During the first Cylon War, the Viper Mark II was the primary fighter operated by the Colonial Fleet and was used in the roles of both space superiority fighter and light attack craft. This war was approximately fifty years before the second Cylon attack that effectively destroyed the civilization of the Twelve Colonies and the Battlestar Galactica fled escorting a rag-tag fleet of vessels also escaping the destruction.

The Viper Mark II is designed for atmospheric with a narrow delta-wing configuration and three powerful thrusters capable of creating incredible acceleration. Maneuvering in space is done by tiny maneuvering thrusters. Like all Colonial small craft other than the Raptor, the Viper Mark II is not fitted with a faster than light jump drive. It is a relatively small fighter which seats only a single pilot. For weaponry, this light fighter carries, mounted in the wing roots, two heavy electromagnetic forward firing cannons which fire 30 millimeter projectiles. Each cannon has a total of eight hundred rounds of ammunition. In addition, the fighter has a bay which can carry up to eight missiles and has a hard point under each wing for additional ordnance.

The electronics on the Viper Mark II are extremely austere to prevent the Cylons from being able to hack into the light fighter's computers. Sensor systems are fitted into the fighter's extended nose. The computer systems onboard the Viper are not networked and are designed so that the individual fighter was not networked with other fighters. While this cost the pilots in terms of command and control, it was needed for fighting the Cylons. Some of the control systems and indicators are analog systems and the fighter is designed to be able to be piloted with no control computers when necessary.

The first Viper model was introduced into the Colonial Fleet just prior to the beginning of the original Cylon War although it is the Mark II variant which is best known. The Viper Mark II was modified from the original model so that it could operated more effectively from the Colonial Battlestars, such as the Galactica, which were introduced near the beginning of the Cylon War and was modified to make Cylon attempts at hacking into the fighters computers virtually impossible.

The Viper Mark II fought in virtually every battle during the first Cylon War and proved itself to be an extremely capable fighting craft. Many Colonial historians credit the fighter as being one of the reasons why the Twelve Colonies did not suffer defeat at the hands of the Cylons.

The light fighter remained in service but eventually more advanced models replaced the Mark II Viper and the venerable fighters were retired. These included improved command and control functions. By the time of the renewed attack by the Cylons against the Twelve Colonies, The Viper Mark VII was the front line fighter of the Colonial Fleet with the Mark II being consider obsolete. Most Mark II Vipers were sold as scrap with only a handful surviving as museum exhibits.

Still, the old Mark II Viper showed its worth with the Battlestar Galactica and her desperate fight for survival. The Galactica had forty old museum fighters which were put back into desperate service onboard the ancient Battlestar with a few makeshift repairs and being refueled. While the Vipers had no missiles and almost no ammunition for their guns, the fighters were immune to the Cylons' attempts to disrupt their electronics and without them it is a virtual certainty that the Galactica would not have survived. The fighters continue to operate from the Battlestar with only a handful of Mark VII Vipers onboard. Presently the Battlestar Pegasus is producing new Viper Mark VII fighters and they may in the future completely replace the Mark II onboard the older Battlestar.

This starfighter follows theoretical information about starships operating non chemical propulsion in space. This has meant much greater speeds and accelerations. Listed is the formula to allow player and game masters to calculate the fighter's velocity.

Velocity = Acceleration x Time + Initial Velocity
Distance Traveled = Acceleration x ½ x Time ² + Initial Velocity x Time
1 G = 32 feet (9.8 m) per second ²

Model Type: Viper Mk II
Vehicle Type: Light Starfighter
Crew: One

M.D.C. By Location:

	[1] MEC-A6 30 mm Thraxon Kinetic Weapons (2, wing roots):	25 each
	Missile Bay (1, underside):	40
	[1] Missile Hard Points (2, under wings):	5 each
	[2] Small Wings (2):	40
	[2] Small Rudder:	40
	[3] Engines (3):	65 each
	[1] Landing Struts (3):	10 each
	[4] Main Body:	270
	Reinforced Pilots Cockpit:	100

Notes:
[1] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a "called shot;" but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
[2] Loss of a wing or rudder while in an atmosphere will cause the fighter to loose control and crash. The loss of a wing in space has no effect on the fighter's performance but fighter will be unable to re-enter an atmosphere safely.
[3] Loss of an engine will reduce performance of fighter by one third, loss of two engines will reduce performance by two thirds, and loss of all three engines will prevent fighter from accelerate or decelerate beyond 5% of normal (This is using maneuvering thrusters) and fighter will crash in an atmosphere. Maneuvering thrusters are effectively too small as hit locations to be targeted.
[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the fighter out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck. In an atmosphere, the fighter will crash. Pilot has an ejection seat to attempt an escape.

