GURPS - 4th Edition - Traveller Interstellar Wars

-30], Selfish [-5*], Space Sickness [-10*], Hidebound [-5], Honesty Allies [variable], positive
[-10], Stubbornness [-5*], Unfit [-10*], Impulsiveness [-10*], Appearance [variable], Charisma
[-5 or -15], Unluckiness [-10], Incurious [-5*], Intolerance [vari- [5/level], Claim to Hospitality
Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia able], Loner [-5*], Low Self-Image (Family friends) [variable], Contact
[-10*]. [-10], Odious Personal Habits [-5, Group [variable], Contacts [vari-
Primary Skills: Merchant (A) IQ+1 -10, or -15], Overconfidence [-5*], able], Cultural Familiarity [1 or 2],
[4]-13. Pacifism [variable], Phobias [vari- Daredevil [15], Fashion Sense [5],
Secondary Skills: Accounting (H) able], Post-Combat Shakes [-5*], Favor [variable], Independent
IQ-1 [2]-11; Administration (A) IQ Selfless [-5*], Sense of Duty [-2 to Income [1 to 20], Languages [vari-
[2]-12; Fast-Talk (A) IQ [2]-12; -20], Shyness [-5, -10, or -20], Space able], Luck [variable], No Hangover
Leadership (A) IQ [2]-12; and Sickness [-10], Stubbornness [-5*], [1], Patron (Family) [variable], pos-
any three of Current Affairs (any) Truthfulness [-5*], Unluckiness itive Reputation [variable], Smooth
(E) IQ+1 [2]-13, Politics (A) IQ [2]- [-10], below-average Wealth [vari- Operator [15/level], more Status
12, or Diplomacy, Economics, able], Workaholic [-5], or [5/level], Voice [10], or more
Finance, Law (any), or Market Xenophilia [-10*]. Wealth [variable].
Analysis, all (H) IQ-1 [2]-11. Primary Skills: Driving (any) (A) Disadvantages: A total of -30 points
Background Skills: Computer DX+1 [4]-11 and Survival (any) (A) selected form Addiction [variable],
Operation (E) IQ [1]-12; Research Per+1 [4]-11. Alcoholism [-15 or -20], Combat
(A) IQ-1 [1]-11; Savoir-Faire (High Secondary Skills: Guns (any) (E) Paralysis [-15], Compulsive
Society) (E) IQ [1]-12; and four DX+1 [2]-11; plus any three of Behavior [-5 to -15], Cowardice
extra points in primary or Sewing (E) DX+1 [2]-11, Riding [-10*], Curious [-5*], Enemy
secondary skills. (any) or Stealth, both (A) DX (Family adversary) [variable],
[2]-10, Camouflage, Carpentry, Fearfulness [-2/level], Gluttony
* Multiplied for self-control Gardening, or Masonry, all (E) [-5*], Greed [-15*], Honesty [-10*],
number; see p. B120. IQ+1 [2]-11, Animal Handling Impulsiveness [-10*], Intolerance
(any), Electrician, Farming, [variable], Jealousy [-10], Laziness
Colonist Machinist, Mechanic (any), [-10], Lecherousness [-15*], Low
Merchant, Meteorologist, Smith Pain Threshold [-10], Miserliness
40 points (any), or Teamster (any), all (A) IQ [-10*], Obsession [-5* or -10*],
[2]-10, Swimming (E) HT+1 [2]-12, Odious Personal Habits [-5, -10, or
You are one of the pioneers who Hiking (A) HT [2]-11, Fishing or -15], Overconfidence [-5*], Pacifism
are establishing new civilizations on Scrounging, both (E) Per+1 [2]-11, [variable], Phobias [variable], Post-
