Autumn-class heavy cruiser

The Autumn-class heavy cruiser is a class of capital ship, hull classification symbol CA, commissioned into service with the UNSC Navy following the end of the Human-Covenant War. It was designed to be the successor for the Marathon class and the Halcyon class as most vessels of those classes were destroyed in the war. Many of these ships serve as escort vessels for the.

The Autumn class' name is derived from the colloquialism for that of its lead ship, which in turn is named for the Halcyon-class.

Hull
As the first ships of the class were built on recycled Halcyon class hulls, they superficially resemble the preceding Halcyon class, particularly the Pillar of Autumn after the ship's last refit in 2552. However, the Autumn class differs from its namesake in a number of details, primarily its much greater size. Specifically, an Autumn-class cruiser is 4674 ft long (255 meters longer than a Halcyon) as well as proportionally wider and taller. It has a different number of viewports and the radar dishes are smaller, with different configurations across the hull. The antenna-like planetary survey scanner array at the front of the ship is double the length of the original Pillar of Autumn ' s, and are used to deploy microsatellite constellations and drones in support of ground operations. The Autumns also feature reverse-engineered Covenant hyperscanners alongside its long range sensors on its dorsal superstructure.

These vessels are equipped with energy shields. Unlike Covenant energy shields, which envelop a ship in an invisible barrier, the Autumn-class use a variation of electromagnetic armor. Hull sensors detect impacts against the ships' thick hull plating and trigger a series of localised shields over the threatened area. These emitters are smaller, but easier and cheaper to manufacture than the conventional system.

Armament
The vessel's primary armament is a single Mark IX, Heavy Coil-45J3d3 Magnetic Accelerator Cannon. Secondary and tertiary armament is comprised of 32 M58 Archer missile pods, and the class sports four Mark 40 Spitfire naval coilgun batteries, six M66 Sentry autocannon turrets, and M910 Rampart point defence guns.

Complement
Unlike the refit Pillar of Autumn, Autumn-class heavy cruisers carry a much smaller troop complement of 45 Marines and 220 Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. Its drop pod bays, nicknamed "hell's waiting room," are located on the underside of the ships and can launch up to 216 Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicles carrying troops and cargo in one salvo once the armored doors have retracted. Its hangar bays are modular and containerized, and able to swapped out for various mission capabilities, including orbital assault and strike, which adds docking cradles for D82-EST Darter dropships and blast-shielded ammunition storage for ODST and gunship munitions.

Ships of the line

 * - lead ship
 * - lead ship

UNSC Autumn-class Heavy Cruiser
This element includes a single 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

UNSC Escorted Autumn-class Heavy Cruiser
This element includes an Autumn-class heavy cruiser and one Halberd-class destroyer.
 * 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
 * Halo: Warfleet