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The Komondor-class Destroyer The Komondor-class Destroyer was one of the many military projects spawned to take advantage of the hike in European Union defence budgets following the disastrous Pan-Eurasian War. The ageing Bulk Cruiser required a modern, effective replacement. Sequential Defence Innovations (SDI) threw their hat in the ring in the form of the Komondor. The ship was presented as an ‘armoured destroyer’ and featured impressive defensive equipment, including overlapping armour plate and reinforced shields. It packed an array of conventional weaponry and modern command and control systems to boot. SDI, however, overspent on their budget and overran the fiscal controls placed on design briefs by the European Union. This made the ship very expensive a prospect; cost was the significant factor in the Union’s decision not to choose the ship as their first choice. Testing footage, ship specifications and other information had been leaked during the procurement process, though, and SDI found buyers through less official channels. The Gnoboare known to have bought at least one; the European Union found this out the hard way in a rather eye-opening border skirmish. SDI had fabricated and planted enough evidence of industrial espionage by Gnobo spies to escape punishment. A total of 20 were produced, mostly ending up in the hands of various Gnobo brigades, although – ironically – three found their way into the hands of the Free Brigades, an offshoot Union mercenary group. The ship excels in defence; it is ideally suited to holding the line against all but the largest capital ships. The layering of its armour plate and clever construction of bulkheads means it can keep on fighting even when under sustained fire. It packs adequate anti-fighter weaponry to hold off small-scale raids and attacks without fighter cover of its own. The ship’s flaws are revealed when its ability to attack are tested. It is one of the slowest modern capital ships; highly mobile opponents can flank, harass and otherwise escape its range too easily. This inflexibility is one reason the European Union opted for different designs, like the Bremen-class Corvette, instead.
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Wun’Tux Bastion The Bastion is inferior to the Clanship in speed, armour and weaponry and costs 1.5 times the price to construct. On the surface, it is a poor choice of investment. And yet in recent times it has been at the centre of several Wun’Tux military victories. Wun’Tux BroodClans traditionally fought small-scale engagements with formations of their sturdy capital ships; they could only deploy Twinfangs from their largest, most valuable ships and saved such for large scale engagements (like their invasion of Illayko territory). Their fatal meeting with humankind changed all of that. In the beginning, the old tactics of the Wun’Tux were enough – early human explorers were unable to breach the armour of their opponents with fighter or capital-ship weaponry. As technology and tactics advanced, new options presented themselves with rockets, missiles and other explosives – including those fitted to fightercraft. The majority of Wun’Tux raiding parties operated without fighter cover of their own and found themselves extremely vulnerable to human squadrons, first and foremost Americans out of Highpoint. The Bastion was rushed into production by BroodClan Xylos. Xylos were one of the largest and most dangerous of the BroodClans but even they could not afford to have a carrier in every place at every moment. The Bastion was designed loosely around the frame of the Clanship but modernised and updated. The most important addition came to the craft’s aft; an external fighter rack. In the most simple sense, the Bastion allows cheap deployment of fightercraft to smaller engagements. It helped to level the playing field against human forces and beyond. More enterprising BroodClans found increasingly intelligent uses for the ship, e.g. when BroodClan Soulfront used the ships to successfully destroy USS Ranger in a coordinated ambush.
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The B-20 Bearcat The X-33 Scimitaris an excellent dogfighter and interceptor; it serves with distinction throughout the US military. It lacked the ability to do damage to so-called ‘hard’ targets, such as capital ships and armoured structures. Tomcat-class Strike Fighters could carry a variety of warheads but were expensive and frequently unavailable. USEF engineers at Highpoint were tasked with plugging this capability gap. The designers created a purpose-built vessel; essentially two high capacity warhead launchers with a fighter-scale ship constructed around them. The resulting ship was as carrier-dependent as the Scimitar – and significantly less agile. Its increased bulk meant carriers could hold only three B-20s for every four Scimitars; a significant trade-off. And yet the ability to inflict such damage without putting carrier ships at risk was a seductive one to the new tactical thinking coming out of Highpoint. The project chairman, Vice Admiral Devonbrooke, took the first squadron on operation as soon as they were ready. Her flagship – the USS Ulysses S. Grant – was leading a small strike force deep behind Wun’Tux lines. Intelligence reports hinted towards a durillium mine on an old Illayko colony; a facility hardened against capital ship assault. Devonbrooke didn’t have the requisite force to overpower the defences and – even if she did – bringing one to bear make her plan obvious and allow the Wun’Tux time to prepare. The obvious answer was the B-20; the Grant’s compliment could slip by the anti-capital ship defences and neutralise the facility. The strategy was full of risk, however. The B-20s might not perform as in simulations. And even if they did, Devonbrooke knew she would have to deploy most of her fighter cover to escort them in. It would leave her carrier force in peril. Six Scimitars of the 466th Diamondbacks volunteered to fly cover for the carriers. Even with his knowledge, Devonbrooke struggled with the decision for a day and a half. In the end her Highpoint training won through; the B-20s were prepped. The Vice Admiral’s main force – with it’s scant fighter cover – proved too tempting for the Wun’Tux garrison. They launched the majority of their forces to engage, leaving a gap the B-20 strike force quickly exploited. By the time the reptiles realised what was happening it was too late – they had left only a handful of Twinfangs to protect their mining complex which were quickly wiped out by the human escort fighters and the forces they tried to bring back from their assault on the carriers were cut down as they tried to disengage. The B20s were able to deploy their ordinance with high accuracy, destroying the defences and evacuation equipment in one bombing run. With nothing left to defend and frightened by the potency of the new human ships, the Wun’Tux Clanships beat a hasty retreat. By this point, however, the main force was in no state to pursue. The USS Ulysses S. Grant was almost critically damaged, half of the Diamondbacks had been lost. And yet the day was won. The USS Gettysburg was able to approach, deploy marines to eliminate remaining Wun’Tux and rescue the facility’s slave labourers. The operation was a PR coup, an edited battle report was broadcast to human populations throughout the galaxy. The B-20 was made the star of the show but their pilots (from the 202nd Bearcats) dedicated the victory to the Diamondbacks. Nevertheless, the B-20’s nickname became shrined in legend; The Bearcat.
