Of the dozens of Mon Calamari warships that joined the Rebel fleet, the MC80 is the most powerful. As equipped, the MC80 is the largest ship in the Rebel arsenal. Even though the MC80 is a full 400 meters shorter than an Imperial‑class Star Destroyer, it is more than capable of giving its larger opponent a sound beating. The recklessness of Imperial commanders, combined with the skill of the Mon Calamari gun crews, cost he Empire several of their most powerful warships. Following these losses, the Empire began to take the Mon Calamari threat more seriously.
No two MC80s are the same, despite the fact that they have identical numerical designations. Their capabilities are roughly the same, but their external appearance and internal structure are quite different. When placed side by side, the variations between these enormous ships can be noticed by beings that are attentive enough to see them.
The crew complements of Alliance MC80s feature a large cross-section of galactic species, but the command crews of these vessels are made up exclusively of Mon Calamari volunteers. The reasons for this are practical rather than elitist, since the controls and other ship systems were created with Mon Calamari physiology in mind. Although a human might be able to contribute to the control of such a warship, they would never be as adept at doing so as their Mon Calamari counterparts.
It is often said by galactic historians that the Rebel Alliance would never have gained victory over the Galactic Empire if not for the generosity and sacrifice of the Mon Calamari. No one knows this more than the Mon Calamari themselves. Regardless, the Mon Calamari are a humble species, and they have never sought glory for their role in the conflict.
Capabilities
Despite the superior engineering that went into their construction, the fact remains that Mon Calamari ships are smaller and less well armed than Imperial Star Destroyers. In order to make up for these deficiencies, the Mon Calamari have developed several tactics that take advantage of their ship’ exceptional speed and maneuverability. Although the Imperial Navy’s initial contact with Mon Calamari cruisers resulted in the destruction of several Star Destroyers, this was a result of the recklessness and audacity of Imperial Commanders. The Empire has learned its lesson, and such careless behavior on the part of its naval crews can no longer be assumed.
It is rare for a Mon Calamari cruiser to directly engage an Imperial Star Destroyer. There are so few MC80s that such tactics would quickly decimate the Rebel fleet. Even if losses were equal on either side, the Empire would still have a vast numerical advantage over the Alliance. The one thing that often makes all the difference are the small, well-equipped starfighters that are so commonly employed by the Alliance. A single MC80 is equipped with as many as 36 fighter craft, and this number can include any ratio of A‑, B‑, X‑, or Y‑wing starfighters. More often than not, an MC80 will sit at a safe distance providing covering fire for its fighter wing and support ships.
Aside from its agility and the superior starfighters in its launch bay, the MC80 has one other benefit over the Imperial Star Destroyer: a series of highly advanced backup shield generators. these generators allow an MC80’s deflector shields to recharge at twice the normal rate, adding to the ship’s overall durability. For every three swift actions taken to recharge its shields, an MC80 will regain 10 shield points instead of the normal 5. This benefit has made all the difference in a number of battles.
Tactical Fire: Mon Calamari MC80 Star Cruisers often use their advanced shields to protect their fellow starships from harm. As a standard action, an MC80 cruiser can forgo all attacks to provide tactical fire to all squares in a 2-square radius around itself. All allied starships within that area gain +10 SR as long as the star cruiser’s SR is greater than 0.
Mon Calamari MC80 Star Cruiser (CL 19)
Starships of the Galaxy, page 114.
Colossal (cruiser) capital ship
Initiative: −1; Senses: Perception +6
Defenses: Fort 54, Ref 16 (flat-footed 13) ; +13 armor, Vehicular Combat
Hit Points: 1,800; DR: 20; SR: 150; Damage Threshold: 254
Speed: fly 3 squares (starship scale)
Ranged: 4 turbolaser batteries +15* (see below) and
5 heavy ion cannon batteries +11* (see below) and
tractor beam battery +15* (see below)
Fighting Space: 2×2 (starship scale); Cover: total
Base Attack: +2; Grapple: 66
Abilities: Str 98, Dex 16, Con —, Int 16
Skills: Initiative −1, Mechanics +6, Perception +6, Pilot −1, Use Computer +6
Crew: 5,402 (skilled); Passengers: 12,00 (troops)
Cargo: 20,000 tons; Consumables: 2 years; Carried Craft: 36 A-, B-, X-, and/or Y-wing fighters, two stock light freighters
Hyperdrive: ×1 (backup ×9), navicomputer
Availability: Military; Cost: not available for sale
* Apply a −20 penalty on attacks against targets smaller than Colossal size.
Turbolaser battery (6 gunners)
Attack: +15 (−5 against targets smaller than Colossal), Damage: 5d10×5
Heay ion cannon battery (4 gunners)
Attack: +11 (−9 against targets smaller than Colossal), Damage: 3d10×5 ion
Tractor beam battery (6 gunners)
Attack: +15 (−5 against targets smaller than Colossal), Damage: — (grapple +66)