Comms suite: Clairmont B.
The targeting variation of the “Epee”, designed to spot targets for the standard model. The main weapon is downgraded to make way for a much enlarged sensor suite. Because the drone has to get closer to the enemy and enough space was available, provision was also made for a marginally better electronic countermeasures suite. In spite of this, “Epee-R’s” are still very vulnerable, and they tend to suffer heavy losses in combat.
"Herald" class trooper drone.
Total Mass: 498 EEGs.
Generation: 3rd.
Link Stations: Four.
Armament: 1 x General Optics V9 system laser cannon, 2 x Mk XII torpedoes.
Propulsion: Fazal Engineering ‘C’ drive.
Sensor suite: General Optics Megascan II.
EW suite: Mirror Image & Hyperchaff.
Comms suite: General Optics Connect IV
The latest and best of the third generation fighting drones of the Virtue Confederation, the “Herald” came into service just after the start of the Third Belt War and is being produced and deployed as rapidly as possible. They are a little on the large side, but have good acceleration, are better armed than the “Classic” trooper drone, and they have slightly better sensors too. Unfortunately, they are still in very short supply, especially for the smaller and less important commands.
"Kazan" class medium trooper drone.
Total Mass: 378 EEGs.
Generation: 2.5.
Link Stations: Three.
Armament: 1 x Armat firefly laser culverin, 3 x Type X torpedoes.
Propulsion: Ionic Propulsion no3.
Sensor suite: Shima Kaku.
EW suite: Sama surround.
Comms suite: JGT dragon accord.
The “Kazan” trooper drone is a very old design, dating right back to the First Belt war. At the time of its introduction it was a major advance, but by modern standards the “Kazan” is simply outclassed in all functions. Its weapons, sensors and EW systems are all either outmoded or underpowered.
The chief advantage of the "Kazan" was and remains its great versatility. In Virtue Confederation service there have been five major models and dozens of minor variants.. The basic design limits have long since been reached now. The type is being phased out, but still remains very common in backwater areas, usually because nothing better is available.
"Lancelot" class heavy attack drone.
Total Mass: 605 EEGs.
Generation: 1st.
Link Stations: Six.
Armament: 1 x Duplex Mk 19 Laser demi-culverin (double fire control)
Propulsion: Prime Mover.
Sensor suite: Optics IV bis.
EW suite: Scanguard series 1000
Comms suite: Bandstand Global.
“Lancelot’s” are essentially semi-mobile gun platforms for one of the most powerful weapon systems in the Virtue Confederation’s armoury, the Duplex Mk 19 Laser demi-culverin, capable of being fired by either of two gunners. A ‘Lancelot’ will usually collect targeting data from another drone, rather than acquiring a contact directly itself. This operational concept is obsolete and “Lancelot’s” are no match for more rounded modern designs. Their other systems are weak, and their large size means they have a poor acceleration rate and low endurance.
"Lancelot II" class heavy attack drone.
Total Mass: 610 EEGs.
Generation: 1st.
Link Stations: Six.
Armament: 1 x Duplex Mk 20 Laser culverin (double fire control)
Propulsion: Prime Mover.
Sensor suite: Optics VI.
EW suite: Scanguard series 1001.
Comms suite: Bandstand Global.
An upgrade of the basic “Lancelot” design, the "Lancelot II" replaces the main weapon with the slightly less powerful but longer ranged Duplex Mk 20 Laser culverin. It also features marginally more sophisticated electronic suites and slightly enhanced endurance. Originally the Confederation navy planned to upgrade all of its many “Lancelot’s” to this standard, but the conversion process proved to be more expensive and time-consuming than was originally envisaged and the entire program was cancelled before it was half finished.
Type: "Scythe" class attack drone.
Total Mass: 312 EEGs.
Generation: 2.5.
Link Stations: Three.
Armament: 1 x Stop-Thrust double-build Ion gun, 2 x Mk X torpedoes.