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The Half Nova The Half Nova is a combat dropship utilised by The Long Draw Mercenary Company. It is named after the most risky bluff in a Gurdergengame of chance. The Half Nova is a strategy involves convincing one’s opponent that your hidden tokens match the visible tokens at the centre of the table to make a ‘Full’ Nova – when they do no such thing. A very high stakes Half Nova hand won the ship’s captain, Yllo, requisite funds to buy the ship and he named it in the hand’s honour. Yllo is a rare type of Gurdergen; a proverbial ‘adrenaline junkie’ (though his race lack the ability to produce the substance), he thrives on adventure over commerce. This risk-happy behaviour first presented in his gambling which went on to finance his education as a pilot and finally his pride and joy: The Half Nova. The ship is base to mercenaries of diverse origins; humans, Gnoboand Illayko. Yllo is known to take his ship into very hazardous conditions and his band of mercenaries are paid well for the danger they face, meaning the Long Draw attracts high quality and highly unstable individuals. The ship isn’t heavily armed; its main weapon the combination of speed and the reckless endeavour of its Captain. Its straight line speed is unrivalled by all but the fastest fightercraft and its suite of ECM and other countermeasures can ward off quick-moving agressors. It also features armoured airlocks for quick and safe infantry deployment and extraction. The Half Nova has its own landing pad on the Seven-Seven Gambling Rig on the Gurdergen homeworld; when not on mission the crew can usually be found there, spending their (very) hard earned currency.
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Container Transport The Gurdergen are a race primarily concerned with trade and commerce. This container transport is one of their most common craft and can be seen in friendly ports throughout the galaxy. Its most recognisable feature are the four underslung cargo attachments which augment the internal cargo capacity. Various types of containers can be attached here via magnetic means; hazardous materials in particular are favourite candidates for external carrying as they can be easily jettisoned in case of contamination. The ship is unarmed and slow; it requires escort to keep it safe. The high volume of cargo capacity makes it an attractive target to pirates and other economic raiders.
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Dau III Dau is a five planet star system situated on the ‘east’ edge of human space. The third planet was discovered and developed by Blackmane Industries, mainly due to the rich veins of gold ore discovered close to its surface. Aside from being a precious metal, gold remains a useful element in electronics and power regulation. Eager to keep the place a secret, Blackmane kept the discovered world a secret until they had fully deployed resource gathering equipment on the length and breadth of the major ore deposits. Although this contravened several corporate laws and led to million dollar-pound fines, the cost to the company’s monetary reserves and reputation was far offset by the cash boost from Dau III.
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Dronta VIII A small jungle world on the Wun’Tux border, Dronta VIII was home to the biggest galactic slave market through the Second Age. The only races aware of its existence were those interested in doing productive business; external threats were considered unlikely. The responsibility for security was given to a Wun’Tux BroodClan of low standing – akin to latrine duty. It was a surprise to everyone, then, when a United States Expeditionary Force (USEF) Task Force jumped into the system and began an assault on the fleet in orbit. This battle was swift and one sided; American fightercraftmade short work of the picket ships and forced the remaining vessels – whose crews were mostly planetside shopping for slaves – to flee. A joint Ranger and Marine force made landfall at the slave market proper and engaged the shell shocked Wun’Tux warriors and various market customers with uncontested orbital support. This battle was almost as one-sided as the naval engagement and soon the market lay in ruins, the slaves freed from their pens. Dronta VIII is seen as both a military and PR victory for the US. Several hundred humans were freed alongside many other aliens. It helped to solidify support for the colonies at home and garner a little favour from alien races abroad. Following this incident, the market administrators became paranoid about security. They went on to host the further markets aboard large, mobile starships with the ability to evade detection. In this sense, Dronta VIII was the last of the static slave markets. The world is now home only to flora and fauna; the old buildings and slave pens overgrown but not forgotten.
