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Description
In the light of Alfur's recovery from Pastian's Plague, the military industry started to burn away the slower pace that it had temporarily developed from the loss of workers, designers, and inventors. Although tragic, companies were forced to hire replacements in most areas, thus slightly improving the economy and job market. Also, new companies could be seen developing and sprouting from the ashes.

One new design foundry found good fortunes in the new period of growth. In Sauta Platsa, an old, obsolete water-ship dockyard had been crippled by the recent catastrophic natural disasters of the area. Not able to repair their assets, the owners decided to sell the land area and olden, damaged structures to a young industrial entrepreneur. This man was named Velmea Aikemour, and he was a designer and builder of aerospacecraft. With a few hundred fellow workers, engineers, assistants, and support staff, Velmea set to work on repairing the buildings, removing most of the ship-making machinery, and setting up shop to develop new military vehicles. After a remarkably fast development time, the Sauta Aerospace Foundry had created their first design, and after gaining approval by several boards, pitched the prototypes for mass production approval contracts.

Meanwhile, the Alfurian Airnavy had been divided on aerospacecraft dealings. For thousands of yeas, airships (capital vessels) had been the savior, workhorses, and backbones of Alfur. Smaller vehicles had been made extinct by past conflicts, but Alfur's growing variation of transports, dropships, and gunships were wedging themselves into operations and showing their versatility and worth. Thus, many within the Airnavy petitioned for the revival of a wide variation of smaller combat craft. Sadly, Alfur's light assault carrier project had been totally lost due to a combination of the plague outbreak and a spawn attack. However, new hope for supporters of smaller combat craft was seen in Sauta Aerospace Foundry's (SAF) ESSD-E1. The Experimental Space Superiority Drone was an interesting new idea, and an alternative to manned combat craft. The Airnavy had been hesitant on manned fighters, but this advanced drone offered an interesting asset. The ESSD was approved for mass production, with two SAF plants, one in Sauta Platsa, and a newly set up small foundry in Vakun given a contract for 75 prototypes. This order was met within a week, and extensive trials and testing followed by the Airnavy. The ESSD, though crude due it's newly established creator-company preformed well in testing. Contracts for cooperative production was established between SAF and Old Loondy Industries, Alfur's largest aerospace company. This upped production potential, advancement and variation of design, and all general scales for the project. The Airnavy itself gave the order for 2,500 Vakun Class cruisers to be modified to carry and deploy ESSD drones. Likewise, a further order followed for 5,000 refitted Fowex transports to be made into drone deployment ships. Vakun and Aoutlaktaton Shipyards were already undertaking massive refitting projects, and agreed to the contract for modifications. The drones quickly named "Avowbree", meaning a "a swift, mountain stream.

ESSD-E1

Role: Multi-purpose Superiority Drone Unit

Height (from top fin sensor to bottom fin sensor): 7.7 feet (2.3 meters)
Length (from end of main gun barrels to mid-fin) 12.5 feet (3.8 meters)

Weight:
Base- 32.4 tons (29393 KG)
Combat- 34.5 tons (31297 KG)

Power generation: 1x SST-E2 sovex turbine

Propulsion:
Main-4x SRST sovex repulse turbines
Maneuvering- x17 dual-directional sovex pulse emitters
Max operating combat speed: .55C

Armor:
Max- 12mm of 75% compressed sovex plate
Min- 4mm of 75% compressed sovex plate

Armament:
Main- 1x four barreled (variant) BT-40 (40mm Gatling system)
Secondary- 2x AAC 40mm autocannons
Other weapons:
- x4 G12 micro sovex manipulators/shield generators
- x2 claws, with distortion bladed blades
- easily outfitted with other weapon systems

