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Fluff-wise, which you choose as Battleship, the Emperor-class or the Retribution-class?

The Emperor-class has its own respectable Weapons Batteries, but they're all meant for defensive purposes when enemy ships close rather than for dedicated line combat. However, the Emperor-class features large launch bays which are its primary attack and defense system, sending out wings of Attack Craft to engage the enemy from a safe distance. Furthermore, the Emperor-class' superior sensor and communication systems, while primarily designed to coordinate its Attack Craft, give it excellent fleet command capabilities.

The Retribution-class, on the other hand, is a line vessel. Armed with powerful broadside Weapon Batteries, potent dorsal Lances, and deadly prow Torpedoes, this vessel is a formidable opponent. The problem with this ship is that it is designed to get into the thick of things, and considering the expense of building, manning, etc. a Battleship, losing this vessel is very possible, given its design. And losing a Battleship is unlikely to be a pleasing prospect.

So, which will it be?

Emperor class, I mean - it's a battleship and aircraft carrier in one ship.
What's not to love there?

I would choose the retribution class because of its attack power and better name.

Something wrong with the class name?

no retribution just sound better.

Fair enough

Emperor class all the way. It's a brilliant vessel.

The Emperor class can actually lay down greater weight of fire to one side with its combined prow, dorsal, and side weaponry. Its batteries are more than just merely defensive. Its launch ability and the range of its weapon batteries enables a stand off role as well. In comparison, the Retribution is a line breaker. A single broadside is weaker than the Emperor class, even with the added dorsal lances. In order to maximize its use, it has to advance into the enemy to a position where it can fire both of its broadsides simultaneously. Its lower turret value also means it is more vulnerable to enemy attack craft. So the Retribution is liable to take greater damage or risk destruction.

As a general purpose ship and command battleship, the Emperor class wins hands down.

Emperor Class.

Even though both are potent, the attack and bomber wings means that they can give fighter cover for an entire fleet.
Plenty of vessels can be line breakers, very few have the capabilities the Emperor Class bring to the table.

For my Space Marines, I prefer the Retribution.

For an IN fleet I would actually have both. The Emperor is a support ship while the Retribution is a front-line battleship.

 Grey Templar wrote:
For my Space Marines, I prefer the Retribution.

For an IN fleet I would actually have both. The Emperor is a support ship while the Retribution is a front-line battleship.

I prefer Overlords for the latter. They're faster for one thing. And cheaper too.

Moving this because it seems more like a stats/tactics question than a fluff question.

Well it depends really. Fluff wise your probably not going to get the option of an Emperor as they are extreamly rare so the newer Retribution is kind of a no brainer not to mention its the most common of the currently active battleship types. In game tho the Emperor is far superior for most people as it addresses several IN problems in one swoop: Attack craft, The IN have very expensive carriers and the Emperor offers your best bang for the buck. Long range firepower, The Emperor offers a powerful 16 firepower to one side when combining the Dorsal, Prow, and Port or Starboard all at 60cm range the best in the game. Leadership, The Emperor offers a bonus to leadership which is quite useful to a carrier and helps offset the IN's average leadership.

The down fall to all of this tho is that you often end up with all of your eggs in one basket, one very slow and rather weak basket. Theyre typically the only carrier you need so people only have one carrier quite often and due to their reliance on special orders they usually end up with the fleet commander also (making them an even nicer target as that pushes them pretty darn close to 1/3 of a fleets cost).

With 15cm speed theyre the slowest ship in the game and that can hinder their manuverability if they take any fire. They also have lower Prow armor than the typical IN capitol ship making them quite a bit softer and forcing them to take a different approach than the rest of the fleet which can see them sitting by themselves .

The Overlord is the same speed as the Ret.

I personally like the Retribution due to the fact I love the way Imperial ships looks with guns just lining them the whole way down.

And, when an AdMech battleship is assembled to be a Retribution it just looks mean.

AndrewChristlieb wrote:

The Overlord is the same speed as the Ret.

The former still turns faster since its a cruiser.

Emperor within IN
Retribution with AWR upgrade in AdMech.

I honestly don't prefer either. Not enough Novas for my liking. Oh and it doesn't help matters that my favorite ship is from the Additional Ships compendium. But if I had to choose one I would definitely take the Retribution.

 Skycrawler wrote:
I honestly don't prefer either. Not enough Novas for my liking.

TBH, I find the Nova Cannon a clumsy weapon.

 Admiral Valerian wrote:

 Skycrawler wrote:
I honestly don't prefer either. Not enough Novas for my liking.

TBH, I find the Nova Cannon a clumsy weapon.

A clumsy weapon for an equally clumsy commander. I'm known for doing silly things...1.5k points of escorts armed with only torpedoes? against orks? Sure why not!