Xim-class War Barge

[Star Wars Legacies]

Xim-class War Barge

AFFILIATION
The Hutt Cartel.

MANUFACTURER
The Hutt Cartel.

CLASS
Armed barge.

ROLE
Heavy transport/landing craft.

COMPOSITION
Durasteel and transparisteel.

DIMENSIONS
Length - 75 meters.

CREW
2 minimum/12 optimal.

PASSENGER CAPACITY
60

CARGO CAPACITY
150 standard tons.

HANGAR CAPACITY
N/A.

CONSUMABLES
2 standard months.

SPEED/MANEUVERABILITY
Capable of 50 MGLT acceleration, with sluggish maneuverability for its size.

ARMAMENT

• 6x single mount laser cannon turret.
• 2x anti-personnel heavy repeaters

EQUIPMENT

• Long-range comm system.
• Port and starboard extendable docking tubes with hull-cutting attachments.
• 12 2-being escape pods.
• Civil-grade shielding.
• Class 6 hyperdrive.

DESCRIPTION​

The Xim-class war barge is a type of heavy transport/landing craft developed and manufactured by the Hutt Cartel. The type has its origins in Hutt efforts to secure their own supply of spaceworthy vessels during one of the nascent Republic's brief attempts at enforcing its laws on Hutt space before the hundred year darkness. This effort was quickly defeated with bribery, and the Republic Judiciary was pushed back into its typical ineffective coma, but it had been enough to make the Hutt Cartel consider its supply situation.

The Xim-class - named for a pre-Republic dictator who had nearly succeeded in conquering Hutt space many thousands of years before - was meant to strike fear into the enemies of the Hutts, and not into the Cartel's treasurers. The type was mostly composed of "off the shelf" components and materials from existing starships which could easily be acquired at any scrapyard. Once parts were acquired, the ships were assembled at secret shipyards scattered throughout Hutt space, primarily using slave labor and the services of outlaw techs.

The finished product was a heavy transport, 75 meters in length, composed of second and third-hand bulk freighter components. Although literally constructed from garbage, the results were not nearly as bad as many had expected; scrap though its component parts might have been, the design was sturdy and well armed for its size, mounting two banks of three single-mount medium laser turrets, plus a pair of anti-personnel triple blasters for covering disembarking personnel. Shields were only civilian grade, but the hull itself could take a few solid hits before failing, and the ship could make 50 MGLT. Overall the program was considered a success, and the Hutt Cartel placed a huge number of orders for the type to fill out its star fleet.

The Xim-class is a sturdy, decently well armed ship, capable of carrying 150 tons of cargo, and room for up to 60 passengers (usually a mix of boarders and spare room for prisoners) or a mix of the two. It is armed well enough to fend off most attackers up to its own size, and can even go on the offensive if pressed, although this is not its intended role. The type is meant to carry large numbers of Hutt soldier-slaves, gladiators or mercenary enforcers, either landing them on planets or delivering them for boarding actions against starships and space stations. It is also regularly employed in the transportation of goods - usually contraband - for the Hutt Cartel. It is also widely used by pirates and slavers to facilitate raids. Vessels of this type are regularly seen in the company of Orivah-class corvettes during pirating operations.

LEGALITY​

The Xim-class war barge is not produced by any licensed shipyard, and thus getting it certified for spaceworthiness in most civilized systems is exceedingly difficult, though not impossible. Its weapons alone usually disqualify it, however, and so it is seldom seen outside the service of pirates, slavers and hardcore smugglers.

ADVANCED TECH​

Yes. While not technically a capital ship, most systems consider it as such, and these ships are extremely difficult to obtain outside of the Hutts Armadas.