The ESSD is a versatile, powerful, and easy to produce drone unit. It's operating systems are very basic when compared to other Alfurian systems. This fact applies to all functions apart from it's propulsion/maneuvering units;the most complex and expensive parts on the drone. The overall simplicity of the drone makes it easy to produce, and highly resistant to cyber attacks (not that any nation currently threatens Alfurian technology with such attacks, but the point still stands). Even the weapons are much simpler than normal Alfurian systems. As opposed to normal Alfurian guns/cannons, the 40mm weapons of the Avowbree fire pre-fabricated munitions. Instead of recharging batteries that feed the weapons, 40mm shell belts are used. This is cheaper and simpler, true, but another added bonus is that the ESSDs do not suffer from weapon overheating. They can dispense munitions as quickly as needed, and although they can run out of ammunition, the rate of fire can be sustained until all ammunition is depleted. Several hundred rounds are carried for each secondary turret, and a 7,500 count coiled belt drum is used for the main Gatling weapon.

Once out of ammunition, the Avowbree can still use it's projectors and distortion blades, retaining it's usefulness. Of course formations of ESSDs can return to the ship that launched them. Able to land with landing gear on the side of the hull and on the upper and lower sides of the arms (these can be spun at the wrist to face the floor of a hangar, the ESSD has the unique operation of landing on it's right side. Once landed, the side panel can be removed quickly, and pre-spooled belts can be quickly reloaded for the main weapons. This can be done all in the matter of minutes.

Another unique aspect of the ESSD is that it's four sovex manipulation devices make it as useful in defensive operations as offensive ones. At first the Avowbree were outfitted with simpler sovex projectors, generation 8. However once OLI became involved with production, the latest generation 12 devices were issued. The two manipulators on the arms can create distortion shields, can fire projectors for short range, low damage, but high penetration attacks, and and "arc" sovex between each other, creating a jagged "blade" of moving particles between the two arms. The arms themselves have excellent mobility in their arcs. They are mounted on a ring that wraps around the hull of the drone. This allows them to pivot around the craft, giving them the ability to be extremely versatile. The drone can even use them to assist moving along a surface in zero G environments, or to launch wide-arc slashes with the distortion blades.

The manipulators on the aft of the drone spin as the drone moves. These manipulators are very low energy using, because they use the exhaust-particles from the four propulsion turbines for most of their operations. These two spinning manipulators function as side-point defense, additional side oriented shields, and if needed, can send lashing curved blade-shaped distortions out to the side of the drones. Additionally, because of the high level of manipulation and the spinning motions, distortion shields to the side can actually form together with other distortions. That means that formations of Avowbree drones can overlap their distortion shields, creating a large connected network of shields. Combined with Alfurian ship-deployed dedicated shielding drones, these can make a formidable shielding grid that is extremely difficult to overcome. The Avowbree can also use these shields to keep their large formations protected as they advance to closer engagement ranges. It is to be noted that running these projectors while moving, does though, reduce speed to about .5C

The .55C max cruising speed of the ESSD drones is respectable, but another area of locomotion holds fantastic levels of impressiveness. The 17 pulse emitters face the sides of the ship, and upon releasing their energy, can allow the drone to maneuver with extreme speed. Because there is no pilot, and because there is no air resistance in space, the craft can pull maneuvers that no other Alfurian vehicle could even attempt. To add to the flexibility of the crafts' movements, the center fin is mounted on a hinge. This fin can be adjusted to further complicate, control, and assist in both offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Although highly maneuverable, the ESSD is not armored very well. This is to cut down on cost, production time, and to assist in speed and maneuverability. That means that if an Avowbree's shields go down, it is very susceptible to enemy fire. However, if damaged, the Avowbree can continue operating. It can function with only one out of four engines in operation, can eject either wing if they are damaged, and although they are not designed to do so, damaged Avowbree can be ordered to ram targets. Their mass, speed, and volatile manipulators have the potential to damage ship hulls upon impact, but Avowbree are much more dangerous if they land on a ship intact, more so than if they ram a target.

The Avowbree is made cheap to produce overall by it's simplicity, but the sovex manipulators and pulse engines are of higher quality and complexity. It is suspected that in the future, larger numbers of Avowbree will be used when the somewhat new technologies that they incorporate become easier to mass produce. Still, even currently Alfurian orders for such drones span several fleets, and civilian versions are to be expected among the many military variations.

