R-Wing Stealth Strike Starfighter

[Jedi Skyler]

I'm not sure about gravity sensors; I've not done any research. Strictly from what seems ought to be obvious (to me, anyway), I'd think that gravitic sensors ought to not only be standard in every vessel, but very good; after all, you NEED gravity sensors to pull you out of hyperspace if a gravitational anomaly is sensed, right? I mean, if this vessel were hiding fairly close to a planetary body of some sort, I'd think the ship's ability to use a gravity-based weapon would be very well-masked, at least based on the size and/or density of the planetary body. But if a ship is plodding around out in space, how is it going to be able to avoid a hyperspace collision (or, for that matter, be yanked out of hyperspace by a gravity well generator) if it doesn't have decent sensors to pick up such things?

I might be over-thinking it a bit; it might be possible that this weapon would operate with such a minimal power expenditure that it simply wouldn't register on gravitic sensors. However, with the level of sophistication we currently have with sonar and seismic sensors, I don't think I'm too far off-base with this line of thinking. I still think that using a properly prominent planetary body (even an asteroid, provided it has enough mass) would reduce or even nullify this ship's chances of being detected when using its weapon. And, if I'm correct in my understanding, since this is a projectile weapon, once the projectile is launched, there's no energy signature of any kind for the enemy to detect...much like a Jedi shadow bomb. So long as the launch can be made undetected, and you have a stationary target, the chances of hitting said target ought to be quite good.

[CRMcNeill]

The only official gravity detection device is the Crystal Gravfield Trap. The description states that "high quality CGTs can detect any fluctuations in the gravity field for hundreds of thousands of kilometers around." Timothy Zahn took the idea of high quality CGTs to create the CGT array (I picture a sphere of multiple, linked CGTs, each feeding their data into a central processor unit that collates and compares the data to generate an object's location based on gravity waves). Per Zahn, CGT arrays are few and far between, so my thinking is that most ships have a basic CGT that simply detects direction and field strength of the strongest nearby gravity well. This data would be crucial to operation of the hyperdrive, but would lack the sensitivity needed to detect something the size of a starfighter, save at extremely close ranges.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Zarn]

Remember fluidics? That was an essentially hydraulic system that, although somewhat unresponsive, allowed the M Falcon to be more or less immune to EM effects. I think it was used in the Han Solo adventures. So, there could be other means of propulsion for a warhead barring the Force (no shadowbombs!) that can be utilized if a low signature is important.

Off the top of my head, here are some other, alternate means of low signature weapon propulsion that'll work quite well:

Pressure vessel:
Essentially, an air rifle or CO2 gun. As there is no actual combustion involved, there's no IR signature. However, this isn't usually a closed system - the vented gas will form a plume that may or may not be obvious.

Hydraulic / Pneumatic ram:
Basically, the closed system equivalent of the one above, which removes the gas plume. Interestingly enough, adiabatic expansion may cause a fairly significant temperature drop, but this is usually not a problem in a stealth context (heat is the big killer - more cold to play with is usually fine).

Spring-loaded or tension system:
You don't have to store energy through pressure - you can also use a powerful spring. This system is completely closed, and although there's some friction when the spring is sprung (couldn't resist), the friction heat should be negligible.

Electric motor / flywheel launch system:
Using an electric motor or some flywheel to create or store momentum, and then lauching the kinetic missile through tapping into that, would be similar to the real-world weapon system of a DREAD. Though there's little doubt that the system has some flaws, the basic premise should work fine. The gyroscopic effects might also make this weapon system impractical or awkward to use in a non-stealth environment.

---

Now, obviously using these delivery systems for a kinetic kill system (as opposed to an active warhead) can be challenging, as the energy output is probably not comparable to that of a turbolaser. It should be nigh-impossible to detect such a weapon system, even with SWEU's technology base.

Recoil is obviously an issue with any of these alternate systems, however, making it fairly imperative to mount them along the spine of the carrying vehicle. Also, although any of these systems would be capable of rapid fire (my favourite would perhaps be the DREAD roulette-type delivery system), the reload time could be significant.

