Talon

The Esperia Talon is a small and light single-seat fighter designed for escort services and targeted strikes. Built in the Tevarin style, the Talon has powerful, directional "Phalanx" shields for maximum maneuverability, but weak physical armor once the shields are dropped. A pair of Size 4 weapons and a size 3 missile rack complement the Talon's "strike first and strike hard" combat style.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Features

Shielding

The Talon is famous for it unique "Phalanx" shields which offers powerful protection from a focused direction, making it ideal for devastating hit-and-run attacks typical of the Tevarin offensive strategy.

Cockpit

Even though the cockpit has been significantly modified for Human use, it is still quite different in may ways compared to other craft. From its unique single-stick control scheme to its Tevarin airshielding, to the fact that the entire cockpit is also a detachable escape pod.

Stealth

The alloy that makes up much of the Talon’s hull is a fully synthetic material, reverse-engineered in-house to replicate the uncommon stealth qualities of the mysterious metal on which it is based.

Speed

The vehicle offers blinding speeds that facilitate dive-assault tactics. This offensive approach are achieved via super-charged thrusters and a traditionally aerodynamic frame.

Weapons

For a light fighter, it can hold powerful weaponry normally associated with larger craft with its pair of Size 4 gun hard-points. It also has a pair racks which can hold two Size 2 missiles each.

Specifications

Computer

1x

S1

Computer

Radar

1x

S1

Ecouter

Military (C)

Scanner

2x

S1

Scanner

Battery

1x

S1

Battery

Cooler

2x

S1

FlashFreeze

Civilian (B)

Life support

1x

S1

Life supportlfsp_tydt_s01_comfortair

Power plant

1x

S1

Slipstream

Stealth (A)

Self destruct

1x

S1

Self destruct (10s)

500 🗡️ · 10 m

Fuel intake

2x

S1

Fuel intakeintk_espr_talon

0 SCU/s

Fuel port

1x

S1

Fuel portdockingtube_fuel_ports_espr_talon

Fuel tank

1x

S1

Internal Tank

80 SCU

Quantum drive

1x

S1

Drift

Stealth (C)

Quantum fuel tank

1x

S1

Internal Tank

0.671 SCU

Main thruster

4x

S3

Main thrusterespr_talon_thruster_main_bl

1.887 MN

Maneuvering thruster

1x

S3

Retro thrusterespr_talon_thruster_retro_r

1.307 MN

14x

S2

Maneuvering thrusterespr_talon_thruster_mav

1.499 MN

Ordnance

1x

S6

MSD-683 Missile Rack

Right

1x

S6

MSD-683 Missile Rack

Left

2x

S3

MSD-322 Missile Rack

Left, Right

4x

S2

Tempest II Missile

FireStorm Kinetics

Weapons

2x

S4

VariPuck S4 Gimbal Mount

Left, Right

2x

S4

Lightstrike IV Cannon

Esperia

2x

S1

Capacitor

145/∞ Ammunition

Defensive devices

1x

S1

Joker Defcon - Noise Launcher

Right

1x

S1

Magazinefaux_magazinemagazine

5/5 Ammunition

1x

S1

Aegis Gladius - Decoy Launcher

Left

1x

S1

Magazinefaux_magazinemagazine

48/48 Ammunition

Personal storage

1x

S1

Access

650,000K µSCU

Weapon rack

1x

S1

Weapon Rack

Armor

1x

S1

Personal armor

Paint

1x

S1

Paint

Vehicle part

1x

S1

Body

2,700 ❤️

1x

S1

Wing (right)

1,650 ❤️

1x

S1

Wing (left)

1,650 ❤️

1x

S1

Tail right

1,650 ❤️

1x

S1

Tail left

1,650 ❤️

1x

S1

Leg (right)

1,900 ❤️

1x

S1

Wing small segment 01 (right)

200 ❤️

1x

S1

Leg (lower right)

1,500 ❤️

1x

S1

Leg (left)

1,900 ❤️

1x

S1

Wing small segment 01 (left)

200 ❤️

1x

S1

Leg (lower left)

1,500 ❤️

Model

Ship profile

Isometric	Above	Port-side	Front	Rear	Below

Isometric	Above	Port-side	Front	Rear

Series variants

Image	Name	Description
	Talon Shrike	It has an internal missile bay carrying 24x Size 3 missiles but downgrades its Size 3 guns for S1 weapons.

Paints

"Cobalt"	"Crimson"	"Harmony"	"Ocellus"	"Wanderer"

Acquisition

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Lore

The Talon-class light fighter was initially developed a century before the First Tevarin War as an escort craft for Tevarin mercantile interests. These early Talons were about 1.5 times the size of the war-era models and served as technology demonstrators and flagship vessels. They underwent regular updates and advancements in weapons, engines, stealth systems, and shield generators.^[4]

At the beginning of First Tevarin War, Talons primarily served as escort ships for freighters and ground forces. However, Tevarin leadership recognized their effectiveness as attack fighters against vulnerable human supply lines. This led to the development of the Talon Shrike, which was classified as a missile boat by human intelligence. Roughly one-third of the existing Talon force was equipped with Shrike upgrade kits, forming mixed units of escort fighters and strike craft. The Shrikes, with their superior shielding, stealth capabilities, and the ability to operate in coordinated attacks with escort fighters, achieved a series of successful anti-shipping missions. The destruction of the merchantman Kentlands marked the beginning of a chain of victories for the Tevarin forces. The iconic appearance of the Talon, with its sharp wings and beak-like nose, became a symbol of enemy aggression among human civilians. Human pilots engaging the Talons found their lack of traditional windscreen peculiar. The absence of a natural view outward, coupled with the sightless appearance of the fighters, added an uncanny element to dogfights. As a result, the human pilots nicknamed the Talons "blinders" and "specters" due to the sensation they evoked.^[4]

