From: Ross Hedvicek <hijinx78@s...>
Date: Sun Feb 27, 2000 11:48am
Subject: STATS: The Sparrow & The Hornet
Something i cooked up about two weeks ago. Decided to post them after
seeing the Tauntaun personal transport by Magnus.
Opinions?
Sparrow Civilian Starfighter
Craft: Baril Aerospace Sparrow Civilian Starfighter
Type: Civilian Starfighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 15.3 meters
Skill: Starfighter piloting: Sparrow
Crew: 1
Crew Skill: Varies
Passengers: 3
Cargo Capacity: 100 kilograms (1.2 cubic meters)
Consumables: 5 days
Cost: 30,000 (new), 15,000 (used)
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x2
Nav Computer: Astromech droid
Maneuverability: 1D+2
Space: 6
Atmosphere: 330; 950 kmh
Hull: 2D
Shields: 1D
Sensors:
Passive: 15/0D
Scan: 25/1D
Search: 40/2D
Focus: 1/2D
Weapons: None
Game Notes: Emergency Beacon: Broadcasts distress call on local emergency
frequencies for up to 500SU in any direction when activated.
Capsule:
Sensing a potentially huge, and untapped, opportunity in the civilian
transport
market, Baril Aerospace did some initial market research into the
feasibility of
marketing a starfighter-based spacecraft for civilian use. Reaction was
immediate.
Millions of space-going civilians wanted some form of transport other than a
clunky freighter. Something sleek, something sexy, something within their
budget.
Some request incredible maneuverability, some wanted horrific speed, yet
others
wanted a super-fast hyperdrive. Baril was forced to make compromises.
After three months of research and development, a protoype was rolled out for
trials. Resembling a Cloakshape fighter crossed with a Z-95 Headhunter, the
four
seater craft proved extremely competant. Speed was on par with most military
starfighters of the time, though handling was somewhat sluggish. To save the
consumer money, a class two hyperdrive was installed rather than a class one.
After the trials had been successfully completed, the Sparrow was rolled back
into the hangar and tweaked some more. It's appearance was made more
aerodynamic
and sleek, the passenger compartment was given attention and creature
comforts,
components were switched and tested to see which would prove to be the least
expensive, safety issues were addressed and resolved, and final systems
glitches
were fixed.
From conception until the first finished Sparrow rolled off the assembly line,
a full six months had passed. The public had eagerly been waiting for the
Sparrow
to be available at local dealerships. When the first batch shipped, it sold
out
completely - something Baril Aerospace hadn't been expecting. Demand for the
Sparrow was more than they had hoped for. Batch after batch sold out. In a
little
over a year, an estimated 750,000 Sparrows were sold. A modification market
soon
popped up, providing everything from more powerful engines, faster
hyperdrives and
more powerful thrusters. Some enterprising individuals even installed
weaponry on
their Sparrows - something they weren't designed for. Because the Sparrow's
power
core was designed to provide just enough power the craft would ever need -
even
under the most extreme flying conditions - they didn't provide enough juice to
power weapons. As such, the power core had to be replaced with a bigger model,
giving the Sparrow a large hump on it's rear dorsal area.
However, most owners didn't upgrade their Sparrows, opting to keep the sleek
appearance of the stock model. Newer models were released every year, with
mainly
small cosmetic differences.
Hornet Civilian Starfighter
Craft: Baril Aerospace Hornet Civilian Starfighter
Type: Civilian Starfighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 11.9 meters
Skill: Starfighter piloting: Hornet
Crew: 1, Droid Intelligence*
Crew Skill: Varies
Passengers: 1
Cargo Capacity: 50 kilograms (.6 cubic meters)
Consumables: 5 days
Cost: 160,000 (new), 80,000 (used)
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Nav Computer: Handled by Droid*
Maneuverability: 3D
Space: 8
Atmosphere: 450; 1,300 kmh
Hull: 2D
Shields: 1D
Sensors:
Passive: 15/0D
Scan: 25/1D
Search: 40/2D
Focus: 1/2D
Weapons: None
Game Notes: Emergency Beacon: Broadcasts distress call on local emergency
frequencies for up to 500SU in any direction when activated.
Capsule:
Following the huge success of the Sparrow, Baril Aerospace noticed something
else that they could profit on. The aftermarket business for the Sparrow was
very large, with hop ups for maneuverability and top speed being the most
popular. The public wanted something faster and sportier, something that up
until now only militaries and governments possessed. So another feasibility
study was conducted, with predictable results. Though not quite as large a
market as the Sparrow, the chance to make a profit was there.
Not wasting any time, Baril engineers went to work. More product research was
done to see what kind of shape and design was wanted. Answers ranged from
Y-wing
shape, to TIE fighter and Headhunter shape, though variations of the
Headhunter
theme were the most predominant. Seeking to make the majority happy, it was
decided to produce a Headhunter-shaped craft with the S-foils of an X-wing.
Three months later, trials were conducted, proving that the design was safe
and
spaceworthy. Further refinement was done, mainly on the cockpit and control
systems, before the final product was rolled out and shown to the public
for the
first time, a stunning five months from the first study was performed.
At 11.9 meters long, the Hornet is 10cm longer than a Z-95, and a full 60cm
shorter than an X-Wing. Externally it is clearly visible that design and shape
was greatly influenced by the Headhunter and X-Wing. A smooth, curved hull,
much like those seen on Headhunters covers a relatively powerful, yet unfit
for combat, power generator. Power is transformed into movement by use of four
Baril Aerospace F50-B-229 ion engines, the most powerful starfighter engines
produced by Baril. A top of the line hyperdrive was installed, giving the
consumer the most bang for their buck. This was intended to be a sporty vehicle
after all, and a clunky class two hyperdrive simply wouldn't cut it. S-foils
were incorporated to increase handling, and for the sexy X-Wing style look
they provided.
Though at a much higher price, over five times that of the Sparrow, the Hornet
provided the needed adrenaline rush to the public. And the best part was it
was
completely legal. No longer did a civilian have to risk his freedom by
buying a
military starfighter such as the widely available Headhunter. The Hornet was
faster, handled better, and looked sexier than a Headhunter, and the best part
was you couldn't be arrested for owning one. No longer did juveniles and
thrill
seekers alike have to join the starfighter corps to fly something as
exhilerating
as a starfighter, they just had to cough up the requisite amount of
credits. The
world of civilian transport was changed forever. No more clunky freighters, no
more illegal military models, no more potential arrests. People could now
fly in
style aboard a Hornet.
(*) Somewhat of a last minute addition, the Hornet was equipped with AE-6F
droid
software. The same software used on the Baril Aerospace ASF-25 military-grade
starfighter. Installing the software allows the pilot to converse normally
with
the intelligence without having to worry about losing the droid during tight
maneuvers and other high-gee stresses. The AE-6F software is the same as the
standard R2 software but has been given a 3PO's personality matrix. This
allows
the AE-6F to perform all the tasks of an R2 unit, while having a distinct
personality
and the ability to converse with the pilot.
Ross Hedvicek
hijinx78@s...
"If I ever meet you, I'll Control-Alt-Delete you!" - Weird Al
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