BARD PAPER: SARA9020 | Home | Traveller | BARD | SARA |
Mudskipper Budget Multipurpose Vessel
design by Kyle Platte
BARD PAPER: SARA9020 | Home | Traveller | BARD | SARA |
design by Kyle Platte
Both vessels are based on common existing designs to help them ³blend-in² with local space traffic. This also allows for easy procurement of parts and servicing: both designs maintain over 50% compatibility with the designs they originated from. The two ships have a modular design internally, allowing existing systems to be swapped out and replaced with different packages or upgraded to the ownerıs tastes. Consolidated-Amalgamated has a wide variety of upgrades available for these ships. The two vessels are made with as many identical parts as possible (including the entire electronics package) to simplify production and maintenance of a large fleet. The frames of both models have been reinforced to grant additional longevity to the ships or to allow the installation of more powerful engines. Due to the overwhelming demand, both of these designs come equipped with ground support weapons as part of their basic equipment. However, these ships are not recommended as dedicated fire-support platforms as they lack the protection of an AFV and the agility of an air-superiority fighter.
The Mudskipper is based on the Far Trader frame perhaps the most common silhouette seen in post-Collapse space. The Mudskipper comes deliberately low on extras so that ships can be altered as needed into one of several formats: salvage/trade, exploration, supply/refueling, combat/system defense or troop transport. It sports an enormous cargo bay capable of being altered into whatever format the crew needs.
The Mudskipper is a larger, more flexible platform than the Guppy class vessels. Ironically, there's not much more in a Mudskipper than the smaller craft. Mudskippers will typically receive additional modifications late in production or as a post-production refit. This gives local systems greater flexibility in catering to the ship's final purpose. Even as-is the ships are rugged, durable and simple craft with a spacious cargo bay. Like the Guppy, Mudskippers are often subsidized by local governments in an effort to promote interstellar trade and exploration. In order to fulfill the basic mission objectives for the Nebula-8 program, the Mudskipper must be retro-fitted with an additional 4 small staterooms in the cargo hold. These were omitted from the current design to speed production of a craft that required fewer personnel. Although Mudskippers are new vessels, they are usually given a "dent & scratch" treatment that cosmetically alters them to appear more like existing free traders in the Wilds.
Mudskipper Budget Multipurpose Vessel
| Displacement: 200 tons | Hull Armor:30 |
| Length: 42 meters | Volume: 2800 m3 |
| Price: 86.63 MCr | Target Size: S |
| Configuration: SL Wedge | Tech Level: 12 |
| Mass (Loaded/Unloaded): 1794.925/2588.923 | |
| Name | ROF | Damage | Pen | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5Mw DEI laser | 50 | 6-6-5-2 | 1/6 - 1/6 - 1/3 - nil | 30km |
The Nail launcher can accept any of the family of Nail missiles. The missiles can be fired from the combat crewstation provided for the ground support weapons. The DEI laser can be used as a laser designator, if needed. It takes 30 minutes to reload the missile tubes and can be done internally from the cargo bay.
The DEI laser is a ground support weapon housed in a small turret on the underside of the ship. The turret is equipped with advanced stabilization and can be fired at any speed. The laser can fire up to 10 shots per second, although this is a serious drain on the ships power (90.924 Mw). The laser does not use gravitic focusing. With the addition of a fire control computer and remote sensors, the laser can act as as a sentry gun. An additional turret can be added to the top of the craft to act as a point defense battery or anti-aircraft weapon.
The frame of the Mudskipper is designed to support 3-G's of stress.