Foo-Fighter

## Tactical information

* **Learn to Fly:**: The Foo-Fighter is a powerful and dangerous air superiority tool available to an Ervanik, though it is a relic by Ecumenical standards. Its hard-light weaponry can quickly bring down enemy aircraft, while its superior flight characteristics and durability allow it to rule the air.

* **Bridge Burning**: Whereas most Earth jets simply hit the afterburner to return to base, the Foo-fighter instead activates an EM field that creates a frictionless bubble around itself and diverts power to its kinetic drive engines, making it seem to be wreathed in fire.

* **Long Road to Ruin**: Foo Fighters are not permitted to engage in ground attack missions due to their inefficiency at that particular role, meaning that they are unable to retaliate against ground based fire. In addition, compared to most other fliers of their category; Foo Fighters are quite the investment.

* **Stranger Things Have Happened**: Foo Fighters that gain the attention of the merit computers are allowed to requisition a rotary kinetic accelerator cannon that allow them to deal substantially more damage, and more particularly shred heavy aircraft with a withering storm of extremely high speed projectiles to rip through their hulls.

## Unit History

“*That many of the natives dub it something so reminiscent of their term "fool" is fitting. They would have to be fools to challenge it in the skies.*"
- Drakul Makuran Murvolgis

While strange sights in the sky have been detected since the start of history, it has only been recently that the sightings of these UFOs has exploded so dramatically. In truth, the Ecumene is but one of the contributors to these fantastical visitors in the airways above the Earth. In addition to the secret aircraft and missiles being tested by the conventional powers and the general veil of secrecy around Atomic China, the Protectorate and Talon both operate vehicles in the skies that most would rather summarily dismiss than pay any real heed. But the Ecumene's aircraft are certainly nothing to ignore. Ever since the days of Imperial Germany's zeppelins and Gotha bombers, pilots have reported seeing something akin to burning lights inhabiting the skies, pulling off incredible maneuvers.

It was not until the second world war during the air war for Eurasia that this phenomenon was given a name that internationally stuck however. Foo-Fighters. Reported by both Communist and Allied forces, these craft would weave into formations of aircraft, seeming especially fond of night fighter or bomber formations. Constantly pulling off maneuvers that would shear off the wings of conventional aircraft these Foo-Fighters continually dared to approach closer and closer. At first it seemed harmless enough, with some pilots trying to make messages to be read by the foo-fighters while others tried to dogfight them. But then some air formations started to inexplicably disappear after reporting contact with the so called foo-fighters, some even reporting of serious engagements with the strange craft that ended in death and destruction.

The foo-fighters would approach the formations at close range and then begin firing, tearing through the early craft and weaving through the formations with terrifying ease. Pilots would report stabbing beams of light that could not only burn, but punch through and push aircraft hulls and then fly away before interceptors could be scrambled. This secret air war was quickly buried deep into both Comintern and Allied records, with only glimmers of knowledge leaking through to the public, with both sides officially laying blame on secret weapons projects of the time. But of course, the truth is far stranger. These Foo-Fighters were working to test human air combat tactics and strategy as well as their technology, seeking out what the humans would try in response to circumstances set up at the Ecumene's leisure.
(WIP)