Category:Cutlass series

"Isn’t it time that you had a ship that lets you be you? That’s why we made the Cutlass Black. A ship with nothing but potential. A ship that can be anything to anyone. Each Black is as individual as the person who owns it. No one will mistake your machine for anybody else’s. That’s how it should be."
Play By Different Rules: Cutlass 2945 Brochure

^[1]

Model

Series Variants

Cutlass Black

The Drake AS-1 Cutlass Black (also known as DCB1) is a low-cost, easy-to-maintain solution for local in-system militia units. The larger-than-average cargo hold, RIO seat and dedicated tractor mount are, the company literature insists, for facilitating search and rescue operations.[2] The Cutlass Black is very popular among pirates.

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Cutlass Blue

The Drake AS-1 Cutlass Blue (also known as DCB2) is the go-to patrol ship for militia and law enforcement. Featuring an on-board Quantum dampener, a versatile weapons package, and a bank of prisoner containment systems, the Cutlass Blue is built to protect citizens and suppress dangerous outlaws.[3][4]

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Cutlass Red

The Drake Cutlass Red (also known as DCR2) is an emergency response and support ship with a comprehensive medical bay, long-range radar capabilities, and a suite of defensive options. More than just a top-flight emergency responder, the Cutlass Red is a highly regarded support vessel for hazardous combat, recon, and exploration. With the ability to revive fallen squadmates and a full on-board AutoDoc, a single visit to the med bay will ensure that you will always be pulled back from the brink of death.[5]

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Cutlass Steel

A troop transport and gunship that trades its cargo capacity for 18 seats for soldiers and carries additional weapons for fire support.

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Special editions

Cutlass Black: "Best In Show Edition 2949"

Limited white and purple livery to celebrate the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2949.[6]

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Paints

The following paints (skins) can be used on all variants of the Cutlass series.

"Best In Show 2950"

Colour description	Store description	Price (aUEC)	Price ($)
White colour with grey, dark grey and gold accents.	Limited edition. Reward given to Cutlass Black owners for the IAE 2950 "Best in Show" event.	[not available]	(Reward)

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"Coalfire"

Colour description	Store description	Price (aUEC)	Price ($)
Grey colour with red accents.	Keep your Cutlass looking sharp with Coal Fire Livery that’s primarily grey with red highlights.	[not available]	4.50 [7]

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"Cypress"

Colour description	Store description	Price (aUEC)	Price ($)
Beige yellow colour with green camo pattern.	The Cutlass Cypress paint scheme uses a high contrast, disruptive camo pattern to help conceal the ship’s silhouette.	[not available]	7.00 [8]

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"Ghoulish Green"

Colour description	Store description	Price (aUEC)	Price ($)
Metallic green colour with dark grey accents.	Embrace Day of the Vara mischievousness and mayhem any time of the year with this custom Cutlass paint job. It combines a metallic ghoulish green and black for a striking look that highlights the holiday’s classic colors. Limited sale. Only available during the Day of the Vara event.	[not available]	5.00 [9]

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"Hawthorn"

Colour description	Store description	Price (aUEC)	Price ($)
Grey/dark grey detailed camo pattern.	This black and gray camo pattern makes the Cutlass Hawthorn paint scheme an ideal choice for those looking to disappear into the void.	[not available]	7.00 [10]

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"Mistwalker"

Colour description	Store description	Price (aUEC)	Price ($)
White colour with grey digital camo and grey accents.	Cover your Cutlass with grey camo with the special Mistwalker Livery.	[not available]	7.00 [11]

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"Saurian"

Colour description	Store description	Price (aUEC)	Price ($)
Army green colour with dark green accents.	Enwrap your Cutlass in the Saurian livery, which blends several shades of dark green.	[not available]	4.50 [12]

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"Skull & Crossbones"

Colour description	Store description	Price (aUEC)	Price ($)
-	-	[not available]	-

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History

Lost in UEE bid

The Cutlass was initially developed to UEE specifications as a candidate for their 2845 “volksfighter” specifications. The specs were for a low-cost configurable space fighter that could be constructed rapidly to outfit distant home defense squadrons in times of need. The Cutlass lost out in the bidding to the now-forgotten Wildcat, but the development team led by Jan Dredge opted to re-appropriate the design for civilian use.^[13]

Redesign for civillian

The initial sales pitches went to private militia groups. UEE law allows anyone, anywhere to own armed spacecraft, and so the plan was that private squadrons in more distant areas of the galaxy would welcome a low-cost spacecraft solution. Regions specifically classified high insurance risks, the Drake board reasoned, would especially welcome an easier way to replenish lost spacecraft.

The sales of Cutlass were phenomenal. Within nine months, Drake had opened six offworld factories and had licensed dealerships in nine systems. In another year, the company had quadrupled again. Within five years they were the fifth largest spacecraft manufacturing concern and couldn’t license subsystems manufacturers quickly enough.^[13]

Popular among outlaws

By the turn of the 30th century, the galaxy was as close to peace as it had ever been. Vanduul raids at the time were disorganized, brush wars on frontier colonies were limited in scope, and the UEE military was in the middle of a several year stand down. The outlaw organizations were buying thousands upon thousands of Cutlasses and no one at Drake was especially interested. The Cutlass had became a new tool of choice for smugglers and pirates, as they are cut off from the standard insurance system available to Citizens. Before the Cutlass, they had mostly been operating with obsolete discards and military surplus, but now they had a readily replaceable spacecraft that fit their budget, and thanks to its larger-than-average cargo hold and extremely customizable nature, one that fit their needs exactly. An analysis found that Cutlasses were suddenly transporting narcotics, raiding cargo convoys and even daring to engage police patrols with increasing frequency. In time, the bulky, modular look of the Cutlass would even come to redefine pirates as much as pirates did the Cutlass, giving new life to a very old profession.^[13]

Trivia

• The designation of the Cutlass is AS-1.^[13]
• The Cutlasses in Drake showroom are appearing in black stealth schemes and skull-and-crossbones logos.^[13]

References