Ximni Carrier

The Ximni Carrier is the ultimate expression of the Ximni military strategy, combining the flexibility and rapid deployment of jump drive with the zealous enthusiasm for individual heroics represented by the fighter pilot. The jump ring on the Ximni Carrier is set behind the hull, not in the middle, a non-standard design that led to the development of the TSN's own carrier.

Performance-wise, the Ximni Carrier is closer to the Ximni Light Cruiser than the TSN Medium Carrier. It is light and fast, and is equipped with only moderate shielding. It carries a pair of beams, but while the TSN Carrier mounts its beams front and back, to cover the entire area around the ship, the Ximni carrier mounts its beams to each side. These beams overlap in the front, giving a very narrow arc straight ahead of the carrier in which both beams can be fired. It carries a single torpedo tube, and a standard complement of torpedos.

As expected for a carrier, the Ximni Carrier also carries 6 launch bays, embedded in its wings. This Fighter Bay allows pilots to launch an independent strike in a squadron of fighters, each equipped with beams and homing missiles.

As with all Ximni and TSN ships, the Medium Carrier is equipped with a power allocation system. The Carrier also comes with the usual science and communications equipment. Since the Carrier is intended for a support role, Science and/or Comms is very important, as they have to verbally provide intel and positional information to the fighters. Most crew functions will be involved with supporting the fighters and protecting them from threats, not mounting a direct assault. Thanks in part to the Ximni's efficient jump drive, it is able to range far from its base. Warp Drive is not recommended for the Carrier, although if equipped it will not be any more inefficient than it would be for a Ximni Light Cruiser or Battleship.

The Ximni Carrier currently carries 5 Zim Fighters and Zim Bombers, in any combination of five. The sixth launch bay is dedicated to a Zim Shuttle, although additional shuttles could be carried in the launch bays intended for fighters. It takes 10 players to fully crew a Carrier, 5 or 6 crewmen and 4 or 5 fighter pilots, but usually there will not be that many players available. Instead, two or three players will probably choose to play pilots, and the extra fighters will be spares for if one of the players' fighters is destroyed.