VCX-350 LIGHT FREIGHTER



* See below for more information.



Craft: Corellian Engineering Corporation VCX-350
Type: Transport
Scale: Starfighter
Dimensions:
-Length: 31m
Skill: Space Transports
Crew: 3*
-Gunners: 1
-Skeleton: 1/+5
Crew Skill: As per players' skills
Passengers: 8*
Cargo Capacity: 250 metric tons
Consumables: 6 months
Cost: 300,000 (new); 175,000 (used)
Hyperdrive: x1 (Backup: x11)
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 2D
Speed:
-Space: 7
-Atmosphere: 316; 980kmh
Hull: 5D
Defenses:
-Shields: 2D
Sensors:
-Passive: 15/0D
-Scan: 30/1D
-Search: 60/2D
-Focus: 2D/3D



WEAPONS:
   2 Laser Cannons (Fire-Linked)
      Location: Center Back Top/Bottom
      Fire Arc: Partial Turret (Front/Right/Left)
      Crew: 1
      Skill: Starship Gunnery
      Scale: Starfighter
      Fire Control: 2D
      Range:
      -Space: 1-3/12/25
      -Atmosphere: 100-300/1.2/2.5km
      Damage: 4D
      Rate Of Fire: 1



DESCRIPTION (A Legacy of Starships):

VCX Series

   The VCX series of ships is the newest Corellian Engineering Corporation line, designed entirely after the fall of the Empire* and the rise of the New Republic.  These ships' designs take advantage of the relaxed business environment of the New Republic to incorporate near-military grade shields, powerful engines and heavier weapons packages than most previous stock Corellian designs.  So far responses to the VCX line is very strong, and they promise to replace the old YTs as the best known Corellian ship designs.  Because of their newness during the New Jedi Order era, not many VCX series ships have undergone heavy modification.  Three VCX series ships are presented below (Above, VCX-350, VCX-700, VCX-820).

VCX-350

   The VCX-350 freighter is the new workhorse of Corellian design.  It is a top of the line double-decked small freighter that has speed, durability, a reasonable weapons compliment and plenty of cargo space.  Its price tag keeps it out of range for most independent operators, but small companies are ordering 350s by the score, and so far demand has outstripped supply.  The ships are as modular and adaptable as most Corellian Engineering designs, and dozens of standard variants have already appeared.  Designed for even comfort over long trips, the passenger and crew accommodations (all on the upper deck) are small state rooms, rather than the bunks common to ships this size.  So popular are these new ships that rings of pirates specifically targeting convoys of VCX-350s have popped up, in some cases stealing the ship and dumping its cargo.  Despite this risk, VCX-350s are increasingly common sights in the docks and starports of the New Jedi Order era, and promise to have the kind of lasting popularity the ancient YT-1300s enjoyed for more than a century.

DESCRIPTION (Wookiepedia):

   The VCX-350 light freighter was a Corellian Engineering Corporation starship in the VCX series introduced to the starship market during the transition of power from the Galactic Empire to the New Republic. Benefiting from the New Republic's less-intrusive policies toward independent companies, CEC was able to create a more powerful freighter; the end result combined lavish staterooms, a large cargo hold, and heightened performance. Despite the higher prices, the ship garnered much popularity among trading companies and smuggler convoys; Talon Karrde used the VCX-350 in his own fleet. Pirates would also exclusively target the ship due to its demand. This popularity put the ship into direct competition with the older YT-series as the CEC's best known design.

   The VCX-350 light freighter was part of Corellian Engineering Corporation's VCX line, designed after the fall of the Galactic Empire. Because of the relaxed atmosphere business-wise under the New Republic, the ships of the VCX line, including the VCX-350, were designed and built with heavier, almost military-grade shield generators, weapons, and engines. The VCX ships were extremely modular, matching a trait common to CEC's starship designs. Dozens of standardized variations for the VCX-350 freighter were already in place within a few years of the model's introduction.

   The VCX-350 light freighter possessed a 31-meter long double-decked frame, with a cockpit at the central fore of the vessel. The ship's lower level contained a sizable cargo bay capable of holding up to 250 metric tons. Located on the upper deck were amenities for the crew and any passengers. The crew and passenger accommodations were designed with comfort in mind, as each room was a small stateroom rather than the typical array of bunks provided aboard comparable ships at the time. Typically, a VCX-350 freighter's crew consisted of three beings—though the ship could be flown with only two—and could shuttle up to eight passengers. Six months of consumables were also kept aboard the ship, allowing prolonged journeys. Docking rings flanked the ship on port and starboard sides, just fore of the trio of engines.

