Restricted Ship Killik Dartship

[AutoFox]

KILLIK DARTSHIP

AFFILIATION
Killik Hives.

MANUFACTURER
Killik Hives.

CLASS
Starfighter.

ROLE
Aerospace superiority/strike starfighter.

COMPOSITION
Resin-reinforced synthmesh and glass.

DIMENSIONS
Length - 8 meters.CREW
1.

PASSENGER CAPACITY
N/A.

CARGO CAPACITY
70 kilograms.

HANGAR CAPACITY
N/A.

CONSUMABLES
2 standard days.

SPEED/MANEUVERABILITY
Killik Dartships have a top speed of 100 MGLT and have excellent maneuvering characteristics.

ARMAMENT

• 1x light laser cannon.
• 1x fixed demolition charge.

EQUIPMENT
N/A.

DESCRIPTION​

Dartships are a class of small, fast combat spacecraft developed and used by the Killik species. Roughly analogues to a starfighter, Dartships are extremely small, barely 8 meters in length, and consist primarily of a simple cone-shaped fuselage, stubby protrusions serving as stabilizers and weapon mounts. This is where the similarities end, however; structurally, and in many ways conceptually, Dartships are unlike any conventional fighter currently in service with the Galaxy's other major powers.

Killik Dartships, for one thing, are not built primarily of the modern alloys most ships are. Their primary assemblies are simple hollow cones made of Killik-manufactured synthmesh, treated with the species' own resinous secretions to give them rigidity and strength comparable to durasteel. The interior of the Dartship does little more than act as a mounting point for the craft's functional components, which are cemented in place with more resin; this makes maintenance difficult or impossible, as most components are inaccessible, however given the mass-produced nature of these craft - not to mention their average lifespan - this tends not to be an issue. Dartships carry no armor or deflector screen emitters.

Of note, Dartships typically do not use modern forms of propulsion. Typically, Dartships are fitted with the archaic technology of rocket propulsion, using extremely efficient but surprisingly simple motors fueled by liquid methane, this element being a common byproduct of Killik hives.

Dartships are flown by a single pilot, who is typically cemented into the ship prior to launch, no provisions for escape being present in the design. They can be extracted upon return to their base or carrier, but again, the lifespan and typical function of these craft often precludes this. Inside, the ship has very little in the way of amenities; simple controls and basic system readouts are present for affecting maneuvers, although the cockpit canopy only has a single viewport facing forward, giving the pilot very limited peripheral vision. In practice, Dartships are more often simply aimed rather than truly flown, although they are capable of truly startling maneuverability when pressed.

In terms of armament, Killik Dartships are quite basic, if in an unsettlingly deadly fashion. They are typically equipped with a single light laser cannon, below average firepower for a modern fighter, but also mount a single demolition charge in the ship's nose. This charge is not detachable, nor is it meant to be; Dartships are in large part engineered for suicidal ramming attacks, detonating the charge either on contact or after having penetrated the hull or walls of a target. The explosive power of the charge is roughly equivalent to an assault torpedo, and with sentient guidance in the form of the Dartship's pilot it can hit almost any target dead on.

Contrary to popular belief, Dartships are capable of landing safely, although they are not equipped with repulsorlift systems for takeoff and landing. Instead, they deploy ablative landing skids for touchdown, typically coming in at relatively high speed and coasting to a stop; typical Killik landing facilities include multiple crash nets to catch Dartships as they come in.

Dartships are typically deployed from launch racks aboard Killik capital ships, or from surface bases. Individually, Dartships are fairly weak in fighter-on-fighter combat, but the type is almost never encountered alone; Dartships are most commonly deployed in vast swarms, rendered even more dangerous by their ability of their pilots to coordinate via the Killik hive-mind. Swarms of the craft can move almost as if they were a singular organism. In anti-ship combat, of course, even a single Dartship making it through the perimeter screen can be dangerous, as they can cause significant damage with a well-placed ramming attack.

Although difficult to pull off, Dartships swarms can be countered. Due to their hive-mind, individual Dartships pilots seldom show initiative in combat, preferring to maneuver as part of large, close formations, which they seldom leave. As such, they can be surprised and outflanked by more creative pilots, and due to their large, close formations it is possible for heavier weapons such as turbolasers - not usually effective against small, fast, widely spaced targets - to do real damage.

Regardless, the seemingly endless swarms of Dartships employed by the Killiks, and their seeming indifference to their own survival if given the opportunity to hurt their enemies, make the type a dangerous opponent that should never be underestimated.

LEGALITY​

Restricted. Assuming one were able to get a Dartships away from the Killik Hives, they are still classified as starfighters, and thus theoretically require special licensing on many worlds.

INTENT​

To bring a ship from Legends canon into our site's fanon, and to make a standard fighter for the Killik Hives.

RESTRICTIONS​

Dartships are only available to Killiks and Killik-affiliated individuals. They are also only to be used as part of Event threads.