Hellfish Light Attack Fighter

[Psyckosama]

This is what it looks like. Art taken from an old Cyberpunk 2020 book



And this logo is painted on every fighter to come out of the factory! :D

                    AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
                                  VALIDATED

Class/Model/Name:  Hellfish Light Attack Flighter
Tech:              Inner Sphere / 3025
Vessel Type:       Conventional Fighter
Rules:             Level 1, Standard design
Rules Set:         AeroTech2

Mass:              10 tons
Frame:             Piper 105
Power Plant:       General Motors 40 Turbine
Safe Thrust:       4
Maximum Thrust:    6
Armor Type:        Dura-Weave Standard
Armament:         
    1 GM MiniGun Machine Gun
    2 Holly Derringer SRM 2
Manufacturer:   Piper Aerospace
  Location:     various
Communications System:  EZChat
Targeting & Tracking System:  EZTrak II
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==Overview:==
Named after an infamous and especially ill tempered species of mutated sea
bass, the Hellfish is a fighter with a mission. That mission is dedicated
light reconnaissance, forward observation, and air to ground support against
infantry and other soft targets, opperating in support of local law
enforcement and milita units. They are designed to be dirt cheap, effective,
and able to work in the field for extended periods of time, far away from
prepared landing strips and dedicated mantiance facalties, and in this role,
they are giants.

==Capabilities:==
When compared to aerospace fighters, and even other conventional aircraft this
sluggish, thin-skinned, boomerang shaped ultra-light would seem to most to be
little more than a flying target, completely unsuited the intense, fast moving
environment of modern front-line combat. They would be right. The Hellfish was
not designed for that environment. Instead the Hellfish or, "Fighting
Hellfish" as it has been affectionately nicknamed by its flight crews, was
designed for an entirely different kind of battle: the slow, agonizing grind
of counter-insurgency operations. While it is indeed slow and lightly armored,
the Hellfish is extremely well armed for it size and its mission normally pits
it against soft targets able to offer little in the way of return fire. It's
technical simplicity and VSTOL ability allows the Hellfish to operate in the
field for long periods of time, providing a lingering threat to rebel and
bandits alike.

The Hellfish is driven by a simple, lightweight GM turbine engine connected to
a time tested tiltrotor assembly, supplied by a two ton fuel tank. While
extremely thin by most standards, its half ton of Dura-Weave armor is intended
to protect against flying debris and scattered small arms fire. On its chin,
it mounts a three-barreled GE Minigun with a generous half ton of ammunition.
Buried in each wing is a flexible Holly Derringer SRM2 pack fed by a single
ton of ammunition, that allows it to be loaded with a verity of mission
specific munitions, from standard anti-vehicular rounds, to Tear Gas for riot
control, to Infernos for when someone is feeling especially unfriendly. In
addition, to its internal war load, the Hellfish is rarely deployed without
something hanging off its wing hard points, from bombs, to rocket packs, to
disposable fuel tanks. As long as it is used in its intended role, the
Hellfish is a very effective little fighter.

Unfortunately, many commanders keep trying to insert the Hellfish into combat
situations it simply cannot handle, mostly due to ignorance. The worst
nightmare of any Hellfish pilot is be ordered to blindly charge an enemy
battle line by some house officer or mercenary mechwarrior operating under the
delusion that every ground attack aircraft is a Mechbuster. One spectacular
instance involved an entire air company disappearing in a hail of fire from a
mixed mech and tank lance before entering firing range. Such costly debacles
had lead to this otherwise exceptional aircraft to be seen as virtually
useless by the field officers of many a nation, who are often left bewildered
as to way the brass keeps wasting money on the little pieces of junk.

==Variants:==
Because of its effectiveness and low price tag, the Hellfish and its variants
are the most common counter-insurgency aircraft found in the Inner Sphere and
near Periphery. The most common these variants is the dedicated observer, which
sacrifices its SRM launchers to mount three tons of dedicated communications
equipment.

The "Zhan" (Wild Cat) is licensed variant produced in the Capallan
Confederation by Tengo Aerospace. Serving as one of the primary bread and
butter products of the otherwise stricken company, supply problems have forced
Tengo to forgo the traditional armament altogether. Instead it mounts three
machine guns in each wing, fed by a ton of ammunition.

The Luthien Armor Works produced "Taka" (Hawk) Light Attack Fighter unlicensed
clone of the Hellfish, a strong point of contention for Piper Aerospace, and
one of the reasons they have a strict policy of never doing business with the
Draconis Combine. During the Star League, Piper Aerospace was based on the now
lost Terran Hegemony world of Rocky. During the invasion of the world during
the First Succession War, the initial orbital bombardment the accidentally
triggering a dormant Supervolcano, devastating the planetary environment.
Cutting their losses, the Combine abandoned the planet, and its population,
but not before looting the stricken world. This included the Piper Aerospace's
original primary production faculty, which was eventually turned over to LAW,
who relocated it to the nearby world of Dieron. LAW then proceeded to produce
re-branded knockoffs of all of Pipers' aircraft, including the Hellfish, using
their own stolen production equipment. Their only modification made when
producing the Taka was to remove the nose mounted machine gun and replace it
with an additional SRM.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class/Model/Name:  Hellfish Light Attack Flighter
Mass:              10 tons

