OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a sturdy tactical bomber with a sizable, precise payload for close air support on planetary surfaces and strafing runs of small to medium sized capital ships.
- Image Source: Alien ship concept by BenWootten
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: Alien ship concept by BenWootten
- Manufacturer: The Bryn'adûl
- Affiliation: The Bryn'adûl
- Market Status: Closed-Market
- Model: Thumper Obumvak
- Production: Minor
- Material: Verikast frame & bombing cannons, outer plating of hides skinned and dried from Obaliscs, Brumaks, and Rhivaks killed by battle, disease, age, or other factors.
- Classification: Tactical Bomber
- Length: 32m
- Width: 44 m
- Height: 14 m
- Armament: Very High
- 2x 40 cm bombing cannons (2 second reload between shots)
- Bomb bay (Capable of holding up to 20,000 kg of various bombs and other explosives, each small enough to fit in the 40 cm bombing cannons)
- Defenses: High
- Squadron Count: Low (8 Thumpers per squadron)
- Maneuverability Rating: Low
- Speed Rating: Low
- Hyperdrive: None
- Crew: 2 (1 pilot in the front of the Thumper, 1 gunner above and behind)
- Provisions/Amenities: N/A
- N/A
- Thumper: As a tactical bomber, the Thumper Obumvak possesses a payload far surpassing that of any Bryn-produced fighter or support craft, allowing it to devastate large numbers of massed hostile infantry and armored units alike.
- Flying Monitor: The 40 cm bombing cannons of the Thumper give it a remarkable degree of accuracy, comparable to the dive bombers of states such as the Silver Jedi Concord and Confederacy of Independent Systems while still being able to maintain a high altitude that dive bombers often sacrifice. Through their manual control of the bombing cannons, a gunner can deliver numerous precisely dropped payloads from up to two kilometers above a target, with accuracy dropping off steadily afterwards due to natural and artificial factors.
- Armored Legacy: Due to its thick skin recycled from large war beasts, the Thumper Obumvak ("Obvumvak" referring to the three species of skinned creatures) is highly resistant to most conventional forms of assault, as well as electricity-based attacks.
- Flying Ox: The poor speed and mobility of the Thumper makes it nearly impossible for a pilot to shake off hostile interceptors or evade massed anti-aircraft armaments.
- No Small Blows: The only armament of the Thumper is its bombing cannons, whose slow firing speed and slow horizontal projectile speed makes hitting small and agile targets such as starfighters and corvettes very difficult.
- Long Leash: Designed to be based in military facilities or large carrier vessels, the Thumper has no hyperdrive.
The Thumper Obumvak is a key innovation of Bryn'adul engineering for two key reasons.
One: It represents the first step of the Bryn into the creation of dedicated bombers. Previous military strategy had assumed that orbital bombardment from capital ships after a ground invasion was the best way to pacify a planet and vanquish an enemy army in one move. However, the defense of Dramedius Prime had shaken confidence in such a theory. When a fleet of Jedi warships snuck into Dramedius's orbit and disabled the capital ships sent to intercept them, the light and cheaply produced Phedrak fighters proved critically ineffective against the armor of the capital ships, their wings incapable of supporting all but small payloads. As a result, a serious reconsideration was developed. It was soon discovered that the primary anti-capital strategy of Bryn engagements revolved around capital ships and large war beasts, both of which were equally large targets. Recognizing this critical flaw, a program of a small fleet of sturdy, powerful bombers was put into effect.
Two: The Thumper was among the first designs to incorporate recycled material from war beasts. The idea begun when local metal shortages in production centers resulted in a search for organic alternatives. The heavy skin of Obaliscs, Brumaks, and Rhivaks, while incompatible with Phedraks, fit perfectly on the Thumper frame, allowing for increased efficiency of the bestiary and artificial production alike.
