New Coventry CSF-4 Badger Light Starfighter:

The Badger light star fighter is designed and constructed by New Coventry military industries. The light fighter was one of the first pieces of military hardware developed by the New Coventry defense forces. They had previously operate mixed light fighter forces including the Human Alliance Vixen and Consortium Scorpion light fighter. It was designed to fill the role of both fighters. Since developing the Badger light fighter, New Coventry has also developed the Lightning to replace their medium fighters although it has not entered service in large numbers.

In production for about a decade, the Badger has replaced previous light fighters in service in their defense forces and the fighter has been exported in moderate numbers. It is about twenty percent more expensive than the standard Scorpion although only marginally more expensive than an upgraded Scorpion. There was an attempt to sell the design to the Human Alliance and Consortium but instead the larger military forces seem to have decided to develop an upgrade the Scorpion due to operating the Consortium light fighter design in large numbers. Even though some Consortium and Human Alliance senior fleet officers would like to adopt the New Coventry light fighter, the logistic support for a new fighter would make it prohibitive. If New Coventry had operated the Scorpion in large numbers, they might have also developed an upgrade program.

The Scorpion was studied extensively by New Coventry officers and engineers before the Badger was developed. As a result of this, the Badger addresses many of the weaknesses with the Scorpion and if has been said that the Badger is twice as effective as a standard Scorpion. The Badger is build around the exact same rail gun as the Scorpion, the GR-1000 Rail Gun. As much as possible, the New Coventry military has standardized around the GR-1000 Rail Gun. The Badger adds a pair of light lasers which are used to engage targets which not worth engaging with the rail gun. This included missile defense roles for fleet protection.

The Badger is designed to be able to engage enemy fighters at longer range than the Scorpion and carries medium range missile launchers instead of mini-missile launchers. Each launcher has eight medium range missiles for a total of sixteen medium range missiles. The usual tactic is to engage with medium range missiles before dogfighting to reduce the number of attacking fighters. Medium range missiles are also extremely useful in defensive roles when protecting a capital ship against incoming anti-ship missiles. Originally the fighter was developed as an attack fighter and was equipped with hard points for two anti-ship capital missiles. The fighter was modified to a multi-role configuration with the hard points able to carry four long range missiles. While the Badger could carry a single capital missiles and a pair of long range missiles, this is rarely done. Older fighters were modified while new fighters were built with the hard points already able to carry both capital and long range missiles. The capital missiles are carried when making attacks on capital ships and the long range missiles are carried when on an interception or anti-fighter roles.

Like the Vixen, the Badger is designed to be aerodynamic for better atmospheric performance. The Scorpion is an extremely blocky design and has less than optimal atmospheric performance. One of the most outstanding features of the Badger is a new gravity propulsion system which gives the Badger slightly better space acceleration than the Scorpion. It is one of the fastest craft in the Three Galaxies. One of the most criticized weaknesses of the Scorpion is the lack of shields. This is addressed on the Badger with comparatively light shields mounted on the Badger. Shield generators are adapted from those on the Human Alliance Osprey fighter although are far more efficient while having similar output. The Badger is twenty-five percent more massive than the Scorpion. As well, the fighter carries a smaller fuel supply for the reactor only able to go about ten years while the Scorpion mounts a twenty-five year fuel supply. The drive of the Badger is far more temperamental than that of the Scorpion and requires far more maintenance.

This fighter 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: CSF-4
Vehicle Type: Light Interceptor and bomber
Crew: One.

M.D.C. By Location:

	Nose GR-1000 Gravity Rail Gun:	50
	Wing Light Lasers (2):	30 each
	Belly Medium Range Missile Launcher:	250
	Missile Pylons (2, on the Underside):	10 each
	[1] Main Body:	500
	Cockpit:	125
	[2] Variable Force Field:	200 per side (1,200 total)

Notes:
[1] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the 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 M.D.C.) per melee round.

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 2.0 percent of light per melee. When the fighter is fully loaded with ordnance, reduce acceleration to 1.9 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 10 (6,700 mph / 10,800 kph), can enter an atmosphere because flight system is using contra grav. When the light starfighter is carrying cruise missiles on external hard points, speed is limited to Mach 2 (1,340 mph/2,160 kph)
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by drive system but only has supplies for pilot for one week.

Statistical Data:
Length: 35 feet (10.6 meters)
Height: 11 feet (3.4 meters)
Width: 34 feet (10.4 meters)
Weight: 7.5 tons (6.8 metric tons) without cruise missile [With cruise missiles, weight is 9.5 tons (8.6 metric tons)]
Power System: Advanced Fusion with 10 year life span.
Cargo: Minimal Storage Space, place for a rifle, handgun, small survival kit, signal flares, and food rations.
Market Cost: 35 million credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

GR-1000 Gravity Rail Gun: The gravity rail gun is mounted in the nose of the starfighter and is the fighters primary weapon system. In many ways, the fighter is built around the rail gun. The rail gun is the same rail gun as is carried in the C.A.F. Scorpion Starfighter. Weapon is mainly used as an anti-starfighter and strafing weapon. When used in space, When used in space, projectiles are fired from rail guns at a significant fraction of the speed of light and when used in an atmosphere are fired at a slower but still at hypersonic speeds. The gravity rail gun uses a 30 mm projectile.
Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (26 km) through atmosphere and 1,600 miles (2,575 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: Rail gun inflicts 4D6x10 M.D.C. for a 40 round burst.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the Pilot (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: 10,000 Rounds (250 Bursts).
Two (2) Light Lasers Cannons: On each wing of the starfighter are light short range lasers. Weapons are relatively underpowered but still effective. They are designed to be used to conserve ammo when a target does not need the full fire power of the rail gun such as shooting down missiles and is for emergencies when the rail gun is damaged or out of ammunition.
Maximum Effective Range: 4000 feet (1219 m) through atmosphere and 78.8 miles (121.9 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: 1D6x10+20 for both cannons (5D6+10 if one is destroyed)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the Pilot (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Two (2) Missile Hard Points: Under each wing are hard points to carry and launch either one cruise missile or two long range missiles. The fighter will not normally carry both but will instead carry all the same type of missile. Cruise Missiles are carried on anti-capital ship missions and Long Range Missiles are carried on ant-starfighter and interception missions.. 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.) 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. Weapon system can be used on multiple targets.
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 and 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 & Properties: See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details (Cruise Anti-Matter inflicts 4D6x100 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), three (3), or four (4) missiles.
Payload: One (1) cruise missile or two (2) long range missiles per hard point - Maximum of two (2) cruise missiles or four (4) long range missiles. Missiles types are rarely mixed.
Two (2) Medium Range Missile Launchers: Inside the belly of the fighter is a medium range missile launcher. Weapon system is used for hitting enemy robots, fighters, and missiles. Weapon system is also used for anti-cruise missile. 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. Weapon system can be used on multiple targets.
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 missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) medium range missiles.
Payload: Eight (8) medium range missiles per launcher for sixteen (16) medium range missiles total.
Special Bonuses: The fighter is very maneuverable; add +10% to the pilots piloting skill, +1 to strike, +3 to dodge. The fighter also have a very advanced terrain following system. All bonuses are in addition to pilots bonuses (Hand to hand and Starfighter Pilot: Basic or Elite).

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Image drawn and copyrighted by Roman Kochnev (r_kochnev@hotmail.com)

More Roman Kochnev artwork at The Science Fiction Art and Design Portfolio of Roman Kochnev

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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