LSD Docs/LSD Docs.iso/FILEZ/lsdspr01.dms/lsdspr01.adf/108/108

Text File | 1988-02-16 | 19KB | 347 lines

                              STARGLIDER

Taken from an Apple BBS. Typed in by OTAY. Edited by Parsasite & Billy Bone.


Introduction
Welcome to the Airborne Ground Attack Vehicle, the latest and most
revolutionary of the new range of two seater fight craft designed and
manufactured by Draziw Industries. Novenias leading armaments company for
the past eight hundred years.
This manual is divided into chapters detailing most of the features of the
AGAV. However, because of the unique flexibility of the craft's design,
notably the ability to upgrade and modify the weaponry, control systems,
and fuel-feeders without needing to rebuild the craft from scratch, I
can't be sure that I will cover everything.

You are reminded that this document is classified at Level 4.2, and is
therefore printed on anti-Holostat paper. Any attempt to duplicate this
manual will result in auto decomposure of the complete document,
and the simultaneous release of Kryplex gas, which will paralyse the
nervous system of all known carbon based life-forms in the western
spiral arm of the galaxy.

Yrag Draziw
Chief Designer, Project AGAV.
Stardate 3429.6.81.
Entering the AGAV
To enter the AGAV craft, follow the standard procedure:-
1. If the AGAV plasma drive is in operation, press the switch marked
OPEN CANOPY, situated below the canopy rim (there is a switch on both sides
of the vehicle). If the drive is inactive, release the safety catch and
slide back the blister canopy manually, using the handles of the rim
2. Climb onto the wing and stand as far forward as possible, close to the
auxiliary oxygen port.
3. Place both hands on either side of the rim of the canopy, and lift your
legs over the rim and into the cockpit
4. Lower yourself into the pilots seat
5. Adjust the seat until comfortable, using the posture control switches
situated under the seat.
6. Fasten the safety harness.
7. Close the canopy by pressing the small green button to your immediate
left (marked CLOSE CANOPY). If emergency power restrictions are in
force, slide the blister canopy forward, using the handles situated
just behind the pilots seat.
The co-pilot or instructor should follow steps 2 to 7, standing slightly
further back on the wing.

The AGAV Instrument Panel
Your AGAV has one of the most comprehensive computer control systems
ever developed for a fighter craft. This means that the pilot only has to
concentrate on the vital aspects of flying, such as navigation, combat,
and docking at repair stations for fuel and extra weaponry.

Local Area Scanner
This hexagonal screen displays the position of all objects within the
AGAV's range. The scanner can detect density and movement extremely
accurately, to the extent of the sensing the colours of each building,
vehicle or aircraft.

Energy Level
This instrument shows a constant indication of how much energy the AGAV
has stored for its Plasma Drive Unit. It is advisable to always keep the
energy level above 15%.

Shield Status
The molecular Neutralising Force- Shields should NEVER be allowed to
drop below 10% under any circumstances. Shields are replenished
when the craft is repaired at a maintenance silo. The shields are at
their weakest around the undercarriage therefore it is important that you
never allow the AGAV to scrape along the ground during flight.

Laser Cell Status
All four Sapphire II laser units are fed from the laser cell. If it drains
completely, your craft will be unable to fire laser bolts. The laser cell
can be refuelled at any Novenian airbase or maintenance silo equipped
with a PosiLok recharger.

Altitude Meter
The altitude meter shows your current height. If it gets below a safe level
(usually 5%), the meter will flash rapidly and emit a sonic warning. You
are reminded that it is an offence to fly low in a suburban area except in
times of military emergency, unless you have clearance from your Area
Commander.

Velocity Indicator
The velocity indicator displays the current air speed, up to 2550 urads.
Bank Level Indicators
These twin indicators (one indicator is affixed to each wing tip) display
the level at which the AGAV is banking. The AGAV can bank to 45
degrees unladen, although cameras or missiles will alter the maximum banking
angle. Both indicators should always display the same bank factor, unless
one of the wings is severely damaged.

