This week we explore the most popular series of cargo hauling ships in the UEE, the MISC Hull series. I hope you enjoy.
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Show transcript is after the break
Welcome to another episode of Casual Citizen. An on-going series about the upcoming first person MMO Star Citizen by Cloud Imperium Games. I’m your host Alysianah from the Mystic Worlds Gaming Blog.
This week’s episode takes us back to a favorite topic among Star Citizen backers and followers - ships. Specifically, a series designed for cargo hauling, the MISC Hull series. In a future episode, I’d like to discuss cargo hauling and transportation in general and explore some of the more notable aspects mentioned in the various Galactic Guides and Lore. But today we’ll stick to the ship specific conversation, which is what people seem to enjoy. For all you Hull owners out there, this one’s for you.
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Since I’ve already done a bio on MISC, as part of Casual Citizen Episode 12 which covered the Starfarer. For that reason, this episode will only touch lightly on MISC’s history. For more thorough coverage please refer to episode 12.
MISC was formed in 2805. It was a merger between the failing Hat-o Electronics Corporation and the Musashi Lifestyle Design Unit. The merger capitalized on Hat-o ’s network of large-scale production facilities and Musashi’s design genius.
MISC is based on Saisei in Centauri and maintains its corporate offices there. As a manufacturer, they’re known for the ergonomics of their factories, where spacecraft are robotically assembled with precision. Centauri was one of the first systems settled during Humanity’s expansion among the stars. It was discovered in 2365 by a dedicated survey ship. Centauri III was quickly offered up at a premium to private concerns. The result was Saisei, one of the most beautiful and well-constructed Human worlds in the UEE.
The majority of MISC’s business comes from the production of their heavy industrial division. MISC-HI is responsible for a range of configurable bulk transport spacecraft that are the defacto standard in UEE space. In this line, which is the Hull Series, five standard hulls are mass produced and they will be the focus of this week’s show.
One of MISC’s other claims to fame, is their technology partnership with the Xi’An, which came about due to the popularity of MISC ships within their culture. That popularity led to MISC becoming the only Human spacecraft corporation to sign a lend lease agreement with the Xi’An. The details of which, are a closely guarded secret.
A bit of roleplay about the Hull series from Robertspaceindustries.com
“10-4, Hull-C Alpha Seven,” the voice of the Vega weigh station’s traffic control officer cracked over my comm. “You’re cleared to the outer marker. Clear skies.”
I’d stopped at Vega for a gallon of coffee and what might charitably be called a sandwich, and then found myself stuck in the outbound queue in the middle of planetary rush hour. 45 minutes of shaking my fist at short-hop Aurora pilots who clearly never learned to fly and I was late. Which meant that 1,530 standard cargo units of titanium-alloy engine cowls bound for Stanton were late, too. I swiped the console and brought up my engine status. The starboard-upper’s check-engine light flickered.
WARNING: MAINTENANCE REQUIRED
To hell with this I thought, as I ramped the output up to 110%. I’m not losing my bonus…
I really liked that sound of that. I liked the vibe. I did a bit of cargo hauling in EVE Online. I took NPC missions and hired myself and my blockage runner out for contract, to haul for other players. And while I don’t plan on specializing in cargo in Star Citizen, I see no problem earning a few credits shuffling crates when I’m already heading that way. This is what I appreciate about the Hull Series and MISC ships in general. They run the gamut from small opportunistic transport capabilities to dedicated large operations.
Directly from CIG
The Hull Series Promise
In short, the MISC Hull series of ships is how cargo gets from place to place. An inter-connected system of ships, designed around the same principles and intended to share the same equipment and maintenance processes. MISC has created the Hull A through E, to provide countless options for every type of merchant.
From the single-person Hull A to the super-massive Hull E bulk freighter, there’s a Hull for every job. Each ship includes a manned cab, drive unit and telescoping cargo spindle. When laden, the spindle expands to accept cargo pallets; while unloaded, the spindle retracts for faster, more maneuverable travel.
The Hull A ... or what I refer to as the baby freighter because of its size and curved cab, which remind me a baby moth.
