THE JUMPGATE DEFINITIVE GUIDE - Tripod

Invader
Classification: Medium Fighter
Power plant: Instigator (size 3)
Engines: Impeler x 2 (size 2 x 2)
Radar: Chime (24000 meter range) (size 1)
Shields: Alpaa (20400mm equivalent) (size 3)
Armor: 7600mm
Capacitor: Spore, Jug for ammo (size 2)
Laser Config: Heavy Laser x 2/ER Laser
Ammo Config: Cobra x 2/Straker
Missiles (# x size): 1x4, 2x2
MODx: 4
ECM: 2
Speed (nor/ab/ff): 442/504/873 MPS
Acceleration: 88.8 (laser), 83.4 (ammo) kN/kg
Yaw/Pitch/Roll: 60/60/50 DPS
Cargo: 5 m³
Notes:
The “improved” Invader is, in fact, one of T&P’s great design goofs and possibly the biggest
waste of espionage resources in recorded history. It is not, perhaps, an utterly terrible fighter per
se – it is simply outplayed by everything in its class (and sometimes lower). The original Invader,
while being slow (sub-400v) like its contemporaries, handled well and accelerated surprisingly
fast. Its biggest advantages were defensive – it could mount a massive shield for a craft of its size
(a size 3 Alpaa), and… well, its size. The Invader is thin as paper – it presents the smallest headon
profile of any combat ship on record (barring, perhaps, the Gust). Even for ace gunners, hitting
this ship can be a challenge at times.
When it came time to upgrade the Invader, engineers at T&P knew that pilots would be outraged
if the fighter lost either of those advantages – however, the cost for keeping these two features on
a modern frame was high. The ship lost a gun mount, gained internal structure weight, lost armor,
and had its maneuverability restricted somewhat – all for a top speed that was still worse than
the other medium fighters and just barely above that of a Phoenix. This might not be a problem if
the Invader had more MODx slots than other fighters of its class as most Solrain designs do – but
it does not. Thus, the only thing the Invader has over other MF designs is its oversize shield and
its profile – and given the ability of its larger brother to run it down, most pilots opt for either the
Intensity or the Interceptor. When flown exactly right, it can still be useful in combat, but given
how much easier the Tens and Ceptor are to utilize in combat, the Invader will remain an outcast
for the foreseeable future. Its ability to mount a Heavy Torpedo centrally does open up interesting
possibilities, however.
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