Vector Aerospace Super Vixen class Light Starfighter:

Very important fighter in the Human Alliance, even though never produced in the number which the Osprey medium fighter, the Vixen light starfighter served for many decades before being largely retired. In addition to being operated by the Human Alliance, it was operated in small numbers by the Consortium as well until production of the Wolfen Falx Supina could keep up with demands.

Eventually, the Vixen in Human Alliance service was replaced by the Scorpion light fighter although a fair amount of pilots preferred the older Vixen. The Scorpion is the mainstay light fighter on the Confederation. While some Vixen class starfighters were scrapped, many were sold to other parties. Some were sold to small independent governments while others were sold to mercenary companies. As might be expected, the Free Worlds Council operates numbers of these light fighters.

Because the Human Alliance no longer operates these fighters in any numbers, a number of independent companies support these fighters. One of these companies, Vector Aerospace, specializes in the upgrading of old fighters as well as maintaining them. In many cases, with a few upgrades, these fighters can once again become competitive with newer starfighter designs and are usually far cheaper.

Vector Aerospace will upgrade fighters for customers and also buys old fighters which are them upgraded and sold to interested customers. Vector Aerospace has even begun looking at old salvage yards to attempt to recover old fighters for rebuilding. Still, the company appears to have no plans to manufacture fighters on its own. In many ways, the Vixen would be the best fighter to produce an all new version of.

One of the biggest weaknesses of the Vixen compared to many later fighter designs is a lack of variable force fields. Unfortunately, the light fighter also was considered to lack any potential locations for mounting the shield generator as well. At the time of development, mounting them externally was considered but would produce problems with aerodynamics when the fighter operated within an atmosphere. However, the Icaria upgrade version mounts them in a pair of special aerodynamic pods along the hull reminiscent of conformal fuel tanks. This was not considered by the engineers at Vector Aerospace at the time and the only solution seemed to be to mount the shield generator inside of one of the fighter’s medium range missile bays, cutting medium range missile payload by half. Still, most crews consider it worth the loss of missiles to add a shield generator. The port bay is used because it is closer to the main power bus.

Like other fighter designs, the fighter is stripped down to the frame and carefully examined for frame damage. Stronger armor composites replace those originally used, greatly increasing the damage the fighter can take. Engines are replaced by slightly more powerful units although they are simply upgraded based on the original design. With the upgraded engines, the Super Vixen has a top acceleration equal to that of the Consortium Black Eagle. The original fusion reactor is retained although usually refueled before being sold.

For weaponry, the lasers are retained as the main weaponry although they are rebuilt completely. Many of the lasers have had maintenance skimped on them and need multiple components replaced. As well, the remaining missile launcher is upgraded to be able to fire short range missiles as well as medium range missiles. The hard points are modified so they can fire medium range missiles as well as long range and cruise missiles. The tracking and fire control suits are upgraded to modern standard and are actually smaller than those they replace.

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: SF-9 (Upgraded).

Vehicle Type: Light Interceptor or Attack Fighter.

Crew: One (Pilot).

M.D.C. By Location:

	Wing 2cm Laser Cannons (2):	50 each
	Missile Bays (1, Starboard Side):	80
	Missile Hard Points (2, on the Underside):	10 each
	[1] Main Body:	425
	Cockpit:	120
	[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 1.6 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum normal speed is Mach 7.5 (5,709.1 mph / 9,187.9 kph), can enter and leave atmosphere because flight system is using contra grav. Internal ordinance does not reduce performance but when loaded down with external ordinance, fighter’s top speed in an atmosphere is Mach 4.5 (3,425.5 mph / 5,512.8 kph.)

Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by drive system but only has supplies for pilot for two weeks.

Statistical Data:

Length: 36 feet (10.97 meters).

Height: 14 feet (4.27 meters).

Width: 34 feet (10.36 meters).

Mass/Weight: 6.8 tons (6.2 metric tons) empty and 8.5 tons (7.7 metric tons) fully loaded with cruise missiles.

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. Does not include missile bays and hard points.

Market Cost: 30 million credits for a “Super” Vixen. Rebuilding a Vixen to the “Super” configuration costs around 6 million credits. Original Vixen class fighters cost around 25 million credits and are no longer produced.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) Wing 2 cm 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.
One (1) Missile Bay: Original model carries two bays with one replaced by a shield generator. The remaining on is on the starboard side and bay is modified to be able to carry short range missiles as well as medium range missiles. Bay must carry all the same type ordnance. Weapon system is used for hitting enemy robots, fighters, and long range and cruise missiles. 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. Short Range Missiles have a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 4% of light per turn. Weapon system can be used on multiple targets. 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 and Short Range Missiles range is 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere and 500 miles (804.7 km) in space.

Mega-Damage: Varies with medium or short 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) missiles.

Payload: Four (4) medium range missiles or eight (8) short range missiles.
Two (2) Missile Pylons: The light fighter has two hard points. Each hard point can carry one cruise missile, two long range missiles, or four medium range missiles. The pylon must carry all the same type ordnance. A Cruise missile is 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. Normally used for anti-fighter and point defense. When drive goes dead, missiles will still 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 the target does not move and missile, when unpowered, is at -25% to be detected.) Cruise missiles have penalties to hit small targets but all missiles 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, 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 Missiles 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) or four (4).

Payload: One (1) cruise missile, two (2) long range missiles, or four (4) medium range missiles per hard point (Two cruise missiles, four long range, or eight medium range missiles maximum.)

[ Altara TM, Brodkil TM, Bushido Industries TM, CAF TM, Catyr TM, CCW TM, Consortium of Civilized Worlds TM, Coyles TM, Free Worlds Council TM, Gene Splicers TM, K-Hex TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kreeghor TM, Kydian TM, Machine People TM, M.D.C. TM, Mega-Damage TM, Metzla TM, M’Kri Hardware TM, Monro TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Noro TM, Paradise Federation TM, Phase World TM, Psylite TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Seljuks TM, Splugorth TM, Sunaj TM, Trans-Galactic Empire TM, Tri-Galactic Military Service TM, United Worlds Warlock TM, U.W.W. TM, Wolfen TM, and Zembahk TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

Image drawn and copyrighted by "Orpheus7".

More "Orpheus7" artwork at DeviantArt

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Return