Source Starship Operations Manual pg. 80
Tiny interceptor
Speed 10; Maneuverability perfect (turn 0); Drift —
AC 13; TL 14
HP 30; DT —; CT 6
Shields basic 10 (forward 3, port 3, starboard 3, aft 1)
Attack (Forward) linked gyrolasers (2d8; 5 hexes)
Power Core Micron Heavy (70 PCU); Drift Engine none; Systems basic computer, budget short-range sensors, mk 1 defenses; Expansion Bays none; Modifiers +2 Piloting; Complement 1 (minimum 1, maximum 1)CrewPilot gunnery +3 (1st level), Piloting +11 (1 rank)DescriptionThe Truestrike is a wily short-range interceptor designed to frustrate and confuse the enemy. This sleek, lightweight ship represents one of Inheritorworks’ smallest and most aerodynamic designs. Though not as fast as the Brightsword, the Truestrike is far more agile, especially for a skilled pilot. New pilots often complain about the oversensitivity of the craft’s controls, however, noting that Truestrikes are easy to maneuver but difficult to keep steady.
Truestrikes typically deploy as part of coordinated squadrons, such as launching in groups of four from a Cathedralship’s hangar bays to swarm foes through suppressing fire and draw enemy attention away from less nimble targets. Though they are more effective as support craft, Truestrikes’ mobility can prove advantageous in one-on-one combat.
Many consider Truestrike pilots the bravest and most devout warriors in the Iomedaean navy—at least partly because the starships have few defenses and a deserved reputation for flimsiness. Yet their pilots seem to acknowledge the lethal circumstances with pride. Before earning their wings, and again before entering battle, every Truestrike pilot recites the squadron oath: “I surrender myself into the hands of Iomedae, whose true aim guides my spirit against all evils and redeems my soul in victory.”
The advanced training required to fly a Truestrike is a rigorous affair. Willing veterans endure weeks of intense, unwinnable combat scenarios and repetitive high-G maneuver simulations— exercises designed to suppress the pilots’ fear and sense of self-preservation. Each pilot is trained to strike true in the heat of battle, using every second they’re still alive to execute combat actions at maximum efficiency.
Despite the grim odds, piloting a Truestrike isn’t a death sentence. The longest-serving Truestrike pilot, Commander Kao Vizlo, is a legend among the Iomedaeans—on par with the most honored champions of old Golarion. A veteran of over 35 engagements, Vizlo credits his longevity not to his piloting skills, but to the grace and wisdom of Iomedae. Successful Truestrike pilots often have much higher gunnery modifiers and Piloting ranks than are represented in the statistics above, and battle-tested Truestrikes often receive upgrades (and are higher tier).
To date, the Truestrike has distinguished itself in several key battles, including the defense against the Veskarium incursion above Liavara’s shimmering rings in 266 ag. Despite heavy losses, Truestrike squadrons managed to defeat the strike fleet before it could seize Upwell Station, devastating its carrier and shredding most of the enemy fighters.
Despite the ship’s Iomedaean origins, not every Truestrike serves a divine cause; its compact size and low repair costs make it an attractive option for drow raiders and pirates targeting cargo freighters beyond the Diaspora. Much to the Iomedaeans’ growing dismay, some Truestrikes’ gleaming hulls are only a disguise for the nefarious operators at their helms.
|