Ship of the Week: Corellian CR90 Corvette

[Captain Seafort]

The Ford Transit of the GFFA. Robust, endlessly modifiable, and prolific. Not to mention the first.

What do people think?

[Mikey]

Versatile, shielded, and able to run on a skeleton crew of one. An excellent all-around light cap ship.

The downsides: no anti-starfighter/PD weapons standard (I've heard that the corvette configuration carries a few ion cannons, but that's still less than ideal,) a big blind spot as far as weapons coverage, and slower hyperdrive than many ships it might accompany.

[Deepcrush]

Could be useful with upgrades and cheap enough to produce. I'd give it a 5/10... While nothing great, it served its needs rather well.

[Captain Seafort]

I'd give it a 5/10... While nothing great, it served its needs rather well.

I'd give them a 7.5/8. A ship designed from the outset as a dedicated trooper, or carrier, or gunship would do better in their specific roles than a corvette, but they wouldn't be as flexible, and you wouldn't be able to do so much with the basic hull. In many ways they're the precursors of the Strike-class cruisers, albeit not quite as flexible as they are as a corvette would require a shipyard job to specialise the basic hull.

They're no slouches in combat either. A semi-civilian ship that can be confident of driving of a warship eight times its size must be pretty damn good. Admittedly Lancers aren't the best ship-to-ship combatants in the galaxy, but its still impressive.

[Deepcrush]

Don't get me wrong, I love that it can be refitted and that it could fill any role you need for a ship her size. As a troop transport she can move a regiment, as a warship she mounts four TLs and eight quad-lasers which makes for hell for enemy fighters.

The only issue is that on its own... its not a complete ship. Its a great base to start with but starting doesn't make a great ship.

[Captain Seafort]

As a troop transport she can move a regiment

I doubt it. Her total volume must be less than half that of a Tarawa, if that, and she's about half engine. Plus the design doesn't maximise internal volume the way proper assault ships do. I doubt she'd be able to carry more than a couple of companies with kit. Even an assault-rigged Strike cruiser can only carry a battalion.

The only issue is that on its own... its not a complete ship. Its a great base to start with but starting doesn't make a great ship.

I disagree. The basic frame is robust enough to accept a dozen different variants, and she's got the power to make a decent gunship, in the same way that a Toyota pickup is robust enough and powerful enough to accept a truly insane range of weapons. That's what makes the corvette great - just load 'em up and off you go.

[Deepcrush]

I doubt it. Her total volume must be less than half that of a Tarawa, if that, and she's about half engine. Plus the design doesn't maximise internal volume the way proper assault ships do. I doubt she'd be able to carry more than a couple of companies with kit. Even an assault-rigged Strike cruiser can only carry a battalion.

We will have to agree to disagree then.

I disagree. The basic frame is robust enough to accept a dozen different variants, and she's got the power to make a decent gunship, in the same way that a Toyota pickup is robust enough and powerful enough to accept a truly insane range of weapons. That's what makes the corvette great - just load 'em up and off you go.

But as I said, that means its a great start but still not a completion.

[Captain Seafort]

But as I said, that means its a great start but still not a completion.

That, I would say, merely means that it's not a great gunship, or carrier, or troopship. It's still a great ship, in the same way that the factory-standard Toyota is a great vehicle despite not being a great fighting vehicle.

We will have to agree to disagree then.

Come on Deep, look at the thing. It's too small and the wrong shape.

[Deepcrush]

That, I would say, merely means that it's not a great gunship, or carrier, or troopship. It's still a great ship, in the same way that the factory-standard Toyota is a great vehicle despite not being a great fighting vehicle.

The factory standard Toyota pickup is great because it does exactly what it needs to do out of the factory. No after market refits are required. I can go, get the truck and roll out to a field or to a job site or pick up and deliver persons right away. The CR90 isn't the case, the CR90 is a great starting design but not a great final product. Still a 5/10 to me. I don't view that as bad or insulting, just not good either.

Come on Deep, look at the thing. It's too small and the wrong shape.

Maybe so.

[Mikey]

Hmm. Complete Cross-Sections has a couple of dual TL turrets and 8 (I think) single TL turrets, but no quad lasers or any other PD or anti-fighter weaponry.

In any event, I'm with Deep - decent all-around ship, not great at any particular role without considerable further investment. Being a CEC ship, extensive mods are obviously possible.

BTW, Toyota pickups are not nearly as great as their ads would have you believe. Stick with a GM or a Ford (so long as you want a gas engine.)

[Deepcrush]

We have a Toyota Tacoma and its a great truck. But I agree that GM or Ford is the way to go.

In E@W, the CR90 is fitted with quad lasers in place of turbo-lasers for anti-fighter use. The crossfire they can put out is very painful to fly through.

[Mikey]

I like that configuration much better.

[Deepcrush]

I only like it when they're on my side. I've watched who fighter squadrons get chewed up in a matter of seconds against them. Honestly, its exactly what I would use a ship of that size for.

[Captain Seafort]

The factory standard Toyota pickup is great because it does exactly what it needs to do out of the factory. No after market refits are required. I can go, get the truck and roll out to a field or to a job site or pick up and deliver persons right away.

But to turn it into a combat vehicle you need to make modifications. You're not telling me Toyotas come out of the factory like this. Or like this.

Likewise with the CR90 - as a cheap, solid cargo ship with a bit of punch you don't need modifications. If you want to turn it into a proper warship, be it with fighters, troops or guns you really need to add extras, but they aren't necessary to make the ship a decent courier ship for mid-to-high value goods.

[Mikey]

I only like it when they're on my side.

Ain't that always the way?

I've watched who fighter squadrons get chewed up in a matter of seconds against them. Honestly, its exactly what I would use a ship of that size for.

Yeah, I could see that - a perfect size and maneuverability, as well as loadout when so outfitted, to screen your line ships from waves of fighters. She'd make a damn fine low-threat convoy escort, too.

In general, though, I'd have to say that when rating this ship the ease of modification and available versatility is balanced by the need to make modifications for any usage other than medium-threat (at best) courier.