Grand Admiral, First Order Central Command
Affiliation: The First Order
Manufacturer: The First Order
Model: Shadow-class Reconnaissance Corvette
Modularity: No
Production: Minor Production
Material: Durasteel, Transparisteel, Turadium on key systems, etc.
Classification: Interdiction Prowler/Picket
Length: 180 meters
Width: 41 meters
Height: 22 meters
Crew: 28
Armament: Rating 4
Three anti-fighter laser cannon turrets.
Two Concussion Missile Launchers.
Two forward-mounted light turbolasers.
Special Features:
Multi-Functional Towed Array (MFTA): Includes DER (Dedicated Energy Receptor), CGT (Crystal Gravfield Trap)'s, and HSI (Hyperspace Signal Interceptors) as well as suites of more conventional sensor systems.
Sensor Absorbent Coating: A system of tiles coating the hull of the ship that dramatically reduces ability of most sensors to detect it. It becomes almost invisible to passive search and is hard to detect with conventional active techniques.
Baffled Drive System: A variant on currently existing technology which utilizes a chemical drive running in tandem with a conventional ion drive to give a minimal trail at sublight speeds.
Interdiction Field Generator: Mounted in the front of the ship is a single Interdiction Field Generator. In contrast to the massive fields able to be created by larger ships, this field is somewhat small, and multiple pickets are required to provide the same area of coverage as a single interdictor cruiser. It is also highly directional, and ill-suited for the grandiose fleet maneuvers pioneered by Thrawn.
Wing-mounted primary thrusters: Besides the Baffle system, the main thrusters are mounted on moveable pylons. While initially developed as a concession to the towed array, this was soon expanded to give the ship increased maneuverability. As a trade off, it's a little bit slower than a comparable corvette its size.
Ranger Transceiver
Last one based on the image. I ain't married to it. /shrug
Maneuverability Rating: 3 (around 16 with the tail deployed, otherwise you risk snapping the cable)
Speed Rating: 5
Hyperdrive Class: 1, a class 10 as backup
Strengths:
Incredible versatility in both sensors and interdiction operations with all systems.
Hard to detect.
Very maneuverable.
Many of the more special systems(the HSI's and CGT's) are only operational with the tail out.
Slower than your average corvette.
Very lightly armed and armored, this is not a 'fighting' ship.
In a strike group, the Shadow would range out in the front of the formation, depending on stealth systems to keep it hidden from enemy forces while being able to lay down interdiction fields to disrupt enemy microjumps, retreat attempts, or provide a barrier in front of an advancing armada. Operating alone and unafraid, the Shadow would stream its tail and search a vast region of space. Ships in hyperspace could be detected, tracked, and possibly pulled out into the weapons range of waiting warships.
The Shadow is lightly equipped with weapons for defense and a weak shield generator. It is designed to be able to outrun anything bigger than it and provide just enough firepower to dissuade strike craft so it can make an emergency jump. The main considerations with the vessel are when to use the tail. While a capable stealth reconnaissance ship without it, most of the long-range and most capable sensor systems are totally inoperable while its retracted. The tail heavily limits maneuverability, and requires the ship to be on a constant heading to work properly. Furthermore, to jump into hyperspace the ship must either recover the tail (a roughly 45-60 minute process) or cut it.
Despite these operational limitations (and cost overruns with the towed arrays) the Shadow-class was considered a terrific success and deployed among Sith controlled systems and battlegroups.
As part of Cyrus Tregessar's defection to the First Order the complete design schematics for the Shadow-class Picket were stolen and soon after turned over to the First Order Imperial Corp of Engineers. The ship soon entered service in both the Navy and the Security Bureau
Development Thread: Here!
Intent: To provide the OS with an all-in-one Prowler/Ferret/Interdictor Picket in the manner of those used by the Republic in the Black Fleet Crisis.
