Night Sparrow
The Night Sparrow was originally the chassis of a Series 3 Firefly -- larger than the "Series 1", originally created as a military grade supply ship -- which certainly ought never to have found its way into non-military hands even after its hyperdrive got stripped out and a commercial grade drive retrofitted into place. The chassis has weapon mounts at the following locations:
- proton torpedo launcher mount under cockpit, controlled from either pilot or co-pilot seat in the cockpit, having a Fire Arc that covers any target in front of the vessel, to either side or below the cockpit, to either side or below the "neck" of the vessel;
- laser cannon mounts on either wing, between rotating engine pod and main body, having a Fire Arc of "front", although these mounts are currently empty;
- laser cannon turret mount on the mid-back of the main hull, having a hemispherical Fire Arc that covers anything above or surrounding the vessel.
As originally designed, weapons system maintenance must be done when the entire ship is docked or landed.
The chassis has, however, been heavily modified with parts of other derelict ships from the same salvage yard: a Wayfarer Medium Transport and a Delaya Courier Ship. The Night Sparrow now qualifies a BoSS classification as an "Ugly". But don't call her that! It might hurt her feelings!
Propulsion
- Hyperdrive Multiplier: X2
- Hyperdrive Backup: x15
Weapons & Armament
- 1 Modified Quad Laser Cannon Turret
(located on mid-back of main hull, partially retractible)
Fire Arc: 360° turret
Crew: 1
Scale: capital
Skill: starship gunnery
Fire Control: 1D+0
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5 km
Damage: 6D+0 - 1 Proton Torpedo
(located underneath cockpit)
Fire Arc: front
Scale: starfighter
Skill: starship gunnery
Fire Control: 1D+0
Space Range: 1/3/7
Atmosphere Range: 30-100/300/700m
Ammunition: 3 torpedoes Damage: 7D
Armor and defense
- Hull: 4D+1
- Shields: 2D+0
Sensors
- Passive 10/0D+1
- Scan 20/0D+1
- Search 30/0D+2
- Focus 1/1D+0
Additional & auxiliary systems
- Nav Computer: Yes
- Space: 4; Hard Burn: 6
Complement Docking
All auxiliary craft docking systems are located on the forward-angled "neck" of the Night Sparrow, between the cockpit and the main body of the ship. To minimize any possible aerodynamic structural stress during atmospheric travel, the connecting points are both "behind" the neck in terms of normal travel direction.
Short-Range Shuttle Docking Slot
The 20 ton shuttle docks along the back of the "neck" of the Night Sparrow and is not drawn into a "docking bay". It nestles into a docking slot, and integrates into the hull once docked.
X-Wing Starfighter Docking Ring
The mod that was negotiated for the X-Wing is a special docking collar where the starfighter settles into place (technically upside down, which will only be a concern within gravity fields) back and above the existing shuttle along the back of the neck of the Night Sparrow. The X-Wing is then drawn in close and locked to the Night Sparrow for safety.
It does not limit the turret's fire arc at all because the X-Wing is pulled against the Night Sparrow. Any shot that would be blocked by the docked X-Wing is already below the field of fire accessible from the turret.
While the X-Wing is not pulled in close enough to look like a "blister" on the hull of the ship like the Night Sparrow's own shuttle does... it is out of the way. Instead the X-Wing is pulled in so that it lays against the full neck of the Night Sparrow toward the cockpit, framing but not blocking the docked shuttle.
Installation of the docking bay ring included some structural reinforcement built into the neck section of the Night Sparrow which would be noticeably thicker to any Starship Transports piloting, repair, or engineering specialist who has a familiarity with the Firefly series of medium freighters -- but the docking ring is a much easier to spot giveaway of modifications to the original chassis.
Weaponry Controls
Standard Operation
The intended crew roster is thus:
- pilot
- co-pilot
- gunner 1 (assigned to quad turret)
- gunner 2 (assigned to cockpit gunner's station)
- engineer and ship's security
- shield officer and quartermaster
- sensor and communications officer
With a full crew roster, the chair at the Gunner 1 station will be occupied and therefore will extend up into the dome for the quad turret. While this weapon does not deliver the most damage per successful strike, it does have a greater field of possible fire than any other weapon mount on this vehicle. Its effective Fire Arc covers all azimuth bearings from 0° through 360° plus any elevation bearing on the upper hemisphere of the vehicle's plane.
