Source: Technical Readout 3057
Mass: 4,500 tons
Armament:
3 AC/20s
2 AC/10s
4 AC/5s
1 LRM-10s
6 LRM-20s
4 Large Lasers
12 Medium Lasers
4 tons AC/5 ammunition
4 tons AC/10 ammunition
8 tons AC/20 ammunition
17 tons LRM ammunition
Overview:
The Achilles Class DropShip was designed specifically to engage targets in space and is capable of outmaneuvering most heavy fighters and DropShips. Unlike other aerodynes, however, the Achilles does not have wings or any other lifting surfaces, limiting it to operations in space. Like the Avenger, these craft are very rare, because few construction facilities have been able to build or maintain them since the early Succession Wars.
The sleek Achilles uses a massive Xevex-12 drive system that comprises more than half of the ship�s mass and provides up to six Gs of thrust. However, whenever the powerful drive produces more than four Gs of thrust, it causes intense vibrations that interfere with the ship�s mechanical systems, especially the ammunition feeds for the autocannon and missile systems.
The massively armed Achilles often deploys in the vanguard of planetary assault fleets, as well as the orbital defense forces of key systems. In both situations, a group of fighters usually accompanies the Achilles. The fighters either attack first to distract the defenders from the DropShip assault or follow the DropShip to destroy any survivors. The Achilles also carries a full platoon of marines, who occupy a well-equipped barracks in the center of the ship. These marines board disabled enemy ships via a pair of combat buses that occupy the aft small-craft bays. The Achilles also carries a pair of aerospace fighters in addition to the buses.