Taigei-class patrol ship

* 8x missiles
* 1x ventral 25mm cannon

The **Taigei-class** patrol ship is a small, combat-capable short-range patrol-oriented starship, converted to military specifications from the Kyokkō-class utility ship. It is primarily used by Planetary Self-Defence Fleets and governmental agencies such as law enforcement, customs and trade officials for patrol and security purposes. Some units are also used by the Yamatai Imperial Navy for short-range patrol purposes, but the craft is generally too light for the Imperial Navy's doctrine, being essentially a less manoeuvrable fighter. In the Imperial Navy, its role as a light support ship is filled by the heavier Gyoraitei-class missile boat.

Some Taigei-class ships have fallen into the hands of pirates and mercenary groups. Due to their low cost, proliferation and ease of conversion from the Kyokkō-class, the Taigei-class has also found its way out of Imperial Space in no small numbers.

## Overview

The Taigei-class patrol ship is the combat model of the civilian Kyokkō-class utility ship, equipped with armaments, a stronger engine and armour plating. It is capable of intra-system and adjacent-interstellar FTL jumps, but Taigei-class ships rarely travel beyond their home system. They are also equipped with military-grade scanners and electronics systems to seek out and engage targets. Taigei-class ships commonly patrol alone or in groups of two to six, depending on their parent agency's preference.

Due to its light armament and small size, lighter and smaller than some military-grade fighters even, some jurisdictions classify the Taigei-class as a fighter.

### Armament

With the mission of light patrol and crime deterrence, the Taigei-class is armed with relatively light weapons, consisting of four Type-27 Beam Guns and the capability to carry up to eight homing missiles, along with a ventral anti-armour 25mm cannon. Besides the anti-armour cannon, this armament is generally inadequate to deal with military targets larger than fighters and small missile boats, though is sufficient against usually poorly-equipped enemies such as pirates.

### Crew

The Taigei-class has a crew of two, a pilot, who is also the commander, and a weapons officer. Due to the small size of the craft and the ease of piloting it, such a small crew is all that is needed. Seating is available for a third passenger, with the potential ability to carry up to five more passengers if they all stand. This allows Taigei-class ships to ferry law enforcement officers around or allow planetary customs officers to board suspicious ships in numbers.

### Propulsion

Outfitted with stronger engines than the Kyokkō-class, the Taigei-class can engage in bursts of speed to chase down pirate vessels or engage in aggressive patrol activities. It is able to match speeds with some types of fighter craft, and can outrun most Yamataian civilian craft (due to civilian engine capability regulations).

Unlike the Kyokkō-class, the Taigei-class can travel between adjacent star systems, allowing it to guard civilian convoys and such along interstellar trade routes.

## See also

* Gyoraitei-class missile boat
* Hikuidori-class patrol ship