What exactly is this version of the Firestorm class Frigate?

[Space Cowboy]

Never seen this model anywhere except this game. The Bow looks much stubbier than the version that is usually seen and it has those spoilers on the rear. So, where does this come from?
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3121272001

[Schlumpsha]

It's the Falchion class, not the Firestorm one. It was a preorder bonus at Owlcat's website and also a part of the Collector's Edition, The Falchion isn't available anymore.

[Space Cowboy]

Originally posted by Schlumpsha:

It's the Falchion class, not the Firestorm one. It was a preorder bonus at Owlcat's website and also a part of the Collector's Edition, The Falchion isn't available anymore.

Nope, I just took a look (cause I have the preorder Bonus) and the Falchion is this one:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3121283463

[Mentally Unstable]

There are 3 "types" of player voidships at the moment. One is the standard version which everyone has access to, one is from the deluxe edition, the final one is for those who pre-ordered a copy from Owlcat's website.

[Space Cowboy]

Originally posted by Mentally Unstable:

There are 3 "types" of player voidships at the moment. One is the standard version which everyone has access to, one is from the deluxe edition, the final one is for those who pre-ordered a copy from Owlcat's website.

Yeah, I know - this is a lore question. The firestorm frigate looks different to what it should.

[Space Cowboy]

Overall it kinda looks like they've taken the bow from an Armageddon Class Battlecruiser and the rear from a Gladius Class Space marine frigate.

[Dryden]

Originally posted by Space Cowboy:

Originally posted by Mentally Unstable:

There are 3 "types" of player voidships at the moment. One is the standard version which everyone has access to, one is from the deluxe edition, the final one is for those who pre-ordered a copy from Owlcat's website.

Yeah, I know - this is a lore question. The firestorm frigate looks different to what it should.

Just pick the sword class. I forget if it comes with a lance or if you have to find one first, but that way you can have a sort of almost normal looking firestorm.

[AncientRaig]

I'm honestly kind of upset that they locked the Firestorm behind a DLC. It's the other iconic Imperial Navy escort, so having to pay for it kind of sucks, especially since the Sword is the only base-game ship option so if you didn't pre-order or buy the fancier editions there's an entire page in your character customization that just... has no options to pick from.

I also find it weird that the game calls our ship a Sword-class frigate when its armament makes it much closer to a Dauntless-class light cruiser that's been modified to mount both a prow lance and torpedo tubes. Sword-classes are armed with twin spine-mounted light macrocannon turrets and don't mount a prow lance, torpedo tubes, or broadside batteries, though some of the (admittedly sparse) lore indicates they might have some sort of laser-based macrocannon broadside battery.

They really should've just given us a Dauntless, not only would it be less weird weapons-wise but lore-wise any Rogue Trader worth their profit factor isn't making an escort vessel the flagship of their entire dynasty.

[Space Cowboy]

Originally posted by Dryden:

Originally posted by Space Cowboy:

Yeah, I know - this is a lore question. The firestorm frigate looks different to what it should.

Just pick the sword class. I forget if it comes with a lance or if you have to find one first, but that way you can have a sort of almost normal looking firestorm.

I actually think that the Owlcat version of the Firestorm looks much cooler than the GW one - I'm just wondering if this specific design is based in lore or if they just took some creative freedom with it. Might be an old 30K varient which was used more during the crusades or something. I can't find this version anywhere but in this game, though, so Owlcat might just have redesigned it to differentiate it from the Sword Class Frigate.

[Dryden]

Owlcat were bouncing between giving us a frigate or cruiser, I assume the in-game firestorm is based on a concept for what could have ended up being a playable light cruiser.

[Space Cowboy]

Originally posted by Dryden:

Owlcat were bouncing between giving us a frigate or cruiser, I assume the in-game firestorm is based on a concept for what could have ended up being a playable light cruiser.

Maybe but that wouldn't have been lorefriendly either. There's no cruiser (or any other ship) in 40k that looks like that at least from what I could find. It's just a mishmash of different ship types thrown together. And that's not necessarily a criticism - looks pretty cool overall and it's not just a rehash of the Sword Class with a lance on the bow like the original version. I just kinda hoped that there was more to it.