the Terran Confederation’s colony or Tracking (A) Per [2]-10. Combat Shakes [-5*], negative
worlds. Few colonists play a grand Background Skills: Computer Reputation [variable], Secret [-5 to
part in the history of the Interstellar Operation (E) IQ [1]-10; First Aid -30], Selfish [-5*], Short Attention
Wars, but there are always some who (E) IQ [1]-10; plus two extra points Span [-10*], Slow Riser [-5], Space
leave their fields and small towns for in primary or secondary skills. Sickness [-10], Squeamish [-10*],
the interstellar stage. Stubbornness [-5*], Trademark [-5
* Multiplied for self-control to -15], Truthfulness [-5*], Unfit [-5
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 10 [0]; IQ number; see p. B120. or -15], Unluckiness [-10], or
10 [0]; HT 11 [10]. Xenophilia [-10*].
Dilettante Primary Skills: Savoir-Faire (High
Secondary Characteristics: Damage Society) (E) IQ+3 [8]-14.
1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; 70 points Secondary Skills: Any three of
Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Boating (any), Dancing, Driving
Basic Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 You are one of Terra’s idle rich. (any), Piloting (any), Riding (any),
[0]. You may have acquired a few useful or Sports (any), all (A) DX+1
skills almost by accident, but for the [4]-11, Current Affairs (any) Games
Advantages: A total of 20 points most part the only things you are good (any), both (E) IQ+2 [4]-12,
selected from Animal Empathy [5], at are art, sports, and fun. Adventurers Connoisseur (any), Cooking, Fast-
Animal Friend [5/level], Common traveling with you will find you useful Talk, Gambling, Poetry, or Writing,
Sense [10], Cultural Familiarity [1 mainly for your wealth, although in all (A) IQ+1 [4]-11, Artist (any)
or 2], Fit [5 or 15], G-Experience some situations your skills may come Musical Instrument (any), both (H)
[variable], Green Thumb [5/level], in handy. IQ [4]-10, Carousing, Singing, or
Honest Face [1], Improved G- Swimming, all (E) HT+2 [4]-12, or
Tolerance [5 or 10], Languages Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 Sex Appeal (A) HT+1 [4]-11.
[variable], Less Sleep [2/level], [0]; HT 10 [0].
Outdoorsman [10/level], or * Gets one level of free Status from
Serendipity [15/level]. Secondary Characteristics: Damage Wealth.
1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will
Disadvantages: A total of -20 points 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic ** Multiplied for self-control
selected from Charitable [-15*], Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. number; see p. B120.
Chummy [-5 or -10], Clueless [-10],
Combat Paralysis [-15], Cowardice Advantages: Wealthy [20]; Status 1
[-10*], Curious [-5*], Dependents [0]*; and a total of 60 points select-
[variable], Easy to Read [-10], ed from Alcohol Tolerance [1],
Fearfulness [-2/level], Gullibility

