Subscribe to download
[Fighter Blueprint] Kiith Somtaaw Swarmer Drone [Homeworld: Cataclysm]

The Kushan people began experimenting with fighter drones in the early stages of the Homeworld War. The "Puppeteer" Drone Frigate was the first combat vessel to employ this technology - carrying production and berthing bays for 24 remote-controlled drones. Unfortunately, while the "Puppeteer" was in many ways an engineering triumph, it was plagued by design limitations and compromises that resulted in rather lackluster combat performance. The combined production, berthing, and control systems for the drones could barely fit onto a standard frigate chassis, leaving no room at all for weapons. While the drones themselves were armed, they were limited by their small mass drivers and weak maneuvering drives. The drones were unable to venture far from the "Puppeteer" itself, making the entire platform at best only situationally effective as a light anti-fighter escort.

After Hiigaran landfall, the "Puppeteer" design was retired from service and the majority of the Kiithid abandoned the technology entirely. Kiith Somtaaw scientists, however, were convinced that the concept was viable with further technological development. They began to study the Swarmers of the Kadeshi for inspiration. Hard-won advances in both fighter drive and microship control technologies eventually were combined in the design of the Kiith Somtaaw Swarmer Drone. This lightly-armed drone could be built and controlled from a frigate - but unlike the drones of the "Puppeteer", the Swarmer Drone could also be operated at a distance due to its superior drives and control systems.

Kiith Somtaaw engineers built the "Hive"-class Advanced Drone Frigate to deploy these new Swarmer Drones into combat. Each frigate could build and maintain six drones. During the Beast War, this new frigate and its drones proved to be far more effective than their Homeworld War-era predecessors, being able to outgun corvettes and assault frigates while having the option to engage more dangerous targets from well outside of their effective range.

//

This build of the Kiith Somtaaw Swarmer Drone is based on its appearance in Homeworld: Cataclysm. It is exactly 200 blocks. Special thanks to GalvazimGX for requesting this fighter!

Screenshots (besides the auto-generated preview image) show fighters at true scale - when you use this blueprint to produce fighters, that's the level of detail you can expect from the final product.

This ship is intended for use as a fighter blueprint, as it lacks the critical ship components necessary for player control.

Suggested weapons: Chaingun