This starfighter was designed as a replacement for the elderly
Prowler starfighters. The first run of
Praetorians produced by the Yaeger Yards were commissioned last
year, and after the ships repeatedly proved themselves in combat,
the Yaeger Military Supply Board has ordered the construction of
several hundred of these fighters. However, the Yaeger Yards are
to continue production and development of the Prowler class ships,
as they have not been convinced that the Praetorian can fill all
facets of the Prowler's mission profile.
The Praetorian has followed the current line of Yaeger
military thinking. That is, this ship is designed for military
applications, and nothing else. Earlier ships had been designed
for some degree of functionality outside of the context of
organized warfare, as it is the Yaeger practice to put a large
percentage of a pilot or captain's wages toward the purchase of his
ship. Now that it is clear that there is organized conflict taking
place elsewhere, the traditional objection to single function craft
has slowly evaporated.
Praetorians have a remarkably weak sensor array, relying on
information relayed by support ships to provide targeting
information. They also carry few provisions and no cargo or
passengers, again relying on support craft. The space saved by
these and similar compromises has allowed for the placement of the
Praetorian's formidable attack and defence capabilities. Few
fighters can survive a barrage of the four primary plasma guns of
a Praetorian, and a massed attack by a Praetorian wing is capable
of destroying many capital ships.
One of the many new technologies of the Opal project has been
incorporated into the Praetorian with an ingenious modification.
Instead of the Opal's Total Focusing Linkage, only one of the
Praetorian's Plasma cannons can channel the energy of the other
weapons. This cannon, covering the rear arc, is not activated in
most combat situations. It is in fact disguised as part of the
Praetorian's engine systems. When the rear cannon is powered up,
it draws all the power from the other weapon systems. Those
scanning the ship will see the power being drawn from the weapons
and apparently channeled into the engines, often leading opponents
to following a fleeing Praetorian quite closely, and leading to an
unpleasant surprise, when the rear cannon opens fire.
Note: The cost listed is in a theoretical situation, where
the Yaeger ships are available without restriction. In most
scenarios, they should not be available at all, or at incredibly
inflated prices.