Tatsu

Description
The first Draconis Combine OmniFighter built from the ground up, the Tatsu OmniFighter was designed primarily with ground-attack missions in mind.

Attempting to leverage their development of OmniMech technology in 3052 into the production of OmniFighters, development was more problematic than expected, but eventually resulted in a morale boosting Omni conversion of the Sai in the late 3050's. Not willing to let matters rest with a rather hodge-podge conversion of an existing Aerospace Fighter, Wakazashi Enterprises immediately began work on a totally new OmniFighter that would be built from the ground up, which began mass poroduction in 3063.

The goal with the Tatsu was to create an OmniFighter that could deliver a maximum ammount of damage to ground-based targets, the use of an XL Engine provides the fighter with an impressive forty-one tons of pod space to accomplish this. While armored with standard Naketsu MetalWeave instead of Ferro-Aluminum to avoid cramping the pod space available, an impressive sixteen and a half tons still provides it superb protection for a craft of it's size. However, like many OmniFighters, pod space comes before in-built heat dissipation with only ten Double Heat Sinks fixed on its base chassis.

It is said that the Tatsu owes part of its look and maneuverability to the Dragon Dove found on Dover.

Weapons and Equipment
The primary configuration is a good example of the ground-attack role of the Tatsu, mounting a MRM-10 rack and two ER Medium Lasers in the nose, supported by a Large and Medium Pulse Laser in each wing. Those ground forces who thought the Tatsu missed them are in for a shock with a massive MRM-30 mounted aft. Carrying enough missiles to provide twenty-four reloads for both MRM launchers, four additional double heat sinks attempt to stave off an ammunition explosion.

Alternate Configurations

 * Alt. Config. A : The A configuration is a high-energy strafer, carrying two ER PPC in its nose supported by eight Medium Pulse Lasers, four to a wing. An additional eleven double heat sinks strain to keep all the waste heat in check. BV (1.0) = 1,596 BV (2.0) = 1,864


 * Alt. Config. B : An anti-vehicle ground attack design, the B configuration mounts an LB 10-X AC in its nose, supported by an Artemis IV FCS enhanced LRM-15 and two ER Medium Lasers in each wing. Two tons of autocannon and missile reloads keep their respective weapons firing, while two more double heat sinks fight to prevent an ammunition explosion. BV (1.0) = 1,542 BV (2.0) = 1,990


 * Alt. Config. C : A ground attack missile boat, the C variant mounts two Streak SRM-6 launchers in its nose supported by two mammoth MRM-40s, one per wing. Lacking any back-up energy weaponry, the Tatsu C must withdraw once its two tons of streak ammo and six combined tons of MRM reloads are expended. BV (1.0) = 1,392 (1,466) BV (2.0) = 1,866


 * Alt. Config. D : Developed during the Jihad this configuration puts a pair of MML-9 launchers in each wing, supported by a nose-mounted ER Large Laser. The Tatsus after aspect is protected by twin ER Medium Lasers. BV (2.0) = 1,666


 * Alt. Config. E : Another Jihad era variant, this configuration has two nose mounted Plasma Rifles and a nose mounted AMS. Each wing carries a single ER Medium Laser and Snub Nose PPC. It also carries a Guardian ECM Suite to disrupt electronic networks, while a total of eighteen double heat sinks keep heat under control. BV (2.0) = 2,241


 * Alt. Config. F : A Dark Age era variant, this configuration carries a Large Re-engineered Laser in each wing and the nose. Each wing also houses a single MML-7. BV (2.0) = 1,515