Klingon Ku'Rist Class Warp Fighter:

From Jackill's Guide to Light Attack Craft:

This Starfighter was original designed during the service of the Constitution class starship. The Klingons prefer single combat to any other form of combat. Because of this, Klingons have advanced starfighter combat to a fine art form. The Ku'Rist is a very effective fighter that is used by the Klingons to support their larger ships, for ground attack, and for light patrol duties. Even with the replacement of many ship classes, fighters very similar to the Ku'Rist are is still used although they are far improved. The Klingons used fighters to attack Gem-Hadar vessels in packs. When these fighters are engaging other fighters, the Klingon prefer to duel on a one on one basis and disdain teaming against other fighters although this has lost several battles for them. Because the ship does not have enough firepower to fight capital ships by themselves, they do use cooperative tactics when fighter the larger ships.

The fighters have a very narrow height. This creates a potential advance for the fighter in that it is harder to detect. If the pilot can keep the fighter nose or sides facing any hostile ships, the fighter has a very narrow sensor cross section. The fighter is piloted by only one pilot, this means that life support systems require less space but the pilot must act as pilot, weapons officer, and navigator. The cockpit is entered through the top canopy which opens in a similar fashion to modern earth jet fighters. The warp engines sit outstretched on the sides of the fighter and in order to keep the fighter as short as possible, the warp engines are much wider than they are tall.

While the Klingon fighter is not capable of as fast a warp speed as most large ships, it is faster than the Federation Warp Fighter. The ability of the fighter to travel at warp speeds makes the fighter capable of attacking systems distant from the one the fighter was launched from although the distances create a problem for the fighters crews. This problem is further increased because the fighter is more cramped than the Federation fighter. Even Klingons become fatigued if they are in the cockpit for long periods of time.

While the Klingon fighter has equal shields as the Federation Argus Warp Fighter, the Ku'Rist fighter has thinner armor and can take less abuse than the Argus fighter. The warp engines require a huge amount of space, and if removed, the fighter would have vastly improved space for increasing the amount of shields and increasing the armor. The fighter caries about same firepower as the Federation warp fighter. The Ku'Rist carries a light disruptor cannon in the nose of fighter for both fighting other fighters and when all of the of the photon torpedoes have been launched. The fighter carries photon torpedoes launchers under the fighter. The fighter can either use full size photon torpedoes or can use mini-torpedoes. The larger torpedoes allows the fighter to damage much larger ships than itself and the torpedoes are used against targets from corvettes to large immobile fortresses. The smaller torpedoes are useful against both fighters and for pinpoint strike against far larger targets.

This design is written to be able to interact with modified phase world rules. Revised Starship Rules for Phase World. There is a lack of hard detail on this ship. Some materials have suggested accelerations that are simply beyond scope. I have taken a moderate level in writing up this starship for Phase World because otherwise the ship would either be far too powerful or far too weak for Phase World. Warp speeds are far slower than the FTL speeds for Phase World but they are very close to those from the original series and Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual. Also, a note on the mass of starships. The original sources indicated much smaller masses for starships than Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual does and where possible, both masses are listed for the gamers to choose which one seems most appropriate.

Model Type: KWF-12
Vehicle Type: Warp Pursuit/Light Patrol Fighter.
Crew: One

M.D.C. By Location:

	Forward Disruptor cannons (2):	30 each
	Photon Torpedo Mounts (2):	10
	Impulse Engine:	160
	Warp Nacelles	120 each
	Cockpit:	125
	[1] Main Body:	500
	[2] Variable Force Field:	300 per side (1,800 total)

Notes:
[1] Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the fighter out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[2] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (90 MDC) per melee round.

Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible (Fighter can land on the ground).
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 40 percent of the speed of light. Fighter can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.8 percent of light per melee.
As an alternative, the starship can reach .99 of the speed of light but is normally restricted to slower speeds so that starship is not effected severely by time attenuation that occurs at the higher sublight speeds.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum Cruise speed is Mach 10, can enter an atmosphere because fighter has anti-gravity systems.
Stardrive: Uses a warp engine that allow ship to travel at Warp Factor 4.9 on cruise (0.01 light years per hour), Warp Factor 5.8 Flank (0.022 Light Years per hour), and Warp Factor 7.8 Emergency (0.054 Light Years per Hour). Warp speed is raised to the third power to figure out how many times the speed of light the ship travels. These speeds are very slow when compared to Phase World ship, so if used in that universe, they could be increased enough to operate within Three Galaxy speeds but should not exceed them.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by drive system but only has supplies for pilot for three weeks.

Statistical Data:
Length: 74.2 feet (22.6 meters)
Height: 8.5 feet (2.6 meters)
Width: 38.7 feet (11.8 meters)
Weight: 16 Tons (14.5 metric tons)
Power System: Advanced Micro Fusion with 4 year life span.
Cargo: Minimal Storage Space, place for a rifle, handgun, small survival kit, signal flares, and food rations.
Market Cost: 68 million to construct.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. Twin Barrel Light Disruptor Cannons: These cannons are mounted in the front end of the starfighter and fire forward. They are approximately equal to the laser cannons used by the C.A.F. and the Kreeghor militaries. The cannons only fire individually if one of the cannons is destroyed. The cannot be used faster than the speed of light.
   Range: 1,244 miles (2,000 km) in space and 12.4 miles (20 km) in an atmosphere.
   Mega Damage: 4D6x10 for both cannons. If one cannon is destroyed, damage is reduced to 2D6x10.
   Rate of fire: Equal to gunners hand to hand (Usually 4 or 5).
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
2. One (1) Photon Torpedo Launcher: The launcher allows the Ku'Rist class fighter can carry either two standard photon torpedoes or six mini-photon torpedoes
   Standard Torpedoes Effectively very similar to Phase World cruise missile launchers and Mini-Photon Torpedoes are about half way between the size of long range missiles and medium range missile. Once spread of torpedoes has been launched, the launchers must be reloaded. In the early service of this shuttle, it carried photon torpedoes which are anti-matter/matter warheads but they can carry quantum torpedoes when they are available.
   Standard Torpedoes has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship). Mini-Torpedoes have a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. When drive goes dead, the torpedo will still cruise unless preset to self destruct or receives a destruct code but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and torpedoes when dead at -25% to detect.) See Modified starship rules for more details. Full size torpedoes have minuses to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. Launchers can launch on multiple targets each.
   Range: Standard Torpedoes: Powered torpedo range is 8000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space Mini-Photon Torpedoes: Powered torpedo range is 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds) in space
   Mega-Damage & Properties: Standard Photon Torpedoes (Matter/Anti-Matter Warheads): Old Series inflict 2D6x100 each, Star Trek Movies One through Six inflict 3D6x100, and Next Generation inflicts 4D6x100 each. Mini-Photon Torpedoes (Matter/Anti-Matter Warheads): Old Series inflict 3D6x10 each, Star Trek Movies One through Six inflict 4D6x10, and Next Generation inflicts 5D6x10 each.
   Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2 per melee
   Payload: Standard Torpedoes: 2 torpedoes. Mini-Photon Torpedoes: 6 torpedoes.

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Technical information from Jackill's Guide to Light Attack Craft

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).

I would like to recognize Henning Rogge as giving assistance with the revision of the Star Trek starships.

Rifts Conversion Copyright © 2000, Kitsune. All rights reserved.