X-COM Hybrid Aircraft (Apocalypse)
With the help of a few UFO bits, a warehouse of Nutrivend synth'o'cola™ and lots of duct tape, X-COM researchers have been able to reverse engineer the UFO engines (which appear to be of alien origins even to the aliens) and the transdimensional gate navigational systems and integrated them into our own home grown vehicles.
Because energy is drawn from the alien world on the other side of the Dimension Gates, hybrid ships never run out of fuel and can stay on sentinal duty for days on end - unless the gates are closed abruptly, in which case the ships would plummet to their doom.
File:Apoc probe.gif Dimension Probe : An unmanned prototype ship that can be armed with light weapons like Light Disruptor Beams. They make excellent swarmer units like Hoverbikes, especially when armed with the light disruptor, thanks to their fairly respectable armour level (they have more armour than a Hawk Air Warrior, but not nearly as much Constitution). Their speed and maneuverability mean that although they are physically very weak, they can dodge most missiles. Set them to Aggressive to chase down faster enemy ships and Evasive when harassing larger enemies. Although originally meant to be a one-shot throw away ship, it never really needs to be built if you can develop the more advanced ships immediately.
File:Apoc biotrans.gif Bio-Trans : The Bio-Trans is a flying coffin Wolfhound APC designed primarily for transporting agents, aliens or equipment to and from combat sites. It is not designed for combat (it fits a single 2x2 weapon slot, enough for a light disruptor, small plasma cannon or an autocannon) but can mount sufficient countermeasures to keep troops relatively safe from harm (in the form of shields - lots of them). The Bio-Trans comes with four free Cargo Modules and four free Bio- Transport Modules when constructed - sell all but one of each and load it up with passenger mods and shields. Just don't put all your agents in one basket.
File:Apoc explorer.gif Explorer : The Explorer is the first ship designed with combat in mind, though it can also carry a decent amount of agents without modules. It is a fast interdimensional variant of the Hawk Air Warrior with slightly less module space. Weapon hardpoints include one main cannon and two additional smaller weapon hardpoints. Although not comparable to the Annihilator, this ship can take on anything given sufficient numbers. But then, anything can - it's possible to kill Battleships with enough Valkyries and Hawks, after all.
File:Apoc retaliator.gif Retaliator : The Retaliator is a minor step up over the Explorer where it can mount three main guns and has as much space as a Hawk Air Warrior for upgrade modules (4x4). It's basically a ship with three times the firepower of an Explorer. It's forward gun is 2x3 (fitting a medium disruptor, stock disruption missile, or anything smaller), and it has 2 more 2x4 weapon pods suited for either Medium Disruptor Beams, or any of the alien missiles (Stasis Bomb, Multi-Bomb, or just a stock Bomb Launcher). The Retaliator is versatile and relatively fast. Consider using two small shields and two other support modules for combat purposes.
File:Apoc annihilator.gif Annihilator : The Annihilator is the be-all-and-end-all of the interdimensional gunships, the pinnacle of human engineering. It mounts two main weapons and a grand forward hardpoint suitable for the Heavy Disruptor Beams (and is, in fact, the only human-built ship capable of fitting these massive weapons) found on alien capital ships. It contains enough upgrade module space (6x12, by far the largest of any vehicle) to expand the ship to take on other roles such as a heavily armoured troop transporter if the need ever arises, though the Bio-Trans is infinitely more suited to this role. Otherwise it's clearly designed as an all-out assault vehicle that's meant to be fitted with a huge array of large and small disrupter shields. A single Annihilator under manual control is quite capable of easily leveling the entire city, although as amusing as that may be, it's not what you're being paid for.
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