A relatively small company, Vector Aerospace developed a niche in the support of old fighter designs especially Human Alliance designs. There are still huge numbers of old Human Alliance designs operated by independent powers and mercenary groups. While Vector Aerospace lacks facilities to build new fighters, the company has a major facility devoted to both repairing older fighters and to make major upgrades to the designs. The company both upgrades and repairs fighters for customers as well as selling refitted fighters.

The Falchion class patrol corvette was never constructed in the numbers which the later Ferret class missile corvette was. Still, it was produced in relatively larger numbers by the Human Alliance and served with distinction before it was retired. Still, with the end of war, the class was retired from Human Alliance service and sold off. In other hands, the ships served well. Even so, eventually the ships became dated and most were retired although a few remained in service. Several groups have upgraded these corvettes including Vector Aerospace. The Falchion is the largest ship that the company upgrades with all other craft which they upgrade being fighters.

Vector Aerospace strips these ships down to their frame in the process of rebuilding the corvettes. One of the main reasons for this is to check the basic structure of the corvettes for damage. The rebuilt of the ship include the replacement of the engines, both normal space engines and faster than light engines. These engines allow the ship to operate with most newer vessels in the Three Galaxies although are not top of the line systems. The shield generators are replaced by a smaller unit which is over twice as strong as those it replaces. Finally, the armor skin of the hull is replaced by far stronger alloys than were available when the corvettes were first built. Of course, the sensor and communication systems, along with the main computer, are replaced by far more powerful systems. In many cases, the new systems are actually smaller than those they replace. One important upgrade is the addition of automation to reduce the crew needed to operate the corvette. The ships are designed to be able to operate with a crew of only twelve compared to the original which was twice that number.

For the most part, the weaponry of the corvette has not been upgraded. Even now, there are few vessels of its size armed with as heavy a main laser as the Falchion class even though the 12 inch spinal laser has a limited rate of fire. As well, the lighter weaponry is still adequate for most anti-fighter operations and none have been upgraded. In many ways, the conventional electro-magnetic rail guns are easier to maintain than a gravity rail gun would be. The missile bays are retained although both have been upgraded so they can fire a wider variety of missiles. The main bays can carry medium range missiles through cruise missiles while the secondary bays are upgraded to be able to carry short range missiles in addition to medium range missiles. Finally, a total of six hard points are added to each wing. Each hard point can mount a single cruise missiles or a pair of long range missiles.

Depending on the customer's interest, the ship can be refitted to carry twice the number of marines which is normally carried. Some ships are also modified to improve crew comforts, taking advantage of the extra space. As well, some customers strip out marine quarters completely.

This starship design uses modified starship speed and ranges. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World for more details.

Model Type: FFL-01 (Upgraded)
Vehicle Type: Patrol Corvette
Crew: 12 (2 to 3 officers normally)
Troops: 0 to 24 marines (depending on configuration)

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:
Power Armors:

24

Light Power Armors (Maximum)

M.D.C. By Location:

	Forward Mounted 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons (1):	600
	Nose Laser Cannons (4):	50 each
	10 mm Electromagnetic Rail Gun Turret (2, fuselage):	100
	Large Missile Bays (4, Fuselage):	150 each
	Small Missile Bays (4, Fuselage / Wing Roots):	100 each
	Missile Pylons (12, on the underside of each wing):	10 each
	[1] Bridge:	650
	[2] Main Body:	2,000
	[3] Variable Force Field:	1,000 a side (6,000 Total)

Notes:
[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ships armor. This ship does not have an auxiliary bridge. Even if the bridges is destroyed, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge and all weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge that do not penetrate the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the corvette out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[4] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (300 M.D.C.) per melee round.

Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 50 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.0 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 1.80, can enter an atmosphere because flight system is by contra grav.
Stardrive: Uses a Gravitonic Drive system that allows the ship to reach a maximum of 4.5 light years per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either Drive system. Carries about eight months years worth of supplies on board although can be stretched to twelve in an emergency.

