Swiftdeath Fighter
The Swiftdeath Fighter is a void-capable interceptor spacecraft of an ancient design that served as the primary Attack Craft used by the Forces of Chaos during the Gothic War in the early 41st Millennium. Like most Chaos starships and other vehicles, the Swiftdeath is usually manufactured within the Eye of Terror by the servants of Failbaddon the Armless.
- Length: 29.2-30m; approx
- Mass: 24-28 tonnes; approx
- Crew: 2 crew
- Acceleration: 2750kph
Overview
Though these voidcraft are obsolete when compared to the newer patterns available to the Imperial Navy such as the Fury Interceptor, the Swiftdeath is still favoured by the servants of the Ruinous Powers for their speed and flexibility in combat, at the cost of having fragile design and smaller armament. Essentially, they are the Chaos' TIE Fighters to the Imperial's X-Wings. As far as weapons goes, a Swiftdeath is often seen equipped with three forward focused Plasma Cannons and six Hunter-Killer Missiles. A really nasty mix. Although in Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, it seems to be only armed with two Autocannons.
There are many variants of Swiftdeaths in the galaxy, but the one most commonly found in the Koronus Expanse is referred to the "Iniquity Pattern" -- although there is no evidence to suggest it originated on that cursed moon of the Expanse. These Swiftdeaths are equipped to operate competently in atmospheres as well as the void, though their performance still degrades. Little else is currently known about this Chaos spacecraft.
With regards to size, it is an estimate, but the Battlefleet Gothic Resources: Ships of the Gothic Sector book shows that it is similar in shape to the Doomfire Bomber - albeit the Bomber is much wider - and that both spacecraft is twice the length of the Dreadclaw. Since we have a model of the Dreadclaw, we can do a rough size comparison with a Space Marine. Average Space Marines are 8 feet tall, and a Dreadclaw is as tall as six Astartes stack head-to-toe. This gives us 48 feet or 14.6 meters tall. You add two Dreadclaws together and the Swiftdeath Fighter is roughly around 29.2-30 meters long. If we take that measurement seriously, the Swiftdeath is as big as the Fury Interceptor de facto, although if you take the 60 meter length seriously, than the Fury is over twice the length.
Battlefleet Gothic Armada 1 & 2
The Swiftdeath Fighter appear as the primary fighter wing of Chaos. They perform essentially the same as most of the races' fighters outside of aesthetic changes, being a relatively stock-standard and okay fighter craft.
| Vessels of the Traitor Legions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spaceships | ||
| Space Station | Blackstone Fortress | |
| Super Battleships | Abyss | |
| Battleships | Battleship (Gloriana - Planet Killer) - Ark of Omen | |
| Cruisers | Light Cruiser - Cruiser Heavy Cruiser - Grand Cruiser | |
| Escorts | Escort | |
| Others | Silver Tower of Tzeentch | |
| Combat Spacecraft | Doomfire Bomber - Swiftdeath Fighter | |
| Landships | ||
| Siege Carriers | Siege Carrier | |
| War Machines | Chaos Harvester - Nurgle Plague Tower - Woe Machine | |
| Titans | Questor Scout Titan - Slaanesh Subjugator Feral Scout Titan - Ravager Battle Titan Chaos Warlord Titan - Chaos Emperor Titan Skull Reaper | |
| Troop Transports | Mastodon | |
| Superheavy Tanks | Baneblade - Fellblade - Plaguereaper Tower of Skulls | |
| Airships | ||
| Flying Fortress | Harbinger | |
| Aerospace Vessels | Stormbird | |
| Seaships | ||
| Oceanic Battleships | Oceanic Battleship | |