Centauri Star Fighter (Babylon Five):

Other than the Minbari Starfighter, this fighter is the most advanced starfighter design built by any of the younger races. This fighters is capable of much greater velocity than the fighters constructed by either the Narn or Human races. While the Shadows were the ones that killed more Narn forces than anybody else, the Centauri star fighter did destroy more than their fair share of Narn starfighters. Unlike the human SA-23E Aurora Starfury, the Centauri starfighter is capable of operation in both space and the atmosphere.

The fighter is incredibly maneuverable because it uses both a gravity based propulsion system and an incredibly powerful ion drive. The fighter also has a powerful inertial dampener but is not as efficient as those on Minbari Starfighters. Because of this, part of the inertia will be felt by the pilot. To compensate for the possibility of the pilot going unconscious, the fighters computer is a relatively advanced AI that can take over for the pilot. Because the fighter is very limited for space, the fighter does not have a true internal gravity system and the pilot is in freefall.

The armor of the Centauri is thinner than that used on the SA-23E Starfury but is constructed out of more advanced alloys. This allows the fighter to withstand more damage than the SA-23E but the fighter cannot withstand as much damage as the SA-26 Thunderbolt can. Like the fighters of all younger races, the fighter does not have shields which means that all hits will strike the fighters hull itself.

The fighter has a power mixed main battery. While the weaponry is not as powerful as the Particle Laser cannon on the Earth Force Starfuries, it is are more powerful than the pulse cannons on the starfuries. The fighters energy weapons are two ion guns and two pulse cannons. The ion cannons can inflict more damage but have a shorter range than the pulse cannons. When both the pulse cannons and ion cannons are in range, they can be combined together. Supporting the energy weapons, the fighter carries two medium range missile launchers.

Notes of game conversion:

For purposes of game balance, there are two different versions of the space fighter. One is designed with accelerations in terms of gravities (G) which can better interact better with other Babylon 5 ships such as Earth Force and the Narn military. The other is written to operate within the Three Galaxies and operated with Consortium and Kreeghor vessels.

Phase world version uses my revised phase world starship rules and can hold their own against most C.A.F and Kreeghor fighters. This version is recommended if you with to put them into Phase World as among equals. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.

Moderate version uses Gs of acceleration but does not have reduced weapon ranges except for missiles. This version is useful for Mutants In Orbit, Phase World if used as a lower tech race, used with my Earth Force ships conversions for B-5, and as a possible crash on Rifts Earth. Listed is the formula to allow player and game masters to calculate the fighters velocity and distance traveled.

Velocity = Acceleration x Time + Initial Velocity

Distance Traveled = Acceleration x ½ x Time ² + Initial Velocity x Time

1 G = 32 feet (9.8 m) per second ²

Model: Centauri Star Fighter

Vehicle Type: Star Fighter

Crew: One

M.D.C. by Location

	Light Pulse Cannons (2):	50 each
	Light Ion Guns (2):	60 each
	Medium Range Missile Launchers (2):	60 each
	[1] Ion Engines (2):	225 each
	[2] Main Body:	425
	Reinforced Pilot’s Compartment:	175

Notes:

[1] The Destruction of one engine reduces the fighters performance by 25%. The destruction of both Ion Engines reduces the ships performance by 50%. The fighters can still use its gravimetric engines to propel the ship up to half of the fighters normal acceleration.

[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the fighter down completely, rendering it useless and causing the fighter to crash if in flight in an atmosphere.

Speed:

Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.

Sublight:

Phase World Version: 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 round maximum (Standard is 0.3 percent of light per turn to conserve fuel). The pilot will also be affected by a percentage of the fighters acceleration. The pilot will be effect as if he is suffering from 1 G for every 0.1 percentage of light per turn. Centauri, like most races start blacking out from the affects of around 8 to 10 Gs of acceleration.

Moderate Version: The fighter does not have an effective top speed but is limited by acceleration. Fighter can reach a top acceleration of 12 G.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum normal speed is mach 8. Can enter atmosphere and leave under it own power.

Stardrive: The Centauri Starfighter does not have a jump drive but can use already formed jump points. If in Hyperspace, The fighter can reach a maximum of 20 lightyears per hour. This means that the fighter can theoretically cover the Galaxy in about 7 months. The ship enters hyperspace by means of a jumpgate.