Description
In the light of Alfur's recovery from Pastian's Plague, the military industry started to burn away the slower pace that it had temporarily developed from the loss of workers, designers, and inventors. Although tragic, companies were forced to hire replacements in most areas, thus slightly improving the economy and job market. Also, new companies could be seen developing and sprouting from the ashes.

One new design foundry found good fortunes in the new period of growth. In Sauta Platsa, an old, obsolete water-ship dockyard had been crippled by the recent catastrophic natural disasters of the area. Not able to repair their assets, the owners decided to sell the land area and olden, damaged structures to a young industrial entrepreneur. This man was named Velmea Aikemour, and he was a designer and builder of aerospacecraft. With a few hundred fellow workers, engineers, assistants, and support staff, Velmea set to work on repairing the buildings, removing most of the ship-making machinery, and setting up shop to develop new military vehicles. After a remarkably fast development time, the Sauta Aerospace Foundry had created their first design, and after gaining approval by several boards, pitched the prototypes for mass production approval contracts.

Meanwhile, the Alfurian Airnavy had been divided on aerospacecraft dealings. For thousands of yeas, airships (capital vessels) had been the savior, workhorses, and backbones of Alfur. Smaller vehicles had been made extinct by past conflicts, but Alfur's growing variation of transports, dropships, and gunships were wedging themselves into operations and showing their versatility and worth. Thus, many within the Airnavy petitioned for the revival of a wide variation of smaller combat craft. Sadly, Alfur's light assault carrier project had been totally lost due to a combination of the plague outbreak and a spawn attack. However, new hope for supporters of smaller combat craft was seen in Sauta Aerospace Foundry's (SAF) ESSD-E1. The Experimental Space Superiority Drone was an interesting new idea, and an alternative to manned combat craft. The Airnavy had been hesitant on manned fighters, but this advanced drone offered an interesting asset. The ESSD was approved for mass production, with two SAF plants, one in Sauta Platsa, and a newly set up small foundry in Vakun given a contract for 75 prototypes. This order was met within a week, and extensive trials and testing followed by the Airnavy. The ESSD, though crude due it's newly established creator-company preformed well in testing. Contracts for cooperative production was established between SAF and Old Loondy Industries, Alfur's largest aerospace company. This upped production potential, advancement and variation of design, and all general scales for the project. The Airnavy itself gave the order for 2,500 Vakun Class cruisers to be modified to carry and deploy ESSD drones. Likewise, a further order followed for 5,000 refitted Fowex transports to be made into drone deployment ships. Vakun and Aoutlaktaton Shipyards were already undertaking massive refitting projects, and agreed to the contract for modifications. The drones quickly named "Avowbree", meaning a "a swift, mountain stream.

ESSD-E1

Role: Multi-purpose Superiority Drone Unit

Height (from top fin sensor to bottom fin sensor): 7.7 feet (2.3 meters)
Length (from end of main gun barrels to mid-fin) 12.5 feet (3.8 meters)

Weight:
Base- 32.4 tons (29393 KG)
Combat- 34.5 tons (31297 KG)

Power generation: 1x SST-E2 sovex turbine

Propulsion:
Main-4x SRST sovex repulse turbines
Maneuvering- x17 dual-directional sovex pulse emitters
Max operating combat speed: .55C

Armor:
Max- 12mm of 75% compressed sovex plate
Min- 4mm of 75% compressed sovex plate

Armament:
Main- 1x four barreled (variant) BT-40 (40mm Gatling system)
Secondary- 2x AAC 40mm autocannons
Other weapons:
- x4 G12 micro sovex manipulators/shield generators
- x2 claws, with distortion bladed blades
- easily outfitted with other weapon systems

