The Rebel Faction

TNO: Viper-class Fast Attack Patrol Ship

Craft: Viper-class Fast Attack Patrol Ship
Designation: V-FA-PS
Mission Profile: Rapid Assault, Patrol, First-wave strike
Designer: Thoraza Yards Designers, Inc.
Manufacturer: Kuat Drive Yards/Thoraza Shipyards

Crew: 55
Troops: 10 Imperial Marines or SS Marine Grenadiers.
Passengers: Up to 5.

Consumables: One month
Keel: 67.2 meters
Beam: 15.7 meters
Mast: 18 meters

Hyperdrive: x1.25 (Backup x3.5)

Speed: High. The Viper is designed to be a fast, hard-hitting capital ship killer. Fully one-third of its mass is comprised of powerful engines, the same engines that power the much larger Corellian Corvette. The power output of these engines gives the patrol ship a significant advantage in speed over most other capital ships. While it cannot reach the speeds achievable by snubfighters, its designers claim it can outpace any ship of its class or larger at sublight.

Maneuverability: Low. A ship of such mass going at such speeds is unable to turn quickly. It is designed as a one-pass ship, intended to soften up targets on a quick pass then slowly make its way back to a defensive position. However, decreasing the speed of the craft increases its maneuverability dramatically.

Armor: Moderate. The Viper's armor is about average for a ship of its size and class. It's hull is strong enough to withstand several starfighter strafing runs and perhaps a turbolaser blast or two, but any more and the ship will begin to disintegrate.

Shields: Moderate. While the Viper relies primarily on its speed, the designers realized that there would be many occasions where it would need to take some damage before it could escape. They therefore installed shields on the patrol boat that would absorb damage like most other vessels of its class. However, the designers installed an optional toggle by which the bridge officer can drain 25, 50, or 75% of the shields to add a few MGLT to the craft's speed. As with all Imperial designs, the designers and manufacturers included multi-track shielding and a lighter backup shield generator.

Weapons: The main armament of the Viper FAPS includes three double turbolaser batteries, all located on the ship's nose. These three batteries pack a significant punch, especially if they can catch an enemy with shields down. To complement these batteries, each battery is also equipped with an independent Phoenix anti-starfighter battery.

Additionally, the Viper carries four multi-purpose warhead launchers. These launchers are capable of holding six concussion missiles, four proton torpedos, four heavy rockets, or four ion or mag-pulse missiels each, and the ship carries enough of a payload permit six reloads of each type.

For anti-starfighter defense, in addition to the three Phoenix batteries the gunship carries six twin SFS L-r9.8x repeating laser cannons. Originally designed by Wesley Vos for use on the TIE Storm and TIE Hurrikane, the L-r9.8x contains six rotating barrels. Each weapon is powered by its own individual generator and can loose laser blasts at nearly six times the normal rate of fire for a laser cannon. Each of the six L-r9.8x turrets, which are clustered amidships, contains two of the deadly weapons.

Finally, the gunship carries two forward-firing quad laser cannons, controlled from the bridge. They have a limited fire range, only able to track about forty-five degrees from center in any direction.

Complement: The Viper has docking stations for up to four TIE-series starfighters. It is most condusive to the fighters used by the SS, but it will accept Interceptors, Defenders, and Devels with only slightly more difficulty. These docking stations may not be extended during a hyperspace jump, though, so any docked ships must separate before the jump, and the Viper may not carry a complement of its own.


Development History

The first ship designed and manufactured by the newly completed Thoraza Shipyards, the Viper was the brainchild of Admiral Typton of the Imperial SS. Recognizing the distinctive lack of smaller ships in the Imperial arsenal, Typton formed Thoraza Shipyards Designs, Inc., and began working on a ship that could fill both the role of gunship and corvette in a pinch. While the result did not achieve the second objective, it did fit the classification of a patrol or picket ship. The shipyards at the hidden planet of Thoraza produced and tested the first of the production line, the Viper, then sold the plans to Kuat Drive Yards through the Imperial military in order to keep the location of Thoraza secret. KDY, true to its contract, began mass producing these craft and shipping them to Imperial fleets across the galaxy.