Ximni Missile Cruiser

The Ximni Missile Cruiser is a specialized vessel, designed to be a launch platform for a huge complement of torpedoes. In contrast to the TSN Missile Cruiser, which is bulky but powerful, the Ximni Missile Cruiser is a sleek, arrow-shaped ship, built for speed and maneuverability. It is only slightly smaller than its sister ship the Ximni Light Cruiser, and shares its basic performance characteristics.

The Missile Cruiser sports stronger shields than the Ximni Light Cruiser, particularly in the front, but it carries no beams, making the strong shields important for enduring barrages of drones. Although the power allocation system includes a setting for Primary Beam, the chief engineer can conserve energy by cutting power to this system, as it serves no function. As with all Ximni and TSN ships, the Missile Cruiser includes science equipment and communication systems as well.

The weapons officer may also have a more active role in combat, as there are four torpedo tubes to keep loaded, but no need to worry Science about beam frequencies. The Missile Cruiser is particularly suited to the Ximni Jump Drive, as it can just jump into close proximity with the enemy without having to close to beam range. A useful strategy may be to use normal Jump to get into range, unload a volley of missiles, and then Combat Jump away, disappearing before the enemy can even react. Warp drive is much less useful, and in fact the Ximni Missile Cruiser uses more power as a warp driven ship than the Ximni Light Cruiser does.

The Missile Cruiser is well suited to the Ximni character, as it calls for complex strategy and difficult, split-second maneuvers. As with the TSN Missile Cruiser, it can tear through large fleets of enemy ships, but taking on a single Skaraan can be a cat and mouse game, particularly one that has Jump Drive. Of course, to a Ximni, the challenge makes it all worth it.