The Happy Hauler - fulfilling the needs of industrial pilots everywhere

montecristo · Jan 2, 2015

Welcome to the Happy Hauler Shipworks!

Here we design, build, and test all manner of utility ships meant to make your stuff move faster and your credit balance climb higher*!

*User's experience may vary.

Happy Hauler Shipworks is not responsible for any loss of life or limb resulting from spontaneous equipment fires or homicidal ship AIs. The end user accepts all risks associated with our vessels and those presented by the friendly, neighborhood pirate. If you wish to make a claim on your standard-issue factory warranty due to manufacturer defect, please contact our claims department.

R51 Staghound
Link: http://starmadedock.net/content/rx51-staghound-basic.1916/

An aesthetic but relatively cheap, sturdy freighter for passenger or cargo hauling during the early game. CAUTION: Fragile when under fire. Also, the cockpit has been modified for ergonomics after the last test pilot complained that one button was one-too-many.

PROS:
+ A cockpit that puts you right into the action!
+ Cheap! All grey basic hull and some lights (Swap out the white for coolness)!
+ "Relatively" spacious cargo pod/bays
+ Eco-friendly engines!
+ Stock edition carries upwards of 12 passengers!

CONS:
- Unarmed, minus those battle-hardened marines you have in the passenger compartment
- Takes-me-awhile-to-reach-top-speed engines!
- Those dang cargo pods don't have doors!

1/4: A top-front isometric view:

2/4: A rear-bottom isometric view

3/4: Cockpit view

4/4: Backseat View... FemShep is bringing the hurt to a station near you!

Power Regen 50,000 e (1739 e/s)
Shield: 0 s (0 s/sec)
Mass: 440.2
Thrust: 90

Not quite available:
R51 - Stock-Standard Version
IS51 - Interstellar Shipping Variant
AI51 - Altair Industries Version

R9 Yorkshire
Link: http://starmadedock.net/content/rx9-yorkshire-basic.1927/

Part II of a line of industrial haulers, the Yorkshire is a massive beast designed to cart all your precious little ship parts whether the trip be shop-to-shop or from warehouse to shipyard.

At nearly 300m long, this "Atlas" of a craft has six main cargo bays and two tanks (for all your sloppy, sloshy cargo needs). Please note that the cargo pods do not sport doors at this time.

As the stock-basic version sports no defenses and a hull made of laser-magnets, it is recommended to set aside several convoy escorts for protection.

As of this time, we are only accepting pre-orders for the stock-basic version, which consists of grey hull, grey hull, and grey hull -- in that order. Please note that, in your games, beginners hungry for more cargo space may take measures to suck the universe dry of grey hull to manufacture this monstrosity, as it is really quite easy to build -- all basic parts, after all.

Product Disclaimer: HHW takes no responsibility for side-shield arms that don't move and cargo bay clamp thingies that don't un-clamp. Please consult the user manual for more information.

Pros:
+ Tons of space for cargo! Or other things...
+ More relative engine power than the Staghound!
+ Lots of fun to run into things with.
+ Co-pilot friendly!
+ Cockpit with leg-room!
+ Large "upgrade spaces" to be used for ship upgrades like jumpdrives and shields.

Cons:
- Still not enough engine power to move like a fighter.
- Why do the pods still not have doors!?
- Relatively high number of included power capacitors may make a dent in the early-player's bank account.
-May need to add lighting.
- No shields. Aw.

1/7: Top Isometric

2/7: Bottom Isometric

3/7: Rear View

4/7: Cockpit View

5/7: Surface View (Top)

6/7: Crew/Passenger Compartment

Length: 283 m
Height: 35 m
Width: 81 m
Mass: 8270
Thrust: 4710
Shields: 55 s (0 s/sec)
Power: 1 539 760 s (171 083 e/sec)

Not quite available:
R9 - Stock-Standard Version
IS9 - Interstellar Shipping Variant
AI9 - Altair Industries Variant

montecristo · Jan 2, 2015

Update #1: Have been using my holiday time... "productively"...

Here is a quick screenie sneak-peek of HHW's next top freighter: the "R-Something Husky." It is still a WIP, just in case that wasn't obvious!

Also, I never really thought very hard about ship scale until today while mucking about at a Trading Guild Station. My adorable little Staghound fits in the hanger!

Raelimar · Jan 3, 2015

Nice. Really like the cockpits.

montecristo · Jan 26, 2015

Update #2: Now that the weekend is over...

