Flurry schematics
Designed by the Sullustan megacorporation SoroSuub, the Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser resembled a triangle, with the bridge at the frontal point and the cargo bay at the base. The cargo bay could be modified to house various freight modules or, in some cases, passenger modules.
They were armed with two forward light turbolaser batteries.
Thin armor and shielding ran the 350-meter length of the Quasar Fire class, and while the stock model featured no weapons, freight companies and smugglers often added laser or turbolaser cannons. A typical crew for this ship ran around 250 personnel.
Although they were designed as cargo freighters, the Rebel Alliance saw them as a relatively easy way to transport starfighters to an engagement and support them with full-service hangars close to the site of the battle. The Rebels acquired some of the freighters at auction and then took them to secret Rebel shipyards, where they were stripped down and rebuilt into starfighter carriers over several months. After modification, they could carry 48 starfighters each (four squadrons), which was an improvement over the other carriers in the Alliance fleet, Mon Calamari Star Cruisers and Neutron Star-class bulk cruisers, which could only hold 36.
When the Sullustans joined the war shortly before the Battle of Endor, they donated eight Quasar Fire-class ships to the Alliance, who then gave them to the Virgillian Free Alignment, who were fighting against the Galactic Empire-allied Aristocracy in the Virgillian Civil War. The Virgillians modified the ships even further with Imperial technology, improving the sensors, shields, weapons and computers of four of their eight cruiser-carriers. The ships were instrumental in the Virgillian Free Alignment victory just before the Battle of Endor, in 4 ABY. Due to significant damage sustained during the last battles of the war, the Free Alignment were only able to send two of their cruiser-carriers to fight in the Battle of Endor, including their flagship the Flurry captained by Tessa Manchisco. The Flurry then went on to participate in the relief mission to Bakura, but was destroyed by the Imperial frigate Dominant during the battle.
Due to their efficiency and fragility, Quasar Fire-class cruiser were accompanied by their own battlegroup. They were scattered across the galaxy, and only brought together when the Alliance needed a large concentration of starfighters.By the time of the Battle of Yavin, the Alliance had lost two of the original ships, although many still remained active.
The Quasar Fire-class ship Battle Dog was part of Group Two of the Solo Fleet during the hunt for Warlord Zsinj in 7 ABY, under the command of Captain Geng Salaban.
A Quasar Fire-class cruiser named the Thurse served at a battle near the Bilbringi system in 25 ABY. The ship was commanded by Mak Jorlen.
In The Truce at Bakura, the starship Flurry was of this class, but was not specifically identified as such until the release of The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook.
In the video game Star Wars: Rebellion, the Quasar Fire is referred to as the "Alliance escort carrier," and is treated as the equivalent of the standard Ton-Falk-class escort carrier, which are only used by the Galactic Empire. Both vessels had identical gameplay value, being able to house six squadrons of starfighters, but were vulnerable from both capital-ship and fighter attacks.
- The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook
- The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- Star Wars: Rebellion: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
- The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Stay on Target
- Strongholds of Resistance