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Description
When Starlite Aerospace made the decision to stop producing the Starsurfer- class in 2132 and fully switched their production over to larger vessels such as the HC-5 Predator it was seen by governments and the general public alike as a baffling choice. They weren't the fastest ships, but they where reliable and functional while still being small enough for businesses, or even the average person to operate effectively.

In the years that followed, other companies would rise up to fill the gap in the market, but even over 2,000 years later the basic shape and general design philosophy of the Starsurfer-class is still widely used and produced. Known as "Starsurfer clones" they run the gambit in quality from decently reliable vessels to absolute death traps that are worth less than their scrap value. However none are quite the same as cost saving in production is a major factor that often eats into the ships overall quality.

Something Starlite does not do and did not do with the originals. Of the surviving original examples, nearly 85% are still fully operational and those that are no longer functional can almost universally blame it on user error or neglect, not a failure on the ships part. Starsurfer itself resides at the entrance of MIPH Museum on mars and as they are very proud to show off, even almost 2,500 years later you can flip the switch and the main engine fires right up. She's kept in full, flight-worthy condition and even makes infrequent ceremonial fly-overs at important events and celebrations.

This zero compromise approach to it's construction combined with the fact that it was a brand new, largley unproven technology meant that the original Starsurfer-class ships where very expensive, costing as much if not more to build than the much larger Osprey-class. (HC-5) The truth of the matter was Starsurfer was not designed for mass production. Initially, there was no intent to make a production version, rather she was intended to be a one-off prototype and tech demonstrator.

High demand combined with delays in the HC-5 production lines meant there was little else they could do besides build more. 120 Starsurfer-class ships where built, 87 of which where built exclusively for the fledgling United Earth Stellar Navy as the LC-1 Raptor, better known simply as the Starsurfer-class light star cruiser. Equipped with basic weapons and room for two F-8 starfighters birthed on it's back, it was the first interstellar warship ever operated by humanity; As pitifully underwhelming as it may have been even by 22nd century standards.

For the next two millennia, the demand for small, general purpose starships in the 50-150 meter range skyrocketed exponentially and continues to rise in roles from from business use to personal pleasure yachts. Many companies have provided ships that fit this description, but at the end of they day. They're all clones of the Starsurfer-class in some respect and frankly, none of them are quite as good. It's often said that the Starsurfer-class was the Colt 1911 of starships in that "They nailed it the first time and you can only make it worse"

During that time, people from across the cosmos have been virtually begging Starlite to bring the Starsurfer-class back with modern engines and hull materials. Those pleas have been, for the most part ignored. Or at least that's the way it may have seemed. Behind the scenes, a new Starsurfer-class has been something they've wanted to do for a very long time, however for the same reasons no one else can truly match it Starlite also kept pushing it down the road. They were concerned anything they released wouldn't live up to the name. It really was a perfect ship in many ways so their options where to just turn the old production back on and make them as they where or make an enterally new ship.

The old designs, though reliable are simply too slow for the 40th century and beyond and anything new would have to be drastically different while still being similar enough to justify the use of the name. The LSC-441 was, for the longest time considered the spiritual successor to the Starsurfer-class, so much so that retired models are frequently converted into Starsurfer clones of sorts. Many even believe it was intended to be the Starsurfer II-class, but failed to meet the requirements and thus became a gunship instead. This is a largley unfounded rumor, though when the ships are parked next to each other it's not hard to see why people think this.

Then, one day in the summer of 4446 totally out of the blue Starlite posted a single image with the caption "Legends don't die - They Ascend". Showing the dark silhouette of a previously unseen starship featuring the new split-geometry warp drive technology and a unique body-mounted warp focusing deflector array. It was clearly bare metal and unpainted, and no other information was given but it was pretty clear to everyone in the know that this was the first look the public got on the long awaited Starsurfer II-class starship.

The excitement was immediate, a small starship for the masses using the new, faster engine technology combined with the reliability and longevity of Starlite built vessels. Over the next few years, sightings and blurry images of the prototype in or around Starlite shipyards started to trickle out. The ship had been painted with a black and white dazzle camouflage-like pattern, common for new ships in the final stages of testing. In 4448, the ship would be seen in full public view for the first time painted in the same colors as the original as it began it's open star trials.

Some of the more purist types where disappointed to see that the new ship was considerably larger than it's predecessor, though not by that much. The general reaction from the public was glowing approval. The sleek lines and more aggressive and "sporty" stance of the ship checked all the right boxes. The ship was also fast. Very fast. One of the main complaints about smaller ships is they tend to be quite slow.

As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the drive ring, the faster it can go. Warp slingshots (stargates) or a carrier are required for most trips outside of a few hundred lightyears with small ships. The Starsurfer II-class's split geometry warp drive and twin kugelblitz generators give it a top speed of around FTL-4000. Only slightly slower than the Starlite Cassiel which pioneered the technology. She was also a racing ship built for maximum performance at all costs, and thus lacked a lot the reliability a ship tuned for long term functionality will have.

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I finally made this... lol. I've only been talking about it for three years. It's got no materials on it yet besides a very basic metal material which is how it was first shown canonically, so that works out for now. I spent all day on the model itself and just don't feel like doing anymore tonight. I'll do two liveries, the dazzle camo for it's early test phase, and the blue and white to match the original when it finally makes it's public debut.