Plasma Drive Status Display
These waveform display units indicate various internal values of the Plasma
Drive. As an AGAV pilot, you need not worry about these unless they stop
completely, or start moving in a reverse direction during flight.

Sector Display
The Novenian landscape is divided into 10,000 sectors, on a 100 x 100
matrix. The sector indicator will show the current X and Y position
ranging in value between 0 and 99.

Missile Indicator
The missile indicator shows the number of missiles currently on board. The
maximum number of missiles allowed at any one time is two.

Heading Display
This instrument displays the heading of the AGAV in relation to the Irralya
Star (discovered by Carrido Otnip in 2601.55.2) in accordance to the north,
south, east, west convention.

Flying the AGAV

Taking Off
Once all safety checks have been completed, you may take off using the
following procedure:
1. Pull back on the joystick to increase altitude.
2. Increase thrust and accelerate forward.
The AGAV has a top speed of 2550 urads, enabling it to outrun any sub
light-speed Alliance craft, as well as all Egron and Aruloid military
craft currently in service. It is quite safe to fly at full speed, as the
computer will monitor the plasma drive at all times, and modify the
neutron stabilizer automatically to ensure the plasma converter is always
operating within its safe range.

Flight Manoeuvres
If you have not had full training in one of Draziw Industries comprehensive
flight simulators, you should familiarise yourself with the more
frequent manoeuvres when attacking land vehicles and escaping reprisal
from a nearby enemy is accelerating, banking and gaining altitude in one
smooth operation. Likewise, when at high altitudes, it is essential that
you are able to decelerate, change direction downwards, and accelerate
towards an attacking enemy target as quickly as possible.
When flying at low speeds, the bank factor of the AGAV is so acute that
you will be able to turn by 180 degrees with extreme ease. Even at
maximum thrust, the turning circle of the craft is very tight. The quickest
way to turn by 180 degrees is to decelerate to standstill, bank left or
right to the AGAV's maximum bank factor, and accelerate quickly away.

Landing the AGAV
The AGAV is fitted with all-terrain landing pads, enabling you to land on
any surface, including molten lava, acid rock, and the vast Erialc fungi
reefs. To land on a surface, bring the craft to level flight, and
decelerate until the computer cuts in and holds you in hover mode at zero
velocity. Push forward on your joystick slowly until you touch down.
If you are landing on molten lava, do not be alarmed by the loud hissing
sound of the landing pads cooling the surrounding lava streams.
WARNING: During flight testing of the AGAV prototypes in the vast Tranalua
desert, it was found that flying at extremely low altitude over an
inductive energy powerline resulted in the absorption of small amounts of
plasma energy. At the time, this seemed unimportant, but as the mk.1
AGAV's were brought into service in urban areas, where high capacity
powerlines were more commonplace, the full size of the problem was realised.
Daredevil rookie pilots, trying to prove their aerobatic prowess, decided
that flying just above the ground at high speed between the twin towers at
the beginning of a powerline and following the path until swerving to
avoid the apex tower was a great test of skill. This resulted in large
amounts of volatile energy being absorbed by the AGAV's energy storage
pod, and subsequently overloading the neutron stabilizer and inflicting
fatal damage to the plasma drive. Attempts to refuel in this way will
result in severe action being taken by both the Novenian airforce, and the
Plasma Energy Corporation against all guilty parties.

Weaponry Systems
The AGAV's main weapon is the Sapphire II quadpulse laser system.
The laser is powered from a dedicated laser energy cell situated in the
nose-cone of the craft, directly behind the PosiLok refuelling nozzle.
Two laser cannons are situated under each wing of the AGAV, and each group
of lasers fire simultaneously.
The AGAV has two laser sight operation modes: fixed sights ensures that the
sight is always in the center of the screen, requiring the AGAV to be
directly in line with its target; whereas floating sights allows the
sights to move freely about the screen in the direction of the joystick

