imported>Teizan: Category:Fighters, Light fighters

2026-02-27T06:32:44Z

Category:Fighters, Light fighters

New page

{{Vehicle
| uuid = 41a84db8-062b-4359-ad16-611ad540fbdb
| name = Talon
| image = Talon - Diving blurred background.jpg
| manufacturer = ESPR
| series = Talon
| career = Combat
| role =
| size = Small
| hangar = S1/XXS
| productionstate = Flight ready
| productionstatedesc = Since [[Update:Star Citizen Alpha 3.12.0|Alpha 3.12.0]]
| mincrew = 1
| maxcrew = 1
| length = 26
| width = 23.3
| height = 8.6H
| retractedlength =
| retractedwidth =
| retractedheight =
| mass = 46242
| cargocapacity = 0
| stowage = 650K µSCU
| pledgecost = 115
| originalpledgecost = 100
| warbondcost = 100
| originalwarbondcost = 90
| pledgeavailability = Time-limited sales
| rsistoreurl = https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/ships/talon/Talon
| presentationurl1 = https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/17565-Esperia-Talon
| trailerurl =
| brochureurl = https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/wy93vuqky3poh/source.pdf
| qandaurl1 = https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/engineering/17745-Q-A-Esperia-Talon
| galactapediaurl = https://robertsspaceindustries.com/galactapedia/article/01LQXljox8-talon
| releasedate =
| conceptdate = 2020-07-27
| saledate = 2020-09-01
| queryimage =
}}

The [[StarCitizen:Esperia]] '''Talon''' is a small and light single-seat fighter designed for escort services and targeted strikes. Built in the [[StarCitizen:Tevarin]] style, the Talon has powerful, directional "Phalanx" shields for maximum maneuverability, but weak physical armor once the shields are dropped. A pair of Size 4 [[StarCitizen:Ship weapons|weapons]] and a size 3 missile rack complement the Talon's "strike first and strike hard" combat style.<ref name="TalonStore">{{Cite RSI|url=https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/ships/talon/Talon|text=Talon - ship page}}</ref><ref name="TalonLaunch">{{Cite RSI|url=https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/17565-Esperia-Talon|text=Talon - presentation page}}</ref><ref name="TalonBrochure">{{Cite RSI|url=https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/roqe0bsh5xl5o/source.pdf|text=Talon - brochure}}</ref>

==Features==

{{List item
|Shielding
|The Talon is famous for it unique "Phalanx" shields which offers powerful protection from a focused direction, making it ideal for devastating hit-and-run attacks typical of the Tevarin offensive strategy.<ref name="TalonLaunch"/>
}}
{{List item
|Cockpit
|Even though the cockpit has been significantly modified for Human use, it is still quite different in may ways compared to other craft. From its unique single-stick control scheme to its Tevarin airshielding, to the fact that the entire cockpit is also a detachable escape pod.<ref name="TalonLaunch"/>
}}
{{List item
|Stealth
|The alloy that makes up much of the Talon’s hull is a fully synthetic material, reverse-engineered in-house to replicate the uncommon stealth qualities of the mysterious metal on which it is based.<ref name="TalonLaunch"/>
}}
{{List item
|Speed
|The vehicle offers blinding speeds that facilitate dive-assault tactics. This offensive approach are achieved via super-charged thrusters and a traditionally aerodynamic frame.<ref name="TalonLaunch"/>
}}
{{List item
|Weapons
|For a light fighter, it can hold powerful weaponry normally associated with larger craft with its pair of Size 4 gun hard-points. It also has a pair racks which can hold two Size 2 missiles each.<ref name="TalonStore"/>
}}
{{List item
|Internal Storage
|The ship has internal storage, but it can only be accessed in the loot menu, and does not reveal its total capacity. This can be accessed as normal by holding F on the cockpit entry and selecting "Loot". On the other hand, a bespoke place for large weapons is on the left side facing the cockpit(or to your right in the cockpit). This can carry two large rifles and one or two small items. NOTE: You must jump in order to re-equip the top placed weapon on the rack.<ref name="TalonStore"/>
}}

