The Cutlass is a pilotable ship in Tachyon: The Fringe.
Overview[]
Background[]
Due to the nomadic and thrifty culture of the Bora people, their technology typically serves more than just one function. As a result, they designed the Cutlass to be a multirole fighter, and it has become the most common ship in their fleet.[1]
Despite its middling performance ratings, the Cutlass adequately fulfills the roles of scout, intercept fighter, and light bomber. Because this ship is the first that many new Bora pilots will fly, it offers an excellent way to discover what kind of action they prefer so that they can switch to a ship that better suits their flying style.
The ship can pack a punch in the hands of a skilled pilot thanks to its fair loadout capacity, but it struggles in heavy combat. As a result, the Cutlass performs best when supporting other Bora ships as extra firepower.
Design[]
The Cutlass sports a compact body with hull panels that join at rough angles, evoking a design style similar to Terran military helicopters of centuries past. This is further highlighted by the long central cannon mount beneath the cockpit and by the two arms that extend from either side of the body to support weapon mounts.
While the Cutlass enjoys a slightly higher top speed than its Galspan counterpart, the Poseidon, it pays for it with a lower energy rating. This means that the Cutlass is better suited to brief skirmishes rather than drawn out battles where its laser reserves can quickly vanish under the high energy demands of Bora weaponry.
The hulls of most Cutlass fighters bear signs of their history of repurposing. Scorch marks can be seen where the paint runs thin, and stress marks on the metal reveal a lack of surface-level polish that traditionally manufactured ships have. The engine's idling sound has an oscillating pitch, unlike the stable tones of other fighters' engine output. Perhaps this is a sign of a barely stabilized power source within the ship. While these features may concern pilots from a corporate background, the Cutlass performs well enough that it is a staple fighter in the Bora fleet.
Armaments[]
The Cutlass has two cannon hardpoints and two missile rack hardpoints. The primary cannon hardpoint fires from the mounts on both arms. The space between the shots is moderately wide, so accurate laser fire at close range can prove to be tricky. The secondary cannon fires from the gun under the cockpit, providing a precise line of fire.
One of the rack mounts supports rockets while the other can only support sappers. This limitation encourages Cutlass pilots to experiment with their loadout and more quickly find out what kind of fighter ship suits them best. Like all Bora fighters, the Cutlass features a special mount that can equip either a Corona Device or a Rail Gun.
The Cutlass has eight CPU slots, plus two more slots for engine upgrades, for a total of ten. This provides more than enough room for new pilots to equip important system cards while having enough slots left over to experiment with newly earned cards.
Notes[]
- The Cutlass is unlocked by completing the contract Withdraw from Independence. It is the first unlockable ship in the Bora storyline. It is available in the hangar by default and does not need to be purchased.
Notable appearances[]
- Cutlass fighters make their first appearance in the contract Taking Away Independence, where Jake Logan must destroy them and several other Bora ships in the sector.
- Logan fights multiple Cutlass fighters in the mission Picking the Stone, where the fighters are defending a Bora convoy of heavy freighters.
Shipyard description[]
The following text is copied from in-game. Typos and inconsistencies preserved.
As the most common warship of Bora resistance, the Cutlass can deliver a heavy amount of damage on larger enemies. Its comparatively weak hull of stressed nickel-iron alloy and passive charge deflector screening make it a somewhat vulnerable target in combat. It does however offer significantly higher maneuverability and improved power management over the devastating Claymore heavy bomber.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ In-game shipyard description.