Talk:Dralthi III/VI/VII

Need to finally resolve this. Remember for to-do list.

Multiple Dralthi Entries

Shouldn't there only be one entry named Dralthi, with all the varients listed under it, instead of having multiple Dralthi entrys? - Red Heartagram

Yes, but I don't think anyone but a moderator can delete a page once it has been created.--Vinman 22:31, 31 August 2007 (CDT)

Oh I see. Thinks for the info. Red Heartagram

Someone raised a point about the fact that there are two distinct lines of Dralthi fighters by different makers just as there are At least two different Rapier makes. I don't remember what their source was, But I'm not sure that's enough to warrant separate pages. Either way, someone should really take the Star*Soldier article on Drathis to base these articles on.

Here's the text of the article:

On the Wings of a Dralthi

by E. Vieito, Spaceflight Historian

Kilrathi designers are often cited for the simplicity and amount of reuse which goes into their spacecraft. In the most famous example, the Dorkar transport, Kamar blockade runner, Ralar destroyer and Naukar carrier all use the same hull in different sizes and layout configurations. It comes as something of a surprise, then, that the signature Dralthi fighter has gone through ten complete hull redesigns during its long lifetime.

The current model, the Dralthi IX, is currently heating up the space lanes with three models: the Striker, Rhino and Shank. With that in mind it seemed only appropriate to briefly look back at some of the major Dralthi of years (and wars) past...

KF-100 Dralthi

The original Dralthi entered service in 2521, a century before first contact between the Empire and Earth. These tiny medium fighters lacked the distinctive gull or bat wings of their descendants, featuring pointed, knife-like projections instead. KF-100s served with distinction in dozens of inter-clan conflicts as well as in wars against the Wu, Varni and Mantu. These Dralthi continued to serve well into the war against the Terran Confederation, playing a role in every major naval engagement for the first twenty years of the war.

Dralthi

The Dralthi introduces the design’s famous gull wings, a silhouette which still strikes fear into the hearts of anyone who lived through the war in a front line system. These ships have over four times the range of the original KF-100, allowing them to strike human colonies from distant carriers — an ability they amply proved during their 2645 rollout by attacking the Epsilon Prima System. Due to a mid-2650s Kilrathi lend-lease program many less developed species continue to fly surplus Dralthi of this type.

Dralthi Mk. II

The Dralthi II uses a similar spaceframe to the Dralthi, but updates its primary weapons to heavy hitting mass driver cannons. Historians cite the Dralthi II as a major shift in the tone of the Kilrathi War — unlike the original Dralthi, they were built without ejection systems. Confederate forces famously captured a squadron of Dralthi II and used them against Prince Thrakhath at Firekka.

Dralthi III

The Dralthi III, introduced in 2658, began the famous ‘bat wing’ style still seen in the modern Dralthi IX. These light fighters differ significantly from the current designs by emphasizing speed over weaponry. The Dralthi III holds a Kilrathi speed record which has remained unchallenged for nearly five decades.

Dralthi IV

The Dralthi IV entered service in 2662 and quickly surpassed the original rounded design as the most feared Dralthi fighter. These medium ships are well armed and capable of handling themselves individually in a dogfight. The Dralthi IV is the most produced starfighter in history, with variants continuing to be developed through the beginning of the Nephilim War. The Free Republic of the Landreich also flies the Dralthi IV.

Dralthi Mk. VII

The ‘fourth’ Dralthi layout is even more circular than the mid-war version. These elite fighters were deployed only with independent raiding units and fleets carrying special honors. The first Dralthi VII appeared in 2667 and quickly became famous for their highly effective hit and run raids in sectors like Gemini. A single Dralthi, operating independently, could often wreak havoc on unprotected shipping. A significant upgrade in ‘69 added the first operational fusion cannon.

Dralthi IX

The modern Dralthi IX was an update designed to combat the Nephilim threat. The fighters, which exist in three significant versions, were developed from the Dralthi IV spaceframe. The IX was designed to allow distributed production - hundreds of thousands of the powerful fighters were put together in underground caves and in rudimentary facilities hidden within asteroids. Kilrathi designers expect to replace this workhorse with with the Dralthi X by 2710.

Not a Dralthi

Many pilots confuse this ship, the KF-507 Drakhri, with the classic Dralthi. It’s actually a completely different fighter, though the Dralthi VII did later incorporate its revolutionary over-the-cockpit missile rack. E. Vieito is a writer for Attack Fleet! Publications. His books include F-10 Merlin: Glory Over Peron and Nemesis, Predator & Crusader: The Next Generation of Union Steel.

--AD 01:17, 1 September 2007 (CDT)