Assault Raptor

Assault Raptor is a squadron type in .

Background
An assault variant of the Raptor ECM utility craft. The external rocket pods on these ships are capable of providing significant anti-capital support.

Overview
The Assault Raptor swaps out the electronic warfare suite, troop transport, and munition disarming abilities of the standard Raptor ECM in favor of additional scouting, enemy squadron engagement, and direct fire capabilities. In addition to carrying heavier rockets for use against enemy capital ships, Assault Raptors have the ability to fire on enemy squadrons and paint targets for munition strikes. The latter, in particular, increase the overall hit percentages of ballistic, guided, and unguided munitions. As such, they are a versatile squadron unit choice.

Strategy
In spite of their slower speed, Assault Raptors excel on scouting details, where their target-painting abilities increase hit percentages for distant targets.

When attached to a battlestar, the assault raptor essentially acts as the first line of defense for the larger, slower vessels. In conjunction with firepower from battlestar escorts and ranged weaponry, the assault raptor can help soften targets and allow friendly units more effective fire while closing the distance to targets. Combined with Taipan units, the Assault Raptor can do significant persistent damage with its rockets, and even eliminate smaller enemy craft, such as the Nemesis or Talon within a few turns. Players are encouraged to use Assault Raptors, once available, in this capacity and reserve Viper Mk I and Viper Mk II units for anti-fighter activities, as they have greater success and suitability against other fighters. The main exception is Cylon gunships, such as the Cerastes and Revenant-class ships, as they have substantial anti-squadron ballistic firepower, and the 'paint target' orders effectively command the Raptor to orbit within their lethal range.

If paired with escorts, pairing an Assault Raptor with a Manticore is ideal as the Raptors can intercept enemy fighter squadrons and paint enemy capital ships to increase effectiveness of the fleet and the Manticore's firepower. Once nuclear warheads become available, this pairing becomes devastating to even the largest enemy units, as the Assault Raptor can paint, then soften the armor using a rocket attack, and then use the Manticore to launch a near sure-fire hit with a nuke.

Alternately, an Assault Raptor group can work effectively in packs of four or more when using the target-painting ability and their innate rocket attack. The Atlas, in particular, is useful for adding squadrons to bolster a fleet for air superiority and can add three squadrons to a fleet.

There are two significant shortcomings of the Assault Raptor. First, unlike fighter craft, the raptor will immediately return to base (whichever capital ship it launched from) after executing its current mission. While fighters will engage the next closest target, Raptors require a manual order to re-engage. Second, players will find that the limited munitions may become a problem during longer engagements, as the Assault Raptors lose their offensive advantage.