Steeltip Node
THOR (formerly RENEGADE MK II)
Length: 62 meters
Armanent:
2x Tactical Rocket Launcher – Range: 1km
4x Double Heavy Electron AA – Range: 330m
Faction: Cybran (Steeltip Node)
Designer: Ratchet
Notable Use: Beta Ysera in 3839 (Old Renegade MK II)
Description
This mammoth gunship is the next iteration of the Renegade MK II, which had been designed with a specific purpose in mind; to be able to have a mobile arial artillery platform that could remain outside of the range of any AA unit.
The Thor performs this duty very well with it’s dual tactical unguided rocket launchers. With a range of 1km it can remain safely outside the range of both cruisers and samsites. The rocket launcher could be considered either a souped up version of the original Renegade’s weapon system, or a less powerful tactical missile launcher. Both statements would be true, as the rocket launcher has traits of both; The rockets it fires are unguided, but it’s range is more akin to that of a tactical missile launcher. It’s firing rate is about four times slower than the old Renegade, but the damage each missile does is over twenty times as much. To prevent damage, the rocket pods are also safely tucked away close to the main body undeneath the wings. An advanced nanolathing system placed deep underneath it’s armour continuously produces rockets at the same rate that they are fired.
Where the Renegade MK II had two double electron AA cannons, the Thor, thanks to more recent technical innovations, has four. These AA cannons are dirivatives of the standard Cybran tier one AA turret. They fire at a much higher rate of fire, but each individual bullet does less damage. The AA cannons are very effective at taking down all tier 1 and tier 2 arial units, but they lack the punch to bring down a strategic bomber within a reasonable amount of time. Air superiority fighters are even more difficult to bring down, as the AA cannons have difficulty tracking them.
A big problem with the Renegade MK II was it’s engines. It was too slow, unmanouvrable, and burned through it’s fuel far too quickly. To combat this, the engines received a serious overhaul for the Thor design. The Thor is still slow, but not quite as slow as the MK II, and it has become a lot more manouvrable and burns through it’s fuel at a much reduced pace. As a result it can fly across entire operation-areas without needing to stop for fuel.
Keeping all of it safe is a thick layer of armour.
At the moment only the Steeltip node uses the Thor, and they only do so for field trials. So far the other nodes haven’t shown an interest in the design yet, likely because of the drawbacks of the design.
The Thor falls somewhere in between tier 3 units and experimentals. It is the largest regular gunship and it has the appropriate pricetag. The MK II was expensive, but the Thor is even more expensive. Granted, a few of these could obliterate almost any land assault, but for the same cost a whole armada of cheaper gunships can be built. Faster land units can also quite easily dodge the Thor’s rockets when it is firing from it’s maximum range.
Cool models.
