Anaconda (Oolite)

Anaconda

Size (metres, W×H×L)	75 × 60 × 170
Cargo capacity	750 TC
Cargo bay extension	N/A
Maximum speed	0.14 LM
Manoeuvrability	Roll: 0.75 Pitch: 0.40
Energy banks	7
Energy recharge rate	Medium (3.0)
Gun mounts	Fore, Aft Starboard, Port
Missile slots	7
Shield boosters available	No
Military shields available	No
Hyperspace capable	Yes
OXP or standard	Standard (Liner is OXP)
Available to player	Yes
Base price	650000 Cr

Overview

This ship is a pure trader, having a standard capacity of 750 TC. It is fitted with internal loaders to allow the ship to be quickly filled. Since it will strip most open markets bare and have room left over, the Anaconda is usually used for shipments rather than opportunistic trading: when a company wants to move its produce from one system to another, it'll have a fleet of Anacondas as the heavy movers.

Notable Features

'Long, pointy and glacially slow' was the verdict of 'What Spaceship?' when the craft's first production run hit the open market in 2856. 'Steers like a rogue asteroid' was the assessment of 'Trader' magazine. While Jeremiah Clarkson wouldn't be seen dead in an Anaconda - most people with a load to shift would be, because this is what it does reliably day in and day out. It isn't particularly strongly armed - although it carries up to 7 missiles and 4 lasers, it is slow in turning and has difficulty bringing lasers to bear on anything even remotely maneuverable. Therefore, it is typically seen escorted by other ships - it is common to see an Anaconda and half a dozen Cobra Mk.1 or Mamba escorts.

An Anaconda liner nears its destination

Its size makes it a problem to dock with many space stations. In many busier star systems, reservations must be made to handle a craft of this size. It also only just fits in most docking ports, so the crew must be careful to ensure that the ship is properly lined up before docking, as much embarassment occurs when a ship gets wedged in the docking port - shutting down trading for many hours while work crews get to hack at the ship with ablative saws.

Conversions

Beerbaum and ThruSpace Inc. initially planned to make a passenger-carrying version of the mighty Anaconda, however, sales were not forthcoming - not due to any flaw in the ship's design, but mainly through lacklustre marketing to the spacelines. In the end however, human and feline investors seeing a market niche in economy passenger transport, joined to form Anaconda SpaceWays. From its inception route between Zaonce and Tionisla, it has eventually acquired a large fleet of converted Anacondas servicing a route network which covers most stable economy systems.