The Centurion-type Interceptor is a Hammerforge Industries-built starfighter, designed to both compete with and compliment the Sabre-type Interceptor
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| Production Information | |
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| Manufacturer | Hammerforge Industries |
| Product Line | Soldier-type Starfighters |
| Model | Centurion-type Interceptor |
| Class | Interceptor - Starfighter |
| Technical Information | |
| Length | 7.5 meters |
| Maximum Speed | 2,150 km/h (in atmosphere) |
| Maximum Acceleration | 5,800 G |
| Warp Drive Tier | Class 1.2 |
| Armament |
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| Crew |
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| Prototype Designation | CN-1A Patrol Interceptor |
| Usage | |
| Role(s) |
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| Affiliation | Varied, available for sale |
| Other Information | |
| Appearances | pending |
| Original Creator | Flashfire212 |
Design & Construction[]
While the Sabre-type Interceptor was a much-loved mainstay of Hammerforge Industries, a number of complaints arose due to the requirement of a carrier to transport the fighters. Also, the armament came across as too defensive for a number of fighter pilots, based around four ion cannons with the only destructive weapons a missile bay and a pair of lasers. Hammerforge designers considered designing a new Sabre-type, a jump-drive fitted craft, but they judged the loss of power to be too significant, and the project was cancelled. At least, to public knowledge. A team separate to the Blade-series Fighter project was assembled, and dubbed the 'Soldier-series fighter team'. Unlike the Blades, which mostly required carriers, the Soldiers were designed from the ground up as jump-capable, with a mixed weapons array. First up? A counterpart to the Sabre.
After a few months, the development was made public with the first test-flight of the sai-shaped starfighter. Dubbed the Centurion-type Patrol Interceptor, the unit was roughly ten kilometers per hour slower than a Saber-C, and a lot lighter in armament. However, it accelerated over two hundred G harder and, to the delight of pilots, was both shielded and armored with a specialized alloy, designed to make the fighter immune to ion beams, and therefore superior to the standard Saber-Cs in pirate hands. The reasoning for the unique armor was rapidly revealed in combat trials. While the primary weaponry was twin laser cannons, a standard armament for a starfighter, the secondary weapon was unique. When primed, a small cannon-like object lowered from the core of the fighter, which then crackled with electricity and fired a lightning bolt into the competing Saber-C, disabling it and burning off quite a bit of the other ship's armor in the process. At the same time, the Centurion CN-1B was also available, armed with a missile battery in place of the lightning caster. The new addition soon joined the Sabre as one of the most sold Hammerforge starfighters.
Features[]
As mentioned, all variants of the Centurion are immune to being disabled, thanks to the unique non-conductive alloy surface. This surface covers the entire fighter, and is there mostly to prevent backfire from the large electrical cannon the fighter possesses.
Fitted with four fusial-thrust engines, with two in the center and two more rotated to match the others in arc on the rounded wings, the fighter is fast-accelerating and even faster dodging, and with shields equal in strength and type to its slightly-slower stablemate, the Centurion has a firm position in any competition. Like all other starships, the Centurion possesses inertial compensators designed to offset the gravity generated by its acceleration and maneuvers at speed, while keeping the pilot in a semblance of gravity. Most fighter pilots dial it down to 91-98% power, in order to feel the fighter better. In addition, the Centurion has a slip-drive and excess power to work with, so these units are perfectly capable of using hyperspace jumps on their patrols.
With weaponry, both series of Centurion revealed so far have been armed very similarly, with the standard armament being two gas-based laser cannons. These weapons each pack around five hundred thousand shots before the gas is completely expended. After that point, the two variants differ greatly. The B-variant is fitted with a missile bay, capable of holding six missiles. By comparison, the A-variant is fitted with a weapon referred to as an electrical arc caster. The weapon, once fired through the ship's shields, is pathetic against shielding systems. However, it counts as an elemental weapon as it fires a small portion of the generator's power into a charged rod, turning it into a thunderbolt launcher. If the target's shields ARE down, then with a single shot, all operational electronic circuits are fried, leaving the fighter disabled, while the bolt is also known to burn out armor, leaving the unit with low integrity. As such, a wing (or thirty-six fighters in three squadrons) of these fighters can completely strip a frigate of electrical power, leaving it derelict and in need of repair. Quite a few of these fighters have been modified to get more firepower out of the lightning gun, with a number actually fitting a charge-booster to the array, allowing the bolt to chain from one shield-less target to the next.
As with most Hammerforge interstellar tech, the fighters have a modular construction for ease in modifications and variant creation. Due to this, however, fighters of this kind that end up on the black market are often modified to great extents, with few black market examples retaining original performance for long.
Variants[]
Stock Production Variants[]
- CN-1A Centurion - As above
- CN-1B Centurion - Similar to above, without the lightning cannon but including six missiles.
Custom Ordered Variants[]
These units were modified to suit orders, and as such, multiple of each variant exists, although only with each group. Information pending
Custom Variants - Aftermarket[]
These units were either standard or custom ordered originally, and then modified further aftermarket. These fighters are unique, and perform in unusual ways. Information pending