Whereas a photon travels at 299 792 458 meters / second in a vacuum (one of those handy numbers - in Imperial units that's about 15.6 cats per square ironing board), and a blaster bolt traveling at a speed significantly less than that - probably on the order of low hundreds of meters per second. Which is suspiciously slow, fairly close to the speed of an arrow shot from a longbow (ballpark 100 m / s).

Now, combat in the Star Wars universe seems to happen at knifepoint ranges in almost all settings, and the weapons seem to be almost laughably imprecise. However, in the ship to ship ranges given for various weapons, we know that the blaster bolt itself covers the distance in a fraction (but a significant fraction) of a second.

Our real-world railguns today can do in the neighborhood of 5 km / s. If I were to guess, I'd say any of the suggested delivery systems should be able to propel a kinetic missile up to something in the high hundreds of meters / s range (comparable to that of a common rifle round), making them viable (though weak!) weapons, at least for a target that isn't doing combat maneuvering, doesn't have its shields up, and isn't too far away. Space, being frictionless and all that, helps in that the kinetic kill vehicle won't be slowed down after launch to any appreciable degree in normal circumstances.

So figure a maximum effective range for such a system with a kinetic missile flight time of two or three seconds, giving somewhere around 3-4 km as the maximum effective range. Half that for medium, half that again for short range seems somewhat reasonable. Let's say that it is marginally efficient for a Capital scale target, giving it 1D damage there.

A Starfighter scale system might get 3D or so, giving it a good chance to take out a fragile target such as a TIE fighter but low chances of taking out an Y-wing that is in a combat stance shields up, combat maneuvering).

This site is magnificent as a resource for this kind of guesswork and extrapolation, by the way, with lots of math to back up one's WAGs (wild-@$$ guesses): Atomic Rocket

[CRMcNeill]

You obviously put a lot of thought into that, and I appreciate the input, but at this point, I'm pretty well settled with what I have.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

So, for whatever reason, this has come back around to me again. I have a preference for revamping or reusing prequels-era ships. To me, the basic Naboo N-1 seems a perfect platform to fit with my concept of a Stealth Strike fighter.

-The N1's chromium finish is stated as being for decorative purposes only, so replace it with a finish that isn't decorative, like a two-time sensor absorbing paint.

-Upgrade existing flight control systems from the "antique" versions found on stock N1s.

-Maintain the poor performance of the N1 against modern starfighters to keep them balanced out as a Stealth vs. Good downright platform.

I'm in the hospital at the moment, and I'm just rambling, but...

Thoughts?
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Raven Redstar]

I like it.

The N1 has a very classic fighter look to it.
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RR
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[Zarn]

Hope you're doing better and that you'll get out of the hospital soon.

[CRMcNeill]

N-Wing Stealth Strike Starfighter

With the Alliance's emphasis on starfighter combat over capital ships, they have of necessity often had to resort to the modification of outdated craft to meet tactical and strategic requirements for ships with special capabilities. The N-Wing is one of the best examples of that trend. Based on the classic Naboo N-1, the N-Wing is a true stealth fighter. Alliance engineers took Naboo N-1's that had been surplused from the Theed Palace Guard and covertly transferred to the Alliance, where they have been modified to be virtually undetectable. Indeed, stealth is the N-Wing's greatest advantage, as it is highly vulnerable to modern fighters if detected.

Notable modifications include the removal of the N-1's deflector shields to make way for an array of stealth equipment, including a double treatment of Arakyd Nightshadow Sensor Baffling, a Fabritech Vanish 3 Sensor Mask, an Intelstar Passive Jamming System and a prototype Ion Drive Baffling Array that disperses the ion exhaust of the ship's drive. This has the added effect of reducing the base speed by and Hull strength by 25% (the navigation shields had to be detunned to keep from interfering with the stealth systems).

The ship's stock sensors have been replaced with an advanced scout package that make use of LPD (low-probability of detection) systems that allows makes active sensor emissions less detectable, and its stock weapons have been exchanged for stealth-optimized weapons (rapid-fire mass drivers and general purpose warhead launchers) that can be fired without breaking stealth. In addition, as a last resort, the N-Wing is equipped with a powerful self-destruct device to prevent the valuable craft from falling into Imperial hands.

