XGA104 Alien Squid Frigate (2)

Extra-Galactic Alien (XGA01)

The XGA01-SV08-FF frigate bears a slightly uncanny resemblance to a squid clutching a sphere. This lead to its moniker of “squid frigate” and almost immediately to the shortened “squigate” which became distressing popular among the crews.

Like the SV07-CH teardrop, the squigate was spotted in late 2348.

The SV08-FF appears to be a low-production cost harassment vessel. Despite the moniker of “frigate” is it nonetheless a fairly sizable vessel, quite close to the estimated mass of the SV06-DD. Whereas the SV06-DD is cumbersome for a small vessel the SV08 is extremely agile, with an acceleration of at least 31-32mc and an estimated 360-375 MEUs.

The vessel has only minimal protection, falling between the SV05-SC Scale and the SV06-DD. Shields are estimated at about 300TXq, with armour integrity projected at about 400TXq. However, this is still enhanced by the XGA01’s advanced hull stealthing techniques.

But even these are somewhat mitigated by the fact the squigate is primarily a point-blank range attack vessel. Of the three configurations observed so far, none have any long-range weapons.

The “standard” version – only so labelled since it has a slightly higher encounter rate than the other two – appears to carry nothing but small psionic sphere swarm shooters. Like those on the similar-sized SV06-DD, these emplacements are very small and hidden from immediate view behind a multitude of firing ports. However, on the SV06, the weapon emplacements are entirely forward-firing. The quad-S batteries appear to have an accuracy envelope of only 80 000 kilometres. However, their combined output is estimated at 1500TXq, which is considerable. Aside from the quad-S emplacements, the “standard” squigate has blasterbeam point-defence arrays of approximately 990TXq output, a factor shared by both other configurations.

The second configuration SV08-FF-S “strike squigate” carries a multitude of missile racks – but oddly, not capital-scale weapons as might be expected, but what is estimated at about two hundred fighter-scale missiles, with an accuracy envelope of 100 000km. Each warhead seems to be in its own tiny rack (again covered by a firing port). While this gives it a very considerable punch (the combined yield of all the warheads might be as much as 2400TXq), it lacks any range or longevity.
    The strike squigate is not completely without teeth once its missiles are expended – in addition to its blasterbeam arrays, it has a spinal-mount laser beam array. This weapon is capable of an extended discharge and has an output that might reach 800TXq, but only an approximately 120 000km accuracy envelope.

The third configuration is the SV09-FF-L “laser squigate.” Aside from its point defence blasterbeams, the laser squigate is armed only with laser arrays. The total output is estimated at 600TXq over an accuracy envelope of 100 000km. From observed patterns, the laser squigate can thus manoeuvre in close to target vessel and stay with it. While its offensive capability is markedly less than the previous two, this ensures it to be a lower priority target itself and thus increases the longevity of its harassment duties. As the vessel itself is slightly more damage-resistant than the previous two configurations, it is non-trivial to eliminate and its weapons are still sufficiently powerful that it cannot simple be ignored. Given how simple laser technology is to produce, it is very likely this is the least resource-intensive of the configurations, making ideally suited for its role.