Byte


 * Placeholder The Byte-class of ships is an unused concept originally designed by Gamefaqsatron. It is one of the many ships authorized by the counsel, and one of the few Non-Junkyards units deployed by the Heralds.

- Description and Uses -
Bytes are extremel weak, fairly small, and just barely fit the description of a destroyer. The actual ship can be described as tear-drop or eyeball shaped. The only part of the ship which is not excessively thin is the "head," the eyeball shaped bridge area. This section of the ship contains room for a ship captain, two gunners and a communications officer. Any extra crew are unnecessary and provide for a cramped ride. Only enough space is given for a small surface shield generator, a communications array, two weapons interfaces and gravitational propulsion system. Its only armaments are the two anti-personell laser peashooters mounted under the "eyeball" glass window. They have only minimal firing arc and are only situational weapons. The main feature of the ship is it's long "tail" studded with small holes. This tail makes up more than three fourths of the ship's length and yet is only a third of its mass.

Fully loaded units:
The point of a Byte is not direct combat. The byte is deployed fully loaded with bits. These bits are all anchored into the various holes throughout the tail. Because of their small size and design, a large amount of bits can hook onto a single byte. Bytes can launch all bits simultaneously from any point in space using their small radar signature to take up position in asteroid belts. Bytes will never travel alone, often moving in groups as small as three, not counting other ship classes. When deployed these bits will home in on and suicide bomb any designated targets with the accompanying daisy-cutter payload. While bits can easily be shot down and it takes only one explosion to set off a chain reaction, any fleet caught in the blast can expect heavy damage and no time to repair before reinfocements come.

Variations:
In line with the Heralds's militia uprising nature, only higher officers will use fully functional bytes of a standarized color. The more fanatic will remove the automated systems from bits and fly the suicide mission themselves. No two fanatic bytes are alike, right down to the materials used. Generally, multiple Bytes will assault unsuspecting enemies and attempt to finish the enemy off even if the bits fail.

The more organized factions of the Conglomerate will deploy Bytes as missiles boats. The bits used are automated and standard issue, and in combat the Bytes serve only to turn the tide at the right moment. Captains on these bytes are on orders to deploy their bits and then retreat from combat, possibly to man another ship.

The Vor'nera-tsu had long before adapted several evolutions similar in purpose to the Byte, but they were grown long before the Conglomerate invasion. Such evolutions are not to be confused as an organic variant but are a completely separate development.

[Article TBC until further notice]