Arcadia Class Battleship

The Arcadia Class Battleship is frequently described as a “fast battleship” as it is larger and more heavily armed than an Imperial Battlecruiser, but is as fast as a standard Imperial Cruiser.

The Arcadia Class was designed as a response to the frequent Necron incursions into the Arcadia Sector. Against the Necron fleet, Imperial ships were constantly finding themselves outmaneuvered by their Necron counterparts. Also, experience had shown that lance batteries were by far the most effective weapon system against Necron vessels. Thus, the Arcadia Class Battleship was designed to address both of these issues. The standard battlecruiser hull was lengthened, and much more powerful engines were installed, along with upgraded power relays to power the massive lance batteries. Two three-lance superfiring turrets were installed forward, and a third three-lance turret aft. A secondary weapons battery was installed amidships to deal with smaller threats.

I wanted to create an anti-Necron vessel. It only made sense, since the first forays I had against Necron vessels with my Imperial Fleets resulted in horrific defeats.

Hence the Arcadia Class was born. After constructing the Scutum Class Cruiser, I wanted to try to make another ship with the bridge moved forward. This, combined with a desire to make the ship's main battery an extremely powerful lance armament, I decided to make it look a lot like a World War II Battleship. Seeing as the lance battery was so powerful (it can unleash a Str9 broadside), I had to make it a battleship rather than a cruiser, in order to justify how the ship is able to generate sufficient power for them.
As such I lengthened the hull both forward and aft with plasticard and bits from another Imperial Cruiser. I used bits from a Chaos cruiser to make the triple lance turrets and the secondary battery amidships.
I'm not sure that I'm entirely happy with either the lenghthening of the engines (that is, how they look, not the added length), as well as the relatively featurelessness of the forward sides of the hull, as they look rather "blank". At some later date the ship can always undergo a cosmetic refit.
The Arcadia has yet to see action, but it will soon make the Necrons pay for the defeat at Axis Columen.
The Arcadia Class Battleship next to a Lunar Class Cruiser, showing the Arcadia's added length
Comparison shot showing the lance turrets facing to either side of the ship
As a little bit of a bonus, I magnetized the three lance turrets so I can rotate them at will.