I acquired a HWK - 1000 and would like to start modding it out. My character is a Gunslinger/Pilot/Rigger, yea I know it's not silhouette 3 or less, GM hand waved that since this is for coolness and our other pilot and his ship never show up to play anymore.

I'd like to get your opinions on what the best mods would be. It's mostly going to be a smuggling vessel with attack capabilities.

My GM suggested putting a medium turbo laser on it. It kinda threw me for a loop. I'm kind of worried what he's going to throw up against us if he's suggesting that kind of firepower.

I definitely want the sensor array and targeting computer. We won a new prototype Ion engine in our last game to replace the old engines. (speed 6 now)

If I add the medium turbo laser (when I get the cash) that would leave me with 2 more hard points for mods.

Maybe a quad laser to use against snub fighters and a new hyper drive so it can hit 0.5 past light speed to get us places asap.

Thanks!

Why not steal the turbolaser from an Imperial drydock? You're fast enough to actually outrun their blasters.

Why not steal the turbolaser from an Imperial drydock? You're fast enough to actually outrun their blasters.

I like this idea. Should make a cool adventure.

I acquired a HWK - 1000 and would like to start modding it out. My character is a Gunslinger/Pilot/Rigger, yea I know it's not silhouette 3 or less, GM hand waved that since this is for coolness and our other pilot and his ship never show up to play anymore.

You know that with "Larger Project" you can go higher then Sil 3 right?

It's mostly going to be a smuggling vessel with attack capabilities.

What kind of smuggling are you going to be doing? With your other existing mods I'm guessing Lum Runner. I'd think about Hardened Circuits for extra system strain. Hyperdirve for super fast runs and tighter jobs. Physical countermeasures if you're worried about missiles (since they have a longer range then lasers usually do). Gravity Mine launcher to slow down pursuers....and with that Speed 6 of yours you'd be crazy not to consider boosting the shields. GtA+Evasive Maneuvers+Above Average Shields+angled deflectors=one tough target.

There's lots of options...

My GM suggested putting a medium turbo laser on it. It kinda threw me for a loop. I'm kind of worried what he's going to throw up against us if he's suggesting that kind of firepower.

It's a trap! You can't mount a medium turbolaser on a 1000, even with an oversized weapons mount. If you go with a light turbolaser with an oversized weapons mount, you'll just end up penalizing yourself. It'll use up 3 HP, cost you 24,000 credits minimum, reduce your handling to 0, your SS to 11, and the rarity will be more likely to end up with you getting shot and robbed then buying the gear.

If you're worried about bigger ships... get a missile launcher, or a torpedo launcher. An ECM package and modded Stealth coating will also be useful.

I definitely want the sensor array and targeting computer. We won a new prototype Ion engine in our last game to replace the old engines. (speed 6 now)

Makes sense. And Speed 6 is... really really good. This and the medium turbolaser thing I'm starting to wonder if your GM understands the rules....he's being just a little too super nice.

I acquired a HWK - 1000 and would like to start modding it out. My character is a Gunslinger/Pilot/Rigger, yea I know it's not silhouette 3 or less, GM hand waved that since this is for coolness and our other pilot and his ship never show up to play anymore.

You know that with "Larger Project" you can go higher then Sil 3 right?

It's mostly going to be a smuggling vessel with attack capabilities.

What kind of smuggling are you going to be doing? With your other existing mods I'm guessing Lum Runner. I'd think about Hardened Circuits for extra system strain. Hyperdirve for super fast runs and tighter jobs. Physical countermeasures if you're worried about missiles (since they have a longer range then lasers usually do). Gravity Mine launcher to slow down pursuers....and with that Speed 6 of yours you'd be crazy not to consider boosting the shields. GtA+Evasive Maneuvers+Above Average Shields+angled deflectors=one tough target.

There's lots of options...

My GM suggested putting a medium turbo laser on it. It kinda threw me for a loop. I'm kind of worried what he's going to throw up against us if he's suggesting that kind of firepower.

