New and Improved; the Mantis mk.iii
Mantis iii; Front Top:
Mantis iii; Front Bottom:
Mantis iii; Back Top:
Cargo Pod; Top Front:
Cargo Pod; Back Bottom:
Mantis Shuttle; Top Front:
Mantis Shuttle; Back Bottom:
Close Up with Shuttle Docked:
Mantis iii; With Cargo Pod Attached and Shuttle; Front Top:
Mantis iii; With Cargo Pod Attached and Shuttle; Back Bottom:
Stats and History: (Yes I know I'm probably off on the Stats but the Starship Creation in the Main book is confusing)
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Mantis mk.iiiName: Mantis mk.iii – Heavy Tandem Bulk Transport
Designation: VSL-MK3a-HTBT
Classification: Heavy Tandem Transport
Manufacturer: Violante Star Labs [VSL]
Year Built: 2518
Dimensions: 120m lgt. x 70m wd. x 28m ht. (+35m lgt. with Pod)
Tonnage: 18,000 tons (dry) (+ 8000 with Pod)
Speed Class: 6 cruise, 8 hard burn
Crew: 4 Skeleton, 6 average, 8 optimum
Fuel Capacity: 2,000 tons / 80,000 ton tank
Cargo Capacity: 4,500 tons (+ 11,000 with Pod)
Complexity: High
Armament: none
Armor: none
Price 1,150,00 (new)
Monthly Maintenance 4,800
Fuel: (5cr/Ton) cr 90,00
Port Fees: 1cr/100 tons > 3600 cr/week
> 600 cr/day (Cheaper by week)
Flight Time: 5 tons/hr > 21,000 hours Crusie (+1 per Point/hr.)
ATTRIBUTES: (30 points)
Agility D10 Strength D8 Vitality D10
Alertness D6 Intelligence D8 Willpower D8
Initiative D12 + D6 Life Points 18
Skills (intx2) Athletics (d6), Knowledge (d6), Mechanical engineering (d6), Perception (d6), Pilot (d6)
Assets: Healthy as a Horse, Fuel Efficient
Complications: Memorable, Hooked (Needs frequent repairs due to Complexity)
SPACECRAFT HISTORY:
Violante Star Labs has made a name for themselves in recent History with the Mantis mk.ii Heavy Transport. Noted for it’s the unusual articulated design of the Primary Thruster Support Arms and the Binary Compact Grav Drives (BCGD) which made the Mantis mk.ii an unusually agile and sturdy. The only downside being that the complex arms lent themselves to a frequent need for repairs, though few owners or pilots ever complained about it as the ship handled like a dream. Now VSL introduces their latest creation; the Mantis mk.iii.
The mk.iii retains the Articulated Thruster Support Arms (ATSA) of the original as well as the same general shape and overall design including the detachable Cargo Pod. Where it differs is under the skin. The mk.iii has had its survivability rating increased massively with a strengthened hull and bulkheads, a slew of redundant systems, improved sensor suites, collision avoidance systems, self-diagnostic routines and an improved auto-pilot.
Building off the existing mk.ii framework has allowed VSL to reduce the cost of the new mk.iii by a considerable amount, even for a new vessel. However the mk.iii can only currently be purchased as brand-new. Those who loved the mk.ii are sure to love the mk.iii.
VSL was started almost fifty years ago by Violante Alegra de Castillo, formerly employed as a design engineer for Lanier Star Industries [LSI]. Following the failure of the LSI “Elefante” Class the company eventually collapsed and Violante moved on to start her own Starship company with a large amount of success. Violante had maintained her Patent for the Compact Grav Drive and has incorporated the much more efficient Binary Drive system in all of her ship designs. Violante de Castillo died nearly twenty years ago but VSL has passed into the more than capable hands of her Daughter, Maricela de Castillo who has been responsible for the development of the wildly-popular Mantis-series Transports. When asked where she came up with the idea for the articulated arms of the Mantis-Series she said, “I was on vacation one day and happened to notice the arms of a Preying Mantis and thought the over-large forearms could easily lend themselves to a fair amount of articulation and promptly drew up the initial designs.”. And thus the name of the Series was born.
