Dhothil XI Superiority Starfighter
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Name/Type: Dhothil XI Superiority Fighter
Designer/Manufacturer:
Combat Role: General Purpose / Modular Fighter
Crew: 1 + 1 Gunner
Length: 12 Meters (Width), 6 meters long
Speed: 90 MGLT, 1150 Kph
Acceleration: 16 MGLT/s
Maneuverability: 90 DPF
Hyperdrive: x1
Shield Rating: 110 SBD
Hull Rating: 55 RU
Weapons: 7 Modular Weapon Compartments.
Other: Modular Secondary Shields, Modular Electronics Suite
Description: The Dhothil XI, popularly referred to as the Dagger by outsiders, is a modular and general purpose heavy fighter that has been the mainstay of the Irollan starfighter forces for nearly two decades with minor updates. It is most analogous to the Cloakshape, being a heavily protected and armed starfighter with superior atmospheric performance, but is lacking in speed and maneuverability. The main strength of the Dhothil is its adaptability, which can refitted with some time and the proper components to fulfill most mission requirements (albeit is a rather inferior interceptor). Unlike most starfighters, the Dhothil is a two-man craft, with a pilot and a secondary flight officer who controls the ship's extra electronics, some defences, and aids in gunnery duties. While the Dhothil has always been fielded in vast numbers by the Kingdom and in large numbres by the criminal groups operating in Irollan space, the starfighter is just entering the forces of Mensyl and its allies after many captured by them during the first Battle of Mensyl.
Technical Explanations:
Speed: Low
Engines: The Dhothil uses three capacitor-powered ion engines originally designed to be used for small orbital transports. This makes the craft rather slow in space compared to the fighters of most galactic governments, but quite capable of dragging a lot of equipment and armor (hence the design concept is actually based on the engines than any other requirements). However, in the atmosphere, the Dhothil is as fast or faster than many starfighters because of its aerodynamics. Dhothil engines generally need to be recharged after three days of continuous use.
Maneuverability: Moderately Low
Flight Systems: The Dhothil certainly isn't the most maneuverable starfighter fielded by in recent times (albeit it can outmaneuver the original, unupgraded X-wing and fall just shy of the original Tie Fighter's performance) but it can generally outmaneuver most assault fighters or bombercraft. The primary maneuvering system, besides the engines, are the two etheric flaps that occupy the back half of the wings. This makes the Dhothil particularly maneuverable with yaw actions, which in turn leads to Dhothil pilots typically using lots of rolls and Immelman maneuvers in their flying. The turning on the craft is otherwise less than stellar and more comparable to that of shuttles than that of other fighter craft.
Hull: High
Hull: The hull of the Dhothil is significantly more durable than most fighter craft, including the durable X-wing simply by the sheer thickness of the starfighter's plates, which also act as backup structural supports for the airframe. Irollans have not had access to many common metals or variants thereof within the galaxy (ex. Durasteel because of its meleeium) because of the rarity of the elements, and have thus relied on the most readily available material to them: tungsten. Irollans mix it in equal parts with the more common element of carbon to make Tungsten Carbide; a typically grey-black material which is incredibly hard (nearly as hard as diamonds), substantially denser than durasteel or titanium, and has a very high melting point. This provides Irollan craft with substantial protection, even more than many craft of more “advanced” civilizations, but is also quite heavy.
Shields: High
Shield Generators: The Dhothil XI has powerful shields which are near those of other heavy assault fighters, such as B-wings or Assault Gunboats, which the Dhothil is generally similar to in build. Shield strength capability coupled with Irollan capicitator technology means the Dhothil's shields recharge very quickly, making them capable of enduring prolonged fire that few other starfighters can withstand: a Dhothil is capable of withstanding turbolaser hits. But this is more a necessity than anything else, because of the ship's wide profile and slow speed.
Modular Secondary Shields: As the Irollans place a high value on life and its survival, and unsurprisingly put as many safeguards into protecting the lives of their pilots as possible. One of these safeguards is the Dhothil secondary shield generator module, which provides the space and power supply for a second, specialized shield generator to run simultaneously as the ship’s main shields. These shields are significantly weaker than the main generator, but provide focused defense against certain types of energy. The ship’s secondary shields can be focused, dispersed, and otherwise manipulated by the second crewman as needed.
Photon Scattering Field: This module produces photons and hi-jacks naturally occurring particles of this nature to form and hold them in a field surrounding the ship, just overlaying the ship’s standard shielding. When this shield is hit by ion and EMP weaponry hit the field, the photon particles interfere and collide with the energized particles, ions, and other radiation, thereby reducing or annulling the effects of those weapons on the ship itself.