Statistical Data:
Length: 240 feet (73.1 meters)
Height: 38 feet (11.6 meters)
Width: 76 feet (23.24 meters) the body or 144 feet (43.9 meters) at the wing body
Weight: 1,650 tons (1,496.8 metric tons)
Power System: Advanced Fusion with 25 year life span. The ship normally only goes 5 years between refueling and refitting.
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 40 tons of Cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ships officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ships spaces are take up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.
Market Cost: 325 Million for upgraded "Super" Falchion. Rebuilding a Falchion to the "Super" Configuration costs 150 million credits. Original Falchion corvette would cost about 250 Million credits to manufacture in present time in the Three Galaxies. Ships are no longer being produced. These ships normally sell for 150 to 300 million credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. One (1) 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannon: Mounted in the centerline of the ship, the laser cannon is part of the spine and fires directly forward. Laser cannons are used against frigates and as against heavily reinforced targets. Mostly used against large vessels, when used against small targets (Fighters, missiles, and power armors) they have a penalty of -5 to strike. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at FTL velocities. Cannot be combined with the light pulse lasers.
   Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (25.8 km) through atmosphere and 16,000 miles (25,800 km) in space.
   Mega Damage: 2D6x100 MDC per shot.
   Rate of Fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee.
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
2. Four (4) Laser Pulse Cannons: These weapons are mounted in the forward end of ship and fire forward. Each gun has an arc of fire of about 30 degrees. These weapons are virtually identical to those carried on the Vixen and Osprey star fighters. As well as being able to be combined, cannons can each be fired separately. Cannot be combined with the 12 cm laser cannon.
   Maximum Effective Range: 6 miles (9.7 km) through atmosphere and 600 miles (966 km) in space.
   Mega-Damage: 2D4x10+10 per single blast, 8D4x10+40 for a quadruple blast (Costs one attack)
   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
3. 10 mm Electromagnetic Rail Gun Turret (2): One is mounted in a turret on the top of the corvette with the other mounted on the bottom of the vessel. Unlike rail-guns mounted on most phase world star fighters, the rail guns work through the use of electromagnets instead of through gravity. The rail gun still fires projectiles at incredible velocities compared to rail guns on Rifts Earth and projectiles come out of launchers at a significant fraction of the speed of light.. It is used as an anti-Starfighter and missile weapon and against targets that are impervious to energy. Rail Gun is in a Turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire.
   Maximum Effective Range: 8,000 feet (2,440 meters) in an atmosphere and 150 miles (240 km) in space.
   Mega Damage: 20 round burst does 2D4x10+10 MDC, one round does 2D6+2 M.D.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to the Gunner's combined hand to hand (usually 4 or 5).
   Payload: 2,000 Rounds (100 Bursts)
4. Large Missile Bays (4): The corvette has four heavy missile bays. Each missile bay can carry four cruise missile, eight long range missiles, or sixteen medium range missiles. Each bay must carry all the same type ordnance although different bays can carry different ordnance. Cruise missiles are normally carried when on an anti-capital ship role and long range missiles when fighting other starfighters. Cruise Missiles has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship). Long Range Missiles has a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship). Medium Range Missiles has a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. Since starships will no longer engage at rock throwing distances, whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missiles will still cruise unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting starships (Great for hitting bases and planets because the target does not move and missile when dead at -25% to detect.) Cruise missiles have minuses to hit small targets but all missiles are all considered smart missiles.
   Maximum Effective Range: Cruise Missiles range is 8,000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds), Long Range Missiles range is 3,400 miles (5470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,897,000 km/9.7 light seconds) in space, and Medium Range Missiles range is 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds).
   Mega-Damage & Properties: See Phase World Missiles (Cruise Anti-Matter does 4D6x100 MDC and Long Range Fusion does 2D4x100 MDC).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two, four, or eight.
   Payload: Four Cruise Missile, Eight Long Range Missiles, or Sixteen Medium Range Missiles per missile bay (Maximum of 16 cruise missiles, 32 long range missiles, or 64 medium range missiles)
5. Small Missile Bays (4): In the fuselage of the corvette are four small range missile bays mounted along the "wing roots". Each bay has the ability to carry sixteen medium range missiles or thirty two short range missiles. Weapon system is used for hitting enemy robots, fighters, and long range and cruise missiles. Medium Range Missiles have a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. Normally used for anti-fighter and point defense. Short Range Missiles has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 4% of light per turn. Weapon system can be used on multiple targets.
   Maximum Effective Range: Medium Range Missiles range is 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds) and Short Range Missiles range is 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere and 500 miles (804.7 km) in space.
   Mega-Damage: varies with medium or short range missile type (See Phase World Missiles).
   Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 8, or 16 missiles.
   Payload: 16 medium range missiles or 32 short range missiles per bay (Maximum of 64 medium range missiles or 128 short range missiles.
6. Missile Pylons (12): On the underbelly of the fighter's are twelve missile racks that allows the fighter to carry one cruise missile or two long range missiles. The corvette has six hard points on each wing. Individual pylons must carry all the same type ordnance but each pylon may carry different types of ordnance. Cruise missile are normally carried when on an anti-capital ship role and long range missiles when fighting other starfighters. Cruise Missiles has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship). Long Range Missiles has a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship). Since starships will no longer engage at rock throwing distances, whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will still cruise unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting starships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile when dead at -25% to detect.) Cruise missiles have minuses to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. Missiles can be launched on multiple targets simultaneously.
   Maximum Effective Range: Cruise Missiles range is 8,000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) and Long Range Missiles range is 3,400 miles (5470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,897,000 km/9.7 light seconds) in space.
   Mega-Damage & Properties: See Phase World Missiles (Cruise Anti-Matter does 4D6x100 MDC and Long Range Fusion does 2D4x100 MDC).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two, three, or four missiles.
   Payload: 1 Cruise Missile or 2 Long Range Missiles per Pylon (Maximum of 12 cruise missiles or 24 long range missiles)

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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2007, Kitsune. All rights reserved.