Skeleton Crew Operation
If the Night Sparrow must participate in combat while staffed by less than a full crew complement of 7, all weapons -- including the quad laser turret, if the gunner chair is currently retracted into the ship -- can be controlled from the second gunner station in the cockpit, or directly by the pilot or co-pilot as necessary via a console located on the dashboard between them. The fire control remains the same and there is no disadvantage or advantage to using cockpit controls or turret controls, other than the obvious disadvantage of splitting a pilot's concentration from the work of piloting.
Integrated Kit Bashing
Several current components of the Night Sparrow were retrofitted to the Series 3 Firefly chassis from other derelicts at the salvage yard. These components (and the systems directly connected to them) may experience unintended program variances in the future.
- The turret mount is not the model that came on the Series 3 Firefly; it was taken from a Delaya Courier Ship. The fit is good, the Firefly component design may even have been based on the old Hoersch-Kessel manufacturing, but of course some wiring and support struts had to be rerouted or completely relocated.
- The quad laser cannon itself was a transplant from a Wayfarer Medium Transport. Its original design included a greater "no-fire" distance to port than to starboard. This has likely affected the internal stability compensators.
- The proton torpedo launcher and its current load of ammunition came from the Delaya Courier Ship. Expect to pay an upcharge for ammunition refills that will fit perfectly, or else to have accuracy variances when firing more modern ammo lots.
- The shield emitter was pried out of the Wayfarer Medium Transport. Again, this emitter was designed to sit off-center on its primary hull, providing coverage to port plus far past the main hull's prow for a semi-independent portside module that could not be relied on to reinforce the emitter during barrages.
- The x2 hyperdrive system also came from the Wayfarer Medium Transport. Unlike other Wayfarer parts, a properly seated hyperdrive cradled in a properly designed chassis will not require processing refinements for an assymetrical vehicle design.
- The modular reconfiguration system to account for X-Wing docking came from the Wayfarer Medium Transport, where it was also an aftermarket enhancement. This system most likely was created by an engineer who did not, at the time of manufacture, work in a legal market. The funding would have come from either a smuggler cartel, or from the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Expect at least a slightly more thorough scan from any Bureau of Ships and Services traffic control or port authority official.
- Additional hull plating from both the Delaya Courier Ship and the Wayfarer Medium Transport was refitted onto the Night Sparrow. Neither ship had quite the same contours as a Firefly, which may have led to some less-than-ideal welding bulges or air pockets.
Class
Owner
Current location
Price
48,960 new
auctions usually start at 2,500 for used ships in need of refurbishment
auctions usually start at 2,500 for used ships in need of refurbishment
Rarity
uncommon
Related Technologies
Beam
39 meters
Length
58.2 meters
} Scale: Starfighter
} Scale: Starfighter
Height
16.1 meters
Weight
2400 tons
Speed
Maneuverability: 2D+2
Sublight speed: 4D+0
Atmospheric speed: 280; 800 kmh;
Hard Burn: 330; 950 kmh
Sublight speed: 4D+0
Atmospheric speed: 280; 800 kmh;
Hard Burn: 330; 950 kmh
Complement / Crew
Crew: 7
gunners: 2 (included in crew count)
skeleton: 1/+10
gunners: 2 (included in crew count)
skeleton: 1/+10
Cargo & Passenger Capacity
Passengers: 4
Cargo Capacity: 460 tons in main hold, 220 tons in hold 2, plus 2 docking bays for 20-ton shuttles
Consumables: 60 tons (600 hours)
Cargo Capacity: 460 tons in main hold, 220 tons in hold 2, plus 2 docking bays for 20-ton shuttles
Consumables: 60 tons (600 hours)
Thanks to d6 Holocron, who provided a great basis for our modified freighter.
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