Model: Kuat Drive Yards Longhorn-Class Escort Cruiser
Type: Escort Crusier
Scale: Capital
Length: 320 Meters
Skill: Capital Ship Piloting: Longhorn-Class Escort Cruiser
Crew: 60; Skeleton Crew: 2/+10
Crew Skill: Astrogation 4D+1, Capital Ship Piloting 5D+2, Capital Ship Shields 4D+1, Capital Ship Gunnery 5D+2, Sensors 5D
Passengers: 350
Cargo Capacity: 1500 Tons
Consumables: 1 Year
Cost: Not available for sale
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Hyperdrive Backup: x15
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 1D
Space: 6
Atmosphere: 330; 950 kmh
Hull: 5D
Shields: 3D+2
Sensors:
Passive: 60/0D
Scan: 90/2D
Search: 180/3D
Focus: 2/4D
Complement: 2 Light Shuttles, 24 Starfighters
Weapons:
11 Heavy Turbolasers Cannon
Fire Arc: Turret | 1 front, 5 left, 5 right
Crew: 3
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 5-25/50/75
Atmosphere Range: 10-50/100/150km
Damage: 7D
6 Light Point Laser Cannons
Fire Arc: Turret | 2 front, 2 left, 2 right
Crew: 1
Scale: Starfighter
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5 km
Damage: 4D+1
Background: The Longhorn-class Escort cruiser is a compact 320-meter-long starship originally produced by Kuat Drive Yards. Many independent factions, fleets, and governments use and construct modified versions. The design became very popular with the Chiss Ascendancy in particular, and they have adapted it to use Chiss weaponry and given it highly accurate long-range capabilities.
The armament contains 4 heavy dual turbolaser cannons and 6 light laser cannons for point defense against starfighters. The turbolasers have enhanced tracking, with the capability of effectively targeting fighters and bombers at moderate ranges. The compact nature of the ship leaves little room for much more than the ship’s various systems and crew space, so the Longhorn is mainly intended as a planetary-defense vessel, although it does have a fast 1.0 hyperdrive. Its normal drive systems are considerably slow, however (for a ship its size). This is partly due to the heavily armored hull and most energy output being diverted to shields or weapons. The primary strategy used with these ships is to engage in long-range combat for as long as possible, firing barrages from outside of an enemy’s reach. Once the enemy has been drawn in, allied ships can open fire on the weakened fleet. In addition to the weapons, this Longhorn variant is complemented by 4 compact Nssis-class squadrons.