Speed:
Driving on Ground: Not Possible
Flying; In atmosphere: The fighter can easily achieve escape velocity (Mach 32.6 / 25053 mph / 40320 kph) within around 3 minutes. The fighter has a maximum acceleration of 7 G. When the fighter is operating within an atmosphere, pilot will normally keep velocity below Mach 7.5 (5771.25 mph / 9288 kph). It is a VSTOL design, it cannot be launched from a standstill, but needs a short runway (700 meters when fully loaded)
Flying; Space: The fighter does not have an effective top speed but is limited by acceleration. Fighter can reach a top acceleration of 7 G but is normally limited to 1 G except in combat to conserve fuel.
Stardrive: The fighter does not have a jump drive.
Maximum Effective Range: The fighter has enough fuel for 30 minutes at maximum performance of 7 G. If the fighter is operating at less maximum performance, the fighter's range is vastly increased. The fighter has 32 hours of endurance if operating at only 1 G and for every increase of 1 G, the fighter burns reaction mass twice as fast. Fighter uses Tylium (likely some hydrogen or helium isotope) for fuel for a fusion reactor. The fighter can operate with engines on standby to increase fighters range. Fighter has supplies for pilot for 6 days.

Statistical Data:
Length: 27.586 feet (8.4082 meters)
Height: 8.939 feet (2.7247 meters) not including landing gear. Increase height by 1.64 feet (0.5 meters) with landing gear extended.
Width: 15.475 feet (4.7168 meters)
Weight: 11.574 tons (10,500 kg) unloaded
Power System: Nuclear Fusion with average life span of 12 years. Requires reaction mass for thrusters.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment).
Market Cost: No longer constructed, 10 million credits to build.

Weapon Systems:

1. MEC-A6 30 mm Thraxon Kinetic Energy Weapons (2): They are mounted on either side of the pilots cockpit as part of the fighter's wing roots and are forward firing. The weapons are powerful but have only average ranges. The weapons are used for dogfighting, anti-missile defense, and strafing runs. These electromagnetic weapons fire high density projectiles at incredible velocities and are the main weapons of the fighter.
   Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) in an atmosphere and 32,000 feet (9,600 meters) in space.
   Mega Damage: 4D4x10 for a ten round burst from both cannons. If one cannon is destroyed, damage is reduced to 2D4x10.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
   Payload: 800 rounds (80 bursts) per weapon mount.
2. Missile Bay: Under the main fuselage of the fighter is a missile bay which can carry eight medium range missiles or a single heavy anti-ship nuclear missiles (equal to a cruise missile) in place of the smaller missiles. Missile are assumed to accelerate at 2 times normal mach speed in Gs greater than the starships speed when used in space. Missiles can be launched at non moving targets beyond the powered range of the missiles to hit targets without the chance of the launching ship being hit by missiles itself but penalties exist when launching missiles beyond normal missile range.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, assume powered range is 8 x normal in space (Use new missile/bomb tables).
   Mega Damage: Varies with missile types (Use new missile/bomb tables).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2 or 4.
   Payload: 8 medium range missiles or one cruise missile (normally nuclear)
3. Missiles Hard Points (2): The fighter can carry missiles externally under its wings. The fighter normally carries two medium range missiles per hard point but can carry a long range missile per hard point or four short range missiles. Missiles are assumed to accelerate at 2 times normal mach speed in Gs greater than the starships speed when used in space. Missiles can be launched at non moving targets beyond the powered range of the missiles to hit targets without the chance of the launching ship being hit by missiles itself but penalties exist when launching missiles beyond normal missile range. Missiles can be mixed and matched at the rate of four shot range missiles or two medium range missiles for one long range missile.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, assume powered range is 8 x normal in space (Use new missile/bomb tables).
   Mega Damage: Varies with missile types (Use new missile/bomb tables).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2 or 4.
   Payload: one long range missiles, two medium range missile, or four short range missiles per hard point.

Special Equipment:

The fighter has all the standard features of a standard Rifts Earth fighter (Not Phase World / Three Galaxies) plus these special features listed:

• Radar (Called DRADIS ): Range of 200 miles (322 km) in an atmosphere and 20,000 miles (32,200 km) in space, the system can identify and track up to 48 targets simultaneously, It is also capable of Terrain Following for low altitude flight. The fighter can fire missiles at up to twenty four targets at the same time using this system.
• E.S.M.: Radar Detector, Passively detects other radars being operated.
• Laser Navigational System: Allow flight at low altitude without use of Radar. Gives a map of the Terrain.

COMBAT BONUSES: The Colonial Viper Mk II is very maneuverable and very accurate. Use the Phase World Starfighter combat (Elite or Basic) skill.

[ Phase World TM, Kreeghor TM, and CAF TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]
[ Battlestar Galactica is copyright © Universal Pictures.]

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Rifts Conversion Copyright © 2006, Kitsune. All rights reserved.