From Encyclopedia Hiigara

Bentusi Tradeship Classification and cost Category Mothership Class Class Mothership Cost 3200 RUs Technical specification Length 1,209.6 meters Max. acceleration 1000 m/s2 Max. speed 10,000 m/s Hyperdrive rating Short jump Armament 3 x Heavy ion cannon Other systems Hangar bay Usage Role Transport Fleet command Era(s) Prehistory Exile Era Homeworld Era Cataclysm Era Affiliation Bentusi

The Bentusi Tradeship or Bentusi Exchange was the most common type of Bentusi starship, used for trade and in some situations, defence.

"The resources you collect are value to the Bentusi Exchange."

— Bentusi

The primary role of the Bentusi Tradeship was to gain resources which were used by the Bentusi^SSource: Homeworld
mission 4 . Each ship had at least one Exchange Unit, which allowed the player to trade with the Bentusi starship. Resources could be transferred from any ship to a Bentusi Tradeship, and technologies could be transported back from the Tradeship to the other ship.

Tradeships were also used to defend the Bentusi - whether it was the Tradeship itself or another Bentusi ship. Each tradeship was armed with three powerful, long range ion cannons, with white^SSource: Homeworld
mission 11 or yellow^SSource: Homeworld: Cataclysm
mission 5 beams. These guns were used for defense against both strike craft and capital ships. Additionally some of the Tradeships were supplied Super Acolytes. The first known use of a Tradeship for defence of another Bentusi ship was in the Exile Era, during the Battle of Hiigara when the Tradeships were wrenched by Harbor Ship from a nebula near Hiigara^SSource: History of Hiigara: Prelude to the End Times
page 14 . In the Cataclysm Era Tradeships used their onboard Super Acolytes to neutralize the Kuun-Lan fleet^SSource: Homeworld: Cataclysm
mission 14 .

It was very uncommon to see multiple trade ships at any one time, as they were autonomous units trading mostly on the Outer Rim Trade Routes. However, they were seen also in the Inner Rim, over Hiigara^SSource: Homeworld
mission 16 and in the Great Wastelands^SSource: Homeworld
mission 4 and various other locations around the galaxy. During the Homeworld 2 Era^SSource: Homeworld 2
mission 3 , Karan S'jet stated that the Great Harbour Ship of Bentus was the "last of the Bentusi".

[edit] Behind the scenes

• In early concept art of the Bentusi Exchange ship, the vessel seems to have an external dockyard and an extra docking arm.
• The Tradeship is the first Bentusi ship which the player encounters in the Homeworld series, and the only Bentusi capital ship seen until the introduction of Bentus.

[edit] Sources

• Homeworld
• Homeworld: Cataclysm
• History of Hiigara: Prelude to the End Times

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