Ship Lore

[Thexare]

BWX-F1A "Bayonet" Electronic Warfare Fighter
HFX-F3A "Falchion" Superiority Fighter
HBX-F2C "Broadsword" Assault Bomber

---

History

Following the success of the limited run of Series XE "Shamshir" EW craft, the Lane Hackers decided to push their advantage even further. Working with trusted specialists at Ames Research Station, they engineered a low-profile frame perfectly suited to slipping through the Barrier and through the residual dark matter clouds of the northern Independent Worlds. More important than the frame is the vast sensor and electronic warfare package; fully 90% of what would normally be the cabin was filled with equipment and heatsinks.

The initial 815 rollout of the Bayonet was a huge success. The recon and advanced electronic warfare suite made it perfectly suited to the Lane Hackers, while the Vagrant Raiders took to throwing their untested rookies into them in the hopes that the jamming suite would allow them to have an impact even without combat experience. In 818 AS, Bayonets entered the open market and saw a similar success. Though much of the Lane Hacker technology was removed, open-market equipment filled the gaps reasonably well; the electronic warfare equipment wasn't as potent, but the deep space scanners were in many ways more versatile. No longer tuned specifically for the Barrier and northern Independent Worlds, this run of Bayonets was at home in any nebula or asteroid field.

The origin of the HFX-F1A "Falchion" is disputed, with Lane Hackers and remnants of the Hellfire Legion each claiming credit. This is likely an artifact of the acrimonious collapse of the old Vespucci Alliance. Ironically, the initial Falchion run was poorly-received and not a very good performer; were it not for the bad breakup, it's likely neither would want credit. The first run of the Falchion was an interceptor, and a remarkably large one. A huge portion of the fuselage was dedicated to engines, both for main thrust and expansive, powerful maneuvering thrusters, with the intent of producing an exceptionally fast, agile craft that didn't sacrifice armor or firepower. Unfortunately, it resulted in a big, unwieldy, disorienting mess of a ship. Though the maneuvering thrusters were powerful enough to compensate for the ship's bulky frame, they resulted in jerky handling that many pilots simply couldn't handle. Those who survived often returned to Scimitars or Bayonets.

Lane Hacker, Hellfire Legion, and Vagrant Raider engineers recalled the frames and tried to figure out a way to fix the problem. Ultimately they all settled independently on the same thing - accept the size, don't try to make a light fighter of it. Armor up, divert power to guns and shields, add firepower. Through this, the HFX-F1B¹ Falchion β came to be, and the craft were released on the open market. To its credit, the frame was remarkably stable and handled these modifications well, leading to converted interceptors and newly-constructed fighters having very similar performance. Very similar, still-disappointing performance. Though these heavier Falchions proved more capable than the interceptor model, they were near-unanimously described by their pilots as "like a Sabre, but worse."

These earlier Falchion models can't be discussed without addressing the Broadsword Strike Module. Insurgents and pirates often face limitations of hangar space, leading to a reliance on reliable strike fighters instead of heavily-specialized bombers and interceptors. The Broadsword Modular System was envisioned as a solution to this problem, allowing access to both interceptor and bomber while taking as much space as one strike fighter. Unfortunately the lightweight frame of the Falchion interceptor combined with the heavy Broadsword pods to create a very unwieldy distribution of mass, making the bomber even more difficult to control than the interceptor. The Falchion β fared somewhat better, but required revisions to the Broadsword pods for compatibility with the revised power grid.

With sales failing quickly, this resulted in the existing Falchion and Falchion β frames being entirely mothballed. In early 824 AS, a small team at Heisenberg Research Station purchased a number of these mothballed frames, and began experimenting with significant structural changes. By the end of the year, they produced the first HFX-F3A² Falchion Γ. Completely overhauled from the original, the newest revision of the Falchion abandoned the Broadsword Modular System in favor of a purpose-built fighter engineered for maximum performance. Though straying from the roots of the project, the team finally produced a successful Falchion that has seen use across Sirius in a variety of combat situations.

Though rumors persist that they're working on a similar approach to the Broadsword, thus far they've only released the plans for the HBX-F2C Broadsword, fully integrating the Broadsword modules with an overhauled version of the classic Falchion frame. This new Broadsword is still not hugely popular, but has been more successful and more reliable than past models.

1. Or VRX-, LHX, or BWX-, depending on who you ask
2. Where HFX now means "Heisenberg Fighter, Experimental"

Variations

The Lane Hackers and Natio Octavarium still maintain their own variant Bayonets. The Lane Hacker model is based on the original EW model, with some technological improvements, while the Natio Octavarium variant is built around their Limelight series of scanners for recon along the Barrier.

Maintenance and Reliability

In stark contrast to the 'classic' Border Worlds craft, these vessels are very high-maintenance due to the sensitive equipment they rely on. Their wide distribution means parts are relatively easy to acquire, but rather expensive and often difficult to replace; it's strongly recommended to stay on top of the daily cleaning and post-flight maintenance regimen to avoid having to replace parts.

Note also that the Broadsword has its primary generators in the wing-pods, and as a result maintenance is different from, and often more complicated than, that of other common bombers.

A well-maintained Bayonet, Falchion, or Broadsword will be an exceptionally reliable performer, but maintenance is often considered a two-man job at a minimum.

Perception

Bayonet pilots are often considered shifty, untrustworthy sorts. Those who know the craft's use in exploration and patrol are also aware of its less-upstanding uses, and those who aren't familiar with its civilian value will often only know it from its Hacker and Raider history. As a result, many people are averse to the craft. Mercenary companies, however, are often eager to train Bayonet pilots due to the craft's vital tactical role.

The Falchion and Falchion β were well known for how difficult they could be to work with, but the current model is well-respected and held in similar esteem to the Sabre.

The Broadsword is generally considered unremarkable, but competent.

Special Notes

Like the classic Border Worlds line, these are not luxury vessels. The Bayonet and Falchion Γ in their stock configurations have very small cabins with no room for a co-pilot, and long-range operations are almost always reliant on carriers or friendly bases. The Broadsword has more room and can be equipped for a copilot for support or rotating duty, but it is still a spartan arrangement.