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Spitfire Modular Heavy Starfighter (Xanadu Station / New Coventry):

Good friend of the leader of the Xanadu Station system, a mutant tiger turbo jockey named “Startiger” had an idea to develop a new heavy starfighter design. Not a true engineer herself, she had a design team do most of the development of the fighter although she had a huge amount of input during the development. She was also given the first operation version of the fighter.

Her idea was a heavy modular fighter. The advantages would be that one could replace weaponry with mission effective ordnance although other advantages include the ability to upgrade later and repair far more quickly than might otherwise be done with a non modular fighter. The fighter is slightly smaller than the Proctor class heavy fighter operated by the Consortium but is in many ways consider a superior design.

Even though first adopted by Xanadu Station military forces, the ship is actually better known from New Coventry defense forces. Prior to adopting the Spitfire, the operated the Consortium Proctor. New Coventry manufactures the Spitfire heavy fighter for their own use. A small number of other forces operate this fighter but no other systems have purchased the right to manufacture the fighter themselves. The heavy fighter is also operated by some mercenary units. 

Different roles envisioned for the Spitfire include attack missions, anti-capital ship roles, and long range combat reconnaissance. It is designed to be able to mount four forward firing weapons, either energy weapons or gravity rail guns. Two are on the fuselage with the other two on the inner wing. In addition to gravity rail guns, these include an extremely powerful but short ranged and slow firing plasma weapon, wide focus tachyon scatter beams, and longer ranged particle beams and laser weaponry. The ship also has the ability to mount a rear turret which carries two energy weapons or rail guns. The rear turret also can mount a tractor beam in addition to the two energy weapons or rail guns.

For missile weaponry, the fighter has the ability to mount two missile launchers on the outer wings. These have the advantage of being better shielded than external ordnance as well as designed not to produce atmospheric drag. The launchers do lack some flexibility compared to external hard points although two different launchers can be carried. Launchers can carry up to four capital missiles for a maximum of eight anti-ship missiles. Usually a fighter will carry a single capital missile launcher with a medium range or long range missile launcher to give the heavy fighter a greater measure of self defense. While both short range missile launchers or mini-missile launchers can be carried, they are far less commonly mounted that capital, long range, and medium range missiles. If they are carried, they are more likely carried for ground attack roles.

As with the weaponry, the propulsion systems are modular. The most powerful drive is twenty percent more powerful than the standard drive mounted on the Consortium Proctor. In addition, there is the option to mount an auxiliary thruster. The thruster has fuel for thirty minutes and the heavy fighter can accelerate almost as fast as the Black Eagle fighter while the thruster is operating. In addition, the faster than light drive is modular. If mounted, it gives the ship the ability to travel at up to four light years per hour. The fusion plant powering the systems is a modified version of the one carried by the Proctor.

Even without additional armor, the fighter is quite tough but there are two armor upgrade packages available. With the full armor upgrade, the heavy fighter is almost as tough as the Proctor class fighter. Shields are available in three different power levels. One is similar to that carried on medium fighters such as the Black Eagle and Katana but the heaviest are as strong as those carried on the Proctor. There is a repair drone that allows the ship to have some limited repairs performed while underway as well. This is especially useful if there is not a qualified engineer aboard.

A number of different electronic and sensor packages are available. At the low end, they are only equal to civilian level systems. Middle level is more typical military level. The most advanced systems are similar to those mounted on the more advanced Consortium craft. There are some thoughts towards mounting a high powered jamming system to be able to operate the craft in a “Wild Weasel” type role. The disadvantages of such jamming is that they can interfere with their own forces and even the craft itself.

Xanadu Station system may not make many of the most advanced systems available to some customers. These include the plasma weaponry and tachyon scatter beams, the most powerful propulsion systems, faster than light drives, heavy shields, or the most advanced sensor and electronics packages. As well, some customers don’t see the utility of the auxiliary thruster. If the craft are designed for only in system use, the purchaser is likely to opt to not mount the faster than light drives. Some also consider the most powerful electronic packages of limited utility and may skimp on them as well.

These ships are designed to be operated by a crew of one to three crew members. An additional passengers can also be carried. In some cases, the passenger position might be taken up by an engineer acting as a fourth member of the crew. Of course, a crew member can act as a tail gunner as well as the engineering. Few times will the rear turret need to be constantly manned. Of course, if only manned by a single pilot, the tail gun cannot be manned. The ship only has four “coffins” similar to those carried on the Proctor adjacent to the small cargo hold of the heavy fighter.

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 to 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: CMS-1X

Vehicle Type: Heavy Modular Starfighter

Crew:           One, Two, or Three (Pilot, Weapon Operator/Navigator, turret gunner), can carry one additional passenger.

