*Kamikaze
attack acts as a Beast Infection Weapon.
The Beast Cruise
Missile was first seen in Seera Tel system, when a Kiith
Manaan frigate squadron sent a frantic message that it was
under attack by unknown drone craft. When no further word
was received, Manaan Fleet Command sent in a full Carrier
group to investigate, but initially all that was found was
the wreckage of one Assault Frigate; the remaining four Ion
Beam Frigates were nowhere to be found. Eventually a lone
escape pod was found with one alive-but-nearly-insane
Manaani bridge officer aboard. When an psi-tech was finally
able to piece her psyche back together again, the mystery
was finally solved. It seems that soon after issuing the
report, the incoming drones closed at ramming speed too fast
for the Ion Beam Frigates to track. As the drones impacted,
it became obvious they were huge missiles carrying a warhead
of Beast plasma; the missiles blew through the frigate's
hull, the plasma warhead burst, and the infection spread
through the ship in seconds, subverting the ship and
dissolving her crew. The battle took less than two minutes,
as the three infected Ion Frigates turned on the one assault
frigate that had managed to destroy the cruise missile
targeted on it before impact. The lone surviving officer had
been shoved into an escape pod by her captain, along with
the battle telemetry; she was ejected moments before the
last frigate was cut to pieces.
The Beast
Cruise Missile is nearly the size of a corvette, and packs a
high thrust drive capable of pushing the missile to near
fighter speeds. While not a threat by itself, the Beast
tends to use these missiles in massed attacks, either
forming multiple vectors or one vector which is likely to be
missed in the middle of a massive battle. Both tactics
minimize the chance of successful interception, and any
fleet that does not keep up constant combat patrols can find
itself in deadly danger. Sentinel shields are no defense
against the Beast missiles; the drone's organic tip absorbs
the field charge and allows the missile to slip through.
Contrary to
popular belief, the Cruise Missile does not require Fighter
Drive and Missile Launcher to be built. It requires
Corvette Drive and Bio-Warhead.
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