This one came out of an old gaming magazine ages ago, and was always one of my favorite home made starfighters. If there's an area of the game I'm weak at, it's statting - so take the following with a grain of salt. . . .

The H-Wing Strike Fighter

The BTS-A2 Long Range Strike Fighter/Bomber, or H-Wing, was a recent addition to rebel flight bays. Manufactured by Koensayr, famous for the BTL-S3 Y-Wing Starfighter, it was only a matter of time before the Alliance included the H-wing in its arsenal. It's service in the Alliance is likely to remain low in number considering that the combined cost of almost any two single-seat fighters cost as much as one H-wing.

The H-Wing is a weapons platform capable of delivering a hard punch. The fighter's primary weapon is a heavy laser cannon mounted in a rotating dorsal turret. This laser can only be fired from the turret's gunnery chair; no gunnery control is included in the piloting cockpit. Some H-Wings however, have been configured so that the turret can be fixed in a forward facing position, and fired by the ships second gunnery control. Also, the H-Wing carries two torpedo launchers, with complete magazine of eight torpedoes for each of it's launchers- twice the payload of a Y-Wing. The ordinance is benefited by an improved fire control system, so that it can efficiently serve as a strike fighter/bomber. These weapons systems are complimented by two fire-linked ion cannons. This weapon has a rotation of 40 degrees, which allows the gunner to fire independently of flight control.

The H-Wing has a hull that is designed to allow the craft to take multiple hits, along with the protection of a strong shield system, the H-Wing can survive extended combat, but not without cost. Maneuverability and sub-light speed have been sacrificed increased battle worthiness, creating a distinct disadvantage being able to outrun or disengage combat.

The H-Wing has several benefits to its single-seat counterparts. With a crew of three, the ships systems are more efficiently handled. The cockpit contains a primary and secondary crew station. Piloting controls are installed only at the primary station, but shield control, ion cannon, and torpedo fire control are installed in both stations, giving the crew flexibility.

Many of the components used in the Y-Wing were adapted for use in the H-Wing, such as Fabritech ANX-Y sensors and Koensayr engines, complete with thrust vectrals. Many components were not used - for instance, instead of using an R2 astromech, a limited jump nav computer similar to that used in the B-Wing is employed. Also, the H-Wing does not employ ejection seats. That option isn't feasible in the tight space remaining after all systems are installed. The fighter does, however, contain a cramped, cabin, which includes a single bunk with soundproof divider that can be used on a rotational basis.

Reports indicate that the craft is best suitable for strike/anti-shipping and screening fighter/transport duty. Overall, the encounters against Imperial craft have proven favorable for the H-Wing. Some Rebel leaders have suggested that the H-Wing should replace the B-Wing as the primary heavy assault fighter. However, this replacement isn't likely to happen, since many smaller outposts don't have fighter bays capable of housing and servicing the H-Wing. Also the craft also lacks speed; even the slow B-Wing is quicker. The final reason is economics: Not only is the H-wing a high-cost vehicle, but it also requires a greater number of trained flight personnel. Such personnel are always short in supply. It is most that the H-Wing will serve as a special engagement craft, used where its advantages will provide it its greatest combat effectiveness.

THE H-WING STARFIGHTER

Handling: -1

Speed: 3

Silhouette: 3

Defense: 2/2

Armor: 4

Hull Trauma Threshold: 20

System Strain Threshold: 7

Hull Type/Class: Long Range strike bomber/ BTS-A2 H-Wing Starfighter

Manufacturer: Koensayr Manufacturing

Hyperdrive: Primary x1, Backup None

Navicomputer: Limited up to 4 jumps

Sensor Range: Close

Ship's Compliment: 1 pilot and 2 weapon personnel

Encumbrance Capacity: 15

Passenger Capacity: 0

Consumables: Two weeks

Cost/Rarity: Not available for civilian purchase

Customization Hard Points: 2

Weapons: Laser Cannon

Fire Arc: All (top)

Damage: 6

Critical: 3

Range: Short

Weapons: Proton Torpedo Launcher

Fire Arc: forward

Damage: 8

Critical: 2

Range: Short

Blast 6, breach 6, guided 2, limited ammo 9

Weapons: Two Light Ion Cannons

Fire Arc: Forward

Damage: 5

Critical: 4

Range: Close

Ion, Linked

The following short scenario is suggested as a way to introduce the H- Wing Starfighter to your Star Wars role-playing campaign:

The players are instructed by Rebel command to take a commercial transportation to a designated rim world where they will take delivery on a single H-Wing fighter. Starfighters are often purchased in small numbers, even singly, to make tracing both the purchase and the purchasing agent extremely difficult for the authorities.

If you have four players, a passenger can be squeezed into the H-Wing for the return flight. Alternately, a second fighter could also be awaiting pickup, which will necessarily be the case if you have more than four players. Their instructions are to jump to a small outpost where new rebel volunteers are detained until their background checks have cleared. Further flight instructions will be awaiting for them upon their arrival.

When the players arrive at the outpost, they find it in an emergency evacuation situation. Half an hour ago, an Imperial Nebulon B frigate exited hyperspace on the fringes of the system and begain a world by world sweep. As the Imperials approached the outpost planet, the rebels sent a tight beam signal triggering a decoy station stashed away on a small nearby moon for just such an emergency. The frigate apparently detected what it determined to be the power core of an illegal outpost and has altered course for moon. The rebels are now loading into a single rebel transport, which has been standing by awaiting embarkation orders. There are no other space craft at the outpost.

The transport must get away while the frigate is occupied by the sensor decoy. The outpost commander instructs the players to provide armed escort for the unarmed transport while en route to another frontier outpost, providing the necessary navigational data for the jump. Shortly after the rebel ships take off, they detect four Imperial TIE/In fighters (more if the players came in two craft), which were apparently launched by the frigate. There is no way that the transport can reach a safe distance out-planet and escape into hyperspace before encountering the TIEs. The H-Wing must screen it from the TIE fighters long enough for the transport to make a safe jump (say eight to ten combat rounds). The TIE fighters attack in two flights of two. They do not break from this two-craft formation. One flight engages the H-Wing while the other attempts to fly by and attack the transport.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Desslok