   Three large engines sat in the rearmost portion of the craft, providing a high top speed. A class 1.0 hyperdrive allowed the ship to move from system to system quickly, and a class 11 backed the other up in case of malfunction. The stock ship was armed with only a single set of fire-linked laser cannons mounted above the ship, located in front of the engines and along the same axis as the ship's pair of docking rings. These cannons were capable of acting as a turret with a partial fire arc pointing fore, starboard, and port and, due to the relaxed policies of the New Republic, were far more powerful than the standard armament for a freighter. VCX-350 freighters also included a shield generator, navigation systems, and an array of external communications devices.

   However, all of this came at a price; a new ship cost around 300,000 credits, while used ships typically were sold for 175,000 credits. As such, independent traders typically were unable to purchase the starship, though trading corporations and small companies alike were purchasing the freighters at such a rate that the demand was far higher than the supply. Pirate groups also began exclusively targeting convoys of the freighters, to hijack them, dump their cargoes, and escape into hyperspace, all due to the ship's popularity.

History

   The VCX series was created around 5 ABY, after the fall of the Galactic Empire and the rise of the New Republic. Because of this power shift and the New Republic's tendencies for a less strict control over independent companies, Corellian Engineering Corporation was able to create the VCX line into a more powerful and better equipped freighter than was allowed under Imperial control.

   The VCX-350 design itself was created to fulfill the role of a workhorse in any freighting role. While most individual freighter captains could not afford the 300,000 credits required to purchase a new one, or even the 175,000 credit price tag of a used model, trading companies, both large and small, could—and did—pick up many of the VCX-350 freighters. In fact, the supply often paled in comparison for the demand for the ship. The amount of cargo space, as well as the advanced specifications the ship held, were not the only draws the ship had. The staterooms made standard on the stock ship made for a comfortable journey to and from a location, and the ship often became a personal shuttle.

   These ships even challenged the ships in CEC's YT-series, particularly the YT-1300, on being the best known CEC design. This was due to just how popular and common they had become only a while after their inception.[1] Most every smuggler fleet contained at least one of these ships in their fleet. Talon Karrde, a smuggler and businessman with galaxy-spanning influence, also used a VCX-350 freighter in his own fleet.[2] This popularity had a price: bands of pirates would often exclusively target convoys of VCX-350 freighters for the ships themselves, rather than for any cargo they contained. Even with this added complication, the ship continued to sell.



GAME DESIGN NOTES:

Source

   This ship was originally presented in the article "A Legacy of Starships" in Star Wars Gamer magazine issue #2, by Owen K.C. Stephens, illustrated by Jeff Carlisle, and appeared early in Star Wars D20.  This is an attempt to convert it to Star Wars D6 using the D6 to D20 conversion rules presented in the back of the first Star Wars D20 rulebook.  I also use these sources to help with anything that does not convert directly: Galaxy Guide 6 Tramp Freighters; Pirates & Privateers; and the Starship Pricing guide (starship construction rules from the D20 Starships of the Galaxy converted back to D6); Other D6 ships and sources here and there for comparison, such as for sensors, weapons, speed, hull/shields, etc.

   Weapon Damage dice will be converted with the D6 to D20 conversion rules, but other traits such as range and Fire Control may be taken directly from Starship Pricing for simplicity, unless they need a more involved touch, then other sources may be listed in their write-up and stat block.

Maneuverability

   If there is no bonus listed in the D20 rules, Maneuverability will be listed as 1D (military ships will be listed as 2D).  If a bonus is listed, I am torn between making every +1 = 1D, or having every +2 = 1D.  To be safe, I will use the lower option, but GMs/players have the option to either increase this when using the ship, or modify it to be better after acquiring the ship.

Speed

   Star Wars D20's early books had something like Movement Speed categories (Cautious/Docking = 1/2 Speed; Cruising Speed = Normal Speed; High/Attack = x2 Speed; All-Out/Ramming = x4 Speed), but they never had a Speed number to go with the ship stat blocks, so all ships seemed to have the same speed.  A simple conversion is: Cautious = Space 2; Cruising = Space 4; High Speed = Space 6; and All-Out = Space 8 or higher.

Crew, Passengers, and State Rooms

   If state rooms are converted to Cargo Capacity, each one equals 30 metric tons.  Also, the available information for the ship DOES explain the state rooms are for both the crew and passengers.  If any of these are converted into standard crew quarters, each one will free up 20 metric tons of extra Cargo Capacity.

Time Period

   While the descriptions for this ship states that the VCX series of ships was begun between the Fall of the Empire and Rise of the New Republic, a VCX-100 named the Ghost (Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka series) was shown in use by Hera Syndulla and her comrades before, during and after the Galactic Civil War between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance.  This was after Disney purchased the Star Wars franchise however, and the statements of the VCX series coming around later on were created a full decade before Disney's acquisition of the franchise.  GMs/players, your call on how to apply this, but a cool ship is a cool ship, no matter what era you put it in.