Longbow Liberator

*Not to be confused with the Continental Longbow Helicopter MK I.*

 **Key Features** | »AGM-34 *"Dragonblaster"* missiles»MXT-198 *"Lightshow"* Spectrum Cannon»Stealth module (empty)»Lightweight titanium alloy airframe»Celebratory smoked bratwürstchen

*"They outnumber us five-to-one. If they run away now, they "might" outnumber us three-to-one."*

- Liberator Pilot
## Tactical Analysis

* **True Liberation**: The Longbow Liberatoris one of the most devastating gunship in any military force benefiting from the full weight of Allied technological prowess. With a viciously powerful spectrum cannon that can vaporise enemy vehicles or infantry while a large array of dragon blaster missiles able to turn a tank and aircraft inside out, even a single Thunderclap can stop an entire armoured column without AA defence. And the Thunderclap is also a highly resilient and agile combatant, able to take a significant beating and still return to base for repairs. This endurance also gives the vehicle a great deal of staying power, letting it hover over the battlefield for substantial stretches of time before having to return to base.

* **No chance on Terra Firma**: For aircraft and tanks the Liberator carries a pair of missile pods for heavier targets. If faced with large groups, an especially well armoured target, or just needs to do a lot of damage in a hurry it can arm all its missiles at once, allowing it to launch a devastating continuous barrage of anti-tank ordnance capable of punching through any thickness of armour for a short period.

* **Beware of Fast Movers**: However, the platform is not without its weaknesses. Lacking weapons capable of quickly dealing with defensive structures or the armour to stand up to prolonged attack, it must carefully avoid anti-air emplacements. Furthermore, its missile barrage will expend itself after eight seconds, and reloads can take quite some time.

* **Stealth Copter**: Allied research into ways of reducing "radar-cross section" has yielded some interesting discoveries, and some of the fruits of this research have been applied to the latest Longbow Liberator production models. These Longbows are very difficult to detect as a result; however, production has just began, meaning only a few examples exist so far.

## Operational History

 File:AN LongbowLiberator.jpg  Allied High Command ordered the production of first-generation Longbows in 1953. Serving with distinction throughout the Second World War (though admittedly, little more than fodder for MiG or YaK pilots), the Longbow Mk. 1 continued to see action until late 1967, when 13 helicopters were lost in action during the Battle of Cuba to anti-aircraft fire from flak troopers. It was a public relations nightmare, as the Longbow had been pushed at the *"face"* of the Allied military over the last few years due to its extreme effectiveness.

A new design was ordered and the old Longbows were unceremoniously dumped in the Boneyard. Within the space of a few months, Allied engineers had unleashed a new Longbow design, one that was quickly put into production. From this humble origin, the completely re-worked **Longbow Liberator** was a masterpiece, passing every test and showing remarkable battlefield performance; the Liberator's *"Lightshow"* spectrum cannon was superbly effective against not only infantry but also light vehicles and even helicopters, while its *"Dragonblaster"* missiles packed enough power to level even the dreaded Apocalypse tanks. They served with distinction for the remainder of the Third World War, as the annihilation of the armoured assets of the fifteenth Imperial Mecha corps by the American 92nd Air Cavalry Division in the battle of Magnet Falls in Oregon aptly demonstrated with even the Empire's beloved King Onis falling victim to Liberator ambushes, though there were never quite enough to go around.

Originally, it was the intention of the designers that the Longbow Liberator should be equipped with a stealth system in order to make it invisible. The initial plans were to use either camoscanners or GAP technology, but camoscanners proved too bulky, and the best engineers of the Allies failed to remove the bubble effect. With pressure to put the design into production at the time, the stealth system was put on hold. A stealth system would only be implemented after the war's end.

Research had already been ongoing into a way of reducing radar-cross sections before the start of the war, in hopes of developing a new bomber that could penetrate the Soviet air defence network. Though a working aircraft was never produced, the Peacekeepers have since shown interest in the possible application of this stealth technology to other aircraft. The most promising results so far have been with special Longbow Liberators redesigned to be more stealthy; Allied Command has already authorised production of these "radar-invisible" Longbow Liberators, though their small numbers means they have yet to make much of an impact.

 File:SpringLongbows.jpeg
## Just the Stats

 **Armour Type** | Thin-Skinned

 **Kill Reward** | 16800

 **DPS** | 45

 **DPS** | 75

 **DPS** | 300