Khnial class

The Khnial class adapted battle cruisers were a class of starships used by the Romulans by the early 25th century. They were constructed by the Tal Shiar following the collapse of the Romulan Star Empire when the twin homeworlds of Romulus and Remus were destroyed by the Hobus nova. These vessels were based on the D'deridex class but were further enhanced with the use of adapted Borg technology which led to its somewhat distorted configuration compared to the parent design.

These vessels were upgraded with the specific purpose of crippling and disabling enemy starships or even turning them against on another. Among its weaponry included an Indoctrination Nanite Dispersal System that used nanites to infect enemy vessels and turn them against one another. Another system was a modified Borg adapted Warp core that provided hull regenerative properties and made use of a version of transwarp. These vessels were also equipped with a cloaking device but its effectiveness was reduced as the Borg technology interfered in its operations. A crew of 1,500 were needed to operate this class of cruisers.

By 2409, the Tal Shiar began deploying adapted vessels where they attempted to aggressively bring about the formation of a new Romulan government under their control. (STO website: Legacy of Romulus Dev Blog #22)