The Hull A is the smallest and least expensive in the Hull series. It’s ideal for someone who is just starting out in freight hauling and is looking for a dedicated cargo vessel. In size it’s most similar to the Aurora, Mustang or Reliant Kore but is less versatile. The aforementioned ships are configured with more firepower, allowing them to also be used in combat. This is not the case for the Hull A.
The Hull A is 22 meters in length. Has a mass of roughly fourteen thousand kilograms. Supports 1 crew station. And holds 48 cargo units. In addition to being a dedicated hauler, the Hull A is often used as a station-to-orbit ferry. The size and limited capabilities, is one of the reasons the Hull A didn’t meet my needs even as someone who will only casual participate in cargo hauling. But I think it’s a good starter option for a dedicated hauler.
Next in the Hull series is the Hull B. It’s a larger and more rugged option than the Hull A. It can be compared to the Freelancer base model but here again, it’s less flexible in the non-cargo hauling features, lacking a long range scanner and is only equipped with one crew station. However, the lack of versatility is compensated for by providing additional storage capacity. Even the Freelancer MAX’s storage capabilities don’t match the Hull B.
The Hull be is 49 meters in length and weighs roughly sixty-seven thousand kilograms. It supports 1 crew station and can transport 384 cargo units. As you can see, that’s a significant jump in storage unit’s from the Hull A’s 48.
The Hull B is the variant I purchased. For smaller, on the go hauling, I have a Reliant Kore. And although I also own the Freelancer Mercantile, I’m going to be using that for multi-crew missions and tour bus for family and friends. For opportunistic hauling with a bit of intent, the Hull B hit the right chord for me.
The Hull C. This is where the Hull series makes a significant leap in cargo transport size. The Hull C is one of the more common ships seen transporting cargo around the galaxy. It’s the variant most produced from the Hull series and is considered the most versatile.
The Hull C is intended to hit the ‘sweet spot’ between the smaller single-person transports and the massive super-freighters that make up the rest of the line. It offers modularity while maintaining a modicum of maneuverability.
Considering the Hull series sequentially, the Hull C is the first in the series to employ the spindle modularity cargo support mechanic. This unique design allows the ship to shrink and grow to match your cargo hauling needs.
The ship itself is 105 meters in length and weighs just under 290,00 kilograms. It supports 3 crew stations and 4608 cargo units. That’s more than 10 times what Hull B can haul.
Now we enter the realm of large operation super-freighters. It’s the the Hull D, a massive ship built around a rugged frame. The Hull D is affordable enough to be operated by mid-sized organizations and companies. It’s often used as a flagship for mercantile operations. However, their bulk means that they should be operated with escort fighters while not in safe space. While it is equipped with Size 2 and 3 gimbal mounts as weapons support, it’s size would make it an easy target regardless. The UEE military uses modified Hull D as part of their supply chain, arming and refueling the soldiers on the front line.
The Hull D cab is 206 meters and weighs over 1 million kilograms. It supports 5 crew stations and 20,736 cargo units. This is for serious...dedicated...cargo transport.
Last in the series is the behemoth, Hull E. It’s the largest specialized freighter available on the market. The Hull E is generally owned by major corporations and operated with a high degree of planning. To make your excursions profitable, you want to do careful logistics planning that optimizes your route for pickup and delivery. And ensure you have payloads big enough and profitable enough to warrant undocking a Hull E.
It’s essential to understand that the lack of maneuverability inherent in such a large ship means that it is a target for pirates and raiders. Anyone planning to operate one should be careful about equipping turrets and providing reliable escort.
The Hull E isn’t for the fly by night cargo operator. It’s intended for large scale dedicated transport operations.
SHOW NOTES
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look into the Hull Series of transport ships. As soon as we have more specifics about cargo hauling mechanics, I will do a dedicated show that integrates the features and common ships, with what the Galactic Guides tell us about where work can be found for haulers of various sizes and specializations.
If you found this episode useful and entertaining, please considering subscribing to my channel and giving the show a thumbs up. It would be greatly appreciated and doing so helps the show’s visibility, making it easier for others to find their way here.
Be kind and fly safe. This is Alysianah signing off until next time.
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