Lion

Class: Armoured cruiser
Displacement: 7,890 Imperial tons.
Length: 360 ft (110 m).
Beam: 60 ft (18 m).
Draught: 24 ft (7.3 m).
Propulsion: 2 x vertical triple-expansion steam engines. 2 x screws. 44 x water tube boilers.
Speed: 20 kn (23 mph; 37 km/h)
Complement: 544 Officers and men.
Armament: 4 × 8 in (203 mm) guns. 10 × QF 6 in (150 mm) guns. 12 × 6 pdr (2.7 kg) guns.
Armour: 8 in (203 mm) to 12 in (305 mm) on the sides. 3 in (76 mm) on deck. 6 in (152 mm) on the conning tower.

Launched in 2168 from the Marteau et Des-Pinces shipyard at Naviana, Lion was originally commissioned as the Flag Ship for Commodore Morrowhock's ill fated Tongo expedition. During this mission she fought several engagements with Axian torpedo gun boats and sunk three enemy war ships and seven enemy freighters. She returned to Aquillea in 2170 and was placed in dry dock for an extensive over haul, but cost over runs and delays in fittng her new boilers meant she did not re enter service until 2174. She served seven years with the Grand Fleet before being reassigned to the Northern Fleet where she was made Flag Ship for the Third Squadron in 2182. In 2188 her commanding officer is Captain Albert Drumpond.

Lion's original engines and boilers were replaced by Carton-Découpé Engine Works in 2173 and she had a new pair of Radiant-6 electric dynamos added to bring her to the standard of the day. She has a range: 10,000 nmi (12,000 mi; 19,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h) and her latest inspection noted her machinery to be in excellent condition.