CHARACTERS 149

Diplomat [4]-14; and Savoir-Faire (High average Status [5/level], or above-
Society) (E) IQ+2 [4]-15. average Wealth [variable].
90 points Secondary Skills: Administration (A) Disadvantages: A total of -30 points
IQ [2]-13; Current Events (any) (A) selected from Addiction [variable],
You are a current or retired diplo- IQ [2]-13; Politics (A) IQ [2]-13; Charitable [-15*], Code of Honor
mat, whose career was built around either Acting (A) IQ [2]-13 or Fast- (Professional) [-5], Combat
smoothing over disputes between Talk (A) IQ [2]-13; and any two of Paralysis [-15], Dependents [vari-
Terran factions (or between Terra and Economics, Finance, History, able], Guilt Complex [-5], Honesty
the Imperium). Of course, even if you Intelligence Analysis, Law (any), [-10*], Nightmares [-5*], Pacifism
are retired, nobody is quite willing to Market Analysis, or Psychology, all [variable], Phobias [variable],
believe that you’re not still in the Great (H) IQ-1 [2]-12. Secret [-5 to -30], Selfish [-5*],
Game. You retain a variety of useful Background Skills: Research (A) IQ-1 Selfless [-5*], Sense of Duty [-2 to
skills, and any adventuring party will [1]-12; Writing (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; and -20], Stubbornness [-5*], Unfit [-5
likely be happy to have your help. four extra points in primary and or -15], Unluckiness [-10],
secondary skills. Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 * Multiplied for self-control [-10*].
[60]; HT 10 [0]. number; see p. B120.
Primary Skills: Diagnosis (H) IQ
Secondary Characteristics: Damage Doctor [4]-13; Electronics Operation
1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will (Medical) (A) IQ+1 [4]-14; and
13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic 95 points Physician (H) IQ [4]-13.
Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0].
You are a physician, trained to heal Secondary Skills: Physiology (H) IQ-1
Advantages: A total of 30 points the sick and injured. Your skills are in [2]-12; plus any two of Hypnotism,
selected from Administrative Rank high demand in wartime, as the con- Pharmacy, Poisons, Psychology, or
[5/level], Allies [variable], positive flict generates wounded patients by Veterinary, all (H) IQ-1 [2]-12, or
Appearance [variable], Charisma the thousands. Even in peacetime, you Surgery (VH) IQ-2 [2]-11.
[5/level], Claim to Hospitality are a popular individual anywhere on
(Embassies) [variable], Contact the galactic frontier. Background Skills: Administration (A)
Group [variable], Contacts [vari- Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ IQ-1 [1]-12; Computer Operation (E)
able], Cultural Adaptability [10 or IQ [1]-13; Diplomacy (H) IQ-2
20], Cultural Familiarity [1 or 2], 13 [60]; HT 10 [0]. [1]-11; Teaching (A) IQ-1 [1]-12;
Empathy [5 or 15], Fashion Sense Secondary Characteristics: Damage plus three extra points in primary
[5], Favor [variable], Honest Face or secondary skills.
[1], Language Talent [10], 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will * Multiplied for self-control
Languages [variable], Legal 13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic
Immunity (Diplomatic) [20], Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. number; see p. B120.
Patron (Government) [variable], Advantages: A total of 20 points
positive Reputation [variable], selected from Cultural Familiarity Entertainer
Security Clearance [variable], [1 or 2], Eidetic Memory [5 or 10],
Social Chameleon [5], Smooth Empathy [5 or 15], Healer 90 points
Operator [15/level], above-average [10/level], High Manual Dexterity
Status [5/level], Voice [10], or [5/level], Higher Purpose [5], You work in the entertainment
above-average Wealth [variable]. Languages [variable], Less Sleep industry, and although you don’t
[2/level], Resistant (Disease) [vari- contribute directly to the war effort,
Disadvantages: A total of -30 points able], Single-Minded [5], above-
selected from Charitable [-15*],
Chummy [-5 or -10], Combat
Paralysis [-15], Cowardice [-10*],
Duty [variable], Enemy (Enemy
government) [variable], Fanaticism
(Patriot) [-15], Fearfulness
[-2/level], Gluttony [-5*], Low Pain
Threshold [-10], Overconfidence
[-5*], Pacifism [variable], Phobias
[variable], Post-Combat Shakes
[-5*], negative Reputation [vari-
able], Secret [-5 to -30], Selfish
[-5*], Selfless [-5*], Sense of Duty
[-2 to -20], Squeamish [-10*],
Stubbornness [-5*], Unfit [-5
or -15], Unluckiness [-10],
Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia
[-10*].

