Lotus-class Light Merchantman from MTU

[sea_tyger]

Class: Lotus-class Light Merchantman
Tech Level: 12
Size 296 tons
Streamlining: Steamlined Closed Structure
Jump Range: 2 parsecs
Acceleration: 2-G
Fuel: 80 tons (60 tons jump, 20 tons power)
Duration: 28 days
Crew: 5 (pilot, astrogator, engineer, medic, gunner)
Staterooms: 2
Small Cabins: 10
Bunks: 0
Couches: 0
Low Berths: 0
Cargo Space 74.35 tons (4.35 tons of total are concealed)

Atmospheric Speeds
NoE: 1175 kph, Cruising: 3525 kph, Maximum: 4700 kph

EP Output: 20
Agility: 4 (+13 EP)
Initiative: +4 (+4 agility)
AC: 16 (+4 agility, +2 AR)
Nuclear Dampers, Meson Screens, Black Globes: None
AR: 2
SI: 129
Main Computer: Model/3
Sensor Range: Medium
Communications Range: Medium

3 hardpoints, with 1 triple turret
Sandcaster Bank (3 launchers) USD: 4
30 canisters (9 stored in turret magazine)

Cost: 186.5 MCr

The Lotus-class light merchantman is a small workhorse freighter that is primarily used on the Republic frontier and in the former-secessionist region of the Republic. Produced from 4234-4250, many Lotus' were modified into scouts and couriers by the Rebel Starcorps. Even 20 years after they were last produced, hundreds of these sturdy vessels ply the spacelanes, many still proudly waring their scars from the Civil War like a badge of honor.

Designer's Notes: I've based my campaign setting heavily on the first century of U.S. history, and loosely along the lines of the Fox TV show "Firefly." (It's a damn shame they took the show off the air.)

One such Lotus is the PC's ship, and carries two additional double pop-up turrets with plasma guns attached (both the pop-up turrets and the plasma guns are illegal on civilian craft in the Republic). This reduces the cargo capacity to 58.35 tons (4.35 tons of which are concealed), but gives the PC's ship a little extra punch (should they choose to risk revealing their secret...internally, the turrets are disguised to look refrigeration units for the large cargo deck). Many ships of the class still carry wartime modifications.

Any thoughts or questions are welcome.

 

[Liam Devlin]

I likes it Sea Tyger! Mind if we post a copy to our website "ISS URSULA" to our starship T20 page?
Question, is the design harmed by adding 4dtons to it?(a minor thought for 4 extra tons of cargo of mine).

 

[far-trader]

Just one nit-pick, T20's rules say your final agility rating cannot exceed your maneuver drive rating in G's. I'd also interpret this to mean your available agility is tied to your current G rating, i.e. reduced due to drop tanks or damage. It does free up some power for other (GUNS!

) uses.

 

[far-trader]

Err, one more nit-pick

, I see 2 staterooms and 10 cabins. Not really sure what kind of arrangements these are for, officer/crew/passenger wise, but T20 cabins don't include fresher facilities so you'll need to add at least one for the 10 cabins to share (pg 278 Fresher)

Of course if you're using some spreadsheet to do the number crunching it may be factored in, or overlooked, no way to tell without me doing the build or you saying.

Dang, I keep forgetting to add a "nice design"