LOCUST DROPSHIP

     Craft:  Kallan Starships 144E Locust Class Dropship
     Scale:  Starfighter
     Type:  Mobile Assault base/dropship
     Length:  85 meters 
     Cost:  150,000 credits
     Crew:  4
     Passengers:  50+ 
     Cargo Capacity:  3000 tons
     Consumables:  1 year
     Hyperdrive Mod:  x2
     Hyper Backup:  No
     Nav Computer:  Yes
     Space:  6
     Maneuverability:  1D
     Atmosphere:  315; 900
     Hull:  2D
     Shields:  1D
     Sensors:
          Passive:  40/0D
          Scan:  60/1D
          Search:  80/2D
          Focus:  4/3D
     Weapons:  
     4 Turreted Double Laser Cannon
          Scale:  Starfighter
          Fire Arc:  1 on each side, 1 top, 1 bottom
          Crew:  1
          Skill:  Starship Gunnery
          Fire Control: 2D+2 
          Space Range:  1-3/12/25
          Atmosphere Range:  100-300/1.2/2.5
          Damage:  4D
     4 Light Plasma Cannons
          Scale:  Starfighter
          Fire Arc:  Front
          Crew:  1
          Skill:  Starship Gunnery
          Fire Control:  2D
          Space Range:  1-5/15/30
          Atmosphere Range:  100-500/1.5/3.0
          Damage:  5D

     Inspired by the quick unpredictable jumps of the remarkably
well camouflaged Kallan black locust, the Locust Dropship has
become the dropship of choice for several military and paramilitary
organizations of the Yaeger Sector.  Most effective in medium sized
groups, the quick and unpredictable maneuvers of the Locust make
them very hard to shoot down.
     These ships are designed to get troops onto a hostile planet,
and provide them a defensible position once it gets them there. 
These ships are somewhat less expensive than other dropships, and
that price difference is reflected by the fact that Locust's tend
to come apart after flying a few combat missions.  The Locust is
equipped with a impulse drive randomizer.  When this is engaged the
ship will engage in unpredictable jerks and lunges, designed to
throw off pursuit.  In game terms, when the randomizer is engaged,
the Locust gains a +6D bonus to maneuverability when attempting to
dodge, and will perform occasionally impossible seeming maneuvers
that are not particularly useful or intelligent at that time.  The
Locust will continue in basically the same direction that it set
out in, and the impulse drive randomizer will function in the exact
same manner in atmospheric travel, and may cause collisions if
engaged too low.
     When a Locust is grounded, the following additional weapons
can also be brought to bear.
     6 Heavy Blaster Cannons:
          Scale:  Walker
          Fire Arc:  Turret
          Crew:  1
          Skill: Blaster: Blaster Cannon
          Fire Control: 3D
          Range:  100-1km/3.1km/5.5km
          Damage:  5D
     2 Heavy Charge Mortars:
          Scale:  Speeder
          Fire Arc:  Turret
          Crew:  1
          Skill: Missile Weapons
          Fire Control:  2D+1
          Range: 10-80/120/240
          Damage:  10D, with a blast radius of 10 meters
     Locusts are almost always equipped with large amounts of
camouflage netting, and a pair of landspeeders, or eight speeder
bikes.
     Weaknesses: The Locust crafts are easily outgunned by every
capital ship in existence, and many starfighters.  Any ship that
can keep up with their wild gyrations will easily be able to
destroy them.  In addition, when the impulse engine randomizer is
engaged, those aboard the Locust will be rendered horribly
discomfited by the sudden jerking motions.  All aboard must roll a
successful Moderate Stamina roll to avoid spending the entire time
that the randomizer is on being spacesick.  In addition, even after
making that roll, they have a -2D penalty to all skill checks while
the randomizer is engaged.