Freelance Traveller

designed by Alan Spik

The open frame, Moronica Sisters, Type A1.7725 Merchant, known as the "Skeletal pig", is an example of how not to design a merchant ship. The first transmission after lift off of the fleet of ill fated ships was the lead pilots plaintive, "O.K., how do we get down now?".

Due to the open frame construction, the vessel is unable to land on worlds with an atmosphere or scoop fuel from gas giants (The vessel also lacks landing gear and so cannot land on a vacuum world). The lack of an interface craft requires the starport to provide transport for crew and cargo, and to supply fuel to orbit. A purifier will process unrefined fuel in the tanks in 11 hours. Collapsible tanks holding enough fuel for an additional Jump 1 take 7.25 hours to purify after being pumped to the working tanks.

Being doubled up into small staterooms on the cramped ship ensures that the crew will require frequent R&R.

The weapons turrets are at the end of booms extending from opposite sides of the main body. Poor dynamic design resulted in a flexing of the booms during acceleration, causing targeting errors. (This reduces the weapons factor by one if firing while under weigh)

Five vessels were simultaneously built by the Moronica Sisters in 999, squandering their family fortune, 3 remain in service along the Spinward Main, the other 2 work the Dodd's cluster in Trins Veil/SM.

Craft ID:       Type A1.7725 Merchant, TL 15, 44.684 Mcr,
                     Quantity discount 35.747 MCr
Hull:           69/173, Disp=177.25, Config=0Usl, Armour=40G,
                     Loaded=933.29, Unloaded=523.729
Power:          Primary 1/2, Fusion=342 Mw, Duration=30 days,
                     Purifiers 11 hours
                     ExtEnd excludes: (1g), Weapons=32 days
Loco:           3/6, Jump=1, 3/6,  Maneuver=1G, Agility=0
Comm:           Radio=System x 1, Laser=System x 1
Sensors:        A-EMS (FrOb) x 1, P-EMS (IntStlr) x 1
                     Sensor scans:   AOS=R  AOP=R
                                     POS=-  POP=-
                                     PES=R  PEP=-
Off:            2 Hardpoints, 2 Occupied, Batteries Bearing 100%
                     Turrets:  3x missile      x 1 in 1 battery
                               3x sand         x 1 in 1 battery
                     1 b/r=3 missiles
                     Combat Statistics:
                                  T       B    S
                         Missile   (3)2   -    -
                                          1
                         Sand      (4)3   -    -
                                          1
Def:            Def DM= 5
Control:        Computer=Model 4 x 3, Panels=Holographic Linked x 99,
                     HUD holo x 3
Accom:          Crew=4 ( Bridge=2 Engineering=1 Gunners=1),
                    Small Staterooms=2
                    Env=basic env, basic ls, extended ls, grav plates,
                    inertial comp, Airlocks x 2
Other:          Cargo=384.4 Kl/28.5 tons, EMLevel=Faint,
                    Fuel=358 Kl/27 tons,
                    Collapsible tanks=236.25 Kl(11 tons cargo)
                    ObjSize=Average