“A predator among stars, patient, durable, and deadly.”
The Skyfang is the pride of Clan Velkar, a heavy starfighter designed for the League of Independent Systems. While not the fastest ship in the void, the Skyfang is notoriously maneuverable for its size, capable of sharp rolls, pivot-turns, and controlled dives that allow skilled pilots to outfly lighter craft in close engagements. Outfitted with reinforced darksteel plating and advanced shield arrays, the Skyfang can endure a punishing barrage before breaking, earning it the nickname “the flying fortress.”
Every Skyfang is custom-tuned by its Velkar pilot, making no two craft exactly alike. The hull is built with sharp, predatory lines, wings angled like a bird of prey in descent, often painted with snarling fangs or claw motifs to intimidate foes.
Armament:
Twin heavy plasma cannons mounted on forward hull.
Dual rotary light laser turrets beneath the cockpit for close defense.
Defenses:
Reinforced darksteel armor plating.
Dual-layered deflector shields.
Engines:
Standard sublight drives (slow top speed, high agility).
Micro-thrusters for precision rolls and pivots.
Crew: 1 pilot, 1 optional gunner/technician.
Role: Heavy fighter, frontline brawler.
Loadout: Four forward plasma cannons + a belly-mounted ion cannon.
Role: Designed to rip through enemy armor, frigates, and other heavy craft. Sacrifices secondary systems for raw firepower.
Weakness: Overheats quickly, leaving vulnerable cooldown windows.
Loadout: Two forward plasma cannons, plus six hardpoints for missiles/torpedoes.
Role: Precision strikes against capital ships or fortified stations.
Unique Feature: Specialized targeting AI allows for lock-on through electronic countermeasures.
Weakness: Less energy available for shields when fully armed.
Loadout: Bomb bay capable of carrying seismic charges, cluster bombs, or anti-armor mines.
Role: Anti-ground and anti-capital ship strikes.
Unique Feature: Reinforced underbelly armor to survive attack runs.
Weakness: Sluggish even compared to standard Skyfangs.
Loadout: Two forward plasma cannons, one retractable ion blaster.
Special Systems: Cloaking device and low-emission engine system.
Role: Reconnaissance, ambushes, assassinations of high-value targets.
Weakness: Cloak drains shields; once uncloaked, weaker defenses compared to other variants.
Velkar pilots see the Skyfang not as a tool but as a spiritual extension of themselves, each ship adorned with clan colors, personal trophies, or kill marks. To lose a Skyfang in battle is considered a wound to personal honor, and many Velkar pilots would rather die in the cockpit than eject.
Skyfang duels are a celebrated tradition, where young Velkar warriors test their skill in mock combat before being allowed to pilot one in real battles. Veterans often paint their hulls with glowing fang-marks to symbolize the “kills” of their ship, turning every Skyfang into a living history of its pilot’s career.