History: The PNAS Hermes Lux is the fourth ship in the Lux class Fast Attack Boats, launched in 1928. The Hermes Lux, or just Hermes uses two Nisekium Charged steam blowers to stay airborne and six Balius-N large piston engines and two Balius-K mega piston engines for propulsion. The steam blowers have an output of 1.1 Kiliums and three large sized variable nozzles linked to a Umayn-S steam compressor for extra boosting during flight. The Lux class had a standard armament of three 5 inch rifled cannons, two 40mm autocannons, four 50.cal machine guns mounted in two mini bunkers and seven quad 20mm cannon anti aircraft mounts. The Lux class also had torpedoes, with eight fixed external tubes mounted to the port and starboard sides of the hull, four internal bow and two internal stern tubes and a rotating turret mounted in the rear with two more tubes, allowing the Lux class to carry 16 torpedoes in total. The Hermes has armor that differed quite a bit from the Lux class's standard armor choice. The Hermes had 4 inch thick padded steel layers, which meant that padding was added in between layers of steel to prevent fragmentation on impact, along with 6 inch thick standard soft steel plating protecting the ammunition storage. This differed from the standard 6 inches of solid steel and 8 inches of titanium that was standard on the Lux class. The Hermes served in the PNAC XII (12th) Coastal Patrol, along with 7 other Lux class boats. The 12th Coastal Patrol was integrated with the PNAC XVII (17th) Core Fleet before the battle of Gailes, where the Hermes Lux was sunk with all hands lost in 1929, after a year of service. --------------- Specs: Engines: 2 Nisekium Charged steam blowers, 6 Balius-N large piston engines, 2 Balius-K mega piston engines Crew: 392 Armament: 3 5 inch rifled cannons, 2 40mm autocannons, 4 50.cal machine guns mounted in two mini bunkers, 7 quad 20mm cannon anti aircraft mounts, 16 torpedoes Length: 96.7m
Me and Keynote! Inspired by the airships of the anime Last Exile Hermes is the god, "lux" is light in latin, so Lux class is light class, or class of light. Hermes is a messenger god, so he's fast and the point of fast attack boats (in this universe) is for scouting, so providing "light" for the fleet. Torpedoe: A large, unguided and unmanned Nisekium powered projectile launched from a pressurised steam tube. Generally used for sinking ships and for attacking large targets.