Tramp

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Tramp Class JumpShip
Production information
Manufacturer	SelaSys Inc.
Use	Mercantile, Military
Tech Base	Star League
Cost	770,000,000 C-Bills
Introduced	2754
Technical specifications
Mass	250,000 tons
Length	660 meters
Sail Diameter	1160 meters
Fuel	500 tons (1,250)
Burn Rate	39.52
Top Thrust	0.1 Gs
Sail Integrity	4
KF Drive Integrity	5
LF Battery	(only on Clan vessels)
Armament	8 ER Large Lasers, 12 Anti-Missile Systems
Armor	31.5 tons Standard Armor
DropShip Capacity	3 (4 on Clan vessles)
Crew	21 crew
Grav Decks	1 x 140 meters diameter
Escape Pods/Life Boats	5 Escape Pods
Heat Sinks	0 + 122
Structural Integrity	1
BV (1.0)	1,652
BV (2.0)	???

Description

The Tramp class JumpShip is similar in size to the vastly more common Star Lord class, but can only carry half the number of DropShips (three compared to six). Most shipyards chose to build the more popular Star Lord instead. Since it is armed, the Tramp was a success among periphery traders when it was first launched in 2754 but never built in large numbers and eventually phased out, being produced only sporadically throughout the Succession Wars.

Almost three centuries later SelaSys Incorporated, who already produced the Star Lord at Loyalty in the Free Worlds League, chanced on the old design specifications for the Tramp and found that the similarity in size between the two meant drastic savings in tooling up their shipyards to produce the Tramp as well. Their first prototype Tramp was launched in 3046. Production was halted in 3052 when a fault in the drive coils of the first eleven ships built was found and the ships had to be recalled for refit. This damaged the design's reputation. Production resumed in 3055, and by 3057, altogether fourteen craft had been built.

Armament

Designed as traders in the "wilder" parts of the periphery, Tramps are among the most heavily armed civilian JumpShips, mounting eight ER Large Lasers and altogether twelve Anti-Missile Systems with ample ammunition. Still, they should avoid combat since their armor is very thin. They also lack integral fighter support; the vessel's two small craft bays are unsuitable for the majority of fighter designs currently produced.

Cargo

The standard Tramp has two Small Craft bays and can carry 2834 tons of cargo.

Variants

According to the ComStar document known as the Technical Readout: 3057, the Clans, most notably Clan Nova Cat, were observed operating Tramp class ships that make use of a Lithium-Fusion Battery and mount a fourth Docking collar, greatly reducing the internal cargo capacity. Since these ships are reportedly believed to be Star League-era vessels it could be speculated that this layout was the original version of the Tramp, and that SelaSys later only produced a downgraded version.
Later versions of the same book (marked as "corrected 3rd printing") omit the half-sentence where it says this particular Clan variant carried four DropShips, while not expressly repealing the earlier report either.

The existence of such a Tramp variant—either with three or four hardpoints—remains unconfirmed in the fashion of a Canon Rumor; the underlying reports may have been in error.

Individual vessels

• See Category:Individual Tramp-class JumpShips

Bibliography

• AeroTech 2 Record Sheets
• Technical Readout 3057, pp. 104-105
• Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, pp. 10-103