control movement.
The laser fire button has a rapid auto-repeat, enabling a target to be
hit many times at great speed. The Sapphire II has an armour piercing
factor of 0.45 - powerful enough to destroy a vehicle with similar armour
to an Alliance tank with only six direct hits. The laser cell has a
capacity for around 250 full-power laser pulses and can be recharged by
a PosiLok station at any Alliance airbase, maintenance depot or silo.
Some AGAV's (mainly carried on Interstellar Exploration Fleet
Dredgers) are fitted with short-range mk. 12 and mk. 14 proton missiles.
As a desperate measure, and provided your shields are sufficiently intact,
it is possible to intercept enemy craft and ram them if no other option
is available. For this to be successful, the enemy should have
little or no shield or force wall of its own.
The AGAV is fitted with a revolutionary new system: The VidiMon
remote-controlled television guided camera.
Using a high-definition video camera, the AGAV pilot is able to transmit
pictures directly back to Military Headquarters at Qazalon City. An
automatic sliding visual display has been incorporated into the craft which
monitors the flight of the camera.
The camera's flight is started by pressing the LAUNCH button on your

keyboard console.
Once the camera has been launched, you can guide it using the normal AGAV
flight controls (the AGAV itself will simply hover in its current position
under computer control). The plasma drive should be able to transport the
camera for at least twenty minutes. If the camera is not returned to the
proximity of the AGAV within that time, or if it is intercepted by the
enemy, it will self-destruct.
Docking and Maintenance Procedure
Routine maintenance checks are made on all Alliance craft, before and after
every flight. The AGAV has a major overhaul after every five flights, or
if any mechanical or computer related faults are discovered.
During a flight, if you need to refuel the plasma drive, laser cell,
or replenish the shields you should establish a datalink with the nearest
airbase and follow standard docking. During a state of military emergency,
or if the AGAV has been damaged and is in need of immediate attention, you
may dock at an Alliance space station repair silo.
The Alliance silos are vast underground chambers with a sloping
entrance building at ground level. The entrance hatch to the silo is marked
by a laser strobe which is easily detachable by the AGAV's Enhanced
Vision System. The silos are used to build and maintain all Alliance space
stations and large military air vehicles, but also have facilities
available for the AGAV. Not all space stations maintain geostationary orbit,
so as they approach the entrance, the silo will rotate to face the space
station using the NavSynch system, and then pull it in using its tractor
beams.

The current docking procedure is as follows:
1. Establish a datalink with the Chief Engineer at the silo, and wait
until clearance is given. The silo will rotate to face you, and then
stop, unless you adjust your flight path. Manual flight into the silo is
necessary, since the AGAV is too small to be automatically pulled in
using the tractor beams.
2. Slowly guide the AGAV through the doors to the silo. Keep the AGAV
central at all times, as hitting the door or a wall could result in major
structural damage being inflicted upon your craft.
3. Once inside the silo, your Enhanced Vision System should alter
your display so that only relevant sections of the silo are visible.
4. If you need to collect any new equipment, such as a replacement
television guidance camera, or armaments for special projects (such
as sonic bombs or mk. 14 proton missiles), instruct the Chief Engineer
to deposit the equipment at an AGAV collection point, which is usually
situated near the center of the silo.
5. When the equipment is ready, fly towards the collection point, where an
AGRO unit will unlock it into place on the AGAV's fuselage.
6. To refuel your laser cell, fly towards the end of the silo, and slow
down to an almost stationary speed.
7. Align centrally with the PosiLok Refuelling Point, and fly forward
until you lock into position. When your laser cell has been refuelled,
the force shields will be replenished, and any superficial
damage will be repaired by the AGRO androids.
While the AGAV is being prepared, you will be able to obtain food, liquid
input, medical treatment, or a place to sleep in the recreation sector of
the silo.

When the AGAV has been prepared, you will be escorted to the launch pad.
To launch from the silo, wait until an AGRO unit has started up the plasma
drive. When the drive reaches full power, press the button on the console
marked LAUNCH FROM SILO.
Once you have been launched from the silo, accelerate slowly forward, but
do not try to increase altitude until you are clear of the silo.