[Demiurge]

I love this version of the firestorm, looks badass. Also, i view it as a customized ship, which would make sense since it's not belonging to the navy but a personalized ship of a rogue trader.

[Lammergeier]

Originally posted by Demiurge:

I love this version of the firestorm, looks badass. Also, i view it as a customized ship, which would make sense since it's not belonging to the navy but a personalized ship of a rogue trader.

Pretty much, read the description for your voidship. It's been heavily modified over thousands of years.

[Space Cowboy]

Originally posted by Lammergeier:

Originally posted by Demiurge:

I love this version of the firestorm, looks badass. Also, i view it as a customized ship, which would make sense since it's not belonging to the navy but a personalized ship of a rogue trader.

Pretty much, read the description for your voidship. It's been heavily modified over thousands of years.

That's just the normal 40k description. The Firestorm is a variant (the game calls it a modification) of the Sword Frigate with the main difference being a prow lance to be able to engage larger targets. It's a well established ship and design already likely based on its own STC. Such heavy modifications to a standard design as displayed in the game are borderline innovative and thus might be considered tech heresy unless the modifcations were somehow sanctioned by the adeptus mechanicus. Or it's from another, lesser known Forge World which produces a lesser known pattern of the Firestorm Frigate. Or it's very, very old - maybe from the time of the crusades, although it already has the cathedral style bridge and during the crusades the imperial truth was still in place - so no worship of the emperor as a god. I guess the cult mechanicum already worshipped the omnisire so, still possible I guess. Whatever the case, the difference in design from the standard 40k one is big enough that it would have warranted its own story.

[Krelian]

I am necroing this thread even though as a loyal imperial subject; I hate the Necrons with a passion (but not as much as the Chaos scum or the traitors).

So we get 3 ships in RT
Sword class (Basic, venerable, versatile, enabled by default).

Falchion Class (Preorder?). A new(ish) design only 500-600 years old. Quite bigger then the Sword class but still an eacort frigate like the Sword class. Emphasis ln torpedoes and hit’n run. From what I can see; the only thing that visually sets this ship (used by us - a Rogue Trader) is that it comes with a huge-azz Imperial Angel statue at the aft section of the ship above the bridge, which is awesome.

Firestorm class: Basically a beefed-up Sword class overall liked by captains. Because of it’s modigications; it’s slightly bigger then the default venerable Sword class but a bit shorter then the Falchion class.

Now, as others have pointed out; the Firestorm class in Rogue Trader (PC/Console game) is visually very special.
That is because it looks nothing like the ”stock” Firestorms that can be found in the Imperium of Men.

The Sword-class is almost a standard sword class (looks-wise).
The bigger Falchion frigate is also visually just a stock Falchion with a single big added statue to differenciate it’s status a bit from others of her class.

But the Firestorm in RT seems very, very heavily modified from the stock Firestorms with added ”vertial wings” and hull/engine sections at the back. A unique-ish (for frigates) prov section/ram/shield that is typically found on a few bigger ship classes, and unlike the two other ships; it gets a bit of a unique paint job too (instead of the standard metallic/dark color) with maybe some golden touches/details and an Imperial Navy(?) issue red paintjob for the prowand overall a bit expanded livery for the ship.

Unlike the other two ships whose pictures were very easy to find on the internet, I cannot find any picures of this particular version of the Firestorm class frigate.

Given that the ship looks so.. ehm unique and considering the the presence of archeotech mechinary & integration on-board and the ships ability to field weaponry & defensive systems far above it’s class (while retaining most of it’s frigate speed & manueverabity (like the2 other ships in the game); I am thinkging like this must be a; Firestorm II Refit class of ship or something?

That’s why; as OP & other posters here has saight; any lore insight into this particular/unique(?) Firestorm class escort frigate would be much appreciated.
Cheers!

[gurp]

It's worth noting that this isn't a standard imperial navy ship, but the ancestral flagship of a rogue trader. While it may have been a standard Firestorm, It's had thousands of years of nonstandard upgrades and customization.