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Ship Lore - Thexare - 06-27-2020

// Hello and welcome to a little project of mine. Ship lore. Basically, a write-up on the origins and attributes in-universe of various open-market vessels. By the time I'm done, I hope to cover all civilian, Border Worlds, and otherwise non-faction craft. I've dabbled in this before.

Note that while I am a dev, and I do write ship infocards, this is not official canon. You're free to disregard if you like, but if you want to use it, feel free. I'll also take suggestions and ideas, feel free to PM me.

Also! If your faction has a Variant to note, let me know! There's room for more.


Table of Contents


CTE-4000 "Griffin" Light Escort
CTE-3000 "Falcon" Escort Fighter
CTE-6000 "Eagle" Heavy Escort
CTE-19000 "Roc" Escort Bomber
CTE-F-1050-A "Kestrel" Freighter
CTE-12400 "Condor" Multirole Corvette


History
As piracy continued to rise in Liberty, the Big Three found their armed Startracker escorts to be woefully inadequate. Ageira and Deep Space Engineering worked together, with funding from IC and Universal, to design new, highly advanced escorts suitable for escorting long-haul convoys. The CTE-1500 "Hawk" Light Escort was the first model in the new line. Agile, resillient, and surprisingly livable for a combat craft, the Hawk was an instant hit.

The new vessels attracted interest all over Sirius, and Ageira and DSE made a killing selling them on the open market. With the rollout of the CTE-3000 "Falcon" Escort Fighter, licenses were offered to other corporations to produce the craft themselves.

Naturally, a vessel this successful quickly found interest from pirates and terrorists. The Xenos are generally agreed to be the first criminal organization to employ Hawks, believed to have been sourced from Universal sympathizers. Deployment from there is harder to track, but the vessels quickly became an ubiquitous sight across Sirius, on both ends of a convoy raid. It should come as little surprise that agencies such as the Liberty Security Force have also employed a number of these craft to hide in plain sight.

Unfortunately, as pirate tech and competing vessels have improved, the CTE series - even the long-beloved Eagle - had severely fallen behind. The '27 models, which have an upgrade package available for older craft as well, were specifically targeted at fixing those issues, but so far they still have the reputation of being large, clunky, and underpowered. The marketing campaign, "Not Your Father's Falcon", has seen limited success in changing that impression.

The first bomber in the CTE line was the CTE-10000 "Thunderbird", produced by the Zoners of the deep Omicrons in 810 AS. Though its anti-warship performance could be charitably described as "adequate", the over-armored torpedo tubes weighed the ship down and made it a larger target, a preview of what was to afflict the rest of the series later. Often derisively called the "pregnant Eagle", the Thunderbird had few fans, merely pilots that had few other choices. In 814, Ageira and BMM revealed the new CTE-19000 "Roc" Escort Bomber, which swiftly replaced the aging and unpopular Thunderbird.

The CTE-F-1050-A "Kestrel" is a late development in the line. The original prototype was made with parts from decommissioned Hawks and a spare cargo pod. Initial results were promising, and a proper design was formulated, leading to the modern Kestrel. Originally rolled out in 815 AS to limited distribution, most current Kestrels are built off the 823 AS revision with an expanded cabin owing to improvements in optronics miniaturization.

Zoners made another contribution to the line in 817 AS, this time from the deep Omegas. Working in concert with the Junkers of Bornholm Depot they devised the Condor, a versatile, well-balanced corvette suited to protecting vital supply convoys from rampaging Wild and belligerent pirates. Considerably more popular than the Thunderbird, the Condor's success led to Ageira and DSE purchasing full rights to the blueprints. The Condor was thus fully absorbed into the CTE family, designated CTE-12400, and as with the rest of the line, construction contracts were offered to numerous civilian companies.

Variations
Owing to the strict licensing requirements, there are few official variants, most of which amount to little more than a rebadging and some furnishing adjustments to the cabin. Lawyers, however, are woefully ineffective against Junkers, pirates, and terrorists, but such variations are rarely well-documented.

