Wraith cruiser

Wraith cruisers are vessels that are used by the Wraith that function as escorts for hive-ships.

Overview
Wraith cruisers are typically seen to escort Hive-ships during assaults or when feeding on a Human world. When their Hive-ships are destroyed, the escorting cruisers typically abandon the battlefield by escaping into hyperspace. Beyond this role, they are also seen in the role of patrol ships that are sent to investigate disturbances near Wraith territory. They are also sent alone against Human worlds in order to cull its inhabitants that are incapable of mounting a defense against the vessel. Similar to other Wraith vessels, they apparently do not possess shields and instead rely on their organic hull to protect them from damage.

When among the company of a Hive ship, cruisers typically are carried into hyperspace even though they are capable of entering it by themselves. They are known to carry Wraith Darts on them which are deployed in combat engagements though the exact number of darts remains unknown.

Command & Control
Similar to the great hive ships of the Wraith, the cruisers contained a bridge with numerous consoles that were controlled by the crewmen. The commander of the vessel, which can be a Hive queen, was capable of activating the ships self destruct sequence which can be set on a timer. A set sequence on the ship's command console allowed for deactivation of the ship's detonation command.

Bridge
A cruiser contains a similar bridge structure as that of the hive ships with numerous consoles being present where the crew stand with no seating apparent. Various information from these terminals are used to operate the ship allowing the crew to fire weapons, enter hyperspace and control repair operations. Computer consoles are present which present new information to the crew on the situation outside the ship. They furthermore note on the deployment of darts.

Dart bay
Cruisers were capable of carrying a compliment of Darts, which they released for culling and combat engagements. Col. John Sheppard used a cloaked puddle jumper to enter the Dart bay of Michael Kenmore's cruiser in order to rescue Teyla Emmagan.

Whenever a cruiser would face destruction, Darts from the bay are launched in an attempt to board an enemy ship.


 * Presumably, the dart bay contained many of the same features as those on a Hive ship.

Hyperdrive
The Wraith hyperdrive aboard cruisers is unique in that it appears to be suspended from the ceiling of the vessel. Several terminals lay on the ground where crewmen tended to the controls. Typically, three crewmen were all that was required to maintain the hyperdrive.

The hyperdrive of Michael Kenmore's cruiser was damaged by the plasma beam weapons of the Daedalus. However, the repairs were completed quickly until John Sheppard used explosives to permanently destroy the hyperdrive.


 * Presumably, a Hive ship contains an exact but larger version of these hyperdrives within their ships.

History

 * During the Siege of Atlantis, numerous cruisers survived the conflict when the Daedalus arrived but instead of fighting to the death, they retreated into hyperspace.
 * Two cruisers discovered the Ancient warship Aurora and attempted to board it but were destroyed when the ship activated its self destruct.
 * A cruiser was present on Olesia where it attempted to kill AR-1 but was damaged by a drone weapon from a Gateship.
 * One cruiser was damaged during the first siege of Atlantis when the Lanteans were in control of the city and was shot down whereupon it crashed into the bottom of the sea where it remained intact after 10,000 years.
 * A cruiser discovered an Aurora class vessel used by the Travelers but was destroyed when the ship launched its drone weapons.
 * Michael Kenmore possessed a cruiser which he used as his mobile base of operations which he used to capture Teyla Emmagan but it was eventually destroyed by the Daedalus's Asgard plasma beam weapons.
 * Todd had two cruisers present with his hive ship when he had negotiations concerning the gene therapy to eliminate the need to feed on humans. Both were called away to help defend one of their alliance's facilities and were subsequently destroyed, due to the Attero Device, when they entered hyperspace.

Known cruisers

 * Michael's cruiser