Gunships

“Never tell a Gunship crew man what is and isn’t their target. If it don’t have EPU insignia, we’re lighting it up” - Crewman Abraham Newman, 2054, speaking to Admiral Percival J. Washington about the tactics Gunship gunners use.

  Gunships take on the role of purely anti-ship weapon platforms. They generally are used in formations of pairs or trios to cripple larger ships’ key systems. Typical armament for a Gunship consists of several torpedo tubes, multiple anti-fighter turrets, and some models are even equipped with small scale spinal mounted weapons. While their armament is substantial, their armour is sub-par for their size, with some models having less plating than even Multi-Role Fighters. Because of this fact, Gunships are never seen without fighter support, and are rarely used without a larger vessel to provide supporting fire against Destroyers and other escorting vessels.   Gunships also play a highly prevalent role in in-atmosphere operations. Where Fighters would be used to clear out ground defenses due to their speed, Gunships would be used to support ground elements in close-fire support missions, using their chin guns or other turreted weapons to attack enemy positions from above. This role is heavily limited however, as Gunships are terrible at achieving Air Superiority due to their poor top speeds and maneuverability, and require totally friendly air dominance before they are able to provide constant ground support. Many daring Gunship crews often run ground support regardless, relying on their gunners skill to protect themselves from fighters and heavy munitions.   Gunship crew consists of anywhere from 5 to 10 personnel, 3 in the cockpit, pilot, co-pilot and coordinator, and the rest manning all the weapon systems and any auxiliary systems onboard. Gunships are, however, known for being much more cramped than a Bomber-class vessel. They are typically used by crews that aim to be promoted to Bombardiers, though such positions are limited by the resources a faction has available. Gunship crews are often tightly knit groups due to their relatively small size, boosting their morale and team cohesion. Coordinators act as the vessels commander, orchestrating gun angles and aerial maneuvers from a central computer and passing orders on to the other crew members.   Sub-classifications of the Gunship include Interceptors, equipped with lighter weapons and more powerful engines, designed to hit Bombers and Corvettes rather than frigates, destroyers or cruisers, ECM Gunships, which offer a mobile missile guidance interruptor, though with limited range when compared to larger vessels and EMP Gunships, Gunships equipped with Pulse Generators that completely disable the associated generator of any shield the Gunship makes direct contact with. ECM and EMP Gunships are often rare and extremely expensive, and so are only fielded in dire circumstances.