Maintenance and Reliability
Engineered from the ground up for mass production and mass deployment, the CTE series is praised for ease of maintenance. Documentation and training are readily available and parts are easily sourced, with many components cross-compatible across the line. This is why even as performance suffered compared to the competition, many corporations continued to field CTE escorts.

CTE snubcraft are also highly reliable and easy to operate, with flight controls comparable in complexity to the Startrainer shuttlecraft many students learn to fly with. The Condor is a more complicated beast, but still designed for a civilian market first and foremost; it's not unheard of for a military academy to maintain one or two as training craft, when a decommissioned patrol ship is unavailable.

Perception
Though once near-universally sought out by freelancers and hobbyists, the CTE line has taken a hit to its reputation in the last decade or so. In addition to the lagging engineering referenced in History, the vessels are often considered overly sterile and corporate, devoid of character. They have always been regarded as very reliable craft, however.

The Condor escaped much of the reputation decay its smaller siblings suffered, owing largely to a lack of competition. With only the Montante and significantly heftier Ahoudori as open-markiet competition, those who work primarily in House space often stick by the Condor for the availability of parts and ease of maintenance. Its edgeworld origin is something of an open secret, which has helped its perception among freelancers and other travellers significantly.

Special Notes
There's little else to say about the CTE small craft. If you've flown one, you're ready to fly them all; craft within this line have very similar control schema and no notable quirks. They are unexciting, but efficient and reliable.



RE: Ship Lore - Thexare - 06-27-2020



CTE 750AE "Starflier" Personal Shuttle
CTE-1270AV "Startracker" Sport Utility Shuttle (discontinued)
CTE 1440AV "Starblazer" High-Performance Shuttle


History
Before the Hawk, the CTE line was known for its high-performance shuttlecraft. The 750AE "Starflier" was first produced in 748 AS, and marketed as the herald of the coming decade. Fast, durable, easy to fly, and with a spacious cargo hold (all for the standards of the civilian market of the time), it was an instant hit. Though initially marketed as a craft for enthusiasts, improvements to the manufacturing process caused the price to drop rapidly., By 770 AS, when Deep Space Engineering announced the expanded Startracker, it had secured its reputation as a workhorse for the working man, and the announcement met with great enthusiasm.

The CTE-1270AV "Startracker" boasted an expanded cargo bay, reinforced armor, and improved power system. While initially intended as the more rugged, but still civilian sibling to the Starflier, these improvements led to the Startracker being used as a corporate escort and an early ship for aspiring freelance pilots. Over the next several years, DSE enjoyed immense profit from the endeavor.

Unfortunately, manufacturing issues plagued the Startracker line, often resulting in an underpowered, unreliable ship. Continued attempts to improve the often woefully inadequate Startracker led to the development of the Starblazer.

The CTE 1440AV "Starblazer" has a dark secret, however - it was not a DSE development. The first Starblazers were, in fact, rolled out by the Xenos in 789 AS. At a time when they had precious little outside support, they found that with two Startrackers and a little ingenuity, they could create one shockingly effective craft. With only a slightly larger frame than the Startracker and more firepower than any civilian craft on the market at the time, these early improvised Starblazers were the terror of the lanes, only hindered by their poor durability.

It wasn't until 805 AS that DSE officially released their version of the Starblazer. With further improved plating and a dramatically improved thrust control system, the Starblazer immediately redeemed the line's public image. Things were looking up for DSE, with the Starblazer's popularity enduring even as competition increased in post-Nomad War Sirius.

It was not to last. In 813 AS, a terrible crash at an unsanctioned race in California led to the deaths of eight racers, five of which flew Starblazers and another one flew a Startracker. This resulted in new laws cracking down on racing, and an independent safety review that found the whole family woefully lacking in modern safety features. The entire series was immediately pulled from the market, only circulating in pirate hangars and second-hand sales.

Despite the problems, the series maintained a dedicated enthusiast community that continually petitioned for a return to market. After the Gallic War, when much of DSE's manufacturing capacity was freed up, these petitions finally bore fruit - the Starflier and Starblazer returned to the market with massive improvements over previous models.

