Container Cruiser

SS Knight Crawler
PGCD-35 Container Cruiser
(submitted by Shadow Shack)

HS:35  HP:210  Powerplant: 4 Ion "E"
ADF:1  MR:1  DCR:195  Crew:70
Armament:Rotating LC & DC, LB(x4), EB(x4), PB(x4); 12 fighters
Defenses:RH, MS(x3), ICM (x18)
Comm/Detection:SSRadio, Radar (3x range), VideoCom, Energy Sensor(2x range), WNB Deluxe, Skin Sensors, Camera System
Misc Equipment: Light Armor, Cargo Arms (x3), Deluxe Astrogation, Back-up Life Support, Med Lab, Enviro Lab, Atmoprobe (x4), Landing Drone

COMPUTER

Alarm (6), Analysis (6), Astrogation (4), Bereaucracy (5), Cargo Arm (2) x3 , Commerce (2), Communication (2), Computer Lockout (6), Computer Security (6), Damage Control (6), Disruptor Cannon (2), Drive (6), Electron Beam Battery (2) x4 , Guidance/Analysis (3), Industry (2), Information Storage (6), Installation Security (6), Interceptor Missile (3), Laboratory (3) x2 , Language (6), Laser Battery (1) x8 , Laser Cannon (1), Life Support cap:120 (1) x2 , Maintenance (3), Proton Battery (2) x4 , Robot Management (6), Stasis Screen (3), Transportation (2)

Cargo Capacity:29 (3 main holds @ 7U each w/cargo arms, 4 auxilliary holds @ 2U each)
Crew Accomodations:10 suites, 30 double cabins
Passenger Accomodations: 10 Journey Class & 4 First Class (all double occupancy)
Ship's Vehicles: 12 F-42C fighters (2 bays), 4 shuttles (separate pens), 6 lifeboats, 16 large launches, 8 workpods; external docking facility for a UPF assault scout

Just as the Sovereign Domain Authority began their conquest of the Frontier, Pan Galactic Shipyards completed their largest of the non-military grade dreadnoughts. Pressed for time, the ship's maiden voyage incorporated the evacuation of numerous retreating UPF warships which included a destroyer, two frigates, and four assault scouts.

The basic hull itself stretches out to a dizzying 1420 meters, 1575 meters counting the engines (each of which are about the size of a UPF light cruiser at 300 meters in length). It's 350 meters at the widest point, although the majority of the width resides at 200 meters. The main holds are large enough to house up to a HS:6 vessel, the four auxiliary holds can contain an assault scout in each - not counting the foreward external docking facility that was intended as a courtesy for planetary militia inspections.

The extensive weaponry, while insufficient to defeat any dreadnought class warship, proved capable enough against the smaller capital ships of SDA. A new concept was applied to the Container Cruiser, a prototype design for the forward firing weapons. Seeing as the typical dreadnought lacks the maneuverbility to fully utilize any forward firing weapons, the two cannons were instead mounted on huge gimbals in order to rotate a full 360 degrees on a single plane. This allows the weapons to fire either fore or aft, thus warding off any stern attacks with heavier weapons.

Coupled to the main guns and the twelve batteries are six twin fighter bays, each of which can support a pair of standard fighter craft for a total of two 6-unit squadrons. Four shuttle pens allow the housing of craft intended to move personnel and supplies between the massive craft and stations too small to berth it. Even though a class:6 station can accept the dreadnought, oftentimes there simply isn't enough room with other craft already berthed. A 35 day wait can be a bit much, so typically the ship would orbit the planet near the intended station. Numerous launch pens are scattered along the cruiser's hull, easing the workload of the multiple lift shafts within as crew members opt to take a launch to another deck rather than utilize the arterial elevator network. Finally, eight workpods are berthed in the stern.

Triple range radar units and a double range energy sensor array give the craft sufficient early warning. The ion drives can create a "window" to shield it from inbound craft long before they acquire the massive vessel on their radars. The ship is simply too slow and clumsy to get out of its own way let alone avoid a collission, but also far too massive to be concerned with such collissions with other craft, it could be likened to an insect hitting the windscreen of a skimmer. 

Its massive size and vast arsenal also makes it practically immune to the predation of pirates. After all, it would take an extensive fleet of such craft to overtake it, and the entire fleet would have to survive in order to simply make off with the cargo.




F-42C Eliminator
F40C redevelopement

HS:1 HP:8 Powerplant: two sub-Atomic A
ADF:5 MR:5 DCR:30 Crew: 1-2
Armament: Assault Rocket (x2), Pod Laser or PL(x2, linked)
Defenses: RH
Communication/Detection Equipment: Subspace Radio, Radar, Videocom
Misc: Heavy Armor, Auto-Eject Module, Streamlined

Computer

Alarm (2), Analysis (3), Assault Rocket (1), Astrogation (1), Auto Eject (2), Computer Lockout (4), Damage Control (2), Drive (4), Information Storage (1), Laser Cannon (1) x2 , Life Support (1), Maintenance (2), Weapon Link (1)

Based on the wildly successful F-40C standard fighter, the Eliminator takes its cues from the variant twin hull F40C2. Rather than mating a pair of fuselages together via a common wing, the F-42 simply incorporates a second drive in order to boost armament and maintain performance.

Offensively, the craft boasts a standard pod laser system along with a convertible assault rocket launcher that supports two rockets. The launcher/magazine can be swapped out for a second pod laser system, which can be alternatively linked to the fixed system (firing once for 2d10 damage) or discharged individually (two shots at 1d10 each).

Pan Galactic was able to secure twelve of them from WarTech prior to the SDA conquest, and loaded them into the cruiser's bays in time for its fated maiden voyage. To date, the craft have performed remarkably well, although they have yet to be tested with assault rockets as the civilian arms clause does not permit ownership of the launchers. However, considering the vessel's assistance with former UPF loyalists, the day may soon be coming where the launchers will be made available for use...