A purpose built type of Yacht that allows wealthy individuals to go on trophy taking expeditions (real or photographic) to wilderness regions. The safari ship is also equipped with a 20-ton launch and a pressurised air/raft so that opportunities for further exploration can be made the most of. Its jump 2 drive can easily bring it within range of distant worlds and its standard imperial deep space thruster (S.I.T.) can take it anywhere it needs to go both within and beyond the typical solar system.

Staterooms are luxurious and large, a 7-ton trophy lounge serves as the hunter's recreational area and two 7 ton capture tanks are designed to hold specimens, these capture tanks are fully sealed and independent of ship's life support so that even specimens that live in exotic or tainted atmospheres etc can be safely and reliably transported for further study at nearby research facilities or zoological centres/reserves etc.

As is the current taste with the Imperial Nobility and socialites, this yacht is wildly Villani in styling hence the over flung upper deck. The lower deck also contains a single laser turret amounted at the front of the starship, the so called 'bush cutter' which apart from its obvious space combat uses can also be used to burn a clearing in dense jungle/vegetation etc sufficient to allow the ship to land, (though only thoughtless individuals tend to do this).

A typical passenger would expect to spend a minimum of 1 month aboard, as the ship travels to is destination conducts the safari and returns to the world of origin (so two weeks are spent in jump for two weeks in system) and would expect to pay anything from Cr 10,000 upwards per week aboard or Cr 40,000 for the whole month.

Unsurprisingly excursions of this nature are considered elitist and sometimes the very height of decadence amongst the masses of common folk who in some cases never leave their homeworlds.

The ship is also mounted with fuel scoops and purification machinery capable of refining 44 tons in 1-¾ hours (approx). It is also equipped with a small 31.5-ton cargo hold sufficient to hold supplies, ammo and specialist equipment needed for the hunt/safari.

Most ship owners tend to upgrade the supplied launch as soon as they are able and replace it with a higher tech fusion powered version which apart from being more comfortable (grav-plates and inertial compensators) is also easier to maintain and fuel as liquid hydrogen is not radioactive (see description of Tl 8 launch).

Though not a typical commercial design, there are plenty of imperial thrill seekers, socialites and minor nobility out there who are willing to pay handsomely for the privilege of visiting far flung and dangerous wilderness areas, and the promise of taking a trophy home with them along with tales of danger and excitement with which to regale their friends, family and business contacts and so on.

Uncommonly though ships of this nature are often hired by companies who can afford to pay for them such as research organisations seeking botanical cures or food producers seeking new spices or other consumables suitable for mass-market exploitation and transport or even transplant to nearby worlds.

Safari Ship

Class: Safari Ship Type K           Ep Output: 4
Tech Level: 12                      Agility: 0
Size: (Medium 200 Tons)             Initiative: 0
Streamlining: Streamlined           AC: 10
Jump Range: 1 x Jump 2              Repulsors: None
Acceleration 1G Thruster            Nuclear Dampers: None
Fuel 44.0 Tons (Liquid Hydrogen)    Meson Screens: None
Duration: 4 weeks                   Black Globes: None
Crew: 3-5                           AR: 0
Staterooms: 11                      SI: 115
Small Cabins: 5                     Main Computer: Model 2
Bunks: none                         Sensor Range: close (model 1)
Couches: none                       Comm. Range: close (model 1)
Low Berths: none        
Cargo Space: 31.5 Tons              Cost: Mcr: 89.097 (Mcr 71.277 in quantity)
Atmospheric speeds                  Noe= 875 kph
Cruising = 825 kph                  Maximum = 1100 kph

Other Equipment: Fuel Scoops & Purifier (refines 44 tons in 1 Hour 46 
minutes) 

Price includes 1 Tl 8+ Launch & 1 x Air/raft.

Crew Detail:

Minimum Requirements: 1 x Bridge, 1 x Steward/medic, 1 x Gunner.
Recommended: 2 x Bridge, 1 x Engineer, 1 x Steward/Medic 1 x Gunner

Costs & Revenues: (Per Operational Month)

Life support: Cr 44,000     (Passengers & all crew/month)
Crew Costs: Cr 25,000     (Assuming 5 well paid crew)
Unrefined Fuel: Cr 8,800     (Cr 100x 44 tons x 2) 

Mortgage: Cr 296,990

Totals: Cr 374,790

Revenues (Mcr: 0.440) Per Operational Month

11 x  High Passage (Excursion)    11 x Cr 40,000 = Cr 440,000 x 1 = Cr 
440,000    

Expected Profits; Cr 440,000 – 374,790 = Cr 65, 210 

Design Worksheet.

Installed Component        Tonnage      MCR     Ep      Notes.

Hull                       +200         12.0    ----    Close Structure
Upgraded Streamlining        ----        1.0    ----    Streamlined
Bridge                       20          1.0    ----    
Computer                      0.2        5.8    ----    Model 2
Avionics                      0.8       (1.8)   ----    Model 2
Sensors                       0.3       (0.6)   ----    Model 1
Commo                         0.2       (0.5)   ----    Model 1
Thruster 1G                   4.0        6.0    -2.0    Standard Thruster
Jump Drive                    6.0       24.0    -4.0    Jump=2
Jump Fuel                    40.0       ----    ----    1 x Jump 2
Power Plant                   6.0       18.0    +4.0    Fusion Tl-9
Fuel 4 weeks                  4.0       ----    ----    Liquid Hydrogen
Hardpoints                   ----        0.2    ----    2 Hardpoints
1 x single turret            ----        0.5    ----    
1 x Pulse Laser               1.0        0.5    -1    USP=1
Fuel Scoops                  ----        0.2    ----    
Purification Plant            6.0        0.032  ----    44 Tons in 1 Hour 46 min
11 x Stateroom               44.0        5.5    ----    High Passage
5 x Small cabins             10.0        1.25   ----    Crew Quarters
1 x Launch Hanger            20.0        0.04   ----    
1 x Launch                   ----       10.05   ----    Tl 8+ Launch
1 x Air/Raft Hanger           5.0       ----    ----    
1 x Air/Raft                 ----        0.4    ----    Tl 8+ Air/Raft    
Capture tanks x2             14.0        1.75   ----    Sealed/independent LS
Trophy Lounge                 7.0        0.875  ----    Recreation Area
Cargo                        11.5       ----    ----
Totals                      200.0       ----     4.0    
                                        89.097
Excess Power = 1 EP in normal space, none when jump drive engaged.

Original T4 Design: Not Credited.

Design re-designed for T20, by Mark Bridgeman.

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