Variations
The enthusiast market for this line has little interest in offshoots, and as such there are no official variations. The Xenos do have their own templates for conversion of other CTE series craft, and assembly from parts, creating a nasty little ship the Navy have taken to calling the Agitator. Despite variation in the parts used, Agitators have consistently proven exceptionally dangerous craft with reliable performance.

Maintenance and Reliability
Prior to the Starflier and Starblazer returning to the market, it was extremely difficult to find parts to maintain existing craft. Though reliable, once they were pulled from the market DSE strongly encouraged people to move up to Hawks and Falcons instead, even offering trade-in deals. Despite this, they were exceptionally reliable craft, and often needed little more than routine maintenance unless they suffered a collision.

With the supply situation resolved, these craft are incredibly easy to take care of... again, unless there's a collision. Due to their small frame compared to many other craft, which is dominated by the cockpit, collisions can result in extensive damage that requires specialized tools and highly-trained mechanics to fix.

Perception
Prior to being pulled from the market, Starfliers were perceived as "My First Spaceship", but in a good way. Many freelancers looked back fondly on their time flying a Starflier, and some continued to keep one for fun even after upgrading their 'work' ship. The Startracker was less well-regarded, which likely contributes to why it hasn't returned to the market.

Starblazers are near-universally known as a daredevil's ship. With scant plating between the pilot and the void beyond and nothing obstructing a near-panoramic view of the action, those who fly Starblazers in combat are seen as utterly fearless, and with good reason.

Special Notes
As mentioned above, there is very little "ship" between the pilot and vacuum. This can be unnerving, or outright terrifying, for people accustomed to more bulky craft. But that's exactly the feeling the ship's fans crave.

RE: Ship Lore - Thexare - 06-29-2020



IDC K-LF-337 "Stargazer" Personal Shuttle
IDC K-VI-18 "Sunrider" Heavy Fighter
IDC K-FR-2303 "Sunburst" Light Freighter


History
As the Starflier's popularity soared, Inwood Design Company saw their own fortunes fading. The Starflier was capable of limited atmospheric maneuvers, adequate for most civilian uses, and as such threatened IDC's airship industry. They needed a solution, fast.

The J-39-AF Cloudrunner was their best hope - an atmospheric courier capable of short-duration space travel with some upgrades. Once fitted with a light hazard shield and modified engines, Cloudrunners were capable of shuttling goods from Trenton to Manhattan and back quicker than the dedicated spaceborne freighters of the time. Though these converted Cloudrunners were limited in both spaceborne performance and cargo capacity, the conversions were inexpensive and Cloudrunners were not in short supply. As such, they brought in enough money for Inwood to design a proper dedicated spacecraft to compete with the Starflier. In 784, the first purpose-built IDC spacecraft was released - the J-SH-32 Stargazer Model A.

It was a moderate success. Though more expensive than the Starflier, it had the advantage of existing familiarity, with similar craft still commonly seen in the skies of Manhattan. The controls were familiar to atmospheric pilots as well, with only a few additions needed for space travel. In a way, that was the problem - the controls were fundamentally designed for atmospheric flight, leaving experienced spacefarers somewhat in the dark as to how to operate the thing. It wasn't until the Model K in 804 that all the lingering relics of dedicated atmospheric design were finally phased out, forming the foundation of IDC's new K Series.

The Model K was a resounding success, and is believed to have been the final blow to the Startracker. Safer, more comfortable, better-defended, and more reliable, many customers considered the increased price a bargain. IDC used this new income to construct a new factory on Planet Erie dedicated to spacecraft, and quickly rolled out the K-FR-2302 "Sunburst". The lessons learned in the development of the Stargazer line contributed to making the Sunburst a reliable, efficient freighter at budget prices. The Sunburst proved exceptionally popular with both corporate and freelance clientele. despite its very utilitarian, no-frills design.

Unfortunately, this was affecting IDC's reputation. Though the Stargazer was originally a relatively upmarket craft, more recent models were at the same budget prices as the Sunburst. While they were considered very capable craft for their price, IDC used to also be known for its respected high-performance aircraft, not just common models. Company leadership wanted to reclaim that reputation, and ordered their brightest engineers to get to work on a new fighter.

