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The Varactyl armored patrol craft, also known as the KDY Varactyl armored patrol craft, was an advanced model of hovertank designed and built by Kuat Drive Yards for the Advanced Strategic Operations Service of Shimka's Well. The vehicle – named both for its maneuverability and the use of varactyl iconography in the ASOS insignia – was specially commissioned by the government of Shimka's Well, who needed a vehicle with greater durability, maneuverability and firepower than was typical of conventional models, to compensate for their limited manpower.
As a result, the Varactyl was well armed, armored and shielded, resulting in it being considerably more expensive than even the largest models of repulsor tank available at the time. Primarily used to transport Advanced Strategic Operations Service commandos to their destination no matter the obstacle, the Varactyl sported a powerful heavy laser cannon atop its hull and a repeating blaster cannon on the underside of the cockpit, the latter being used to dispatch hostile infantry while the former was primarily intended for breaching enemy installations, neutralizing turrets and defending against starfighter attacks. It also featured a pair of missile launchers, each loaded with twelve high-yield missiles, though only six could be primed and fired by each launcher at any one time. The missiles locked onto a target using the Varactyl's targeting computer, but could also be aimed, locked and fired manually – with limited electronic assistance – if the situation demanded it.
Due to its primary role as a troop transport, the Varactyl was also fitted with dual deflector shield generators to protect it from high-intensity blaster fire and thick durasteel armor plating that prevented physical damage from explosions, shrapnel and collisions, making it almost impregnable. Lacking any form of ion weaponry, the Varactyl struggled immensely against more powerful forms of deflector shields. In the case of particle shields, this drawback forced ASOS commandos to find alternate routes to their objectives or – in the case of enemy installations – proceed on foot. Capable of reaching a top speed of 330 kilometers per hour and performing rapid turns, the Varactyl was equipped with an inertial compensator to protect the occupants from the negative effects of excessive g-forces. A major drawback of the Varactyl's considerable arsenal was the immense power requirements, necessitating thoughtful management of the vehicle's power distribution to ensure all systems remained functional as and when they were needed. Failure to manage the power correctly could lead to the patrol craft shutting down completely, necessitating specialist training before use.
The Varactyl was typically guided from orbit by specialized operators aboard the Ah'rek while on-mission, but also featured mid-range sensors for situations where the crew were required to operate independently. All ASOS commandos received training in the operation of the Varactyl patrol craft, ensuring that – regardless of effective squad strength – any commando could fulfill whatever role was required of them at any given time. Varactyl armored patrol craft were deployed to assist operations on numerous worlds throughout the history of ASOS, including Kitessh and Maldo Kreis. They were also sold to independent mercenary groups, however the considerable cost of the vehicles made them prohibitively expensive for widespread use and the Varactyl patrol craft saw limited use outside of ASOS ranks.