Seydlitz

Seydlitz 3025.jpg
Seydlitz
Production information
Manufacturer Shipil Company

United Outworlders Corporation


Taurus Territorial Industries

Production Year 2504[1]
Model SYD-21
Class Light aerospace fighter
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Cost 1,370,380 C-bills[2]
Technical specifications
Mass 20 tons
Structural Integrity 11
Frame Shipil 15
Power Plant Shipil 180
Armor Shipil Standard
Fuel 240 - 3 tons
Armament

1x Large laser

Communications System O/P AIR500
Tracking & Targeting System O/P 3000
Heat Sinks 10 single heat sinks
BV (1.0) 472[2]
BV (2.0) 440

Description[edit]

The Seydlitz was a light aerospace fighter born from a Star League Defense Force contract for a small, fast planetary defense interceptor. The Shipil Company won the contract when they submitted their design in 2504 and in that same year began mass-production of the fighter. The concept behind the fighter was to hit the enemy fast and hard, preferably destroying them before they had a chance to fire back. Its Shipil 180 fusion engine, taking up a third of the fighter's total weight, gives the Seydlitz a safe acceleration rate of five and a half gravities and a maximum acceleration of eight and a half gravities, allowing it to outrun and outmaneuver most other aerospace fighters. The single RAMTech large laser gives the fighter a powerful punch for its small size, especially when it gets behind small DropShips and is used to disable their drive systems.[3][4]

Unfortunately, this emphasis on speed and maneuverability left little room for anything else. Only two tons of armor means practically any weapon will penetrate the fighter's thin skin with one volley, while three tons of fuel leaves it on a short leash from any friendly DropShip or airstrip. Seydlitz pilots therefore live in mortal fear of being caught in an ambush, as there is a good chance the enemy's first shots will be disabling ones. Though two additional tons of fuel can be carried on the fighter's two external hardpoints, this hampers its maneuverability and most pilots will jettison the fuel tanks when entering combat.[3][4]

The majority of Seydlitz fighters were deployed within the Lyran Commonwealth, usually on small worlds where they proved to be excellent support and escort craft. When the Star League fell, the LCAF took control of these fighters, leading to very few being deployed by the other Great Houses except through the hiring of mercenaries; though the Draconis Combine captured several examples on Alexandria none have been seen in their service. At the dawn of the thirty-first century both the Outworlds Alliance and Taurian Concordat approached the company for permission to produce the fighter and, since neither was opposing the Lyran Commonwealth at the time, were granted licenses. With the creation of the Federated Commonwealth the fighter was also used by the AFFC, though with the succession of the Lyran Alliance it again became associated with House Steiner.[3][4]

Weapons and Equipment[edit]

Unusual for an aerospace fighter, the Seydlitz carries only a single nose-mounted RAMTech 1200 large laser. This does give the tiny fighter the ability to deliver a single, devastating blow before maneuvering away from hostile fire and coming back for another pass. Originally it had been fitted with a Maztel large laser, but the system generated too much heat and was replaced in 2507.[3][4]

Variants[edit]

  • SYD-Z1 
    Introduced immediately after the secession of the Lyran Alliance, the SYD-Z1 is just a renamed version of the classic SYD-21 to ensure commonality between the Seydlitzs designations. They were supplied to poor factions within the Chaos March as a public relations move.[4] BV (1.0) = 472[5], BV (2.0) = 440[4]
  • SYD-Z3 
    The SYD-Z3 trades arms for armor, replacing the large laser with two RAMTech 800 medium lasers and using the three extra tons for armor. Noted for the crudeness of the armor plating, the modifications were post–Star League era and do not protect vital areas well. BV (1.0) = 552 [4], BV (2.0) = 504[9]

Custom Variant[edit]

  • Seydlitz Mary 
    This Seydlitz replaces the standard engine with an XL engine. The large laser was also replaced with a snub-nose PPC. The lighter engine made room for an extra ton of fuel and more armor, bringing the total armor weight to three and a half tons. BV (1.0) = 180[14]

Notes[edit]

  • Author Blaine Lee Pardoe stated in a blog entry that, according to his memory which he admitted could be wrong, the Seydlitz was among the aerospace fighters for which he invented the name and wrote the original background as initially published in TRO:3025, after being given only its art and game stats to work with for the TRO entry. The name was inspired by one of his favorite battle cruisers from the First World War.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. MUL online date for the Seydlitz
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Record Sheets: 3039
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Technical Readout: 3025 Revised, p. 146
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 Technical Readout: 3039, p. 190
  5. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 18
  6. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 19
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Objective Raids, p. 86
  8. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 20
  9. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 21
  10. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 22
  11. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 23
  12. Experimental Technical Readout: Mercs, pp. 12, 23
  13. Technical Readout: 3150, p. 224
  14. Record Sheets: Unique Fighters, p. 1

Bibliography[edit]