Invicta Class III Cutter

«Last Updated on November 7, 2023 »

Known sphere Of Operation:  OFMA & Triangle
Data Reliability:  C for all models
Major Data Source:  Orion Sector Intelligence

NOTES:
The ‘Invicta’ was the result of trade negotiations between the Orion Lifag Family/Lifag Corporation (the most prominent family and corporate entity in the OFMA) and the AOFW/New New Aberdeen. In response to increasing predation by Klingons (both IKS and Klingon Imperial Navy vessels acting as privateers), Romulan and various other pirate operations within the Triangle, a number of mutual access agreements were proposed to insure that OFMA and AOFW ships would be allowed use of each groups spaceports and docks in emergency situations and that citizens of each group would be guaranteed fair pricing for repairs and materiel at such facilities. The wary Scotsmen of New New Aberdeen sensed the usual Orion duplicity and initially opposed the arrangement. However, once the Lifag proposed purchasing ships built to Orion specifications from New New Aberdeen, the Scots grudgingly agreed to the proposed arrangement.
Based on design requirements provided for a light patrol craft capable of also serving as a fast courier vessel, the engineers at New New Aberdeen retrofitted a Skyhawk Gunboat using all-Orion primary equipment. Pleased with the design, the Lifig Corporation provided Orion built control computers, warp and impulse engines and shield equipment for installation in Skyhawk hulls at New New Aberdeen which were skilfully interfaced to UFP-designed secondary systems such as transporters, life support, gravity control, sensor suites, food reprocessors, etc. Weapon hard point superstructure was installed at New New Aberdeen, but the OD-2 disruptors were installed by Lifig Corp. technicians at Lifagport on Workday in the OFMA after delivery of completed Invictas.
Approximately 70 were delivered to the Orions by the end of 2285. The Scotsmen of New New Aberdeen, shrewd to the end, insisted on contract stipulations that the Orions purchase the rights (at a substantial profit) for further construction of Invictas at Orion facilities. Knowing the penchant of Orion ‘copying’ of other races technology and ship designs, the Scotsmen wanted to ensure they received appropriate compensation before seeing ships of the class appear that had not been constructed at New New Aberdeen.
Though most Invictas continue to serve legitimate OFMA and other individual trade operations, approximately 10 have been sold to or captured by Orion pirate cartels. Two of these rogue Invictas, the ‘Ace of Spades’ and ‘Ace of Clubs’ have additional disruptors installed paired with KCA Klingon cloaking devices. These pirate vessels have a substantial bounty placed on the heads of their crews. They both have eluded numerous attempts to hunt them down by official local governmental space forces and contracted individual bounty hunting vessels. They continue to prey on merchant ships within the Triangle as of this update.
New New Aberdeen engineers coined the name ‘Invicta’ from an old Spanish term meaning ‘undefeated’ which was derived from the Latin term ‘Invictus’ meaning ‘unconquered’. It was meant as an ironic reference to the Orion tendency of being conquered by other powers and races over the course of their history and their penchant for maintaining their cultural identity despite the less than honorable use of Orion capitulation and guile to achieve their ends.
In the year 2274, it is known that 4 Invictas were purchased from the Lifag Corporation by Freeloader, a prominent member of the OFMA. The Invictas were purchased through direct negotiations with T’Planna, the Vulcan executive secretary of Tali Lithan, the Orion trade king of Freeloader. These cutters served as patrol craft around Freeloader for approximately 2 years before all 4 were removed from service due to ‘unacceptable operational costs’ and were reportedly scrapped.
Within a year, isolated pirate attacks made by cloak-capable Invictas began to filter out of the Triangle. For nearly two decades, successful attacks and raids carried out by such Invictas have been documented by a variety of sources in the Triangle and in nearspace surrounding the Triangle.
A rare detailed scan of one of these Invictas was obtained in 2280 and confirmed that the OWA-1 warp engines have been replaced by the more powerful OWA-2 warp engines in this refit Invicta type. These engines have been configured to provide for better maneuverability while retaining the high-warp capability of the earlier OWA-1 warp engines installed in original-bulit Invictas. The OSJ sheild system has been replaced by the less efficient OSM shield system. However, the OSM shields provide for a higher shield yield in this size class while freeing up space for an additional bank of two OD-2 disruptors. Two ships, the ‘Ace of Spades’ and the ‘Ace of Clubs’, are known to operate out of unknown bases within the Triangle. It is postulated that an ‘Ace of Diamonds’ and ‘Ace of Hearts’ likely also exist. Reports of coordinated attacks by three or four of this pirate raider type have been documented but confirmation that all vessels involved are of this particular configuration has not been validated.