Maximum Range: The fighter has enough fuel for 45 minutes at maximum performance. If fighter is operating at less than maximum performance, the fighters range is vastly increased. The fighter has 6 hours of endurance if operating at only 0.3 percent of light per turn and for every increase of 0.3 percent of light per turn, the fighter burns fuel twice as fast. Fighter uses hydrogen for fuel for a fusion reactor. The fighter can operate with engines on standby to increase fighters range. Fighter has supplies for pilot for 2 weeks.

Statistical Data:

Height: 14.8 feet (4.5 meters)

Length: 26.2 feet (8 meters)

Wing Span: 39.4 feet (12 meters)

Weight/Mass: 13.2 tons (12 metric tons)

Power System: Mini Fusion power system (45 minute duration at maximum output)

Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment).

Cost: 35 million to construct

Weapon Systems:

Two (2) Light Ion Guns: The Ion Guns fire massive bursts of ionized gas, focused by an array of gravity lenses. The Ion Cannon, when fired in short bursts, has a short effective range and is not as fast as a particle or laser beam weapon, thus is used exclusively in close range combat. The Ion Cannon does have an advantage in raw power and efficiency, and when used with it's laser system is able to burn through most forms of armor. Both the pulse cannons and the Ion cannons can be combined for greater damage when both are within range. The cannons normally fire together.

Maximum Effective Range: 2.49 miles (4 km) in an atmosphere and 248.7 miles (400 km) in space.

Mega Damage: 2D6x10+20 for both cannons combined. Each cannon does 1D6x10+10 but both cannons are normally fired together (Ion Guns and Pulse Cannons can be combined for 4D6x10+20 if within range)

Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Two (2) Light Pulse Cannons: These cannons fire rapid fire bursts of super charged Plasma. Similar to heavier pulse cannons but the weapons are of lower output and have a shorter range. Weapons are used as both anti-starfighter and against capital ships. Both the pulse cannons and the Ion cannons can be combined for greater damage when both are within range. The cannons normally fire together. Author Note: The source on this weapon system lists the weapons range as 180,000 km. It has been reduces to fit more with Palladium frameworks and the weapon scale

Maximum Effective Range: 11.1 miles (18 km) in an atmosphere and 1,120 miles (1,800 km) in space.

Mega Damage: 2D6x10 for both cannons combined. Each cannon does 1D6x10 but both cannons are normally fired together (Ion Guns and Pulse Cannons can be combined for 4D6x10+20 if within range).

Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Two (2) Medium Range Missile Launchers (2): 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-capital missile defense. Weapon system can be used on multiple targets simultaneously.

Phase World Version: Missile has a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn (faster than any starship except a fighter acceding it maximum safe acceleration). Since star ships will no longer engage at rock throwing distances, 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 star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile, when unpowered, is at -25% to be detected.) See modified starship rules for more details

Moderate Version: The description of these are close to that used for conventional medium range missiles Missile are assumed to accelerate at 2 times normal mach speed in Gs greater than the starships speed when used in space. Missiles can be launched at non moving targets beyond the powered range of the missiles to hit targets without the chance of the launching ship being hit by missiles itself but penalties exist when launching missiles beyond normal missile range.

Maximum Effective Range:
Mega-Damage: Both Versions: Varies with medium range missile types (Use new missile/bomb table)

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: Sixteen (16) medium range missiles [Eight (8) each launcher.]

Special Equipment:

Sentient Computer: The Centauri Starfighter has a artificial intelligence computer controlling it. This computer should be considered to be a moderate artificial intelligence in terms of Rifts. This computer is designed to take over if the pilot is unconscious or injured. This computer can pilot the ship at 85%, has 6 attacks per round, and has +4 to strike, +8 to dodge, and +1 to initiative (these include all bonuses).

COMBAT BONUSES: The Centauri Star Fighter is incredibly maneuverable and very accurate. Use the Phase World Starfighter combat (Elite or Basic) skill. These bonuses are in addition to those from the piloting skill.

+1 to strike

+2 to dodge

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Technical information sourced partially from Babylon 5 Technical Manual!

CGI of starship created by Nadab Göksu. Picture taken from Guidos Galaxy.

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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