Have taken a little break from finishing up the Husky. While I like the overall profile, I am having difficulty integrating the cockpit <s>effectively</s> aesthetically. It currently rests below the main cargo boom/assembly.

In other news, I have used this weekend also "productively..."

Warning: WIP vanity pictures ahead--

Below are some shots of my current WIP. Yes, I realize I made a horrible, horrible mistake... there are actually colors. Now, I could try and explain the purpose of this craft, but my fingers really don't have the patience. Oh what the heck, here's a copy-paste for you all to enjoy...

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Windtalker

This article is about a spacefaring vessel. For other uses, see Windtalker (disambiguation)

This ARTICLE is a STUB. You can help Encyclopedia Universum by expanding it.

The CC41 Windtalker was an electronic warfare and drone command-and-control frigate produced as part of a then-unprecedented joint venture between defense contractor Fennelly-Collins and the Happy Hauler Works. It served faithfully in several conflicts from 2549-2678 before its decommissioning September 23, 2678.

IMPETUS

Coming down from the Turgurren conflict three years earlier, the Arellan 4th Fleet sought a new vessel to increase its forces versatility. During the war, both sides, Turgurren and Arellan fielded massive drone carriers designed to carry entire automated fleets and conduct command-and-control in the field. However, such vessels were large, unwieldy, and expensive. Seeking to acquire smaller, more mobile warships to master the extensive skirmish warfare as witnessed during the Turgurren Conflict, the 4th fleet turned to its private sector for designs. Spurred on by the 16-year conflict, an abundance of defense contractors eagerly sought business that had dried up in the wake of the Armistice.

SELECTION OF DESIGN

During the competition, 46 designs competed to become the 4th Fleet's new ship-of-the-line for electronic warfare. Only two schematics made it into the final rounds and into early production: Masterson Works' X-7 Ursula and FC-HHW's X-41 Windtalker.

One prototype of each design was produced over the course of 6 months at the shipyards in orbit about Diorene V. The early production was paid for by the design sponsors with matching funds provided by the 4th Fleet. Initially the Ursula cost 15,000,000 ISC and the Windtalker 18,000,000 ISC.

TESTING

The trials tested the designs' ability to meet design benchmarks and primary objectives: 1) drone uplink and command-and-control, 2) radar jamming, 3) jam-resistant communications, and 4) fleet support/logistics. For the first test, five probes were launched into the atmosphere of Diorene's third moon under cover of the moon's frequent magnetic storms. Each vessel was to maintain a geostationary orbit at roughly 4300 nautical miles above the moon's surface and establish communication with the five probes below.

The Ursula, while cheaper to produce, was designed with integration of surplus/decommissioned military components in mind. While the ships systems were designed to accommodate for the less-advanced equipment with greater power output, it was only able to establish a connection with three of the five probes. The Windtalker, on the other hand, utilized the most state-of-the-art equipment available at the time of its conception. Due to advances in signal search algorithms and multiphasic signal reconstruction that the Windtalker's equipment had over the Ursula's, it was able to establish a connection with four of the five probes.

A later investigation determined that the fifth probe's thrusters malfunctioned during atmospheric entry, causing it to smash into the moon's surface shortly after deorbiting.

The second trial tested the designs' ability to conduct field EW. A decommissioned Blitz-class battlecruiser captured during the Turgurren Conflict in 2543 was outfitted with modern electronics and power subsystems and was used as the centerpiece of the test. Each prototype was tasked with suppressing the target's power management systems and jamming its targeting system.

Both ships used a combination of hacking routines and EM attack to suppress the Blitz's power systems. However, while the Ursula focused primarily on signal nullification to hide its radar profile, the Windtalker relied more heavily on hacking subroutines to disrupt the Blitz's targeting routines at the source. Consequently, both ships passed the test for power disruption. However, while novel, the Windtalker's radar jamming method relied on its systems' ability to break into enemy networks to jam targeting. Because of this, the Ursula was able to hide its electronic signal within two minutes of the trial start (time taken to decipher the enemy's scan frequency patterns and broadcast a nullifying radar signal). In comparison, the Windtalker took almost 15 minutes from trial start to crack the enemy's battlenet and commence targeting disruption.

