Designed and developed for use where large, in-system shuttles are not cost-effective, or
for use in confined areas or situations or on-board medium-sized cargo haulers, the Cob Class Cargo
Shuttles are tailor-made for the Medj'K'ai Nebula. Initial designs came from a Mon Calamari
engineering establishment on Amanus, but their usefulness resulted in the designs being
bought by the Losshaven Engineering Corporation. The primary shipyard is Junction in the
Medj'K'ai Nebula, but some are built on Losshaven at the LEC's major, on-planet, manufacturing
facility.
They are purely an in-system shuttle, used for ferrying goods and up to 12 personnel from point to point,
or from freighter to planet or warehouse. Its reasonable atmospheric handling capabilities have
also meant it can be used for planet-based cargo haulage, and such use gives rise to a strong
second-hand market for Cob Shuttles which are no longer spaceworthy. Renovating such a second-hand,
atmosphere-suitable craft for space use may be a costly excercise!
In addition to the Pilot and co-pilot, six seats are fixed, but 6 more are kept in underfloor or overhead
compartments (depending on model) able to be swung down and fixed into place in a matter of
moments. The wide double-width side doors swing down to provide loading ramps.
An additional advantage is the folding wings, intended to
allow the shuttle to dock in holds which otherwise could not take an atmosphere-capable vehicle.
Very occasionally a Hyperdrive variant is built, typically with an x6 Hyperdrive in outlying pods.
Costing an extra 4,000 credits, this may seem a bargain except when you realise the very cramped
conditions the passengers and crew have to endure for a journey of any length beyond a day's flight.
A military version is also used within the local Peace Corps for use as a recovery and transport vehicle.
This has the hyperdrive pods typically upgraded to x2 or x3 Hyperdrive and has a small tractor
fitted to recover personnel and parts.
The Mon Calamari design features curves throughout together with an odd layout to the cockpit.
Whilst other equipment is to a more conventional design (the drive, etc) the craft is still
difficult for non-Calamari to get used to but acclimatisation is fairly rapid (-2 on Pilot
checks until 10 hours of flight time has been acquired). Whilst curvaceous, the Cob class is
neither elegant or sports-like, and just attempts to perform a single role, that of a utilitarian
workhorse. But that it does very well indeed.
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