M.D.C. By Location:

Notes:

[1] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the heavy fighter out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.

[2] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5%(60 / 90 /120 M.D.C.) per melee round.

Speed:

Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.

Sublight: Has a special radiation shielding that allows the ship to travel up to 50 percent of the speed of light.

With Engine System One, can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.8 percent of light per melee round.

With Engine System Two, can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.0 percent of light per melee round.

With Engine System Three, can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.2 percent of light per melee round.

Using Optional Auxiliary Thrusters, increase the craft’s maximum acceleration by 0.3 percent of light per melee round (1.1 / 1.3 / 1.5 percent light per melee round depending on main engine) but limited to a maximum of 30 minutes before fuel is exhausted.

Stardrive: Gravitronic Drive system, if installed, allows the ship to reach a maximum of four light-years per hour.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Engines are contra-grav so the ship is capable of leaving an atmosphere with all engine types.

With Engine System One, Can travel at Mach 3 (1,980 mph / 3,186.5 kph) in an atmosphere.

With Engine System Two, Can travel at Mach 4 (2,640 mph / 4,248.7 kph) in an atmosphere.

With Engine System Three, Can travel at Mach 5 (3,300 mph / 5310.8 kph) in an atmosphere.

Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by the fighter’s drive systems but only has supplies for three members for about four months.

Statistical Data:

Length:         75 feet (22.9 meters).

Height:         18 feet (5.5 meters).

Width:          65 feet (19.8 meters).

Weight:        290 tons (263.1 metric tons) fully loaded.

Power System: Advanced Fusion with 50 year life span.

Cargo: Minimal Storage Space 5 x 5 x 4 feet (1.5 x 1.5 x 1.2 meters). In addition, each crew member has a very small locker for personal items and uniforms.

Market Cost: Varies by component prices (Completely unloaded with no weapons, propulsion, shield, etc) costs 20 million credits). See below for details. Would likely cost double or more on the black market. There are no knock off designs

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. Energy Weaponry / Rail Guns: The heavy fighter has four forward firing mounts for energy weapons or rail guns. Two are mounted under the fuselage while the other two are mounted in the wing roots. It also has the ability to mount two energy weapons or rail guns in a rear firing turret. The turret can rotate up to eighty degrees to either side as well as above and below for a wide arc of fire. Weapons in either the front of the fighter or in the turret can be linked for greater damage even if they are of different types.

   Forward Firing: Four (4 - 2 fuselage and 2 wing roots)

   Optional Turret: Two (2)

   1. 2 cm HI Laser Cannons: Standard High Intensity lasers. The weapon can be mounted in any or all of the energy/beam positions on the starship or turret. The weapon is the longest range energy weapon available to the Spitfire.

      Maximum Effective Range: 1,000 miles (1,609 km) in space and 10 miles (16 km) in an atmosphere.

      Mega Damage: 2D6x10 M.D. per cannon (Can be linked with other weapons)

      Rate of Fire: Equal to pilots’ or gunners’ hand to hand (Usually 4 or 5).

      Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

   2. 2.5 cm Particle Beam Cannons: The Particle Beam cannons are designed to do more damage than laser cannons but have less range. Still, it is considered in many ways the best compromise weapon with both good range and inflicting heavy damage.

      Maximum Effective Range: 600 miles (960 km) in space and range is 6 miles (9.6 km) in atmosphere.

      Mega Damage: 3D6x10 M.D. per cannon.

      Rate of Fire: Equal to pilots’ or gunner’s hand to hand (Usually 4 or 5).

      Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

   3. 2 cm Gravity Rail Gun: This weapon is designed to be used against targets that are impervious to energy weapons. It has a range between that of the laser and the particle beam. Rail Gun fires its projectiles at at a significant fraction of the speed of light so it can use the cannon at high sublight speeds. Fires a 20 mm projectile.

      Maximum Effective Range: 800 miles (1,290 km) in space and 8 miles (12.9 km) in an atmosphere.

      Mega Damage: 2D6x10 M.D. per 20 round burst, per cannon (Can be linked with other weapons).

      Rate of Fire: Equal to pilots’ or gunner’s hand to hand (Usually 4 or 5).

      Payload: 4,000 Rounds (200 Bursts).

   4. Plasma Cannon: A very heavy weapon that fired superheated plasma. It has tremendous damage but has a limited rate of fire and has limited range. Weapon system is designed for heavy assault missions and is especially effective against surface targets and capital ships. They cannot be used faster than the speed of light.

      Maximum Effective Range: 25 miles (40 km) in space and 1,200 feet (326 m) in an atmosphere.

      Mega-Damage: 1D4x100 M.D. per cannon.