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A table scrap turned into this. Maybe there'll exist a story some day. But for now, it's a tracked cannon staring forlornly out to sea. I do like to... by TenorPenny, on Flickr I do like to... by TenorPenny, on Flickr
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The LCS-08 The LCS-08 (aka The Washington-class) is a newer Americancapital ship brought into service following the tactical and technological advances of the Forth Age. LCS stands for Littoral Combat Ship – a term originally applied to small vessels able to operate closer to shore than most naval assets – denotes the ship’s ability to manoeuvre effectively in vacuum as well as atmosphere. The Washington is neither as agile as the Ankuror as sturdy as the Bremen; it occupies the ground between these two extremes. It fulfils a variety of roles within the USEF; anything from independent patrols to participating in larger fleet actions alongside Strike Carriers and the like. It is also used to transport VIPs and other assets through the lawless Rim territories – the firepower at its disposal is usually enough to discourage most pirates and raiders and it is quick enough to flee more powerful threats. The ships firepower consists of two ‘Starsnipe’ flak turrets, a medium-range photonic cannon and a rear mounted warhead launcher. The latter is unusual for the ship’s size – it gives the vessel the ability to engage targets at longer ranges and hidden from line of sight. The downside of the launcher is the limited ammunition; when it is out of missiles it becomes quite useless. This renders it unsuitable for prolonged engagements. It is these missiles which tend to give the Washington the edge against their most common foe – the Wun’Tux Clanship. The thick armour of the latter can be difficult to penertrate with photonic cannons; LCS-08s deployed on anti-Wun’Tux operations are equipped with ‘Havok’ armour piercing missiles to balance the scales. LCS-02s (prototype precursors to the 08) took part in the USEF Fleet Action at Dronta VIII, spearheading the attack on Wun’Tux ships guarding the slave market. They were subsequently able to achieve suborbital altitudes and launch accurate against Wun’Tux armour and fortifications. In more recent times, the Washington-class has been deployed alongside Taft-class Strike Carriers in extended operations in Wun’Tux territory. Typically the ships are outfitted with longer-ranged, ‘stand off’ missiles and able to discourage or soften up Wun’Tux targets before engaging. In worse case scenarios (e.g. a larger enemy presence than predicted) this stand-off capability can give USEF forces breathing room in which to retreat. Engineers at Highpoint have successfully modified the base design into distinct combat variants. The LCS-ASW (aka the ‘Rhode Island’ class) is perhaps the most popular. This version swaps the warhead launcher for a launchpad capable of carrying, arming and repairing a shuttle-scale ship. This is most commonly a Vaquero-class gunship; a well armed craft bristling with sensors. This ASW (anti-stealth warfare) variant is designed to detect and defend against stealthy foes; the main ones being the Hirudin. The gunship is able to act as spotter for the LCS but is also more than capable of engaging common interlopers (like Blackfins) independently.
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Early Warning Observation Outposts were constructed in response to the ever-expanding reach of Wun’Tux raiding parties. The stations are constructed in a modular style; the hub of the outpost contains an advanced sensor suite and the command and control aspects. The three ‘spoke’ modules contain living quarters and cargo storage. These modular components can be switched out in times of need – EWO Outposts can support hospital modules, ship maintenance and extra defensive measures.
