[Lynx]

Our Arrow model which was seen on some earlier screenshots had some serious smoothing issiues and other errors and ass-ugly textures so we decided it's time to turn our attention to that model. Now it's fixed.

For those who don't know the Arrow:

The F-96B Arrow, the premier ConFleet light fighter, was initially designed as a pure reconnaissance fighter that relied on speed rather than weaponry and early manufactured versions were deployed with Special Operations Command. However, by the conclusion of the Battle of Terra, ConFleet’s entire inventory of Ferret and Epee light fighters was virtually exhausted and the Space Force required a new ship to replace them. This is the fifth model throughout the last 500 years of the Confederation to be called the Arrow.

With a good percentage of Confed’s shipbuilding shattered from the Battle of Terra, there were precious little resources available to construct both fighters and capital ships. Cost and lack of facilities made BuShips desperate for cheaper and economical designs; thus, when the task of replacing Confed’s light fighter inventory fell upon BuShips, they saw fit to simply modify an existing fighter for mass production rather spend precious money and time in R&D for a new ship. The choice came down to either the F-96A Arrow or the F-71A Stiletto in a heated contest which the Arrow won due to its better weaponry, speed, and agility.  

The new Arrow model, which excels in both reconnaissance and point defense, became known as the F-96B. The Arrow’s design and features incorporated the lessons learned from design flaws in the Epee and Ferret. The Arrow packs more armor than the Ferret and more than twice as much as the Epee and its energy shields incorporate a new generation of phase shielding that rated stronger than that of the esteemed Broadsword torpedo bombers.    

Up until the Arrow, all of the Confederation’s light fighters only carried two beam weapons or mass-driver gatlings and no more than four missile hardpoints.  However, the new Arrow variant boasts twin laser cannons and twin ion guns as well as eight missile hardpoints. A slight reduction in fuel capacity, range, and endurance comes as a cost for all that firepower, but these traits were still a marked improvement over the Epee and Ferret both.

Currently the fastest and most agile fighter at Confed’s disposal, the Arrow has proved itself highly maneuverable with an uncanny ability to perform the “autoslide” combat maneuver, thanks to its next-generation thrusters. A highly aggressive little fighter that a pilot straps on to, rather then into, the Arrow has become a favorite of any pilot who prefers sheer flying technique over raw firepower (heavy fighter pilots tend to think in opposite terms) to overwhelm and defeat the enemy.

[Bobboau]

_love_ the engine detail,
when I say add more pollies, the back end of that model is almost exactly what I am talking about.

hate the cockpit,

the leading edge on the front looks sort of odd, like it should be smoother or something, maybe if it just didn't come to that single line edge, maybe it's just the angle, yeah, looking at it some more that's probly just the angle.

I think the front could be improved on slightly (especaly the cockpit, though this might be a WC style thing in wich case I'm talking in vain), I think it could use a few more hard edges in the geometry, basicly what I sudgest is adding hard edges along these lines (red I'm sure, green maybe)

[Bobboau]

oops for got to atach the pic

[Lynx]

Yeah the cockpit is supposed to be that way, it's a glass bulb without any struts to providy maximal visibility for the pilot.

As for the detailing on the front, that's a definite no-no. Adding these edges would totally destroy the smooth lines of the model. Almost everything blends smoothly toghether and suddenly you'd have those edges sticking out, that just wouldn't look right.

[gevatter Lars]

Yes the Arrow was build like it was made of one peace. Very smooth front without edges.