Primary Skills: Diplomacy (H) IQ
[4]-13; Public Speaking (A) IQ+1

150 CHARACTERS

you certainly help out with morale. [2]-10, Makeup or Savoir-Faire [variable], Post-Combat Shakes
Whether you work on the stage or (any), both (E) IQ+1 [2]-13, Group [-5*], negative Reputation [vari-
behind it, you make people happy and Performance (any), Poetry, or able], Secret [-5 to -30], Sense of
lift their spirits. As a bonus, you nor- Writing, all (A) IQ [2]-12, Artist Duty [-2 to -20], Stubbornness
mally find yourself able to earn a little (Scene Design) or Musical [-5*], Unfit [-5 or -15], Unluckiness
extra cash no matter where you go – Composition, both (H) IQ-1 [2]-11, [-10], below-average Wealth [vari-
even the most backwater colony or or Sex Appeal (A) HT [2]-11. able], Workaholic [-5], or
isolated military unit will gladly pay to Background Skills: Carousing (E) Xenophilia [-10*].
see what you have to offer. HT [1]-11; Fast-Talk (A) IQ-1 Primary Skills: Research (A) IQ+1
[1]-11; plus four extra points in [4]-13 and Writing (A) IQ+1 [4]-13.
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ any primary or secondary skills. Secondary Skills: Electronics Opera-
12 [40]; HT 11 [10]. tion (Media) (A) IQ [2]-12; and any
* Multiplied for self-control three of Savoir-Faire (E) IQ+1
Secondary Characteristics: Damage number; see p. B120. [2]-13, Electronics Operation (Com-
1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will munications), Fast-Talk, Inter-
12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Journalist rogation, Photography, or Public
Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. Speaking, all (A) IQ [2]-12,
65 points Intimidation (A) Will [2]-12, or
Advantages: A total of 20 points Detect Lies (H) Per-1 [2]-12.
selected from Alcohol Tolerance Even in a time of war, the public Background Skills: Computer
[1], positive Appearance [variable], has a right to know what’s going on. Operation (E) IQ [1]-12; Speed-
Charisma [5/level], Claim to You travel throughout the galaxy, dig- Reading (A) IQ-1 [1]-11; and two
Hospitality (Fans) [variable], ging up stories that keep the worlds extra points in primary or
Cultural Familiarity [1 or 2], informed (and, incidentally, boost secondary skills.
Empathy [5 or 15], Fashion Sense your reputation). Traveling with a
[5], Flexibility [5 or 15], Languages group of adventurers, you will doubt- * Multiplied for self-control
[variable], Luck [variable], Musical less gather more than enough materi- number; see p. B120.
Ability [5/level], No Hangover [1], al for your work – if you aren’t the
Penetrating Voice [1], positive driving force behind the group your- Marine
Reputation [variable], Smooth self. Of course, Imperials often react
Operator [15/level], Versatile [5], very badly to pesky journalists . . . 130 points
Voice [10], or above-average
Wealth [variable]. Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 You are a serving member (or a
[40]; HT 10 [0]. retired veteran) of the Terran
Disadvantages: A total of -20 points Confederation Marines. As such, you
selected from Addiction [variable], Secondary Characteristics: Damage enjoy a fearsome reputation – but you
Alcoholism [-15 or -20], Combat 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will also remember many a comrade lost
Paralysis [-15], Compulsive 12 [0]; Per 13 [5]; FP 10 [0]; Basic in action. You have spent much of
Behavior [-5 to -15], Cowardice Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. your career in deep space, and are
[-10*], Fearfulness [-2/level], very likely to remain a footloose
Greed [-15*], Honesty [-10*], Advantages: A total of 20 points adventurer after leaving the military.
Impulsiveness [-10*], Incurious selected from positive Appearance
[-5*], Jealousy [-10], Lecherousness [variable], Charisma [5/level], Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [40]; IQ
[-15*], Low Pain Threshold [-10], Contact Group [variable], Contacts 11 [20]; HT 11 [10].
Miserliness [-10*], Overconfidence [variable], Cultural Adaptability
[-5*], Pacifism [variable], Phobias [10 or 20], Cultural Familiarity [1 Secondary Characteristics: Damage
[variable], Post-Combat Shakes or 2], Empathy [5 or 15], Fashion 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0];
[-5*], negative Reputation [vari- Sense [5], Favor [variable], Honest Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0];
able], Secret [-5 to -30], Selfish Face [1], Intuition [15], Language Basic Speed 5.75 [0]; Basic Move 5
[-5*], Short Attention Span [-10*], Talent [10], Languages [variable], [0].
Squeamish [-10*], Stubbornness Patron (News agency) [variable],
[-5*], Trademark [-5 to -15], Unfit positive Reputation [variable], Advantages: A total of 30 points
[-5 or -15], Unluckiness [-10], Serendipity [15/level], Single- selected from Born Tactician
Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia Minded [5], Smooth Operator [10/level], Combat Reflexes [15],
[-10*]. [15/level], or Voice [10]. Courtesy Rank [1/level], Danger
Sense [15], Fearlessness [2/level],
Primary Skills: Any two of Dancing Disadvantages: A total of -20 points Fit [5 or 15], G-Experience [vari-
(A) DX+1 [4]-12, Acting, Per- selected from Bully [-10*], Code of able], High Pain Threshold [10],
formance, or Public Speaking, Honor (Professional) [-5], Curious Improved G-Tolerance [5 or 10],
all (A) IQ+1 [4]-13, Musical [-5*], Delusion (“While I’m carry- Languages [variable], Military
Instrument (any) (H) IQ [4]-12, or ing this camera, nothing can hurt Rank [5/level], Penetrating Voice
Singing (E) HT+2 [4]-13. me”) [-5 or -10], Impulsiveness [1], positive Reputation [variable],
[-10*], Jealousy [-10], Low Pain or Security Clearance [variable].
Secondary Skills: Any three of Stage Threshold [-10], Obsession [-5* or
Combat (A) DX [2]-11, Acrobatics -10*], Overconfidence [-5*],
or Sleight of Hand, both (H) DX-1 Pacifism [variable], Phobias

