Autumn-class heavy cruiser

The Autumn-class heavy cruiser is a class of capital ship in service with the UNSC Navy, given the hull classification symbol CA. Manufactured by SinoViet Heavy Machinery, these heavy cruisers mostly fulfill attack or command roles within the fleet, though some also provide escort support when needed. Commissioned following the end of the Human-Covenant War to form the core of the reconstituted UNSC Navy’s battle groups, the Autumn class was designed to be the successor for the Marathon class and the Halcyon class, as most cruisers of those classes were destroyed or decommissioned in the war.

The name behind the Autumn class is derived from the colloquialism for that of its lead ship, which in turn is named for the legendary Halcyon class. Adapting the improvements and modifications made to Pillar of Autumn for Operation: RED FLAG in 2552, the Autumn-class heavy cruiser represents a considerable leap forward in human warship design, a testament to the UNSC's modern technological prowess.

Superstructure and hull
As the first ships of the class were built on the recycled hulls of s, the hull of the Autumn class superficially resembles the preceding hulls of the Halcyon class. Additionally, a number of improvements and modifications tested on the Halcyon class for Operation: RED FLAG were incorporated into the Autumn class by SinoViet Heavy Machinery as a starting point.

The Autumn-class heavy cruiser is a heavily armored capital ship, striking a balance between mobility, armor, firepower, crew requirements, and ease of manufacturing. Much of these cruisers' resiliency comes from the installation of thick plates of titanium-A armor. When the cruisers come under fire from plasma weaponry, the titanium slabs boil off, sparing the internal structure, weapons, and crew from critical damage until it is eroded away. The Autumn class is built with distinctive armor cowlings protecting the cruiser's powerful fusion drives, inspired from costly lessons learned by the UNSC Navy during the Insurrection. Naval architects at SinoViet have implemented shield-reinforced armor to this cruiser class. A novel variation of electromagnetic armor, the energy shielding of the Autumn class incorporates a distributed array of small shield generators, which are both cheaper and easier to produce than the more advanced shielding technologies implemented on Covenant warships. When the outer titanium hull is damaged, sensors within the armor trigger the nearest shield generator, creating an intense, transient energy shield effect localized solely on the point of impact.

The Autumn class also features an advanced and extensive long-range sensory arsenal. Though most tactical systems utilized by the cruisers are similar to those installed on ships constructed in the late-Covenant War, the Autumn class features reverse-engineered Covenant hyperscanner detectors, combined with state-of-the-art naval battle network relays located on its dorsal superstructure. Planetary survey sensors and probe launchers, mounted at the front of the ship, deploy microsatellite constellations and drones in support of orbital and ground operations.

Crew and complement
Crewed by a total of eight hundred sailors, the Autumn class requires a crew size smaller than average for ships of its size. In addition, the cruiser maintains a complement of only forty-five Marines and two hundred-and-twenty Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. Nicknamed "Hell's Waiting Room", there are six drop pod bays with the Autumn class. The cruiser has cramped accommodations for an ODST company and their gear. As much as 216 Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle and cargo drop pods can be deployed simultaneously from the bay racks after the armored doors are opened. These cruisers have UNSC-standard airlock and cargo reception ports for crew and consumables transfer.

The cruiser class can swap out containerized mission modules and partition its hangar bays to focus on different objectives. One such module is the orbital assault and strike configuration, which adds docking cradles for D82-EST Darter cargo dropships and blast-shielded ammo storage for ODST and gunship munitions. Up to twelve D77 or D79 Pelican dropships are carried aboard each cruiser during missions. These cruisers also carry escape pods.

Armaments
This cruiser class is heavily armed with a wide range of firepower. While the cruisers' weapons and systems are continuously being improved, the class features modern long-range targeting matrixes. The primary armament of the Autumn class is a single Mark IX, Heavy Coil - 45J3D3/MAC, a state-of-the-art Magnetic Accelerator Cannon. The secondary armament is a M58 Archer missile delivery system, which features thirty-two pods that launch long-range anti-ship missiles.

The class sports four Mark 40 Spitfire naval coilgun batteries, autocannons that have higher muzzle velocity, improved tracking speed, and better accuracy than their Mark 33 predecessors. These coilguns are armored with a new titanium-A formulation that shaves several tons off each turret without compromising protection. These cruisers are also armed with a point defense network, consisting of six M66 Sentry autocannon turrets and six M910 Rampart point defense guns.

Ships of the line

 * – In service with the UNSC Navy.
 * – The lead ship of the class.
 * – Assigned to the Office of Naval Intelligence, once an escort to.
 * – Commissioned in 2558, captained by Vice Admiral Gabriella Dvørak.

Halo: Fleet Battles
This element includes a single Autumn-class heavy cruiser.
 * UNSC Autumn-class Heavy Cruiser
 * Cost: 100 points
 * Movement: 6"
 * Damage Track: 6 • 6 • 3
 * Build Rating: 2
 * Hangars: 2
 * Boarding Craft: 2
 * Security Detail: 3
 * System loadouts:
 * Defence Arrays (2)
 * Hard Burn (3")
 * Missile Barrage
 * Point Defence (2)
 * Titanium Armor (2)
 * Primary Weapon: Heavy MAC
 * Range: 16/32"
 * Weapon loadouts: MAC (2)
 * Firing arc: Forward
 * Dice: 7
 * Secondary Weapon: Missile Batteries
 * Range: 12/24"
 * Weapon loadouts: Missiles
 * Firing arc: Forward or Port+Starboard
 * Dice: 5

This element includes an Autumn-class heavy cruiser and one Halberd-class destroyer.
 * UNSC Escorted Autumn-class Heavy Cruiser
 * Cost: 115 points
 * Movement: 6"
 * Damage Track: 7 • 6 • 3
 * Build Rating: 3
 * Hangars: 2
 * Boarding Craft: 2
 * Security Detail: 4
 * System loadouts:
 * Defence Arrays (2)
 * Hard Burn (2")
 * Missile Barrage
 * Point Defence (2)
 * Titanium Armor (3)
 * Primary Weapon: Heavy MAC
 * Range: 16/32"
 * Weapon loadouts: MAC (3)
 * Firing arc: Forward
 * Dice: 9
 * Secondary Weapon: Missile Batteries
 * Range: 12/24"
 * Weapon loadouts: Missiles
 * Firing arc: Forward or Port+Starboard
 * Dice: 6

List of appearances

 * Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
 * Halo 4
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Hunt the Truth
 * Halo: Fleet Battles
 * Halo Mythos