Can somebody help me out a bit understanding retrofitted hangers.

I just destroyed the characters second ship, and feeling a bit guilty I'm queuing up a few new ship possibilities for them. Given that they're rapidly approaching 200 xp I wanted to give them something above the norm. One of the options I was pondering was something in a silhouette 5, with a hanger for a fighter or two.

If I'm understanding it correctly, adding the retrofitted hanger option gives them a hanger capable of holding up to 5 silhouette? So if I want them to be able to hold 2 silhouette 3 fighters I'd ahve to do one upgrade. Is that correct?

Thanks all.

Just something to keep in mind. Retrofitted hangars are for ships that weren't designed for them so they have limited space. If you create a custom ship that was designed with hangars it can be bigger.

I've seen some GMs post about expanding the concept of a hanger a bit to include docking clamps on the outside of the hull with access tube to a fighters cockpit. A hanger wouldn't really work for a YT-1300, but this may.

Mechanically, you're spot on. In order to fit two Sil-3 fighters, you'd need the base attachment and one expanded capacity modification.

However, if you're giving the party a custom ship, you're free to modify it however you see fit. For example, the Marauder (a Sil-5 corvette) has capacity for 12 fighters -and- 2 shuttles.

It shouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility to figure out a way to reskin a CR90 or another Sil-5 craft in such a fashion as to provide it a "hangar deck" that would fit a few fighters without seriously reworking the rest of the ship...

Also note that the Gozanti is a Sil-5 ship that can mount up to four TIE fighters externally via special boarding tubes, so that might also be the equivalent of a “hangar” modification.

I was thinking of using a CEC HT-2200 medium freighter. I thought the horseshoe design might work well with having a small fighter docked in each end. That should still leave plenty of room for cargo. It's a pretty big ship.

Also note that most freighters (even sil 4 ones) carry external clamps to carry fighters (pg 258) so if you only want to carry one or two, you can just use clamps. The retrofitted hanger bay is for when you want an internal space that also allows you to service the smaller craft and deploy them in flight. If you're willing to make most of your repairs and modifications on the ground, save the HP and get whatever ship makes sense.

Also note that most freighters (even sil 4 ones) carry external clamps to carry fighters (pg 258) so if you only want to carry one or two, you can just use clamps. The retrofitted hanger bay is for when you want an internal space that also allows you to service the smaller craft and deploy them in flight. If you're willing to make most of your repairs and modifications on the ground, save the HP and get whatever ship makes sense.

This. For whatever reason, docking clamps are never noted in the stat block for ships (even when the fluff establishes they are there, as with the IHK-Citadel), but they are a thing that exists and can fit onto a sil 4 ship.

Not to mention that if the players want to have a snubfighter, and I'm okay with that, I'd rather let them pair that with a silhouette 4 freighter than be "forced" to put them in a capital ship so that they can carry it around.

Also note that the Gozanti is a Sil-5 ship that can mount up to four TIE fighters externally via special boarding tubes, so that might also be the equivalent of a “hangar” modification.

Maybe it can, maybe it can't. The version of the Gozanti that carries the four fighters doesn't have near the firepower of the one shown in the FFG lines. It's quite possible it would have to give up the four twin heavy laser cannons to make room for the tubes.

There is always the FarStar..

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/FarStar

And as mentioned above the Marauder corvette. The main question is what fits better for your players, an the campaign? A rebel cell will need to keep it more low key, while an Imperial licensed Bounty Hunter, or Hutt enforcer group in Hutt space, can be more "here we are"

Speaking of Hutt's: Lords of Nal Hutta sourcebook has two ships that may be options: Both built by Ubrikkan Industries. The Minstrel Space yacht may be closer to what your looking at:

Silhouette 5, with hangar space for 6 starfighters, and 2 shuttles. Only needs a ships complement of 37 souls....

Or go big with the Kossak class Frigate:

Sil- 6, 8 fighters, 3 shuttles. Only gotta recruit 975 pilots, officers, and crew...

How do they feel about being Obligated to the Hutts???

Just because the Hutts tend to use those designs doesn't mean you must get them through the Hutts.