Explosive Dampening Field: This module is designed to contain and resist explosions via use of strong magnetic and gravity forces. It lies just below the standard shielding so that the standard shielding detonates the explosive weapon, and the secondary layer beneath it can soak up and contain the said force before it reaches the hull of the ship.
Ballistic Deflection Field: This module uses magnetics and repulsive tractor beam forces to produce a force which shields against kinetic attacks. Depending on the angle and the size of the projectile, the BDF can either deflect the attack and send it flying elsewhere, or significantly impede its motion forward into the craft, and thereby the damage that a kinetic weapon can do to the ship. This field surrounds and permeates the immediate area around the ship; Ships using this module typically have problems flying in close formation because they inadvertently push away any nearby object not moving away from the deflection field, including their wingmen or those they are dogfighting against.
Heat Dissipation Field: This module creates a complex maze of particles that interlock with the ship’s shields, but also jut in and out of them. When a thermal attack collides with the ship’s shields, this maze of particles acts like a superconductive radiator which uniformly disperses the heat or cold evenly all across the surface area of the ship’s shields; thereby reducing the effects of such weapons. It is commonly used to protect against laser cannons and other like weaponry, or to provide the craft with additional protection during hot atmospheric reentries or other environmental temperature effects.
Weapons: High
Weapons: The Dhothil does not carry any fixed weapons, instead housing seven large internal compartments to fit weapons into; three to a wing (recognizable as the dark triangles in the picture) and one in the lower front of the fuselage of the craft. Because Irollan weapons were until recently wholly projectile based, all of the bays are large enough to house not only the weapons, but extensive ammo for projectile weapons or reserve capacitors to power energy-based weapons for entire engagements with little fear of running out of ammo. Most Irollan factions have adopted their own weapons to use with the Dhothil, but any weapon can be easily modified and switched in and out of the fighter with a little work, resulting in a wide plethora of armaments that Dhothils use. The most limiting factor is utility, with too many energy weapons the Dhothil will be drained out of power quickly while a reliance on missiles is both expensive and dubiously effective. Listed below are some standard loadouts used on a wide-scale.
[INDENT]Irollan Kingdom Loadout: 1 Siege Beam Cannon, 4 Wyren Mk VII Slugthrowers, 2 Firefly Missile Launchers (5 Firefly Missiles each)
Siege Beam Cannon: This heavy weapon fires bursts of energy at the target to burn through heavy armor and shielding. Using a complex system of four coordinated anodes, it converts electricity into thermal energy which is then transferred to a beam produced by a miniature particle cannon. The resulting superheated particle beam is quite effective at penetrating thick defences at above average ranges. However, it’s low firing rate (due to energy requirements and cooling) along with poor tracking mainly regulate the weapon to destroying stationary and relatively slow-moving targets, or for opportunistic shots in close quarters dogfighting.
Wyren Mk VII Autocannon: The Wyren autocannon is the latest in Irollan Kingdom weapons technology. The projectile equivalent to the rest of the galaxy’s autoblaster in terms of role, power, and size, the Wyren inaccurately spews out a large volume of minute, solid slugs, via magnetic accelerators, towards it targets at a very short range. The Mk VII version now incorporates locus coordinators into its mounts which provide improved autotracking for the weapon as well as the ability to load hollow slugs (which can be filled with different payloads as per mission/personal preferences). Common fillers include thermite, to create incendiary effects (even in space), and shrapnel, to destroy incoming projectiles or strafe lightly-armored ground targets.
Firefly Missile: The Firefly is a variation of a warhead which is analogous to the common concussion missile in nearly every way. However, the firefly is unique in that its energy sheath is constantly fluctuating, which allows to occasionally block high-powered defense shots or succumb to above average cronau radiation. A side effect of this process is that the missile appears to blink in and out of existence, which in turn makes it difficult to target visually and electromagnetically (especially with a low heat output from its capacitor-powered engines). This targeting issue is typically compounded by Firely missiles being programmed to randomly alternate speeds during flight, and even occasionally to fly in odd paths with High-G maneuvers to their target.
Typical Pirate Loadout: 3 Fireshard Cannons, 4 Kothil Ion Cannons
Fireshard Cannon: This heavy weapon uses minute electrothermal charges to vaporize gas to push out its solid-tipped slugs at high speeds. When the slug hits the target, it armor-piercing head penetrates the target, and consequently ignites and releases the thermite flechettes stored within the core of the bullet. Penetration by such an attack results in nearby area being turned into a small, powerful, and slow-burning conflagration. The Fireshard is known for having a shorter range than typical laser cannons, but having high rate of fire coupled with very little energy use (a plus for ships relying capacitors for power). It typically is more terrifying to its opponents than it actually is effective, though the terror it can inspire is an effective weapon in and of itself.