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The Kaiserin-class Light Cruiser The Kaiserin-class Light Cruiser is one of the modern European Union ships designed to update their ageing Navy. Design and production fell to the same shipbuilders responsible for the Bremen-class; the two ships are similar in quality but different in intent. Capital ships are useful and often fundamental tactical assets in modern stellar warfare. But even advanced, modern ships are held back by an old fashioned opponent – supply lines. The larger a capital ship is, the more logistical support it needs to operate. Within the human Core Systems this is an easy feat – the structures and support is already in place. The Rimward Territories contains none of this; most colonies are still developing and supplies are at a premium. Larger capital ships have no choice but to resupply at the Rim’s few industrialised and obvious ports. This creates a ‘trail’ in their wake (eliminating any sense of subtlety or surprise) and limits their range. Smaller capital ships have smaller requirements for supply – they are able to do so away from the main spaceports and the prying eyes often present. The Kaiserin was designed to strike a balance between low profile and high potency. The thin profile of the ship is intentional. In battle the ship can turn to face enemies and present a smaller target whilst being able to target a significant proportion of its weaponry. Furthermore, this thinness presents an odd sensor profile – older systems often misake the ship for something half the size if not looking closely. The latter quality is especially useful if the ship is operating alone in non-friendly territory. The Kaiserin is designed to operate in two main roles. Firstly, as a flag and command ship for groups of corvettes and destroyers in traditional stellar combat. The vessel is equipped with the communication equipment to coordinate a significant force and is fast enough to keep up with a cruising corvette. Its second function is that of a ‘lone wolf’; embarking on long-range patrols and engaging unfriendly contacts. These missions were traditionally assigned to smaller vessels but the introduction of the Wun’Tux changed everything. A patrol boat or corvette would be no match for a Wun’Tux Clanship; the Union needed something that could meet one and survive. The Cassard-class is of similar size and displacement. In theory, the older ship is more powerful – her large guns and missile systems can cause huge amounts of damage. However, as demonstrated at the end of the Pan-Eurasian War, the Cassard was outmoded and easily beaten by modern starfighters. Several Cassards were also present at Tordov V. Theoretically they were very suitable participants at this battle – Wun’Tux ships attacked head on and lacked manoeuvrability to evade fire. The groups of Cassards started well, deploying barrages of missiles and heavy fire at the ongoing forces. Once the missiles ran out, however, the Wun’Tux committed more and more of their forces. The guns alone were not accurate or powerful enough to half the Wun’Tux advance and the Cassard’s armour buckled under return fire; only 15% defending Tordov V escaped. The Kaiserin’s designers aimed to address these shortcomings. The armoured exterior and modular substructure have the ship greater resilience under fire. The Kaiserin’s weaponry is not ammunition dependent; unlike the Cassard’s missile launchers. Plasma weaponry and autocannons make for a potent medium to short range combatant. The first five, including EUS Kaiserin, were pressed into service towards the end of the disastrous Oroso conflict. They served alongside the strike fighters of Grendel Squadron to drive back an Oroso counter-offensive and put an end to the conflict; they were vastly superior to the few Cassards left serving on the front line and these old ships were soon sent to serve ignominiously with the Border Fleet. Ships of this class are predominantly assigned long range patrols along the Wun’Tux border. They are well equipped to engage lone Clanships; they can use their difficult to hit profile and turreted weapons to good effect. They are under orders to avoid larger forces, though, and exercise operational caution. A number have incidentally been involved with the USEF – either coming to the aid of an American warship or vice versa. This arrangement is a welcome example of thawing frostiness between human factions but remains strictly informal. Length: 90m Crew: 84 Role: Long range patrol, flotilla command Weaponry: 2 x Plasma Cannon Turrets (port and starboard) 1 x dual autocannon turret (keel mounted) 2 x heavy autocannons (deck mounted) 4 x ‘Starsnipe’ flak cannons Shields/Armour: Medium/Medium Special Features: Thin Profile. Modular Construction.
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TB-55The TB-55 by TenorPenny, on Flickr The TB-55 by TenorPenny, on Flickr The TB-55 by TenorPenny, on Flickr Sometimes old ideas are the best. The Russian TB-55 is a low tech weapon of brute force; a slow moving and heavily armoured gunship capable of devastating damage from its twin warhead launchers. The ’55 has outlasted many technologically superior ships and remains a potent force in the European Union navy. The ship is a giant compared to most starfighters; it has the lumbering pace of a giant to match. Even when it reaches top speed the ship is difficult to manovere and an easy target for interceptors and flak fire. And yet between the thick armour and its sheer potential for damage the ship well liked and well used. The design has barely changed since the Pan-Eurasian War in which it was used to siege and destroy Coalition fortifications and armour – one of the many reasons the Coalition chose to oppose the Union with hit and run style tactics over a slugging match. The post-War threats to the Union came in the form of alien species. Although the Oroso were able to avoid and isolate squadrons of TB-55s before they could do damage, the ship was found to be extremely effective against the Wun’Tux. Their durillium armour was very resilient against energy weapons but weak against explosives – the TB-55 was able to field an inordinate amount of such weaponry per ship; just three of them were capable of destroying one Clanship in two bombing runs. The vessel is decidedly old fashioned in design. A lack of automation means the ship requires three crew just to get off the ground. Outmoded sensors and electronics means it can be ‘spoofed’ by cutting edge jamming or stealth techniques. On the other hand, the ship is rugged and easy to maintain- it has few specialist components and repairs can be affected with salvaged equipment. This allows the ship great durability in the field. The European Union lost precious ships, personell and resources at Tordov V. The late Admiral Golovko’s successor- Vice Admiral Reyneso – favoured a less gun-ho tactical approach. She deployed wings of TB-55s to repel subsequent Wun’Tux incursions, successively blunting further offensives and giving the Union time to reorganise. TB-55 losses are common; the ship is big enough to be hit by flak fire and slow enough to be vulnerable to enemy interceptors. It has seen most success when deployed only once enemy fighter forces are engaged. The Russian 4th Bomber Wing (nicknamed the ‘Red Foxes’) worked alongside Grendel Squadron in the months following Tordov V using this exact tactic; the fighters would engage Wun’Tux fighter cover and allow the TB-55s to operate more freely. The Red Foxes chalked up an average of 1.5 Clanships per sortie.