Early prototypes were not inspiring. For several years, IDC's offerings were limited to the Stargazer and Sunburst, with some optional extras to fancy them up. Finally in 818 AS, they revealed the K-VI-18 "Sunrider". Though larger than many competing fighters, much of that space was dedicated to an expansive cabin capable of comfortably housing a copilot for long-range operation. With its exceptional agility and long operational range, the vessel drew immediate interest from bounty hunters, freelancers, and Zoners, and its performance and comfort quickly restored IDC's reputation for both budget and high-end craft.

Variations
IDC's shipbuilding facilities are still somewhat limited, and as such they don't produce any real variants. There are a number of optional extras available, primarily dedicated to creature comforts. Zoners in the Omegas have devised standardized upgrade packages for the Sunburst and Sunrider to make the craft better able to handle hazardous regions of space.

Maintenance and Reliability
While IDC vessels are built for reliability, all ships need maintenance. Most of the parts used in maintaining IDC craft are readily available, but some specialized components are difficult to source outside of Liberty and Bretonia. Interspace bases usually have them in stock, as well as Freeport 1.

Perception
IDC craft are consistently considered very good values for their price. Comfortable, reliable, and engineered for safety, they're among the best craft on the civilian market. The Sunrider has drawn particular attention from freelancers, who often live out of their ship. Corporations rarely make significant use of Stargazers or Sunriders, but the economical Sunburst is commonly seen.

Special Notes
Despite their chunky frames, IDC craft have proven surprisingly popular in the border worlds. Their agility allows them to swiftly traverse even the densest asteroid fields, and their redundant safety features are a valuable safety net should one misjudge their trajectory.

RE: Ship Lore - Thexare - 06-30-2020



Series CX "Scimitar" Light Fighter
Series QX "Switchblade" Heavy Fighter
Series Z "Sabre" Strike Fighter
Series CZ "Cutlass" Strike Bomber
Series YX "Dromedary" Freighter
Series W "Warhammer" Patrol Cutter
Series DL Transport
Series DLX Bulk Transport
Series WZ "Montante" Multirole Corvette


History
The ubiquitous Border Worlds craft were originally developed by the Outcasts. Every time they improved on the design, they sold older craft to allies and prospective allies - always maintaining their advantage, but offering valuable equipment nonetheless.

But that was generations ago. When the predecessor to the Stiletto was distributed in 763 AS, enterprising Zoners at the newly-established Freeport 10 purchased several for engineering experiments. In the interest of ensuring the Zoners keep the access routes to their homeworld safe, the Outcasts consented to this. Their modifications were effective at increasing the power of the craft, despite being somewhat crudely done, and they "voluntarily" surrendered two examples to the Outcasts for proper refinement.

Seeing what parts were used in their upgrades, the Outcasts realized that their manufacturing process needed revisions. They intended to continue arming their allies, but even as close as Freeport 10, many of the more advanced parts were unavailable. While they could ship parts, that would divert ships from the cardamine trade. As such, they began specifically producing lower-quality but easier-to-maintain craft to sell to anyone who might be useful to the Outcasts. The first Series X "Dagger" was released to great success, dramatically increasing the effectiveness of Lane Hacker raids. Sales to the Zoners continued as well, primarily to cast doubt on the sourcing of the ships.

The Series Y "Stiletto" and Series YX "Dromedary" came next, launched together in 792 AS. By this point, the manufacturing process had been essentially perfected, and the Outcasts continued to sell ships directly to their allies. They also began selling them through the Zoners for redistribution, knowing that those who fled the Houses wouldn't then sell the craft to law enforcement. Later, in 804 AS, this arrangement was put in jeopardy by Zoners selling Dromedaries to the IMG.

The Series Z "Sabre" was released to great fanfare in 798 AS. With more firepower than any other fighter on the market, the Sabre drew significant interest immediately. Its cost, however, limited the number of buyers; the Red Hessians chose to simply duplicate the design on their own instead of buying it.

