A/SF-01 B-Wing Starfighter

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The A/SF-01 B-wing starfighter, more commonly referred to as the B-wing, was a heavily armed Rebel Alliance single-pilot starfighter and bomber manufactured by Slayn & Korpil. The B-wing saw action during the Galactic Civil War and was subsequently substituted by the B-wing Mark II.

Somewhat reminiscent of the H-60 Tempest bomber, and using a wing configuration similar to Slayn & Korpil's earlier V-19 Torrent starfighter, the A/SF-01 B-wing assault starfighter had a somewhat ungainly appearance resembling a top-heavy cross when fully unfurled. The primary airfoil took up the length of the hull, with the cockpit at one end and a weapons pod at the other end. Two S-foils amidships on either side of the airfoil also held weapons. In addition, the B-wing's main body was essentially a single long wing with a pair of folding S-foils. Its primary role was an attack vessel targeting the Empire's capital ships, although it also did escort duty for X- and Y-wing fighter squadrons and Alliance convoys, and were also able to be deployed for assaults on space-based or planetary Imperial facilities.

The B-wing was a highly adaptable design, with modular hardpoints and other components. Its weapons could be reconfigured more easily than many other Alliance fighters. The B-wing also had a unique gyroscopic rotating cockpit module which was independently stabilized to allow the pilot to coordinate advanced flight and attack maneuvers. The fighter was powered by either of two engine systems: a QuadexKryo master engine with four thrust ports, or four Slayn & Korpil JZ-5 Fusial Thrust Engines. The Quadex core was the same version carried on-board CEC YT-1300 light freighters. The rotating airfoil allowed the B-wing to be placed vertical in launch racks, although it was also capable of landing horizontally.

Vinop O2K cryogenic power cells and an ionization reactor fueled the ship, and Slayn & Korpil HYd-997 hyperdrive motivator was a Class 2 light speed system. A Sirplex Zr-41 shield generator, rated at 100 SBD, and a reinforced durasteel rated at 60 RU provided protection.

The B-wing carried a Fabritech ANv-9q sensor system with PH-5s long-range phased tachyon detection array and PK-8f short-range primary threat analysis grid, and its targeting computer was an ANq 3.6 system with IN-344-B "Sightline" holographic imaging system. The navigation computer was a Microaxial LpM-549 unit, and the starfighter was equipped with a Narmox HG.6w flight control avionics system. The powerful systems were originally designed for small capital ships. The targeting computer was also advanced and connected its armaments to the computer for the purpose of coordinated precision strikes, with assistance from low-power targeting lasers, although it alternated between this and being independently controlled by the pilot.

The B-wing was designed to replace the aging BTL Y-wing starfighter in the heavy assault role against capital ships, as it had the advantage of more weaponry and stronger shields. However, the B-wing had several weaknesses, notably being difficult to fly and lacking speed and agility, affecting its dog fighting capability. Its large hull furthermore made it an easier target and it also had less armor protection. Consequently, it did not fully replace the Y-wing in the assault starfighter role until the New Republic was well established. The B-wing was also expensive to manufacture.

In particular, the rotating hull system made the B-wing a challenge to master. It also made the ship abnormally delicate; too many sharp turns could cause extreme strain to the spaceframe, and the cockpit rotation system could get stuck in one position. Only a few pilots were qualified to fly the ship before the Battle of Endor, resulting in a smaller number of B-wings present than expected. These difficulties forced the Rebel Alliance to invest in an upgraded Y-wing, rather than an entirely new ship, to fulfill their needs. In addition, the gyro-mechanisms for the fighter were prone to in-flight failure, causing the fighters to end up "frozen" into position, thus leading to maneuvering problems. Another problem is that their parked position had all three of its "wings" being locked into position as well as sitting on the lower wing, making access to the central area awkward, and thus maintenance servicing of the overall craft difficult.

Its weapons systems included three wing-tip ion-cannons, a heavy laser cannon with a low-power targeting laser, twin auto blasters with a low-power targeting laser, a mount for additional weapons consisting of an additional auto-blaster, laser or ion cannon, and two proton torpedo launcher magazines, one that carried four torpedoes on the lower wing launcher and a secondary torpedo launcher magazine just below the cockpit area.

Like its predecessor, the Y-wing, the cockpit could be detached from the rest of the ship, but unlike the Y-wing, the B-wing's cockpit could be ejected into space and support atmospheric re-entry.

The B-wing would go on to participate in many battles throughout the Galactic Civil War, and would lend design elements to other vessels. Sometime after the Battle of Hoth, the hull of a wrecked B-wing was used as the design prototype for the AHS-1 heavy assault airspeeder, and later models followed the same general design. In addition, several B-wings after the Battle of Endor were also modified to include flame-retardant projectors by Alliance technicians so the craft could be used for fire-fighting purposes.

A typical tactic for B-wing squadrons on attack missions was to utilize dense formations as a means of increasing concentrated firepower on targets. This tactic also has the added benefit of overwhelming most deflector shields.

**Purchase TN:** 153 (To Build) 102 (New) 68 (Used)

**Restriction:** Mil (+3)

**Shield** – **SP** 200 – **DR** 40 – **Shield** **Damage Threshold** 80

• • Starfighters require the Pilot Starship Skill to be operated.

• • Many starfighters have vehicle mounted weapons, these vehicle weapons require the Vehicle Weapon Proficiency feat.

• • A starfighter in combat is always moving either under its own power, or by its current momentum, unless it has been brought to a full stop (a starfighter coming to a full stop is a move action, a starfighter at a full stop is considered flatfooted until it moves again. This rule does not apply to vehicles able to hover in place). On a turn that a starfighter does not come to a full stop, and does not make a move action that round, the starfighter still moves forward in a straight line an amount of squares equal to one half its normal movement. (Vehicle Trait)

***Accommodations***

• • 1 Seat

***Structure Traits***

• • S-Foils (PL 6)

***Power System***

• • Cryogenic Power Cell (PL 6)

***Vehicle Systems***

• • Maneuvering Thrusters (PL 5) **• •** Repulsorlift (PL6) **• •** 4x Ion Engine (Speed +500 meters.) (PL 6) **• •** Navicomputer (PL 6) **• •** Hyperdrive Class 1 (PL7) **• •** Class II Sensor Array (PL 6) **• •** Subspace Radio (PL 7) **• •** Anti-Accident System (PL 6) **• •** Autopilot System, Improved (PL 6) **• •** Chaff Launcher (PL 6) **• •** Shields – SP 200 – DR 40 (PL 7) **• •** 4x Missile/Torpedo Launcher, Large (PL 5) **• •** Targeting System (+5) (PL 6) **• •** 4x Laser Cannon, Light (PL 6) • • 6x Fuel Tanks (PL 5)