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A selection of scenes and hangars for the presentation of tiny little space vehicles. Blue Bay by TenorPenny, on Flickr Blue Bay by TenorPenny, on Flickr Dock 7 by TenorPenny, on Flickr Dock 7 by TenorPenny, on Flickr
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Someone recently asked me about whether my micro stuff is set in a universe, preset or otherwise. So I decided to bore you all with a topic about it..! [sorry. Part One Follows..] Précis Humankind (known as Earthlings to the other species of the Galaxy, mostly a derisory label) had colonised the Sol System by 2110. It was only then that breakthroughs were made with their faster-than-light systems, allowing them to progress and expand outwards from Sol. But humankind remained fractured by old divides and hatred, countries and nations. By 2195 there were several local colonies, American, British, European, Russian and a smattering of ground broken by smaller governments. Meanwhile, mega-corporations were quick to expand into the resource exploitation and manipulation made possible by so much new ground. Space became crowded around the human homeworld. Safe and secure and very bureaucratic. Humankind kept mostly cordial relationships with several alien cultures and organisations, remaining mostly neutral as they put toes into the waters of interstellar politics. FTL drives were invented with longer ranges, less restrictions. And human pioneers expanded ever outwards, into what was known as the Galactic Rim. Far away from the crowded, developed Core Worlds, many humans found their fortunes and opportunities farflung from Earth. The old Sol governments expanded cautiously, sensing the security risks involved. Individuals and smaller groups were joined by the resource and opportunity hungry Mega-corporations in setting up outposts and operations away from the stifling Core. Humans were less neutral out on the Rim, forced into conflict and alliances with new and dangerous species. Ship classes: -Fighters: The smallest fighters need one pilot and are equipped with cannons or forward firing missiles. They have no FTL capability of their own, so are used to protect static targets or need a large carrier craft to be deployed from. Pilots are easy to train and often quite disposable. Examples below: The Keepsake-class Fighter by TenorPenny, on Flickr F-12 'Swingwing' by TenorPenny, on Flickr FB-22 'Scimitar' by TenorPenny, on Flickr -Heavy Fighters/Couriers Capable of FTL travel, with more precious crew and usually armed with better weapons, this class of ship is less disposable and more adaptable to situations. Usually found in the possession of individuals or smaller groups. F41 'Cougar' by TenorPenny, on Flickr Skylark-class Courier by TenorPenny, on Flickr Widowson-class Courier by TenorPenny, on Flickr The Voidsbane by TenorPenny, on Flickr NV-2 [A reboot] by TenorPenny, on Flickr Gen-7 (landed) by TenorPenny, on Flickr AS-27 Escort Shuttle by TenorPenny, on Flickr Corvettes: The smallest class of ship able to equip weapons and armour of capital ship scale. Usually armed with turrets and crewed by many as opposed to a few, Corvettes are used as picket vessels and armed escorts to larger ships designed to transport goods and troops. Clan Gunship by TenorPenny, on Flickr The Blackjack by TenorPenny, on Flickr Tigerhound-class Corvette by TenorPenny, on Flickr The Red Wench by TenorPenny, on Flickr BB-22 Corvette by TenorPenny, on Flickr
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Wun'tux Clanship by TenorPenny, on Flickr The Reptilian Wun'Tux hail from a mid-Rim, high-temperature solar system and have spread from it throughout the galaxy, seizing territory and power in equal measure. Since their initial expansion, the design of their primary warship has remained predominantly unchanged. Solidly built and remarkably low-tech, the Clanships are like Viking Longboats from old Earth times. One under-slung photonic shell cannon is a devastating anti-material weapon. The ship packs four flak-turrets to augment this potent weapon, making the Clanship a hard target for capital ships and fighters alike. Smaller, more nimble capital ships can out-flank this unturreted photonic cannon, but the Wun'tux clans delight in surprising their enemies and having the upper hand. Notorious slavers, the Wun'tux clans use the pressed labour of other species to both build and crew the Clanships. Lives under the yoke of a Clan'head commander are short and brutal, and at the end of a battle most Clanships board and press gang any surviving enemies into their crew. Most defeated crews are quick to activate their self-destruct before this happens. Crew: 10 Wun'Tux, upto 40 slave crew. Weaponry: 1 x Photonic Shell Cannon (forward facing) 4 x Flak Turrents (doral and belly pairs) Special: Duranium Armour plating, easily modified and replaced. Clan Gunship by TenorPenny, on Flickr Larger and longer ranged than a standard star fighter, the early Earthling colony and military forces used gunship-class vessels to protect and expand their new homes. Early in their conflict with the Earthlings, the Wun'Tux found themselves confused by the concept and translation. Folklore says a particularly unimaginative Wun'Tux created their very own Gunship to stay true to the name. Build around a heavy, armour piercing cannon, the Clan Gunship is built to fire, fire and fire some more. With little targeting finesse available, the main cannon (along with four forward firing frag-launchers) is designed to destroy slow moving targets in it's crosshairs. It also has the ability to ram and board similarly sized vessels. Usually operating in packs, the ship is defenceless against fighters and has no guns covering sides, aft, dorsal or keel. The clans operate the gunships with half loyal, half slave crews. In the heat of battle, more than one collection of slaves have taken advantage of the distraction to stage a mutiny on the ship, therefore a significant number are in Terran and private hands. Wun'Tux Clan Pair by TenorPenny, on Flickr Clanships form the backbone of the reptilian Wun'Tux's martial forces. Most of their warrior caste live to serve on one, to use and abuse slaves on one, to engage in battle at it's helm. The crews of the smaller Gunships are envious, but protect their larger compatriots with much vim and vigour. After all, veteran gunship crews are the first in line to be picked for clanship duty.
