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Description

The Tarkavian Collective’s aptly-named Decimator was made to support ground assaults. It saw its first deployment during the Hassadian Campaign, where its effectiveness against enemy armour, supply lines and command posts helped ensure Collective victory. Decimator squadrons have since faced tougher opposition in colder Verengean skies, but their pilots’ experience – together with the upgrades made to their battle-tested planes – have often given them the edge against their more numerous but less well-equipped and well-organised foes.

Design Features

- The Decimator’s unusual layout is a logical choice for a ground attack aircraft. The twin booms help strengthen the tailplane and shield it from enemy fire; having two vertical tails and rudders means control can be retained if one is badly damaged or destroyed; and the enclosed pusher prop is less likely to strike obstacles and careless or distracted ground crew. A relatively short sloped nose and slightly swept back wings improve ground visibility, aiding target acquisition and making landing easier. Drawbacks include slower roll rates and poor rearward visibility – more serious concerns for fighters than planes used for close air support.

- The Decimator’s V12 engine drives a four-bladed pusher prop with variable and reversible pitch. The latter setting can be used as an airbrake after touchdown and lets pilots taxi in reverse – ideally with directions from ground crew. Some highly skilled or reckless pilots have briefly reversed pitch in flight to slow dives, prolong strafing runs, or fall behind pursuing fighters, but this places great stress on the airframe and can easily induce a stall.

- A retractable tricycle undercarriage – which includes a steerable nose wheel – makes ground handling easier, especially on rough frontline airstrips. The two rear wheels fold backwards into the twin tail booms, providing more space for underwing hardpoints. This system also gives the prop more ground clearance and a parked aircraft a more level stance, allowing fast refuelling and rearmament.

- The air intakes are positioned above and slightly behind the wings’ leading edge to shield them from ground debris. If the engine is badly damaged in combat its rear placement means fire, smoke and fumes are usually swept away from the cockpit instead of being blown into it, giving pilots more time to react than those in more conventional single-engine aircraft. From their first inception Decimators were fitted with ejector seats; besides throwing pilots clear of the prop, this increases their chance of surviving low altitude and/or high speed exits.

- The rear placement of the engine means guns can be concentrated in the Decimator’s armoured nose and the lack of interrupter gear gives them a higher rate of fire. Three standard modules can be fitted depending on mission requirements: eight 13mm machine guns, four 20mm autocannons or two 30mm autocannons. An additional eight underwing hardpoints can carry light bombs or unguided rockets; these tend to be less accurate but can devastate large areas.

- This Decimator’s colour scheme is well-suited to northern regions, though in winter the grey-green camouflage is usually replaced with plain white. The black lightning bolts are seen on most Collective aircraft, though the Decimator’s unique shape also wards off friendly fire. White numbers on the tail booms and one wing identify the aircraft and the unit it belongs to in a clear and concise way. By contrast the dragon’s skull – along with the small human skulls which record the pilot’s kills – are added to inspire fear and encourage an aggressive mindset.

Description

The Tarkavian Collective’s aptly-named Decimator was made to support ground assaults. It saw its first deployment during the Hassadian Campaign, where its effectiveness against enemy armour, supply lines and command posts helped ensure Collective victory. Decimator squadrons have since faced tougher opposition in colder Verengean skies, but their pilots’ experience – together with the upgrades made to their battle-tested planes – have often given them the edge against their more numerous but less well-equipped and well-organised foes.

Design Features

- The Decimator’s unusual layout is a logical choice for a ground attack aircraft. The twin booms help strengthen the tailplane and shield it from enemy fire; having two vertical tails and rudders means control can be retained if one is badly damaged or destroyed; and the enclosed pusher prop is less likely to strike obstacles and careless or distracted ground crew. A relatively short sloped nose and slightly swept back wings improve ground visibility, aiding target acquisition and making landing easier. Drawbacks include slower roll rates and poor rearward visibility – more serious concerns for fighters than planes used for close air support.

- The Decimator’s V12 engine drives a four-bladed pusher prop with variable and reversible pitch. The latter setting can be used as an airbrake after touchdown and lets pilots taxi in reverse – ideally with directions from ground crew. Some highly skilled or reckless pilots have briefly reversed pitch in flight to slow dives, prolong strafing runs, or fall behind pursuing fighters, but this places great stress on the airframe and can easily induce a stall.

- A retractable tricycle undercarriage – which includes a steerable nose wheel – makes ground handling easier, especially on rough frontline airstrips. The two rear wheels fold backwards into the twin tail booms, providing more space for underwing hardpoints. This system also gives the prop more ground clearance and a parked aircraft a more level stance, allowing fast refuelling and rearmament.

- The air intakes are positioned above and slightly behind the wings’ leading edge to shield them from ground debris. If the engine is badly damaged in combat its rear placement means fire, smoke and fumes are usually swept away from the cockpit instead of being blown into it, giving pilots more time to react than those in more conventional single-engine aircraft. From their first inception Decimators were fitted with ejector seats; besides throwing pilots clear of the prop, this increases their chance of surviving low altitude and/or high speed exits.

- The rear placement of the engine means guns can be concentrated in the Decimator’s armoured nose and the lack of interrupter gear gives them a higher rate of fire. Three standard modules can be fitted depending on mission requirements: eight 13mm machine guns, four 20mm autocannons or two 30mm autocannons. An additional eight underwing hardpoints can carry light bombs or unguided rockets; these tend to be less accurate but can devastate large areas.

- This Decimator’s colour scheme is well-suited to northern regions, though in winter the grey-green camouflage is usually replaced with plain white. The black lightning bolts are seen on most Collective aircraft, though the Decimator’s unique shape also wards off friendly fire. White numbers on the tail booms and one wing identify the aircraft and the unit it belongs to in a clear and concise way. By contrast the dragon’s skull – along with the small human skulls which record the pilot’s kills – are added to inspire fear and encourage an aggressive mindset.