As the Tau War raged on, the Zoners of Freeport 6 desperately cobbled together the Series CX "Falcata" bomber. Though they had no intention of entering the war, they worried about the possibility of pirates using the chaos to strike their station. Unfortunately, the Falcata's designers didn't seem to fully grasp what makes the shipline work, resulting in a clumsy, ugly ship that was uncomfortably fragile for its role. At the end of the war, the Outcasts began selling their own Series CZ "Cutlass" bombers as their new Conquistador line's development accelerated. They sold a batch to the Freeport 6 Zoners at a discount, with the condition that they scrap all of their Falcatas; apparently, Outcast designers considered the ship an insult.

The original Series ST Transport had an expansive internal cargo hold and impressive agility, but somewhat anemic firepower. Since it was essentially a standard cargo vessel, Outcasts sold the vessel openly as early as 783 AS, and sold the blueprints to several other organizations as well - all the better to make their smuggling craft seem normal. It remained extremely popular for many years, though it's rarely seen in modern times. It has been largely supplanted by the Zoner-designed Series DL and Series DLX transports released in 822 AS, whose external cargo pods allow for much faster cargo transfers at bases equipped to handle them. This now includes the majority of pirate bases as well.

Deep in Omega-41, the Zoners at Freeport 5 knew that even as unpleasant as it was, they had to protect themselves. As such, they produced the Series V "Voulge" Bomber, which... didn't really work out so well. An utterly graceless ship weighed down by the incredibly thick radiation shielding the system demanded, the Voulge failed to meet expectations. The few circulated were recalled due to rampant technical issues, and the designers went back to the drawing board. Over the course of several years, a custom heavy generator was developed. In addition, they engineered dynamically-rerouting shielding that could drain power from the radiation shields in combat or in areas where that level of hazard protection wasn't needed. This allowed for significantly improved engine performance while maintaining both anti-fighter and anti-warship capabilities and keeping the pilot reasonably safe. The Series W "Warhammer" was somewhat more successful than the Voulge on the market, but the Outcasts generally take some offense to the craft.

The Series WZ "Montante" was produced from a rarity among the Outcasts - a failed upgrade. The structure of their Tridente gunships allowed impressive agility, but significantly complicated internal repairs; as such, they sought to design a more reliable gunship more suited to long-range operations. The resulting Montante is a very capable ship, its only failure is that it's not better. Though it does have a longer operational range than their Tridentes, its reduced firepower proved disappointing and the blueprints were sold off - though some Outcast captains do prefer the Montante even still.

It's not clear when the Series CX "Scimitar" and Series YX "Switchblade" were released. It took the Universal ID System several years to properly recognize them as seperate from the older Dagger and Stiletto, which many factions - the Lane Hackers especially - were only too happy to exploit. It's believed that this was somewhere around 809 AS, at the same time as a revision to the Dromedary was released by the Zoners.

Variations
The majority of Border Worlds ships still in service were specifically designed for export, to be compatible with local parts. As such, many factions have made their own variations. Notably, the Lane Hacker-designed Series XE "Shamshir" was designed for electronic warfare. While it retained the Scimitar's agility and firepower, its guidance system was much weaker and generally unable to handle guided missiles, especially in asteroid fields.

The Outcasts do still field a considerable number of these craft as well, The Maltese pattern is believed to have higher performance, but this may simply be due to the pilots.

Maintenance and Reliability
Maintenance was specifically accounted for in the design of the export Border Worlds craft. Though their parts tend to be expensive, they're widely available on Zoner Freeports and many other stations as well.

The Warhammer is particularly resillient. Junkers report being able to repair them with a remarkable range of components, likely due to the Freeport 5 Zoners wanting to maintain their defense ships no matter what they have on-hand.

Perception
Border Worlds fighters are widely respected for their combat ability. Fast and with class-leading firepower, they have long been considered among the best on the market. The cargo vessels, likewise, are often the first choice of freelancers and many organizations, legitimate and otherwise.

The Montante is generally considered more of a mid-range vessel. While fully capable of taking on competing corvettes and efficiently providing anti-fighter defense, its performance is not considered remarkable in any particular field. It's considered extremely reliable for long-duration operations, however.

