Manta
The Manta is a Tau missile destroyer that serves as a heavy bomber/carrier that specialises in ground assault.
Overview
The Manta takes on the nearest equivalent role to a Human Titan or Ork Gargant. These dropships are several times larger than a Thunderhawk gunship and are capable of operating as either a skimmer or a flyer on the battlefield. In orbital combat, they are an equal match for whole squadrons of Imperial fighters. The Manta borders somewhere between an attack craft and a fully fledged starship. Yet they are the smallest ship within the Tau fleet and are equipped with ether drives which are not nearly as fast as a true starship for travelling interstellar distances.
A Manta is equipped to carry a full Hunter Cadre which can contain anything between fifty and one hundred Tau. All the troops can either be mounted on gravitic vehicles or provided jet packs. Allowing them to deploy from the destroyers at altitude. With its large cargo hold and heavy armament, the Manta serves double duty as both a dropship and as heavy fire support for the Tau forces.
These Missile Destroyers are well shielded and armed with heavy Railguns which can fire heavy shells. These shells make use of fins for additional lift to give them remarkable range in an atmosphere. Each shell is fitted with a Tau Drone processor that is programmed to guide the shell to its intended target. The drones are equipped with a maneuvering thruster for this purpose. Once the Manta nears its target, its crew switches to the batteries of close range Ion cannons to provide continued fire support.3-p15
Crew and Vehicles
It can carry up to:
For armaments, it carries: "Sixteen Long-Barrelled Burst Cannons, Six Long-Barrelled Ion Cannons, Two Heavy Railguns, Missile Pods and battery of Seeker Missiles as well as a Networked Markerlight turret." The aircraft has a crew of six, two pilots and four gunners.
The Manta is occasionally used for transporting high-ranking dignitaries, such as Ethereals.
