I am planning on using the L-2783 in an upcoming game that I am putting together and have a couple issues. I have ideas for solutions but I would love to see what everyone else thinks.

First, I am not sure the description and the stats are matching up.

The description says: "Based on a bulk cargo capital ship, the cavernous cargo hold of the L-2783 is capable of containing and carrying ships and debris up to the size of an old style cruiser." The stats put the L-2783 at silhouette 5, the only other bulk cargo cruiser is silhouette 7, and no other cruiser is smaller than 5. Additionally, the L-2783 is supposed to be able to hold 50 scavenger pods and 4 cargo shuttles in hangar bays seperate from the cargo hold. This tells me that this is supposed to be a much larger ship.

My solution is to make it silhouette 7. I am assuming the scavenger pods are silhouette 2, meaning the aft facing hangar bay needs to hold at least 100 silhouette worth of ships. It also needs a salvage/cargo bay that is large enough for a silouette 5 ship. The retrofitted hangar bay attachment says that silouette 7 can hold 60 silhouette worth of ships, so this could be pushing it a bit.

What do you guys think?

Next: The scavenger pods say they are twin-seated, have clamps, and plasma cutters. I am assuming they are the size of escape pods, which are silhouette 2. I am just going to modify escape pod stats for them but I am curious what other people plan on doing.

Last: I am not sure what I should use for the cargo shuttle. Any suggestions?

I am assuming the art on the same page is meant to be the L-2783. It looks cool and was the inspiration for using this ship, but because of a few changes I am making to stats I won't be using it when I map out the floor plan. Oh well. Maybe I'll use it for a smaller salvage ship.

I'd make the pods less like spacecraft and more like really beefy spacesuits. Think of those things the deep sea divers use, that are big pods, but allow use of arms and legs. That would allow you to stat them more like armor and keep it simple.

For the shuttles, I'd make it something like the light speeder truck in F&D, but space worthy. Less like actual shuttle craft, and more like skiffs to help get the pods to a worksite and haul back high value salvage items.

Now, the elephant in the room:

Does the Sil matter that much?

I mean, do what you like, but it seems like a lot of tweaking and work for something that could be fixed easier by just telling the players an "old style cruiser" means the old hammerhead style ships that are roughly the size of "modern" light corvettes, and not the neutron star class cruisers.

Mechanically remember increasing the hull means it's going to be much easier for the big battleships to pound it with heavier weapons, not to mention what torpedo bombers and gunships will be able to do, especially with the nerfing that will mean for the special laser cannons it has. That's a big drawback to apply based on one line of fluff.

Its not like the ship can eat an active warship. It's just not that good. It's a salvage ship, any serious combat capable corvette or better will cut it to ribbons long before it can swallow it. And the bigger the cruiser the easier a time it'll have...

The armor solution could allow for 50 pods to be stored on a smaller ship, but they are also called out as two-seaters in the description. I'm going to stick with the modified escape pod stats, but I might still borrow the idea of heavy industrial power armor for space junkers.

I'm not looking to build a ship that can go toe-to-toe with an active warship. It has weapons, shields and armor to defend itself, but only against pirates and similar ilk. I'm looking to build a ship that can pull in an inactive ship to do repairs or salvage on it. The description says that some pirates will take these and use them as mobile bases of operation, but I think they would have a small compliment of star fighters to do most of the dirty work.

I'll have to think about the proposed chargo shuttles, but it seems like a good idea so far.

*EDIT*

Sorry, to answer your question: Yes Silhouette does matter. If it is meant to hold a sil 5 ship it needs to be larger than sil5. 7 is pretty massive, but it gives it the size it needs to hold a large ship in the salvage bay and its entire compliment of salvage pods with a little room to spare. As I said above, I'm not looking for a ship that can swallow an active warship. I'm looking for a ship that could come in and repair one. Hopefully it is escorted by a ship that could properly defend it.

Which book is it in?

I didn't figure that it took salvageable hulls into itself so.much as the swarm of pods cut pieces off and brought them back to storage (or the pods did the repairs if that's what the goal is).

Which book is it in?

Special Modifications, the technician book.

Which book is it in?

Special Modifications, the technician book.

Thanks

Yeah, a 5 sil is too small for the description. If it is supposed to be able to internally dock and repair bulk cruisers, that implies at least a sil 5 docked inside, which implies a sil of 6 at least. I think your ideas for the ship are pretty good.

I dont think there is a set of stats for a good utility shuttle in the game yet. You might just make a basic sil 4 ship with no guns or hyperdrive, and a short duration to use as the shuttles. On the other hand, you could keep the pods and shuttles in the background. Just have them be a sort of special effect for the main ship instead of a horde of seperate small craft