The Sabre-type Interceptor is a Hammerforge Industries-built starfighter, capable of interstellar flight. For many years, it has been available for purchase by almost any faction, and as such, multiple aftermarket modified members have been seen, typically in the hands of either elite pilots or pirates short of parts.
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| Production Information | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Hammerforge Industries |
| Product Line | Blade-type Starfighters |
| Model | Saber-type Interceptor |
| Class | Interceptor - Starfighter |
| Technical Information | |
| Length | 9.6 meters |
| Maximum Speed | 2,160 km/h (in atmosphere) |
| Maximum Acceleration | 5,600 G |
| Armament |
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| Crew |
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| Prototype Designation | CT-6C Interceptor |
| Usage | |
| Role(s) |
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| Affiliation | Varied, available for sale |
| Other Information | |
| Appearances | pending |
| Original Creator | Flashfire212 |
Design & Construction[]
The original Sabre-type Interceptor was built as Hammerforge Industries first attempt at an interstellar interceptor, capable of over one thousand kilometers an hour in atmosphere. Of a moderate size with four lasers fitted into the wings and sharp, aerodynamic lines, the CT-6A Sabre was born. However, Ronan the Fox, head of development at the time and heir to the company's ownership, wasn't quite satisfied with the fighter, and designs began on the Light Sabre project, which evolved into the Rapier-type Interceptor. At the same time, Ronan revealed his personal take on the Saber, which became the CT-6B.
The CT-6B Sabre was equipped with a set of ion blasters half-way up the nose of the ship, towards the cockpit, as well as the two sets of lasers. These units quickly became popular as they were capable of catching and disabling most other fighters, and posed a threat to the shields around lighter capital ships. Purchase orders flowed in from both military and black-market sources connected to pirates, and the B-series unit was sold rapidly for six years.
Towards the end of the B-series production, rumors went around of another of Ronan's personal designs, an updated B-series. Indeed, no more than three months before the end of the B-series, a slightly larger variant was released. Still just as fast, and slightly more maneuverable, the newly-revealed C-series was armed with only two wing-mounted lasers, with the second set of lasers removed to fit in a second set of ion cannons in the fuselage of the ship, plus two missile tubes, each holding a max of six missiles, and capable of firing a wide variety of similar ordinance, with only slight retooling, and a reasonable price increase.
The C-series was an instant show-stopper. With weaponry turning the Sabre-C series into a combined superiority-control fighter and interceptor, plus the traditional speed and beautiful lines of the original meant that the series was quickly one of the most purchased starfighters from all sources, both legitimate military and black market. Even racers were interested in unarmed variants, due to the additional power from the lasers and ion cannons being capable of boosting the ship almost two hundred kilometers per hour faster than standard. Quickly, the price rose, and black market demand grew to accommodate, turning all the C-types on the black market into the playthings of the rich. These ships were regarded as a joy to use by almost all involved.
Features[]
All versions of the Sabre-type Interceptor are built of light-weight steel laminate, lowering the overall weight of the ship. Even so, the C-series was only slightly heavier than it's predecessors, thanks to Hammerforge's metallurgy improvements. All had titanium-steel alloy frames, which provide the primary strength for the fighter.
The engines are one of the key features of each ship. The A- and B-series units carried the standard engine setup, a pair of fusion-thrust vector engines fitted behind the cockpit to the fuselage. By contrast, the C-series possessed slightly more powerful versions of the same engines, plus two smaller ion-thrust engines fitted to the wings, in place of the laser hardpoint. These engines were the main reason why the C-series remained as fast as it's predecessors, despite it's extra weight, plus the reason for it's outstanding maneuverability. Each fighter also possessed defensive shield arrays, capable of dispersing energy blasts. However, they lack particle shielding, leaving them prone to weapons and items with mass. As with all interstellar technology, it also bears inertial compensators, designed to offset the gravity generated by it's acceleration and maneuvers at speed, while keeping the pilot in a semblance of gravity, although most pilots would dial it down to 91-98% power, in order to feel the fighter better. However, as a downside, the Sabre-type fighters aren't fitted with any form of warp drive, which requires a carrier to transport the units in and out of combat.
In the way of weaponry, the A and B-series fighters each armed four laser cannons, capable of being fired in single, dual or linked fire, while the B could also add in it's ion cannons into it's barrage in single, dual or fire-linked with the lasers. The C-series had the same options as the B, although reversed between lasers and ion cannons, and could also mono- or dual-fire it's missile launchers.
However, the feature that most noticed rapidly was the modular construction, allowing for both greater options when placing an order, with altered weapon choices including other grades of laser/ion cannon, pulse lasers, pulsar beams, magnetic beams and more direct-fire energy weapons, but also for after-market upgrades, including afterburners for the engines, altered focusing filters on the energy weapons, etc. Hammerforge Industries has done very little to combat this aftermarket trend on the black market side, although they do enforce warranties on the military orders.
Variants[]
Stock Production Variants[]
- CT-6A Sabre - The original, armed only with four wing-mounted lasers.
- CT-6B Sabre - Second generation, four lasers and two ion cannons
- CT-6C Sabre - Third generation, four ion cannons, two lasers and two missile launchers, with mixed ordinance capabilities.
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