The ESSD is a versatile, powerful, and easy to produce drone unit. It's operating systems are very basic when compared to other Alfurian systems. This fact applies to all functions apart from it's propulsion/maneuvering units;the most complex and expensive parts on the drone. The overall simplicity of the drone makes it easy to produce, and highly resistant to cyber attacks (not that any nation currently threatens Alfurian technology with such attacks, but the point still stands). Even the weapons are much simpler than normal Alfurian systems. As opposed to normal Alfurian guns/cannons, the 40mm weapons of the Avowbree fire pre-fabricated munitions. Instead of recharging batteries that feed the weapons, 40mm shell belts are used. This is cheaper and simpler, true, but another added bonus is that the ESSDs do not suffer from weapon overheating. They can dispense munitions as quickly as needed, and although they can run out of ammunition, the rate of fire can be sustained until all ammunition is depleted. Several hundred rounds are carried for each secondary turret, and a 7,500 count coiled belt drum is used for the main Gatling weapon.

Once out of ammunition, the Avowbree can still use it's projectors and distortion blades, retaining it's usefulness. Of course formations of ESSDs can return to the ship that launched them. Able to land with landing gear on the side of the hull and on the upper and lower sides of the arms (these can be spun at the wrist to face the floor of a hangar, the ESSD has the unique operation of landing on it's right side. Once landed, the side panel can be removed quickly, and pre-spooled belts can be quickly reloaded for the main weapons. This can be done all in the matter of minutes.

Another unique aspect of the ESSD is that it's four sovex manipulation devices make it as useful in defensive operations as offensive ones. At first the Avowbree were outfitted with simpler sovex projectors, generation 8. However once OLI became involved with production, the latest generation 12 devices were issued. The two manipulators on the arms can create distortion shields, can fire projectors for short range, low damage, but high penetration attacks, and and "arc" sovex between each other, creating a jagged "blade" of moving particles between the two arms. The arms themselves have excellent mobility in their arcs. They are mounted on a ring that wraps around the hull of the drone. This allows them to pivot around the craft, giving them the ability to be extremely versatile. The drone can even use them to assist moving along a surface in zero G environments, or to launch wide-arc slashes with the distortion blades.

The manipulators on the aft of the drone spin as the drone moves. These manipulators are very low energy using, because they use the exhaust-particles from the four propulsion turbines for most of their operations. These two spinning manipulators function as side-point defense, additional side oriented shields, and if needed, can send lashing curved blade-shaped distortions out to the side of the drones. Additionally, because of the high level of manipulation and the spinning motions, distortion shields to the side can actually form together with other distortions. That means that formations of Avowbree drones can overlap their distortion shields, creating a large connected network of shields. Combined with Alfurian ship-deployed dedicated shielding drones, these can make a formidable shielding grid that is extremely difficult to overcome. The Avowbree can also use these shields to keep their large formations protected as they advance to closer engagement ranges. It is to be noted that running these projectors while moving, does though, reduce speed to about .5C

The .55C max cruising speed of the ESSD drones is respectable, but another area of locomotion holds fantastic levels of impressiveness. The 17 pulse emitters face the sides of the ship, and upon releasing their energy, can allow the drone to maneuver with extreme speed. Because there is no pilot, and because there is no air resistance in space, the craft can pull maneuvers that no other Alfurian vehicle could even attempt. To add to the flexibility of the crafts' movements, the center fin is mounted on a hinge. This fin can be adjusted to further complicate, control, and assist in both offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Although highly maneuverable, the ESSD is not armored very well. This is to cut down on cost, production time, and to assist in speed and maneuverability. That means that if an Avowbree's shields go down, it is very susceptible to enemy fire. However, if damaged, the Avowbree can continue operating. It can function with only one out of four engines in operation, can eject either wing if they are damaged, and although they are not designed to do so, damaged Avowbree can be ordered to ram targets. Their mass, speed, and volatile manipulators have the potential to damage ship hulls upon impact, but Avowbree are much more dangerous if they land on a ship intact, more so than if they ram a target.

The Avowbree is made cheap to produce overall by it's simplicity, but the sovex manipulators and pulse engines are of higher quality and complexity. It is suspected that in the future, larger numbers of Avowbree will be used when the somewhat new technologies that they incorporate become easier to mass produce. Still, even currently Alfurian orders for such drones span several fleets, and civilian versions are to be expected among the many military variations.