Ship Assault-Craft USN Warhawk

Warbird
300px Warbird
Type	Assault-Craft
Combat role	Heavy Bomber
Service
Used by	United Space Navy
Wars	Second Antarean War
Specifications
Displacement	11kt
Length	72m

Whereas the Hind is the newer Cinnabaran contribution to the League's assault-ship force, the Warbird is an older and much venerated favorite of USN commanders. First commissioned by the `Mournecreek Royal Navy <Mournecreek_Royal_Navy.html>`_ in 863 it has seen action in nearly every conflict since. Designed by `Winman <Winman.html>`_ Heavy Industries in partnership with `Soltano <Soltano.html>`_ Propulsion Systems , the Warbird was orginally slated as a light-defender, intended to support larger capital craft and engage enemy craft at a range that larger ships often had difficulty maneuvering in. Soon after its first deployment it was realized that the Warbird's incredible speed, afforded by its four, powerful, independent generators, was being wasted holding the craft in close formation with their parent ships. This realization led to a revolution in small-craft tactics characterized by the incredibly effective AS-Slash, in which two formations of Assault-ships flank a target on either side, then quickly accelerated and simultaneously attack the enemy craft at high speeds, and finally peeling off in all directions.

Despite its relatively successful career, the Warbird's popularity is waning, especially in light of competition from Novagare's latest Hind model [HN7b]. The war with the `Antarean Federation <Antarean_Federation.html>`_, also revealed several glaring weaknesses of the Warbird. The craft's original design and armament had been predicated on the belief that the USN would be facing an enemy navy of similar disposition and technology. The Warbird's design exploited the relatively poor strike-craft coverage usually found on most naval warships (whose armaments were geared toward destroying ships of similar size). As a result, the Warbird was relatively lightly armored with respect to its enormous firepower, relying heavily on its ECM and agility to survive combat with more heavily armed craft. But Federation and Imperial ships were decidedly ECCM heavy and mounted heavier point-defense weaponry. As a result, they easily tore into Warbird squadrons without fear. Likewise, the Warbird crews found their craft woefully outclassed by superior Antarean Assault ships (notably, the Nephtis class) which, while massing less, were actually faster and more heavily armed/armored then their USN counterparts. Still, Winman-Soltano's latest generation of Warbird [WBD-AS91] appears to have gone a long way to restoring parity between USN and AISN assault ships.

The Warbird is aptly described as "a pair of guns with engines". It's chassis is built around two powerful light plasma beam cannon which, while far weaker then its capital class version, is remarkably deadly when used at close range on opponents without the benefit of particle shielding. Backing the main cannons are four small gatling rail-turrets as well as chin-mounted gatling lasers (primarily for ground support) mounted around the craft's axis, providing overlapping zones of point-defense coverage. Much of the ship's remaining internal volume is dedicated to the four plasma generators that power the craft's critical systems. This redundancy, while excessive, contributes to the amazing speed and agility of the nimble ship. However, this arrangement also makes the Warbird very vulnerable to strike-craft, as it is difficult for it to effectively target ships in its 6'oclock position. Likewise, the Warbird's main guns are prone malfunction and overheating after extended use. It is also very susceptible to damage given its relatively light armor coverage. Still, the Warbird is mildly effective at engaging strike-craft and other small ships. Though the Hind has quickly overtaken it as the ship of choice to be directed against enemy light-elements, USN commanders often hold the ship back till an opportune moment in a battle, preferring to use the Warbird where it is still most effective; harassing enemy capital-ships.

the Warbird's features very clearly follow the generally accepted conventions governing the design and use of assault ships in modern naval combat.