In various X-File proposals there is mention of my proposal for a new faster freighter for the X-2 period. My original design used a new freighter hull (fore and aft) that was basic X1 technology. This gave it normal cruise speeds in high warp. Another aspect of this was the cargo rack. This was a long tube with attachments for several small cargo containers that could be attached to the center rack (end on they were 1/4 pie wedge shaped). Each container was about four or five cargo etc. Anyway, ultimately SVC told me that the basic mission will probably be able to be handled by something else. At first I thought that was boring. I wanted something of a veriety; a totally new outline and an improved internal arrangement.
However, I've come to the conclusion he was right (a while ago actually). But I didn't know exacly how or with what. Now I know.

The original proposal had a background that was the following:
In the post General War years there was a vast devestated zone between the Empires. Many planets were, in fact, devestated but the majority of colonies were just left out of supplies and/or out of contact. Many were able to maintain a meager living with some independance while others suffered and eventually recovered or died. In the midst of the Andromedan war the various Empires were not able to devote all the resources these colonies needed as they were fighting the ominous Andromedans with almost everything they had. It fell to the civilian population to help with the recovery effort, getting supplies and making contact with the hundreds of isolated colonies. No company was more successful at this that the Federation Express Company who had the resources to meet this unique demand. Indeed the cornered the market and in later years this paid off hugely as those many recovered colonies conducted nearly all of their business with the FedEx company exclusively. The Federation Express Company met the challenge at first by dedicating several FedEx fast priority cargo ships to make contact and drop vital supplies to various colonies. Since the Federation Express Company was so huge they had the resources to invest in several dozen new advanced technology freighters. This meant they could get to colonies and deliver cargo faster than any other small company. Further the new design was equipped with a redundant tractor system. These small colonies generally produced little and would take a year if not longer to fill a whole cargo pod with supplies. The FedEx Company could pickup supplies with shuttles and such but this added to the cost in labor and time. The solution was to create a smaller cargo container and leave it at the colony to be filled. The New Freighter would then return and tractor it up (insured by the FedEx company prior to lifting and locked down until verification was produced) and drop off a new one (usually not empty but filled with purchased supplies). This small cargo container amounted to a skid that was all cargo. The New Freighter typically carried four but could carry up to six of these cargo skids (which caused maneuver restrictions). There was a large version of the New Freighter but there were very few of these until Operation Unity. Prior to that major operation the New Large Freighter only made long distance runs between the devastated zones and the core systems. Only a handful existed until a call went out for support ships for Operation Unity. Again the Fed Ex met the challenge with the single most lucrative contract ever given to a private company. They couldn’t take all of the business, the needs of Operation Unity were too great for even one empire let alone a private company, but they also sustained the greatest losses of any contractor along the way. In the end, however, they made a substantial profit and were honored by every government involved with awards and decorations to many of the company’s captains and the company itself. The New Freighter operated successfully through out the remainder of recorded history.

I believe there is an X-Freighter in a Captains Log so just use that. I don't recall if it has tractors. If not they need to be added for this proposal (2).
I suggest a second shuttle box so it can operate one HTS.
The New Freighter could use a ducktail but did not typically do so. Eventually some smaller companies purchased their own NF-S and attached the ducktail they already owned. This took considerable effort to match the old systems power requirements with the new systems of the New Freighter but most were able to make it work (ducktail systems typically had minor power requirements) with he addition of after market power converters (suitable for civilian needs but not reliable enough for military use).

Maneuver restrictions for hauling more than four cargo skids: Move cost increased to ½. Turn Mode increased to D. Acceleration decreased to 5 movement points per turn. The ship can still accelerate to high warp (disengage by acceleration).

By Herb Diehr (Direwolf) on Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 12:49 am: Edit

Well, Loren, I like the FX-S, anyway, and have added it to my Mercantile Campaign (Y205-250).

Any idea what actually will be used (or where it shall be published)?


Thanks!