The Warhammer and Cutlass have a poor reputation due to their predecessors and the unique design of the Warhammer. While both are considerably improved over their predecessors, the reputation of unreliability lingers nonetheless.

Special Notes
Border Worlds craft are not luxury vessels, they are engineered for peak performance. As such, they may not be particularly pleasant for long voyages. The larger craft - the Warhammer, Montante, and cargo vessels - have room for more personal comforts (which must be installed aftermarket), but some believe this defeats the purpose of a rugged ship for rugged people.

RE: Ship Lore - Thexare - 07-03-2020



BWX-F1A "Bayonet" Electronic Warfare Fighter
HFX-F3A "Falchion" Superiority Fighter
HBX-F2C "Broadsword" Assault Bomber


History
Following the success of the limited run of Series XE "Shamshir" EW craft, the Lane Hackers decided to push their advantage even further. Working with trusted specialists at Ames Research Station, they engineered a low-profile frame perfectly suited to slipping through the Barrier and through the residual dark matter clouds of the northern Independent Worlds. More important than the frame is the vast sensor and electronic warfare package; fully 90% of what would normally be the cabin was filled with equipment and heatsinks.

The initial 815 rollout of the Bayonet was a huge success. The recon and advanced electronic warfare suite made it perfectly suited to the Lane Hackers, while the Vagrant Raiders took to throwing their untested rookies into them in the hopes that the jamming suite would allow them to have an impact even without combat experience. In 818 AS, Bayonets entered the open market and saw a similar success. Though much of the Lane Hacker technology was removed, open-market equipment filled the gaps reasonably well; the electronic warfare equipment wasn't as potent, but the deep space scanners were in many ways more versatile. No longer tuned specifically for the Barrier and northern Independent Worlds, this run of Bayonets was at home in any nebula or asteroid field.

The origin of the HFX-F1A "Falchion" is disputed, with Lane Hackers and remnants of the Hellfire Legion each claiming credit. This is likely an artifact of the acrimonious collapse of the old Vespucci Alliance. Ironically, the initial Falchion run was poorly-received and not a very good performer; were it not for the bad breakup, it's likely neither would want credit. The first run of the Falchion was an interceptor, and a remarkably large one. A huge portion of the fuselage was dedicated to engines, both for main thrust and expansive, powerful maneuvering thrusters, with the intent of producing an exceptionally fast, agile craft that didn't sacrifice armor or firepower. Unfortunately, it resulted in a big, unwieldy, disorienting mess of a ship. Though the maneuvering thrusters were powerful enough to compensate for the ship's bulky frame, they resulted in jerky handling that many pilots simply couldn't handle. Those who survived often returned to Scimitars or Bayonets.

Lane Hacker, Hellfire Legion, and Vagrant Raider engineers recalled the frames and tried to figure out a way to fix the problem. Ultimately they all settled independently on the same thing - accept the size, don't try to make a light fighter of it. Armor up, divert power to guns and shields, add firepower. Through this, the HFX-F1B1 Falchion β came to be, and the craft were released on the open market. To its credit, the frame was remarkably stable and handled these modifications well, leading to converted interceptors and newly-constructed fighters having very similar performance. Very similar, still-disappointing performance. Though these heavier Falchions proved more capable than the interceptor model, they were near-unanimously described by their pilots as "like a Sabre, but worse."

These earlier Falchion models can't be discussed without addressing the Broadsword Strike Module. Insurgents and pirates often face limitations of hangar space, leading to a reliance on reliable strike fighters instead of heavily-specialized bombers and interceptors. The Broadsword Modular System was envisioned as a solution to this problem, allowing access to both interceptor and bomber while taking as much space as one strike fighter. Unfortunately the lightweight frame of the Falchion interceptor combined with the heavy Broadsword pods to create a very unwieldy distribution of mass, making the bomber even more difficult to control than the interceptor. The Falchion β fared somewhat better, but required revisions to the Broadsword pods for compatibility with the revised power grid.

