The Starfleet Museum - Romulan Ships during the Earth-Romulan War

Although the United Earth (UE) Alliance was at war with the Romulan Star Empire from 2156 through 2160, they knew very little about the ships of their enemies. The Romulans' standard practice of self-destruction with fusion weapons before possible capture meant that no reasonably intact Romulan ship had ever been examined at a range of less than 1000 km by any UE Stellar Navy (UESN) personnel. Even after 50 Romulan ships had been destroyed several light years within UE space at the Battle of Hell's Gate, the largest piece of a Romulan ship recovered by the UE Office of Technology Assessment weighed less than 10 tons. In fact, difficult as it is for us to understand today, the UE had no knowledge that the Romulans were an offshoot of the Vulcan race until more than a century after the end of the war. What little was known about Romulan ships was based on long-range scans and microtorpedo reconnaissance probes. Therefore, our estimates of Romulan ships' performance are based on observations during combat, and internal arrangements are largely conjectural.

However, in the more than two centuries since the end of the war, Federation historians have learned somewhat more about the Romulans' strategy and weapons. In particular, a Romulan commander who defected to the United Federation of Planets in 2268 was a valuable source of information, as persons with first-hand knowledge of the war were still alive at the time. Knowledge of the Romulans' primary war aim of conquering their ancestral homeworld of Vulcan was obtained from this source. In more recent years, the Klingons have also given us much valuable information. Since the end of the Dominion War and the posting of Ambassador Worf as envoy to Qo'onos, Federation historians have been granted limited access to Klingons records concerning their contacts with the Romulans, both in times of war and times of peace. Despite these valuable sources, however, much about the Romulans prosecution of the war remains unknown.

At the start of the war in 2156 UESN Intelligence estimated, on the basis of the number of ships observed in combat, in orbit, and in transit between planets, that Romulan ships outnumbered UESN ships by a ratio of approximately 2.5 to 1. Romulan hull materials and power output levels appeared to be similar to those of UESN ships, which at the start of the war were all fusion powered. There was no evidence that the Romulans had developed matter/antimatter (M/AM)-powered ships, which would enter service with the UESN in 2157. In fact, there was no evidence that the Romulans were using antimatter for any purpose, even as munitions.

The Romulans were aware of their superiority in warship tonnage, at least in border regions, and as a result were quite optimistic of victory in what they hoped would be a short conflict. However, this superiority would not help the Romulans' achieve their war aims as neither they or the UESN had ships that could make unrefueled interstellar attacks. Furthermore, any advantage that the Romulans had would likely be rendered moot within 1 year, when the first M/AM-powered ships would enter service with the UESN. The Romulans, of course, had no way of knowing that any chance of their winning the war would soon slip out of reach.

Orthographic views	Deck plans, part 1 created by Allen Rolfes (see notes)	Deck plans, part 2 created by Allen Rolfes (see notes)

	Cargo variant plans, part 1 created by Allen Rolfes (see notes)	Cargo variant plans, part 2 created by Allen Rolfes (see notes)

	Tanker variant plans, part 1 created by Allen Rolfes (see notes)	Tanker variant plans, part 2 created by Allen Rolfes (see notes)

Crew complement: 1000
Weapons: plasma cannon, "Mothra" or "Mambo" long-range attack missiles, "Moolah" short-range defensive missiles
Velocity: Warp 2.1, standard (observed); Warp 2.5, maximum (observed)
Units commissioned: 105+

The most commonly encountered Romulan ship during the war were the immense cruisers given the UESN code name "CABBAGE". (These ships were also known as "Sabinus"-class cruisers to UESN Intelligence and informally as "jellyfish" by UESN crewman.) CABBAGE-class cruisers had been built for the specific purpose of large fleet advances across interstellar distances. They were able to transport large numbers of missiles for ship-to-ship and ship-to-surface attacks and a powerful plasma weapon over an estimated unrefueled distance of 3 light years, but could do so only at the expense of speed and maneuverability. This trade-off proved to be a fatal disadvantage when the Romulans found themselves fighting a defensive war in 2158.

CABBAGE-class ships weighed an estimated 500,000 tons owing to their 118-m-diameter hemispherical command hulls, which presumably carried enormous quantities of fuel. A spherical fusion reactor mated to the rear of the command hull powered three pedunculated warp nacelles mounted in a 120-degree configuration. Sublight speeds were achieved through a single axial impulse drive unit with thrust shapers directly behind the fusion plant.

The main weapon was an extremely powerful plasma cannon that, although not capable of supraluminal speeds as was the more advanced version mounted on the CRICKET-class cruiser and first observed during the Romulans' Neutral-Zone incursion of 2263, was effective at ranges up to 5 million km. This plasma cannon had been designed to destroy enemy ships, space stations, and even surface installations. Early in the war, CABBAGE cruisers with plasma cannons had been used with great success in attacks on Earth outpost stations along the Earth-Romulan frontier. CABBAGE cruisers also carried a variety of fusion-powered, fusion-tipped missiles for defense and long-range attacks against ships and fixed targets.

