The Rama was the first ship class to employ a practical mobile mass driver. Previously, mass drivers were only used as weapons on planetary defense platforms, due to their size and power requirements. Technology had progressed enough by the middle of the first war so that the Rama was able to employ a scaled down version of the weapon. However, the weapon system needed its own, small, independent power plant. In the Type IIs, a refit of the original Rama-Class, upgraded main reactors eliminated the need for the second reactor. The slug fired by the Rama is 200 lbs. and does not contain an anti-matter core like the newer Armstrong and Powell class capital ships. Still, it can cripple enemy frigates and escort ships with ease, and the enemy learned early on not to let a Rama point its bow at them. The Rama captains are trained to use this weapon to cripple enemy ships by targeting specific locations, like engines, bridges and weapons systems. In addition to the mass driver, the Ramas have a pair of heavy pulse lasers, to maintain combat flexibility. They also have a pair of long-range missile launchers, and eight 120mm electromagnetic rail auto cannons which they use to protect the larger ships they often escort from fighter attacks. The Rama destroyers are named after legendary war heroes, often mythical. Examples include the Rama, Beowulf, Herakles, Heimdall, and Lu Bei. (created with DOGA-L3)