“Misdirection is the key to survival. Never attack what your enemy defends,
never behave as your enemy expects, and never reveal your true strength.
If knowledge is power, then to be unknown is to be unconquerable.”
This uniquely Romulan philosophy is reflected in every aspect of their civilization.
Though active on the galactic stage for centuries, to outsiders their actions remain a riddle,
wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. The complex interplay between
their ancient traditions, modern dogma, fierce nationalism and predilection towards subterfuge
can at times result in harmful, self-defeating policies and attitudes. But when acting in concert
with one another, the capabilities of the Romulan state are formidable and vast. Romulan philosophy
takes many forms and is expressed in many ways, but has never been honed to a finer point,
than in the preeminent starship of their naval fleets; the D’Deridex Class Warbird.
The designation of warbird is at times unclear due to the lack of any direct comparison within
Federation or neighboring starfleets. They are often designated battlecruisers or heavy cruisers
by neighboring powers, but such classifications do not wholly capture their unique role and intended
purpose. Within the Romulan usage, it primarily refers to starships designed foremost for military
operations; fleet actions and force projection, but with a substantial secondary function
as transports, command vessels, or even platforms for clandestine reconnaissance,
scientific research and exploration. In this role, the D’Deridex may be one of the
most successful warbirds to ever enter mass production. Even when compared to
Starfleet’s leading exploratory cruisers, the capabilities of a D’Deridex Class are extensive.
Its success in these areas can be correlated with the warbird’s immense size. 1042 meters in length,
285 meters tall, a beam of 772 meters and a mass of roughly 4.3 million metric tonnes,
make the D’Deridex Class one of the largest warships in service within any major Alpha
or Beta Quadrant power. It is roughly twice the length of its major contemporary rivals,
including the Federation Galaxy Class, the Klingon Vor'cha Class,
or the Cardassian Galor class, and with exponentially greater tonnage.
The physical arrangement of the D’Deridex includes the distinctive forward-swept wings emblematic of
Romulan designs since at least the 22nd century. In a departure from earlier and subsequent classes
however, the D’Deridex features two sets of wings, connected by a prominent bow section,
secondary stern section, and warp nacelles on the port and starboard sides. The result is a
remarkable, split “shell” in which the bulk of the vessel is formed around a large, open space.
Avian influences are additionally evident in the warbird’s forward hull which evokes a predatory
visage common across Romulan culture. Within this section are the majority of the warbird’s primary
systems, including its command bridge, computer core, navigational deflector and main armament.
Impulse engines, shuttlebays, and a secondary armament are located within the aft structure.
Engineering sections and nullifier cores, a key component of the ship’s faster than light
propulsion, are located on the upper wing, with cargo bays and modular, mission specific systems
typically on the lower wing. Romulan misinformation campaigns however, designed to
obfuscate the capabilities of the D’Deridex, along with variations among ships of the class, mean
that substantial deviations have been observed in the supposed placement of these systems.
In contrast to most other ships of its size and capability, the D’Deridex does not
utilize a matter-antimatter reaction to generate power, relying instead on an artificial quantum
singularity. This method frees the Romulan Star Empire from relying on rare dilithium deposits,
but does result in a slightly slower top speed and more intensive maintenance regimens.
Additionally in the event a D’Deridex is destroyed, or its propulsion systems damaged,
the singularity can grow unstable, emitting unpredictable and dangerous phenomena.
A warbird’s major tactical systems include six disrupter arrays and two plasma torpedo launchers.
Certain production blocks alter this armament, with some vessels featuring 10 disrupters and a
single launcher. Regardless, these weapons systems are highly configurable, with the
disrupters capable of cyclic or sustained output and the torpedoes adjustable to various yields.
A D’Deridex’s offensive element is centered across the vessel’s bow, making it well suited towards
pursuits and anti-starship warfare. It’s secondary armaments are situated across the wings and stern
and are largely reactive or defensive in nature. Armor plating and deflector shields constitute the
warbird’s defensive systems. As a consequence of its enormous size and comparatively limited
maneuverability, the ship has been designed to absorb immense amounts of firepower.