CABBAGE cruisers had an observed maximum speed of warp 2.5 and a cruising speed of warp 2.1, which were slightly better than those of the UESN's fusion-powered AMARILLO-class cruiser. However, because of the inefficient fusion reactor, which powered both the warp and impulse drives, range at cruising speed likely did not exceed 3 light years despite the enormous deuterium fuel tanks CABBAGE carried. Therefore, to attack across average interstellar distances in the Romulans' push into UE space, refuelling en route could not be avoided. Predictably, handling at both warp and sublight speeds was extremely poor and can best be described as sluggish. However, because of their great size, CABBAGE cruisers could absorb enormous amounts of damage before being destroyed.

CABBAGE-class cruisers were in service throughout the war. According to UESN Intelligence estimates, some 75 ships had been built by the start of the war and an additional 30 were built through late 2158. CABBAGE class cruiser were most famously involved in the Romulan invasion attempt of 2157 which was halted by UE forces at the Battle of Hell's Gate. All 27 Romulan CABBAGE cruisers involved in the invasion (as well as a score of support ships) were destroyed, and an estimated 30,000 Romulan sailors and soldiers lost their lives. In retrospect, such a long-range attack was unlikely to succeed given the short unrefueled range and slow speeds of these mammoth cruisers. Wisely, the UE itself never attempted such a large-scale attack until ships powered by M/AM drives entered service in 2158.

In addition to the standard CABBAGE cruiser, other observed variants included tankers (TONSIL class), subspace sensor/communications ships (RODENT class), and troop carriers (SYRUP class).

Crew complement: 200
Weapons: plasma cannon, "Mambo" or "Misfit" long-range attack missiles, "Moolah" short-range defensive missiles
Velocity: Warp 2.5, standard (observed); Warp 3.2, maximum (observed)
Units commissioned: 150+

As UESN forces began their advance into Romulan territory in late 2158, the Romulans gradually abandoned any realistic hopes of resuming offensive action or achieving their war aim of conquering Vulcan. Instead, defense of Romulan space and Romulan worlds became paramount. For this reason, ship production began to shift from CABBAGE-class cruisers to the purely defensive CHOWDER-class cruiser. Also known as "squids" or "Veronus" by UESN Intelligence, CHOWDER cruisers replaced the large hemispherical hull of CABBAGE with a gently tapered cylindrical hull 30 m in diameter. A small wing atop the hull was tipped with two spindles that may have been auxiliary directional warp nacelles for increased maneuverability at warp speeds. A smaller version of the standard Romulan fusion powerplant appeared to be used, but slightly slimmer warp nacelles were capable of propelling CHOWDER to a maximum observed speed of warp 3.2. Armament included lasers, a plasma cannon, and six missiles launchers.

CHOWDER-class cruisers, usually in groups of three, were based in the predicted pathways of UESN attacks. They attempted to approach within approximately 3 AU (450 million km) of their targets, usually YORKTOWN carriers, and launch their missiles before the carriers' own MINOTAUR fighters had been launched. Since YORKTOWNS were often escorted by POWHATAN cruisers, one CHOWDER usually attempted to engage the POWHATAN while the other CHOWDERS attacked the carrier. CHOWDERS normally carried "Mambo" or "Misfit" antiship warp missiles (as many as 20 were observed to be fired from a single CHOWDER cruiser) with an estimated range of 5 AU (750 million km) and a 100-kt fusion warhead.

If, on the other hand, a CHOWDER cruiser were able to close within 5 million km of its target without themselves being destroyed, the plasma cannon could be used. With a direct hit this devastating weapon could destroy any UE ship but was completely unguided and incapable of supraluminal speeds. However, neither could it be spoofed or otherwise stopped without a direct hit with a defensive fusion-tipped missile or impact with a suitably large object. Since the plasma bolt took some 17 seconds to reach targets at extreme range, the most effective tactic was for Yorktown carriers to be ambushed while in normal space, most likely when launching or recovering fighters and, therefore, unable to maneuver.

Despite their increased speed and maneuverability, CHOWDER-class ships were only marginally more successful than the larger CABBAGE-class ships in stopping attacks by UESN task forces comprising M/AM-powered cruisers, carriers, and fighters. By the time CHOWDERS entered service, most UESN task forces included long-range subspace sensor cruisers that could detect attacking Romulan cruisers at distances of 1 light year. UESN missiles equipped with M/AM fuel cells generally had higher speeds, greater ranges, more accurate guidance systems, and larger warheads than did fusion-powered Romulan missiles and were usually able to intercept and destroy Romulan cruisers long before they were able to fire their own missiles. Furthermore, CHOWDERS were completely outclassed in ship-to-ship combat by the smaller, faster, and more maneuverable MINOTAURS and even POWHATAN-class cruisers. Of the 112 CHOWDER-class cruisers encountered by UE Alliance forces during the war, 82 were destroyed. CHOWDERS were, however, able to destroy or heavily damage 5 unescorted YORKTOWN carriers and 19 other ships of various types.

