Directorate Officer
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a skirmishing corvette for the open market, particularly pirates, criminals, and other less than reputable peoples
- Image Source: here and here combined by yours truly
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: CorelliSpace
- Affiliation: Open-Market
- Model: Starhammer-series Attack Corvette
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material: Alusteel Armor, durasteel hull, typical starship components
- Classification: Light Corvette
- Length: 50 meters
- Width: 35 meters
- Height: 40 meters
- Armament: Very High
- 4 forward 700 Penetrator capital scale heavy laser cannons
- 6 turreted HR-IO4 Ion Rail Cannons
- 8 turreted KT6 Heavy Blaster Cannons
- 3 forward RK-77 Cluster Missile Launchers
- 2 Turreted Double Light Energy Torpedo Launchers
- 1 Minelayer
- 2 Turreted Hansen FeatherTouch Tractor Beam Projectors
- Defenses: Average
- Hangar Space: Average: 0
- Hangar Allocations:
- Starfighters: 0 squadrons
- Support Craft: 0 squadrons
- Maneuverability Rating: Low
- Speed Rating: Low
- Hyperdrive: Yes
- Hyperdrive Class: x1
- Standard Communications Array
- Standard Hyperdrive
- Standard Life Support Systems
- Standard Navigational Systems
- Standard Repulsorlift Engines
- Standard Sensor Array
- Standard Targeting Systems
- Can Enter Atmosphere and Land
- 2 Assault Tubes with Plasma Cutting Devices
- Retribution Feedback Shield
- Predator Interdiction Drive
- Mimic Decoy Launcher
- Heavy Firepower: The Starhammer wields an versatile assortment of relatively high-powered weapons, making it a dangerous threat to other warships its size, civilian ships, and to almost any small craft.
- Gimmick Fighter: The Starhammer has a couple of unusual tricks up its sleeve, such as its mimic sensor decoy launcher, a rear-firing minelayer, and a retribution shield, which can give it an element of surprise in some cases.
- Low Speed: As with the original Starhammer design, the Starhammer corvette is not very fast for its size.
- Low Maneuverability: As with the original Starhammer design, the Starhammer corvette is not very maneuverable for its size.
After encountering one of their clients almost ancient TL-118 Starhammer Attack Ships, the company's designers attempted to fix the original's almost fatal engine design. This relatively simple engine upgrade project gradually became more complex and extensive to the point where much of the hull was redesigned, turning what once was a very large starfighter into a very small corvette. Most of the weapons systems were upgraded or added, giving the Starhammer a potent punch for a vessel its size despite using antiquated but serviceable weaponry. Ion Rail Guns and energy torpedoes can often batter down or disable targets from long distances before its heavy, rapid fire laser cannons (essentially equivalent to light turbolasers) and cluster missiles can destroy or maim craft at closer ranges. The Starhammer is typically lethal against most small craft and commercial shipping, especially as its Predator Drive and tractor beam projects can potentially slow down these targets to the corvette's own speeds and severely hamper those craft's maneuverability. In packs, Starhammers can be dangerous to other capital ships, where they can use their relatively small size to pull into blindspots before hammering away with their own weaponry or using its boarding tubes to dispatch its platoon-sized troop complement.
Unsurprisingly, the Starhammer Corvette is fairly useful starship for raiding enemy shipping or conducting small suborbital strikes on ground targets. While this has certainly endeared the craft to CorelliSpace's seedy clientele, it has also drawn the attention of law enforcement officials - who have tried to pressure CorelliSpace to be more discerning in who it sells to. CorelliSpace, for its part, has insisted that all of its sales have been legal (which is technically true) and that it is no way liable for what happens to the craft (or how they're used) after the ships are sold. Regardless of the controversey, it seems likely to be a noxious presence on the star lanes for many merchant crews for some time to come.