AGAV Specifications
The main features of the AGAV are as follows:

Plasma Drive
The retro-thrust plasma power units are a development of the mk. 6 neutron
fusiondrives which were used to great effect in the single-seater GS20
fighter class craft. They have been substantially redesigned to
incorporate a neutron-stabilizer circuit, which has almost completely
eliminated the spontaneous explosions occasionally experienced by
unfortunate GS20 pilots who flew above plasma storms in the ionosphere,
against the advice of their Atmostat data reports.
Molecular Neutralizing Force Shield
These are the latest concept in the shield technology and have been
developed at great cost by the Irata University Molecule Research Unit. The
shields work by fusing all unstable molecular structures into an integral
part of the shield shell, therefore minimising the destructive force of
any solid matter coming in contact with the force shield. The second
advance in shield design is in dealing with laser bolts, by converting laser
energy into sound waves. This is a great improvement over the energy-
thirsty fission based shields used on all previous Alliance units.

Laser Cannons
The AGAV class craft retain the tried and tested Sapphires II laser system,
which has been fitted with a new longer-lasting laser energy cell,
using the new PosiLok cell refuelling system now installed at all airbases
and outlying service depots. The original duo-pulse unit has been
modified to a quadpulse system for the first time to take advantage of these
developments.

Communication Systems
The standard issue military two-way radio system has been fitted to the
AGAV. A sub-etha data link, using the new NetCell cellular communication
system developed by Novenia Telecom has been added for remote tracking,
and other computer controlled operations.

Computer System
The AGAV is the first craft to have a ship's computer specifically designed
for a single craft. Draziw Industries has worked in conjunction with
Imperial Business Machines, to produce the P-Cat (ProIntelligence-
Communication and TransProcessor). The P-Cat is the pilots main interface
with the AGAV, and informs the pilot of the ships status at all times using
its built in SynthaVoice circuitry, message projection, and the
ergonomically designed control panel instrument display.
Because the AGAV has been designed as a low-flying attack and
reconnaissance craft for use in unchartered landscapes, there is no
computer controlled navigation system. The advantage of this decision is that
in the event of the enemy gaining control of an airbase, they would be
unable to control an AGAV remotely, or follow its exact flightpath.
* The P-Cat development team has been assigned to develop the computer
control systems for the newly- announced Sentinal Defense Initiative
(referred to as the "Sky Wars" program by the media), and will therefore be
unable to produce updated versions of the P-Cat system in the future.

Television Guidance Systems
One of the most important developments in the AGAV program has
been the VidiMon system. VidiMon is a remote controlled television
reconnaissance system, consisting of a high-definition video camera mounted
on a miniature Plasma drive unit, a result of 15 years of research at the
Hibbard Technology Center.
The AGAV pilot can launch the camera on a surveillance flight, lasting up
to 20 minutes. A special control display has been incorporated into the
AGAV which is automatically activated when the camera is launched.
* N.B. Although early tests using the camera mounted on a short range proton
missile were unsuccessful, the option is still available for the camera to
be mounted on a lightweight remote guided weapon of some kind.

Computer Enhanced Vision System
Probably the most spectacular feature of the AGAV is the enhanced vision
system. The greatest problem encountered by most attack crafts in
the past has been searching out tanks and armoured vehicles in built-up
areas, in order to destroy them. Tanks can easily hide behind buildings or
under bridges, and take pot-shots at fighter craft.
The blister canopy of the AGAV is actually part of a complex display
system. Rather than looking at the outside world with standard infra-red
goggles, the canopy actually intensifies the normal levels of
background gamma and x-ray radiation, and enhances the edges of all solid
matter to give a stunning translucent display of anything within its visual
range, even if objects are behind solid buildings.
The inclusion of the enhanced vision system makes the AGAV the most potent
seek-and-destroy craft ever developed for the Alliance.

Pilot Control Mechanisms
The AGAV is unique amongst modern fighter craft in its control
mechanisms. The pilot (and co-pilot) manoeuvre the vehicle using the
joystick.

There is a secondary control system, used by the co-pilot or flight
instructor consisting of a keyboard module.
In the event that the joystick is not functional for one reason or another,
the keyboard may be used for complete control.