Klingon Starships: Warships
Most of the ships in the IKDF and Great House fleets are Warships, whether they be the small but versatile B'rel-class Light Warship, its larger brother the K'Vort-class Warship, or the powerful Vor'cha- or Torath-class Heavy Warships which serve as most Houses' flagships. Some Klingons, and other species, refer to the Warships as "Battle Cruisers."
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Because they participated in so many battles during the Dominion War, the ranks of the Klingon Warships are sadly depleted. Few ships remain completely undamaged, and all are undergoing repairs (and, as time and resources allow, upgrading). Until the repairs are finished - which will take several years in the case of some Houses - most Klingon fleets will be significantly weaker than they were prior to the War. But even a weak Klingon fleet often proves more than a match for a full-strength foe. Additionally, to fill some of the gaps, both in numbers of ships and technological capabilities, the Empire recently began manufacturing the first warships of a long-planned new class, the K'mpec-class Heavy Warship.
The Klingons design most of their Warships with their standard "winged shaft" configuration: a main body with nacelles on wing-like pylons to either side, and a central shaft projecting forward to hold a command hull (and usually a forward disruptor cannon). Some, such as the K'Vort and B'rel, embed their warp nacelles within the main body and use the wings to hold weapons. Many Klingon starship designers have pointed out that the narrow forward shaft creates a tactical weakness, since it's easily severed, and when that happens, the ship's bridge becomes separated from its main body. However, Klingon tradition, or perhaps the stubborness of generals and House leaders, perpetuates this basic design model.