In one form or another, nearly every high-tech worlds have these small vessels darting about their planets or battleships. Light defenders are commonly carried on battlecruisers and used for the protection of those vessels.
The Wasp class of light defenders, though admired for its quickness and maneuverability, has been dubbed “flash and burn” by their pilots, due to their tendency to explode after taking only a few hits.
Hornet Class
Crew: 1
Passengers: 0
Life-Supporting Modules: standard bridge (4 areas, 2 tons, 0.4 eu, 100 cr) with +1D sensors and gunnery upgrades (2 eu, 1,800 cr)
Cargo Modules: None
Life-Support Supplies: atmosphere (1 person/1 month, 100 cr)
Weapons: 2 blaster cannons (2 areas, 4 tons, 22 eu, 8,000 cr, forward arc, range 8/25/38, damage 3D)
In-System Drive (10 areas, 10 tons, 24 eu, 8,500 cr)
Move: 8 (space)
Maneuverability: +2D (12 eu, 3,600 cr)
Interstellar Drive: None
Total Energy Requirements: 61
Power Plant: 85 energy units generated (7 areas, 11 tons, 12,500), burst capacitor (20 eu generated, 1 area, 1 ton, 400 cr)
Hull Toughness: 1D+1 (18 tons, 7,500 cr)
Atmosphere Capability: None
Armor: 0
Shields: +2D (1 area, 2 tons, 6 eu, 13,500 cr)
Total Tonnage: 48
Scale: 14
Total Area Units: 25
Length: 13 meters (cylinder), 9 meters (ellipsoid), 5 meters (spheroid), 7 meters (wedge)
Total Cost (new): 57,600 credits/Price Difficulty: 26
Wasp Class
Crew: 1
Passengers: 0
Life-Supporting Modules: compact bridge (2 areas, 1 tons, 0.2 eu, 75 cr)
Cargo Modules: None
Life-Support Supplies: atmosphere (1 person/1 month, 100 cr)
Weapons: 1 laser cannon (4 areas, 5 tons, 9 eu, 11,000 cr, forward arc, range 3/12/25, damage 5D); 1 torpedo launcher (2 areas, 3 tons, 2 eu, 5,000, forward arc, range 2/3/7, damage 9D)
In-System Drive (12 areas, 12 tons, 30 eu, 10,500 cr)
Move: 10 (space)
Maneuverability: +3D (18 eu, 5,400 cr)
Interstellar Drive: None
Total Energy Requirements: 60
Power Plant: 100 energy units generated (8 areas, 13 tons, 14,500)
Hull Toughness: 1D+1 (21 tons, 7,500 cr)
Atmosphere Capability: None
Armor: 0
Shields: 0
Total Tonnage: 55
Scale: 14
Total Area Units: 28
Length: 14 meters (cylinder), 10 meters (ellipsoid), 5 meters (spheroid), 7 meters (wedge)
Total Cost (new): 54,075 credits/Price Difficulty: 26