With sales failing quickly, this resulted in the existing Falchion and Falchion β frames being entirely mothballed. In early 824 AS, a small team at Heisenberg Research Station purchased a number of these mothballed frames, and began experimenting with significant structural changes. By the end of the year, they produced the first HFX-F3A2 Falchion Γ. Completely overhauled from the original, the newest revision of the Falchion abandoned the Broadsword Modular System in favor of a purpose-built fighter engineered for maximum performance. Though straying from the roots of the project, the team finally produced a successful Falchion that has seen use across Sirius in a variety of combat situations.

Though rumors persist that they're working on a similar approach to the Broadsword, thus far they've only released the plans for the HBX-F2C Broadsword, fully integrating the Broadsword modules with an overhauled version of the classic Falchion frame. This new Broadsword is still not hugely popular, but has been more successful and more reliable than past models.

1. Or VRX-, LHX, or BWX-, depending on who you ask
2. Where HFX now means "Heisenberg Fighter, Experimental"

Variations
The Lane Hackers and Natio Octavarium still maintain their own variant Bayonets. The Lane Hacker model is based on the original EW model, with some technological improvements, while the Natio Octavarium variant is built around their Limelight series of scanners for recon along the Barrier.

Maintenance and Reliability
In stark contrast to the 'classic' Border Worlds craft, these vessels are very high-maintenance due to the sensitive equipment they rely on. Their wide distribution means parts are relatively easy to acquire, but rather expensive and often difficult to replace; it's strongly recommended to stay on top of the daily cleaning and post-flight maintenance regimen to avoid having to replace parts.

Note also that the Broadsword has its primary generators in the wing-pods, and as a result maintenance is different from, and often more complicated than, that of other common bombers.

A well-maintained Bayonet, Falchion, or Broadsword will be an exceptionally reliable performer, but maintenance is often considered a two-man job at a minimum.

Perception
Bayonet pilots are often considered shifty, untrustworthy sorts. Those who know the craft's use in exploration and patrol are also aware of its less-upstanding uses, and those who aren't familiar with its civilian value will often only know it from its Hacker and Raider history. As a result, many people are averse to the craft. Mercenary companies, however, are often eager to train Bayonet pilots due to the craft's vital tactical role.

The Falchion and Falchion β were well known for how difficult they could be to work with, but the current model is well-respected and held in similar esteem to the Sabre.

The Broadsword is generally considered unremarkable, but competent.

Special Notes
Like the classic Border Worlds line, these are not luxury vessels. The Bayonet and Falchion Γ in their stock configurations have very small cabins with no room for a co-pilot, and long-range operations are almost always reliant on carriers or friendly bases. The Broadsword has more room and can be equipped for a copilot for support or rotating duty, but it is still a spartan arrangement.

RE: Ship Lore - Thexare - 07-06-2020



Renzu Corp. "Ki" High-Performance Shuttlecraft (discontinued)
Renzu Corp. "Saishi" Escort Fighter
Renzu Corp. "Sutinga" Heavy Escort
Renzu Corp. "Touketsu" Escort Bomber
Renzu Corp. "Anki" Freighter
Renzu Corp. Shukensha-class Luxury Liner


History
The Renzu Corporation, a humble business concern that has survived the centuries amongst giants of industry1, has long produced small runs of civilian craft. Though Samura and Kishiro often attempted to portray their Renzu rivals as a budget, foreigner-influenced shipwright, many younger pilots were drawn to the innovative craft. These same pilots would often stop at Roppongi Station, leading to Interspace Commerce taking notice of the small-but-persistent manufacturer.

In 805 AS Interspace invested considerable funding into Renzu, and later partnered with them to expand their production lines and distribution network. Orbital Spa & Cruise were the first major new customer; Renzu craft were already known to perform well and didn't have the perception of sterile corporate design that affected the CTE escort line. With Interspace ensuring parts availability, they were a perfect fit for the Sirius-spanning travel company.

The spaceborne Renzu Shipyards were finally completed in 816 AS. Most of the delays between Interspace's investment and the project commencing in 813 were related to licensing issues owing to Samura-backed obstruction.