CHARACTERS 151

Disadvantages: A total of -30 points 12 [0]; Per 13 [5]; FP 10 [0]; Basic * Multiplied for self-control
selected from Bloodlust [-10*], Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. number; see p. B120.
Callous [-5], Chummy [-5 or -10], Advantages: A total of 20 points
Code of Honor (Soldier’s) [-10], selected from Administrative Rank Politician
Duty [variable], Enemy (Military [5/level], Combat Reflexes [15],
rival) [variable], Fanaticism Contact Group [variable], Contacts 70 points
(Patriot) [-15], Flashbacks [vari- [variable], Courtesy Rank [1/level],
able], Honesty [-10*], Incurious Danger Sense [15], Favor [vari- You are a professional politician,
[-5*], Intolerance [variable], able], Fearlessness [2/level], Fit [5 using the democratic institutions of
Jealousy [-10], Nightmares [-5*], or 15], Higher Purpose [5], your nation-state to climb to the high-
No Sense of Humor [-10], Languages [variable], greater Legal est levels of national (or even
Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of Enforcement Powers [5 to 15], Confederation) power. You spend at
Duty [-2 to -20], Stubbornness Patron (Police agency) [variable], least as much time gathering votes as
[-5*], Trickster [-15*], Unluckiness or Security Clearance [variable]. you do exercising power – but
[-10], or Workaholic [-5]. Disadvantages: A total of -20 points between election campaigns, you are
selected from Bully [-10*], busy making policy and passing laws.
Primary Skills: Free Fall (A) DX+1 Charitable [-15*], Chummy [-5 or Even after you retire from active polit-
[4]-13; Gunner (any) (E) DX+1 -10], Code of Honor (Professional) ical life, you will have considerable
[4]-14; Guns (any) (E) DX+2 [4]-14; [-5], Dependents [variable], Duty indirect influence from the contacts
Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ+2 [variable], Enemy (Criminal) [vari- and reputation you made while in
[4]-13; Soldier (A) IQ+1 [4]-12; and able], Honesty [-10*], Intolerance office.
Vacc Suit (A) DX+1 [4]-13. [variable], No Sense of Humor
[-10], Obsession [-5* or -10*], Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12
Secondary Skills: Armoury (A) IQ Overconfidence [-5*], Pacifism [40]; HT 10 [0].
[2]-11; Brawling (E) DX+1 [2]-13; (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10],
either Driving (any) (A) DX [2]-12 Secret [-5 to -20], Selfless [-5*], Secondary Characteristics: Damage
or Piloting (any) (A) DX [2]-12; Sense of Duty [-2 to -20], Space 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will
Knife (E) DX+1 [2]-13; Leadership Sickness [-10], Stubbornness [-5*], 13 [5]; Per 12 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic
(A) IQ [2]-11; Tactics (H) IQ-1 Unluckiness [-10], below-average Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0].
[2]-10; and Throwing (A) DX [2]-12. Wealth [variable], or Workaholic
[-5]. Advantages: A total of 30 points select-
Background Skills: Computer Primary Skills: Area Knowledge ed from Administrative Rank
Operation (E) IQ [1]-11; Electronics (Beat) (E) IQ+2 [4]-14; Brawling [5/level], Allies [variable],
Operation (Communications) (A) (E) DX+2 [4]-13; Guns (any) (E) Appearance [variable], Charisma
IQ-1 [1]-10; Electronics Operation DX+2 [4]-13; and Law (any) (H) IQ [5/level], Claim to Hospitality
(Sensors) (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; First Aid [4]-12. (Political allies) [variable], Contact
(E) IQ [1]-11; Gesture (E) IQ Secondary Skills: Criminology (A) IQ Group [variable], Contacts [vari-
[1]-11; Lip Reading (A) Per-1 [2]-12; Observation (A) Per [2]-13; able], Courtesy Rank [1/level],
[1]-10; and Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]-11; Search (A) Per [2]-13; Stealth (A) Cultural Familiarity [1 or 2],
plus five extra points in primary or DX [2]-11; Shadowing (A) IQ Empathy [5 or 15], Fashion Sense
secondary skills. [2]-12; any two of Bicycling (E) [5], Favor [variable], Honest Face
DX+1 [2]-12, Driving (any), [1], Independent Income [1 to 20],
* Multiplied for self-control Piloting (any), or Riding (any), all Language Talent [10], Languages
number; see p. B120. (A) DX [2]-11, or Running (A) HT [variable], positive Reputation
[2]-10; plus any three of [variable], Security Clearance [vari-
Policeman Interrogation, Leadership, or able], Social Chameleon [5],
Streetwise, all (A) IQ [2]-12, Smooth Operator [15/level], above-
110 points Diplomacy, Forensics, Psychology, average Status [5/level], Voice [10],
or Tactics, all (H) IQ-1 [2]-11, or above-average Wealth [variable].
Policemen have many reasons for Intimidation (A) Will [2]-12, or
traveling: pursuit of fugitives, Detect Lies (H) Per-1 [2]-12. Disadvantages: A total of -30 points
vengeance for denied justice, flight Background Skills: Administration selected from Bully [-10*],
from implacable enemies, even a sim- (A) IQ-1 [1]-11; Computer Chummy [-5 or -10], Enemy
ple urge to bring their skills to the law- Operation (E) IQ [1]-12; Electronics (Political rival) [variable],
less frontier. Law enforcers who travel Operation (Communications) (A) Fanaticism (Political ideology)
the stars often find their hands full – IQ-1 [1]-11; Electronics Operation [-15], Gluttony [-5*], Greed [-15*],
Terran colonies are often unruly (Sensors) (A) IQ-1 [1]-11; First Aid Hidebound [-5], Incurious [-5*],
places, and conquered Imperial (E) IQ [1]-12; Research (A) IQ-1 Intolerance [variable], Jealousy
worlds present their own social [1]-11; plus three extra points in [-10], Lecherousness [-15*], Low
problems. primary or secondary skills. Pain Threshold [-10], Obsession
[-5* or -10*], Overconfidence [-5*],
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ Phobias [variable], Post-Combat
12 [40]; HT 10 [0]. Shakes [-5*], negative Reputation
[variable], Secret [-5 to -30], Selfish
Secondary Characteristics: Damage [-5*], Sense of Duty [-2 to -20],
1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will

