The Rebel Faction

BHG - Starstriker Corporation Standard Combat Gunship

The standard combat gunship is designed as the successor to the Corellian gunship of old, which is no longer in production thanks to the Imperial strangehold on the Corellian system. There is still quite a number of gunships out there on the market or in the possession of planetery navies and pirates, but as time wears on the need for these to be replaced becomes higher. The new gunship being introduced by the starstriker corporation is in many ways similar to the gunships as of old, but has several different importances. The first difference is that the fusion reactor core in the new gunship is smaller and more economical than that of the Corellian gunship, and as a result, is much easier to maintain.

The armament has to be scaled back somewhat as a result, and is different from that of the older Corellian gunship. The turbolaser cannons have been removed and replaced by two twin heavy laser cannons and four medium twin laser cannons. This means that while the gunship no longer has quite the ability to inflict energy damage as the older one does, it is still able to maintain a heavy and accurate fire that will sooner rather than later wear down the shields of enemy combat vessels. The quad laser cannons have also been scaled back a little bit, numbering four now instead of six, but are mounted on fast reflex mounts, and are still very capable of taking on enemy starfighter opponents. Finally, the concussion missile launchers have been removed and replaced by general purpose warhead launchers, giving the gunship a wider array of potential firepower. Up to six warheads can be carried per a launcher. In addition, the launchers have been trunked into four quad launchers. The quad laser cannons are located on the bow section, with at least one being able to fire in any direction. The twin medium laser cannons are located on the girders that connect the three main sections together, while the twin heavy laser cannons are located on the centre module. Finally, the warhead launchers are located on the aft engine compartment.

The gunship has a very limited hangar and troop carrying capacity. In fact, it has no hangar whatsoever, however, the docking collars that are located on the sides of the central module can be modified to accept external carrying racks that can each hold two small starfighters or one large starfighter, giving the gunship a maximum carrying potential of four starfighters, like A-wings, TIE Interceptors, or A-9 Vigilances, or two starfighters, like X-wings, Y-wings, TIE Defenders, etc. As for troop carrying capacity, the gunship is able to accomodate up to ten guests or soldiers. As for crew, consumables, and cargo capacity, the standard crew count is twenty five, mostly gunners or engineers, with a bridge crew of five enlisted and one officer, the captain of the vessel. The ship is able to carry sufficent consumables to last it for a three month operating period before necessatating resupply. The gunship does not have hardly any cargo capacity, however, it is able to be modified, by removing the four twin medium laser cannons, the ability to haul up to eight cargo modules, turning the ship into an armed merchant cruiser of sorts.

The gunship has a good protection rating, as it is armoured with durasteel armour, and is protected by military grade shield generators and projectors. The ship has a hull rating of about one hundred rated units, and it's shields clock in at two hundred fifty SBD (whatever that means), with a recharge rate of ten percent per a minute. The communications and sensors aboard the vessel are able to detect enemy vessels up to five hundred kilometers distant, and have holocomm and multi-pule channel in-system communications capabilites. This ship does not have the ability to detect cloaked or stealth vessels of any kind. In wrapping up the listing of the vessels capabilities, it should be noted that the gunship has a standard price tag of seventy five thousand credits, Imperial, although this price tag can be negotiated. In addition, modification kits that can change the gunship into a armed transport or a starfighter carrier of sorts sell for ten thousand credits apiece and are installed by the engineers ourselves. With such a economical and less costly maintence war vessel, it is hoped that the planetery goverments and law abiding citizens who are in need will be able to afford what they want and need. The vessel's propulsion is similar to that of the original gunship as well, with three sublight engines, each one producing twenty five MGLT units of sublight speed. The hyperdrive rating is set at 2.0 past lightspeed.

It should be noted that there is a second, secret model of the gunship produced solely for the Starstriker corporation and her closest allies. This ship differs from the basic models in having an advanced military grade fusion reactor core, and as a result, more powerful weapons. The twin heavy laser cannons have been replaced by two twin heavy turbolaser cannons, while the four twin laser cannons have been replaced by four twin medium ion cannons. In addition, the protection has been increased, with titanium reinforced durasteel armour and stronger shields. The hull strength is increased to two hundred fifty rated units, while the shields have been increased to five hundred SBD. This gunship is considerably more expensive to purchase and maintain, but the payoff is well worth it. In order to avoid confusion among the corporation and her benefitting allies, this ship has been designated the Standard Gunship Mark II.