Vessel:Goddard

FIXME

Ships

FIXME

---

---

Description

---

Arguably the best human-built ship, with a wide range of mission capabilities, the Goddard is the choice of pilots from bounty hunters to defenders.

The Goddard mounts twenty weapons points, has capability for two pad long turrets (although they usually are found with only one mounted), and cargo space for 500 cubic meters of cargo. Maximum speed (with augmentation) for the Goddard in combat mode is 1,784 kms and 178,400 in travel mode.

The weapons mountings for the Goddard are as follows: 4 heavy missile 4 light beam 2 light/medium beam 2 capship beam 8 light/medium missle

Thus, the Goddard can theoretically be armed with practically any combination of weapons available, including experimental weapons. Although not a "stealth" ship as such, the Goddard's dark color makes it difficult to see unless it's close to a sun.

The Goddard can also be outfitted with Rlaan screens and Aera weapons, both of which make the Goddard even deadlier than its designers imagined.

The following information is pending approval by the Andolian Department of Interstellar Defense

The Goddard design arose from the Andolian Department of Interstellar Defense (ADID) recognition that while their (then) current fleet was effective against most Aera hunters, they lacked an effective ship which could be heavy enough to take on Aera capships but manuverable enough to fight pirates, Uln, as well as the Aera hunters encroaching on Andolian space. The ADID design specs called for high manuverability, and maximum weapons capability. Andolian defense contractors allegedly offered three designs. (The allegations that the other two proposed designs were called by their designers the "Enterprise" and the "Galactica" are purely apocryphal.) The Goddard, designed by the Andolian-Holly Design Bureau, was clearly the superior design, so it was the only one actually produced.

After its deployment with the ADID, permission was given to export the Goddard to allied factions and, eventually, to independent but friendly pilots. The only restriction the ADID placed on sale of Goddards was that exported Goddards must be pre-equipped with screens, reactors, engines, and radar (often called "milspec" ships). There are unconfirmed reports that the Andolians have newer models of the Goddard with more powerful reactors and engines, and additional weapons mounts. So far these ships, if they exist, have not been made available outside the ADID.

[From Jane's Italic textAll The Universe's StarshipsItalic text, (c) Jane's Defense Manuals, New London, Lisacc, Magellan System]