152 CHARACTERS

Space Sickness [-10], Squeamish Voice [10], above-average Wealth Primary Skills: Area Knowledge (any)
[-10*], Stubbornness [-5*], Unfit [variable], or Zeroed [10]. (E) IQ+2 [4]-14 and Streetwise (A)
[-5 or -15], Unluckiness [-10], Disadvantages: A total of -30 points IQ+1 [4]-13.
Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia selected from Addiction [variable],
[-10*]. Alcoholism [-15 or -20], Bad Secondary Skills: Carousing (E)
Primary Skills: Politics (A) IQ+1 [4]- Temper [-10*], Bloodlust [-10*], HT+1 [2]-11; either Survival (any)
13 and Public Speaking (A) IQ+1 Bully [-10*], Callous [-5], Code of or Urban Survival, both (A) Per
[4]-13. Honor (Pirate’s) [-5], Compulsive [2]-12; Stealth (A) DX [2]-11; and
Secondary Skills: Acting (A) IQ Behavior [-5 to -15], Debt [-1 to 20], any six of Beam Weapons (any),
[2]-12; Administration (A) IQ Enemy (Police) [variable], Brawling, Fast-Draw (any), Guns
[2]-12; Law (any) (H) IQ-1 [2]-11; Fearfulness [-2/level], Gluttony (any), Knife, or Thrown Weapon
Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) [-5*], Greed [-15*], Impulsiveness (Knife), all (E) DX+1 [2]-12, Erotic
IQ+1 [2]-13; and any two of [-10*], Incurious [-5*], Intolerance Art, Climbing, or Filch, all (A) DX
Accounting, Economics, Expert [variable], Jealousy [-10], Klepto- [2]-11, Escape, Pickpocket, or
Skill (Military Science), Expert mania [-15*], Laziness [-10], Sleight of Hand, all (H) DX-1
Skill (Political Science), Finance, Lecherousness [-15*], Light Sleeper [2]-10, Computer Operation or
History, Intelligence Analysis, [-5], Loner [-5*], Miserliness [-10*], Panhandling, both (E) IQ+1 [2]-13,
Market Analysis, or Psychology, all Obsession [-5* or -10*], Odious Acting, Electronics Operation
(H) IQ-1 [2]-11. Personal Habits [-5, -10, or -15], (Communications), Electronics
Background Skills: Research (A) IQ-1 Overconfidence [-5*], Paranoia Operation (Security), Electronics
[1]-11; Writing (A) IQ-1 [1]-11; and [-10], Phobias [variable], negative Operation (Surveillance), Fast-
three extra points in primary or Reputation [variable], Secret [-5 to Talk, Fortune-Telling (any),
secondary skills. -30], Selfish [-5*], Shyness [-5, -10, Gambling, Holdout, Lockpicking,
or -20], Slow Riser [-5], Social Merchant, Shadowing, or Traps, all
* Multiplied for self-control Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5], (A) IQ [2]-12, Forgery (H) IQ-1
number; see p. B120. Space Sickness [-10], below-aver- [2]-11, Running or Sex Appeal,
age Status [-5/level], Stubbornness both (A) HT [2]-10, or Intimidation
Rogue [-5*], Trademark [-5 to -15], (A) Will [2]-12.
Trickster [-15*], Unfit [-5 or -15],
90 points Unluckiness [-10], below-average Background Skills: Four extra points
Wealth [variable], Workaholic [-5], in primary or secondary skills.
“Rogue” is a more romantic term or Xenophilia [-10*].
for “criminal.” You are one of society’s * Multiplied for self-control
outcasts, either a romantic criminal- number; see p. B120.
hero or a brutish criminal-thug. You
survive outside the law, which may
well be one of the reasons you travel
among the stars – after all, the law is
thinner out here.

Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ
12 [40]; HT 10 [0].

Secondary Characteristics: Damage
1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will
12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic
Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0].

Advantages: A total of 30 points
selected from Alcohol Tolerance
[1], Alternate Identity (Illegal) [15],
positive Appearance [variable],
Charisma [5/level], Combat
Reflexes [15], Contacts [variable],
Cultural Adaptability [10 or 20],
Danger Sense [15], Daredevil [15],
Fashion Sense [5], Favor [vari-
able], Fearlessness [2/level],
Flexibility [5 or 15], High Manual
Dexterity [5/level], Language
Talent [10], Languages [variable],
Luck [variable], Night Vision
[1/level], No Hangover [1], Smooth
Operator [15/level], Versatile [5],

CHARACTERS 153

Scientist (Teaching) [variable], Enemy extra points in primary or
(Academic rival) [variable], secondary skills.
90 points Honesty [-10*], Intolerance
(Uneducated people) [-5], Jealousy * Multiplied for self-control
You may work at or for a universi- [-10], Low Empathy [-20], No number; see p. B120.
ty, like an academician (see p. 146), Sense of Humor [-10], Oblivious
but you are more devoted to research [-5], Obsession [-5* or -10*], Soldier
and discovery than to teaching. Odious Personal Habits [-5, -10, or
Contact with the Imperium has given -15], Overconfidence [-5*], 130 points
you thousands of new worlds to Pacifism [variable], Phobias [vari-
explore, and access to Imperial able], Post-Combat Shakes [-5*], You are a member of the Terran
records has given you thousands of negative Reputation [variable], Confederation Army, either currently
years’ worth of data to examine. Of Secret [-5 to -20], Selfish [-5*], serving or retired. You may not have
course, your job is to advance beyond Sense of Duty [-2 to -20], Space as much deep-space experience as
anything the Imperium has managed Sickness [-10], Stubbornness [-5*], your counterpart in the Marines, but
to attain . . . Truthfulness [-5*], Workaholic you have probably seen more action,
[-5], or Xenophilia [-10*]. on Terra if not against the Vilani. After
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 Primary Skills: Research (A) IQ+1 you retire, your skills will likely be
[60]; HT 10 [0]. [4]-14; and any two of Anthro- much in demand in your home
pology, Archaeology, Astronomy, nation, in the colonies, or in one of the
Secondary Characteristics: Damage Chemistry, Computer Programming, Terran mercenary units that are being
1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will Cryptography, Economics, Expert organized in Imperial space.
13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Skill (any), Geography, Geology,
Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. History, Law (any), Linguistics, Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [40]; IQ
Literature, Mathematics, Pale- 11 [20]; HT 11 [10].
Advantages: A total of 20 points ontology, Philosophy, Physiology,
selected from Allies [variable], Physician, Psychology, Sociology, Secondary Characteristics: Damage
Claim to Hospitality (Universities) or Theology, all (H) IQ [4]-13, or 1d-2/1d; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; Will
[variable], Cultural Adaptability Biology, Physics, Surgery, or Weird 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic
[10 or 20], Cultural Familiarity [1 Science, all (VH) IQ-1 [4]-12. Speed 5.75 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0].
or 2], Eidetic Memory [5 or 10], Secondary Skills: Computer Opera-
Favor [variable], Language Talent tion (E) IQ+1 [2]-14; Electronics Advantages: A total of 30 points
[10], Languages [variable], Operation (any) (A) IQ [2]-13; selected from Born Tactician
Lightning Calculator [2 or 5], Electronics Operation (any other) [10/level], Combat Reflexes [15],
Mathematical Ability [10/level], (A) IQ [2]-13; Public Speaking (A) Courtesy Rank [1/level], Danger
positive Reputation [variable], IQ [2]-13; Teaching (A) IQ [2]-13; Sense [15], Fearlessness [2/level],
Single-Minded [5], above-average and Writing (A) IQ [2]-13. Fit [5 or 15], High Pain Threshold
Status [5/level], Tenure [5], Background Skills: Leadership (A) [10], Languages [variable], Military
Versatile [5], or above-average IQ-1 [1]-12; Savoir-Faire (High Rank [5/level], Penetrating Voice
Wealth [variable]. Society) (E) IQ [1]-13; Speed- [1], positive Reputation [variable],
Reading (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; plus three or Security Clearance [variable].
Disadvantages: A total of -20 points
selected from Absent-Mindedness Disadvantages: A total of -30 points
[-15], Clueless [-10], Code of Honor selected from Bloodlust [-10*],
(Professional) [-5], Curious [-5*], Callous [-5], Chummy [-5 or -10],
Dependents [variable], Duty Code of Honor (Soldier’s) [-10],
Duty [variable], Enemy (Military
rival) [variable], Fanaticism
(Patriot) [-15], Flashbacks [vari-
able], Honesty [-10*], Incurious
[-5*], Intolerance [variable],
Jealousy [-10], Nightmares [-5*],
No Sense of Humor [-10],
Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of
Duty [-2 to -20], Stubbornness
[-5*], Trickster [-15*], Unluckiness
[-10], or Workaholic [-5].

