Firestorm

The first X-COM craft engineered from Alien technology, the Firestorm is a direct replacement for the standard combat craft Interceptor.

With a crew of one, the Firestorm has been designed around the classic "Flying Saucer" concept, with a central propulsion unit identical to those found in UFOs.

How to use it

As a fighter the Firestorm is much faster than the Interceptor, capable of travelling fast enough to keep up with almost any UFO. It also has much better armor and is not easily destroyed by enemy return fire. It therefore makes an excellent interceptor in the true sense of the word: launch, intercept, return to base. However, that's about all it can do: Due to it's very low range it is incapable of shadowing the enemy and following them around half the world as you're used to from the Interceptor craft.

So if you don't want to attack a particular enemy, you don't even need to launch.

Special Requirements

The Firestorm is fuelled by Elerium-115, so before manufacturing this craft, make sure that you have sufficient stocks of Elerium in your general stores.

When airborne, the Firestorm consumes fuel at the rate of 1 fuel unit (1/5th unit of Elerium-115, 5% total fuel) every ten minutes, regardless of the speed of the craft. The Firestorm has a maximum (radial) range of only 7,000 nautical miles, while being airborne for a paltry 1h, 40m. Its maximum (distance) range is 14,000 nautical miles, while having a total fly time of only 3h, 20m. Patrolling has no effect on fuel consumption.

One Firestorm requires 4 units of Elerium for refuelling. When refuelling, the Firestorm receives 25% more fuel (i.e., 1 Elerium) every half hour, on the half hour. So it can take up to two hours to refuel, and will be finished fuelling precisely on the turn of a half hour.

If Plasma Beams have been fired, it will take 3 hours to re-arm, regardless of how many PB shots were used. At the turn of the first hour after refuelling (measured by hour on the clock, straight up), your left Plasma Beam goes to 100 ammo. At the turn of the second hour, the right one goes to 100. Turn of third hour: Craft drops out of REARMING status and is ready to fly. Even if your craft has not fired (ammo=100), it will still wait until the next hour (straight up) going through that last REARM phase after refuelling.

Firestorms are repaired at the rate of 5% damage per day. Service is done in this order: Repairs, refuelling, rearming. If you transfer a Firestorm between bases, it will still need refuelling and rearming when it arrives even though 12+ hours have passed (if it needed them before it left).

Vital Statistics

Maximum Speed:	4,200
Acceleration:	9
Fuel Capacity:	20
Weapon Pods:	2
Damage Capacity:	500
Cargo Space:	None
HWP Capacity:	None
Work Space Required:	30

See Also

• Interceptor - Standard Fighter Craft
• Lightning - New Fighter-Transporter
• Avenger - Ultimate Craft