Jack of Harts

The Republic of Texas Space Force welcomed the F-12 Avenger with open arms. It did hit the “not invented here” problem, but they wanted a hypercapable fighter badly enough that they were willing to hold their noses and license the fighter for their own factories to build. The Avenger was too large to be a true fighter, an issue many noted at the time, so it was mostly used in the attack or bomber roles alongside the B-17 Valkyries that became their closest allies. Mixed Avenger and Valkyrie forces quickly became Texas’ weapon of choice when attacking enemy starships, and they racked up impressive kill numbers when those starships came in range. And since both craft were hypercapable, they could reach out and crush someone at a range far greater than anyone had previously dreamed.