The Vulture Transport was originally a heavy cargo hauler used to transport heavy equipment, and supplies from Earth to the orbital space stations and the moon base. With the fear of an large Alien invasion it was retrofitted with extra armor and weapon systems. It was discovered with only an additional small modification the Vulture could be used as a fighter transport.
This ship is a long rectangular box with an over sized set of six engine pods on the rear of the craft. The cargo bay covers almost 50% of the craft. The bay doors break and open at the center of the craft, sliding quickly backwards and resting flat on the top, and underside of the ship. This allows for the fighters to get out quickly, as well as not getting in the way of the turrets. Once open, eight fighters can quickly launch (four on each side) and cover the ship, and rest of the departing fighters. Inside the flight bay the fighters are set in a two by two by two formation. This lets all the fighters leave the ship in just under 15 seconds.
Class: Fighter Transport.
Purpose: Primary Fighter Transport; Secondary Defence.
Crew: 25, Captain, Pilot, Copilot, Navigation/Communications, Gunner (4), Repair/Flight Crew (8), Engineering Crew (9)
Passengers: 24; Two squads of fighters.
S.D.C. by Location:
Laser Cannon (4): 135, A.R.: 12
Missile Pods (2): 100, A.R.: 13
Forward Headlights (8): 5*
Rear Lights (4): 5*
Landing Lights (6): 5*
Engineering Section: 2750, A.R.: 14***
Engine Pods (6): 875, A.R.: 10***
Reinforced Pilot's Compartment: 750, A.R.: 19
Main Body: 3250, A.R.: 14**
Escape Pods (7): 100, A.R.: 10****
* They are small or difficult targets to hit. There is a -3 to hit these targets.
** If you deplete the main body, this will destroy/cripple the craft.
*** If you deplete the engineering section or all the engines, this will cripple the craft, leaving it with no power for life support, weapons, or any kind of movement.
**** Standard Escape Pod, with a long-range distress beacon (1000 miles/1600 km). Hold up to 4 people, with food and water rations for 14 days, waste disposal system and an air recycling system that provide breathable air for up to 2 months. Escape pods can be launched even when there is no power to the ship.
Speed:
Flight: The Vulture is not designed for long term flight in the atmosphere, it has a maximum safe speed of 540 mph with a cruising speed of 270 mph, but its powerful rear engines were built to launch it past the reaches of the Earth's gravity.
Space Flight: In zero gravity the Vulture has poor maneuverability and speed, moving as fast as 1485 mph (Mach 2.3).
Repulserlift System: The Vulture can also hover at a max distance of 80 feet above the ground when using only its repulserlifts. It can also move forward at about 120 mph when only using the repulserlifts.
Statistical Data:
Height: 45ft (2.4 m)
Length: 300ft (6.7 m)
Width: 135ft (3.4 m)
Mass: 1250 tons.
Cargo Space: Special; can hold a total of 2 full squadrons of fighters, (24).
Power System: Ion/Fusion Reactor
Range: 22 years of nonstop use.
Defenses: Hardened circuits, reflective armor, and optional weapon systems.
Extras: Landing gear, targeting computer, escape pods (7) (3 Forward & 4 Aft), and sensor cluster.
Weapon Systems
1. Laser Pulse Cannon (4): Primary weapon system, each mounted in a turret, one at each of the four corners of the ship, placed on the sides so to avoid the cargo doors when they open to launch the fighters.
Primary Purpose: Defense
Secondary Purpose: Assault
Damage: 1d6x10 single gun.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of melee attacks of the gunner.
Effective Range: 4000 feet (1200 m), double in space.
Payload: Unlimited.
2. Short Range Missile Launcher (2): A pair of short range missile launchers, controlled by a gunner, or the pilot, located at the rear of the ship, and reloaded automatically. They are kept concealed, and will only rise up and out when they are needed.
Damage: 1d4x10 (F), 1d6x10 (HE), 1d6x10 (AP)
Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 8, 16 or 24.
Effective Range: (F) & (HE) have a range of 2 miles (3.2 km), and (AP) has a range of 5 miles. All ranges double in space.
Fire Arc: Front.
Payload: 24 (12 each); reloading takes one melees, but must be lowered back into concealed position.
Note: The ship normally holds an additional 48 missiles.