Propulsion: Troice propulsion drive.
Sensor suite: Koji fastglance.
EW suite: Combined electronics "basket weave”.
Comms: Morrows basic in-touch.
The “Scythe” is a product of the New Hope Admiralty, and was the first of the Confederation’s modern third generation multirole war drones. The type has a very high acceleration rate, making it ideal for quick, sharp attacks (and fast retreats). They are usually kept well in reserve and then rushed out for lightning strikes and counterattacks, or to plug holes in drone formations.
The “Scythe” is now generally felt to be too small and underpowered, and is commonly referred to as a “two and a half generation” drone, but in the hands of a good crew they are still a match for more modern designs. The New Hope Admiralty is very proud of the type and continues to make them in some numbers.
“Strikemaster” class attack drone.
Total Mass: 301 EEGs.
Generation: 2nd.
Link Stations: Three.
Armament: 1 x UEDF Mk 16 laser culverin, 1 x Mk XII torpedo.
Propulsion: Bovington/Clyde spacepush.
Sensor suite: Koji Quicksearch.
EW suite: HIDE.
Comms suite: Clairmont A.
“Strikemasters” have a long and illustrious history in the Virtue Confederation navy. They were heavily involved in both the First and Second Belt wars and even though they are now totally obsolete they are still in widespread use and even in limited production.
The secret of the “Strikemaster’s” success is the simplicity and ruggedness of the basic design. They are very easy and cheap to make, they are readily modifiable, and even inexperienced warriors find them easy to control. They are frequently used to garrison ground bases.
“Trailblazer” class scout drone.
Total Mass: 794 EEGs.
Generation: 2.5.
Link Stations: Four.
Armament: 1 x Kentucky crackshot laser demi-culverin.
Propulsion: Blaynes powerhouse.
Sensor suite: BBL Hawkeye.
EW suite: ScanGuard series 1000.
Comms suite: Callow-Mathias "Oval"
The “Trailblazer” is a long-range reconnaissance drone, usually only deployed from ground bases due to its large size. They have excellent sensors, good countermeasures and fair acceleration. They are occasionally used in open space battles as tracking drones.
"Watchdog" class picket drone.
Total Mass: 605 EEGs.
Generation: 1.5.
Link Stations: One or two.
Armament: Usually unarmed. Some have 1 x Farringdon NP laser cannon.
Propulsion: Powerhouse 10 Cycle.
Sensor suite: 360 Megascan.
EW suite: Chaff tube green & Spaceshield.
Comms suite: JCN weblink
“Watchdog’s” are specialist short-range reconnaissance drones. Usually deployed individually rather than in squadrons, they are designed to spot incoming craft, send off a sighting report, and then retreat. They have very powerful engines that can generate high acceleration very quickly.
“Watchdog’s” are big and expensive to build and maintain. Most Link Warriors do not like to be assigned to them because of an (undeserved) reputation for unreliability.
Design characteristics, Triangle League drones.
The drones employed by the Triangle League are much more similar to their Virtue Confederation opposite numbers than they are different. There are, after all, only so many ways to manipulate the laws of physics and mathematics
. In addition, over the years of conflict there has been a steady convergence of thought on the best ways to build, deploy and use war drones.
For all that, there are some general national characteristics. On average, Triangle drones are slightly smaller, which means that the average Depot Ship can carry more of them. They tend to have both better acceleration rates and (curiously) rather higher endurance as well.
Both sides favour powerful hard-hitting laser weapons, but the League tends to optimise theirs for shorter ranges. The Virtue Confederation is generally felt to have a technical edge in electronics, so the League sometimes tries to compensate with regard to sensors and countermeasures systems with sheer size and power, particularly on their larger drones.
Tactically the League tends to mix and match their drone types more within squadrons, whereas a Virtue Confederation squadron typically only has one or two types of drone.
Common designs.
"Avenger" class trooper drone.
Total Mass: 693 EEGs.
