Fast Frigate

This four-masted (two masts up, and two down) Frigate-class vessel trades firepower for speed, and serves throughout the frontier as a fast patrol ship. While the Fast Frigate cannot match the firepower of standard designs in the same hull class, it is almost as fast and manoeuvrable as a Sloop.

Overview

The Fast Frigate is an extremely fast and manoeuvrable medium sized ship. It sacrifices some firepower for mobility, and is quite tough. The Fast Frigate has an almost identical weapon layout to the Cutter, only with an additional Gatling Gun at the stern and a Heavy Plasma Cannon by default, instead of a Heavy LaserBall Cannon.

Summary

Pros

• Very fast for a ship of its size.
• Very manoeuvrable.
• Reasonably durable.

Cons

• Mediocre firepower.
• Somewhat overpriced.

Battle at Procyon Statistics

Point Cost: 100 VP

• Minimum Cost: 50 VP

Mass: 8,000

Max Thrust: 32,000

Max Speed: 30 km/h

• True Speed Value: 8.333333

Manoeuvrability: Good

• Max Angular Acceleration: 1.973921

Crew Size: 17

• 1 Captain
• 1 First Mate
• 1 Spotter
• 1 Helmsman
• 3 Engineers
• 6 Riggers
• 4 Gunners

Hull Strength: 1,930 HP

• Core Strength: 250 HP

Firepower: Good (4 Banks)

1 Heavy Plasma Cannon
6 Medium LaserBall Cannons
2 Laser Gatling Guns (non-replaceable)
1 Light Point-Defence Lancer

Battle Strategy

The Fast Frigate has limited firepower for its cost. While it has good mobility and durability, it does not make up for its lack of firepower. It's a less powerful choice than a Heavy Scout in open skirmish. For improving the Fast Frigate's long range capabilities, one could equip it with a Star Mortar, which converts it into a more expensive version of the artillery Cutter. It is actually remarkably similar to the Cutter, and is used in the same way, only it's faster and much more durable.

Counter-Tactics

Try to reduce its mobility, destroy its sails, hit it with an Energy Net or get it stuck in a Grav Charge. It also has a massive weakness to the engines, as the damage transfer to the core from there is much higher than normal. So try to hit the engines with the majority of your firepower, if possible.

Open Skirmish Names

• RLS Marathon
• RLS Glowworm
• RLS Argus
• RLS Crusader
• RLS Explorer
• RLS Endeavour
• RLS Starburst
• RLS Bounty
• RLS Discovery
• RLS Endurance
• RLS Galatea
• RLS Neptune

Known Ships

• RLS Lightning
• RLS Vanguard
• RLS Sovereign
• RLS Star Shrike (Mission 4)
• RLS Starfury (Mission 4)
• RLS Star Finder (Iron War, called RLS Navajo in the game files)

Trivia

• 

  Three of the four Fast Frigates at Crescentia.

  Four fast frigates appear around Crescentia in Treasure Planet. Considering the 32nd Strike Flotilla operates in this area, it is possible the ships in the movie are part of the flotilla.
• The Fast Frigates in the film have taller masts than the Fast Frigates in Battle at Procyon.
  • Whether this is because the Fast Frigates in Battle at Procyon are a different class of ship, a modification made some time between the events of the film and the game, or an oversight on the behalf of the developers, it's unknown.

Ship Types