Directorate Officer
- Intent: To provide an updated Interceptor for Lucerne Labs product line-up
- Image Source: M50 Interceptor
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: Lucerne Labs
- Model: Vortex II-class Interceptor
- Affiliation: Directorate, Silver Jedi, Closed-Market
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material: Durasteel frame, Argentum-series Matrix Armor plating, Transparisteel canopy, standard starship components
- Classification: Interceptor
- Length: 7 meters
- Width: 5 meters
- Height: 2.4 meters
- Armament: Low
2 turreted Caltrop-5 Chaff Guns
- Defenses: Low
- Squadron Count: Very High: 20
- Maneuverability Rating: Average
- Speed Rating: High
- Hyperdrive Class: Very Slow x5
- PulseScreen Quick-Recharge Shield
- Standard Communications Array
- Back-up Hyperdrive (x5)
- Standard Ion Engines
- Standard Life Support Systems
- Standard Navigational Systems
- Standard Repulsorlift Engines
- Standard Sensor Array
- Standard Starfighter Weapons: Spitfire Rapid-fire Laser Cannons, Caltrop-5 Chaff Guns, PLX-2M Missile Launchers
- Can Enter Atmosphere and Land
Strengths:
- Fast: The Vortex-class Interceptor is fairly fast, allowing it to effectively pursue many fighters or rapidly transverse the battlefield.
- Strength in Numbers: Vortex's compact size allows a larger number of them to be stationed in a typical hangar than the average starfighter.
- Automated Back-up: The Vortex has a pair of Calor-series Bio-Computers that are linked to functionally operate like a droid brain to act as a co-pilot for the ship. These Bio-computers can also take over and pilot the craft itself, though their piloting skill typically isn't as effective as an experienced organic pilot.
- Low Defenses: Power typically reserved for the ship's shields has been allocated to the ship's engines, meaning that the Vortex's shields are weaker than average.
- Weak Armament: The Vortex's overall armament power is somewhat weaker than that of the average starfighter.
- Inferior Hyperdrive: The Vortex maintains a compact hyperdrive designed to be a back-up unit. Like many reserve hyperdrives, it is quite slow and limited in range.
Technical Descriptions
Flight Control Systems: The Vortex II uses fairly conventional flight control systems for its size. Besh team actually went out of their way to mimic the craft's controls after the popular X-wing and common Skyhopper airspeeder to ease the transition from other craft to the Vortex II. Another refinement to the base controls was integrating the inertial compensator to the ship's sensor suite. This allows the field to expand or contract automatically based on stimuli, whether it's a tumultous asteroid or a dovin basal. Aside from its basic controls, the Vortex II features a pair of linked Calor-series Bio-computers that function as an integrated droid brain for the craft. These computers act as a co-pilot for the pilot, using their parallel-processing power to calculate hyperspace jumps, tune various subsystems for optimal performance, and act as secondary gunners, particularly for the turreted MAST and Caltrop-5 chaff guns. These bio-computers do have an auto-pilot function that allows them to autonomously fly the craft, though their skill is not as great as most organic pilots. Interesting enough, the computers' flying styles mimic that of the pilot that has used their craft the most, meaning that while their performance is not great, they are not predictable flyers either. Because of that, Vortex IIs are sometimes remotely piloted from ground stations or capital ships.
Sublight Engines: The Vortex II uses a refined version of the Starscream-9 Ion Engine, but with improved power stabilizers and heavy duty ion pistons to make it more reliable and less tempermental. Combined with the ship's small frame, these oversized engines take the Vortex II to fairly high speeds, enabling its role as an interceptor. Unfortunately, these same design choices have given the ship a relatively high inertia, making its maneuverability rather average despite its refined stabilizer design.
Hyperdrive: The Vortex II uses a miniaturized version of the Horizon-Hopper Light Stardrive. While an efficient design in terms of space and fuel consumption, it is also exceptionally slow and temperamental after only a few jumps. The designers viewed this tradeoffs as fair, as it was envisioned that Vortex IIs would largely be deployed for defensive operations by carrier ships or from groundside bases.
Hull: The Vortex II uses a fairly conventional aerodynamic hull design. Actual construction is similarly conventional and uninspired: a basic durasteel frame covered in Argentum-series Matrix Armor panels. This provides the ship with average physical protection, which is almost a necessity because of the ship's weak shield systems.
Shields: The Vortex II uses a modernized version of the PulseScreen shield generator, which provides the ship with fairly weak shields. These shields are prone in particular to being locally overwhelmed by more powerful starfighter weapons like heavy laser cannons and many warheads, which is in turn partially offset by having a high recharge rate, making their failure less susceptible to sustained fire from light weapons such as basic blaster cannons.
Weapons: The Vortex II's primary weapons are a pair of wing-mounted Spitfire Rapid-fire Laser Cannons, which are ideal for interceptors because of their incredibly high volume of fire. Such fire is optimal for 'tagging' fragile but small targets such as missiles and many light starfighters, though sustained fire from these weapons is just as deadly as that of ordinary laser cannons. These weapons are backed up by pair of distally mounted Caltrop-5 Chaff Guns, each mounted on a small turret. The stubby barrels of these weapons allows them to fairly short-ranged even for starfighter weapons, but also gives them excellent tracking capabilities. Roughly equivalent to laser cannon in terms of power, each one fires a cloud of shrapnel that is useful for dispatching groups of light targets such as drone fighters, missiles, or personnel on the ground. These can also noticeably be used to produce large amounts of sensor noise for brief periods, allowing the Vortex II to sometimes break targeting locks. Unfortunately, the Caltrop-5 is usually ineffective as a weapon against most average-sized targets, as the individual flechettes typically lack the punch to pierce through shields and most hull platings. Lastly, the Vortex II carries a pair of PLX-2Ms, which provide it with a limited ability to carry ordinance for a small variety of missions. While the Vortex II carries about the same number of missiles as the average fighter, each individual warhead is about half the strength of a typical fighter grade weapon. This means that individual warheads are best suited for going after light craft like interceptors, drone fighters, or munitions. However, the individual lack of firepower can be partially offset by using multiple warheads per target.
Miscellaneous Systems: The Vortex II carries almost now unusual equipment for a ship its size, though it notably does carry a Modular Auxiliary Systems Turret on its ventral side just ahead of the cockpit. Most Vortex IIs typically equip the sensor jammer module, allowing it to take the place of traditional missile countermeasures like flares or chaff launchers on Lucerne Labs's older craft. However, it's not unheard of to see Vortex IIs equipped with tractor beams to help capture or pursue other light craft or to see them equipped with directional particle shields to help screen bombers on their way to attack enemy capital ships.
Updates: 4/3/2020
-Production changed from "Minor" to "Mass" in order to fit new production parameters
-Armor material changed from Chimera Composite to Argentum series Matrix Armor in order to match new production value
-Ratings & template altered to meet current factory standards
-Broken links fixed from board change
-Armor material changed from Chimera Composite to Argentum series Matrix Armor in order to match new production value
-Ratings & template altered to meet current factory standards
-Broken links fixed from board change
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