DEFENSIVE FODDER

The epitome of low-tech freedom fighters, the militia is composed entirely of able-body civilians who have volunteered, been drafted or outright pressed into service.

Minimal training, patchwork equipment and dubious morale make the conscript unit a cumbersome and unreliable attack force, but emergency recruitment drives can be a vital means of bolstering system defence with fanatical fodder when under imminent invasion.

Since members of the militia are just average civilians when not under general alert the unit is difficult to detect by foreign espionage, granting all MCUs the “stealth” attribute.

Defending home and hearth underpins the entire esprit de corps of the militia, making them difficult to deploy offensively. When a militia unit is not part of a system defence fleet their moral falters, resulting in a 50% temporary reduction in fighting effectiveness.

• Zero hull plating or shields.
• Zero cargo capacity.
• Powerful weapons.
• Skirmisher: one free round of attacks before battle starts.

Firepower >> 10.95
AT#  >>  12
Accuracy >> 50%
Collateral Damage >> 0
Defence >> 95
Speed >> 90 LYW (light-years/week)
Lift >> 120
Sensor Range >> 1 light-year
Bandwidth >> 450 fabrication modules
Max Queue >> 5
Production Facility Cost >> 600 Unobtanium
Base Price >> 200

The MkI Aegis-class destroyer is a marvel of Terran efficiency. With the tonnage of a light warship it is never-the-less rated as a medium capital: good speed, heavy hull plating and shields, full weapons spread and a significant cargo hold for fighter bays, ground troops and drop-ships. All engineered around a light hull design that is efficient and cheap to produce.

The only real drawback to the class is that it is a victim of its own success: warlords, mercenary squadrons, pirates and corporate security all favour the Terran destroyer, frequently driving up the cost on the open market.

For Terran empires the class gets even better. The MkI design permits extensive retrofits of the hull for upgrade to the more powerful MkII Aegis-class battlecruiser. In turn the battlecruiser can be retrofitted into the mighty MkIII dreadnaught, one of the most powerful interstellar capital ships in the galaxy. The secrets of retrofitting the MkII and MkIII are only known to Terran empires, though systems with production facilities already in place can be conquered and enslaved by other empires.

• Rated equally for atmospheric or zero-G combat.
• Ultra-fast interstellar speed.
• Heavy hull plating and shields.
• Zero cargo capacity.
• Above average weapons.

Firepower >> 21.6
AT#  >>  20
Accuracy >> 70%
Collateral Damage >> 0
Defence >> 97
Speed >> 100 LYW (light-years/week)
Lift >> 120

Upgrade from Aegis-Class MkI Terran Destroyer:
Retrofit Rig Bandwidth >> 450 fabrication modules
Retrofit Rig Max Queue >> 5
Production Facility Cost >> 400 Unobtanium
Base Price >> 100

The MkI Aegis-class destroyer is a marvel of Terran efficiency. With the tonnage of a light warship it is never-the-less rated as a medium capital: good speed, heavy hull plating and shields, full weapons spread and a significant cargo hold for fighter bays, ground troops and drop-ships. All engineered around a light hull design that is efficient and cheap to produce.

The only real drawback to the class is that it is a victim of its own success: warlords, mercenary squadrons, pirates and corporate security all favour the Terran destroyer, frequently driving up the cost on the open market.

For Terran empires the class gets even better. The MkI design permits extensive retrofits of the hull for upgrade to the more powerful MkII Aegis-class battlecruiser. In turn the battlecruiser can be retrofitted into the mighty MkIII dreadnaught, one of the most powerful interstellar capital ships in the galaxy. The secrets of retrofitting the MkII and MkIII are only known to Terran empires, though systems with production facilities already in place can be conquered and enslaved by other empires.

• Moderate interstellar speed.
• Heavy hull plating and shields.
• Medium cargo capacity.
• Above average weapons.

Firepower >> 10.95
#AT  >>  12
Accuracy >> 50%
Collateral Damage >> 0
Defence >> 95
Speed >> 90 LYW (light-years/week)
Lift >> 120
Sensor Range >> 1 light-year
Bandwidth >> 450 fabrication modules
Max Queue >> 5
Production Facility Start-up Cost >> 600 Unobtanium
Base Price >> 200

Small, cheap and easily mass produced, the Zeta-wing light fighter makes ideal low-tech fodder for overwhelming soft targets or subjugating neutral worlds. Arguably the best role for the Zeta is in massed fleet formations screening capitals, carriers and drop ships.

Lacking a self-powered interstellar drive or advanced flight and targeting control, this short range “snub” fighter is an expendable piece of hardware, mass produced by many empires across the galaxy for fleet CAP and in-system strike missions.

• Rated for zero-G or atmospheric strike roles.
• Zero interstellar speed.
• Agile defense.
• Manual targeting energy weapons.
• Zero cargo capacity.

Firepower >> 36.47
#AT  >>  2038
Accuracy >> 70%
Collateral Damage >> 0
Defence >> 98
Speed >> 90 LYW (light-years/week)
Lift >> 0

Upgrade from Aegis-Class MkII Terran Battlecruiser:
Retrofit Rig Bandwidth >> 1000 fabrication module weeks
Retrofit Rig Max Queue >> 5
Production Facility Start-up Cost >> 1000 Unobtanium
Base Price >> 75