Ships

YT-1300 Transport

(Millennium Falcon)

Despite her outward appearance, the Falcon is not the standard YT-1300 cargo vessel she seems. It was won by gambler Lando Calrissian in a sabacc game. During Lando's first year of ownership, he had adventures in the Rafa system, the Oseon belt, and the Starcave of ThonBoka. Lando Calrissian then lost the Falcon to Han Solo in a Sabbac game. Heavily modified form her original stock configuration, the Millennium Falcon has acquired capabilities unheard of in Corellian standard freighters. These include security mechanisms, computer targeting consoles, boosted deflector shields, powerful hyperdrive and an armored hull. Able to reach point five beyond lightspeed, she is one of the fastest non-Imperial vessels currently in use and owes much of her power availability curve to a vast array of unregistered and normally incompatible computer and thrust system modifications.

It was Lando's idea to install hidden cargo sections under the Falcon's deck-plates. At this time the Falcon had a pair of smaller blasters located on the bow mandibles. Calrissian and his droid Vuffi Raa also increased the ship's shields. The Falcon gained one of her most significant battle scars, a huge tear near its entry ramp, when a Renatasian Confederation starfighter rammed her. Solo continued the modifications that Calrissian began when the Falcon came under his ownership. Her armor, armament and speed have all been upgraded. The Falcon lacks a bacta tank, so it is equipped with a cryogenic hibernation capsule for emergency medical procedures, or for the transport of live cargo.

The Millennium Falcon's power, propulsion and computer network arrangements require a constant maintenance schedule that keeps her repair and adjustment time at a level nearly twice the ship's flying time. A beefed-up hyperdrive system is at the core of the Falcon's increased speed, which is well above the light speed plus point one capability of the standard Corellian YT-1300. Four fuel slug tanks in the ship's power core give her an increased range, even at extreme speeds and engine temperatures. While repairs to her various systems must usually be performed each time the ship lands, she refuels at an average rate of only once per month.

The Falcon's increased speed led to the need for a more advanced navicomputer than that of the standard YT-1300. Precise calculations are required for the complex hyperspace entry and exit procedures used by faster-than-light vessels, and the falcon is no exception.

The Falcon is armed with two quad laser cannons, two concussion missile launchers & a retractable light laser cannon. In addition it has falsified ID profiles and hidden cargo holds. These weapons can be fired either form their corresponding turret stations or from the cockpit. Remote cockpit operations, however, generally provides less accurate targeting than can be attained manually.

Concussion missiles housed in the lower center-forward mandible can be fired with great accuracy from the firing control panel. These missiles, powerful enough to penetrate any ship's hull (even through light shielding), pack more punch than either lasers or proton torpedoes can.

The Millennium Falcon carries a enhanced deflector shield system, one equal to any comparably-sized unit in use by Imperial forces. The ship's twin shield generator/projectors are housed against the forward main hull, protruding into the Falcon's mandibles. The shields can be angled and reinforced against enemy fire, making all deflector power available whether the Falcon is engaged in frontal attack or full retreat. In addition, a navigational defector system mounted between the ship's forward mandibles normally keep space ahead clear of small-to-microscopic impact debris.

One of the Falcon's most notable features is her topside port-mounted radar dish. The dish and its hardware allow the falcon to spot other ships in space several minutes before the possibly unfriendly vessels know the Falcon is there.

The Falcon's speed became quite useful as Solo and Chewbacca were drawn deeper into the Rebel cause, and the Falcon began flying missions for the Alliance. It was the Falcon that provided covering fire for Luke Skywalker's final attack run on the first Death Star. The Falcon became Princess Leia Organa's escape transport during the Battle of Hoth. During the decisive Battle of Endor, the Falcon flew point for the Alliance Fleet. Under Lando Calrissian's command, it soared into the heart of the incomplete Death Star, and delivered a missile volley that helped seal the Empire's fate.

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