Generation: 2.5.
Link Stations: Four.
Propulsion: Cape K3X superthrust.
Armament: 1 x Victory Industries Smasher demi-cannon, 3 x Type 20 torpedoes.
Sensor suite: TLA-23V.
EW suite: Tomex intercept jammer.
Comms suite: Communique ++.
The “Avenger” design hails from the second Belt war but it is still a very powerful fighting system. The Victory Industries Smasher demi-cannon is an excellent weapon, capable of dealing crushing blows to enemy drones, but it has a poor maintenance record. Some “Avengers” have replaced the troublesome Smasher with two smaller linked laser weapons.
The design priorities for the “Avenger” are firepower, protection, and finally acceleration. Electronic warfare has moved on since it was designed however, and the Tomex intercept jammer is no longer considered adequate protection. “Avengers” are large and expensive to produce, but the drone’s otherwise fine fighting characteristics ensure it remains in production and widespread use.
"Hussar" class medium trooper drone.
Total Mass: 401 EEGs.
Generation: 3rd.
Link Stations: Three.
Propulsion: Blaynes "dasher" space engine.
Armament: 1 x D5 Sabre laser demi-culverin, 1 x Type 21 torpedo.
Sensor suite: Wu surespot.
EW suite: Appledore mirror image.
Comms suite: Clairmont A.
The “Hussar” is the standard third generation trooper drone of the Triangle League. They are designed for fast hit and run attacks. “Hussars” are agile and have a surprisingly high endurance, but are a bit fragile. Basically they are good at detecting, hitting and destroying other drones, but are not so good at avoiding getting hit and damaged themselves.
A lot of design effort went into making “Hussars” compact and easily stored, thus allowing Depot Ships to carry a great many of them. Much of the success of the type is based on the ability to field them in large numbers.
"Pikeman" class heavy combat drone.
Total Mass: 508 EEGs.
Generation: 1st.
Link Stations: Four.
Propulsion: Fazal Engineering B.
Armament: 1 x Koblenz thunderbolt laser cannon, 2 x Type 19 torpedoes.
Sensor suite: Optics XX megascan.
EW suite: Fredelow Dispersal type.
Comm suite: Morrows basic in-touch.
The “Pikeman” is a direct equivalent of the Virtue Confederation “Lancelot” class drone, and indeed has many of the same characteristics. The main design criterion for these early types of drone was based on being powerfully armed and operating in close company. The entire concept has been rendered obsolete by the new multifunction third generation drones, but they were made in vast numbers, and so the “Pikeman”, like the “Lancelot”, is still in widespread use.
The top priority for the “Pikeman” is the acquisition and destruction of targets. To this end firepower and sensors are well developed, the principle being to shoot and kill first. Defensive systems are rather rudimentary, emphasising actual armour plate as opposed to electronic countermeasures and decoys. Mediocre acceleration rates make it difficult to withdraw them quickly, and all too often they now have to be screened by more advanced drones.
"Ranger" class light scout drone.
Total Mass: 203 EEGs.
Generation: 1.5.
Link Stations: Two.
Propulsion: Magrews Quickjump.
Armament: 1 x Carew Quickstrike laser culverin.
Sensor suite: Shirobe concept.
EW suite: League screener.
Comm suite: Philemon emerald.
The “Ranger” is the standard space-borne scout drone of the Triangle League. Almost all League Depot ships will operate a few “Rangers”, even though it is not a particularly effective or successful design.
Its failings are mostly due to considerable teething troubles during its development. There was a great deal of criticism of the procurement policies of the League navy at the time and a view that large sums of money were being corruptly obtained by unscrupulous sub-contractors. The League government was forced to impose intensive oversight of the project, which delayed production considerably and meant that much of the equipment originally considered cutting edge had become obsolete by the time the “Ranger” went into production. It is known that a replacement is under development.
"Sterling" class light-medium trooper drone.
Total Mass: 411 EEGs.
