The AAB or Automatic Attack Bits were always an important support element of the Valkyrie fighters and Xanadu Station developed an upgraded version of them for use with their new versions of the Valkyrie fighters. The old versions were nicknamed "Squires" by many pilots and the upgraded versions used by Xanadu Station took the official designation of "Squire II." Some military analysts believe that New Coventry's Pepper Box Launchers were developed from the concepts of the Squire II.

Like the original AAB, the Squire II is limited to four being able to be controlled by a single Valkyrie fighter. As well, they cannot operate independently and instead operate in formation around the fighter which they are designated to operate with. If the fighter which they are supporting is destroyed, there simple command software is designed to return them back to the nearest station or capital ship. One addition is that the Squires II can be controlled by basically any Xanadu Station fighter, Valkyrie or more standard models such as the Katana. Due to the mass of these drones, equal to a light starfighter, extremely limited numbers are usually carried onboard capital ships because they tend to displace actual manned fighters. When launched from ground or large stations, fighters tend to be more often supported by these drones. They are especially common as escorts for the Spitfire heavy starfighter when used for in system roles.

In order to be able to keep up with the standard accelerations expected of craft within the Three Galaxies, an extremely powerful contra-grav propulsion system is mounted. The Squire II is designed to be able to keep up with the Black Eagle starfighter operated in some numbers withing the Xanadu Station forces. The flight system allows the drone to work both in space and in an atmosphere. The drones also carry both light particle and radiation shielding to allow them to operate at greater speeds in space than would be otherwise possible. Otherwise, the drones are unprotected from weapons and lack a defense shield. Their armor is greatly increased compared to original versions of the AAB.

The weapon array is completely different than the original drone and the Squire II mounts three high intensity lasers identical to the laser mounted in the Black Eagle starfighter. Many of the systems are from the Black Eagle starfighter to reduce development costs. Fire control enables the guns to be fired in a combined burst with each other and the main weaponry of the craft which they are escorting. In addition, the drone carries a large amount of mini-missiles. This gives the drone a much better ability to defend the fighter which it is escorting with several pre-programmed defense patterns standard. A total of forty-eight mini-missiles are carried with twenty-four mounted in each of a pair of launchers on the sides of the drone.

This fighter / drone uses modified starship speeds and weapon ranges. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World for more details.

(Note: The power system is fusion not anti-matter because the author's opinion is that anti-matter is to dangerous to be used in vehicles that may be used in an atmosphere. If a starship powered by anti-matter was to detonate in an atmosphere it would cause huge planetary damage. At GM option, this can also be applied to all starfighters or this fighter can be changed to anti-matter.)

Model Type: AAB-2 "Squire II"
Vehicle Type: Unmanned aerospace fighter / drone
Crew: None, Unmanned (Controlled by another fighter - maximum of four per fighter)

M.D.C. By Location:

	[1] Main Body:	325
	CG Propulsion System	200
	[2] Laser Cannons (3, built into body):	100 each
	Mini-Missile Launchers (2)	80 each

Notes:
[1] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the drone out of commission.
[2] All items marked require a called shot -3 to strike. Destroying the head will destroy the head lasers and all forms of optical enhancements. The range and targeting capabilities of radar and all other (non-optical) sensors are reduced by half. The head requires a called shot -3 to strike.

Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 40 percent of the speed of light. Drone / Fighter can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.6 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 8 (5,931.6 mph / 9,546.0 kph), can enter an atmosphere because flight system is by contra grav.
Stardrive: None
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by drive system (Fusion reactor gives decades of life) Because the Drones are anti-gravity in nature, they do not use reaction mass and can be sustained indefinitely in space as well.

Statistical Data:
Length: 33.0 feet (10.1 meters)
Height: 10.2 feet (3.1 meters)
Width: 18.5 feet (5.6 meters)
Weight: 20 tons (18.1 metric tons)
Power System: Advanced Fusion with a 5 year lifespan
Cargo: None
Market Cost: 28 million credits

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. HI-Laser cannons (3): These laser cannons are identical to those carried on the standard Black Eagle Starfighter except that three are mounted. The weapons are almost always fired together but can be fired individually if desired. They are almost always combined with the main weaponry of the fighter carrying them and the firepower of up to four drones can be combined with the weaponry of the fighter which they are escorting. The are designed to fire at exactly the same location as the main gun of the fighter which they are escorting.
   Maximum Effective Range: 5 miles (8 km) through atmosphere and 500 miles (800 km) in space.
   Mega-Damage: Triple blast inflicts 6D4x10 with each laser inflicting 2D4x10 if fired individually (can be combined with fighter's internal weaponry with four drones adding 24D4x10 or 2D4x100+100.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot of fighter they are escorting (usually four or five).
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited
2. Mini-Missile Launchers (2): Mini-Missile launchers are mounted on each side of the. These are packs of mini- missiles that can be used against other missiles, ground targets, infantry, and against starships. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration). Mini-Missile is phase world are normally guided.
   Maximum Effective Range: Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space
   Mega-Damage: varies with mini-missile type (See revised Phase World Missile tables).
   Rate of fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of three, six, nine, or twelve.
   Payload: Fortry-Eight Mini-Missiles (Twenty-Four each launcher)

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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2008, Kitsune. All rights reserved.