Source Starship Operations Manual pg. 85
Tiny racer
Speed 15; Maneuverability good (turn 1); Drift 2
AC 15; TL 15
HP 35; DT —; CT 7
Shields basic shields 40 (forward 10, port 10, starboard 10, aft 10)
Attack (Forward) flak thrower (3d4; 5 hexes), gyrolaser (1d8; 5 hexes)
Power Core Pulse Brown (90 PCU); Drift Engine Signal Booster; Systems budget short-range sensors, horacalcum thrusters, mk 2 armor, mk 2 defenses, mk 2 mononode computer; Expansion Bays none; Modifiers +2 to any 1 check per round; Complement 1 (minimum 1, maximum 1)CrewPilot Computers +5 (1 rank), Diplomacy +5 (1 rank), Engineering +5 (1 rank), gunnery +5 (1st level), Intimidation +5 (1 rank), Piloting +10 (1 rank)DescriptionRedshift Revolution takes pride in its X Series of high-performance racing vessels. Not only was the X-22 instrumental in breaking old Drift travel records, but the line’s former crowning glory, the X-59, held the conventional speed record for years. Yet a team at Redshift Revolution recently redesigned the iconic craft, incorporating the latest technological and magical innovations in the quest for speed. The X-62 is the latest—but certainly not the last—model in this line, and it may be the fastest fighter ever built.
The X-62 is designed for optimal velocity. The cockpit is stripped of all additional space and features deemed excessive by the design team, resulting in a compartment so cramped that operators larger than Rosaria Thistlehair, Redshift’s famous halfling test pilot, usually require assistance to board and deboard. The starship’s single, oversized thruster runs the length of its frame, cradled in horacalcum housing that mystically amplifies the ship’s already extraordinary velocity, leaving long, vibrantly orange contrails that advertise its starmetal augmentation. The overtuned performance requires regular rebalancing, and X-62 pilots are typically versed in all facets of starship operation to perform mid-flight adjustments.
Although the X-62 is armed—mostly a formality to ensure that it can blast apart debris in its path—few militaries employ it due to its rudimentary armor and shields. Instead, most buyers are corporate-sponsored racing teams, thrill-seekers, or racing enthusiasts. The X-62 model is so new it hasn’t yet been used in competition, but at least three of the Pact Worlds’ top racing teams are reportedly prepping X-62s for the next Absalom Run. In the buildup to the impending race, rival crews seek out elite mechanics to fine-tune and customize their fighters in an effort to eke out every last ounce of performance from the design. Curiously, an anonymous Vercite buyer has purchased at least eight X-62s for undisclosed purposes; rumors of the speedy ships appearing among pirate fleets suggest the Free Captains are repurposing the vessels for sinister purposes.
Ever since the release of the X-62, the X-59’s resale value has plummeted. Though these older models are still perfectly functional, the constantly shifting trends of the racing world have made them obsolete. Now, their parts are typically stripped and installed into X-62s for cheap repair and customization. Bandits and other disreputable individuals who traffic in stolen or counterfeit X Series parts showcase their modified creations on perilous racing courses throughout the Diaspora.
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