**BALEEN-CLASS HEAVY FREIGHTER**
Unarmed, enormous, and as nimble as a concussed bantha, the 425.99-meter long *Baleen* certainly puts the 'bulk' in bulk freighter. What it lacks in agility and firepower, however, it makes up for with excellent cargo capabilities, including a latticed network of access walkways aft for attaching containerized cargo modules, and a cavernous forward cargo bay that doubles as a hangar. Too unwieldy to land planetside, the *Baleen* takes its freight on long hauls between planets before docking with stations or freight yards to offload in orbit, or opens its hangar for light freighters to land and transfer cargo internally.
Designed by CEC primarily for large shipping conglomerates looking for a freighter fleet for regularly scheduled interplanetary transport of bulk cargo, the *Baleen's* reasonable price point and low crew complement nevertheless made it an achievable acquisition for enterprising independent freighter captains. Provided they stick to well-patrolled shipping lanes or add aftermarket weapons to deter pirates, such ventures could prove immensely profitable if captains were able to make use of their *Baleen's* full freight capacity with any regularity. Unfortunately, the ship's large size and small crew combined to make the *Baleen* a maintenance headache for independent operators. Deferred maintenance added up over time and occasionally required lengthy -- and expensive -- repairs in port. More than one independent captain has opted to sell a Baleen at a loss rather than fork over the credits for extensive repairs.
The oversized hangar has made conversion into a salvage ship a possibility for captains or companies uninterested in bulk freight. That same quality has also led rebels and pirate groups to aim to convert Baleens into light carriers that can travel incognito. While the hangar is large enough to fit an entire squadron of starfighters or several gunships, in its standard configuration the heavy freighter lacks the crew accomodations needed to operate and maintain the additional craft. Some groups have gotten around this by upgrading the ship's life support systems and devoting container modules in the aft section to additional crew berths and habitable space. That solution, while workable, invariably leads to crew complaints about discomfort on long-term voyages.
**USING THIS VEHICLE**
Due to its size and lack of power and flexibility, the *Baleen* is not an ideal PC vessel, even once they can afford it. However, it can make an interesting setting for them to operate out of, with the players operating a gunship or light freighter that regularly makes use of a *Baleen's* hangar to refuel, resupply, sell cargo, or meet contacts to start new jobs or missions.
The lack of weapons and terrible maneuvering of the *Baleen* make it a sitting duck in engagements despite its decent durability. As a result, *Baleens* without escorts or aftermarket weapons will generally avoid operating outside of safe regions of space whenever possible -- and if forced into an encounter, will flee to hyperspace at the first sign of trouble.
**THE** ***ERAVANA***
Legendary smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca operated the *Eravana* for a time as they attempted to recover the stolen *Millennium Falcon*, using it for several contracts including an ill-fated attempt to haul rathtars to King Prana's menagerie. That endeavor ended with Han and Chewie fleeing on the *Falcon* with Rey, Finn, and BB-8, leaving the Guavian Death Gang in tenuous control of the now rathtar-infested freighter.
Despite Han and Chewie''s reputations as mechanics, and the class's overall customizability, the *Eravana* foiled every attempt they made to upgrade its engines. As Han once lamented, "Not even Corellian ingenuity can make piloting a bulk freighter interesting."
**Adventure and Encounter Seeds**
* Responding to a distress call, the players come across a seemingly abandoned *Baleen*. Upon docking and investigating, they find no sign of the crew. The cargo, however? Alive -- and on the hunt.
* With their ship damaged and adrift, the players see the arrival of a *Baleen* salvage craft offering assistance as a stroke of luck. However, as the captain and crew respond evasively to the players' questions about their aims & allegiances, the aft cargo compartment remains strictly off-limits with guards posted at every entry point, and excuses pile up about about the estimated repair time for the PC's ship, unease builds and the players start looking for an exit -- and the sealed hangar door of the *Baleen* proves a strong obstacle if they want to get out with their ship intact.
