The Mikkelson class was the cruiser versions of the Ross class battleships. These were equivalents to the Cressy and Drake classes built by the Royal Navy. The main armament of those was 2x9.2" and 12x6" for the Cressy and a mixture of two single 9.2" and 16x6" on the Drake. The four 9.5" and ten 6" on the Mikkelson class was much superior. The class had been designed with multi-role uses in mind. In times of peace their long range made them very useful patrolling the coasts of Antarctica. In time of war, they could act either as scouts for the main fleet or as commerce raiders, that would be determined by who they were at war with.



Where a lot of battleships and cruisers had armoured conning towers both fore and aft, the Antarctican Navy ships had either one aft or none at all. Just superstructure with a bit of armour for the steering position and officer country above. It was the reciprocating engines that had the remaining ships being discarded in 1920. The newer Manahan class with their turbine engines remained.

 

Displacement	14,500 tons standard, 17,500 tons full load
Length	487 ft
Breadth	70 ft
Draught	24 ft
Machinery	2 shaft, reciprocating engines, 30,000ihp
Speed	24 knots
Range	9,000 miles at 10 knots
Armour	6" side, 2" deck, 4" turrets
Armament	As completed 4 x 9.5" (2x2) 10 x 6" LA (10x1) 4 x 4" (4x1) replaced with AA guns 1917 4 x 2pd (4x1) replaced with AA 1917
Torpedoes	nil
Complement	750-780 as Flagship
Notes	Captain Mikkelson Colonel Arctowski Pilot Major Landry Commander Hibbet

A note to the various ranks used for the different classes of ship. These could be either Army or Navy personnel.

Naval Ranks.
Grand Admiral (Admiral of the Fleet distinguished in battle)
Lord Admiral (Senate Head of the Navy)
Admiral (Could be either a Rear or Vice Admiral)
Commodore (Senior Captain in charge of a group of ships)
Captain (Usually in command of a cruiser, battleship, destroyer flotilla, or later an aircraft carrier)
Commander (Usually captain of a destroyer - or larger miscellaneous ship)
Captain General (older term for a commander of a group of ships - replaced with Commodore)
Pilot Major (older term for the second in command of a group of ships)
Lieutenant - Lieutenant Commander (in charge of smaller vessels)

Army Ranks.
General (Senate leader of the Army, Leader of an Army/Division)
Major General, Brigadier General, Lieutenant General, (in charge of different sized units)
Brigadier (Leader of a Brigade sized force)
Colonel (Leader of a Regiment)
Major (Normally a second in command position to a Colonel or General)
Captain (In command of units smaller than regiments)
Lieutenant - Sergeants (junior ranks that may have distinguished themselves)

The term 'Captain' can be either Navy or Army - a Naval Captain is senior to an Army Captain.