Gratha

Gratha
Production
Type	Heavy Fighter[1]
Specifications
Length	36m[1]
Weapons	Laser Cannon (2), Mass Driver Cannon (2), Image Recognition Missile, Heat-Seeking Missiles (3), Porcupine Mines (2)[1]
Shield	11/10cm[1]
Hull	15/10/14cm[1]
Speed	200/320kps[1]
Yaw/Pitch/Roll	6dps[1]
Usage
Affiliation	Kilrathi Empire
Appearances
First appearance	Wing Commander I

The Gratha Heavy Fighter is a Kilrathi spacecraft.

HistoryEdit

Confed pilots of the TCS Tiger's Claw encountered several of these fighters during the Vega Campaign in 2654. The first instance was during a patrol in Gateway^[2] and then in Gimle where the F-44 Rapier II was tested against them.^[3] Two wings of Grathas later attacked the Claw in Chengdu, destroying its escort of 2 Hornets in the process.^[4] Grathas were also seen in Dakota.^[5]

Grathas piloted by unexperienced Kilrathi pilots were found in Port Hedland and they attempted to destroy a Drayman-class carrying a TCSO crew to the Claw.^[6] In the same system a wing of Grathas was seen escorting a new type of capital ship, the Fralthi-class.^[7] Later, a wing of 4 Grathas attempted to attack a Confed Exeter-class^[8]

Near Kurasawa IV Grathas jumped upon Knight and Lightning. They managed to take out 5 but Lightning was hit. Grathas also attempted (and managed) to destroyed a Confed-captured Ralari-class that was to be used in the sieges in Kurasawa.^[9] Grathas escorted a Dorkir-class during their attepts to intrude Rostov^[10]

In the Hubble's Star system, Grathas attempted to attack Drayman-class tankers to supply the TCS Eagle's Talon^[11] and then attacked the Talon itself, but were fend off by Pitak Puzaki and Marsha Shannon.^[12] In the Hell's Kitchen system, Grathas were among the forces who attempted to stop refugee ships from reaching the Talon.^[13][14]

Grathas were also seen in the Venice system^[15] while two wings directly attacked the Claw^[16] while a wing was among the defenses of the Star Base.^[17]

During Operation Thor's Hammer, Grathas of the remaining Kilathi force in Goddard attacked the Claw while investigating what happened to Goddard Colony^[18] and then Grathas were encountered while the Claw intruded into Kilrathi territory, such as Border Zone system,^[19][20] a couple of them escorting a Ralari-class in the Midgard^[21] and Jotunheim systems.^[22][23] In that system, a Fralthi-class with an escort of Grathas set up an ambush for the Claw, but all its fighter wings were launched to counteract their strategy.^[24]

Grathas were among the defenses of a fuel Supply Depot in the Bifrost system.^[25] After its destruction, ships were stranded in the system, including a Ralari with its Gratha escort.^[26] Many Grathas were around the Valgard system^[27] including stranded ships which turned against the Claw in desperation.^[28]

Finally in the Vigrid system, when the Claw approached the Sivar, 4wings of Gratha, 11 ships in all, attacked the carrier in an attempt to stop its advance.^[29] 6 Grathas were among the defenses of the Sivar, but were unable to stop the Confed pilots from destroying the prototype Dreadnought.^[30]

SpecificationsEdit

These fighters were considered very well-defended and armed. Its weapon arsenal included two laser and mass-driver cannons, along with a missile payload of three heat-seeker missiles, a single Image Recognition missile, and two space mines. Only the Terran Confederation's Raptor was a match for the Gratha. However, the Raptor bested the Gratha in speed.

BackgroundEdit

The Academy Years gives the following AI mechanics

ReferencesEdit

External linksEdit

• Wing Commander CIC
• WCpedia: Gratha heavy fighter