3125 Scale Lyran Panther-S Light Scout Cruiser

The Lyrans are human-sized cats that bore a distinct similarity to Terran lynxes in both appearance and temperament. Bitter enemies of the Kzintis (tigermen eight feet tall), the Lyrans were staunch allies of the Klingons and enemies of the Hydrans as well. Like Kzintis, Lyrans were carnivores known to eat their captives on rare occasions. The Federation assigned each Lyran ship-type a "reporting name" to keep them separate. Lyrans were organized as a feudal society. Twenty-one counties each had a squadron of ships lead by a heavy cruiser; four dukes had dreadnoughts to lead the four fleets, while the king-emperor commanded from the capital.

During the Four Powers War the Lyrans converted two or three Panther light cruisers to this design in an effort to enhance their edge in electronic warfare. The Lyrans’ destroyer-based Ocelot scouts gave them an edge in power over the Hydrans’ Hunter-class scout and the Kzintis’ frigate-class scout and the Lyrans wanted to maintain their advantage if either produced a larger scout. The original intention was to deploy one ship to each front with the third ship available to replace a lost or damaged ship or to supplement a major offensive effort. The Eye of the Red Sun, the first ship of the class, was dispatched to support operations by the Enemy’s Blood Duchy but succumbed to an Orion raid against the convoy it was traveling with before it could join the task force whose operations it was to support. Finder of Foes was damaged in its first engagement with the Kzintis and required major repairs, leading to the decision to send Challenger of the Dark to that front. By the time repairs had been completed to Finder of Foes, Challenger of the Dark had been destroyed by an overwhelming Kzinti drone strike. With the loss of Challenger of the Dark and Eye of the Red Sun, the Lyrans decided that the ships were simply too tempting as targets to make effective scouts. The Lyran Empire would revisit the concept of large scouts after being impressed during the Klingon attack on the Federation by the Klingon use of D6S heavy scout cruisers. The Federation codename is Panther-S. Known names include Eye of the Red Sun (Foremost), Finder of Foes (Foremost), and Challenger of the Dark (county unknown).

This ship is available in a variety of materials. Ships are unpainted, use standard flight stands available from many sources, and, while designed for gaming, make fine display pieces.