The following material is an adaptation of starfighters from COLONY WARS, a science fiction Shooter/Flight Simulator designed by Psygnosis. Please feel free to use, copy, and distribute it as you see fit. All I ask is that you give proper credit to me and do not claim that it is your own work. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

S-9 HYDRA

(Version 1.2 - Last Updated: 10/1/98)

  • Palladium RPG Stats by Jeffrey Cauley
  • Background information provided by Psygnosis


    BACKGROUND

    In the far future, the planet Earth is the center of a great empire. However, this empire is torn apart by civil war as "The Father" leads the League of Free Worlds, a band of colonial fighters that have risen up against the terror of "The Czar", a cruel man in control of the universe. Now, the League needs a few good ships...

    Originally developed as a small scale scout craft known as "Medusa", continual upgrades and modifications resulted in the fearsome assault craft now known as "The Hydra". Of all the League's airborne military craft, it is the Hydra which is most frequently used to engage enemy units and render them harmless.

    It was initially employed in its current form, during the famous "Plantation Scandal" of the Uprisings late phase, during which Navy Craft attempted to wipe out vast tracks of fertile land. The Hydra successfully stopped the attacks and was subsequently used in a number of offensive activities before entering mass production in a number of classified locations.



    RPG STATS:

    Vehicle Type: Space Strike Fighter
    Class: S-9 Hydra Strike StarFighter
    Manufacturer: The League of Free Worlds
    Crew: One pilot in full tactical life support.


    MDC BY LOCATION:
        Primary Wings (4)-----------------------------150 each     
        Secondary Wings (4)----------------------------75 each
        Scatter Gun -----------------------------------50 
        Electro-Magnetic Pulse Guns (2) ---------------50 each
        Anti-Shield Laser Cannons (3) -----------------65 each
        Laser Cannons (3) -----------------------------75 each
    (1) Transparisteel Canopy--------------------------75 
        Engines (4)------------------------------------75
        Reinforced Pilot's Compartment/Escape Pod-----100
        Energy Shields--------------------------------400
    (2) Main Body-------------------------------------400
    


    NOTES:
    (1)

    Destroying the transparisteel canopy will expose the pilot and will end up killing him. Since the transparisteel canopy is part of the escape pod, the pilot cannot hope to save his life by ejecting.

    (2)

    Depleting the MDC of the main body will destroy the Hydra and the pilot (if he hasn't ejected already) will be killed in the resulting explosion.


    SPEEDS:
    FLYING:

    The Hydra can reach speeds in excess of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space, can reach speeds up to Mach 25! The ships general cruising speed in space is somewhere around Mach 12.


    LEAGUE SPACE MOTIVATOR DRIVE UNIT:

    The Hydra has a rather fast hyperdrive system allowing it to travel at a speed of 100 light years per hour in hyperspace. The only problem is that it can only travel in a straight-line and since there are often multiple objects in the flight path (i.e. a star or planet), the ship has to drop out of hyperspace occasionally, realign itself, and re-enter hyperspace.

    STATISTICAL DATA:

    HEIGHT:
    13.9 meters from the top of the ship to the bottom of the landing pads.

    WIDTH:
    13.9 meters from wing tip to wing tip.

    LENGTH:
    18.87 meters from fuselage to engine.

    WEIGHT:
    19.4 metric tons.

    CARGO:
    The ship has a small cargo hatch in the belly of the ship. It can carry no more then 110 kg in an area roughly 6 meters cubed.


    POWER PLANT:
    The ship uses 4 League Thrust Engines to propel it. These are fueled by Cryogenic Power Cells and an Ionization Reactor that requires a certain type of liquid to power a fusion generator which provides the power for the ship's systems (i.e. engines, weapons, life support, shields, etc.). The fuel provides the ship with enough fuel to run perfectly for six hours. The hyperdrive uses the same type of fuel but has a better range. The fact that the fuel for the hyperdrive only powers the hyperdrive allows it to be used for a total of sixteen hours.

    WEAPON SYSTEMS:

    1. LASER CANNONS (3): On the belly of the ship are three of these high powered energy cannons. They are linked meaning that they can be fired only in tandem. The weapons are designed to damage the metal hulls of attacking ships, therefore, do only half the normal damage when firing at energy shields.

  • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
  • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Defense
  • RANGE: 1 km.
  • DAMAGE: 6D6x10 M.D. per triple shot.
  • RATE OF FIRE: Volleys of 3 only.
  • PAYLOAD: The laser have, at full charge, a total of twelve shots stored for each cannon. It takes the ship 1 melee round to completey recharge after all charges have been used.

    2. ANTI-SHIELD (A.S) LASER CANNONS (3): Located below the transparisteel canopy and a bit behind it are three powerful cannons. These cannons fire bursts of concentrated energy designed to bring down the shields of an enemy craft. The only drawback of the weapon is that it can only be used against energy shielding and will be useless against anything else.

  • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-Shield
  • RANGE: .9 km.
  • DAMAGE: 9D8x10 M.D. per triple shot.
  • RATE OF FIRE: Volleys of 3 only.
  • PAYLOAD: The laser have, at full charge, a total of twelve shots stored for each cannon. It takes the ship 1 melee round to completey recharge after all charges have been used.

    3. ELECTRO-MAGNETIC PULSE GUNS (2): Located below the transparisteel canopy and a bit behind it are two unusual guns. These Guns are designed to fire pulses of electro-magnetic radiation which, when in contact with a electrical device, will completely shut it down for 1D6 minutes.

  • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Capture
  • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Defense
  • RANGE: .62 km.
  • DAMAGE: None. See above.
  • RATE OF FIRE: Volleys of 2 only.
  • PAYLOAD: The guns have, at full charge, a total of ten shots stored for each cannon. It takes the ship 1 melee round to completey recharge after all charges have been used.

    4. SCATTER GUN (1): Mounted on the nose of the Hydra, is a single, high-power cannon. This cannon is one of the most versatile weapons on board the ship, because it equally effects the shields and hull of a starship! It is a high-powerd, rapid-pace cannon.

  • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
  • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Defense
  • RANGE: 1.3 km.
  • DAMAGE: 1D4x10+100 M.D.
  • RATE OF FIRE: Volleys of 1, 2, or 4.
  • PAYLOAD: The gun intially has 25 charges/shots, and the shots recharge at a rate of 5 charges per melee action.

    5. DEFLECTOR-SCREEN PROJECTOR: This is the Hydra's primary source of defense. It is a sophisticated system that allows it to repel all energy and projectile attacks and take the damage that would normally be generated to the ship.

  • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Defense
  • PROTECTION: 400 M.D.C.
  • REGENERATION RATE: The shields regenerate at a rate 25 M.D.C. per melee action.
  • SIZE: The shield is ovular shaped so that the closest the shield comes to the ship is 1 meter.
  • DURATION: Unlimited.

    6. MOTION MISSILE TUBE: Located on the bottom of the ship, is a tubule that contains two missiles. When fired, a standard missile which tracks the motion of enemy craft. However if the targeted ship drops below detectable speeds, the missile may lose tracking abilities.

  • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
  • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Defense
  • RANGE: 2.6 km.
  • DAMAGE: 1D6x100 M.D. per missile
  • RATE OF FIRE: 1 per action.
  • PAYLOAD: Two.

    7. ANTI-SHIELD MISSILE TUBE: Located on the bottom of the ship, is a tubule that contains two missiles. These missiles are larger, more powerful versions of the A.S. Laser cannon. When launched, these missiles attack the targeted enemy (with a +5 to strike) and do damage directly and only to shields.

  • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
  • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Defense
  • RANGE: 2.5 km.
  • DAMAGE: 1D6x100 M.D. per missile (to shields only).
  • RATE OF FIRE: 1 per action.
  • PAYLOAD: Two.


    STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE S-9 HYDRA


  • IDENTIFIER FRIEND/FOE (IFF): This is a system that is tied directly into the ship's scanners. It picks up the name and type of ship, station, or probe that are currently being scanned by the ship. It works in tandem with the targeting computer to register target locks and also hooks in with the scanners to record how much damage the target currently displayed has taken. Also, the IFF broadcasts to other ships what kind of craft it is linked to and, if it is a one man ship, who the pilot is.
  • TRACKING COMPUTER WITH HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGING SYSTEM: This system works with the IFF, lasers, and torpedo launchers to acquire targets, hold them in memory, and indicate when the ship is in range and if there is a successful target lock. This system can also target smaller parts of ships allowing it so that parts that have a deduction to strike can be targeted and fired upon without the deduction and even gain a +5 to strike! Also, it helps the torpedoes to gain a successful target lock. This means, that the torpedo will track the target for roughly two melee rounds. The torpedo travels at a speed of 100 Km/Min and they also have a +5 to strike.
  • SENSOR PACKAGE: This is a sophisticated system that has four different types of sensors. The first, a passive sensor, lightly probes the ship without the target ship knowing it is being probed. This probe can gather only small bits of information such as damage, IFF readings, distance, and speed. The second type of sensor is a Scanner. This system gets all the normal information, crew capacity, weapons systems, etc. It also returns the same results as the passive sensor only but along with the wider amount of information, it also alerts the target ship that it is being scanned. The search probe allows the pilot to input a certain system that is to be searched for. For example, the pilot wants to know if the ship has a hyper- drive system. He inputs his query into the computer and the target ship is probed to find out whether or not the system is on board the ship. The last type of sensor is an intense focus on a specific system. This system could be targeted on a weapon system such as a laser gun and the type of info- information that would be brought back would be something along the lines of power needed to operate, damage a weapon will do, etc. This sensor package is considered one of the Leagues better defenses against attack ships.
  • ESCAPE POD: The entire reinforced cockpit of the Hydra is a detachable escape pod that can be jettisoned when the fighter is destroyed. The ejected cockpit does not contain thrusters, but does contain a powerful locator beacon and an integrated life support system that can support the pilot for up to 30 minutes after ejection. The combat computer is programmed to automatically eject the escape pod if the Hydra is destroyed (main body MDC reduced to 0), but this can be overridden if the pilot is feeling suicidal for some reason.
  • HOMING SIGNAL: The escape pod of the Hydra is equipped with a homing device that enables rescue teams to locate a disabled craft or ejected life pod. The range of the signal is 400 miles (640 km). Most fighters and Alliance ships can key on and track/locate specific signals, and the on board computers will automatically notify their pilots if such a signal is detected.
  • STANDARD SURVIVAL KIT: The Hydra comes equipped with a portable survival kit. Inside the small reinforced box is a medium-sized flashlight, two hand flares, one rocket flare, a compass, infrared distancing binoculars, a small mirror, a pocket knife, dehydrated and concentrated food (can be stretched into a five day supply for one person) and basic first aid items (aspirin, bandages, disinfectants, etc.)
  • TACTICAL LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: The Hydra's cockpit is pressurized, and also provides additional air feeds to the pilot's flight suit that provides him with pressurized breathing. The League flight suit also contains an upper and lower g-suit that promotes blood circulation even during high-g turns, thus decreasing the possibility of pilot's blacking out in combat.
  • PILOT FLIGHT SUIT: All League starfighters come with a custom-designed flight suit for the pilot. This flight suit consists of an upper and lower g-suit that promotes circulation even during high-g turns, thus decreasing the possibility of pilot's blacking out in combat.
  • AUDIO/VIDEO COMMUNICATION: Long range, directional communications system with satellite relay capabilities. Range: 600 miles (960 km) or can be boosted indefinitely via satellite relay.
  • FLIGHT CONTROL AVIONICS PACKAGE: This advanced system helps experienced pilots to better navigate the ship. Even if the pilot has never sat in the cockpit of a Hydra, he will still have combat bonuses as if he had been heavily trained in it. The bonuses are as follows:
  • +1 on initiative.
  • +1 to strike.
  • +2 to parry.
  • +1 to dodge.

    COMBAT BONUSES FOR S-9 HYDRA TRAINING:


    NOTE: Most pilots never receive Advanced Hydra Training. The people that do are the elite. BASIC S-9 HYDRA COMBAT TRAINING

  • 2 attacks per melee (plus those of the pilot).
  • Add one additional action/attack at levels two, five, seven, and ten.
  • +2 on initiative.
  • +3 to strike.
  • +4 to parry.
  • +3 to dodge.

    ADVANCED S-9 HYDRA STARFIGHTER COMBAT TRAINING
  • 4 attacks per melee (plus those of the pilot).
  • Add one additional action/attack at levels two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, and fifteen.
  • +4 on initiative.
  • +6 to strike.
  • +8 to parry.
  • +3 to dodge plus an additional +1 to dodge at every even number level of experience.


    REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN



  • Colony Wars by Psygnosis, by Sony Playstation
  • The X-Wing and TIE Fighter Computer games.
  • The X-Wing novels by Michael A. Stakpole and Bantam books.
  • Format Copied from Dave Deitrich

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