==Specifications==
{{Vehicle hardpoints}}

==Model==

===Ship profile===
<tabber>
In space=
{| class="wikitable"
!Isometric
!Above
!Port-side
!Front
!Rear
!Below
|-
|[[File:Talon in space - Isometric.jpg|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon in space - Above.jpg|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon in space - Port.png|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon in space - Front.jpg|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon in space - Rear.png|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon in space - Below.jpg|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|}
|-|
Landed=
{| class="wikitable"
!Isometric
!Above
!Port-side
!Front
!Rear
|-
|[[File:placeholderv2.png|center|frameless|128x72px|link=|class=noviewer]]
|[[File:placeholderv2.png|center|frameless|128x72px|link=|class=noviewer]]
|[[File:placeholderv2.png|center|frameless|128x72px|link=|class=noviewer]]
|[[File:placeholderv2.png|center|frameless|128x72px|link=|class=noviewer]]
|[[File:placeholderv2.png|center|frameless|128x72px|link=|class=noviewer]]
|}
</tabber>

===Series variants===
{{Vehicle variants}}

===Paints===
{{for|more information|:Talon series/Paints}}

{| class="wikitable"
![[StarCitizen:Talon series/Paints#"Cobalt"|"Cobalt"]]
![[StarCitizen:Talon series/Paints#"Crimson"|"Crimson"]]
![[StarCitizen:Talon series/Paints#"Harmony"|"Harmony"]]
![[StarCitizen:Talon series/Paints#"Luminary"|"Luminary"]]
![[StarCitizen:Talon series/Paints#"Ocellus"|"Ocellus"]]
![[StarCitizen:Talon series/Paints#"Wanderer"|"Wanderer"]]
|-
|[[File:Talon Cobalt in space - Isometric.jpg|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon Crimson in space - Isometric.jpg|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon Harmony in space - Isometric.jpg|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon Luminary landed in hangar - cropped.png|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon Ocellus in space - Isometric.jpg|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|[[File:Talon Wanderer in space - Isometric.jpg|center|frameless|128x72px]]
|}

==Acquisition==
{{Vehicle availability}}

==Lore==
<tabber>
Before First Tevarin War=

The Talon-class light fighter was initially developed a century before the [[StarCitizen:First Tevarin War]] as an escort craft for Tevarin mercantile interests. These early Talons were about 1.5 times the size of the war-era models and served as technology demonstrators and flagship vessels. They underwent regular updates and advancements in weapons, engines, stealth systems, and shield generators.<ref name="whitleysguide">{{Cite Jump Point|title=Whitley's Guide: The Esperia Talon|volume=8|month=12|startpage=33|endpage=36|accessdate=2023-06-15}}</ref>
|-|
First Tevarin War=

At the beginning of [[StarCitizen:First Tevarin War]], Talons primarily served as escort ships for freighters and ground forces. However, Tevarin leadership recognized their effectiveness as attack fighters against vulnerable human supply lines. This led to the development of the [[StarCitizen:Talon Shrike]], which was classified as a missile boat by human intelligence. Roughly one-third of the existing Talon force was equipped with Shrike upgrade kits, forming mixed units of escort fighters and strike craft.

The Shrikes, with their superior shielding, stealth capabilities, and the ability to operate in coordinated attacks with escort fighters, achieved a series of successful anti-shipping missions. The destruction of the merchantman [[StarCitizen:Kentlands]] marked the beginning of a chain of victories for the Tevarin forces. The iconic appearance of the Talon, with its sharp wings and beak-like nose, became a symbol of enemy aggression among human civilians.

