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Description
Length: 509 feet
Deadweight tonnage: 16,125 tons

While not as large as the remarkbly heavy Duke class bulk carrier from which its hull is derived, the Count class icebreaking bulk carrier equally shows the GCK's Sutt-und-Uuest economic philosophy becoming manifested in fleets of new cargo and passenger ships with the longterm goal of opening up year-round trade routes from the Greater Confederated Kingdoms with Cordia and Wakoku. Intended for routes through the often ice-blocked straits between Cordia and the Uthen Sea, the Count class was substantially subsidized by the greckstatt on account of their icebreaking capabilities; it was envisioned that in winters, when the straits were impassable, they could lead small convoys through the region and allow for semi-regular commercial traffic between Nyhund, Port Uthen and Nordburg. Such a route, which would shave thousands of miles off of traffic between the Nord Emihst and Nord Plajesk oceans, demonstrated obvious economic merits, and establishing year round merchant traffic through it was considered one of the goals of Nathan-Lee's Twenty Year Dream.

This aim was accomplished predominantly through two methods; one, the creation of the joint Cord- Greck Icebreaking Authority in 20AF helped formalize periodic ice-breaking missions through the Nord-uff-Uthen Straits and made major inroads towards regular merchant traffic between the two countries during the cold half of the year. Towards these ends, the greckstatt subsidized the design and construction of a total of four icebreaking merchant marine ships, which share many similarities with the 730 foot long Duke class freighter from which many architectural and design elements were borrowed. While both designs measured 509 feet in length and roughly 16,000 tons in displacement, substantial differences existed between the two Count class mixed passenger and cargo ships operated by the artsee and the two Diplomacy class passenger liners built for the Royal Unified Line.

In contrast to the considerably more luxurious accomodations of the Diplomacy class liners, the Count class bulk carriers' passenger accomodations are remarkably more spartan in tone, as typifies passenger service aboard artsee vessels. Of much greater consideration during the design's creation was its ability to carry larger quantities of raw materials, such as might ultimately be traded between Cordia, Wakoku and the greckstatt now that regular year round shipping was becoming possible. Never-the-less, her 100 or so passenger capacity remained valuable, as the Count class freighters were two of the only four merchant ships which could offer guaranteed service from the greckstatt and its royal territories to Cordia during winter; accordingly, some emphasis was given on providing comfortable transit, even if the cabins and common rooms lacked the opulence of a passenger liner. Her origins resulted in the large freighter being capable of a remarkably good clip; the 16 knot speed of the 32,000 ton Duke class from which its engineering & machinery were derived resulted in a 20 knot maximum speed for the Count class, although icebreaking operations reduced that speed considerably.

MS Count of Nyhund
MS Count of Nordburg

for Thin-Red-Line

Description
Length: 509 feet
Deadweight tonnage: 16,125 tons

While not as large as the remarkbly heavy Duke class bulk carrier from which its hull is derived, the Count class icebreaking bulk carrier equally shows the GCK's Sutt-und-Uuest economic philosophy becoming manifested in fleets of new cargo and passenger ships with the longterm goal of opening up year-round trade routes from the Greater Confederated Kingdoms with Cordia and Wakoku. Intended for routes through the often ice-blocked straits between Cordia and the Uthen Sea, the Count class was substantially subsidized by the greckstatt on account of their icebreaking capabilities; it was envisioned that in winters, when the straits were impassable, they could lead small convoys through the region and allow for semi-regular commercial traffic between Nyhund, Port Uthen and Nordburg. Such a route, which would shave thousands of miles off of traffic between the Nord Emihst and Nord Plajesk oceans, demonstrated obvious economic merits, and establishing year round merchant traffic through it was considered one of the goals of Nathan-Lee's Twenty Year Dream.

This aim was accomplished predominantly through two methods; one, the creation of the joint Cord- Greck Icebreaking Authority in 20AF helped formalize periodic ice-breaking missions through the Nord-uff-Uthen Straits and made major inroads towards regular merchant traffic between the two countries during the cold half of the year. Towards these ends, the greckstatt subsidized the design and construction of a total of four icebreaking merchant marine ships, which share many similarities with the 730 foot long Duke class freighter from which many architectural and design elements were borrowed. While both designs measured 509 feet in length and roughly 16,000 tons in displacement, substantial differences existed between the two Count class mixed passenger and cargo ships operated by the artsee and the two Diplomacy class passenger liners built for the Royal Unified Line.

In contrast to the considerably more luxurious accomodations of the Diplomacy class liners, the Count class bulk carriers' passenger accomodations are remarkably more spartan in tone, as typifies passenger service aboard artsee vessels. Of much greater consideration during the design's creation was its ability to carry larger quantities of raw materials, such as might ultimately be traded between Cordia, Wakoku and the greckstatt now that regular year round shipping was becoming possible. Never-the-less, her 100 or so passenger capacity remained valuable, as the Count class freighters were two of the only four merchant ships which could offer guaranteed service from the greckstatt and its royal territories to Cordia during winter; accordingly, some emphasis was given on providing comfortable transit, even if the cabins and common rooms lacked the opulence of a passenger liner. Her origins resulted in the large freighter being capable of a remarkably good clip; the 16 knot speed of the 32,000 ton Duke class from which its engineering & machinery were derived resulted in a 20 knot maximum speed for the Count class, although icebreaking operations reduced that speed considerably.

MS Count of Nyhund
MS Count of Nordburg

for Thin-Red-Line