Beluga Liner: Difference between revisions

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The third in the Saud Kruger line after the Dolphin and Orca, the Beluga Liner is the Passenger equivalent of the [[Type-9]], sacrificing the huge cargo hold to carry luxury VIPs. It is designed to accommodate even more passengers in luxury and comfort than an [[Orca]], but this specialization comes at the cost of speed and maneuverability. The result is a slow, cumbersome ship that is difficult to fit through a station's [[Access Corridor]]; deploying the landing gear folds the ship's bulky rear fins down, making it easier to traverse. To compensate, the Beluga features a Class 7 [[Frame Shift Drive]] and a 128-tonne [[Fuel Tank]] that gives it an impressive travel range for long-distance cruises. The Beluga can also fit a [[Fighter Hangar]] to bolster its modest offensive capability, though it is in no way optimized or recommended for extensive combat.

~~The Beluga Liner performs poorly in~~ [[~~Combat~~]]. While the ship does boast better hardpoints and maneuverability than the [[Type-9]], the hardpoints are positioned in a way that does not allow them good coverage areas or firing arcs, making it difficult to keep even turreted mounts on targets. The biggest downside is the shield generator and hull mass, which make the Beluga very easy to take down with even moderate fire. Combined with its colossal size making it a ridiculously large target the Beluga is often easy pickings for many ships, and even a Fighter Hanger only helps so much.

As a [[Trader|trading]] ship, the Beluga has 368t of potential space. This is fairly poor for a large, expensive ship, only beating the capacity of the significantly cheaper [[Type-7 Transporter]] by 60 tonnes. Additionally, for only slightly more than the price of a Beluga Liner, a trader seeking a reliable ship for cargo runs can purchase the higher-capacity [[Type-9 Heavy]]. Overall, the Beluga is simply an inefficient choice for trading.

~~As a cargo~~ ship, the Beluga has 368t of potential space. This is fairly poor for a large ship, only beating the [[Type-7 Transporter]] by 60 tonnes. ~~The~~ Beluga ~~is capable of doing~~ cargo runs ~~but the price puts it in range of~~ the [[Type-9 Heavy]]~~; which completely overshadows it all together~~.

The Beluga Liner makes for an interesting option as an [[Explorer|Exploration]] vessel. With proper [[Engineers|Engineering]] and a [[Guardian Frame Shift Drive Booster]], its jump range tops out at 40-50 ly depending on what other modules it is carrying, but there are cheaper, less unwieldy ships to choose from that can achieve higher jump ranges. What makes the Beluga a decent contender as an explorer is its internal space and ability to equip a [[Fighter Hangar]], it can carry every essential exploration module, a number of non-essential ones, and still have room for modules that have less usefulness out in the black, such as [[Cargo Rack]]s. Not to be overlooked is the Beluga's open cockpit layout, which provides a wide, unobstructed view.

[[File:Convergence beluga.png|thumb|250px|Beluga Liner hardpoints convergence]]

The Beluga Liner performs poorly in [[combat]]. While the ship does boast better hardpoints and maneuverability than the Type-9, the five Class 2 hardpoints are positioned in a way that does not allow them good coverage areas or firing arcs, making it difficult to keep even turreted mounts on targets. The biggest downside is the shield generator and hull mass, which make the Beluga very easy to take down with even moderate fire. Combined with its colossal size making it a ridiculously large target, the Beluga is often easy pickings for many ships, and even a Fighter Hanger only helps so much.

As a dedicated, high-capacity passenger liner the Beluga Liner suffers from a number of shortcomings that restrict its ability to adequately serve other roles. The Beluga cannot hold a [[Shield Generator]] larger than Class 6, making it the only ship unable to fit a shield generator that is optimized for its mass. The Beluga also has issues with heat management, which can exceed safe levels during and immediately after a [[Hyperspace]] jump due the heat build-up from the charging FSD; this can be partially mitigated by installing a higher-rated [[Power Plant]], but the added mass will hinder the ship's jump range. It also has a worse jump range than the [[Orca]], only marginally better combat potential, and a frustratingly large size that complicates docking. The Beluga is unsurpassed in its capacity for bulk VIP passenger missions, but with its various flaws, the Beluga is in essence cripplingly over-specialized.