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Blackfin The Blackfin is the first ‘crew-lite’ ship put into service by the Hirudin. Named after a ferocious carnivore of the Hirudin homeworld which was for hundreds of years the apex predator; until the Hirudin gained their powers of manipulation and brought it under their control. The Blackfin is designed to be swift and deadly; able to operate independently and mostly undetected until it decides to reveal itself. This stealth is achieved via technology and tactics; clever ECM and sensor-ghost shadows forming the cornerstone of ship systems. The subset of Trinaxenslaved by the Hirudin are viewed as cowardly thralls by their masters; it’s true that they have little stomach for battle and will flee at the first hint of defeat. The Blackfin is unique in that it features a collective of Hirudin – usually 4 or 5 individuals – as it’s captain. They control ship systems centrally via an advanced neuro-techno interface; any manual labour is performed by on-board drones. These robots require no life support, meaning the ship can prioritise other systems. Blackfins are the smaller end of capital-scale, technically, but operate more like their namesakes than naval assets. Sometimes they stalk prey alone from the safety of their sensor-shadows. Sometimes they work in packs to track and trap convoys of precious cargo. The mere threat of Blackfin attack is enough to make a seasoned merchant panic; the ship’s name is spoken with hushed tones. Hirudin – like the Wun’Tux – have no formal peace treaties with any species. They are known to probe and test at the border shared with the European Union colony worlds. The Blackfins avoid formal combat and instead sneak around, engaging isolated ships when conditions favour them. The axillary pre-War warships of the Union lack sufficiently clever and advanced sensors and fire control to hit the Blackfin very easily and several of the Cassardclass have been crippled in such an engagement. The newer Union ships have turned the tide against these insidious invaders, using advanced fire control and detection to track and outfox the Hirudin. The ship’s flaws are not difficult to discern; her weaponry is potent, but short range and unsuitable for prolonged engagements. Aside from it’s ECM and stealth abilities, it has little protection from fightercraft. What armour it has is angled to deflect enemy sensors and integrity suffers accordingly. Additionally, due to their insistence on ‘seeing’ space, the Hirudin ship masters’ bridge is visible on the surface of the vessel. It is made of a transparent metal alloy but remains vulnerable. “Smash the fish bowl, win a prize,” is a Union Navy jape frequently used.
