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- "Vandro, give me the specs on their vehicle."
"The 'tress needs a crew of four, but it can be handled by just a pilot in a pinch. It usually carries ten additional troops, and packs two heavy blaster cannons. My repeater may bother it, but we don't have anything else with us that will even scratch its armor." - ―Judder Page and Vandro
The HAVr A9 Floating Fortress was a heavily-armored combat repulsorcraft produced by Ubrikkian Industries.
Characteristics[]
Produced by Ubrikkian Industries, the HAVr A9 Floating Fortress[1] was a 17.4 meters[2] roughly cylindrical, heavily armored repulsorlift combat vehicle.[1] Capable of reaching speeds of two hundred kilometers an hour, with a maximum flight ceiling of twenty meters,[2] the Floating Fortress was able to both avoid or go through most obstacles in its way.[1]
The Floating Fortress mounted a twin turret blaster cannon on its roof[1] comprised of two Mk 2e/W heavy blaster cannons,[3] with each cannon capable of moving and tracking targets independently. At night, powerful search beams swept for targets before the blaster cannons locked on and fired.[1]
A sophisticated audio-visual surveillance system was installed on the Floating Fortress, which combined listening devices and heat sensing probes to create a sensor bubble with a thirty-meter diameter. The resulting Target Identification Network could detect nearby enemies. The system was based off a sensor package employed by assassin droids. The TIN could also be used to target a single enemy for a surgical strike when a show of power was required that did not need wanton destruction.[1]
Floating Fortresses required a crew of four; a pilot, a sensor operator for the Target Identification Network, and two gunners. There was room for ten soldiers to be carried aboard,[1] as well as one metric ton of cargo.[2]
History[]
Floating Fortress in action
The Floating Fortress gained a reputation for being a thorough, merciless vehicle in use by the Imperial Army. Often deployed to combat uprisings in urban areas, entire cities could be devastated by a squad of Floating Fortresses in search of elements of the Alliance to Restore the Republic or other enemies. Unlike the All Terrain Armored Transport, the Floating Fortress was capable of traversing the narrow streets of an urban environment, and still generated the fear and respect that its walker counterpart did. This led to a rivalry between the crews of Floating Fortresses and All Terrain Armored Transports. Army Command preferred deploying the walker in combat situations, while the commanders of the occupation forces preferred to utilize the Floating Fortress.[1]
During the early years of the Galactic Empire, General Hurst Romodi gained a reputation for leading battles from the open hatch of a Floating Fortress.[5] The prestigious Raithal Academy utilized the Floating Fortress, among other vehicles, to train Imperial Army cadets.[6]
The Katarn Commandos freed two New Republic prisoners from a Floating Fortress on Hettsk around 9 ABY.[4] Several Floating Fortresses were also used by the Imperial Remnant in the attack on the Jedi Praxeum in 12 ABY.[7]
Appearances[]
- Rebel Dawn
- "When the Desert Wind Turns: The Stormtrooper's Tale" — Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina (First appearance)
- Friends Like These
"Spare Parts" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 11- River of Chaos 4
- "Festival of High Winds" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 12
- "Operation: Shadowstrike" — Instant Adventures
- X-Wing: Wedge's Gamble
- X-Wing: Wedge's Gamble unabridged audiobook
- "Commando Mission" — Heir to the Empire Sourcebook (also reprinted in The Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook)
- Darksaber
Sources[]
- Imperial Sourcebook (First mentioned)
- Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back
- Death Star Technical Companion
- Heir to the Empire Sourcebook
- Wanted by Cracken
- Death Star Technical Companion, Second Edition
- A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
- Star Wars Miniatures Battles Companion
- Imperial Sourcebook, Second Edition
- Star Wars Gamemaster Screen, Revised
- Heroes & Rogues
- "Repulsortank Battlefield" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 9 (as floating fortress)
- The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- The Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook
- Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, Second Edition
- "Imperial Garrisons" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 12
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (as HAVr A9," "floating fortress)
- Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 26
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Imperial Sourcebook
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Imperial Sourcebook, Second Edition
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars Miniatures Battles Companion
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2
"Commando Mission" — Heir to the Empire Sourcebook (also reprinted in The Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook)
- ↑ The Essential Guide to Warfare
- ↑ Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back
- ↑ Darksaber