A3 Heavy Freighter

[Star Wars Legacies]

A3 Heavy Freighter​

AFFILIATION
Open Market

MANUFACTURER
Corellian Engineering Corporation

CLASS
Heavy Freighter

ROLE
Bulk Cargo Hauler

COMPOSITION
Heavy Durasteel

DIMENSIONS
210m x 185m x 80m

CREW
3 Minimum (Pilot / Co-pilot / Sensors and Comms)
7 Optimum (Loadmaster / 2 Loader Operators / Engineer)

PASSENGER CAPACITY
8

HANGAR CAPACITY
4 fighter sized OR 2 light freighters/shuttles

CARGO CAPACITY
300 tons (internal)
600 tons (external container clamps)

CONSUMABLES
4 months

SPEED/MANEUVERABILITY
15MGLT / Like a concussed Bantha


ARMAMENT

• 2x Tractor Beams

EQUIPMENT

• Class 8 Hyperdrive (Class 12 backup)
• Escape Pod x2 (8 person capacity each)
• Standard Shielding
• Long Range Comms Relay

DESCRIPTION​

The Bantha of the space lanes. The A3 Heavy Freighter is a mid-line bulk cargo hauler, capable of moving hundreds of tons of cargo- massive amounts of trade material, arms and munitions, industrial supplies, etc- to and fro across the length of the Galaxy. It is manufactured by Corellian Engineering Corporation in orbital dry docks- the A3 is a dedicated deep space cargo hauler, and is not designed or rated for atmospheric flight, and most of the ships will never touch the ground (at least not on purpose). The hull is basically a giant engine block at one end and a cargo bay at the other, connected by a long central spine containing the bridge and operating systems, crew and passenger quarters, galley, refreshers, and everything else the ship needs to function. Branching off the central spine between the engines and cargo bay is a criss-cross of dead-end corridors capped with airlocks and clamp-control stations, while the exterior of the spines are covered in various cargo clamps. The clamps are designed to be compatible with a wide number of standardized cargo modules and containers, allowing the freighter to move huge amounts of cargo with a minimal waste of space associated with the interior cargo storage most freighters rely on.

Despite its massive size, the A3 is designed to be operated with a very minimal crew to keep personnel costs low for interstellar shipping companies- just enough to keep the ship on course and to maintain integrity of the cargo on long hyperspace flights. At a minimum, it requires a pilot and co pilot, as well as a sensors and comms operator- the sensors operator is required since the ships bridge is centrally located and does not feature any veiwports for manual navigation. The ship has a standard shielding array (operated at the sensor station), but is entirely unarmed so as not to be considered a capital craft, which would make it heavily regulated by galactic law. It does, however, feature a pair of independently operated tractor beam generators on extendable control arms on opposite sides of the ship, which are typically used for maneuvering cargo containers. In its standard configuration, the A3 features 2 spacious passenger cabins with four fold out bunks each, designed to house additional cargo handlers. The ship is incredibly slow and clumsy to maneuver, both in real and hyper space, so standard procedure is for it to jump as close to its destination as it can and sit still while being unloaded by relays of smaller freighters or cargo tugs.

The ship was clearly designed with a single purpose in mind- bulk hauler- and that is by far its most common usage in the galaxy. Lines of A3's waiting to be unloaded are a feature of nearly every busy trade world in the Galaxy. It is far too slow and lacking in space and comfort to be used as a passenger craft, and while it's size and sturdy hull plating lets it take a beating, the cheap civilian grade shields and complete lack of weapons makes it worthless as a military vessel. Still, the galaxy is notorious for finding ways to abuse things. Some pirate groups have appropriated the vessel and use it as a poor-mans carrier and mobile base of operations. They take advantage of the internal cargo bay to house fighters or armed shuttles to mount raids, or use the tractor beams to ensnare unsuspecting smaller ships for boarding, and sometimes even convert the passenger cabins into makeshift brigs for taking hostages for ransom. It's not especially efficient, but the ship is cheap and readily available, making it perfect for such desperate scum. The massive amount of available space and the numerous hidden nooks and crannies of the ship make it difficult to effectively inspect for planetary customs, and many unscrupulous Captains make fat wads of credits smuggling spice and other contraband alongside their legitimate cargo.

LEGALITY​

Legal. An extremely common civilian ship on the market.

ADVANCED TECH​

Yes. While it's pretty cheap as far as giant bulk freighters go, an A3 is still a serious investment and commitment for independent operators.