Approved Starship Kondoru-class Assault Fighter

[Juro Tanaka]

[SIZE=12pt]Image Credit
Intent: To create an Elite Starfighter capable of performing as a dedicated ship assault or ground assault fighter.
Development Thread: N/A
Manufacturer: Tanaka Orbital Shipyards
Model: Kondoru-class Assault Starfighter
Affiliation: Asahi
Modularity: None
Production: Minor
Material: Durasteel, Alusteel, Transparisteel, and other starfighter construction materials.
Description: [/SIZE]

The Kondoru-class Assault Starfighter was designed with one thing in mind: Firepower. The fighter features one standard-grade turbolaser and one lasercannon mounted to the rear for use as a tailgun.

The Kondoru is used by the Asahian fleet as a dedicated assault fighter. That is, the Kondoru's role is to attack enemy warships, much like a bomber, or to assault enemy emplacements as a heavily armored, direct assault ship. The Kondoru's heavy armor protects it from most attacks, both kinetic and energy, that can fielded by enemy fighter craft. The heavy weapons it bears allows the starfighter to damage or destroy most enemy starfighters with relative ease while keeping more agile foes from tailing the craft.

However, the fighter is not without its flaws and faults in design. The heavy weapons and armor limit the Kondoru's agility and speed greatly, leaving it vulnerable to nearly any known interceptor and starfighter in combat. Also, because the assault fighter's lack of agility, the Kondoru finds it difficult to effectively dogfight against enemy fighters and so relies on escort fighters to do so. Finally, the ship lacks all shields, forcing the pilots to rely on their armor, their skills, and their comrades escorting the Kondorus.

In essence, the Kondoru is the perfect assault fighter, but pays the cost in agility, lack of shields, and speed forcing it to rely on other pilots to conduct its missions
[SIZE=12pt]Classification: Elite Starfighter
Role: Ship/Ground Assault
Height: 3.5m
Width: 11m
Length: 9.5m
Power Core Generator/Reactor: Ionization reactor
Hyperdrive Rating: N/A
Minimum Crew: 1
Optimal Crew: 2
Armaments: [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]1x Standard Turbolaser (Nose Mounted)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]1x Standard Lasercannon (Tailgunner)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Hangar: N/A[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Non-Combative Attachments: [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Standard Life Support Systems[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Standard Navigational Systems[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Standard Sensor Array[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Standard Targeting Systems[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Passenger Capacity: N/A
Cargo Capacity: None, aside from personal effects.
Consumables: 2 weeks per crewman
Sublight Speed and Maneuverability: 3[/SIZE]

 

[Domino]

Mmm, alright, two things.
About how many hits from a regular fighter would it take to bring this down and does it lack shields like the others? I'm just asking because of this line.
"The Kondoru's heavy armor protects it from most attacks, both kinetic and energy, that can fielded by enemy fighter craft." And you already know why I'm asking about the shields.
[member="Juro Tanaka"]

 

[Juro Tanaka]

[member="Domino"]
I used the Ilyushin IL-2 as a basis for inspiration on the ship's durability with the concept of a single, main gun carried by the A-10 used today. The IL-2s were very durable and one was "reported to have returned safely to base despite receiving more than 600 direct hits and having all its control surfaces completely shredded as well as numerous holes in its main armor and other structural damage." so I would assume the ship is very durable to small caliber/light weapons fire that are normally carried by most starfighters and interceptors. The main danger for this sort of ship would be enemy flak cannons and quad lasers that are generally of heavier power levels/calibers. That said, the IL-2 was a prop plane with the engine mounted in the nose. This is a starfighter with the engine mounted in the tail. I'd say against direct armor, ie. not engines and/or cockpit, it'd take a nice, long, sustained burst with standard weapons or light weapons to do damage. Against the cockpit and/or engines, it'd be much easier. Roughly a burst or two, maybe a warhead up the tailpipe of the ship. Heavier caliber weapons and more powerful lasers would obviously do more damage and would cripple or kill the ship in 1-3 shots, depending on where they're hitting and with what weapons are firing.

As for shields, yeah, there aren't any. Edited that in.

 

[Domino]

Considering that this is an elite fighter and is slow and lacks shields, it makes sense that this would have heavy armor. However when this is played out people should pay more attention to the latter parts of that paragraph and realize that what you gave was an extreme example, not the norm. If these are rp'd as being invincible juggernauts they will be banned.

Other than that, approved pending secondary.
[member="Juro Tanaka"]

And just to geek out a bit, the Germans had a habit of using 7.62mm in their planes alongside the cannons, so once the cannons were out, all they had left were those tiny rounds that sucked for taking out planes. 50cals took down the IL-2 with ease.

 

[Juro Tanaka]

[member="Domino"]
Yeah, the Japanese had a similar problem. .50 cals did well against the IL-2s, though even they had problems punching the armored bathtub the pilot sat in. 20mm cannons punched that, though.

As for the Kondoru, yeah, the example given was an extreme example. If anyone is caught abusing it, please lemme know and I'll try to correct them before they cause too much... damage. This is probably one of my favorite fighters on the board. I'd hate to have it retroactively denied because someone is being an idiot with it.

 

[Alli Vern]

Approved