Rockhopper-Class Freighter (Model 2)

[Pippa]

Rockhopper-Class Freighter (Model 2)


AFFILIATION
Open Market

MANUFACTURER
Rendili StarDrive

CLASS
Light Freighter

ROLE
Salvage and Towing

COMPOSITION
Durasteel and Transparisteel

DIMENSIONS
25m long, 10m tall,
15m wide at engines,
6m wide at hull

CREW
2 minimum (Pilot/Navigator)
3 Optimal (Gunner+Scanner Operator)

PASSENGER CAPACITY
3

CARGO CAPACITY
15 tons

HANGAR CAPACITY
N/A

CONSUMABLES
1 standard month

SPEED/MANEUVERABILITY
40MGLT with fantastic Manueverability


ARMAMENT

• 3x Magnetic Clamps
• 4x Inset, nose mounted heavy blasters

EQUIPMENT

• 1x Class 7 Hyperdrive
• 6x Standard EVA suits
• 1x Nose-mounted multi-spectral scanner turret
• 3x Extendable landing feet with Magnetic Clamps
• 2x Rotatable main engine thrusters
• 1x Civilian-grade Deflector Shield generator
• 20x External storage hatches
  (can hold a combined 15 tons of small cargo and can only be accessed from outside the ship)

DESCRIPTION
​

The most common iteration of the Rockhopper-class Freighter is the Model 2. The original run of the ship was another early attempt of Rendili Stardrive to break into the civilian market nearly 500 years ago. The Model 1 was designed with peak efficiency in mind. The ships design is spartan and every inch of space is used to maximum effect. The ship is designed with folding cots, 1 at each station and 3 in the man ship body so that every ounce of space could be dual functional. The bulk of the Model 1's cargo capacity came within a proprietary cargo container designed to hold up to 100 tons and shaped to fit to the Model 1's Magnetic Clamps securely. The idea was that the ships could become runners and tugs where necessary and offer a degree of flexibility to a light freighter option.

Sadly for Rendili Stardrives the Model 1 sold underwhelmingly but was surprisingly popular amongst the salvage sector, the ship's manoeuvrability and no-frills approach made it ideal for the "fix on the fly" hard wearing work ethic and allowed it to traverse complex ship and space debris with minimal damage easily repaired. Rendili Stardrives redesigned the vessel with a view to EVA and salvage, the Model 2 coming standard with a full crew's compliments of EVA suits and multi-spectral scanning turret operated from the gunner position. While the ship is stationary or drifting slowly, the scanner turret is capable of scanning in 270 degrees up to 1km. The turret is packed with a wide spectrum of civilian grader sensors that can pick up heat, energy signatures, comms signals, cronau radiation amongst others. Without the proprietary cargo container the Model 2's capacity was massively reduced to just the pressure sealed external hatches, however with the Magnetic clamps free the model two was now capable of towing or attaching to all manner of container, debris or salvage. The clamps can hold and tow up to 1000 tons of material but can only go to hyperspeed with load of 50 tons or less.

The Model 2 was a marked success and is still a fairly common sight in the hands of salvagers, short range tug pilots, pirates and scavengers. Most of the craft you see around in the galaxy today are usually beaten and worn from between 400-300 years of use and abuse. Similarly, while considered light cannons at the time, the Model 2's nose guns have not kept up with modern blaster ballistics or shield and armour technology and are so effectively heavy infantry weapons by modern standards. This means that despite a relatively high rate of fire the blasters are only really suited to clearing debris and only pose a real threat to small unarmoured and unshielded ships or smaller targets.

LEGALITY​

The ship is entirely legal to own and operate though it is not unusual for Model 2 operators to also own salvage licences when working within the empire.

INTENT​

To create an interesting utility freighter and salvage ship with limited to no combat capabilities due to its outdated and compact design.

ADVANCED TECH​

The Model 2 is outdated and common enough to not be Advanced. The rarity of Model 1's would make them Advanced.

 

[AutoFox]

@Pippa Did you mean external storage latches, not hatches? Also, feel free to bump up the cargo capacity, as it's a little light. Maybe 15 tons. I would also add a note that the cargo is not accessible from the inside during flight.

 

[Pippa]

@AutoFox No I definitely meant hatches like this, externally mounted indents, designed to be opened and accessed from the outside like you mentioned, kinda like a series of space glove compartments along the ships flanks; 10 on either side. Updated the cargo limit and clarified access to storage.

 

[AutoFox]

Approved.