Crew complement: 500
Weapons: plasma cannon, "Mullet" long-range attack missiles, "Mascot" short-range defensive missiles
Velocity: Warp 3.0, standard; Warp 4.2, maximum (observed)
Units commissioned: 20

*All specifications are estimates unless otherwise noted.

In late 2159, as the war entered its final year, UESN task forces had entered Romulan space and were systematically destroying the Romulans Imperial Star Fleet. Attacks by individual or massed CABBAGE- and CHOWDER-class cruisers were rarely successful and only served to increase the numbers of Romulans crewman killed in action. With only their inefficient fusion reactors, the Romulans had little hope of stopping the UESN juggernaut. To this end, the Romulans spent a large proportion of their research funds attempting to harness the power of quantum singularities. However, The Romulans seemed to have greatly underestimated the complexity of the problem as this avenue of research would not produce anything of military value before the end of the war (and indeed for the next 150 years). More importantly, this fruitless endeavor would divert resources from areas of research with more immediate applications, such as long-range sensors, sensor countermeasures, missile propulsion and guidance systems, and antimissile defense. While Romulan fusion reactors were perhaps only slightly less efficient than UE reactors at the start of the war, the UE would continue to refine their fusion powerplants to approach the limits of theoretical efficiency and then leap ahead with the development of M/AM reactors. The Romulans also began work on their own M/AM reactor during the war but were, perhaps, 30 years behind the UE. Indeed, the Romulans inability to field any M/AM munitions until the 2260s suggests they were also unable to mass-produce AM. Starfleet Intelligence believes that the Romulans likely halted all work on M/AM reactors by about 2200 and would only receive M/AM reactors from the Klingons in the 2260s.

Late in the war, the Romulan finally produced a cruiser able to have some success against UESN M/AM-powered cruisers, at least in some realms of combat. The CLAVICLE-class cruiser (named "Tyrranus" by UESN Intelligence) was again a member of the CHOWDER family of cruisers. However, rather than being radially symmetric about the longitudinal axis, CLAVICLE had a bilaterally symmetric "winged" main hull with two nacelles and was the first Romulan ship to actually bear some resemblance to a bird of prey. CLAVICLE displaced an estimated 200,000 tons and was observed at speeds exceeding warp 4.2 (74.1 c). External scans suggest CLAVICLE was able to attain this level of performance through a more warp-dynamic hull configuration and a larger, more powerful fusion reactor. This larger powerplant and smaller hull necessarily limited the amount of deuterium that could be carried, which in turn likely limited CLAVICLE's range. However, since these ships generally did not attack over distances greater than 0.1 light year, this short range was not a serious operational limitation. On the other hand, this reactor was considerably less stable than earlier reactors: several CLAVICLE ships were destroyed by catastrophic reactor failures when either pursuing or being pursued by UESN ships.

Although CLAVICLES were clearly the best Romulan cruiser of the war, their lack of a M/AM powerplant meant that they could not engage UESN at their maximum speeds over long distances. They were, however, used extremely effectively as ambush hunters, lying silently in wait for unwary UE carriers, cruisers, and transports, which they would then attack at warp 4.0 or better. At such speeds a CLAVICLE was often able to penetrate a cruiser's or carrier's defensive perimeter so that the plasma weapon could be used to devastating effect. However, if the attack was unsuccessful or if UE forces chose to pursue, CLAVICLES could be run down and destroyed.

Fortunately for the UE, CLAVICLE cruisers entered service too late and in numbers too small to have much effect on the outcome of the war. Of the 15 CLAVICLE-class ships observed by UE alliance forces during the war 11 were destroyed. Although it saw only limited service before the end of the war, the CLAVICLE class with its flat, twin-nacelle layout served as the basis for Romulan cruisers for the next 100 years.

Romulan Cabbage created by Thomas Pemberton © 3D Gladiators	Cabbages in orbit created by Thomas Pemberton	Minotaurs attack a Cabbage created by Thomas Pemberton

Cabbage fires plasma weapon created by Thomas Pemberton	Pioneer destroying a Clavicle created by Thomas Pemberton	Clavicle being destroyed created by Thomas Pemberton

Clavicles in orbit created by Thomas Pemberton	Minotaur against Cabbage created by Thomas Pemberton	Romulan Cabbage image & mesh by Rob Willson

Romulan Cabbage created by Christopher Griggs

	Overall	1° Hull	2° Hull	Nacelles
Length [m]	157.44	60.59	57.91	102.14
Beam [m]	112.95	112.95	50.83	19.43
Draft [m]	112.95	112.95	50.83	31.97

	Overall	1° Hull	2° Hull	Nacelles
Length [m]	126.54	46.10	37.46	69.705
Beam [m]	68.15	30.94	330.85	7.175
Draft [m]	68.42	30.94	30.85	10.81

	Overall	1° Hull	2° Hull	Nacelles
Length [m]	148.34	87.83	41.42	70.93
Beam [m]	107.35	107.35	35.29	22.199
Draft [m]	39.83	39.83	35.29	13.49