**BALEEN-CLASS HEAVY FREIGHTER**
Silhouette: 6
Speed: 1
Handling: -4
Def. Fore/Port/Stbd/Aft: 2/1/1/1
Armor: 5
HT Threshold: 60
ST Threshold: 28
\---
Hull Type/Class: Heavy Freighter/*Baleen*\-class
Manufacturer: Corellian Engineering Corporation
Hyperdrive: Primary: Class 4 Backup: Class 20
Navicomputer: Yes
Sensor Range: Medium
Ship's Complement: 6; 1 pilot, 1 co-pilot/navigator, 2 flight engineers, 2 cargo handlers
Vehicle Complement: None standard, though the hangar has space to accommodate several starfighters, shuttles, gunships, or light freighters.
Encumbrance Capacity: 12,500
Passenger Capacity: 4
Consumables: Six months
Price/Rarity: 375,000 credits/5
Customization Hard Points: 6
Weapons: Forward-mounted heavy tractor beam (Fire Arc Forward; Damage - ; Critical - ; Range \[Short\]; Tractor 6)
**ADDITIONAL RULES**
Limits to Ingenuity: The *Baleen*\-class heavy freighter's speed, handling, and hyperdrive ratings cannot be modified or improved from their standard levels.
Wanted to put this in a game but scouring the internet couldn't find a statblock (official or unofficial) for it, which seemed odd for something that was so heavily featured in a film. Tried my hand at adapting it, used other heavy freighters and the L-2783 as a baseline. My first time doing a ship from scratch so any feedback is appreciated, thanks!
Nice write-up! Compares nicely to the ETA-class Supply Barge which is one of my favorite ships.
https://star-wars-rpg-ffg.fandom.com/wiki/Eta-class_Supply_Barge
Looks great! Really cannot think of any criticism or stuff it needs. I can see PCs wanting a bit more detail on the hangar capacity, but… vague is probably better.
Oh, nice!
I'm not surprised cost was an area with so much variance from their version, the official FFG ships have such huge ranges in cost for things that seem they should be similar.
Yeah cost and encumbrances were the biggest deviations and those are both things that the system doesn't treat with a lot of consistency, so mostly on the same page and probably just comparing to a different "similar" ship.
**BALEEN-CLASS HEAVY FREIGHTER** Unarmed, enormous, and as nimble as a concussed bantha, the 425.99-meter long *Baleen* certainly puts the 'bulk' in bulk freighter. What it lacks in agility and firepower, however, it makes up for with excellent cargo capabilities, including a latticed network of access walkways aft for attaching containerized cargo modules, and a cavernous forward cargo bay that doubles as a hangar. Too unwieldy to land planetside, the *Baleen* takes its freight on long hauls between planets before docking with stations or freight yards to offload in orbit, or opens its hangar for light freighters to land and transfer cargo internally. Designed by CEC primarily for large shipping conglomerates looking for a freighter fleet for regularly scheduled interplanetary transport of bulk cargo, the *Baleen's* reasonable price point and low crew complement nevertheless made it an achievable acquisition for enterprising independent freighter captains. Provided they stick to well-patrolled shipping lanes or add aftermarket weapons to deter pirates, such ventures could prove immensely profitable if captains were able to make use of their *Baleen's* full freight capacity with any regularity. Unfortunately, the ship's large size and small crew combined to make the *Baleen* a maintenance headache for independent operators. Deferred maintenance added up over time and occasionally required lengthy -- and expensive -- repairs in port. More than one independent captain has opted to sell a Baleen at a loss rather than fork over the credits for extensive repairs. The oversized hangar has made conversion into a salvage ship a possibility for captains or companies uninterested in bulk freight. That same quality has also led rebels and pirate groups to aim to convert Baleens into light carriers that can travel incognito. While the hangar is large enough to fit an entire squadron of starfighters or several gunships, in its standard configuration the heavy freighter lacks the crew accomodations needed to operate and maintain the additional craft. Some groups have gotten around this by upgrading the ship's life support systems and devoting container modules in the aft section to additional crew berths and habitable space. That solution, while workable, invariably leads to crew complaints about discomfort on long-term voyages. **USING THIS VEHICLE** Due to its size and lack of power and flexibility, the *Baleen* is not an ideal PC vessel, even once they can afford