Avali Nexus Forum Thread 3: A crowd.

The following consists of a file recently distributed through the Marrian Navy by the Federation's intelligence services.

In line with multiple recent field reports we have confirmed the Tecarian Empire is ramping up distribution and use of the "Seraph" strike craft, as such this briefing is to be disseminated to all naval officers, with those expected to potentially be within strike range of any Tecarian fleets or bases to receive priority.

The Seraph is presently a visually distinct model, a long rectangular fuselage and two broad wings that begin on each side of the fuselage and ring around the underside of the craft to terminate against the fuselage side-by-side. Tactically they are very specialized craft but should warrant an immediate response, their powerful engines allow them to intercept targets quickly but they are failed by their ponderous bulk and middling maneuvering jets.

Each Seraph will be armed with 8 small pulse lasers in the nose, allowing it to disable other heavy strike craft and even smaller patrol boats very quickly, however it will generally be unable to effectively bring them to bear against more agile strike craft, against which it must rely on it's 4 rapid cycle ion cannons. Each of the 4 cannons is in it's own independent turret, each covering either dorsal or ventral fields of the craft's frontal arc from either the left or right side of the hull, this leaves the rear arc of the craft completely unprotected. Heavier fleets should pay close visual attention to approaching Seraphs as it has been confirmed multiple times that select models are modified with redundant mounting points in their enclosed wings to allow for "Gungnir" tandem anti-ship missiles to be mounted, any officers unfamiliar with the Gungnir can request a separate briefing on its capabilities.

The Seraph is typically a predictable craft at the tactical level, often plotting a straight path towards bombers and patrol boats screening for the main force or harassing enemy forces, Seraphs will also generally fly either alone with a single formation of fighters/multiroles as escorts or in groups of 3 as part of a larger strike formation. When operating as part of a larger formation the Seraph will generally hold with that formation, functioning more as a defensive gunship than interceptor, and most Seraphs bearing Gungnirs bring them to bear as part of such a formation. Defensively the Seraph cannot depend on speed or agility, and instead relies of a relatively powerful shield for its size and class, and thick armor plating, no in-depth analysis of its defensive measures has yet been possible though, for now the rear arc of the ship is a recommended target as the shield array and engines are presumed to either be less armored than the nose or relatively fragile, as both are common features in Tecarian strike craft.

As of this writing there is no solid intelligence on the intended distribution of the Seraph, however if it follows the range seen by the Seraph during it's probationary period with the Tecarian Imperial Guard, Seraphs should only be expected from Conqueror or Overlord dreadnoughts.