It's a trap! You can't mount a medium turbolaser on a 1000, even with an oversized weapons mount. If you go with a light turbolaser with an oversized weapons mount, you'll just end up penalizing yourself. It'll use up 3 HP, cost you 24,000 credits minimum, reduce your handling to 0, your SS to 11, and the rarity will be more likely to end up with you getting shot and robbed then buying the gear.

If you're worried about bigger ships... get a missile launcher, or a torpedo launcher. An ECM package and modded Stealth coating will also be useful.

I definitely want the sensor array and targeting computer. We won a new prototype Ion engine in our last game to replace the old engines. (speed 6 now)

Makes sense. And Speed 6 is... really really good. This and the medium turbolaser thing I'm starting to wonder if your GM understands the rules....he's being just a little too super nice.

Apparently we both don't know the rules. I haven't even looked at the rules for oversized guns but he owns the book! I also have supreme full throttle so I can hit speed 8 for 4 rounds.

I'll skip the turbolaser if it has all those drawbacks you listed. It sounded like Spike's Swordfish in Beebop. Bigass gun on a tiny ship.

We currently work for one of the Hutt cartels. The sneaky behind the scenes one. I forget the name. It's in the hutt book if you own that. We mostly do things from basic smuggling runs (guns, spice, information) to piracy to spec op missions to stealing information or valuables. It's really crazy sometimes.

Considering its already a restricted ship I would probably invest in Nightshadow Coating, I'd probably opt for a retractable turret mounted Quad Laser, or a retractable Turret Mounted Twin Heavy Laser Cannon, and either a linked pair of Concussion Missile Tubes, or the Arrakyd Missile Pack for heavier hitting power and the option for different missile loadouts. I'd probably spend the remaining 2 modification hard points on an Advanced Targeting Array and High-Output Ion Turbines doubling down on the ships speed to make the ship as fast as an A-wing, which is really the biggest strength of the HWK-1000 honestly. Its primary Hyperdrive at 1 is more than passable for hyperspace travel speeds. The Rigger specialization will already uparmor the ship for most starfighter scale weapons, and the ships speed and stealth capabilities should allow it to avoid most encounters against larger ships. For a little more added gravy you can put a piloting droid brain in the ship to allow the ship to fly on autopilot or be used for remote pickups if need be.

We currently work for one of the Hutt cartels. The sneaky behind the scenes one. I forget the name. It's in the hutt book if you own that. We mostly do things from basic smuggling runs (guns, spice, information) to piracy to spec op missions to stealing information or valuables. It's really crazy sometimes.

Right, but how do you smuggle?

Do you fill the ship with bogus legit cargo to cover the contraband, keep the ship weel maintained, and the crew clean and uniformed and go in looking squeaky clean so Customs doesn't bother looking too hard?

Do you come in at night on a stealth trajectory under the cover of a meteor shower so they never know you landed?

Do you blast in so blazing fast Customs just can't keep up, allowing you to drop the cargo and take off again before they can catch up?

Do you shove it all in the smuggling compartment and hop[e for the best?

Do you make complex arraignments on planet so you can come in legit and dump you cargo while on approach over the ocean while minions sit in speeders below and fish the cargo out of the drink?

There's literally millions of ways to smuggle. What's yours? That should help you decide what upgrades you need. If you come in all stealthy then you probably need a coat of stealth paint a lot more then you need multimissile pods and a groundbuzzer cannon...

Trying to look respectable and legitimate is going to be hard when the base hull is itself Restricted, so hopefully that wont be the option of choice.

Trying to look respectable and legitimate is going to be hard when the base hull is itself Restricted, so hopefully that wont be the option of choice.

The Empire is a bureaucracy. The right datawork and no body will care.

EDIT: Also just a thought: The 1000 seems to be a kind of joke about the size issues the various sources had when talking about the length of the 290. So with the extremely limited run you might be able to actaully be able to roll with that same joke... "Oh yes sir, this is a HWK-290, had it for years. Yeah I know, it looks smaller in the holonet commercials, doesn't it? But hey, you put anything next to a Star Destroyer like that and of course it'll look small amiright?"

But yeah, with that insane engine I'm seeing this thing as being more like the guys who ran moonshine during prohibition. You can't search what you can't catch...

