Corsair General Fighter

(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 11/03/2002)

Exiled from Aiur, the Dark Templar understood their vulnerability. While the Protoss did not have many enemies at this time, there were still pirates and galactic powers that would turn hostile in an effort to gain access to the advanced technology possessed by the Dark Templar. In order to protect their small fleet of ships, the Dark Templar built a general purpose, medium space fighter that they named the Corsair General Fighter. The first corsairs was built using whatever resource the Dark Templar had at hand, but after the Dark Templar settled on Shakuras, manufacturing facilities were established and the fighters became even more reliable.

When the Protoss first encountered the Dark Templar on Char they quickly became aware of the new technologies that the Lost Tribes had developed. While not pivotal in any action of the war, the presence of the Corsairs bolstered many Protoss positions after Tassadar had overthrown the Conclave. The Protoss that traveled to Shakuras from Aiur were taught how to build these fighters and they were incorporated into the remaining defense forces of the Protoss on Shakuras.

The ship was originally designed to engage and destroy both fighters and other spaceships that might threaten the spaceships of the Dark Templar. Their role was increased to include defending the world of Shakuras and patrolling the area of space surrounding it. To achieve its purpose, the fighter is equipped with a unique Neutron Flare Cannon and a special, magically generated disruption web.

M.D.C. by location:

• Neutron Flare Cannons (2) - 180 each
• Plasma Charge Cannons (2) - 75 each
• Medium Range Missile Launchers (2) - 150 each
• Weapon CLuster Mounts (2) - 350 each *
• Cockpit - 200
• Main Engine - 300
• Main Body - 700 **
• Shield Generator - 1000 ***


M.D.C. Armor Rating: 9 (See Mega-Damage Properties for more details on M.D.C. Armor Ratings and M.D.C. Weapon Ratings)
Notes:

*	Depleting the M.D.C. of a weapon cluster will destroy a neutron flare cannon and a medium range missile launcher.
**	Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body will put the fighter out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity.
***	The shield generator creates a powerful shield around the fighter. At maximum strength the shield has 1000 M.D.C. and regenerates at a rate of 50 M.D.C. per melee round and can remain active indefinitely. If completely depleted, the shield cannot be recreated for half an hour, after that time it can be reactivated at full strength.

Speed:

• Sublight: Can travel at up to 40 percent of the speed of light (0.40c) and accelerate / decelerate at a rate of 1.2 percent of light (0.012 c) per melee.
• Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum cruise speed is Mach 6 (4470 mph / 7200 km/h) and can enter and leave an atmosphere with Earth-like gravity.
• Maximum Range: Effectively unlimited by drive system, but only carries enough supplies for the pilot for one week.

Statistical Data:

• Height: 23' (7.0 m)
• Width: 42' (12.8 m)
• Length: 50' (15.2 m)
• Weight: 23.7 tons (21.5 metric tons)
• Reactor System: Khaydarin Crystal Reactor with a life span of 100 years.
• Propulsion System: Anti-Gravity Generator
• Cargo: Minimal storage space that usually holds a suit of Dark Templar Light Combat Armor and the Pilot Survival Kit.

Weapon Systems:

1. Neutron Flare Cannons (2)
   The main armament of the Corsair fighter is the pair of Neutron Flare Cannons mounted on the front of each weapon cluster. The weapon fires an intense burst of neutrons against the target that react with the target's atoms and causes great damage. The neutrons will also spread out from the point of impact to damage surrounding targets, but will only cause 25% damage against targets caught in the blast radius.
   • Range: 5 miles (8 km) underwater, 10 miles (16.1 km) through an atmosphere, and 1000 miles (1609 km) in space.
   • Damage: 1D4x100 M.D. per single blast or 2D4x100 M.D. per dual blast.
   • Blast Radius: 20' (6.1 m) in an atmosphere and 80' (24.4 m) in space.
   • M.D.C. Weapon Rating: 9
   • Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand-to-hand attacks (usually 4 to 6).
   • Payload: Effectively Unlimited
2. Plasma Charge Cannons (2)
   A smaller version of the weapon mounted on the Lightning interceptors, the plasma charge cannons are used almost exclusively against missiles and other small and easily destroyed targets.
   • Range: 5 miles (8 km) underwater, 10 miles (16.1 km) through an atmosphere, and 100 miles (161 km) in space.
   • Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. per single blast or 2D6x10 M.D. per dual blast.
   • M.D.C. Weapon Rating: 11
   • Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand-to-hand attacks (usually 4 to 6).
   • Payload: Effectively Unlimited
3. Medium Range Missile Launchers (2)
   These launchers assist the Neutron Flare Cannons and are mounted in the weapon clusters along with the cannons.
   • Missile Size: Medium Range Missiles
   • Range: 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,748 km / 0.43 light seconds) in space.
   • Speed: 3600 mph (5794 km/h) in an atmosphere and an acceleration of 6% of light (0.06c) per melee in space.
   • Damage: Varies with type of missile warhead.
   • Blast Radius: Varies with type of missile warhead.
   • Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, or 8 missiles.
   • Payload: 8 missiles per launcher, for a total of 16 medium rang missiles.

Special Systems:

1. Disruption Web
   The Corsair has a special Khaydarin Crystal generator that allows it to project a special energy disruption field over a specific area. The Corsair can only generate a single web per hour and the web will last for five minutes (or 20 melees) before dissipating. The web can be created up to 100 miles (160 km) away in space or 1 mile (1.6 km) away in an atmosphere and will form a sphere with a radius 1000' (305 m) from its center. Normal physics within the sphere cease to function properly and all normal energy weapons fail to function properly. In addition, most normal engines on ships, fighters, and missiles will cease to function, although an object in space will maintain its current heading and acceleration and an object in an atmosphere will begin to fall towards the ground. While the advantage of this weapon decreases in space, it is very effective against stationary or slow moving defenses. Fortunately, energy weapons originating outside of the web will hit targets on the inside, but everything else is affected normally.

Standard Systems:

1. Fighter Bonuses
   The fighter is extremely maneuverable and is automatically integrated into the sensor system, adding +5% to the piloting skill of the pilot, +3 to dodge attacks from energy and projectile weapons, and +3 to dodge missiles and similar tracking devices.
2. Electronic Warfare System
   The fighter is equipped with a simple EW package that allows it to generate 2 points of ECM and 1 point of ECCM. See Electronic Warfare and EWSs for more details on Electronic Warfare and Electronic Warfare Systems.
3. Communication System
   The fighter is equipped with a Crystal Communicator that has a range of 500,000 miles (804,672 km) with other crystal communicators and a range of half that with other devices.
4. Sensor Systems
   The fighter is equipped with three powerful sensor systems. The first is a powerful radar array that has a range of 500,000 miles (804,672 km) and uses standard radar waves, which are fairly easy to jam, but it is obvious when the radar array is being jammed. The second is a standard gravity sensor that has a range of 5 million miles (8 million km). The final system is a magical energy sensor that will detect anything that has more then 50 points of PPE or ISP, is a supernatural creature or creature of magic, or is a dimensional anomaly within 1 light-years.
5. Targeting Computer System
   Connecting the fighter's sensor systems with the weapon systems is the Targeting Computer System. The system is designed to control all of the weapons currently equipped on the fighter. This system can track up to 100 targets simultaneously, providing detailed information about the targets from the fighter's data files. All direct fire weapons receive a bonus of +3 to strike and all missile weapons receive a bonus of +1 to strike. These bonuses are in addition to any previously stated bonuses or penalties.
6. Pilot Survival Kit
   All fighters come equipped with a portable survival kit. Inside the small reinforced box is a medium sized flashlight, two hand flares, one rocket flare, a small mirror, a pocket knife, basic first aid items, water for one week, and nutrition patches for four months.