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Gnobo Gun Skiff by TenorPenny, on Flickr More available here. he S-91 is the most widely produced of the GnoboGun Skiffs; filling the operational role of fightercraft, assault shuttle and ground attack vehicle (amongst others). It’s distinctive profile – two horns meeting a central body – makes for an instantly recognisable silhouette. The shape isn’t only for show: these two ‘horns’ bracket the landing ramp, meaning armed Gnobo infantry can quickly exit the ship under cover from both sides. The Gnobo mercenary brigades are famously rugged and hard to break down. If their large ships and infantry form the structure, the S-91 is the glue that holds it all together. It’s first role is that of a fighter. It is big and unwieldy by the standards of humans; who tend to rely heavily on a mix of different fighter types. It tends to suffer when pitted against more agile opponents, but it’s thick hide and potent armament gives it a competitive edge. It’s ability to travel Faster-Than-Light also grants a tactical advantage; akin to that of the human strike fighter. It also serves as an armoured shuttle for VIPs and infantry; it’s reputation for difficult landings and extractions is legendary. The Gnobo homeworld is mountainous and perilous; their warriors train on the most hazardous terrain that other races might consider near vertical and impossible to traverse, nevermind fight on. S-91 pilots are disciplined enough to drop and collect their soldiers on such terrain. It’s final role is that of a ground attack craft. Accurate terrain assault is a relative breeze compared to the difficulty faced in deploying soldiers in hazardous atmospheric conditions. It’s armamentof fragmentation cannons and multi-warhead missiles means it can cause chaos across large swathes of enemy terrain, disrupting industry and troop formations alike. It’s thick armour hide means it can shrug off a certain amount of anti-aircraft fire, too. A standard S-91 mission might be to deploy troops strategically and then support them from the air, but it can be seen throughout Gnobo tactical deployment. Length: 17m Manufacturer: GNSW Role: Fightercraft, Shuttle, Ground Attack. Crew: 4 Weaponry: – 3 x Fragmentation Cannons (forward firing) – 2 x Warhead launchers Armour/Shields: Heavy/Medium
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The Ebon Duke by skapunkplaything, on Flickr The Ebon Duke by skapunkplaything, on Flickr The Ebon Duke by skapunkplaything, on Flickr There are fighters, bombers, interceptors, gunships and then... something bigger. The 'Duke may look like an old-fashioned Earthling fighter craft, but it is, in fact, the hot-rod, custom built steed of the man known only as Deckard. An infamous mercenary and gun-for-fire, Deckard travels mostly alone, although sometimes recruits extra crew members to co-pilot or look after his beloved ship. At home in space as well as atmosphere, the 'Duke packs danger, technology and menace into it's rather large package. It's size can make it vulnerable, however, to smaller fighters and so Deckard often travels with escort fighters and interceptors. Length: 19m Wingspan: 18m Crew: 1-3, mission dependent. Armament: 2 High-Output frag-cannons, forward facing. 2 Micro-Mine launchers, wing-tip mounted.
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Swiftsure-class Diplomatic Shuttle by TenorPenny, on Flickr Swiftsure-class Diplomatic Shuttle by TenorPenny, on Flickr Swiftsure-class Diplomatic Shuttle by TenorPenny, on Flickr Decked out white, the universal colour of peace and neutrality, the Swiftsure is used in times of war by the great Solar Navies to ferry important diplomats and personnel from place to place, with all organised military forces having agreed to never attack such a shuttle, on pain of court martial. Two ion engines make the shuttle as quick as it's namesake, whilst the roomy interior has room for a head of state and their entire retinue to travel in comfort and style. The Swiftsure's reputation has been tarnished just once, when the Italian Fascist League stole one, loaded it with explosives and managed to get close enough to the Earth defensive net to destroy half of the New Washington solar platform, with significant loss of life. Ever since, the Swiftsure computer cores have been upgraded to carry layers and layers of code, in order to confirm and double confirm identifies of the crew and people on board. Crew: 2 pilots, 1 comm-tech. Engines: 2 Rolls Royce 'Whirlwind' Nacelles. Weapons: *PROHIBITED* Computer Core: Hakumi Positronics X7
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The border between the prosperous Galactic core and the more lawless Rim is loosely defined, but most legitimate traders use the American colony world of New Washington as the unofficial border. The spaceport is clean and and well kept and the bribes are low. Many different classes and types of ships, on either side of the law, pass through New Washington, including Hangar B-51. Below are some of the security-cortex images. [[OOC: I was a little bored of taking photos of ships on a blank background, and wanted to test out creating a backdrop with some character to it. Below are the results. Click on the images to get to more pictures and details of the ships involved.]] The Keepsake-class Fighter by TenorPenny, on Flickr The N-V-class Enforcer by TenorPenny, on Flickr Hangar 27 by TenorPenny, on Flickr Hangar 27 by TenorPenny, on Flickr Hangar 27 by TenorPenny, on Flickr The Gen-7 CIV by TenorPenny, on Flickr
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The Red Wench by skapunkplaything, on Flickr (Click the picture for more views, of course..!) The 'Wench is an 'Ugly': an amalgamation of different ships to form one, odd whole. With the central core of a ore loader and the surrounding hub stolen from a Russian stealth gunship, the 'Wench mixes a rugged centre with a high-tech ring around it, the latter able to cycle power levels at the whim of it's captain and fire it's main weapons for sustained periods. A commerce raider, the 'Wench is often employed by the highest bidder in trade conflicts between the Sol cartels. It's exclusively female crew are famous for their fidelity to a contract, whilst never forgetting a double-cross. Length: 133m Crew: 24-40, mission dependent. Armament: 2 x fast tracking ion turrets, 2 x Armour-Piercing STS cannons, 2 x forward-facing M-66 Pulverisers. Computer: Kolnanov XV (Salvaged from the ship's hub)
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The Starscorn. by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Yaguchi-class Siege Cruiser by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Yaguchi-class Siege Cruiser by skapunkplaything, on Flickr The Yaguchi is a Japanese-made cruiser designed to master the galactic battlefield. At over 400m in length, the ship is armed with several conventional ship-to-ship weapons able to outgun most capital ships. The real sting in it's tail comes from the Starscorn-class Siege Cannon, a dual-barrelled, fixed-fire rail cannon which, when charged and in adequate range can punch through the armour of the most hardy opposition ships and stations. In a synchronous orbit, the cannon can even precision target planetary opposition with devastating effect. Although deadly and dangerous, the Yaguchi (roughly translated to 'Arrow Mouth') is very expensive to purchase and maintain. It's many weapons require tonnes of ammunition and fuel to operate for an extended period. It also requires outside protection from enemy snubfighters and bombers, armed with only nominal AA weaponry. Length: 404m Crew: 200, including marinces. Role: Siege, ship-to-ship, battleship escort. Armament: 2 x Dual STS Cannons 2 x Armour-Piercing Plasma Cannons 2 x 'Longshot' Frag Cannons. 2 x AA-Ion turrets 1 x 'Starscorn' Siege Cannon, fixed.
