Craft: Incom I-7 “Howlrunner”
Type: Multi-environment attack fighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 11.4 meters
Skill: Starfighter piloting: I-7
Crew: 1
Crew Skill: Starfighter piloting 4D, starship gunnery 4D+1
Cargo Capacity: 80 kilograms
Consumables: 2 days
Cost: 165,000
Maneuverability: 3D+1
Space: 9
Atmosphere: 450; 1,300 kmh
Hull: 4D
Shields: 1D+1
Sensors:
Passive: 20/0D
Scan: 40/1D
Search: 65/2D
Focus: 3/3D
Weapons:
2 Laser Cannons (fire linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5 km
Damage: 5D+2
Background: The Incom Corporation I-7 Howlrunner was a short range attack starfighter employed by the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War. The Howlrunner was constructed around an aerodynamic fixed-wing structure. Two fins jutted out of the sides of the craft, meant to function as rudimentary maneuvering flaps. Though this design was rather simple it gave the Howlrunner superior performance to the TIE/LN starfighter in both space and atmosphere. Around 10 ABY, they cost 165,000 credits.
The controls had a small learning curve, ensuring that nearly any pilot with basic skills could control the craft—although only the most experienced could discover the true power of this starfighter. While the Howlrunner was faster than the Rebel T-65 X-wing starfighter or BTL Y-wing starfighter, it was unable to match the speed of newer fighters such as the E-wing escort starfighter.
The Howlrunner had a distinct advantage over the Empire’s TIE Series in that it possessed on onboard deflector shield generator. This protection, coupled with the starfighter’s tiny profile and low mass, made the Howlrunner a hard ship to destroy. However, the craft was not meant for long space battles or pitched one-on-one combat.
The Howlrunner’s twin laser cannons were relatively weak, and while they were quite accurate, this was hindered by the fighter’s rudimentary targeting system. In order to offset these weaknesses, the Empire sent multiple Howlrunners at an enemy all at once, hoping that the sheer volume of fire would be too much for their targets. As this was similar to the tactical doctrine used for TIE fighters, little adjustment was required to integrate the Howlrunner into Imperial squadrons.