Classification: Gunboat/Combat Transport/"Heavy Miner"
Power plant: Sport Plus (size 4)
Engines: Rush x 2 (size 4 x 2)
Radar: Sentinel (48500 meter range, less power need than a Nubbler) (size 4)
Shield: Mortar (60000mm equivalent), Warden (36500mm equivalent, four times faster recharge than Mortar; pilot/commander preference) (size 5)
Armor: 79800mm
Capacitor: Pint for Flails, Jug for Vantages and Shards (size 3)
Laser Config: Shard x 2
Ammo Config: Flail x 2, Vantage x 2
Missiles (# x size): 1x5, 2x4
MODx: 7
ECM: 3
Speed (nor/ab/ff): 423/484/839 MPS
Acceleration: 67.0 (Shard), 65.6 (Vantage), 61.3 (Flail) kN/kg
Yaw/Pitch/Roll: 26/26/31 DPS
Cargo: 260m³
Notes: Released under the guise of a "Heavy Miner" (and it is still a capable mining craft using 2
Prospector mining lasers), the Vulture is in actuality an entirely different kind of ship than anything
seen before. It is the first Assault Gunboat any nation's fleet has ever seen. The craft mounts
several heavy weapons, and also mounts a massive shield capable of taking a direct tactical
nuke hit and still holding. It also mounts a great number of MODx, allowing it an astounding
amount of tactical flexibility. Additionally, it carries a large radar system that allows it to see much
farther than attending fighters. It is not particularly swift, but it is meant to perform somewhat the
same function as the Dragon ­ wade into fleet battles and absorb incredible (in this case
staggering) amounts of damage. It also possesses enough firepower to appreciably damage
other combat craft, and it mounts several moderate-to-heavy warheads capable of heavily
damaging fighters and lighter cargo vessels (although they lack the size for hardened targets like
Infestations.) It is not very maneuverable, but it is a mobile firebase ­ it is not meant to be
handled like a light fighter. Dragon and Raptor pilots will feel right at home in the cockpit of a
battle-configured Vulture. It can also be used as a battle transport, conveying medium-sized loads
though areas where commanders feel the transport could use some firepower on it as well.
Astute pilots will note that the ship's gun mounts are actually size 5, while currently the most
devastating ballistic weaponry available in the five systems is size 4. Rumors are circulating that
these mounts were designed specifically for the exceptionally illegal Imperializer weapon system
produced by Annihilitech. It is possible the Navy may move to have the weapon legalized and
released in Octavian space. The weapons on the Vulture are already destructive; the power of a
Vulture with Imperializers would be difficult to fathom.


S-19