My group turned the HWK 290 into a gunship.

Guess with a bigger ship you could stick bigger guns on it.

That would be one fragile gunship. Better I would think to start with something like a Krayt Gunship as a base.

Trying to look respectable and legitimate is going to be hard when the base hull is itself Restricted, so hopefully that wont be the option of choice.

The Empire is a bureaucracy. The right datawork and no body will care.

EDIT: Also just a thought: The 1000 seems to be a kind of joke about the size issues the various sources had when talking about the length of the 290. So with the extremely limited run you might be able to actaully be able to roll with that same joke... "Oh yes sir, this is a HWK-290, had it for years. Yeah I know, it looks smaller in the holonet commercials, doesn't it? But hey, you put anything next to a Star Destroyer like that and of course it'll look small amiright?"

But yeah, with that insane engine I'm seeing this thing as being more like the guys who ran moonshine during prohibition. You can't search what you can't catch...

I agree. The 1000 looks so much like an extended 290, the imperial customs wouldn't know the difference if the Transponder says "HWK-290"

That would be one fragile gunship. Better I would think to start with something like a Krayt Gunship as a base.

Working with what the group has.

What book is the Krayt Gunship from?

Working with what the group has.

What book is the Krayt Gunship from?

Lords of Nal Hutta

Some of the first things any sensor is going to detect is the size (Silhouette in this system) and speed (Speed, obviously). Those can't be disguised without extraordinary effort, and since the high-powered engine is what makes the HWK-1000 Restricted, I think the transponder (incorporated into the engine) is unlikely to pass as a HWK-290.

Some of the first things any sensor is going to detect is the size (Silhouette in this system) and speed (Speed, obviously). Those can't be disguised without extraordinary effort, and since the high-powered engine is what makes the HWK-1000 Restricted, I think the transponder (incorporated into the engine) is unlikely to pass as a HWK-290.

Yeah, but then there's that thing in the Transponder where it says, that the HWK-290 has a modded engine!

Mwahahahahahaha!

Seriously you have to explain things like this or else the group can barely land their hotrod ship anywhere.

If you don't like giving your characters an awesomely unique kind of ship, then don't allow it as a GM.

And imagine what the trouble is like IF the Imps detect the deception!

If the ships had the same Silhouette that would be plausible, but they do not.

I think you mentioned that you don't have the book, that can be a little dicy here on these forums. I'll start my reply by suggesting you give FFG your money and buy a rulebook. With that out of the way...

You wanted a turbolaser, so it sounds like what you really want to do is kill things. There's nothing wrong with that, let's embrace the violence. With an engine upgrade, you're fast enough to where you won't really need a tractor beam, but I like them.

You've got 5 hardpoints:

1. High-Output Ion Turbine (you got this already)

2. Light Tractor Beam OR Smuggling Compartments (if you really do want to smuggle things)

3. Twin-Linked Heavy Laser Cannons (front fire arc, give control the pilot) OR Concussion Missile Launcher/Proton Torpedo Launcher (rear fire arc, because it's fun to blow up people chasing you)

4. Dorsal-Mounted Twin-Linked Light Ion Cannon Turret (give them to a gunner)

5. Advanced Targeting Array

This gives everyone on the ship something to do, let's you smuggle stuff if you want to, lets you kill or disable things efficiently. Basically it's a ship that can do everything except forcibly board other ships for piracy (which a boarding tube for that would cost 3 HPs, but I suppose you can always just dock with a disabled victim freighter and cut through their hatch with a Beam or Pulse drill).

The HWK-1000 is amazing, part of the reason why it's RARITY 10 (in case your GM missed that, you lucky bastard). And with its speed and handling, it can dogfight just as well as its smaller predecessor the HWK-290, which can dogfight just as well as an X-Wing.

Some of the first things any sensor is going to detect is the size (Silhouette in this system) and speed (Speed, obviously). Those can't be disguised without extraordinary effort, and since the high-powered engine is what makes the HWK-1000 Restricted, I think the transponder (incorporated into the engine) is unlikely to pass as a HWK-290.

I might have a solution. Masking the ship is pointless if you are allowed to have it.