Here's a shot of the model itself as well

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Description
When Starlite Aerospace made the decision to stop producing the Starsurfer- class in 2132 and fully switched their production over to larger vessels such as the HC-5 Predator it was seen by governments and the general public alike as a baffling choice. They weren't the fastest ships, but they where reliable and functional while still being small enough for businesses, or even the average person to operate effectively.

In the years that followed, other companies would rise up to fill the gap in the market, but even over 2,000 years later the basic shape and general design philosophy of the Starsurfer-class is still widely used and produced. Known as "Starsurfer clones" they run the gambit in quality from decently reliable vessels to absolute death traps that are worth less than their scrap value. However none are quite the same as cost saving in production is a major factor that often eats into the ships overall quality.

Something Starlite does not do and did not do with the originals. Of the surviving original examples, nearly 85% are still fully operational and those that are no longer functional can almost universally blame it on user error or neglect, not a failure on the ships part. Starsurfer itself resides at the entrance of MIPH Museum on mars and as they are very proud to show off, even almost 2,500 years later you can flip the switch and the main engine fires right up. She's kept in full, flight-worthy condition and even makes infrequent ceremonial fly-overs at important events and celebrations.

This zero compromise approach to it's construction combined with the fact that it was a brand new, largley unproven technology meant that the original Starsurfer-class ships where very expensive, costing as much if not more to build than the much larger Osprey-class. (HC-5) The truth of the matter was Starsurfer was not designed for mass production. Initially, there was no intent to make a production version, rather she was intended to be a one-off prototype and tech demonstrator.

High demand combined with delays in the HC-5 production lines meant there was little else they could do besides build more. 120 Starsurfer-class ships where built, 87 of which where built exclusively for the fledgling United Earth Stellar Navy as the LC-1 Raptor, better known simply as the Starsurfer-class light star cruiser. Equipped with basic weapons and room for two F-8 starfighters birthed on it's back, it was the first interstellar warship ever operated by humanity; As pitifully underwhelming as it may have been even by 22nd century standards.

For the next two millennia, the demand for small, general purpose starships in the 50-150 meter range skyrocketed exponentially and continues to rise in roles from from business use to personal pleasure yachts. Many companies have provided ships that fit this description, but at the end of they day. They're all clones of the Starsurfer-class in some respect and frankly, none of them are quite as good. It's often said that the Starsurfer-class was the Colt 1911 of starships in that "They nailed it the first time and you can only make it worse"

During that time, people from across the cosmos have been virtually begging Starlite to bring the Starsurfer-class back with modern engines and hull materials. Those pleas have been, for the most part ignored. Or at least that's the way it may have seemed. Behind the scenes, a new Starsurfer-class has been something they've wanted to do for a very long time, however for the same reasons no one else can truly match it Starlite also kept pushing it down the road. They were concerned anything they released wouldn't live up to the name. It really was a perfect ship in many ways so their options where to just turn the old production back on and make them as they where or make an enterally new ship.

The old designs, though reliable are simply too slow for the 40th century and beyond and anything new would have to be drastically different while still being similar enough to justify the use of the name. The LSC-441 was, for the longest time considered the spiritual successor to the Starsurfer-class, so much so that retired models are frequently converted into Starsurfer clones of sorts. Many even believe it was intended to be the Starsurfer II-class, but failed to meet the requirements and thus became a gunship instead. This is a largley unfounded rumor, though when the ships are parked next to each other it's not hard to see why people think this.

Then, one day in the summer of 4446 totally out of the blue Starlite posted a single image with the caption "Legends don't die - They Ascend". Showing the dark silhouette of a previously unseen starship featuring the new split-geometry warp drive technology and a unique body-mounted warp focusing deflector array. It was clearly bare metal and unpainted, and no other information was given but it was pretty clear to everyone in the know that this was the first look the public got on the long awaited Starsurfer II-class starship.

The excitement was immediate, a small starship for the masses using the new, faster engine technology combined with the reliability and longevity of Starlite built vessels. Over the next few years, sightings and blurry images of the prototype in or around Starlite shipyards started to trickle out. The ship had been painted with a black and white dazzle camouflage-like pattern, common for new ships in the final stages of testing. In 4448, the ship would be seen in full public view for the first time painted in the same colors as the original as it began it's open star trials.

Some of the more purist types where disappointed to see that the new ship was considerably larger than it's predecessor, though not by that much. The general reaction from the public was glowing approval. The sleek lines and more aggressive and "sporty" stance of the ship checked all the right boxes. The ship was also fast. Very fast. One of the main complaints about smaller ships is they tend to be quite slow.

As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the drive ring, the faster it can go. Warp slingshots (stargates) or a carrier are required for most trips outside of a few hundred lightyears with small ships. The Starsurfer II-class's split geometry warp drive and twin kugelblitz generators give it a top speed of around FTL-4000. Only slightly slower than the Starlite Cassiel which pioneered the technology. She was also a racing ship built for maximum performance at all costs, and thus lacked a lot the reliability a ship tuned for long term functionality will have.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I finally made this... lol. I've only been talking about it for three years. It's got no materials on it yet besides a very basic metal material which is how it was first shown canonically, so that works out for now. I spent all day on the model itself and just don't feel like doing anymore tonight. I'll do two liveries, the dazzle camo for it's early test phase, and the blue and white to match the original when it finally makes it's public debut.

Here's a shot of the model itself as well

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