The N-Wing is crewed by a single pilot with an Astromech providing repair, comm/scan and navigation support. N-Wing pilots are some of the most highly disciplined fighters in the Alliance, and with good reason, as their standing orders are to avoid capture at all costs, up to and including suicide by detonating the N-Wing's self destruct device.

Because of the extensive stealth modifications, N-Wings cost in excess of 700,000 credits per ship, so it is extremely rare in Alliance service. Alliance High Command has a single wing of 36 N-Wings in active service. Designated Reaver Wing, the wing serves as a force pool, dispatching elements or flights of N-Wings plus their support crew on specific mission assignments. Although demand for N-Wings is high, the Alliance has no plans to deploy more units at this time, as high cost and current production capacity is just barely keeping pace with operational losses.

N-Wings are deployed only against high-priority targets, usually as a preliminary strike as part of a joint operation or conventional starfighter attack. Even on joint operations, N-Wings operate independently, hitting their targets by stealth and getting out. Their stealth is their chief strength, and operating in close proximity to other, non-stealthy Alliance fighters greatly increases their chances of detection. In addition to strike missions, N-Wings are also used for high-value reconnaissance missions, using their stealth to get in close and gather information on targets in a way that no other starfighter can.

Craft: Nubia Star Drives N-1S (Stealth Modified)
Affiliation: Rebel Alliance
Type: Stealth Strike Starfighter
Scale: Starship (+6D)
Length: 11 meters
Skill: Starfighter Piloting: N-Wing
Crew: 1 & 1 Astromech (can coordinate)
Crew Skill:
Astrogation 4D+2
Gunnery 4D+2
Piloting 4D+2
Shields 4D+1
Sensors 5D
Cargo Capacity: 50 kilograms
Consumables: 5 days
Cost: 725,000 credits as modified from stock (Availability 4,X, Not Available For Sale)
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Hyperdrive Backup: None
Nav Computer: Astromech
Maneuverability: 2D
Space: 6 (3D)
Atmosphere: 330; 950kph
Hull: 3D
Shields: None (Stealth 6D)
Sensors:
Passive 40/1D
Scan 60/2D
Search 80/3D
Focus 4/4D
Note: Stealth-Active Sensors (+5 Difficulty to detect active emissions)
Weapons:
2 Mass-Driver Cannon (Fire-Linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Crew: Pilot
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1-3/7/15
Atmosphere Range: 100m-300m/700m/1.5km
Fire Rate: 1D Auto-Fire
Damage: 4D
1 Multi-Warhead Launcher
Fire Arc: Front
Crew: Pilot
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Rate of Fire: 1
All Other Stats vary by Ordnance Type
Capacity: 12. May select any Weapons from this list, as well as Gravity Bombs or Space Mines from this list, depending on Availability.
Self-Destruct System
Damage: 9D
Range: Full damage to the N-Wing, 1/2 damage to anything in the same Space Unit, or within 100 meters.

House Rule Notes:

VELOCITY MODIFIER: 1D+2 Flight

_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

Looks thusly, but without the silver...
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Whill]

I have no memory of this from 2017 but I really like the N-Wing.

FYI, the end of your capsule and your stat block say R-Wing instead of N-Wing several times.
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[CRMcNeill]

Good catch. I originally based this on a modified R-41 Starchaser chassis, but then I stumbled across the "stealth" Naboo N-1 and found the muse I had been looking for. I went through and made the change from R-Wing to N-Wing, but apparently I missed a few.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

Thanks for bumping this, as it made a connection I hadn't considered. A while back, I posted an SR-71 homage based on the Baudo Star Yacht, but it could just easily be based on the Nubian J-Type Royal Cruiser from TPM, with the chromium exterior replaced with sensor-baffling paint.

And a few external modifications...
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Whill]

[CRMcNeill]

Glad to be of service. I haven't put out as many stats from that era as I'd like, but conceptually, I see a lot of prequel-era tech being used to fill out the "motley, rag-tag" feel of the Alliance. A mix of Republic and Separatist capital ships alongside Mon Cal Cruisers in the fleet, Clone Wars TV show shuttles and ground vehicles equipping Alliance Army forces, etc.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Inquisitor1138]