Today, I am going to discuss what i probably the least used good hydran ship: The Lord Commander Command Cruiser.

This is the pinacle of hydran fusion vessels and is a step above the ranger in nearly every way.

General info:
Total Power: 40
Movement Ratio: 1.00
Turn Rate: 3(C)
Tractors: 4
Marines: 18/36
Transporters: 3

As you can see, this ship not only has power, it has decent turn and good tractors. Transporters do not guarentee success of a h&r like a D-7C's suite would, but three will transport mines around.

Weapons:

As you can see, this ship has some serious firepower, 6 fusions beams,4 Ph1's, and 2 PhG's. As with all hydran command ships, this ship is short on phasers, but the fusion beams can make up for that. I reconmend that fusions are overloaded most of the time, but power can dictate other wise. What I have found to be successful is to, after the first pass with full overloads, to set the wing fusions down to normal and the nose fusion on overload.

Power:
Total Power: 40
Speed while charging fusions + Ph's: 16.5
Speed while charging fusions: 22.5
Speed while charging overloads + Ph's: 4.5
Speed while charging overloads: 10.5
Speed while charging overloads + 50% Ph's: 8.5
Speed while charging two overloads and 4 standards: 18.5

Speed while holding standards: 29.5
Speed while holding overloads: 23.5
Speed while holding 2 overloads and 4 standards: 27.5

This ships shows a nice overall power curve. In early era, especially against the underpowered wussy kitties, you can stay at about speed 15, get a 2 attack shift AND a few points of shields reinforcement! This becomes important when you attack a lyran at range 1 (no, that isnt suicide.).

Fighters:
2 Squadrens of 3 fighters each
6 Killerbees included in cost of ship.
Two squads of heavy fighters bring the ship's cost up to 144 bpv, putting it on par with a D7C (which is about right).

Fighters are a major asset of this ship, allowing a large assortment of tactical options. Hornet I's are strongly reconmended, allowing a long range strike in addition to your short range fusion cannons. An interesting option that I have played with is using a squadren of Hornet's and a squadren of Wasp's allowing the hornets to engage at long range and the wasps to engage at short range as a coup de grace:

A favorite tactic of mine, is to launch the fighters on the spiffy new harass mode and recovering the fighters "on the other side" after an attack run, which will be described in a moment.

Tactics - vs Klingons (or anyone for that matter.):
At 144 bpv loaded with fighters you are probably going to be up against a D7C command cruiser. This ship has two improvements over the D7, equal shielding and more importantly the hydrans worst enemy: AMD. The dreaded AMD forces you to use your fighters much more wisely.

When setting up for your first run, charge overloads on all weapons and set full ecm and match eccm if your enemy has only 1 or 2 ecm. At this time set full shield reinforcement as well. Move forward at speed 15 after all weapons have charged.

When at range 25 confirm ecm settings and launch fighters on harass mode. Slowly start to turn to the left.

At range 10 try to be at a 45 degree angle to the enemy. If the enemy starts to turn away, match him, you've probably won the battle, if he turns into you you are about to take some damage. Continue to close.

If one of your wing fusions are bearing at range 2 fire and start an het. When all weapons are bearing on the enemy's rear, wait for range .9 and alpha. Turn away and go to speed 20, you dont want to be there for long, the enemy ship's commander will be pretty pissed after losing his spiffy rear shield.

Next, downgrade the wing fusions to normals, and recall your fighters (move towards them if possible.). Another few stikes like before, and you've crippled him. Fighters maybe used after an overrun as a coup de grace if his amd is down.

This tactic will work against everything but plasma or large amounts of drones. If against plasma, you are going to have to do some bluffing about going in. Against slow missles, stay at around speed 18. Always remember that this ship has 4 tractors like all other hydran CA's (or CC's).