While the Ki was an exceptionally popular craft with agility only rivalled within Kusari by the Hayabusa, the tragic 813 AS crash in California led to Renzu pulling the model. Though the race's two Ki-flying participants survived, they believed it would be politically expedient, and good PR, to pull a craft known to be in wide use by racers. They have received several inquiries about returning the model to the market, which have only become more common now that DSE has resumed Starblazer sales.

The Anki is the oldest Renzu design still in production, though continually updated to modern standards. The Gas Miners Guild and Independent Miners Guild have purchased a large number of them, using them primarily as mobile communications arrays in the border worlds.

The Saishi escort fighter is Renzu's lightest craft. Its tall-and-narrow design makes it very well-suited to travel around dense cities, and an effective combat vessel as well. Too effective, according to many pirates. It lacks some space in comparison to its rivals, especially the Falcon, but the performance more than compensates in the eyes of many.

Due to the Saish's remarkable performance, the Touketsu was built off the same basic frame. Renzu engineers acquired several Broadswords for use as an engineering reference; though they had no intention of making the Touketsu a modular craft, the Saishi frame simply had no room for further expansion. Auxiliary generators were added to the wing pods and engines were added to offset the extra weight. It wasn't quite enough. They had intended for the Touketsu to be a viable strike fighter, but it was simply too bulky for the job. Another team devised the Sutinga while the Touketsu development team retooled the craft as a light bomber instead - a role it performed much more capably.

The Shukensha-class luxury liner is Renzu's newest craft, and is by far the most expensive ship on the civilian market. Though the hull and superstructure are constructed in the typical heavy-machinery-and-robots manner, much of the interior detail and nearly all of the furnishings are hand-crafted. The second Shukensha to leave the shipyard was purchased by the Hogosha, who now employ the ship was the Golden Dragon Casino.

1. Interspace Commerce Market Research dictates that Renzu Corporation always be referred to in this way at least once in all marketing material.


Variations
Interspace Commerce has an exclusive distribution agreement for these craft and very aggressive lawyers. Variations are limited to what Renzu produces, and Renzu doesn't produce variants. However, a handful of the old strike fighter Touketsus are still in use by OS&C for patrols, and Shukensha-class liners are all built to the specific requests of the individual buyer.

Maintenance and Reliability
The Touketsu is prone to power conduit failures between the auxiliary generators and main power, but has enough redundancies to safely return to a dock for repairs. Newer models are generally more reliable, of course, but a number of early-run bomber Touketsus are still employed. While the Touketsu employs a similar generator arrangement to the Broadsword, the Touketsu's primary generator is still in the main body and the pods carry auxiliary generators. This is the opposite of the Broadsword's arrangement,.

Older models of the Saishi had severely overtuned maneuvering thrusters. While some pilots were able to adapt to this, this still resulted in a significant additional fuel expenditure, and most corporate Saishis had the sensitivity dialed back to cut costs and be easier to train pilots. These adjustments have become standardized in the 826 AS model.

The Sutinga is a high-performance craft known for capable performance in nebulae and clouds. Early Sutingas needed similar frequent maintenance to other craft after nebula flight, but all post-819 Sutingas have special filters and sealing similar to what the Gas Miners Guild employs.

The Anki's electronics and communications systems tend to have brief periods of frequent firmware updates followed by a few months of no patching. The general opinion of Anki owners is that if it's been at least two weeks since the last patch, you're probably in the clear for five or six months. Replacing the hardware is easy and encouraged when there's an upgrade, and Renzu offers a trade-in program to further simplify the process.

Perception
Outside of Kusari, Renzu craft are widely associated with OSC and, through them, luxury. Within Kusari, they're commonly associated with foreign influences by ultra-traditionalists. In both cases, freelancers flying them are sometimes assumed to have more flash than substance and more credits than sense.

Special Notes
Interspace ensures all of its bases have a significant stock of Renzu repair equipment and replacement parts. As a result, they're easy to operate across all of Sirius. The unique parts used make them somewhat uncommon with criminal organizations, however, as they rarely have access to those bases.