The renowned Romulan cloaking device however is the most sophisticated and powerful offensive
or defensive system aboard a D’Deridex class warbird. When used in favorable conditions, this
device renders the vessel completely invisible to every method of detection. Numerous factors
have the potential to reduce the effectiveness of the cloak, necessitating the careful monitoring
of electromagnetic emissions, the ship’s quantum singularity, and natural interstellar phenomena.
Speeds over warp 6 likewise increase the likelihood of detection, while the ship’s
weapons and shields remain completely inoperable so long as the cloaking device is in use.
The standard complement for a D’Deridex class warbird is 1500 personnel. Automation allows ships
to function even while greatly undercrewed while its size affords it the ability to carry several
thousand more troops while acting as a transport vessel. To maintain a culture of discipline
and readiness, quarters aboard are comparatively spartan, with only officers enjoying slightly
greater amenities. Certain formal areas and flag facilities are meant to accommodate high ranking
officers and allow the class to serve as command ships for larger battle groups or operations.
The development of the D’Deridex class was almost certainly a response to the establishment of the
pivotal Klingon-Starfleet alliance and intended to deter or destroy the most advanced starships
of either power. Reflecting its intended pivotal role within the Romulan fleet and its prestigious
nature, the warbird is believed to have been named for Preator D’Deridex, the leader of the Romulan
Star Empire during its war against United Earth. The ships were constructed largely in secret
throughout a period of Romulan isolationism that occurred in the mid-24th century.
The D’Deridex was revealed to the United Federation of Planets, and by extension
the Alpha and Beta Quadrants in 2364. It was designated by Starfleet a “b-type warbird” in
lieu of any public Romulan designation. Its debut signaled a new era of Romulan interventionism,
and ships of the class would play pivotal roles in numerous military, diplomatic, and scientific
encounters for the next several decades. The ship’s enormous armament ensured that its mere
presence in any given situation reflected a severe escalation on the part of the Romulan Star Empire.
Romulan involvement in the Klingon Civil War of 2367 and attempted covert operations against the
Vulcans a year later, were reliant on the mobilization of D’Deridex class warbirds.
In both instances, and many others, these ships directly confronted their
Klingon or Starfleet counterparts, at times even exchanging weapons fire.
While operated mainly by the Romulan military, D’Deridex class warbirds were also utilized
by the Tal Shiar, the Star Empire’s intelligence agency and secret police.
Their most prominent use by the Tal Shiar was during a pre-emptive strike against the emerging
power of the Dominion, an aggressive state located in the newly accessible
Gamma Quadrant. 5 warbirds, together with allies in the Obsidian Order, the Cardassian
Union’s own intelligence service, attempted to decapitate the Dominion’s leadership. The
ensuing battle however was a trap, resulting in the greatest massacre of Romulan life in decades.
It was during the subsequent Dominion War, between 2374 and 2375, that the D’Deridex saw
its first full-scale wartime use. The largest warships present within Alliance fleets,
these warbirds were decisive and claimed many victories against Cardassian, Dominion
and later Breen forces. While the effectiveness of Romulan cloaking technology faded as counter
measures were developed, D’Deridex warbirds remained one of the few classes of ship able to
engage and destroy the largest Dominion warships during one on one encounters. For this reason they
were considered priority targets and suffered many losses. By the end of the conflict however, the
D’Deridex class had fully earned the formidable reputation cultivated over the preceding decades.
Lessons learned over the course of the Dominion War led to the development of the Valdore Class
Warbird, a new, advanced design intended to supplement and perhaps eventually replace
the D’Deridex. The destruction of Romulus in 2387 by the Hobus Supernova threw the Romulan
Star Empire into chaos, and the disposition of naval forces commanded by its successor states
remains largely unknown. Smaller warbirds, echoing the birds of prey used during the 22nd and 23rd
centuries seem to have regained favor, and it is possible that the Romulan Free State and the other
successors to the Star Empire simply no longer have the means to operate the immense D’Deridex.
But misdirection is the key to survival, and the Romulans never reveal their true strength.
It is one of the few ships in the galaxy able to hide in plain sight, and how many warbirds might
be cloaked in the orbit of Romulan worlds? Waiting for the moment when they can once again reveal
themselves to the galaxy. For if knowledge is power, then to be unknown is to be unconquerable.”