Human pilots engaging the Talons found their lack of traditional windscreen peculiar. The absence of a natural view outward, coupled with the sightless appearance of the fighters, added an uncanny element to dogfights. As a result, the human pilots nicknamed the Talons "blinders" and "specters" due to the sensation they evoked.<ref name="whitleysguide"/>
|-|
Second Tevarin War=

During [[StarCitizen:Second Tevarin War]], human tactics and technological advancements quickly adapted to counter the Tevarin spacecraft. The introduction of the [[StarCitizen:Gladius]] light fighter proved to be a strong match against the Talon. Human sensor technology advanced significantly, negating the Talon's stealth advantage and allowing long-range human fighters to engage them from a distance. Tevarin pilot training also declined, resulting in the loss of numerous Talons.

By the end of the Second Tevarin War, only a small number of functional Talons survived. These remaining ships were fully scrapped within a few years, as their valuable hull alloys were harvested.<ref name="whitleysguide"/>
|-|
Modernization by Esperia=

In [[StarCitizen:2946]], Esperia CEO [[StarCitizen:Charlotte Hussion]] introduced a mass-produced Tevarin replica spacecraft called the Prowler. This modified and modernized version gained popularity in the civilian and militia markets, expanding Esperia's presence in the personal spacecraft sales industry. It was expected that Esperia would follow up with a recreation of the infamous Talon spacecraft, but no announcement came.

Unbeknownst to analysts, Esperia lacked a functional Talon spacecraft to base their design on. Although three partial hulls were recovered from [[StarCitizen:Kabal III]], they were incomplete as they lacked forward control modules. The [[StarCitizen:United Empire of Earth Navy]] declassified these hulls, allowing Esperia to proceed with the Talon replica project. However, the recreation team realized that historical references and translated blueprints were insufficient to recreate the Talon cockpit accurately.

[[StarCitizen:Jeremy McHale]], a junior engineer and aerospace historian, proposed a last-ditch effort to locate and recover a war-era Talon cockpit from a former battlefield. McHale reached out to [[StarCitizen:Project Home]], a charity organization dedicated to grave registration and the recovery of war remains. After extensive research, they identified four possible dogfight sites where a stranded or crashed Talon cockpit might be found. Funded expeditions to these sites led to inconclusive results except for the fourth site, where a perfectly intact Talon cockpit was discovered.

Esperia's engineers, like with the Prowler, focused on balancing the recreation of the original design with adaptations for Human physiology and competitiveness with modern spacecraft. The digital cockpit of the Talon, which had zero measurable input lag, posed a challenge. Test flights revealed that human pilots were disconcerted by the lack of a window but appreciated the advantage of not having an "eye spot" during dogfights. Ultimately, Esperia decided to keep the digital cockpit to enhance pilot protection and provide an authentic Tevarin experience.

The completed Talon, along with a modernized version of the Talon Shrike variant, premiered at the [[StarCitizen:2950 Intergalactic Aerospace Expo]]. The Talon Shrike was produced in limited numbers, while the Talon aimed to compete with contemporary spacecraft like the Aegis Gladius, with which it had a history of being hunted.

Esperia's efforts to locate a functional Talon cockpit not only allowed them to create an accurate replica but also resulted in the recovery of human pilot remains, providing positive publicity for the company.<ref name="whitleysguide"/>
</tabber>

==Gallery==
{{for|a full gallery|:Category:Talon images}}

<tabber>
Official=
{{gallery
|Talon Along Ship Firing Concept.jpg
|Talon Diving Concept.jpg
|Talon Landed Concept.jpg
|Talon and Prowler Rear Flying Concept.jpg
|Talon - Wing closup.png
|Teravin Talon Closeup.jpg
|Talon Separated Cockpit Concept.jpg
|TVRN Talon Promo Manufacture.jpg
|Esperia Talon transparent.png
|Talon - Diving blurred background.jpg
}}
|-|
In-Game=
{{gallery
|IAE2954-day4-talon.jpg
|IAE2951-day4-alien-talon.jpg
|IAE2950-day7-holosuite-talon-front.jpg
|IAE2950-day7-holosuite-talon-rear.jpg
}}
</tabber>

