Encyclopedia Hiigara
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This is the article on the ship in Homeworld. For other similarly named ships, see Bomber.

The Attack Bomber was an anti-Capital Ship fighter used by the Kushan and Taiidan Empire in Homeworld.

Overview[]

Unlike most strike craft, the Attack Bomber is a fighter specifically designed to attack Capital Ships and other large craft. The plasma bombs they carry are exceptionally powerful weapons, but are too slow to be able to accurately hit faster moving strike craft. Attack bombers can deal lethal damage to capital ships even when deployed in relatively small groups, as well as non-combat ships based upon the Capital Ship Drive technology. While they are slower than other strike craft, the combination of their small size and still respectable speed means that weapons designed to hit larger ships aren't likely to hit them. Unfortunately, their biggest weakness is other strike craft: their very low armor and slow-moving bombs means that they are quickly destroyed against the likes of interceptors and corvettes. Their fragility means that on the off-chance they are hit by more powerful weapons, such as ion cannons, they are quickly destroyed.

Lore[]

Kushan[]

A wide variety of bomber designs were long used by various factions of the galaxy for attacking Capital Ships. Each bomber used one or more Plasma Bomb Launchers, which uses superheated plasma as its main weapon. The energy requirements of inducing such energetic plasma leaves little room for any other abilities – the worst of these being a loss of maneuverability and speed. Such a compromise makes these bombers the first target of enemy strike craft because of its function and lack of mobility. In acknowledgement of such vulnerabilities, any bomber squadron should always be deployed with a second escort wing of Scouts or Interceptors, and should never be used as a front attack wing to enter a dogfight. The bombers weapon also recharges at a fair rate, 1 to 2 plasma bombs can be shot out every second.

Though slower than a Mass Drivers' projectiles, a single plasma bomb is several times more powerful – and so it is less effective against strike craft but far more effective for attacking bigger ships, such as frigates and capital ships. When the Kushan first researched this weapon in the Great Wastelands, they adopted the design and used it, only changing the chassis to fit the pre-designed Kushan Interceptor designs.

The initial cannon design also came from a captured Assault Frigate left over from the Burning of Kharak. Kudaarks not only carried the mass driver turrets but twin plasma bomb launchers as well, this weapon platform would be the base design for the Kushan to invent the Thunderbolt.

Taiidan[]

Taiidan Attack Bomber RM

While less manueverable than most fighters, the Kaark makes up for it by converting its engines into weapons. The Kaark literally uses its fuel plasma as a weapon, directing it through two cannons at either side of it. To add to the damage the Kaark electromagnetically charges the plasma as it passes through the cannons and then projects them forward towards their target, usually a frigate or super capital ship but on occasion non-combat vessels or even crippled strike craft.

During the Homeworld War Kaarks were rarely used against other fighters and even against corvettes because not only were they slow moving but the plasma was very slow compared to other devices of weaponry, even missiles. For this reason Kaarks would usually be dispatched to fight capital ships of various sizes or raid resourcer convoys. In case the Kaarks did end up in trouble though they were likely to resort to using electric countermeasure systems, manned by the rear-seat engineer.

Legacy[]

The bomber, as it came to be known over time, was a mainstay of many fleets since the Homeworld War. Indeed, many kiith during the Beast War made use of the Attack Bomber, but some were infected and became part of the fleet controlled by the Beast. By the time of the Vaygr War, advances in technology allowed the Hiigarans to develop stronger plasma bomb launchers that were fitted to a small group of Elite Bombers.

Trivia[]

  • In the Homeworld: Cataclysm manual, the Kushan ship is codenamed Thunderbolt and the Taiidan ship is codenamed Kaark.[1]

Appearances[]

References[]