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 The third in the Saud Kruger line after the Dolphin and Orca, the Beluga Liner is the Passenger equivalent of the [[Type-9]], sacrificing the huge cargo hold to carry luxury VIPs. It is designed to accommodate even more passengers in luxury and comfort than an [[Orca]], but this specialization comes at the cost of speed and maneuverability. The result is a slow, cumbersome ship that is difficult to fit through a station's [[Access Corridor]]; deploying the landing gear folds the ship's bulky rear fins down, making it easier to traverse. To compensate, the Beluga features a Class 7 [[Frame Shift Drive]] and a 128-tonne [[Fuel Tank]] that gives it an impressive travel range for long-distance cruises. The Beluga can also fit a [[Fighter Hangar]] to bolster its modest offensive capability, though it is in no way optimized or recommended for extensive combat.
-The Beluga Liner performs poorly in [[Combat]]. While the ship does boast better hardpoints and maneuverability than the [[Type-9]], the hardpoints are positioned in a way that does not allow them good coverage areas or firing arcs, making it difficult to keep even turreted mounts on targets. The biggest downside is the shield generator and hull mass, which make the Beluga very easy to take down with even moderate fire. Combined with its colossal size making it a ridiculously large target the Beluga is often easy pickings for many ships, and even a Fighter Hanger only helps so much.
+As a [[Trader|trading]] ship, the Beluga has 368t of potential space. This is fairly poor for a large, expensive ship, only beating the capacity of the significantly cheaper [[Type-7 Transporter]] by 60 tonnes. Additionally, for only slightly more than the price of a Beluga Liner, a trader seeking a reliable ship for cargo runs can purchase the higher-capacity [[Type-9 Heavy]]. Overall, the Beluga is simply an inefficient choice for trading.
-As a cargo ship, the Beluga has 368t of potential space. This is fairly poor for a large ship, only beating the [[Type-7 Transporter]] by 60 tonnes. The Beluga is capable of doing cargo runs but the price puts it in range of the [[Type-9 Heavy]]; which completely overshadows it all together.
 The Beluga Liner makes for an interesting option as an [[Explorer|Exploration]] vessel. With proper [[Engineers|Engineering]] and a [[Guardian Frame Shift Drive Booster]], its jump range tops out at 40-50 ly depending on what other modules it is carrying, but there are cheaper, less unwieldy ships to choose from that can achieve higher jump ranges. What makes the Beluga a decent contender as an explorer is its internal space and ability to equip a [[Fighter Hangar]], it can carry every essential exploration module, a number of non-essential ones, and still have room for modules that have less usefulness out in the black, such as [[Cargo Rack]]s. Not to be overlooked is the Beluga's open cockpit layout, which provides a wide, unobstructed view.
 [[File:Convergence beluga.png|thumb|250px|Beluga Liner hardpoints convergence]]
+The Beluga Liner performs poorly in [[combat]]. While the ship does boast better hardpoints and maneuverability than the Type-9, the five Class 2 hardpoints are positioned in a way that does not allow them good coverage areas or firing arcs, making it difficult to keep even turreted mounts on targets. The biggest downside is the shield generator and hull mass, which make the Beluga very easy to take down with even moderate fire. Combined with its colossal size making it a ridiculously large target, the Beluga is often easy pickings for many ships, and even a Fighter Hanger only helps so much.
 As a dedicated, high-capacity passenger liner the Beluga Liner suffers from a number of shortcomings that restrict its ability to adequately serve other roles. The Beluga cannot hold a [[Shield Generator]] larger than Class 6, making it the only ship unable to fit a shield generator that is optimized for its mass. The Beluga also has issues with heat management, which can exceed safe levels during and immediately after a [[Hyperspace]] jump due the heat build-up from the charging FSD; this can be partially mitigated by installing a higher-rated [[Power Plant]], but the added mass will hinder the ship's jump range. It also has a worse jump range than the [[Orca]], only marginally better combat potential, and a frustratingly large size that complicates docking. The Beluga is unsurpassed in its capacity for bulk VIP passenger missions, but with its various flaws, the Beluga is in essence cripplingly over-specialized.

Beluga Liner: Difference between revisions

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