USO CHF-1MX Sidewinder

Designed by the USO and built at the Atlas shipyards by Spalder and Starblaze Inc. to USM specifications for a multi-purpose support craft, the ship began rolling off production lines in 542 AS. The specification was for a medium, mass-produced ship which would be inexpensive to build by the thousand. Notable featuresWhile the United Stars Military still uses thousands of these ships for reconnaisance and as a medium fighter, in recent years this ship is more commonly seen as a trader escort. Value-conscious traders hauling a bellyful of cargo in large ships like the USO Transporter use the Sidewinder to make up for the large ship’s lack of manoeuverability.

The Sidewinder is difficult to hit, but can pack a reasonable punch if equipped with guns. It is also strong for its size, and isn’t instantly vaporized by a military laser. The normal technique is for the Sidewinder pilot to keep the ship close to the ‘mothership’, and then use its jump to reach the destination. Being small, many Sidewinders can pass through the wormhole without collapsing it, meaning a trader using this ship as an escort is likely to come out of the other end of the jump with a full compliment of escorts.

The Sidewinder is often sought out by ‘guns for hire’, often young pilots with good reactions, offering to escort trade ships into dangerous situations. The low cost of the ship coupled with its manoeuverability attracts it to many a pilot who’s starting out and looking to make a living without having to get involved in trading. It is increasingly being found as a pirate escort, too – inexpensive to equip, and if remotely piloted, cheap to lose in battle, pirates have begun to use this ship to attack traders before arriving in their larger, slower and less combat-ready cargo hauler to pick over the remains.

Be suspicious of Sidewinders seen alone – it is more than likely the ship they came along with is lurking just out of scanner range, and the crew might not have your safe passage in mind.

Stats:

Ship Class: Heavy Fighter
Roles: Basic Support, Bombing
Weapon Mounts: 6
Armor: 15000
Cargo Space: 25
Max Batteries/Nanobots: 50/50
Shield Classes: Class 1-7 HF Shield
Weapon Classes: Class 1-6 Fighter Turret

Additional Equipment: Torpedo / Cruise Disruptor, Mine, Counter-Measure, Thruster
Included Equipment: None
Strafe / Reverse Speed: 75%
Base Power Supply Capacity: 7500
Base Power Supply Regen: 750
Player-Carrier: No
Can Dock w/ Player-Carriers: Yes (type /d to dock)