With the decision leaning strongly towards Masterson's design, Windtalker engineers quickly retrofitted the prototype's systems, jury-rigging communication equipment to mimic the Ursula's signal nullification techniques. With the final trial two weeks from the last, the engineers sought to make a final, lasting impression.

TRIAL BY FIRE

War broke out between the systems on January 4, 2549, later to be known as the Drone Wars. Pressed for time and equipment, the 4th Fleet hastily commissioned both prototype vessels and assigned them to fleet support ops on the front.

During the Battle of Gallipon (see Battle of Gallipon), the Ursula was destroyed and the Windtalker sustained critical damage. With nearly three-quarters of its 23-man crew dead or seriously injured and its frame buckled, the vessel was incapable of combat and a sitting duck for enemy forces. Unable to retreat, the Windtalker prototype held its ground as the enemy fleet regrouped, then reattacked.

Fortunately, the crew was able to use the Windtalker's advanced power systems to boost its signal and broadcast a call for help several lightyears away. This message was received by a small naval detachment on patrol. Made aware of the Windtalker's plight and imminent capture, the Arellan detachment called for reinforcements and jumped into Gallipon to support the ailing craft.

Outnumbered nearly 5-to-1, the situation for the Arellan fleet seemed hopeless. Unable to contribute directly to the fight, the crew of the Windtalker took an account of their systems: a handful of communications antennas and several shield/power supply subsystems.

As the battle broke out between the Arellan ships and the Turgurren armada, the Windtalker crew reprogrammed the jury-rigged signal-nullifying radar jam protocols to nullify enemy comm broadcasts. Deploying their hacking assets, the Windtalker managed to break into the enemy communications net. Falsifying enemy command-and-control communiques, the Windtalker managed to confuse the enemy ships, buying the Arellan fleet valuable time to take out most of the Turgurren support fleet. Alone and unaided, the Turgurren capitals were sitting ducks when the Arellan reinforcements arrived in-system.

For their efforts, the entire surviving crew of the Windtalker was awarded the Fleet Distinguished Cross, and the ship itself was nicknamed "fides," Latin for "faith" for its pivotal role in winning the second Battle of Gallipon.

Picture 1/1: The Windtalker from far away - technically this is one that's been destroyed. You can see the top on the left one and the side on the right one. Still need to add the light/window-esque details in the black spaces on the side. Also need to start working on the bottom. The interior is mostly finished, but I need a couple more rooms. So far: Core Room/Pilot seat, C/C operations floor, server deck, living quarters/bathroom/showers, generator (oh yes, all the ship's lights can be turned on/off -- in case you want to go 'dark' without actually going dark...because this bright ship sticks out like a friggin' sore thumb).

Picture 2/2: Up close: the WIP Windtalker with its antennas and turrets. Still a couple more to go. Need to finish the etching on the top and add some more ship equipment into the black spaces between the bronze plates.

montecristo · Aug 29, 2015

Update #3: Been awhile since I last posted here... busy with work and life, but with some time in between brings...

Have been working on a new ship, seeing if I can build it from the inside-out. Now, you might say, "Monte! Do you know just *how* many ships NEVER get built from the inside-out?" I can make no promises that this won't end ugly, but here are some glamour pics in the meantime (don't worry, the Husky is standing by and the Windtalker...let's just say it is in major need of a redesign).

"But Monte!! Why are you building a warship? Isn't that against HHW's tenets?" Well...yes. No? We didn't realize we had tenets of shipbuilding. Nevertheless, a good cargo vessel will always need a good escort. And this ship makes a terrible escort. But it *does* protect sectors quite well from enemy vessels! If you need a station protected from those pesky pirates, this -- emphasis -- will-someday-maybe-sorta-kinda be your ship. And every good cargo vessel (that has an escort) will need a good (and not-dead) station to trade for profit.

This ship --> Protecting sector --> Protects station --> Allows cargo vessel to turn a profit! Or a deficit. Depends on the trader. And profit is our business! Thus, if we had tenets of shipbuilding (which we don't), we'd be making that profit go up. Or down. And thus, this ship has been justified.

Now that all that frivolous, nonsensical typing is done, here are the pictures of our latest work!

Vertical Missile Launch/Load Processing

Engineering Admin

Missile/Munition Storage

Cargo Storage 1

Core AI (Core Systems)

Ops/Command

Core and AI Power

Corridor Style

Main Power Generation/Storage

The Happy Hauler - fulfilling the needs of industrial pilots everywhere

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Raelimar

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