Post by Solaris on Mar 9, 2013 12:48:01 GMT -5
Image by Tony Cardona
Class Name: TIE Marauder
Manufacturer: Sienar Fleet Systems
Production Line: TIE series
Technical Designation: TIE/md
Affiliation: Galactic Empire
Composition: Titanium-reinforced alusteel hull with quadanium steel solar panels.
Classification: Starfighter
Role: Space superiority fighter, aggressive reconnaissance fighter, escort fighter.
Height: 4 meters
Width: 14 meters
Length: 9.4 meters
Power Core Generator/Reactor: SFS H-h-3a.1 hypermatter anihilator with solar collector paneling and SFS I-s4d solar ionization reactors (4); SFS P-sz9.x twin ion engines.
Hyperdrive Rating: Class 1
Sublight Speed and Maneuverability:
Crew: 1
Passenger Capacity: 0
Cargo Capacity: 115 kg
Consumables: 1 week
Armament:
- MandalMotors Shukur R-x7.6 repeater cannons: Two chin-mounted repeater cannons, these are the main armament of the TIE Marauder and lethal when used against enemy starfighters. They are rapid-firing 23mm tractor (as opposed to magnetic) rail-guns that pack an immense wallop, one that the Marauder's own inertial compensator is specially tuned to negate (otherwise it would stall out while firing) but can obliterate enemy craft with a single volley. The weapon is actually most similar to the Wookiee bowcaster or the Mandalorian Ripper, as the rounds are jacketed in destructive blaster plasma that helps them with their initial punch through enemy armor and shielding.
The standard ammunition load for the Shukurs is four thousand rounds apiece, armor-penetrating, plasma-jacketed, high-explosive rounds tipped with an ion capacitor and bearing a frangible case with a hardened penetrator inside. The rounds discharge their ion capacitors upon contact with an energy field, or failing that on contact with a hardened surface. This happens almost instantly. When the capacitor discharges, in addition to the normal effects (comparable to a light ion cannon), they set off the explosives inside the round a split-second later. This has the ideal result of setting the frangible case ricocheting around as molten metal inside the enemy hull while the penetrator continues through to tear up hardened components, though shields that have some standoff distance from their hull (such as the more archaic N-1 designs) result in the molten shrapnel striking the outside of the armor with the armor-piercing penetrator core.
The Shukurs are fixed facing forwards. - Tractor/pressor beam projector: A side function of using tractor beams instead of electromagnetic coils is that the Shukurs are able to double as tractor/pressor beam projectors with minor adjustments. While the fighter's internal mechanisms can perform these adjustments on the fly, they take some ten seconds to switch over from one setting to another. Because the projectors have such refined accuracy as they share the targeting and fire control systems of the Shukur repeaters (being, after all, a part of the same weapon), they are surprisingly well-suited for fine detail work and rapid response. Some pilots have even used them against missiles, torpedoes, and other projectile weapons to protect their wingmen.
The tractor/pressor beam projectors, like the Shukurs they are a component of, are fixed facing forward. - SFS L-s9.1 advanced laser cannons: Four wingtip-mounted advanced laser cannons, these pack a surprising punch. They were absent from early models of the fighter, but were added to the production line after initial results demonstrated that Imperial pilots, too used to near-limitless energy weapons, were poor at ammunition conservation. Rather than force the Imperium's aces to re-learn their reflexes, the Sienar Fleet Systems simply rerouted some of the fighter's abundant power supplies and installed a quartet of fire-linked advanced laser cannons.
The advanced laser cannons are fixed facing forwards. - SFS M-g-2^2 dual-tube warhead launchers: Two launchers, (payload 4 torpedoes each), one to each side of the craft's tail in between the wings. The s-foils must be in attack position for the fighter to launch its torpedoes. The fighter's launchers can fire its eight torpedoes more rapidly than normal due to their double-barreled design, an advantage which can prove extremely lethal in combat. Though it sacrifices some payload, the fighter can easily return to its carrier for resupply after its opponents are defeated - a luxury the higher-endurance models would not have after an encounter with the Marauder.
The launchers can have a payload of proton torpedoes, disruptor torpedoes, shieldbuster torpedoes, concussion missiles, or similar armament. Each launcher must have the same type of projectile in its payload; they cannot mix protons with disruptors, for example, but the port launcher could be loaded with protons while the starboard launcher was loaded with disruptor torpedoes.
The launchers face out to the sides, but thanks to the full-sphere targeting computer can engage targets at any bearing.
- Novaldex thermal shield generators: The TIE Marauder has four thermal shield generators that provide it with robust protection from enemy attack. The shields supplement each other, operating with either one generator per facing or having two of the generators on while another is on standby and the last remains as backup or to provide extra shielding to a particular facing.
- SFS Eidolon sensor jammer suite: A comprehensive jammer suite, this is comparable to the sensor jammers of the Civil War-era A-Wing interceptor. It includes a DERP and a full-spectrum distortion projector. The Eidolon jammer is most effective against fighters and small craft, as larger ships tend to have more powerful computers and redundant systems that enable them to override the jammer's action. This is not a stealth measure, but rather an advanced electronics warfare package.
The DERP works by absorbing and blocking incoming long-range sensor pings and transmissions broadcast by enemy ships, rendering the TIE Marauder invisible to most enemy scanners, targeting computers, and incoming missiles.
The Full-Spectrum Distortion Projector portion of the TIE Marauder's electronic countermeasures attempts to block all scanners and targeting computers by using broadband transmitters intended to interfere with sensors attempting to target it. While more powerful than the DERP, it is shorter-ranged. TIE Marauders operating in concert with each other and allied ships have a system of exceptions that, while exceptionally difficult to exploit, enable them to communicate and function normally.
- SFS S-C-11.4r sensory suite: The TIE Marauder's sensor suite is highly refined, if a bit short-ranged. The sensor suite includes magnetic imagers, crystal gravtraps, ion trace detecters, and multi-spectrum imagers that enable it to detect even most cloaked craft.
- SFS T-3m-5 full-sphere targeting computer: The TIE Marauder's targeting computer is specialized to engage small, fast-moving targets in large-scale hairballs. It can very rapidly acquire a lock-on, and it can track over a hundred targets at once with fully spherical tracking. TIE Marauders are able to feed data to allied craft, including other Marauders, enabling them to generate better firing solutions when operating en masse.
- SFS N-s8 Navcon: This navicomp is capable of not only storing up to ten hyperspace jumps, it can calculate the coordinates for new jumps. The navicomp is fairly slow at calculating new coordinates, requiring a solid minute to do so.
- Wingtip maneuvering jets: In addition to the pair of ion engines, the TIE Marauder also mounts numerous wingtip ion pulse-jets that provide it with spectacular maneuvering capability when combined with the magnetic maneuvering vanes embedded in the s-foils.
The enemy does not generally get a second attempt.
The TIE Marauder is the brain-child of Rivanche Sienar's joining forces with Verpine and Mandalorian engineers. While predominantly a Sienar design, it does show some of their expertise - particularly the Verpine miniaturization of its shield generators and power plants, and the Mandalorian-designed rippers. The Marauder's first prototypes flew in 533 ABY, but the production models were not finalized until late 534 ABY.