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FB-22 'Scimitar' by skapunkplaything, on Flickr A cutting-edge Fighter-Bomber hybrid, the FB-22 turned around the ailing fortunes of the ailing EarthCorp-Lockheed group. With four weapon hardpoints, a sturdy hull design and good all around performance, demand for the ship rose in the Earthling military and beyond. As ever, a small number fell into the hands of pirates and mercenary forces. X-33 'Golden Gear' by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Piloted by the notorious leader of the Gearhead gangster group, the X-33 is a one of a kind ship. Behind the bling-bling paint job lies an experimental power core more suited to a small corvette than a fighter-gunship. Accordingly, the Gearheads murdered the research team before the technology could fall into other hands and diminish their advantage. F-12 'Swingwing' by skapunkplaything, on Flickr The F-12 forms the latest step in a line of snubfighters designed to be affordable but effective, given decent pilots and superior numbers. The basic model features standard cannon and shields, as well as a tree-shaped air-freshener as standard. For fancy things like rockets and jump capability..? You're going to have to pay extra. G-20 'Flying Saucer' by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Combining multi-vector engines with a potent arsenal, the G-20 became an expensive toy favoured by well-fed mercenaries and executive bodyguards in Solar corporations. Capable of taking on four regular fighters single-handed, the G-20 cost eight times as much. Many people skipped the math, leaving the 'Saucer a rare sight. *** Apologies for the terrible photo-quality, my camera is currently out of service, but I wanted to share regardless.
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Pennyroyal-class Frigate by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Pennyroyal-class Frigate by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Pennyroyal-class Frigate by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Pennyroyal-class Frigate by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Pennyroyal-class Frigate by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Pennyroyal-class Aft by skapunkplaything, on Flickr Modern space-based navies strive to find a balance between starfighters and capital ships. Unlike with the BB-22, which was meant as an anti-fighter platform, the British Royal Navy designed a Frigate capable of engaging other capital ships of similar and larger sizes. Armed with two underslung anti-fighter flak cannons to combat fightercraft, the Pennyroyal relies on it's three dual-cannon turrets to deal damage against similar-sized craft. Thin and tall, with two engines for thrust and two to help manoeuvre around, the Pennyroyal is mobile and reasonably nimble. Although large at 160m, the ship can last for some time without resupply, and is a frequent sight patrolling colonies and trade routes on the galactic rim. Few pirate raiders can last a pound-for-pound tussle with the Pennyroyal, which have made it a firm favourite amongst it's crewmen. However, with no fighter compliment or missile loadout to speak of, the ship can be overwhelmed by many small craft. Crew: 63. Armament: 2 x flak turrets. 1 x double plasma turret. 2 x STS cannons. Computer: Rolls Royce X-31.
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AS-27 Escort Shuttle by skapunkplaything, on Flickr AS-27 Escort Shuttle by skapunkplaything, on Flickr AS-27 Escort Shuttle by skapunkplaything, on Flickr The '27 was first commissioned for the wealthy gas traders of Saturn at the turn of the century, but has seen widespread use in a number of areas since. These traders were highly prized targets of kidnappers and pirates throughout the Sol System and beyond, and soon realised that if they failed to travel well armed, they might as well not travel at all. In that vein, the '27 was designed and put into production by the military arm of Lockheed-Franklin. With a thick, duranium armoured hide and three (one heavy dorsal, two underslung medium) plasma cannons, it was at first deemed too well armed for civilian use. A couple of bribes later, and the AS-27 was rolled out and bought in droves by wealthy VIPs, traders, governments and NGOs. It has since, of course, made it's way into more unscrupulous hands and has been used as a boarding craft, gunship and loot-boat. Length: 39m Crew: 2. Passengers: 25, or 12 armoured marines. Armament: 1 x Heavy Plasma Cannon (dorsal). 2 x Medium Plasma turrets. Computer: MS2700H (under licence)
