The Interstellar Master Traders

Fighter Craft

click on images for large pictures

[Dirac Delta Drone]

Dirac Delta Drone
Attack Air 0
Attack Ground Troops 0
Attack Cities 0
Attack Ground Units 0
Defense From Air Attack 0
Defense From Ground Troops 0
Defense From Ground Units 0
Beam Weapons 41
Missile Weapons 0
Accuracy Beams 45
Accuracy Missile 0
Range Beams 30
Range Missile 0
Ord Load 0
Travel Range (LY) 50
Armor 1
Evasive Bonus 20
Attack Bonus 35
Generator 15
Battery 25
Combat Quickness 150
Cost 20

Mass produced cheap anti-fighter rubbish, the Dirac Delta Drone is incapable of atmospheric maneuvering. It was developed in response to the threat of fighter races like the Evil Empire by adapting vacuum waldoes. It is about as good as the EE's cheap fighter, but four times the cost. It is probably more cost effective than the Saturday Stovepipe Special when fighting vast Wings when sheer numbers are important.

[Stovepipe]

Saturday Stovepipe Special
Attack Air 50
Attack Ground Troops 10
Attack Cities 10
Attack Ground Units 10
Defense From Air Attack 20
Defense From Ground Troops 20
Defense From Ground Units 10
Beam Weapons 26
Missile Weapons 0
Accuracy Beams 60
Accuracy Missile 0
Range Beams 280
Range Missile 0
Ord Load 0
Travel Range (LY) 50
Armor 15
Evasive Bonus 40
Attack Bonus 0
Generator 25
Battery 100
Combat Quickness 150
Cost 125

After the ridicule heaped upon its in-house Dirac Delta design IMT tendered for an anti fighter fighter which would put the fear of God into the fighter races. After an committee battle at the Design Bureau they chose the most attactive quote from unknown design house Broke-Manner (better known for their classic kitchens and fitted abattoir range, aka "Rotating Knives").

Rivals were not slow to mock the craft as - although it does technically meet its specification - it is little more than an engine, laser and pilot. It is not even airtight but requires a space-suited pilot.

Eventually IMT had the last laugh as the unconventional design is a paragon of cost effective engineering. It is a relatively cheap anti-fighter fighter. Its one weakness is that it lacks missiles, so is not especially good against ships.

[Bismuth]

Bismuth Zepplin
Attack Air 10
Attack Ground Troops 10
Attack Cities 20
Attack Ground Units 20
Defense From Air Attack 15
Defense From Ground Troops 30
Defense From Ground Units 30
Beam Weapons 0
Missile Weapons 100
Accuracy Beams 0
Accuracy Missile 30
Range Beams 0
Range Missile 400
Ord Load 20
Travel Range (LY) 100
Armor 35
Evasive Bonus 20
Attack Bonus 100
Generator 67
Battery 400
Combat Quickness 30
Cost 250

Another over-specialised product from the quirky noncombatants at the IMT Design Bureau the Bismuth Zepplin has one glaring omission - no beams! But it does carry an excellent missile type with good accuracy, range and power. This is a good anti-ship fighter which can take a lot of damage but is poor as an anti-fighter unit. Best used mixed in a crowd of other fighter types in a Wing set to "Quick Strike".

The generators of the other fighters in the wing can keep the underpowered BZ's missiles firing while they are out of beam range. Quick Strike keeps the Wing out of Point Defence range most of the time whilst the BZ's long range missiles do their work - like "Standoff Range" for ships.