Kothil Ion Cannon: A popular weapon among Irollan civilians and security, the Kothil, like any other ion cannon, uses ion energy to overload and fuse circuitry. However, unlike galactic standard ion cannons, the Kothil automatically adjust itself according to range sensor data from the ship for improved performance. For example, a Kothil will automatically tightbeam an ion bolt fired at a distant target for improved range at the cost of damage, or completely bypass the most of the focusing process for a shorter range, but a greatly improved rate of fire if the target is at near point-blank range. If the Kothil does not have any sensor data, it fires like a normal starfighter-grade ion cannon.
Typical Irollan Reformist Loadout: 4 Tylyn Laser Cannons, 3 Jenth General Purpose Launchers (4 missiles or 3 torpedoes or 2 heavy rockets or 1 space bomb each).
Tylyn Laser Cannon: The Tylyn is the result of Irollan scientists trying to replicate and adapt the basic laser cannon introduced to them by the Confederation to their own technology. Unsurprisingly (given Irollan capacitor technology), the Tylyn is designed to be capable of quickly charging and sustained rapid fire that would internally melt other laser cannons. This is accomplished by extensive, passive cyro cooling systems built around the barrel, and through heavy use of Tungsten carbide casing and internal systems. The only other difference with the Tylyn is its prismatic crystal, (since the Irollans don’t have access to typical ones), which modulates the beams more into the ultraviolet spectrum, which results in slightly less range for the weapons, but with more radiation(thermal) damage than normal per bolt.
Jenth General Purpose Launcher: The Jenth is very similar to the Imperial General Warhead Launcher used by the later Tie starfighter models. What separates the two is the Jenth’s size, which is larger than the compact version used by the Empire. The Jenth does not carry any more missiles than the Imperial version, but is larger because it incorporates an odd two-stage bay thruster which not only boosts the rocket into the launcher, but also provides additional thrust for the warhead as it leaves the launcher. This results in improved rate of fire as well as faster warheads.[/INDENT]
Modular Electronics Suite: Another device that the second crewmen runs is the modular electronics suite module, which provides the space and power supply for additional electronics and avianoics to give Irollan pilots an extra survival edge. As with weapons, there is a wide plethora of devices that certain groups use because of the ease there is in adapting existing devices for the slots, but here are several of the more common ones seen in Irollan space.
[INDENT] Sensor Dampener: Frequently used by pirates and others wishing to avoid detection, the sensor dampener is actually a very low-grade sensor mask which does nothing to conceal the starfighter visually or at medium to short ranges, but rather prevents long-range detection. It also frequently prevents sensor-based targetting used by many missiles and automated weaponry from firing on the craft.
Tracking Disruptor: Mostly used by Irollan Reformist forces, since Mensyl and Confederate scientist developed the device, the tracking disruptor works very much like the Imperial Jamming beam used by their fighters equipped with the beam weapon module. The device works like a miniature Magnetorian sweep, disrupting targetting computers and sensors in the area that the device is focused at. Effective against starfighters, subcapital ships, and capital ship turrets.
Target Painter: This devices coordinates and aids in fire control for friendly ships by providing more precise sensor information and increasing the target ship's signature radius. Often used to increase friendly capital ship's accuracy at long ranges and/or during heavy sensor jamming. Some squadron leaders use it to precisely direct their missile barrages at specific points and times.[/INDENT]
Power Systems: Because of the difficulty in navigating the Irollan Nebula, most small craft and planetary vehicles are intentionally designed to have a short-range. As a result, they do not possess power generators or a standard fuel system. Instead, Irollan Craft use advanced capacitors to store electrical power taken from other places (such as a base or capital ship). As a result, Irollan craft tend to be shorter-ranged and also devote less internal space to power systems. However, this lack of range or power usage can be somewhat compensated for by carrying multiple capacitors (which in turn take up more space than standard power systems…). While this is a bit of disadvantage, capacitors are much more flexible at raising and lowering power levels (for short time periods), with some Irollan craft capable of having their weapons, shields, and propulsion maxed out simultenously for shorter periods than normal. Typically, it is not energy use which regulates this maxing out as much as the wear and tear on the circuits, which will inevitably overheat and combust from too much continuous use without a cooling down time. Unlike many other power systems, capacitors produce little heat and no chemical exhausts, which ensures that the environment cannot altered/harmed by their use under any circumstance (unlike ion or antimatter reactors), and consequently ensures their continued use by the Irollans despite different power systems becoming available via the Confederation.