysterious explosion of the 8th ship just after going to warp speed in testing space near the Romulan border. Klingon and Starfleet intelligence suggests that the ship accidentally collided with a cloaked Romulan ship which was spying on the new Klingon vessel’s shakedown cruise, but this remains unconfirmed to this date.
The title “Bastard” was given to the ship, not by the engineers, who debated over several names right up to – and past – the date of inception, but by the warriors who served on them and were amused by their peculiar design. Indeed, the L-50’s dual-bulged back looked a lot like the “Bird-of-prey” design, while the command pod, neck and wings were of the classic D-7 line. The topper were the forward-pointed wing-tip mounted weapons bays, which lent themselves to the earlier D-10. Jokes began to circulate that the new L-50 was an illegitimate child of the older designs, and soon it began to go by the unofficial title of Cha’to’ka, which is Klingonaese for “Mongrel”.
The title did not become official until two years after the ship’s induction into the fleet when, in a surprise maneuver, the Romulans launched several heavily-armed raiding lances into the Klingon Border, penetrating deeply and wreaking havoc on multiple Klingon star systems. Immediately, Klingon and Starfleet ships began to rally to the defense, but it was the L-50 that truly distinguished itself.
Time after time, the “bastard’s” surprising load of five torpedo tubes took Romulan commanders off guard, the end result being wrecked Romulan craft and very happy Klingon commanders and crews. In short order, the “Mongrel” of the fleet had become a thoroughbred, driving off the Romulan invasion force and re-establishing the Klingon peace. This remarkable service earned the ship it’s official -though un-glamorous title.
In the years following, several other encounters with Romulan, Gorn and Orion ships have all confirmed the L-50’s powerful punch in a fire fight, and the High Council ordered that other facilities be either re-tooled or constructed for the purpose of getting yearly production of the L-50s up to 13 per year.
Starfleet grew nervous of this new frigate as its numbers ballooned; and understandably so. One to one, L-50 could outfight just about any other Federation frigate or cruiser model of the period, save for the Excelsior-class and Constellation-class ships, both of which were of the same generation as the L-50. However, the Federation Council and Federation President worked hard to calm Starfleet Command’s reservations concerning the new ships. Quoting the late Chancellor Gorkon, “If there is to be a brave new world, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it”, the Council assured Starfleet Command of the Klingon government’s good faith and was convinced that L-50’s would never be sent into battle against Federation citizens.
This remained true for the better part of a century, right up until the rash decision by the now-deceased Chancellor Gowron to split with the Federation regarding Gowron’s paranoia concerning the Cardassians, and his belief that they were being used as a staging ground for a Dominion takeover of the Alpha and Beta quadrants. And even though the L-50 D and E models of the 24th century were aged and somewhat diminutive members of the 24th century Klingon fleet, no ship could be spared as Gowron hurled all his Klingon forces against nearly every Klingon border. L-50s took part in numerous raids on the Federation, proving successful only against older Federation craft of a similar vintage, or against newer Federation designs when massed in strong numbers.
When the Khitomer Accords were finally re-established, the L-50 kept on fighting, along with many of its older sisters. By the time the Dominion War with both Alpha and Beta quadrants was over, the L-50’s numbers were diminished to the point that all remaining models have been slated for scrapping, or sale to families in the Empire. Several old warriors who once captained L-50s in an earlier era have expressed interest in obtaining the ship for personal use, while still others seek them for re-fitting to commercial purpose, or even as museum attractions.
A total of 64 L-50As were built. 2 are listed as missing and were part of a large suspected defection IKS in late 2291. 2 have been destroyed in combat and 1 has been scrapped. 39 As were converted to D models and 20 were converted to E models.
85 L-50Bs were fielded. 3 are listed as missing , 3 have been destroyed including 1 destroyed in the Praxis explosion. 1 has been scrapped and 1 was captured by Romulan forces. 37 were converted to L-50Ds and 40 were converted to L-50Es.
70 L-50Cs were built. 1 is listed as missing and 2 have been destroyed. 32 were converted to L-50Ds and 34 were converted to L-50e’s.
A total of 115 converted L-50 were re-commissioned into the fleet as L-50Ds after 2342. Of those, 1 is listed as missing, 13 have been destroyed, 19 have been scrapped, 10 are used as training vessels, 2 were captured (1 by the Dominion and 1 by the Cardassians), 20 were disarmed and sold, 20 are in reserve fleets and 23 have been sold to ranking families in the empire.
