Babylon 5 War Talon Escort Carrier

**Name**: War Talon
**Craft**: Drazi Freehold War Talon Escort Carrier
**Type**: Escort Carrier
**Scale**: capital
**Length**: 260 meters (estimated)
**Skill**: Capital Ship Pilot
**Crew**: 40; Skeleton: 4/+10
**Crew Skill**: Astrogation: 4D; Capital Ship Gunnery: 3D+1; Capital Ship Piloting: 4D; Communications: 4D; Sensors: 4D; Starship Gunnery: 3D+1
**Passengers**: none
**Cargo Capacity**: 430 kg
**Consumables**: 5 months
**Maneuverability**: 2D+2
**Space**: 9
**Hull**: 3D+2
**Sensors**

* Passive: 20 / 0D+2
* Scan: 40 / 1D+1
* Search: 60 / 1D+2
* Focus: 2 / 2D+1

**Weapons**

* **3 Particle Repeaters**

Fire Arc: forward
Crew: 1
Scale: starfighter
Skill: starship gunnery
Fire Control: 1D+2
Space Range: 1/3/6
Damage: 5D+1
* **6 Particle Beams**

Fire Arc: 4 forward, 2 turrets
Crew: 1
Scale: starfighter
Skill: starship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D+2
Space Range: 1-2/4/8
Damage: 3D
**Miscellaneous**:

* Artificial Gravity: no
* Crew: 40

* Officers: 2
* Pilots: 8
* Sensor Operators: 8
* Crewmen: 22

* Average Crew Experience Level: Drazi Line
* Stealth: 7 (Base Difficulty to detect ship)
* Fusion Engine

**Complement**:

* Light Shuttle: 1
* Star Snake Light Attack Fighter: 6

**Description**: An evolution rather than a variant of the Sunhawk, the Warbird is one of the most versatile of all Drazi vessels. A favorite among the Or’fa, the ship is a thicker armored hull with an encaged fusion bulb to protect it a bit more from the wayward shots that come from behind – no matter how much the Drazi would like to think that no one gets by them. Though individually weaker than ships of similar sizes among the fleets of other space faring races, the Warbird is remarkably lethal when deployed in attack squadrons. Combining a powerful punch in its particle cannon with the speed and agility to bring its particle repeater into play time and again, the Warbird is a first-class strike vessel.

Like the Sunhawk, the success of the hull gave way to several variants to be tested and eventually assigned to fleets across the Freehold. Using the reinforced hull, several carrier and launch capable varieties have been made. The Sleekbird, a rapid assault ship used to deliver eager Drazi boarding marines via breaching pods and assault shuttles, is a good example. As is the Strikebird, a light carrier capable of disgorging its full allotment of Star Snakes in a snap. Even though the name implies a Sunhawk variant, the Strikehawk is actually a variant of a variant, made from the Strikebird. Using the reinforced armor to mount an external catapult capable of launching a single Sky Serpent heavy fighter, the Strikehawk is a common ship in blockade runs and system patrol. If word must be sent of a defensive fall or of emerging enemies, the Sky Serpent can be launched in a hurry to seek help or at least report of the conflict. Deployed with any of the above variants, the War Talon is the perfect escort for the fighters, shuttles and the like that the Drazi enjoy sending at the enemy in waves.

While not as numerous as those of the Hawk family, the Warbird variants are a powerful reminder that not all Drazi ships will come at their targets alone – or without a surprise up their scaly sleeves.

**Source**:

* Babylon 5: Ships of the Galaxy (page 117)
* thedemonapostle