RESISTANCE A-WING



(* has notes below for further reading and explanation)

Craft: Resistance A-Wing starfighter
Model: Kuat Systems Engineering RZ-2 A-Wing starfighter
Type: Interceptor/stealth fighter
Scale: Starfighter
Dimensions:
-Length: 7.68m
-Width: 4.62m
-Height: 2.02m
Skill: Starfighter piloting: RZ-2 A-Wing
Crew: 1
Crew Skill*: Starfighter piloting 6D, starship gunnery 5D+2, starship shields 4D+1
Passengers: N/A
Cargo Capacity: 40 kilograms (survival gear & supplies)
Consumables: 1 week
Cost: 190,000 (new); 110,000 (used)
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Nav Computer: Yes (limited to 2 jumps)
Maneuverability: 4D+1
Speed:
-Space: 14
-Atmosphere: 485; 1,400kmh
Hull: 3D
Shields: 1D
Sensors:
-Passive: 30/1D
-Scan: 50/1D+1
-Search: 75/2D+2
-Focus: 4/4D+2



WEAPONS:
   2 Laser Cannons*
      Fire Arc: Front or back
      Crew: 1
      Skill: Starship gunnery
      Fire Control: 3D
      Range:
      -Space: 1-3/12/25
      -Atmosphere: 100-300/1.2/2.5km
      Damage: 5D
      Rate Of Fire: 1

   2 Concussion Missile Launchers (fire-link optional)
      Fire Arc: Front
      Crew: 1
      Skill: Starship gunnery
      Fire Control: 2D
      Range:
      -Space: 1/3/7
      -Atmosphere: 50-100/300/700m
      Damage: 8D (fire-linked); 7D (not fire-linked
      Ammo: 6 concussion missiles each (12 total)
      Rate Of Fire: 1

   CloakEye Sensor Jammer*
      Fire Arc: All
      Crew: 1
      Skill: Sensors (works against all starfighters within range)
      Fire Control: 0D
      Range:
      -Space: 1-3/7/15
      -Atmosphere: 100-300/700/1.5km
      Damage: -2D from Sensors and Fire Control



DESCRIPTION:

   The RZ-2 A-wing interceptor was a wedge-shaped starfighter that dated back to the struggle between the Galactic Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic. It was used by the Resistance during their war with the First Order. One notable example of them being used was during the evacuation of D'Qar.

   The successor to an Alliance starfighter beloved for its speed but bemoaned for its frequent breakdowns, the Resistance A-Wing incorporates generations of improvements by rebel techs into a sleeker, longer frame delivering stability as well as speed.  Teh New Republic has cut A-Wing production to a minimum, but the Resistance uses these fighters for everything from reconnassaince patrols to bomber escort missions.  As with a previous generation's rebels, Resistance pilots take pride in proving they have the skills and daring to master this ultra-fast, yet temperamental, starfighter.

Characteristics

   The RZ-2 was a single-seat starfighter manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering. The ship featured a liquid-cooled flight computer, hyperdrive, deflector shielding, and port gyro stabilizer*. The two upright stabilizers at the rear of the ship were adjustable for atmospheric flight, and were made of corrugated carbo-plas, a strong but lightweight material. The front of the ship featured a small "slit," which served as a towing slot used to maneuver the craft in hangar or on the ground. Manning the cockpit was room for a single pilot, who was protected by a reinforced canopy augmented with a cockpit deflector shield generator. A cargo storage area in front of the cockpit held survival gear and medical supplies.

   For armaments, the ship featured two Zija GO-4 laser canons attached to a swiveling cannon mount. This allowed pilots to target enemies behind them without having to worry that the finicky mounts would jam in the rear-facing position-a chronic problem that crippled many Rebel RZ-1s until they returned to base for maintenance. Two concussion missile launchers, fired through depressed exits along both sides of the ship, held enough space to house six missiles per launcher, giving the pilot a total of twelve concussion missiles to use.

   Like its RZ-1 predecessor, the RZ-2 was ideal for missions requiring speed: hit-and-run raids, surgical strikes on capital ships, and intelligence-gathering missions. The RZ-2 improved on its predecessors' capabilities, with more powerful sensors for faster data collection and upgraded jammers to impede detection. However, one of the more noticeable changes from the RZ-1 was a streamlined chassis, which not only delivered more speed but also made the starfighter's notoriously sensitive control system slightly more forgiving in flight.

History

   The RZ-2 A-wing starfighter rose out of the stunning performance of the Rebel RZ-1 during the Galactic Civil War. With the original RZ-1 based on Kuat Systems Engineering's original R-22 Spearhead, the company resurrected its forgotten prototype to create the RZ-2. The RZ-2 incorporated and standardized years of Rebel field modifications, made the chassis slimmer for more speed, and featured generations of improvements to its many systems.

   By the time the RZ-2 was used by the Resistance during their war with the First Order, it was already decades old. With the New Republic cutting A-wing production to a minimum, the Resistance acquired several fighters to be used for everything from reconnaissance patrols to bomber escort missions. As with the previous generation of Rebels, Resistance pilots took pride in proving they had the skills and daring to master the ultra-fast, yet temperamental, starfighter.