      Rate of Fire: Twice per melee each (each shot counts as two melee attacks, even when linked together).

      Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

   5. Tachyon Scatter Beams: Fires a wide blast that effects all targets in a cone that affects all targets in a cone that can destroy whole volleys of missiles before the strike the ship (Roll once against a volley and unless the missiles roll to dodge greater than strike roll, they are all destroyed.) The stream lasts for significant fraction of a second and missiles tend to run into the stream (Gives +4 bonus vs fast moving targets such as missiles.) This system has an interesting property that the system can actually be used at faster than light speeds because Tachyons travel faster than the speed of light.

      Maximum Effective Range: 99.4 miles (160 km) with a width of 12.4 miles (20 km), range and width is one sixteenth in an atmosphere.

      Mega Damage: 2D4x10 M.D.C. each.

      Rate of Fire: Maximum of four (4) times per melee each.

      Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

2. Two (2) Missile Launchers: Instead of mounting hard points, the heavy fighters has two missile launchers mounted on the wings. They are designed as to not interfere with atmospheric flight. The missile launchers can be linked only if they are of the same type.

   1. Cruise Missile Launchers: Cruise Missile launchers are commonly used for capital ships, bases and space stations. The missile has 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.) 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.

      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.

      Mega-Damage: Varies with cruise missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables - Cruise Anti-Matter multi-warheads inflict 5D6x100 M.D.C. each.)

      Rate of Fire: Can fire cruise missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) - Eight (8) with both launchers being cruise missiles.

      Payload: Four (4) cruise range missiles per launcher.

   2. Long Range Missile Launchers: Long Range Missile launchers are commonly used for heavy ground targets and ships. The missile has a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (far faster than any starship.) 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.) Long range missiles do not have minuses to hit small targets, unlike cruise missiles, and are all considered smart missiles.

      Maximum Effective Range: 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.

      Mega-Damage: Varies with long range missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables - Fusion warheads inflict 2D4x100 M.D.C. each.)

      Rate of Fire: Can fire long range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) - sixteen (16) with both launchers being long range missiles.

      Payload: Eight (8) long range missiles per launcher.

   3. Medium Range Missile Launchers: Medium Range Missile launchers are commonly used for ground targets and against other fighters. If both pods are medium range missile launchers, then weapons can be linked. The missile has a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. Normally used for anti-fighter and point defense.

      Maximum Effective Range: 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: Varies with medium range missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)

      Rate of Fire: Can fire medium range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) - sixteen (16) with both launchers being medium range missiles.

      Payload: Sixteen (16) medium range missiles per launcher.

   4. Short Range Missile Launchers: Short Range Missile launchers are commonly used for ground targets and against other fighters. If both pods are short range missile launchers, then weapons can be linked. The missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 4% of light per turn (faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration)

      Maximum Effective Range: Short range missile range is 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere and 500 miles (804.7 km) in space.

      Mega-Damage: Varies with short range missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)

      Rate of Fire: Can fire short range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) - sixteen (16) with both launchers being short range missiles.

      Payload: Thirty-Two (32) short range missiles per launcher.

   5. Mini-Missile Launchers: Mini-Missile launchers are commonly used for ground suppression. If both pods are Mini-missile launchers, then weapons can be linked. The 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)

      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 type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)

      Rate of Fire: Can fire mini-missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or twelve (12) - twenty-four (24) with both launchers being mini-missiles.

      Payload: Sixty-Four (64) mini-missiles per launcher.

3. Automated Repair Drone: This system gives a limited ability to repair ships damage including minor hull or weapon damage. Can repair a maximum of half the M.D.C. of any damage M.D.C. location by welding damage and stabilizing locations. Repair rate is at the rate of 20 M.D.C. per hour. For other repairs, system has a skill roll of 35%.

4. System Bonuses: The ships combat bonuses is based on the starships systems. Engine Upgrades effect ships bonuses to dodge, dogfighting, and skill bonuses to piloting. Sensor upgrades effect ship’s bonuses to strike and bonuses to make read sensory rolls.

   Engine Upgrades:

   Engine System One gives the ship no bonuses.

   Engine System Two gives bonuses of +1 to dodge, +1 to dogfighting rolls, and +5% to piloting rolls.

   Engine System Three gives bonuses of +2 to dodge, +2 to dogfighting rolls, and +10% to piloting rolls.

   Sensor / E.C.M. Upgrades:

   Sensor/E.C.M. System One gives no bonuses.

   Sensors/E.C.M.System Two gives bonuses of +1 to strike and +5% to read sensory equipment. Sensor/E.C.M. System Three gives bonuses of +2 to strike, an additional +1 to dodge missiles due to spoofing, and +10% to read sensory equipment.