Besalisk Brigadier
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Image Credit: AdamKophttps://www.deviantart.com/adamkop/art/Star-Wars-Czerka-Arms-Cruiser-441462219
Intent: To make a interesting limited ship class for The Rebellion
Canon Link: N/A
Primary Source: N/A
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Manufacturer: The Rebellionhttp://starwarsrp.net/forum/3615-the-rebellion/http://starwarsrp.net/forum/3615-the-rebellion/
Model: Former Czerka Arms 'Cruiser' Transport, Whydah-class Corvette
Affiliation: Sanctuary Systems Liberation Army
Production: Semi-Unique
Material: Titanium Alloy Hull, Duralium/Lanthanide Composite Armor Plating, Glassteel and Transparisteel where appropriate.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Classification: Corvette
Role: Q-Ship, Armed Transport
Length: 76.2
Width: 58.4
Height: 21m
Power Core Generator/Reactor: Primary Czerka cL4 Solar Ionization Reactor. Secondary Quadrex A8v Power Generator.
Hyperdrive Rating: 3.0, 10.0 backup
Minimum Crew: 9
Optimal Crew: 35
Passenger Capacity: A dozen passengers can easily be accommodated. More if they don't mind being cozy.
Consumables: Approximately 4 months.
Sublight Speed: Moderate
Maneuverability: Moderate
ARMAMENT
Armament Rating: High
1 x Repeating Triple Turbolaser
2 x Heavy Laser Cannons (fixed forward)
1 x Quad Laser Cannon Turret (Aft)
1 x Twin Laser Cannon Turret (Dorsal, Midships)
HANGAR: None
A couple utility launches can fit in the cargo bay.
Combat-Rated Ray Shielding
Combat-Rated Particle Shielding
- Standard Sensor Suite
Standard Encrypted Communications and C4I Suite
Standard Navigation Systems
Standard Fire Control System
Ionic Shielding Package
Ion Shields
Cap Drains
Duraplast Plating
Energy Sinks
[*]
Standard Electronics Warfare/Countermeasure Package
Sensor Jammer
220-SIG Tactical Sensor Jamming Device
Electronic Countermeasures
Full-spectrum Distortion Projector
ADVANCED SYSTEMS
Strengths:
- Low Sensor Profile: With a separate reactor for the combat-rated systems and a sleek sensor-dampning design, the Whydah gives every impression of being a far less capable combatant than it is.
- Czerka Surprise: A sudden barrage of turbolaser fire can be a very brutal surprise to an unsuspecting target.
- Screamer: This upgraded Rebel variant is more powerful than the commercial variant. In broadband mode the Screamer can effectively disrupt homing solutions for most missiles while in or it can be used in narrowband mode to scramble fire-control solutions for a few seconds (after which it has to be shut off and re-tuned, a twenty-minute process). Turning it on at all will definitely blow any and all cover or stealth the ship has.
- Limited Defenses: With only two laser turrets and no missiles, the Whydah-class is very vulnerable to strike craft. The Screamer provides a last line of defense but blows away all low-profile cover.
- Power Management: The combat-rated shields and main weapon both draw from a single, smaller reactor. If pushed too hard that reactor will simply shut down, leaving the Whydah-class very vulnerable.
DESCRIPTION
The Rebellion is not an organization with limitless resources, and as a result is fairly adept at using whatever it can get its hands on, and adapting even civilian equipment for military use. This is rarely more evident than when it comes to their scant (albeit growing) number of warships. Decommissioned frigates, scrapyard salvage, and a handful of proper ships leaked their way by the MPTC make up most of the fleet. So when a skywatch team on a backwater planet near Sith space in the Tion Cluster stumbled upon an old Czerka hanger stuffed full of ancient-but-untouched transports, it caused quite a stir.
Rebel High Command dispatched a team to assess the feasibility of using the ships as blockade runners. The initial survey was disappointing, the vessels were very lightly armed, with only a pair of old heavy laser cannons in a fixed forward mount. Additionally, while the vessels had respectable armor, the onboard generators were fairly weak, unable to support extensive refitting. Finally, the ships were clearly designed with comfort and discretion in mind, and as a result had limited room for even internal modifications.
There was some hope though. While they couldn't easily be made into proper corvettes there was room to convert them into convoy raiders or Q-Ships. The project was given a limited scope with orders to have something functional to bolster the fleet ASAP. What followed was half ingenuity and half desperation.
Besides general upgrades to the sensor package, comms suite, and fire control system, the major modifications include a pair of laser turrets installed amidships and aft, to offer some protection against strike craft or missiles. These systems stressed the onboard generator to its max, so a second one was installed. Specifically tied to this system was enhanced shields and the main armament, a triple barrel repeating turbolaser in a concealed bay. This secondary reactor was designed to be brought online from cold iron extremely quickly, so the ship didn't give off a larger power signature than normal.
The turbolaser is an unusual design. A cyclic triple-barrel model, only one barrel fires at a time but it turns rapidly, and can sustain volleys of around two shots per second. Unfortunately with the boosted shields on the turbolaser draws so much power it can only sustain fire for approximately 15-20 seconds before needing to cool down and let the reactor accumulate. Given the perceived role for the vessel, this was seen as acceptable. A Sensor Scrambler/Baffler system was also added (tied in to the secondary generator) to make the ship even better at smuggling or low-profile operations, and finally as a last resort a military-rated 'Screamer' Active Jammer was installed.
Of course the ship is still perfectly usable as a mid-sized transport, and sees regular use as a smuggling vessel for the Rebellion.
The end result is a quick, punchy ship with a low profile that can't take much of a beating. Rebel Command calls it the Whydah-class Corvette. Ideal for raiding shipping or harassing smaller vessels, but not well suited for pitched battles. In theory, the ship is designed to creep close to a target looking like a vulnerable merchant transport, before overwhelming the foe with a barrage from its turbolaser. Only five ships were converted, all of which have recently been spotted in service for the Sanctuary Systems Liberation Army. It is unknown if they retain the ability to make more.