   One notable example of the RZ-2 being used was during the evacuation of D'Qar, in which the only RZ-2 present was piloted by Tallissan 'Tallie' Lintra.

Fighter's Forebears

   Kuat designers developed the original R-22 Prototype as a replacement for the Republic's Aethersprite starfighter, but sold the initial batch to the planet Tammuz-an after the Empire rejected mass production of the craft.  Rebel cells acquired several R-22s and stripped them down to boost the fighter's speed and acceleration in an effort to counter the Empire's new TIE interceptors.  After these so-called RZ-1s play a key role in the Alliance's victory at Endor, Kuat resurrected its forgotten prototype to create the RZ-2, standardizing years of field modifications and making the chassis slimmer and longer to yield even more speed.

Stealth and Speed

   Like its rebel predecessor, the Resistance A-Wing is ideal for missions that require speed: hit-and-run raids, surgical strikes on capital ships, and intelligence-gathering missions.  A capable pilot can emerge from hyperspace, engage the fighter's powerful suite of imagers and sensors, streak around an objective at top speed, and vanish back into hyperspace, all while enemy ground crews and still scrambling to get fighters airborne.  The RZ-2 improves on its predecessor's capabilities, with more powerful sensors for faster data collection and upgraded jammers to impede detection



GAME NOTES:

*Crew Skill

   Resistance pilots and crew have +1D to NPC skills (already shown above) to reflect quality over quantity and their limited membership when fighting much larger and well-resourced organizations like the First Order.  If this fighter is used by the New Republic or other organizations, the Crew Skill dice will be -1D of what is shown here.

*Laser Cannons

   The previous RZ-1 A-Wing's laser cannons had the ability to swivel and rotate, giving the fighter much wider angles to fire its weapons, which would be very useful as an interceptor chasing behind enemy starfighters.  Some RZ-1s had these mounts modified to swivel 180% to aim backwards and fire on enemy starfighters chasing behind the A-Wing.  While useful in starfighter combat, this is one of many issues that caused the RZ-1 to be prone to breaking down and being high-maintenance.  In the RZ-2, this is actually worked into the design from the very start and is a standard of the RZ-2.  This makes the weapons mounts much more reliable and less likely to malfunction in the middle of combat.

*CloakEye Sensor Jammer

   This effectively works just like the Enemy Targeting Jammer from the RZ-1 A-wing, having the same 2D effect and range, however, unlike the original jammer, this one affects both Fire Control AND Sensors.  Fire Control effects are the same as before, but if Sensors are reduced to 0D for the enemy starfighter(s), even if their Fire Control would still have dice to add to the pilot's skill rolls, these are automatically negated due to the Sensors already being neutralized by the jammer.



GAME DESIGN NOTES:

   As the RZ-2 A-Wing's information mentions links to the RZ-1 and the R-22 Prototype fighter, this write-up takes the best of both of these starfighters and combines them into a single package.  The R-22 had better Hull dice and more weapon variety, while the RZ-1 had better hyperdrive, sensors, flexibility with its laser cannons, and the enemy targeting jammer.  It seemed natural to make the RZ-2 combine all of this into a single fighter, but also adding improvements, namely to Maneuverability (+1 pip), Speed (+2 to 14; enhanced as mentioned in The Last Jedi Incredible Cross-Sections book) and the sensor jammer, which is still 2D and same range as the RZ-1, but now affects enemy Fire Control AND Sensors.

   As the information I found mentioned the R-22 as the original, leading to the development of the Rebel Alliance's RZ-1 as seen in the movies and depicted in previous West End Games D6 RPG sourcebooks, I went back and did a write-up of the R-22 first, then circles back around to do the RZ-2 here as an evolution of both of those previous starfighters, combining aspects and elements of both, and adding some improvements here and there.

   While the improvements may not seem like much, these can be enhanced further using rules for modifications, enhancements, upgrades and replacements found in books like Galaxy Guide 6 Tramp Freighters and/or Star Wars RPG Rulebook Revised & Expanded.

   If these enhancements seem too powerful compared to how the Resistance A-Wings were mostly destroyed early on in The Last Jedi, this can be explained as being overwhelmed by sheer numbers of First Order TIE fighters, the common starfighter tactics used by the Galactic Empire and the First Order, and in this case we see how effective such tactics can be.

*Port Gyro Stabilizer

   OK, so, this is only my personal opinion, BUT, I believe this bit of info from the wiki page is false and that there are in fact two gyro stabilizers in the RZ-2, possibly in the previous RZ-1 as well for its impressive Maneuverability.  Stating it like the RZ-2 ONLY has this on the port side of the fighter, and I believe this info was taken from The Last Jedi Incredible Cross-Sections where it only shows a gyro stabilizer on the port side, but die to the nature of cross-section images like this, it is practically impossible to show the other on the starboard side of the craft.

[NOTE!:  This write-up is made based on what official information is available.  At the time of this write-up there is little-to-no information available to use for many ships and such from Star Wars The Last Jedi, and much of this was made up using info scraps, guesswork, imagination and creativity.  Future official info releases may render this write-up incompatible with the Star Wars canon.]