Equipment:                                                              Mass
Power Plant:  40 Turbine                                                 2.00
Thrust:  Safe Thrust: 4
      Maximum Thrust: 6
Structural Integrity: 4                                                   .00
VSTOL Equipment:                                                          .50
Total Heat Sinks:    0 Single                                             .00
Fuel:                                                                    2.00
Cockpit, Avionics & Attitude Thrusters:                                  1.00
Armor Type:  Standard  (8 total armor pts)                                .50
                           Standard Scale Armor Pts
   Location:                            L / R
   Nose:                                  2
   Left/Right Wings:                   2/2
   Aft:                                   2

Weapons and Equipment      Loc        SRV    MRV    LRV    ERV  Heat    Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Machine Gun              Nose         2     --     --     --    0       .50
  Ammo (MG) 100            ---                                            .50
1 SRM 2                    RW           2     --     --     --    0      1.00
1 SRM 2                    LW           2     --     --     --    0      1.00
  Ammo (SRM 2) 50          ---                                           1.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                                                     Heat: 0     10.00
Tons Left:                                                                .00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        146,125 C-Bills
Battle Value:      69
Cost per BV:       2,117.75
Weapon Value:      113 (Ratio = 1.64)
Damage Factors:    SRV = 6;  MRV = 0;  LRV = 0;  ERV = 0
BattleForce2:      MP: 4,  Armor/Structure: 0 / 0
                   Damage PB/M/L: 1/-/-,  Overheat: 0
                   Class: FL;  Point Value: 1

[Red Pins]

...

I'm not sure what to think of this one, Psycho - its obviously dedicated to the role of counter-insurgency, like you said, but have you considered changing out some of the weapons for a Beagle and/or a TAG?  A long-term loiterer with those would be hell for any group depending on overhead concealment - places like colombia where the drug lords are making those drug-carrying submersibles, for example.

At 10 tons, this reminds me of an old observer aircraft, the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco.

[Psyckosama]

...

I'm not sure what to think of this one, Psycho - its obviously dedicated to the role of counter-insurgency, like you said, but have you considered changing out some of the weapons for a Beagle and/or a TAG?  A long-term loiterer with those would be hell for any group depending on overhead concealment - places like colombia where the drug lords are making those drug-carrying submersibles, for example

Good idea for an advanced variant. Right now I'm mostly going for the 3025 feel with these vehicles, hence the one with 3 tons of communications equipment. I find it to be the most interesting era.

Though later on, I'd think stuff like BAPs for the most part will be retained mostly for front line duty and not "wasted" on light duty militia aircraft.

At 10 tons, this reminds me of an old observer aircraft, the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco.

Completely intentional, I assure you. ;)

[Suralin]

You mentioned ill-tempered mutated sea bass in the fluff, but you didn't put frickin' laser beams on the fighter? Even with a turbine engine as an excuse, it just seems wrong  ;D

[Psyckosama]

You mentioned ill-tempered mutated sea bass in the fluff, but you didn't put frickin' laser beams on the fighter? Even with a turbine engine as an excuse, it just seems wrong  ;D

No no no... it's the SHARKS that have freckin' laser beams on their heads ;)

[Red Pins]

Good idea for an advanced variant. Right now I'm mostly going for the 3025 feel with these vehicles, hence the one with 3 tons of communications equipment. I find it to be the most interesting era.

Though later on, I'd think stuff like BAPs for the most part will be retained mostly for front line duty and not "wasted" on light duty militia aircraft.

Completely intentional, I assure you. ;)

...3025, eh?  Ok, nevermind, then.  But BAPs?  This is tailor-made for one.  Surely they can scrape soemthing up for a floundering border planet government.

[Psyckosama]

...3025, eh?  Ok, nevermind, then.  But BAPs?  This is tailor-made for one.  Surely they can scrape soemthing up for a floundering border planet government.

I'll agree it is. 2 tons of fuel, a BAP, and .5 tons of cargo.

It would be a 260k Cbill aircraft... 60k for the aircraft, 200k for the Active probe.

Gotta love a VTOL capable conventional chassis that costs less than an AC/2...

So, lets talk. What quirks should I give it?

[Red Pins]

Reliability, above all - the last thing somebody wants is a major attack while the spotter is down for repairs.
Simplicity - presumably this thing is designed at a central point and distributed in box form, or built by untrained techs from purchased plans.  Simple is good.

Thats all I got - sorry.

[Psyckosama]

Reliability, above all - the last thing somebody wants is a major attack while the spotter is down for repairs.
Simplicity - presumably this thing is designed at a central point and distributed in box form, or built by untrained techs from purchased plans.  Simple is good.

Thats all I got - sorry.

Think it warrants Bad Reputation due to the idiots who don't know what its good for?

[Red Pins]

...Maybe - frankly, it seems the 'light attack fighter' is misleading enough to blame for it.  I'd leave everything else alone, because this is such a niche vehicle.

[Psyckosama]

...Maybe - frankly, it seems the 'light attack fighter' is misleading enough to blame for it.  I'd leave everything else alone, because this is such a niche vehicle.

So what quirks should I go for then?

Easy to Repair?
Bad Reputation?

[Red Pins]

...Bad rep doesn't affect performance, right?  I'd say all three; Bad Rep, Easy to repair, and Reliable.