Praetorian Fighter


Craft: Yaeger Yards F-190 Mark I "Praetorian"
Type: Assault Starfighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 34 meters
Skill: Starfighter piloting; Praetorian
Cost: 358,000 credits
Crew: 4
Passengers: None
Cargo Capacity: 5 kg
Consumables: 1 week
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x2
Hyper Backup: No
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 3D
Space: 7
Atmosphere: 330; 950 kph
Hull: 4D
Shields: 2D+2
Sensors:
Passive: 10/0D
Scan: 20/1D
Search: 30/1D+2
Focus: 3/2D
Weapons:
4 Heavy Plasma Cannons
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Arc: Front
Crew: 1 each
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1-4/15/21
Atmosphere Range: 100-400m/1.5km/2.1km
Damage: 6D
3 Double Laser Cannons
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 1 each
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 3D+1
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300m/1.2km/2.5km
Damage: 4D+2
1 Extra Heavy Plasma Cannon
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Arc: Rear
Crew: 2
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D+1
Space Range: 1-3/5/15
Atmosphere Range: 100-300m/500m/1.5km
Damage: 10D+1

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.
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