The Z-10 Vaporhawk was one of the 24-36 dozen new designs pushed through by the Romulans in the 2290s and 2300s in an attempt to build up the Star Navy to deal with the suddenly much larger Presence of the Klingon Empire, and the Grand Alliance, composed of Federation-Kzinti-Gorn. Even more than other Romulan Capital Ships, it is more of a Poor Man's Battlecruiser than an actual Battleship, and with efficient cloaking and long-range weaponry, has easily functioned as a lone ambusher.