Mercenary MSX-133 “Super Hyena” Medium Starfighter:

In most ways the “Super Hyena” medium fighter could be considered an enlarged version of the standrad “Hyena” light fighter produced in multiple systems within the Three Galaxies. Some question the name “Super Hyena” because many say that the fighter is anything but “Super” and some even consider it inferior to the original Hyena fighter. Still, the name seems to have stuck.

The standard Hyena rates reasonably favorably to other light starfighter designs. The “Super Hyena” rates less favorably to other medium starfighter designs. It might be considered to have "over stretched" the original, and far smaller, Kitten trainer design. As a result, the medium fighter is much less popular with pilots as a result and has sold far less well than the standard “Hyena” light fighter. As well, competition in the medium fighter area is much tougher with the Human Alliance Osprey, Bushido Industries Katana, Wolfen Gladius, and Trans-Galactic Empire Flying Fang. Many Osprey fighters have been dropped on the market as the old fighter has been retired from the Consortium and Human Alliance forces. There are also several upgrades for the Osprey. Still, the Super Hyena fighter fills markets where the other medium fighters are not available and has sold reasonable well.

The “Super Hyena” is about twenty five percent larger than the standard “Hyena” and masses a bit over fifty percent greater than the original design. Only in height is it only slightly larger than the standard version of the Hyena. This is partially to enable the fighter to be able to operate for the hangers aboard starships and space stations. The medium fighter, as a virtue of its size, can withstand a bit more damage than the smaller "standard" version of the Hyena. Still, most medium fighter designs are tougher than the "Super Hyena," even the older Osprey class fighter being retired in Human Alliance service.

The designers used many of the same components as the standard model to reduce costs, many of which are civilian components. Like the standard Hyena, the Super Hyena is quite easy to maintain. In some cases the use of components from a smaller fighter has resulted in making the medium fighter underpowered compared to the standard model of the Hyena. This includes the variable shield generator. While the hull can withstand more damage than the original Hyena, the shield is no tougher.

Other areas where this weakness can be seen is in the fighter’s acceleration. While the original Hyena is equal in acceleration as the Katana fighter produced by Bushido Industries, the “Super Hyena” has about fifteen percent less acceleration and is equal to the older Human Alliance Osprey fighter. Atmospheric speed is also reduced to around Mach 6 unloaded and Mach 2.5 when fully loaded. Even though slower, most pilots don't really consider the “Super” much less maneuverable than the standard model. The fusion plant on the original Hyena is retained which gives the fighter four years between needing to be refueled.

The “Super Hyena” is armed similarly to it smaller version with a pair of lasers as the only direct fire weaponry. These are copies of the laser cannons originally developed for the Osprey medium starfighter and carried on a number of other fighter designs. The “Super” does have fifty percent more missile hard points than the standard model of the Hyena. The medium fighter has two hard points under each wing and two additional hard points under the fuselage. These hard points are identical otherwise with each able to carry a single capital missile, two long range missiles, four medium range missiles, or a mini-missile pod with sixteen mini-missiles. While all hard points can carry the mini-missile pods, generally they are carried on the wing hard points. Mini-missiles are generally used for ground attack roles.

This starfighter design uses modified starship speed and weapon range rules. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.

(Note: The power system is fusion not anti-matter because the author’s opinion is that anti-matter is too dangerous to be used in vehicles that may be used in an atmosphere. If a starship powered by anti-matter was to detonate in an atmosphere it would cause huge planetary damage. At GM option, this can also be applied to all starfighters or this “fighter” can be changed to anti-matter.)

Model Type: MSX-133
Vehicle Type: Medium Starfighter
Crew: One.

M.D.C. By Location:

	Wing Laser Cannons (2):	30 each
	Missile Hard Points (6, on the Underside):	10 each
	[1] Wings (2):	300 each
	[2] Main Body:	580
	Cockpit:	120
	[3] Variable Force Field:	200 per side (1,200 total)

Notes:
[1] Destroying a wing will cause the light fighter to crash if it is flying within an atmosphere. Destruction of a wing has no effect in space.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the trainer out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[3] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (60 M.D.C.) per melee round (Shields are optional).

Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 40 percent of the speed of light. Fighter can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.2 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum normal speed is Mach 6 (4,448.7 mph / 7,159.5 kph), can enter an atmosphere because flight system is by contra grav. When loaded down with ordinance, fighter’s top speed in an atmosphere is Mach 2.5 (1,853.6 mph / 2,983.1 kph)
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by drive system but only has supplies for pilot for six days.

Statistical Data:
Length: 38.8 feet (11.83 meters)
Height: 10.3 feet (3.14 meters)
Width: 35.6 feet (10.85 meters)
Weight: 11.3 tons (10.25 metric tons) empty and 14.4 tons (13.06 metric tons) fully loaded with cruise missiles
Power System: Advanced Fusion with 4 year life span.
Cargo: Minimal Storage Space, place for a rifle, handgun, small survival kit, signal flares, and food rations.
Market Cost: 32 million credits. Without variable shields, reduce fighters cost by 4 million.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) Light Laser Cannons: On each wing of the starfighter is a laser cannon mount. They are not as efficient as modern laser cannons beams but are more massive than most modern laser mounts. This means that they are actual slightly more powerful and slightly longer ranged than those carried by the CAF Black Eagle. However, they are not as powerful as the rail gun mounted on the Black Eagle. The gun pods are controlled by the fighters pilot.
Maximum Effective Range: 6 miles (9.7 km) through atmosphere and 600 miles (966 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: 2D4x10+10 per single blast, or 4D4x10+20 per double blast
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Six (6) Hard Points: The fighter has a total of six hard points which can mount missiles or mini-missile pods. Each wing has two hard points and there are two hard points on the fuselage. Each hard point can carry one cruise missile, two long range missiles, four medium range missiles, or a mini-missile pod with a capcity for sixteen mini-missiles. The pylon must carry all the same type ordnance with generally only the outer hard points carrying mini-missile pods.
1. Missiles: Cruise missile are normally carried when on an anti-capital ship role and long and medium range missiles when fighting other starfighters. Cruise Missiles have a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship.) Long Range Missiles have a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship.) Medium Range Missiles have a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. Whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will continue to travel in a straight line unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting starships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile, when unpowered, is at -25% to be detected.) Cruise missiles have penalties to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. Missiles can be launched on multiple targets simultaneously.
  Maximum Effective Range: Cruise Missile range is 8,000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space, Long Range Missile range is 3,400 miles (5,470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,897,000 km/9.7 light seconds) in space, and Medium Range Missile range is 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds) in space.
  Mega-Damage & Properties: See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details (Cruise Anti-Matter multi-warheads inflict 5D6x100 M.D.C. each and Long Range Fusion warheads inflict 2D4x100 M.D.C. each.)
  Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2) missiles.
  Payload: One (1) Cruise Missile, Two (2) Long Range Missiles, or Four (4) Medium Range Missiles per hard point.
2. Mini-Missile Pod: While all hard points can carry mini-missile pods, generally these are only carried on the "wings" of the starfighter that can be used against ground targets, infantry, and against starships. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration). Mini-Missile in the Phase World setting are normally guided.
  Maximum Effective Range: Mini-Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space.
  Mega Damage: Varies with mini-missile types (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)
  Rate of Fire: Each pod can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8) and can be linked with other mini missile pods for greater number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in a volley.)
  Payload: Each pod carries sixteen (16) mini-missiles.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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