Imperial Vehicles: Peltast-Class Light Strike Fighter

ST/HP: 85

Hand/SR: +4/3

HT: 10f

Move: 10/450* (+13)

LWt.: 7.2

Load: 3

SM: +4

Occ.: 1S

DR: 15

Range: 22,000

Cost: $15M

Loc.: g3rR2Wi

Stall: 50†

*The Peltast is equipped with an Afterburner which improves the Move to 15/550 (+14) and consumes four times as much fuel (reducing range to 5,500 miles, if used continuously).

†The wings of the Peltast include a combination of maneuver thrusters and contragravity that, when activated, reduces the stall to 20.

Notes

Standard Imperial Fighter Vehicle Electronics:

• Medium Tactical Ultra-Scanner: 30-mile scan, 3-mile imaging/bioscan; 360°;
  
  
• Targeting Computer: +5 to hit target with a scan-lock.
  
  
• Night Vision Sensors: +9 nightvision, ×8 magnification (up to +3 to aimed attacks, if the vehicle aims for three turns).
  
  
• Distortion Jammer: -4 to target with missiles; +2 to jam missiles.
  
  
• Tactical ESM: +1 to dodge missiles.
  
  
• Decoy Launcher: +1 to dodge missiles and +2 to jam missiles.
  
  
• Medium Holographic Radio: 1,000 mile range (orbital); “palm sized” holographic console.
  
  
• Security: Simple Electronic Locks.
  
  
• G-Seat: +2 to resist G-lock.
  
  
• Ejection Seat.
  
  

The Peltast has room for a single pilot. While sealed, the cockpit has no environmental controls, requiring the wearer to be in a vacc suit for the entire time they spend in the vehicle. The cockpit includes a cubic foot of cargo (up to 50 lbs), where the pilot typically stores a spare air cannister and perhaps some rations.

The Peltast has two, standard imperial fighter cannons mounted in the wings and four missile hardpoints (two per wing) each loaded with up to three 160mm plasma or plasma lance missiles and a central hardpoint on the body that can carry a single isomeric torpedo or a special electronics pod that grants the Peltast additional sensors and ECM.

ECM Pod: 100 mile low-probability intercept (-5 to detect) ultrascanner, forward 120° arc only; 10-mile radius Area Jammer (-4 to target with missiles). +$500,000.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl
Imperial Fighter Cannon	6d×5(5) burn	9	2700/ 8000	1000	3	200/Fp	75M	-10	2
160mm Plasma Missile	6d×15 burn ex	3	1000/ 50,000	200	1	12	11B	-8	1
160mm Plasma-Lance Missile	6d×30(10) burn	3	1000/ 50,000	200	1	12	23M	-11	1
Isomeric Torpedo	6d×500 cr ex	3	300/ 10 mi	2500	1	1	150M	-15	1

Look and Feel

The Peltast resembles a much heavier version of the Javelin. It has a more sturdy looking body that sits just high enough off of the ground to give it space for its torpedo, with considerable wings sweeping out to either side with can cut off some of the pilots peripheral vision. It has the same carbide armor as the Javelin and thus a similar, glossy appearance.

Entering the craft, the Peltast has a roomy, comfortable cockpit with a spare compartment in which the pilot can store about 50 lbs worth of additional air or rations. While technically not rated for unaided vacuum survival, the cockpit was designed to hold enough air for about 30 minutes of breathing unaided, though the Empire insists that pilots wear their vaccsuits at all time and any rations stored tend to be consumed while on the ground. It has modern, computerised controls, with all of its output displayed as a HUD on the cockpit window. When sealed, the cockpit hisses as it lowers the pressure slightly to prevent any explosive blow-out if the cockpit is damaged, and then sound dampens until the only sound left is the pilot’s breathing within their vacc-suit and the crackle of their comm system. Once the pre-flight checks have completed, the pilot ignites his maneuver thrusters, activates the contragravity to aid the repulsor system, which creates a blue glow beneath the wings; he then retracts the skid and “floats” on his repulsorlift system, engages his plasma thrusters, and launches.

The Peltast is more sedate in its acceleration, never exceeding 2 gs even with its afterburners. However, thanks to its contragravity-assisted flying, while it cannot “stop and hover” it can move at extremely slow speeds, allowing it to loiter or turn more easily. It can take off in a mere 20 yards, and do so without bothering with pressor-launchers.

The vehicle is generally popular with the those who pilot it, though Peltast-pilots tend to be a breed apart from most imperial pilots. Where most imperial fighter pilots concern themselves with their ability to harass and destroy enemy fighters en masse, Peltast pilots tend to be less aggressive and more sociable, often spending time with the soldiers their strike fighters protect, or bragging about how many cap-ship kills they’ve racked up.

The Peltast is a multi-role fighter. It’s heavy carrying capacity and long endurance gives it quite a few interesting options. When equipped with an electronics pod, it can join a flight of javelins and assist in long distance patrols. On the offense, wings of Peltasts can hit capital ships with torpedos (though their light armor makes them vulnerable to plasma flak!). The Peltast is also used for close air support of imperial troops, with its low stall speed and its long endurance allowing it to fly low and loiter over the battlefield, though the area must be cleared of anti-air fire, as even accurate rifle fire can risk the comparably delicate imperial strike fighter.