Hatzegopteryx was one of the largest pterosaurs and top-tier predator of its age. It is a fitting name, then, for the GTSR’s brand new assault shuttle. Assault shuttles and assault transports have largely fallen out of favour with the human powers in recent decades, but the Hatzegopteryx more than makes up for the lack.
The Hatzegopteryx Assault Shuttle bears some design linage to the Xenodens Army Transport, most notably in the “head” – the forward fuselage, which has the forward debussing ramp – and the aborted “tail.” Like the Xenodens, it also has four landing struts, though the much smaller size of the Hatzegopteryx means they are not as elaborate.
The main compartment can comfortably transport two companies of infantry or – with rather less room – a company of vehicles. For ground assaults, vehicles or infantry deploy down the debussing ramp which drops like a jaw. Interestingly, the ramp is split into two halves, which can be lowered or raised independently. This presumably allows the ramp to lower and raise faster than a single unit, and potentially provides additional cover for debussing troops by providing a platform for defenders to fire down at any enemy troops. In addition, forcefield emitters are positioned around the “jaw” which effectively put a wall around the sides of the debussing ramp up to the hull. This indicates that the debussing ramp is, in part, expected to be used in space. While such forcefields are not proof against weapons fire, they are usually sufficient to handle low-velocity impacts and hold an atmosphere. (This is likely in addition to standard airlock forcefields placed around the loading ramp on the inside, which would create a field across the opening flush with the hull.)
For star-ship boarding and capture operations, there is a docking tube mounted either side of the assault shuttle. Analysis of the port indicates it has a physical docking collar, backed up by a forcefield extruder for additional safety – or in case that making a physical connection is impossible. The physical collar is expected to utilise a ring of mini lasers to assist in boring into hostile ships.
Finally, the there is a single ventral hatch on the belly which can likewise be extruded to the surface of a craft the assault shuttle has landed on – or potentially to underground fortifications, on a planetary surface. This is only large enough for troops to simply drop down through; it presumably has some sort of ladder as a back-up for returning troops. The small size suggests this method is more of a last-resort if the main debussing ramp or the docking collars can be used.
The Hatzegopteryx boasts 320TXq –rated shields, though only a thin skin estimated at around an AIC of 18TXq. It has a drive performance profile standard to assault shuttles, with an acceleration of 31.8mc and rated at 350 MEUs. Combined with the hyperdrive, these allow the Hatzegopteryx to run down target vessels for capture.
To assist with the capture operations, the Hatzegopteryx is equipped with two 19TXq-rated ion cannons in the “snout” – notably the same profile as the pair on the Pterodactylus. Just below these, almost entirely concealed in the nose, between the hexagonal “nostrils” is a pair of light torpedo launchers. (The “nostrils” are actually part of the heat dispersion grid and are found on most GTSR ships of this size or larger.) Each tube has a Standard Warhead Capacity of 6. An expected load would be six Mk 30 light torpedoes or four to six 60-100TXq-yield light torpedoes. These help the Hatzegopteryx reduce the shielding of enemy capital ship to best use the ion cannons.
Finally, a trio of turrets provides point-defence protection as well as supplementing the offensive punch. One turret is mounted on the dorsal surface, and the other two on the lower hull, where they are in an ideal position to provide covering fire to disembarking or embarking troops. Each turret mounts twin blaster cannons with an engagement sphere of 0.87Ym³. Each
The Hatzegopteryx is expected to be deployed alongside Gerrhonotus Ophiurus tractor destroyers. The hyperdrive means in can launch from a carrier, but it is not capable of extended operations by itself.
Interestingly, neither carrier seen in the GTSR fleet so far have dedicated troop quarters, meaning that assault troops would have to come from the carrier’s naval troopers. However, the Hatzegopteryx is small enough to comfortably fit through the Xenodens' own deployment ramp/jaw, suggesting that a hybrid pocket carrier/troop transport Xenodens would be very plausible, even likely.
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Range: Grand Terran Sovereign Republic
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