Directorate Officer
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a heavier military speeder bike in the Lucerne Labs product line-up
- Image Source: here
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: Lucerne Labs
- Affiliation: Directorate, Silver Jedi Concord, Lucerne Labs customers
- Market Status: Closed-Market
- Model: Nexu-class Heavy Speeder Bike
- Modularity: Weapons / Ammunition
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material: Argentum-series Matrix Armor Plating, Beskar frame, ceraglass windshield, standard speeder components
- Classification: Speeder Bike
- Role: Assault
- Size: Large
- Weight: Heavy
- Armaments: High
- 2 swivelling Vaapad-class Laser Cannons or 2 Juyo-class Ripper Cannons
- Defenses: Average
- Argentum-series Matrix Armor Plating
- Ceraglass Windshield
- Maneuverability Rating: Average (Low with turbo-booster engaged)
- Speed Rating: High ( Very High with turbo-booster engaged)
- Propulsion: Repulsorlifts / Ion Thrusters
- Minimum Crew: 1
- Optimal Crew: 1
- Passenger Capacity: 0
- Cargo Capacity: Very Small
- Modular Weapons: The Nexu has a pair of swiveling weapon mounts that usually take either a pair of Vaapad-class Laser Cannons or Juyo-class Ripper Cannons. Switching these weapons out can be done easily in the field within an hour. Ammunition for both of these weapons comes from a large ammunition bay directly above the weapons, allowing them to operate without resupply for many days at a time.
- Targeting Identification Network (TIN): Nexu comes equipped with a TIN that automatically is linked to the bike's swivelling guns, allowing users to easily and precisely hit targets with a minimum of collateral damage.
- Turbo-booster: The Nexu comes equipped with a basic turbo-booster package installed, allow the craft to briefly accelerate faster than normal at the cost of maneuverability and power.
- Expanded Powercell bank: Nexu is designed to be used for long-range patrols or offensive actions, which means that it has a larger number of powercells than normal in order to give it greater range. A Nexu can run continuously for almost a week at average cruising speeds before needing to get recharged.
- Projected HUD: The ceraglass windshield doesn't just protect the user from the elements and enemy fire, but it also has several diminutive holo-projectors built into its frame that allow it act as the surface for a projectable heads-up display. This allows navigational data and information from the TIN to easily be displayed for the user to see even at high speeds.
- HUD Link: The Nexu can be link to its user's HUD through a direct datalink or wirelessly, allowing users to keep quick track of their surroundings and the vehicle's performance without having to look down at the bike's control panel. This allows the user to aim and fire the bike's weapons systems.
- Particle Shield: The Nexu sports a light-duty particle shield in its forward arc that protects the rider and bike from from wind, sand, rain, and other common atmospheric debris. This generator can also nudge the craft away from glancing collisions. It does not provide any protection from weapons.
- Reinforced Frame: The Nexu's front frame has been reinforced to allow it to plow through light obstacles and barriers, such as light duty civilian fences and some other common impromptu barriers. Aggressive riders sometimes take advantage of this reinforced build to ram other small vehicles to destabilize them.
- Good Firepower: The Nexu's weapons tend to be a step up in general power from most speeder bikes, which typically have blaster cannons or light repeating blasters. Consequently, a Nexu tends to be much more effective against heavier targets such as other vehicles and heavier battle droids.
- Fast: Nexu's are reasonably fast despite their size, with cruising speeds comparable to the classic 74-Z. When the turbo-boost is engaged, it can be as fast as some of the slower swoops.
- Small Cargo Capacity: Despite its relatively large size, little thought was given to giving the Nexu any real cargo capacity. There are some mounting rails on either side of the hull behind the rider's chair to which saddle bags and other similar containers can be fastened to it, but that's it.
- Bulky: The Nexu has nearly twice the mass of a typical speeder bike, which frequently means it takes up more space for storage, and also makes it a larger target to hit as well.
Looking to expand its product line further, Lucerne Labs decided to try and make a heavier speeder bike that could fill a middle ground between the traditional speeder bike and small combat landspeeders like the Ultra-Light Assault Vehicle. The resulting Nexu has greater and more precisely controlled firepower than the traditional speeder bike but retains much of its nimbleness and speed. These characteristics make it a fairly useful heavy cavalry vehicle, where its speed and firepower make it an exceptional shock unit against infantry and other soft-skinned targets. Its laser or ripper cannons, unlike most speeder bike weapons, are powerful enough to damage and destroy armored vehicles, which means that Nexus can also be dangerous to larger prey like walkers and armored tanks especially if they are operating in packs. In such instances, riders often take advantage of the Nexu's excellent targeting systems to methodically destroy external subsystems in vehicles such as sensors and propulsion systems before closing in to destroy their crippled victim with sustained firepower or dismounting to deliver the final coup de grace. At nearly twice the size of a standard speeder bike, Nexus are not commonly used as general purpose speeder bikes in most militaries. Instead, they frequently are part of heavy cavalry units or assigned as screening vehicles for large armor formations.
