STAT THAT SHIP! PART 16 The SU- 74 Assault Shuttle

[bryan gibson]

Replaced in NR service by the IL 288, the Sukhoi SU 74 was the primary drop shuttle used by Novaya Rhodinan forces. However, in the last decade as the newer shuttle supplanted it it has become available in large numbers on the surplus market, where it has become popular with Merc units as well as ship owners who want a rugged rump ships boat.

As with most NR vessels, its not pretty, but rugged to a fault. Equipped with a 20mm nose gun and twin lasers in the forward hull, its primary mission was to deploy a platoon of troops or a squad and their vehicle, then provide ground support.

TL 11, 50 Dtons.

Pictured here is the Virgo, a demilitarized SU 74. With nose gun removed and the tail mounted ECM dismounted, it is being used as a ships boat, gig, small cargo carrier and sometimes getaway vehicle by the crew of the independent merchant Zodiac.

This is one of two -the other is the Geminiand between them the crew of the Zodiac have an excellent means of shuttling cargoes and whatnot from the rougher planets they visit. If this sounds dubious, you'd be right - Zodiac is a well known smuggler and shady cargoes are as common as their legitimate ones.

Both shuttles were had cheaply but in poor repair, but at the price they were had even with repair, they proved a bargain.

images and content copyright Images studio

 

[mike wightman]

This is becoming starship ⌧...

could there be a gunship variant?

 

[bryan gibson]

Assuming its statted that way, certainly. the standard military version was designed to operate in a ground / close air support role. Replacing the personnel bay with a missle magazine, it can carry podded munitions readliy, as well as using the four wing hardpints for gunpods and the like.

The NR designers at Sukhoi made no errors in the intial design, which relies on the two hull mounted lasers ( the glassed in squares on the forward edges seen just behind the cockpit) as they will operate as long as the ship has power, and require no ammo bunkers.This adds to its versatility - the idea being that the shuttle actually has weapons it can use in a vaccum enviroment, such as Luna.

 

[Simon Jester]

Originally posted by bryan gibson:
Assuming its statted that way, certainly. the standard military version was designed to operate in a ground / close air support role. Replacing the personnel bay with a missle magazine, it can carry podded munitions readliy, as well as using the four wing hardpints for gunpods and the like.

The NR designers at Sukhoi made no errors in the intial design, which relies on the two hull mounted lasers ( the glassed in squares on the forward edges seen just behind the cockpit) as they will operate as long as the ship has power, and require no ammo bunkers.This adds to its versatility - the idea being that the shuttle actually has weapons it can use in a vaccum enviroment, such as Luna.

Bryan, I believe Sigg Oddra was asking/hoping that you had an illustrated rendition of said gunship.
As were we all.

Simon Jester

 

[bryan gibson]

Oh! um...no...at least not thus far. We'll see, fair nuff?

 

[ravells]

I love your 'russian' designs. They do have 'practical/rugged/not fancy/not terribly fast or agile' written all over them.

Ravs

 

[veltyen]

Here goes for a stats writeup.

I've envisaged it as the bastard child of a Hercules and a Hind. Slow, good payload, well armoured.

These are at best only passable space to space combatants.

SU74 Assault Shuttle
Hull: 50 dTon wedge (airframe)
Tech Level: 11
Armor: Moderate (AR5)
Computer: Model 2 (Avionics 2, Communications 2, Sensors 2)

Engineering
Maneveur Drive: 2
Agility: 2
Power Plant: 4 EP
Fuel Tank: 1 dTon (1 week operation)

Weapons
2x Beam Laser fixed mounts (USP2)
1x Forward mount rapid fire 20 mm cannon (Vehicle scale)
Ammo Hopper: 0.5 dTon (6,000 rounds)

Crew
Pilot, Copilot, Gunner, Cargo master

Payload
0.5 dTon locker
15 dTon payload bay

Variants
SU74c (Civilian or Cargo) variants downgrades the miliary class sensors and communications (both to rating 1) and the forward autocannon mount. This frees up another dTon of cargo space, mostly in quirky hard to check places onboard. C variants generally run a crew of 2, which means they have a spare couch available in the cockpit.

SU74g (Gunship) add 4 weapon pods to the wings. Common loads include versions of the nose cannon with a 1000 round hopper and bundles of MRL's (150 light rockets, or 40 heavy rockets per pod). In exchange for this gunships can no longer travel at supersonic speeds in atmosphere (Hull is downgraded to Streamlined). In addition vessels configured for gunship designation nearly always have a weapon installed into the payload bay, generally a missile launching system, but sometimes shorter range systems such as plasma cannons.