Generation: 2.5.
Link Stations: Three.
Propulstion: Kobishtu mainthrust.
Armament: 1 x Duplex Mk 3+ laser cannon, 1 x Type 20 torpedo.
Sensor suite: Surespot advanced.
EW suite: Baker camo suite & BAFFLE.
Comm suite: Kaleidoscope.
The “Sterling” was the first Triangle League third generation trooper drone, i.e. one designed with an all-round combat capability rather than a specialisation in one particular area. The type was superseded very quickly by the parallel development of the “Hussar” drone. It was never made in great numbers, and production had ceased by the start of the third Belt war. “Sterlings” are now only found in older or smaller Depot Ships.
"Terrible" class extra-heavy assault drone.
Total Mass: 1000 EEGs.
Generation: 3rd.
Link Stations: Six or Seven.
Propulsion: Vosarptic Power mover.
Armament: 1 x Gybers MegaCyclotron, 1 Type 21 torpedo.
Sensor suite: Fildes rapid track.
EW suite: Sky Shadow supreme & echoplant.
Comms suite: Hermes 2100.
The “Terrible” is at the very peak of Human military development. It is an exceptionally powerful weapon of war, with above average to excellent capabilities in almost all attributes. The only real weakness, which tends to give its position away, is its rather mediocre acceleration rate.
The “Terrible” may be the ultimate fighting drone, but they are also uncommon. They are large and very expensive to make, requiring huge amounts of scarce and valuable components. Accordingly, the League usually deploys “Terrible’s” singly in other formations, to provide unpleasant surprises for an enemy. They are made more formidable because they are almost always crewed by the most experienced and capable of link warriors. There is, accordingly, a lot of prestige in the League for being a link warrior assigned to a “Terrible”. Conversely, there is also a lot of prestige for Confederation link warriors who manage to “take one out”.
"Trefoil" class medium-heavy attack drone.
Total Mass: 497 EEGs.
Generation: 3rd.
Link Stations: Four.
Propulsion: Maxi thrust V (Trefoil).
Armament: 1 x Crasher 5-3 Cyclotron, 3 x Type 21 torpedoes.
Sensor suite: Farrows/UEDF Starling I.
EW suite: Skymask with hyperchaff.
Comms suite: Communique Transmit.
The “Trefoil” design team was headed by Professor Steven Chung, regarded as brilliant but eccentric, and an outspoken critic of the trend for increasing complexity in war drones. He maintained that better results could be achieved by the more effective utilization of simple, existing technology. The Triangle League Navy had considerable misgivings, but were won round when they realised it promised huge savings in the cost of combat drones.
The “Trefoil” relies on subtle shaping and careful positioning of power and weaponry systems to minimize its sensor signature and target aspects, rather than on powerful EW systems. The basic shape is vaguely that of a crescent, with the thrusters on the outer "wings" and the Crasher 5-3 cyclotron slung underneath in a neat coil. It so happens that these practical considerations do cause it to vaguely resemble a shamrock plant. As a fighting machine it is not as effective as its Virtue Confederation opposite numbers, but as Chung promised, it is more cost-effective.
"Vidette" class picket drone.
Total Mass: 707 EEGs.
Generation: 3rd.
Link Stations: Three.
Armament: 1 x Farringdon NP laser cannon.
Propulsion: Apollo discus arclite.
Sensor suite: 2 x General Optics Megascan III.
EW suite: Appledore mirror image & BAFFLE.
Comms suite: UT-Farrell Javelin.
A particularly large and powerful reconnaissance drone, arguably just about the best ever designed, the “Vidette” is a circular double disk that positively bristles with sensor arrays. It is designed for extended operations, and has a very high fuel capacity. Each link warrior can access either of the main sensors, on a first request/first access method. The combination of two separate high-powered sensor arrays makes the “Vidette” an extremely effective scout.
The Jovian Sweep (Asteroid Scrabble Book 1) Page 45