Adeptus Mechanicus Light Cruiser
The Cog Boys in Red don't really use that much vessels in the Escort domain. Rather, the smallest and most common ships that the AdMech uses are Light Cruisers. Seeing as how a standard AdMech explorator team needs a shit ton of Servitors, Automatons and special equipment, it makes sense for them to choose a much bigger ship than a small, piddly Escort.
Because the Quest for Knowledge can involve long and dangerous expeditions into uncharted space, it is important that Adeptus Mechanicus ships be heavily armed and armoured. This is not only for their own protection from those who desire their technology but also to engage in combat when necessary to secure vital data or artefacts that may prove crucial to their mission.
Light Cruiser Classes
Basic
Lunar
The 'basic' class of the AdMech (Basic in the loosest sense of the term). The Mechanicus Lunar-Class Light Cruiser is the most common of the AdMech Light Cruisers avaliable.
Like the Imperial Navy's Lunar Cruiser. The AdMech version is a well-rounded Light Cruiser. Of course, like its cousins, the Lunar replace its spur and torpedoes with that 270 degree lance turret and the Grav Nova Cannon special weapon.
Striping those items from the cruisers and giving them the Nova Cannon basically makes all the Adeptus Mechanicus cruisers suited for long-range engagements over close-range. At the very least, it has two levels of broadsides worth of Macrocannons for those who want to go in close and dirty.
- Length: 3.8-4km
Carriers
Dictator
The Mechanicus Dictator-Class Light Cruiser is one of the several classes of AdMech Light Cruisers.
Like the Imperial Navy's Dictator Cruiser. The AdMech version is Carrier. It is by far the 'cheapest' of the AdMech vessels as they just installed two launch bays on the ship. Moreover, the ship trades in that spur and 6 racks of torpedoes to give you the Nova Cannon and lance turret. This is quite honestly, mostly because of the fact that Mechanicus launch bays don't bother carrying the assault boats, effectively limiting their usefulness by 1/3rd.
Rather, the launch bays are crammed full of bombers and fighters. As the AdMech aren't that interested in boarding enemy vessels unless they are of utmost importance, like anything Necron really. Unfortunately, like all AdMech vessels, this comes at a cost as the AdMech Gothic loses the torpedoes due to the lack of an armored prow.
- Length: 3.8-4km
Ordinance-boat
Tyrant
The Mechanicus Tyrant-Class Light Cruiser is one of the several classes of AdMech Light Cruisers.
Like the Imperial Navy's Tyrant Cruiser. The AdMech version is an Ordinance-boat. With its Plasma Macro Battery Weapons, the Mechanicus Tyrant is another great long-range/sniping vessel. Mix in with a conventional Macro Battery Weapons and the Tyrant becomes one of the most Dakka-capable crafts of the AdMech. As such, this thing is a brawler, good for medium to long-range engagements.
Unfortunately, like all AdMech vessels, this comes at a cost as the AdMech Gothic loses the torpedoes due to the lack of an armored prow. This may take a potential hit, slightly, but the Nova Cannon is far more useful and is able to actually reliably hit its target than the torpedoes.
- Length: 3.8-4km
Secutor
The Secutor-Class Monitor Cruiser is a Light Cruiser class vessel used by the Adeptus Mechanicus Fleet.
A modification of the Lathe Class, the first Secutor was adapted from the existing design when Lathe Forge Worlds learned that the existing light cruiser was insufficiently armed for heavy starship combat. Rather than spend the considerable resources to construct true cruisers, they developed the Secutor. Secutors are significantly better armed than their cousins and have higher defensive capabilities as well, exchanging manoeuvrability in the process.
Unlike other AdMech Light Cruiser, the Secutors lack the fabled Nova Cannon, rather, it actually has an armored hull, making it quite useful in close-range engagements in contrast to their more long-range siblings.
- Length: 4.3km
- Mass: 24 megatonnes approx
- Crew: 50,000 crew; approx
- Acceleration: 3.9 gravities max sustainable acceleration
Lance-boat
Gothic
The Mechanicus Gothic-Class Light Cruiser is one of the several classes of AdMech Light Cruisers.
Like the Imperial Navy's Gothic Cruiser. The AdMech version is a Lance-boat. It is a bit more expensive than the original for the addition of that sweet Grav Nova Cannon, the Lance Turret and the Ad Mech's far superior lance weaponry. This makes the Mech Gothic a significantly better long-range sniping vessel, very well suited to the Adeptus Mechanicus' favoured play styles.
Unfortunately, like all AdMech vessels, this comes at a cost as the AdMech Gothic loses the torpedoes due to the lack of an armored prow. This may take a potential hit, slightly, but the Nova Cannon is far more useful and is able to actually reliably hit its target than the torpedoes.
- Length: 3.8-4km
In Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 1 & 2
The Light Cruisers of the AdMech behave more like Cruisers from the Imperial Navy than actual Light Cruisers. If their name does not give you a hint, then its armaments will. The downside is that they cost a bit more than normal Light Cruisers and they don't do so hot in close-combat.