During Second Tevarin War, human tactics and technological advancements quickly adapted to counter the Tevarin spacecraft. The introduction of the Gladius light fighter proved to be a strong match against the Talon. Human sensor technology advanced significantly, negating the Talon's stealth advantage and allowing long-range human fighters to engage them from a distance. Tevarin pilot training also declined, resulting in the loss of numerous Talons. By the end of the Second Tevarin War, only a small number of functional Talons survived. These remaining ships were fully scrapped within a few years, as their valuable hull alloys were harvested.^[4]

In 2946, Esperia CEO Charlotte Hussion introduced a mass-produced Tevarin replica spacecraft called the Prowler. This modified and modernized version gained popularity in the civilian and militia markets, expanding Esperia's presence in the personal spacecraft sales industry. It was expected that Esperia would follow up with a recreation of the infamous Talon spacecraft, but no announcement came. Unbeknownst to analysts, Esperia lacked a functional Talon spacecraft to base their design on. Although three partial hulls were recovered from Kabal III, they were incomplete as they lacked forward control modules. The United Empire of Earth Navy declassified these hulls, allowing Esperia to proceed with the Talon replica project. However, the recreation team realized that historical references and translated blueprints were insufficient to recreate the Talon cockpit accurately. Jeremy McHale, a junior engineer and aerospace historian, proposed a last-ditch effort to locate and recover a war-era Talon cockpit from a former battlefield. McHale reached out to Project Home, a charity organization dedicated to grave registration and the recovery of war remains. After extensive research, they identified four possible dogfight sites where a stranded or crashed Talon cockpit might be found. Funded expeditions to these sites led to inconclusive results except for the fourth site, where a perfectly intact Talon cockpit was discovered. Esperia's engineers, like with the Prowler, focused on balancing the recreation of the original design with adaptations for Human physiology and competitiveness with modern spacecraft. The digital cockpit of the Talon, which had zero measurable input lag, posed a challenge. Test flights revealed that human pilots were disconcerted by the lack of a window but appreciated the advantage of not having an "eye spot" during dogfights. Ultimately, Esperia decided to keep the digital cockpit to enhance pilot protection and provide an authentic Tevarin experience. The completed Talon, along with a modernized version of the Talon Shrike variant, premiered at the 2950 Intergalactic Aerospace Expo. The Talon Shrike was produced in limited numbers, while the Talon aimed to compete with contemporary spacecraft like the Aegis Gladius, with which it had a history of being hunted. Esperia's efforts to locate a functional Talon cockpit not only allowed them to create an accurate replica but also resulted in the recovery of human pilot remains, providing positive publicity for the company.^[4]

Gallery

Development

2019-11-23	Announced in CitizenCon 2019 under the provisional name Vehicle 3.^[5]
2020-09-01	Concept sale along with Talon Shrike.^[2]
2020-12-17	Flight ready along with Talon Shrike in Alpha 3.12.0.^[6]

Role	Contributors
Original concept	Gavin Rothery^[7]
Art	Paul Jones^[7]
System design	Adam Parker^[7]
Technical design	John Crewe^[7]

Aims & Aesthetic
Aims	This ship is an Esperia recreation of a Tevarin small fighter. It is the Tevarin equivalent of the Aegis Gladius or Vanduul Blade; a single-seat combat ship. This small fighter typifies Tevarin space warfare, which utilizes maneuverable ships with powerful 'Phalanx' shields but weak physical armor. The Tevarin way of war was to strike first and strike hard before using the Phalanx shields to cover their escape.
Aesthetic	The Tevarin are defence oriented and and minimalist. This should be reflected in the design. The canopy glass must be one-way glass. The Tevarin specialize in shields; they use air shields instead of airlocks, and their shield emitters are much more prominent than those on human ships. Tevarin ships also have a unique control system: a single joystick controls all six axes of movement with no throttle or pedals.

Statistics
Length	20 m
Width	18 m
Height	5 m
Mass	28,000 kg
Max speed	250 m/s
Max crew	1
Ejector seat	1
Weapons	2x S3 Tevarin Ballistic Cannon (gimballed)
Missiles	2x S3 racks(2x S2 Tevarin Missiles per rack)
Thrusters	12x Mav Thrusters, 2x Retro Thrusters, 4x Main Thrusters
Quantum drive	1x Small
Life support	1x Small
Armor	1x Light
Shield generator	2x Small Tevarin Shield
Battery	2x Small
Jump Drive	1x Small

References

↑ Talon - ship page. Pledge Store. Retrieved 2021-12-01
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Talon - presentation page. Transmission - Comm-Link
↑ Talon - brochure
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 ^4.3 "Whitley's Guide: The Esperia Talon". Jump Point. Vol. 8 no. 12. pp.33–36. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
↑ YouTube: CitizenCon 2949 - Ship Talk, acc. 2020-07-28
↑ Star Citizen Alpha 3.12.0 - Patch notes. Comm-Link. Retrieved 2023-06-15
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 "Work In Progress: Esperia Talon". Jump Point. Vol. 8 no. 7. pp.15–30. Retrieved 2023-06-15.