Rebel Assault Frigate

Rebel Assault Frigate Mk I

The Rebel Assault Frigate is a unique addition to the Alliance fleet due to its origins. Though they are hardly recognizable as such, these Alliance craft are heavily modified Imperial Dreadnaughts. Although it is common for the Alliance to modify and adapt starships to its own specifications, the Assault Frigate is set apart by the sheer amount of modification it has seen.

When the Alliance acquired a number of Old Republic-era Dreadnaughts, the initial excitement was replaced by apprehension. The crew requirements of the old warships were astronomical, especially considering the Alliance’s limited pool of available crew. True, the ranks of the Alliance swelled with every new atrocity committed by the Empire, but this growth was neither fast nor specialized enough to generate several of the 16,000-member crews that Dreadnaught ordinarily require. Something needed to be done in order to make use of the Dreadnaughts, which were badly needed if the Alliance was to have a chance of defeating the Empire.

To begin with, huge amounts of the Dreadnaught’s superstructure have been removed. Not only does this increase the engine capacity of the vessels, but the reduced mass of the ship greatly increases fuel efficiency. In order to improve the ship’s maneuverability, two large solar fins were installed along the assault frigate’s dorsal ridge. Even with these adjustments, the crew complement of the frigate would still be too extreme. In order to reduce the number of crewmembers required to operate the assault frigate, automated systems, including large numbers of droids, have been implemented throughout the design. These automated systems reduce the crew requirements of the vessel by nearly sixty percent.

The Alliance has precious few of these ships in operation, mostly due to the expense of retrofitting captured or salvaged Dreadnaughts. Those that have been put into service have performed exceptionally well, with no losses reported prior to the Battle of Endor. Though the extensive automation of ship systems requires additional maintenance, the trade-off is well worth the extra work.

Mark I Capabilities

Compare to the Dreadnaught, the Rebel Assault Frigate is slightly less resilient, but this is the only area in which the Dreadnaught exceeds the assault frigate’s capabilities. Due to its widespread modifications, the assault frigate has augmented deflector shield capacity, a wider range of weaponry, increased speed, and greater maneuverability.

Because much of the assault frigate’s superstructure has been stripped, it lacks docking bays and landing platforms. To make up for this deficiency, Alliance techs have installed twenty umbilical docking fixtures along the ship’s surface, six of which are large enough to accommodate a standard Alliance transport. the remaining fourteen of these fixtures are better suited to docking starfighters and light freighters. Ships connected to these umbilical fixtures cannot be carried through hyperspace, and can be seriously damaged if an attempt is made to do so.

The only concession made by Rebel techs in regard to smaller ships is the inclusion of a modified Imperial assault shuttle at the top of the assault frigate’s superstructure. When properly docked, the assault shuttle can accompany the frigate into hyperspace with no adverse effect.

Tactical Fire: Rebel Assault Frigates (both the Mark I and Mark II models) put out large amounts of firepower that can make it difficult for attacking starships to line up a clear shot. As a standard action, a Rebel Assault Frigate can forgo all attacks to provide tactical fire to all squares in a 2-square radius around itself. Enemy ship within that area take a −2 penalty on attack rolls.

Rebel Assault Frigate Mk I (CL 16)

Starships of the Galaxy, page 124.

Colossal (cruiser) capital ship

Initiative: −2; Senses: Perception +5

Defenses: Fort 52, Ref 16 (flat-footed 13) ; +13 armor

Hit Points: 1,500; DR: 20; SR: 150; Damage Threshold: 252

Speed: fly 3 squares (starship scale)

Ranged: 3 light turbolaser batteries +11* (see below) and
4 quad turbolaser batteries +11* (see below) and
3 turbolaser batteries +11* (see below)

Fighting Space: 2×2 (starship scale); Cover: total

Base Attack: +0; Grapple: 62

Abilities: Str 94, Dex 16, Con —, Int 16

Skills: Initiative −2, Mechanics +6, Perception +6, Pilot −2, Use Computer +6

Crew: 5,000 (skilled); Passengers: 100 (troops)

Cargo: 7,500 tons; Consumables: 1.5 years; Carried Craft: 1 Gamma-class Assault Shuttle

Hyperdrive: ×2 (backup ×12), navicomputer

Availability: Military; Cost: not available for sale

* Apply a −20 penalty on attacks against targets smaller than Colossal size.

Light turbolaser battery (5 gunners)
Attack: +11 (−9 against targets smaller than Colossal), Damage: 2d10×5

Quad turbolaser battery (5 gunners)
Attack: +11 (−9 against targets smaller than Colossal), Damage: 4d10×5

Turbolaser battery (5 gunners)
Attack: +11 (−9 against targets smaller than Colossal), Damage: 7d10×5

Rebel Assault Frigate Mk II

The Rebel Assault Frigate Mk II is a further development of the Alliance project to modify captured or salvaged Old Republic Dreadnaughts. Although the Mk II uses the same Dreadnaught hull as the Mk I, it looks vastly different from its cousin. Only experienced starship engineers who know what to look for can tell that the ships are related.

Although the Mk I assault frigate retained a good deal of the Dreadnaught’s hull design, the Mk II is a much more original design. The design was produced by engineers and technicians within Rendili Star Drive who were sympathetic to the cause of the Alliance. Working in secrecy, they took the original assault frigate several steps beyond the Alliance’s vision. Unfortunately for the effort, Rendili Star Drive caught wind of the covert project and shut it down from the inside out. Many of these rogue engineers wee killed or captured, but a few managed to defect to the Rebel Alliance. As a result, the Alliance fleet has far fewer Mk II assault frigates than Mk Is.

Mark II Capabilities

Like the Rebel assault Frigate Mk I, the Mk II uses a large array of automated ships systems, reducing its reliance on organic crew persons by an additional 180.

Aside from the external differences between the Mk I and Mk II, one other significant change sets the Mk II apart: a shield generator based on Mon Calamari designs. This feature allows the Mk II assault frigate to regenerate its shield rating at twice the normal rate, increasing it by 10 for every three swift actions taken to recharge it.

Rebel Assault Frigate Mk II (CL 17)

Starships of the Galaxy, page 125.