If something is restricted, there is usually a permit. I honestly cannot think of anything in real life that straight up has no permit for use or handling. Granted, I didn't try that hard.

Anyway, back to my point. Someone, somewhere is going to have one such permit. It is a great deal easier to steal an identity and burn a body than it is to alter BOSS records. You don't need to fool the BOSS records either, just the guy/girl that is checking the record. Disguise kit, false credentials and a fingerprint masque could do the trick. Identity theft could also cause some interesting stuff with obligation.

Some of the first things any sensor is going to detect is the size (Silhouette in this system) and speed (Speed, obviously). Those can't be disguised without extraordinary effort, and since the high-powered engine is what makes the HWK-1000 Restricted, I think the transponder (incorporated into the engine) is unlikely to pass as a HWK-290.

I might have a solution. Masking the ship is pointless if you are allowed to have it.

If something is restricted, there is usually a permit. I honestly cannot think of anything in real life that straight up has no permit for use or handling. Granted, I didn't try that hard.

Anyway, back to my point. Someone, somewhere is going to have one such permit. It is a great deal easier to steal an identity and burn a body than it is to alter BOSS records. You don't need to fool the BOSS records either, just the guy/girl that is checking the record. Disguise kit, false credentials and a fingerprint masque could do the trick. Identity theft could also cause some interesting stuff with obligation.

I guess it's even easier to forge a sales document stating that the original owner has transferred it to the current one, along with the permit. then send it to the BoSS and you're fine. Or blame the not updated BoSS records of the startport/police if things don't match.

My GM totally misread the rules. He thought the +1 silhouette size meant you could put attachments and weapons on ships with a smaller silhouette. IE medium turbo laser on a silhouette 4 ship. We own Fly Casual. I read it and he laughed and said he had no idea where he got the original idea for mounting turbo lasers on smaller ships from.

We got the ship from a Hutt as a reward for making her a crap ton of credits.

My GM totally misread the rules. He thought the +1 silhouette size meant you could put attachments and weapons on ships with a smaller silhouette. IE medium turbo laser on a silhouette 4 ship. We own Fly Casual. I read it and he laughed and said he had no idea where he got the original idea for mounting turbo lasers on smaller ships from.

There is the Oversize External Mount that lets you do that, but then you’re basically a flying turbolaser cannon with tiny bits attached for the pilot cabin, crew quarters, etc…. And that would definitely get you stopped at every planetary system in the galaxy.

To be fair the HWK-1000 is going to get stopped anyway.

A giant gun might make the authorities more likely to believe they are not smugglers, and are pirates or bounty hunters.

If they think you're pirates, then that's FAR worse than being smugglers. You've gone from capture to kill on sight. Bounty hunters are different, but I don't think I'd let a bounty hunter get away with mounting turbolasers unless he's specifically into pirate hunting and such.

OK, a little old of a topic, but speaking of the HWK-290 and HWK-1000, does anyone else see anything odd that the 290 is listed as Sil 3? The same size as an X-Wing, and other fighters? Has 75 Encum Capacity, etc?

Using wokkie (and I hate to quote it at all, given it's "reliability") but she's listed at 29 m.

I just think there was a typo somewhere with her. Other ships of her size (annd smaller: skipray blastboat (25m), etc) are all Sil 4. If her stats in Far Horizons and Force and Destiny beta are correct. I'd rather add some guns with her 5 HP and use fleets of them as a starfighter force (only 70,000). Heck, she's toughter (by 3) than the b-wing and 3 times the system strain. I mean her stats are onle 1 less armor an speed than the 1000. Same hull, 3 higher strain.

I know the book says Sil 3-4 is for starfighters and some freighters, but this one just sideswiped me for a bit.

I'm just confused. I've searched the forums for anything on this, but it always comes up with no results.

Yes, I know I can just change it in my game for what it matters, but I like to run thinks as close to print as possible. If anyone knows any other thread where this has been discussed or addressed, I'd appreciate a little guidance and I am apparently not as strong in the force as I thought.

Sorry if it sounds like a rant, it's not, just a bit confuzzled. Thanks