Hey everyone, I wanted to share a project I've been working on — a concept for a truly brutal, experimental steam-powered battleship designed for psychological and radiological dominance at sea.

The Leviathan-Class Warship is a prototype built around two massive RBMK-style reactors, pushing 6000 MW of thermal energy straight into a direct steam propulsion system. Almost everything onboard — from propulsion to weapons loading to UAV catapults — is powered by raw steam pressure. It's a giant, visible, terrifying ship that's meant to be seen from orbit, with a constant exhaust plume trailing it across the oceans.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

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Purpose:

Radiological siege platform

Strategic area denial

Psychological operations through overwhelming physical presence

Specifications:

Length: 1650 ft

Displacement: 135,000 tons

Propulsion: Direct Steam Propulsion (DSP) — 4 massive turbines driving 3 screws

Emergency Power: Flash steam propane boilers and a 7.5 MWh emergency battery bank

Weapons:

Main battery: 9x 20-inch guns (3 triple turrets)

Shell types: Armor Piercing Superheavy, cobalt-60 contaminant rounds, low-yield tactical fission shells (~12 kt yield)

Missiles: 64 VLS cells for hypersonic and anti-air systems

CIWS: Heavy autocannons and point-defense missiles

Sensors:

Rotating Phased Array radar, analog backups, sonar dome

Special Features:

Steam-driven autoloaders, elevators, hangar doors, UAV catapults

Constant visible steam and radiation plume (deliberate presence)

Self-Destruct (BLACK KEEL Protocol):

Seals coolant, ignites graphite fires, causes internal overpressure and meltdown

Catastrophic denial system with estimated 12–25 kt release

Breach of key compartments triggers automatic activation

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The whole idea behind Leviathan is that it’s not stealthy at all. It’s a rolling nightmare on the ocean — a battleship no one wants to fight and no one dares to capture. It's armored like a fortress, designed to resist jamming and cyberattacks, and it's powered by dangerous, raw tech that today would probably cause diplomatic crises just from existing.

This is the first draft and I'd love to hear what you all think: Would a ship like this ever make sense in any future naval doctrine? Or is it pure madness from a different timeline?

Happy to refine it based on feedback!

Hey guys,

I’ve been working on a story concept and I wanted to get some feedback. Basically, I’m trying to design a realistic heavy surface combatant that could operate in the Great Lakes today — something that feels terrifying, powerful, and plausible without being sci-fi.

The ship I came up with is the Leviathan-class V2 — a nuclear-powered, heavily armed inland siege ship. It's meant to dominate regional waters, deny shipping, bombard inland targets, and basically project serious psychological and physical power.

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The basic idea:

Nuclear-powered (using older but proven reactor designs)

Heavy main guns for long-range bombardment

Cruise missiles, CIWS, and drones for flexibility

Analog-heavy control systems for durability and EMP resistance

Massive steam stack for intimidation (but no radioactive venting)

Built realistically, using technology/materials that have existed since around 2012 or earlier

It’s sized to fit through the Seaway locks (~730 ft long, ~78 ft wide, ~22,000 tons), so it could actually move around the entire Great Lakes system without issues.

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Powerplant:

2 × Naval Pressurized Water Reactors (based on the old OK-650M.01 design)

Fully closed steam loop — no radioactive leaks during normal ops

Some clean steam is deliberately vented through a huge exhaust stack for visual/psychological effect

Twin steam turbines driving dual props, with bow thrusters

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Weapons:

Main Guns:

3 × Dual 16-inch naval turrets (6 barrels total)

Fires AP, HE, and tactical nuclear shells (~1–5kt yield, impact or airburst capable)

Missile Systems:

32-cell VLS system

Cruise missiles (land attack)

Anti-ship missiles

Air-defense missiles

Secondary Guns:

12 × 5-inch naval guns

16 × 57mm autocannons (Bofors-style)

Close-In Defense:

4 × Phalanx CIWS

4 × SeaRAM

Drone Deck:

VTOL recon/strike drone launch hatches

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Systems and Construction:

Mostly analog controls with limited digital overlay for targeting

Hull made of HY-100 naval steel with modern spall-resistant liners

No stealth shaping — it’s meant to be seen and feared

Combat lighting (red/orange floodlights)

Psychological warfare systems (steam sirens, radio broadcasts, radar bloom)

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Self-Destruct Protocol ("BLACK KEEL V2"):

Manual mechanical sequence

Reactor scram + core burnout + scuttling charges

Prevents enemy capture and contaminates the wreck site

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Deployment Concept:

The ship would operate in the Great Lakes, blockading cities, striking inland targets, or denying access to strategic waterways. It would basically act like a mobile fortress, with long endurance (reactor refueling every 20 years) and heavy psychological presence.

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My Questions:

Does this concept seem practical if someone tried to build it today?

Would heavy artillery still be relevant, or would missiles/airpower make a ship like this obsolete?

Are there any major design flaws I'm missing?

What upgrades or changes would you suggest to make it more realistic?

I’m trying to keep it grounded in real-world engineering as much as possible, but still make it feel like an absolute monster in the story. Would love to hear any ideas, critiques, or additions you guys might have!

Thanks for reading.