HES Olgas
HES Olga represents a class that was the workhorse of the Yards and the fleet for many many years. Sturdy construction, heavy engines, disproportionately high cargo space, and a force field closed hangar bay made these tough little ships ideal for a variety of specialist missions, as well as general shunting and hauling locally around Port Block Yards' great orbital shipyard facilities throughout the galaxy.
Requiring only a crew of 2 (Commander/Pilot and Engineer/Pilot), and only one if being used simply as a short range shuttle these Chifley Class support vessels are a common site around the yards. Beyond yard work, and as a space to surface shuttle, Chifleys have also been seen:
- Assisting in large rescue missions, in co-operation with larger vessels. Chifleys have the interior space to both recover a decent number of survivors from pods, as well as take whole pods into the field closed hangar, where the pod's docking port is damaged or incompatible. Further, where the recovery mission involves recovering cargo, the hangar proves invaluable.
- Working independently, or in the company of a small flotilla of Chifley's together with an Armed Tender or similar, these hardy ships have also served as fighter tenders. The long ranged Y-Wings that form Port Block Yard's strategic bomber squadrons generally operate from planetary bases, but have also been known to operate for extended durations in deep space. Patrol range and loiter could be dramatically extended by being refuelled in space by a Chifley. Range and flexibility could be extended further yet if the Chifley had been fitted out with some basic quarters. During the relief of the besieged colonies on MinTer 6, the Y-Wings were flying round the clock touch and go escorts for supply ships going in and refugee transports coming out. Once in free space, the transports would continue on their way, and the Y-Wings would turn back with the next supply ship. Shifts of pilots quartered aboard Chifleys (including HES Olga) would be cycled though the Y-Wings to keep them on station throughout the operation. The Armed Tender HES Scarborough provided cover for the otherwise vulnerable flotilla. The Chifleys themselves are quite sturdy, with well defended critical systems and heavy armour, but they are heavy and not very quick - and no-one likes to be caught refuelling fighters, without the luxury of long long legs.
- On the rare occasion where Port Block Yards' interests have required planetary insertion of troops and equipment, Chifleys have also served as dropships, ferrying men and materials to the surface, and providing close support. The pictures here show HES Olga in this configuration during Port Block's invited participation in the defence of the University compounds of England during the Bot War. The shots were taken testing the hovermotors in the base of the hull at Port Block Yards' Terran proving grounds.
Comparisons with Port Block Yards other primary planetary transport, the Rothana Heavy Engineering Gunship, is instructive. There is no doubt that the LAAT/i is faster, more manoeuvrable in the suffocating density of breathable atmospheres, and considerably more attractive, however Chifley class vessels have other strengths to recommend them for many planetary missions. Beyond their flexibility as a spacecraft/starcraft (needing no help to and from orbit, and capable, if properly fitted out, of long range missions), they make up for their lesser speed and sex appeal in brute strength and carrying capacity. Time and again, the gunships have proved themselves fragile and vulnerable to spirited air defence.
Olgas is anything but fragile, opting to absorb the punishment, rather than try to manoeuvre around it.
Interestingly, the response of the security forces members who have occasion to call on the support of both of these vessels exhibit a surprising yet common behaviour. Green troops, yet to feel the sting of battle unfailingly prefer the Gunship, and the glamour and speed of flashing about the theatre. Veterans however, to a man, report that the would prefer to go in and out on a Chifley - 'More of us can get into the game, and more of us get to come back. Good deal...' and 'For all their speed, Gunships don't deploy from orbit, which means planetary staging before an insertion. I prefer it if the unfriendlies don't get too much notice that I'm coming. Chifley's rule.'
There are places for both vehicles in the Port Block Yards Register.
