Overview:       With the Tchak' Mul (Naram for Thunderbolt), the Albedo design group had laboured intensely in creating their eventual successful design. The Tchak' Mul Weyeb on the other paw, they created almost by accident.       Soon after the successful design of the Tchak' Mul, a young Naram engineer took one of the scale models home, to place on his desktop. Whenever he pondered a problem, or e-spoke to his friends, he would arc it around, playing with it idly. A diversion that turned into a serious design one morning. As he was powering up his terminal, he picked the model up and held it aloft, looking straight down it's noze, and into the muzzles of the 5 HGMDCs. He paused in mid-idle thought as he looked at those five weapons. GMDCs---What else was similar to an installation compared to an Interceptor, and where had GMDCs been developed? The answer struck him as clear as could be: tanks. Ground Attack. GMDCs on a fighter could be used to great purpose on a ground attack aircraft! He twirled the fighter around again in his fingers, intent now on it's design. Though not intended for athmospheric flight, it looked relatively aerodynamically sound, with a squat body and squarish wings. Excited, he rushed from his home to the Albedo labs, frightening some techs as he cramed the model into the wind tunnel.       8 months later, the first Tchak' Mul Weyeb (Thunderbolt Strike) prototype was ready for testing. A modification on the base Tchak' Mul design, the Wayeb adds streamlining and longer wings, along with a gravitic backup, making it an excellent athmospheric handler. Flight tests began almost immediatly, testing it's aerial prowess and it's weapon load. Capabilities:       The Tchak' Mul Wayeb keeps the basic weapons layout of the Tchak' Mul. The HGMDCs have been replaced by standard GMDC models, two class 18s, three class 15s, all manufactured by GAU-Team. Arranged as they are in the bow, they give the craft excellent tank-chewing potential. Along with the re-design of the wings came a re-design of the hardpoints that adorned them. Down to 4 from 6, the Wayeb's HPs are also on articulated mounts, giving them unprecedented flexibility. Coupled with the gunner, who's position still remains, the Wayeb can target and launch its missiles at targets not along it's direct flightpath. Though a complicated affair to install, this ability proved most useful during tests for attacking two targets at once, or to reduce the exposure of the fighter to risky positions.       In changing the craft's main weapon systems to lighter models, the acceleration was boosted to 5gs, neccesary for effective planetary flight. The shield ratings were also re-distributed, in a more conventional 70 fore and aft, and 60 to the sides arrangement. The rest of the craft, save the partially differing airframe, remains largely identical to the standard Tchak' Mul, providing exellent cross-stocking opportunities. Deployment:       With much of the craft the same as an interceptor already put through its paces on the testing circuit, the Wayeb suffered very few growing pains. The short, stubby craft came to be nicknamed the Warthog by the test pilots (Pumbaa being the name of the primary test craft) and it's horns proved to be sharp as they should. With the acceptance of the Tchak' Mul, it is expected the Wayeb will be too, and should appear near the front in a combat-testing roll soon.

Class: Heavy Fighter Mass: 249 tons Cost: 4,061,700 Rating Power Mass Cost Right Engine 850 850 9 850000 Cnter Engine 800 800 8 800000 Left Engine 850 850 9 850000 Links 2 2 2 400000 Thrust: 5 Shields Rating Power Mass Cost Front 70 48 2 35000 Right 60 24 2 30000 Left 60 24 2 30000 Stern 70 48 2 35000 Armour Points Power Mass Cost Front 100 0 10 500 Right 100 0 10 500 Left 100 0 10 500 Stern 100 0 10 500 Weapons Location Power Mass Cost GMDC 18 Bow 12 35 235000 GMDC 18 Bow 12 35 235000 GMDC 15 Bow 12 24 165000 GMDC 15 Bow 12 24 165000 GMDC 15 Bow 12 24 165000 Hardpoint Turret 0 3 10000 Hardpoint Turret 0 3 10000 Hardpoint Turret 0 3 10000 Hardpoint Turret 0 3 10000 Turret 1 1 1 10000 Crew and Cockpit Power Mass Cost Cockpit 1 1 1 10000 Crew 2 2 2 2000 Accel Comp 0 0 0 0 Atmospheric Controls Power Mass Cost A-G Drives 1 12 3 1500 Streamlining 1 0 12 1200 Power Mass Cost Totals: 222 249 $4,061,700 Excess Power: 2278------------------------

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