==Development==
<tabber>
Timeline=
{{Timeline styles}}
{| class="timeline"
|-
|2019-11-23
|Announced in [[StarCitizen:CitizenCon 2019]] under the provisional name '''Vehicle 3'''.<ref name="citcon2949">[https://youtu.be/A1m2ETYj5DQ?t=2410 YouTube: CitizenCon 2949 - Ship Talk], acc. 2020-07-28</ref>
|-
|2020-09-01
|Concept sale along with Talon Shrike.<ref name="TalonLaunch"/>
|-
|2020-12-17
|Flight ready along with Talon Shrike in [[Update:Star Citizen Alpha 3.12.0|Alpha 3.12.0]].<ref name="patch3120">{{Cite RSI|url=https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link//17927-Star-Citizen-Alpha-3120|text=Star Citizen Alpha 3.12.0 - Patch notes|accessdate=2023-06-15}}</ref>
|}

|-|
Credits=
{| class="wikitable"
!Role
!Contributors
|-
|Original concept
|[[StarCitizen:Gavin Rothery]]<ref name="wip">{{Cite Jump Point|title=Work In Progress: Esperia Talon|volume=8|month=7|startpage=15|endpage=30|accessdate=2023-06-15}}</ref>
|-
|Art
|[[StarCitizen:Paul Jones]]<ref name="wip"/>
|-
|System design
|[[StarCitizen:Adam Parker]]<ref name="wip"/>
|-
|Technical design
|[[StarCitizen:John Crewe]]<ref name="wip"/>
|}
|-|
Design brief=
{{Note|'''Note''': The following design brief is extracted from [[StarCitizen:Jump Point (magazine)|Jump Point]] issue 08.07.<ref name="wip"/>}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|+Aims & Aesthetic
!Aims
|This ship is an Esperia recreation of a Tevarin small fighter. It is the Tevarin equivalent of the Aegis Gladius or Vanduul Blade; a single-seat combat ship. This small fighter typifies Tevarin space warfare, which utilizes maneuverable ships with powerful 'Phalanx' shields but weak physical armor. The Tevarin way of war was to strike first and strike hard before using the Phalanx shields to cover their escape.
|-
!Aesthetic
|The Tevarin are defence oriented and and minimalist. This should be reflected in the design. The canopy glass must be one-way glass. The Tevarin specialize in shields; they use air shields instead of airlocks, and their shield emitters are much more prominent than those on human ships. Tevarin ships also have a unique control system: a single joystick controls all six axes of movement with no throttle or pedals.
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|+Statistics
|-
|Length
|20 m
|
|-
|Width
|18 m
|
|-
|Height
|5 m
|-
|Mass
|28,000 kg
|-
|Max speed
|250 m/s
|-
|Max crew
|1
|-
|Ejector seat
|1
|-
|Weapons
|2x S3 Tevarin Ballistic Cannon (gimballed)
|-
|Missiles
|2x S3 racks(2x S2 Tevarin Missiles per rack)
|-
|Thrusters
|12x Mav Thrusters, 2x Retro Thrusters, 4x Main Thrusters
|-
|Quantum drive
|1x Small
|-
|Life support
|1x Small
|-
|Armor
|1x Light
|-
|Shield generator
|2x Small Tevarin Shield
|-
|Battery
|2x Small
|-
|Jump Drive
|1x Small
|}
</tabber>

==Trivia==
Usage in PVP: The Talon has had a average of around a B tier fighter rather consitently. With its fighter average tuning, high stealth, good weapons, and small form factor - the Talon is likely to be useful on a consistent basis.

PVE: It is essentially a lighter and better Sabre in functionality. Currently 2 size 4 weapons = 3 size 3 weapons, giving Sabre with its 4 size 3 weapons a 33% higher weapon potential. Its still better than 2 size 3s and is parity firepower to Arrow and Gladius counterparts.
-TheR

==References==
<references />

{{Navplate manufacturers|ESPR}}
{{Navplate vehicles}}

{{Short description|Reproduced Tevarin escort fighter manufactured by Esperia}}
[[Category:Fighters]]
[[Category:Light fighters]]

StarCitizen:Talon - Revision history

imported>Teizan: Category:Fighters, Light fighters