StarDate 3/3
C. W. Hess
Use: Courier / Troop Carrier
Tech: Inner Sphere
Introduced: 2662
Mass: 800 tons
Dimensions:
Length: 58.5 meters
Width: 55 meters
Height: 13 meters
Record Sheets: Cavalier Class DropShip (Courier)
Cavalier Class Dropship (Transport)
Cavalier Class Dropship (Vendetta)
The Cavalier is one of the smallest DropShips ever built, massing a mere 800 tons. Its relatively light weight coupled with its twin FH1500 fusion drives also make it one of the most agile. Its well-reinforced hull structure is capable of holding up against the drives' maximum sustained acceleration rate of three Gs.There are two main versions of this DropShip. One is a courier version designed for shuttling VIPs and important documents. The other version serves as a light combat transport, delivering equipment and supplies to units on the battlefield. Both versions share the same basic hull design and performance characteristics.
The courier version was the first to be introduced and is presently found in the greatest quantity. It is equipped with four large staterooms specifically designed for the comfort of important passengers. The ship's passenger section is kept separate from the crew section and has a large recreation room and galley. For emergencies it is equipped with an escape pod near the staterooms. It also has a small, high-security cargo compartment for housing important equipment and/or documents.
This compartment is designed so that in an emergency it may be set to self-destruct, completely destroying the contents, or to simply jettison and await pickup by another ship.
The courier is moderately armed and armored to protect its passengers and cargo from hostile enemy fighters. Against other DropShips it is usually no match. Instead of relying upon its own firepower for protection, it relies on its high speed and agility.
In the rear of the ship, located between its twin reactor/drives, is a small-craft bay. This bay can house a single vehicle massing up to 200 tons. At one time, this bay normally housed a small shuttle to transport VIPs to and from the DropShip. However, the violence of the Succession Wars has changed this, and today most vessels carry a single medium or heavy fighter.
The light combat transport version of the Cavalier basically replaces the passenger facilities and fighter bay with a pair of cargo holds. The aft hold is identical in size to the small-craft bay found on the courier. However, the transport version lacks the special small-craft handling facilities, allowing the cargo bay to hold up to 4 light vehicles. Access to this bay is through a ramp-like door located where the small-craft bay door was on the courier version.
The forward cargo bay has a maximum capacity of 40 tons and is equipped with a special underside door, which acts like a large cargo elevator when the ship is planetside.
An odd feature of this elevator/door is that it forms the main portion of the floor of the forward cargo bay. So whenever the elevator is lowered, the entire contents of the bay come down with it. The problem with this is that when the elevator/door is lowered, it is difficult to get from the main body of the ship to the aft cargo bay. To solve this problem, a catwalk was included which folds up against the bay wall when the elevator/door is closed (in the 'up' position).
The main control panel for the elevator/door is located inside the cargo hold at the forward end. This panel controls the pressurization and depressurization of the hold as well as the operation of the elevator/door. As a special precaution, the door will only open if there is pressure equalization between the outside environment and the interior of the cargo bay. A single internal pressure sensor is located next to the panel. The external pressure sensor is located next to the door control panel on the underside of the ship. If either of these sensors malfunctions, as they have been known to in the past, there is a possibility that the door could be accidentally opened when no pressure equalization exists.
Both versions of the Cavalier have the same identical crew and bridge sections. These are extremely cramped and provide the crew with little elbow room.
The bridge is cockpit-style, seating the pilot and co-pilot side by side. From here, the two can monitor all operations within the ship, including the engineering systems. While most DropShips are large enough to warrant a separate engineering control room, the Cavalier is too small to afford such a luxury. The bridge is, therefore, crammed with instrumentation and control systems.
The crew section of the Cavalier is about as cramped as the bridge, with the crew being divided into six tiny rooms. Each room is just large enough to fit a bed, locker, chair, and fold-down desk. A seventh room contains the shared sanitary facilities for the crew. At the end of the central passageway is the tiny mess/recreation room. This room contains a large folding table, six chairs, and a bare-minimum self-serve galley.
Due to these strained conditions, life aboard a Cavalier can be very taxing on a crew not used to such close, spartan conditions.
Pecutiarities:
When the light transport version of this DropShip went into production, all facilities were re-tooled for this design. Hulls that were to be used for the courier version would then be converted at a different facility. This led to a number of peculiarities in the designs of both the courier and transport versions of the Cavalier.
Since the basic Cavalier hull has all the openings of both versions, the transport has a pair of hatches located in the top of the forward cargo bay. While most of these were permanently sealed shut, a number were made operational.
As for the courier version, it has what appears to be an elevator/door on the underside just like the transport, but this door was welded shut on all ships. It does, however, make the ship look like a transport when viewed from below. Next to this false hatch is a cover panel. On the transport this panel protects the elevator/door controls. On the courier there are no controls, but there is a pair of electrical connectors. One ties into the ship�s main power grid and, with the proper cabling, can be used to run any standard battery-powered device. The second connector ties into the ship's intercom system. Anyone with an intercom headset or a communicator with the proper adaptor cables can tie into this system.
The last notable peculiarity associated with the Cavalier is on the courier version. An access hatch built for the transport version leads from the aft end of the bridge deck to the office space in the VIP section. In the office, this hatch is covered by interior panelling. On most couriers, the hatch is either welded or locked shut.
Battle History:
The Cavalier was originally developed for the courier role as the Star League needed a high-speed ship to transport diplomats and critical documents when and where needed. During the final testing stages, a need became apparent for a light cargo transport whose primary mission was to deliver equipment and supplies to front-line combat units. As the transport's performance requirements were very similar to those of the courier, a Cavalier's engineers were able to quickly create a modified version of their ship to fill the second need. Performance trials showed both of the Cavaliers to be well-suited for their respective roles, and both were adopted by the Star League in 2662.
While the courier version had a rather quiet career, the transports saw extensive action during the First Succession War. The Cavalier transports were extensively used to resupply units that found themselves cut off from friendly lines. Their operations earned the ship the nickname "The Thundering Angel," or simply "The Angel" for short. However, the hazards of the transport�s missions took a heavy toll, and by the end of the First Succession War fewer than 60 Cavaliers were still operational. This figure included a little over 30 surviving couriers.
Most of the few surviving couriers are owned and operated by diplomat staffs in each of the Successor States. As for the transports, most of these vessels have apparently found their way to independent merchants and at least two bandit kings.
Notable Ships and Crews:
Independent DropShip Vendetta:
The Vendetta is one of the few Cavalier transports still in existence. The ship is owned and operated by Eric Anderson, an ex-mercenary captain turned bounty hunter. He and his three-man crew operate the Vendetta somewhere deep in Marik space.
His Cavalier Class DropShip has seen a number of minor modifications. Among these is the addition of a number of weapons including one nose-mounted PPC, two wing-mounted LRM-20 racks, and two wing-mounted medium lasers. These additions were made at the cost of two crew staterooms, one large laser, and two LRM-I5 racks.
In the aft cargo bay of the Vendetta, Anderson stores his GRF-1N Griffin BattleMech, along with a small supply of repair parts. The forward cargo bay houses a light ground vehicle and various supplies and equipment.
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