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« on: 18 November 2011, 11:58:58 »
Designers note: This design essentially needs the Strat Ops quirk system to function as intended. Configurations assume that 1 ton of cargo corresponds to 1 external hardpoint.
Ejdeha Clan Heavy OmnifighterMass: 75 tons
Chassis: Reinforced Wakazashi VII-Modular
Power plant: Nissan 225 Fusion
Armor: Compound RF3X Laser Reflective
Armament: 28 tons of pod space available
Manufacturer: Wakazashi Enterprises
Primary factory: Avon
Communications System: Garret T23
Targeting and Tracking System: Neko Megane 6CL
Overview
While often overshadowed by other, more aerospace focused Clans, Clan Nova Cat is no stranger to the use of aerospace fighters as support elements. Their heavy use of fighters for ground support often leads to massive losses in pilots and equipment, as seen in the recent fighting against the Word of Blake. The loss of three Galaxies to the newborn Republic of the Sphere has only compounded the issue. With a lack of aerospace production facilities, these losses were not easy to replace, and Clan Nova Cat found its supply of Omnifighters severely depleted. While the use of Inner Sphere produced fighters has helped mitigate the situation, a more long term solution was needed. The Merchant Caste of Clan Nova Cat, looking at the success of the SM1 Tank Destroyer, approached Wakizashi Enterprises with a similar offer. Unable to resist the lure of access to Clan equipment, and a guaranteed five year purchase contract, Wakizashi Enterprises quickly agreed and sent a unit of engineers to Irece to collaborate on the new fighters designs as a new complex was built on Avon.
The Draconis Combine’s Tatsu Omnifighter had long impressed Nova Cat pilots due to its payload and ruggedness, and it was suggested that this should serve as the framework of the new design. Wakizashi, happy to save on development costs with the use of proven systems and a known airframe, were glad to oblige, and the design was quickly put into prototype stage. Wakizashi Enterprises, flush with supplies of Nissan 225 fusion engines due to their Sabre modernization program, were able to convince the Nova Cat scientists to reinforce the frame to mount the larger engine, pointing out the increased bomb payload that resulted in the change and the relatively small change in finished lifting capacity. While they initially balked at the inferior standard engine, they had originally planned to use an XL as in the original Tatsu, the Nova Cats were brought around due to the resulting increase in production rates that would result from use of the surplus engine type. The final prototype flew perfectly, and full production was green lit once its production facilities were finished.
Capabilities
Similar in many respects to its parent design, the Ejdeha was designed to emphasize survivability and external bomb load, focusing on an attack role. This would free up surviving, more maneuverable Clan Omnifighters for use in aerospace superiority. Five tons heavier than the original Tatsu, the Ejdeha Attack Omnifighter is an interesting contrast in technology. The Ejdeha’s frame, engine, and much of its electronics are no different from Inner Sphere designs; the rest of the omnifighter’s equipment, much of it cutting edge, would be supplied by the Nova Cats.
The Ejdeha mounts a full eighteen tons of advanced, Laser Reflective armor. Impressive enough on its own right, its defensive abilities are further improved with the use of a newly finalized CASE II system and an advanced Angel ECM suite fixed to the chassis. Additionally a pair of Laser AMSs provides further defensive capabilities. Due to its fixation on the attack role, the design also takes the novelty of installing a dedicated, and expandable, five ton bomb bay, giving it the potential bomb carrying abilities of a design twenty five tons heavier. While this dedication to its purpose has resulted in a smaller weapons payload to comparatively sized fighters, its reliance on external stores as its principle weapon means its weapons often serve as an auxiliary or supplementary role.
The Ejdeha’s primary configuration, mounting no less than six LRM-10 launchers, is meant for strike missions and support roles. With six tons dedicated to ammunition, the fighter is able to carry a variety of ammunition types to supplement its bomb load out. In a nod to the original Tatsu, one of these LRM launchers in mounted in the rear, proving a nasty surprise for fighters expecting shorter ranged defensive weapons. An improved Heavy Large Laser serves as a backup weapon.
The Alpha configuration, meant to serve in a CAS role, also relies on a primarily missile armed weapons mix, mounting eight SRM-6 launchers, one of these rear mounted. Supplementing the missiles is an array of five ER Medium Lasers, meant for use in strafing attacks. Due to its lack of long range weapons, and vulnerability to faster fighters able to exploit this, it tends to only operate in area in areas where the Nova Cats have air superiority.
A relative newcomer, the Beta configuration came into existence with the availability of AntiShip Missiles from a sympathetic Republic source. Expanding the internal bomb bay to twelve tons, the Beta configuration is able to carry a total of four of these missiles and serves as a supplement to the Nova Cats small amount of pocket warships. Three ER Large Lasers, with cooling jackets installed, allow it to ‘finish off’ wounded dropships while staying out of range of most defensive weapons.
Deployment
A relatively new design, the Ejdeha in being added to Aerospace units on a point by point basis.
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