The Rebel Faction

BHG - Starstriker Corporation Armed Barge Carrier

Name: Starstriker Corporation Armed Barge Hauler (ABH)

Designation: ABH

Mission Profile: to ensure the safe delievery of small cargo modules to their destination

Production: License contract built by Starstriker Corporation

Cost: Tug; 50,000 credits, Imperial. Barges; 5,000 credits, Imperial.

Length: Tug; 75 meters. Barges; 200 meters.

Crew: 25

Consumables: 3 months

Cargo Capacity: *see below

Armament:
4 Twin Heavy Laser Cannons
4 Quad Laser Cannons
2 Tractor Beam Projectors

Hangar Capacity:
6xSmall starfighters
8xCargo ferries

Troop/Passenger Capacity: 10

Propulsion:
Sublight: Tug; 20 MGLT.
Each barge attached reduces speed by 2 MGLT.

Protection:
Tug; 100 SBD shields, 50 RU hull armour.
Barges; 25 RU hull armour

Description:

The armed barge haulers are designed to fill in a niche in the merchat marine industry. While bulk freighters may be able to carry more cargo, they are not as quick to unload and do not have the multi-tasking capability of this vessel. While the cargo pods carried on the freighter may be vulnerable to external threats more easily that the protected holds of a bulk freighter, they are more easily and quickly unloaded by cargo ferries, and in addition, the freighter can simply detach a barge and let the customers to the unloading while it moves onto the next system to deliver another barge, returning later to pickup the emptied barge.

The tug is compartietvley cramped, with the drive engines taking up most of the room. Crew quarters are located just beneath the bridge, with sensors and communications behind the latter. Below the crew quarters is the weaponry deck, below that is the engine core and drive units, with the shield projector located in the forward section of this deck. Below them are the hangar bay with other misc facilites.

The barge carrier is armed with both heavy and light weaponry to discourage raiders from attacking and trying to steal or hijack shipments. In addition, shields and hull armour provide good defense, as does a carrying capacity of six small starfighters. When it is time to load up the barges, tractor beams provide a good connection as the barges are latched onto the tug and then onto one another. A tug can carry up to six barges. Each barge has the capacity to haul any size cargo container, although the normal size carried is a square sided small container that can carry one hundred metric tonnes of cargo. A barge can hold one hundred ninety such containers, providing a cargo capacity of 19,000 metric tonnes, stacked in rows five across and nineteen long, on top and on bottom. The maximum six barges thus could haul a total of 114,000 metric tonnes of cargo, although if taller containers are embarked this sum could double or triple. Pictured is a tug with a single barge attached.