Paris-class heavy frigate

The Paris-class heavy frigate is a type of fleet escort ship in service with the UNSC Navy. The Paris class saw extensive use by the Epsilon Eridani Fleet during the Invasion of Reach in August 2552. The class was manufactured by SinoViet Heavy Machinery on Reach.

Design details
Though its primary hangar bay is smaller than that of the, the Paris class is more heavily armed and armored than smaller frigates types. Heavy frigates are capable of atmospheric maneuvering and are occasionally used by the UNSC for ground-support operations. The Paris class is very fast and maneuverable in space, allowing it to engage hostile vessels while avoiding high volumes of fire from Covenant plasma weaponry.

Armament
Paris-class frigates are more heavily armed than most UNSC frigates. Like all frigates in service with the UNSC, the Paris-class' primary armament is a single light Magnetic Accelerator Cannon. The frigate is also armed with twenty-six Archer missile pods which, while ineffective against energy shielding and vulnerable to Covenant point defenses, have proven potent against enemy armor. Paris-class frigates have twelve point defense guns located across the hull. Its additional firepower means that it can easily handle Covenant fighter craft and can hold its own against small Covenant warships, as shown when the heavy frigate engaged the much larger Covenant corvette Ardent Prayer during the Fall of Reach. It also boasts Point Defense Systems.

Service history
Prior to the Insurrection of the late 25th century, the concept of a heavy frigate was considered a gross misuse of the UNSC's funding. In the years following the coup d'etat on Eridanus II and the rebels' capture of the UNSC Bellerophon, there was much more support for a shake-up of the UNSC's relatively lax and ill-defended fleet. These upgrades would take effect during the disastrous Operation: TREBUCHET. Several Paris-class heavy frigates saw action during the Fall of Reach. After the Human-Covenant war, numerous Paris-class vessels continued to see service in the UNSC Navy with multiple serving as escorts for the.

Ships of the line

 * - Participated in a search-and-rescue mission on Cleyell in 2556.
 * - Participated in the Battle of Chi Ceti IV, decommissioned by 2552 on Reach.
 * - Heavily damaged during the Fall of Reach, salvaged and returned to Earth.
 * (FFG-318) - Participated and destroyed in the Fall of Reach.
 * - Lead ship of the class, participated in the Battle of Earth.
 * - went missing after the Fall of Reach. Found and destroyed in 2553, on Sephune III.
 * - Participated in the Fall of Reach.
 * (FFG-371) - Participated and destroyed in the Fall of Reach.

Arrowhead Formation
This element features three Paris-class heavy frigates.
 * Cost: 25 points
 * Movement: 10"
 * Damage Track: 3 • 3 • 3
 * Build rating: 1
 * Hangars: 0
 * Boarding Craft: 0
 * Security detail: 1
 * System loadouts:
 * Elusive
 * Hard Burn (3")
 * Missile barrage
 * Point defense (2)
 * Titanium armor (2)
 * Primary weapon: Light MAC
 * Range: 10/20"
 * Weapon loadouts: MAC (1)
 * Firing arc: Forward
 * Dice: 4
 * Secondary Weapon: Missile batteries
 * Range: 12/24"
 * Weapon loadouts: Missiles
 * Firing arc: Forward or Port+Starboard
 * Dice: 2

Trident Formation
This element features three Paris-class heavy frigates.
 * Cost: 25 points
 * Movement: 10"
 * Damage Track: 3 • 3 • 3
 * Build rating: 1
 * Hangars: 0
 * Boarding Craft: 0
 * Security detail: 1
 * System loadouts:
 * Elusive
 * Hard Burn (3")
 * Missile barrage
 * Point defense (2)
 * Titanium armor (2)
 * Primary weapon: Light MAC
 * Range: 10/20"
 * Weapon loadouts: MAC (1)
 * Firing arc: Forward
 * Dice: 3
 * Secondary Weapon: Missile batteries
 * Range: 12/24"
 * Weapon loadouts: Missiles
 * Firing arc: Forward or Port+Starboard
 * Dice: 3

Shield Formation
This element features four Paris-class heavy frigates.
 * Cost: 40 points
 * Movement: 10"
 * Damage Track: 4 • 4 • 4
 * Build rating: 2
 * Hangars: 0
 * Boarding Craft: 0
 * Security detail: 2
 * System loadouts:
 * Hard Burn (3")
 * Missile barrage
 * Point defense (3)
 * Titanium armor (2)
 * Primary weapon: Light MAC
 * Range: 10/20"
 * Weapon loadouts: MAC (2)
 * Firing arc: Forward
 * Dice: 6
 * Secondary Weapon: Missile batteries
 * Range: 12/24"
 * Weapon loadouts: Missiles
 * Firing arc: Forward or Port+Starboard
 * Dice: 4

Production notes
Although debuting in Halo: Reach, the Paris-class was originally designed for inclusion in Halo 3 as a conceptual design for the /. During production, the class known internally as the Stalwart (the name of the frigate class introduced in Halo 2), though was ultimately named the Paris-class with the release of the Essential Visual Guide reprint in 2011.

The class was also known as the Stalwart during the production of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

The concept work for the frigate produced labels the subject spacecraft as the UNSC Andraste, and provides a number of labels and notations to various features on the ship. This artwork displays a number of correlating details with the final design, though also several differences with established canon such as the presence of railgun turrets and the "Harpoon" nuclear missiles (who share a name with a real-world anti-ship missile). Despite no existing canon source confirming these details, what appear to be the Harpoon missiles remain in the models for the Paris in Halo: Reach, alongside being used on other models such as Anchor 9.

Trivia

 * The class' name could be a reference to the city of Paris, the capital of France. Alternatively, it could be named in reference to Paris, a major figure of the Trojan War.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Fall of Reach
 * Covenant
 * Invasion
 * The Commissioning
 * Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
 * Halo 4
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo: Fleet Battles
 * Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series
 * Halo Mythos
 * Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual
 * Halo: Lone Wolf