RZ-1 A-wing interceptor

Original concept art for the RZ-1 A Wing

Description

The A-Wing is an amazing fighter. It is a relatively small fighter yet has good firepower, is very fast, is very manueverable, and carries a hyperdrive to travel from system to system. Unlike the imperial Tie fighters, which are in many ways the closest approximate for the A-Wings performance and size, the fighter has powerful shields to help protect the fighter. All this makes for a very lethal fighter and a fighter that has becoming very popular with the hotshots among the Alliance forces. If compared to fighters of the later twentieth century, they could be seen as having the same relationship to the X-Wing as the F-16 Falcon had to the F-15 Eagle.

The profile of the A-Wing is very aerodynamic. The fighter is wedge shaped with the fighters cockpit in the approximately the center of the fighter. The pilot ejects in a similar way to the X-Wing and Y-Wing fighter and the pilot ejects after the top of the cockpit has been blown off. On the sides of the fighter are two powerful laser cannons in turrets. The turrets do not have full rotation but do have the ability to move up to 30 degrees up, down, or side to side. Behind and inwards from the turrets, the fighter has two very powerful ion engines. Above and below the engines are steering vanes to increase the fighters atmospheric performance. The fighter does not carry a droid but instead the computer has the ability to store up to four jump locations. When the fighter was designed, atmospheric performance was strongly considered which resulted in a fighter with very good performance in an atmosphere.

The fighter has only two laser cannons instead of the four cannons carried by the X-Wing but each of the cannons is slightly more powerful. They are more compact than the mounts on the Y-Wing, are not fixed in place, and have the ability to traverse to hit targets. If the A-Wing carried proton torpedoes, the fighter could have only carried about 4 total so instead the A-Wing carries the smaller concussion missiles. The Concussion missile is the equivalent of a medium range missile in Rifts. While not as capable against capital ships as proton torpedoes, the concussion missiles are still effective against larger ships. Like proton torpedoes, they can also be targeted on fighters

In many ways, the fighter is as good as the fighters within the Three Galaxies. It is about the same size as the lighter fighters and although its guns are not as powerful as those on the Scorpion the A-Wing has good shields to help protect the fighter. It has a fairly low endurance but due to having a hyperdrive is capable of traversing vast distances.

Statistical Data

• Model: RZ-1 Light Interceptor / Patrol Fighter
• Crew: One
• Speed:
  • Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
  • Sublight: Phase World Version: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 40 percent of the speed of light. Fighter can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 2 percent of light per melee maximum. Moderate Version: The fighter does not have an effective top speed but is limited by acceleration. Fighter can reach a top acceleration of 12 G.
  • Atmospheric Propulsion: Both Version: The fighter is aerodynamic and is quite capable in an atmosphere. As a result, the fighter can achieve escape velocity (Mach 32.6 / 25053 mph / 40320 kph) but normally operates at Mach 8 (6160.7 mph / 9907.2 kph) or less. The fighter also has Gravitic propulsion systems enabling it to leave an atmosphere even at low velocities.
  • Stardrive: Uses a Class 1.0 Hyperdrive system equal to speeds between 8,000 and 15,000 LYPH. The fighters computer can store up to 4 coordinates for hyperspace jump locations.
• Maximum Range: Both Versions: the fighter has enough fuel for 240 hours (10 days) of operation. Fighter uses a very small fusion cell system for power systems. The fighter carries two weeks of consumables for fighters crew.
• Length: 31.5 feet (9.6 meters)
• Height: 10.2 feet (3.1 meters)
• Width: 21.3 feet (6.5 meters)
• Weight: 8.5 tons (7,710 kg) unloaded
• Power System: Fusion power supply with a 10 day duration at normal output. Fusion power supply can run life support without any thrust for 1 year although rations and water will have long run out.
• Cargo: Small Storage Space, 2.5 ft x 2.5 ft x 2 ft. Used for emergency equipment and weapons.
• Market Cost: 45 million credits to build.

WEAPON SYSTEM

• Twin Laser Cannons: These cannons are mounted on the sides of the starfighter and and can rotate up to 30 degrees to aim at targets. When compared to Phase World weaponry, They are slightly less powerful than those mounted on some of the newest C.A.F. Starfighters but are still very effective. The cannons can be fire individually or in pairs. The weapon systems cannot be used in hyperspace.
  • Maximum Effective Range: Phase World Version - 800 miles (1,290 km) in space and 8 miles (12.3 km) in an atmosphere. Moderate Version - 4,000 feet (1,200 m) in an atmosphere and 32,000 feet (9,600 m) in space.
  • Mega Damage: Both Versions - 2D4x10 per cannon and 4D4x10 for both cannons.
  • Rate of Fire - Equal to pilots hand to hand (Usually 4 or 5).
  • Payload - Effectively Unlimited.
• Two (2) Concussion Missile Launchers. Under the fighter are two concussion missile launchers. The concussion missiles are the equivalent of medium range missiles. Each launcher has payload of 6 missiles giving a total of 12 concussion missiles. Concussion missiles should normally be considered smart missiles and do not have penalties to strike small targets.
  • Phase World Version - Missile has a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn (faster than any starship except a fighter acceding it maximum safe acceleration). Since star ships will no longer engage at rock throwing distances, whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will still cruise unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile when dead at -25% to detect.) Moderate Version - The description of these are close to that used for conventional medium range missiles Missile are assumed to accelerate at 2 times normal mach speed in Gs greater than the starships speed when used in space. Missiles can be launched at non moving targets beyond the powered range of the missiles to hit targets without the chance of the launching ship being hit by missiles itself but penalties exist when launching missiles beyond normal missile range.
• Maximum Effective Range
  • Phase World Version - Missile range is 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds) in space. (See Phase World Missiles).
  • Moderate Version - Varies with long missile types, assume powered range is 8 x normal in space (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
• Mega Damage
  • Both Versions - Varies with medium range missile types (Use new missile/bomb table)
• Rate of Fire - One at a time or in volleys of 2
• Payload - 6 missiles each launcher for a total of 12 missiles