Corsair CSR-Z10 Medium Fighter

[Black_Knyght]

ust managed to get my hands on a pair each of old Corsair and Shilone miniatures, so I thought I'd play around with MegaMekLab's Aero program a bit and see what I could work up using them.

This represents my SECOND efforts at doing anything with Aerospace fighters. I would appreciate any friendly critique and help anyone might care to offer.  ;)


Corsair CSR-Z10 (3065)

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Corsair CSR-Z10
IS Adv. Medium Fighter
50 tons 
BV: 1,803
Cost: 23,025,333 C-bills

Movement: 7/11
Engine: 250 XXL
Heat Sinks: 17 [34]

Structural Integrity: 7
Armor: 241 (Ferro-Aluminum)
                        Armor
-----------------------------
Nose                       75
Left Wing                  62
Right Wing                 62
Aft                        42


Weapon                         Loc  Heat
----------------------------------------
ER Large Laser                 NOS    12
ER Large Laser                 NOS    12
ER Medium Laser                RWG     5
ER Medium Laser                LWG     5

Equipment                      Loc
----------------------------------
Targeting Computer             NOS
Guardian ECM Suite             NOS
Ferro-Aluminum                 NOS

[Gray Jaguar]

The design isn't bad, but I always worry when I see no Aft Arc weapons to defend when enemy fighters inevitability get behind you.  Its always nice to have a back-up set of firepower.  As for the Guardian ECM, if using the optional rules from Tactical and Strategic Operations, they can be very useful, so I approve of its appearance :D

As a side note, the Ferro-Aluminum is a little wonky for critical spaces taken up as it should be in the wings not the Nose (pg. 192 Tech Manual).  Also how much fuel did you allocate to the design?

[sillybrit]

The design isn't bad, but I always worry when I see no Aft Arc weapons to defend when enemy fighters inevitability get behind you.  Its always nice to have a back-up set of firepower.

There's only room for a single weapon in the aft arc due to the space taken up by the XXLFE, however there is 0.5t unallocated, assuming the standard 5t fuel, so that slot could be filled by an ERSL. Unfortunately, that would then require a larger TarCom. Switching to HFA would save 1t mass, and add 7pts of armor, but then take up the last aft slot, plus require the design date to be pushed back after 3069. To get an aft gun, something would have to go.

A couple of other concerns about the XXLFE. The fighter looks heat balanced, but it's not, due to the XXLFE, with the fighter gaining 2 heat in a turn even if it expends no thrust, gaining 4 or 6 heat for safe or max thrust respectively. The XXLFE is also very unlikely for a design built in 3065, as they don't get reclassified from experimental to advanced until 3125, and even then I don't think there's been a single production ASF with an XXLFE.

[Gray Jaguar]

There's only room for a single weapon in the aft arc due to the space taken up by the XXLFE, however there is 0.5t unallocated, assuming the standard 5t fuel, so that slot could be filled by an ERSL. Unfortunately, that would then require a larger TarCom. Switching to HFA would save 1t mass, and add 7pts of armor, but then take up the last aft slot, plus require the design date to be pushed back after 3069. To get an aft gun, something would have to go.

A couple of other concerns about the XXLFE. The fighter looks heat balanced, but it's not, due to the XXLFE, with the fighter gaining 2 heat in a turn even if it expends no thrust, gaining 4 or 6 heat for safe or max thrust respectively. The XXLFE is also very unlikely for a design built in 3065, as they don't get reclassified from experimental to advanced until 3125, and even then I don't think there's been a single production ASF with an XXLFE.

Yeah, the XXL can be a problem.  I think there aren't any XXL Fusion Engines on AeroSpace Fighters in the era either but that's probably a not a concern for a custom design unless Roleplaying, logistics, or the fluff of the design requires it.  Removing the TarCom would be enough to get a weapon slot and reduce the need for an XXL without hurting the overall rebuild too much I think.

[Black_Knyght]

Oooops, didn't realize XXL engine were that bad!

That said - I reduced the Corsair's speed back down to 6/9 and switched to an XL engine, reduced the heat sinks, and increased it's fuel to 6 tons. I changed the firepower to three forward firing Large Lasers backed by a rear-firing Extended-Range Medium Laser, but at the expense of a half ton of armor. I also kept the Ferro-Aluminum armor, Targeting Computer, and the Guardian ECM.

Corsair CSR-Z10 (revision-A)

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Corsair CSR-Z10 (revision-A)
IS Medium Fighter
50 tons 
BV: 1,534
Cost: 5,206,708 C-bills

Movement: 6/9
Engine: 200 XL
Heat Sinks: 12 [24]

Structural Integrity: 6
Armor: 232 (Ferro-Aluminum)
                        Armor
-----------------------------
Nose                       72
Left Wing                  60
Right Wing                 60
Aft                        40


Weapon                         Loc  Heat
----------------------------------------
Large Laser                    NOS     8
Large Laser                    RWG     8
Large Laser                    LWG     8
ER Medium Laser                AFT     5

Equipment                      Loc
----------------------------------
Targeting Computer             NOS
Guardian ECM Suite             NOS
Ferro-Aluminum                 AFT

[Gray Jaguar]

Neat upgrade.  You should consider ER Medium Lasers or Light PPCs with Capacitors.  They can be fun too when weight is an issue and in AeroSpace minimum range is pretty much not a thing.

[Black_Knyght]

Now with improved rear defenses.


Corsair CSR-Z12

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Corsair CSR-Z12
-------------------
Base Tech Level: Standard (IS)
Level: 2  Era: FedCom Civil War
-------------------
Experimental    - 
Advanced        - 
Standard      3075+
Tech Rating: E/X-X-E-X

Weight: 50 tons
BV: 1,646
Cost: 5,816,708 C-bills
Source: TRO - Black Knights

Movement: 6/9
Engine: 200 XL
Heat Sinks: 18 [36]
Fuel Points: 400/480 (6.0 tons)

Structural Integrity: 6
Armor: 238 (Heavy Ferro-Aluminum)
            Armor 
-------------------
Nose           73 
Left Wing      60 
Right Wing     60 
Aft            45 

Weapons              Loc  Heat 
--------------------------------
ER Large Laser       NOS   12   
ER Large Laser       NOS   12   
ER Medium Laser      RWG    5   
ER Medium Laser      RWG    5   
ER Medium Laser      LWG    5 
ER Medium Laser      LWG    5   
ER Medium Laser      AFT    5   
Anti-Missile System  AFT    1   
 
Ammo                           Loc  Shots 
-------------------------------------------
Anti-Missile System Ammo [IS]  AFT     12