94 L-50s were converted to the E model. 10 are still active by are planned to be deactivated within several years due to their age. 10 have been destroyed, 14 have been scrapped, 10 are used as training vessels, 1 was captured by Cardassian forces, 20 have been sold, 9 are in reserve fleets and 20 have been sold to ranking families in the empire.
| Construction Data: | |||||
| Model – | A | B | C | D | E |
| Ship Class – | XI | XI | XI | XII | XII |
| Date Entering Service – | 2288 | 2288 | 2288 | 2342 | 2342 |
| Number Constructed – | 64 | 85 | 70 | 115 refit | 94 refit |
| Hull Data: | |||||
| Superstructure Points – | 40 | 46 | 48 | 52 | 52 |
| Damage Chart – | C | C | C | C | C |
| Size: | |||||
| Length – | 290 m | 290 m | 290 m | 290 m | 290 m |
| Width – | 270 m | 270 m | 270 m | 270 m | 270 m |
| Height – | 98 m | 98 m | 98 m | 98 m | 98 m |
| Weight – | 165,395 mt | 175,650 mt | 179,670 mt | 209,476 mt | 209,880 mt |
| Cargo: | |||||
| Total SCU – | 260 SCU | 260 SCU | 260 SCU | 260 SCU | 260 SCU |
| Cargo Capacity – | 13,000 mt | 13,000 mt | 13,000 mt | 13,000 mt | 13,000 mt |
| Landing Capacity – | None | None | None | None | None |
| Equipment Date: | |||||
| Control Computer Type – | ZD-7 | ZD-7 | ZD-7 | ZD-8 | ZD-8 |
| Transporters: | |||||
| Standard 6-person – | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Combat-22 person – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Emergency 18-person – | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Cargo – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Other Data: | |||||
| Crew – | 110 | 460 | 460 | 400 | 400 |
| Troops – | – | 90 | 90 | 120 | 120 |
| Passengers – | 520 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| Shuttlecraft – | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Engines And Power Data: | |||||
| Total Power Units Available – | 63 | 63 | 63 | 105 | 105 |
| Movement Point Ratio – | 3/1 | 3/1 | 3/1 | 6/1 | 6/1 |
| Warp Engine Type – | KWE-3 | KWE-3 | KWE-3 | KWI-1 | KWI-1 |
| Number – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Power Units Available – | 20 ea. | 20 ea. | 20 ea. | 41 ea. | 41 ea. |
| Stress Chart – | J/M | J/M | J/M | L/M | L/M |
| Max Safe Cruising Speed – | Warp 8 | Warp 8 | Warp 8 | Warp 8 | Warp 8 |
| Emergency Speed – | Warp 9 | Warp 9 | Warp 9 | Warp 9 | Warp 9 |
| Impulse Engine Type – | KIF-2 | KIF-2 | KIF-2 | KIF-2 | KIF-2 |
| Power Units Available – | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Weapons And Firing Data: | |||||
| Beam Weapon Type – | KD-10 | KD-13 | KD-12 | KD-25 | KD-26 |
| Number – | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Firing Arcs – | 2 f/p, 2 f/s | 2 f/p, 2 f/s | 2 f/p, 2 f/s | 2 f/p, 2 f/s | 2 f/p, 2 f/s |
| Firing Chart – | C | X | H | Y | Y |
| Maximum Power – | 3 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 13 |
| Damage Modifiers: | |||||
| +3 | (-) | (1-7) | (1-3) | (1-7) | (1-7) |
| +2 | (-) | (8-15) | (4-8) | (8-14) | (8-10) |
| +1 | (1-6) | (16-22) | (9-10) | (15-20) | (11-24) |
| Torpedo Weapon Type – | KP-1 | KP-5 | KP-5 | KP-15 | KP-15 |
| Number – | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Firing Arcs – | 2 f/p, 2 f/s, 1 f | 2 f/p, 2 f/s, 1 f | 2 f/p, 2 f/s | 2 f/p, 2 f/s | 2 f/p, 2 f/s |
| Firing Chart – | F | Q | Q | T | T |
| Power to Arm – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Damage – | 6 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 16 |
| Torpedo Weapon Type – | – | – | KP-6 | KP-11 | KP-12 |
| Number – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Firing Arcs – | – | – | 1 f | 1 f | 1 f |
| Firing Chart – | – | – | R | R | P |
| Power to Arm – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Damage – | – | – | 20 | 26 | 28 |
| Shield Data: | |||||
| Deflector Shield Type – | KSP | KSP | KSP | KSU | KSU |
| Shield Point Ratio – | 1/3 | 1/3 | 1/3 | 1/4 | 1/4 |
| Maximum Shield Power – | 15 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 30 |
| Combat Efficiency: | |||||
| D – | 144.2 | 152.8 | 155.6 | 218.4 | 218.4 |
| WDF – | 10.3 | 50.3 | 48.6 | 99.9 | 103.4 |