Main Factions Minor Factions
Kushan and Hiigaran Ships
Fighters
Microships Sentinel-class Defense Pod (HWC) • Leech-class Breaching Pod (HWC)
Scouts Arrow-class Scout‎ (HW) • Seeker-class Reconnaissance Fighter (HWC) • Hiigaran Scout (HW2)
Interceptors Blade-class Interceptor‎‎ (HW) • Spectre-class Cloaked Fighter (HW) • Acolyte-class Heavy Fighter (HWC) Hiigaran Interceptor (HW2)
Bombers Thunderbolt-class Attack Bomber‎‎ (HW) • Hiigaran Bomber (HW2)
Defenders Shield-class Defender‎ (HW)
Weapons Platforms Hiigaran Gun Platform (HW2) • Hiigaran Ion Platform (HW2)
Fireships Mimic-class Infiltration Craft (HWC) • Martyr-class Mimic Composite Vehicle (HWC)
Corvettes
Light Corvettes Cavalier-class Light Corvette (HW)
Corvettes Avenger-class Acolyte Composite Vehicle (HWC)
Heavy Corvettes Hammer-class Heavy Corvette (HW) • Ambassador Corvette (HW)
Gunships Hiigaran Gunship (HW2) • Pulsar Gunship (HW2)
Logistical Support Corvettes Porter-class Salvage Corvette (HW) • Mercy-class Repair Corvette (HW)
Multi-Weapon Corvettes Tempest-class Multi-Gun Corvette (HW)
Minelayer Corvettes Resolute-class Minelayer Corvette (HW) • Hiigaran Minelayer Corvette (HW2)
Frigates
Assault Frigates Vengeance-class Assault Frigate (HW) • Minion-class Heavy Tug (HWC) • Flak Frigate (HW2) • Torpedo Frigate (HW2)
Logistical Support Frigates Matriarch-class Support Frigate (HW) • Marine Frigate (HW2) • Hiigaran Defense Field Frigate (HW2)
Ion Cannon Frigates Firelance-class Ion Cannon Frigate (HW) • Hiigaran Ion Cannon Frigate (HW2)
Multi-Weapon Frigates Dervish-class Multi-Beam Frigate (HWC)
Drone Frigates Puppeteer-class Drone Frigate (HW) • Hive-class Advanced Drone Frigate (HWC)
Super Capital Ships
Destroyers Revelation-class Destroyer (HW) • Perdition-class Missile Destroyer (HW) • Deacon-class Destroyer (HWC) • Hiigaran Destroyer (HW2)
Carriers Imperator-class Carrier (HW) • Shaman-class Carrier (HWC) • Hiigaran Carrier (HW2)
Heavy Cruisers Avatar-class Heavy Cruiser (HW)
Battlecruisers Hiigaran Battlecruiser (HW2)
Dreadnoughts Archangel-class Dreadnought (HWC) • Kalash (DoK)
Motherships
Motherships Kushan Mothership (HW) • Hiigaran Shipyard (HW2) • Pride of Hiigara (HW2)
Non-Combat Ships
Resource Collectors Providence-class Resource Collector (HW) • Worker-class Resource Collector (HWC) • Hiigaran Resource Collector (HW2)
Resource Controllers Redemption-class Resource Controller (HW) • Chieftain Mk. 3-class Ore Processor (HWC) • Hiigaran Mobile Refinery (HW2)
Drones & Probes Target Drone (HW/HW2) • Seeker-class Probe (HW) • Proximity Sensor (HW) • Hub-class Research Ship (HW) • Trapper-class Gravity Generator (HW) • Veil-class Cloak Generator (HW) • Kushan Sensors Array (HW) • Hiigaran Probe (HW2) • Hiigaran Proximity Sensor Probe (HW2) • Hiigaran Sensor Distortion Probe (HW2)
Other Logistical Ships Khar-Selim (HW) • Scaffold (HW) • Explorer-class Deep Space Mining Vessel (HWC) • Clee-San (HWC) • Hiigaran Crew Transport (HW2) • Khar-Toba (HW/HW2/DoK)
Space Stations Chimera Station (HW2) • Tanis Station (HW2)
Taiidani Ships
Fighters
Scouts Fiirkan-class Scout‎ (HW)
Interceptors Triikor-class Interceptor‎‎ (HW) • Koshiir-Ra-class Defense Fighter (HW)
Bombers Kaark-class Attack Bomber‎‎ (HW)
Defenders Seejur-class Defender‎ (HW)
Weapons Platforms Orbital Ion Cannon Turret (DoK)
Fireships Cruise Missile (HWC)
Corvettes
Light Corvettes Raachok-class Light Corvette (HW)
Heavy Corvettes Taiidan Heavy Corvette (HW) • Ambassador Corvette (HW)
Logistical Support Corvettes Tiirshak-class Salvage Corvette (HW) • Taiidan Repair Corvette (HW)
Multi-Weapon Corvettes Diirvaas-class Multi-Gun Corvette (HW)
Minelayer Corvettes Wodaan-class Minelayer Corvette (HW)
Frigates
Assault Frigates Kudaark-class Assault Frigate (HW)
Logistical Support Frigates Heeshk-class Support Frigate (HW) • Tiifal-class Defense Field Frigate (HW)
Ion Cannon Frigates Sajuuk Cor-class Ion Cannon Frigate (HW)
Super Capital Ships
Destroyers Skaal-Tel-class Destroyer (HW) • Skaal-Fa-class Missile Destroyer (HW)
Carriers Saarkin-Cho-class Carrier (HW)
Heavy Cruisers Qwaar-Jet-class Heavy Cruiser (HW)
Motherships
Motherships Imperial Flagship (HW) • Headshot Asteroid (HW)
Superweapons
Superweapons Low Orbit Atmosphere Deprivation Weapon (HW/HW2)
Non-Combat Ships
Resource Collectors Taiidan Resource Collector (HW)
Resource Controllers Siim Salla-class Resource Controller (HW)
Drones & Probes Target Drone (HW/HW2) • Taiidan Probe (HW) • Proximity Sensor (HW) • Taiidan Research Ship (HW) • Koraal-class Gravity Generator (HW) • Fushai-class Cloak Generator (HW) • Raakel-class Sensors Array (HW)
Other Logistical Ships Field Generator (HW) • Colony Ship (HWC)
Space Stations Research Station (HW) • Nomad Moon (HWC)
Kadeshi Ships
Fighters
Interceptors Swarmer (HW)
Defenders Advanced Swarmer (HW)
Frigates
Frigates Kadeshi Multi-Beam Frigate (HW)
Motherships
Motherships Kadeshi Mothership (HW)
Non-Combat Ships
Fuelships Fuel Pod (HW)
Bentusi Ships
Fighters
Interceptors Super Acolyte (HW/HWC)
Motherships
Motherships Bentusi Exchange (HW) • Bentus (HW2)
Non-Combat Ships
Barges Cargo Barge (HW)
Unknown Ships
Corvettes
Salvage Corvette Junkyard Dog (HW)
Non-Combat Ships
Derelicts Junkyard Office (HW) • Ghost Ship (HW)
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