| This article is about the starship. You may be looking for Hunter, a rank name for JM3.
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The Hunter is a Raider-class corvette serving as an escort vessel within the Ascendant Fleet of Clan Plagueis. Nimble, capable, and extremely well-armed for its design, the Hunter is a useful fast-attack vessel capable of countering both starfighters and heavier tonnage ships. One of several such ships of its class within the fleet, it has proven itself capable in both singular attack roles and working as part of a larger battle-group.
History
Brought into service during the New Order era, the Hunter was one of a multitude of ships that helped to rebuild the Ascendant Fleet following a harrowing engagement over the clan’s homeworld, Aliso. Purchased along with a number of Imperial vessels to capitalize upon the galaxy's chaotic state, it came to serve as a part of Task Force Cresh. Fighting in both the civil war between the clans and the Iron Throne, and later the Collective following its uprising, the vessel proved its worth in multiple engagements. It was later reassigned to Expeditionary Fleet Zerek.
Characteristics
Typical of its class, the Hunter is a sleek and heavily armed design renowned as much for its versatile nature as its ability to blunt typical starfighter tactics. Both atmosphere and void capable, the ship can easily support both ground and spaceborne battles in a number of roles. Thanks to a heavy armament of six quad laser cannon turrets, multiple light turbolasers, and four missile launchers, the vessel is a threat to almost any ship that it engages. The design makes it both a highly effective fighter platform and offers it the ability to threaten far larger vessels when operating as part of an attack group.
While protected only by average shielding and armour, its great maneuverability and speed gives the Hunter a noted edge in most battles. This suits its role extremely well, allowing it to rapidly reposition and redeploy when defending a fleet, and engaging in hit-and-fade raiding engagements. Requiring one-hundred-and-eleven crewmen to operate effectively, it requires a far higher number of personnel than most similar ships to operate effectively. Equally, it is only capable of hosting forty passengers, a lower number than that of similar ships within the Ascendant Fleet.
Role
During major engagements, the Hunter operates as a part of a wider anti-starfighter screen alongside other Raider II-class corvettes. Maintaining a close proximity to the larger cruisers, it helps to blunt attacks by groups reliant upon large waves of smaller attack craft. This leaves it working close to the fleet in a patrol or defensive pattern, while the role of recon efforts is left to other vessels.