Underwriter

The Federation calculated that purpose-built convoy guards cost 12% less per annum than hired mercenaries, so they built one. The Underwriter's 160-unit fuel tank is the largest on any T1 combat hull — 53 jumps of operational range before refueling, enough to shadow a trade convoy across three systems and back. The shield-heavy defensive profile compensates for light armor, keeping the ship functional through sustained engagements while the cargo it's protecting reaches port. Fifty units of cargo space let pilots recover salvage without calling for a hauler.