Klingon TMP D-8C Command Cruiser

Four Years War the Klingon battleship Bat’leth was heavily damaged in a fierce fight with Federation starships. By the time it managed to disengage and escape its command boom was so badly shot up as to be unsalvageable. The House that owned it tried to get another B-1 boom as a replacement, but none were available due to the strains of the war on the Klingon economy. Its owner, not wanting to lose the power and prestige that came with its only capital ship, subsequently refitted it with a D-6 command boom and sent it back into the fray. This had two immediate effects. First, it made the Bat’leth the most easily recognizable ship in the whole of the Klingon fleet at the time. Second, its “pocket battleship” configuration would go on to inspire two new Klingon starship classes, the massive C-series dreadnoughts and this one. The D-8C is a modernized version of the old Bat’leth configuration fitted with the latest in Klingon starship technology. Although its appearance is similar to that of its unique predecessor, it is in fact made up entirely of D-8 K’t’inga class battlecruiser technology. It still suffers the same warp field deficiencies as its Jul’kar predecssor, limiting its top potential speed; however, the Klingons have found an interesting way to make up for this deficiency. The centerline engine of a D-8C is normally not used for propulsion except in emergency situations. Instead, its main purpose appears to be to keep the D-8C’s shields at full power so it will remain protected while on attack. This makes the D-8C an extremely dangerous opponent for all but the most powerful of Star Fleet’s current starships. Bat’leth class command cruisers normally serve as the lead ship in a standard three-ship Klingon “wolf pack” squadron configuration. In these cases it is almost always accompanied by two K’t’inga class battlecruisers. On at least one occasion, however, one of the wing ships turned out to be an uprated D-7V carrier and on another a Bat’leth was accompanied by two D-6D drone cruisers. Rarely will a Bat’leth be encountered by itself due to the value placed on these “pocket battleships” by the lesser Houses.\" [b]User submitted review from Terradyhne[/b]
The Klingon D8C command cruiser explanation from Federation Spaceflight Chronology - The Klingon Empire by Richard E. Mandel: \"BAT’LETH CLASS DATE FIRST OBSERVED BY FEDERATION: 2275 During the