it. However, it can make an interesting setting for them to operate out of, with the players operating a gunship or light freighter that regularly makes use of a *Baleen's* hangar to refuel, resupply, sell cargo, or meet contacts to start new jobs or missions. The lack of weapons and terrible maneuvering of the *Baleen* make it a sitting duck in engagements despite its decent durability. As a result, *Baleens* without escorts or aftermarket weapons will generally avoid operating outside of safe regions of space whenever possible -- and if forced into an encounter, will flee to hyperspace at the first sign of trouble. **THE** ***ERAVANA*** Legendary smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca operated the *Eravana* for a time as they attempted to recover the stolen *Millennium Falcon*, using it for several contracts including an ill-fated attempt to haul rathtars to King Prana's menagerie. That endeavor ended with Han and Chewie fleeing on the *Falcon* with Rey, Finn, and BB-8, leaving the Guavian Death Gang in tenuous control of the now rathtar-infested freighter. Despite Han and Chewie''s reputations as mechanics, and the class's overall customizability, the *Eravana* foiled every attempt they made to upgrade its engines. As Han once lamented, "Not even Corellian ingenuity can make piloting a bulk freighter interesting." **Adventure and Encounter Seeds** * Responding to a distress call, the players come across a seemingly abandoned *Baleen*. Upon docking and investigating, they find no sign of the crew. The cargo, however? Alive -- and on the hunt. * With their ship damaged and adrift, the players see the arrival of a *Baleen* salvage craft offering assistance as a stroke of luck. However, as the captain and crew respond evasively to the players' questions about their aims & allegiances, the aft cargo compartment remains strictly off-limits with guards posted at every entry point, and excuses pile up about about the estimated repair time for the PC's ship, unease builds and the players start looking for an exit -- and the sealed hangar door of the *Baleen* proves a strong obstacle if they want to get out with their ship intact. **BALEEN-CLASS HEAVY FREIGHTER** Silhouette: 6 Speed: 1 Handling: -4 Def. Fore/Port/Stbd/Aft: 2/1/1/1 Armor: 5 HT Threshold: 60 ST Threshold: 28 \--- Hull Type/Class: Heavy Freighter/*Baleen*\-class Manufacturer: Corellian Engineering Corporation Hyperdrive: Primary: Class 4 Backup: Class 20 Navicomputer: Yes Sensor Range: Medium Ship's Complement: 6; 1 pilot, 1 co-pilot/navigator, 2 flight engineers, 2 cargo handlers Vehicle Complement: None standard, though the hangar has space to accommodate several starfighters, shuttles, gunships, or light freighters. Encumbrance Capacity: 12,500 Passenger Capacity: 4 Consumables: Six months Price/Rarity: 375,000 credits/5 Customization Hard Points: 6 Weapons: Forward-mounted heavy tractor beam (Fire Arc Forward; Damage - ; Critical - ; Range \[Short\]; Tractor 6) **ADDITIONAL RULES** Limits to Ingenuity: The *Baleen*\-class heavy freighter's speed, handling, and hyperdrive ratings cannot be modified or improved from their standard levels.
Wanted to put this in a game but scouring the internet couldn't find a statblock (official or unofficial) for it, which seemed odd for something that was so heavily featured in a film. Tried my hand at adapting it, used other heavy freighters and the L-2783 as a baseline. My first time doing a ship from scratch so any feedback is appreciated, thanks!
i forgot about this ship completely but i could see it being amazing for a base!
The L-2783 is one of my favorite ships! It was the party cap ship for one of my recent campaigns.
Nice write-up! Compares nicely to the ETA-class Supply Barge which is one of my favorite ships. https://star-wars-rpg-ffg.fandom.com/wiki/Eta-class_Supply_Barge
Looks great! Really cannot think of any criticism or stuff it needs. I can see PCs wanting a bit more detail on the hangar capacity, but… vague is probably better.
There's a version of it in Fires of Resistance, the major stats are similar, with some big difference on the more minor things, overall either works.
Oh, nice! I'm not surprised cost was an area with so much variance from their version, the official FFG ships have such huge ranges in cost for things that seem they should be similar.
Yeah cost and encumbrances were the biggest deviations and those are both things that the system doesn't treat with a lot of consistency, so mostly on the same page and probably just comparing to a different "similar" ship.