After countless failed projects over the years, the dream of linking fleets with sub-Battlecruiser hulls was eventually shelved and relegated to the realm of engineering theory. It remained this way for some time, tempting few starship manufacturers to revisit the challenge, even after the discovery of ancient Sleeper designs and the influx of fullerene-based technology. It was not until the first Strategic Cruiser hulls began appearing in small numbers across the empires that they began to truly appreciate the potential Tech III vessels had for modifications.