Primary Skills: Guns (any) (E) DX+2
[4]-14; Gunner (any) (E) DX+2 [4]-
14; Savoir-Faire (Military) (E)
IQ+2 [4]-13; Soldier (A) IQ+1
[4]-12.

Secondary Skills: Armoury (A) IQ [2]-
11; Brawling (E) DX+1 [2]-13;
Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [2]-13; either
Driving (any) (A) DX [2]-12 or

154 CHARACTERS

Piloting (any) (A) DX [2]-12; [variable], Insomniac [-10 or -15], 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic
Hiking (A) HT [2]-11; Knife (E) Intolerance [variable], Light Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0].
DX+1 [2]-13; Leadership (A) IQ Sleeper [-5], Loner [-5*], Advantages: Either Merchant Rank 1
[2]-11; NBC Suit (A) DX [2]-12; Nightmares [-5*], No Sense of [5] or Military Rank 1 [5]; plus a
Navigation (Land) (A) IQ [2]-12; Humor [-10], Overconfidence [-5*], total of 20 points selected from 3D
Survival (any) (A) IQ [2]-12; Tactics Paranoia [-10], Secret [-5 to -30], Spatial Sense [10], Combat
(H) IQ-1 [2]-10; and Throwing (A) Sense of Duty [-2 to -20], Reflexes [15], Courtesy Rank
DX [2]-12. Stubbornness [-5*], Trickster [1/level], Cultural Familiarity [1 or
Background Skills: Computer [-15*], Unluckiness [-10], 2], Fit [5 or 15], G-Experience
Operation (E) IQ [1]-11; Electronics Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia [variable], Improved G-Tolerance
Operation (Communications) (A) [-10*]. [5 or 10], Intuitive Admiral
IQ-1 [1]-10; Electronics Operation Primary Skills: Area Knowledge (any) [10/level], Languages [variable],
(Sensors) (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; First Aid (E) IQ+2 [4]-14. Mathematical Ability [10/level],
(E) IQ [1]-11; Gesture (E) IQ Secondary Skills: Intelligence more Merchant Rank [5/level] or
[1]-11; Scrounging (E) Per [1]-11; Analysis (H) IQ-1 [2]-11; Research Military Rank [5/level], positive
and Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]-11; plus (A) IQ [2]-12; plus any six of Reputation [variable], above-aver-
three extra points in primary or Climbing or Stealth, both (A) DX age Status [5/level], Voice [10], or
secondary skills. [2]-11, Escape (H) DX-1 [2]-10, above-average Wealth [variable].
Savoir-Faire (any) (E) IQ+1 [2]-13, Disadvantages: A total of -30 points
* Multiplied for self-control Acting, Disguise, Electronics selected from Chummy [-5 or -10],
number; see p. B120. Operation (Communication), Code of Honor (Professional) [-5],
Electronics Operation (Security), Curious [-5*], Duty [variable],
Spy Electronics Operation (Sensors), Enemy (Military or commercial
Explosives (Demolition), Fast-Talk, rival) [variable], Fanaticism
90 points Holdout, Interrogation, Lock- (Patriot) [-15], Flashbacks [vari-
picking, Photography, Shadowing, able], Greed [-15*], Honesty [-10*],
The life of a Terran undercover or Traps, all (A) IQ [2]-12, Intolerance [variable], Jealousy
agent can be very interesting, and also Cryptography (H) IQ-1 [2]-11, [-10], Lecherousness [-15*],
very short. Naturally, the job is not Carousing (E) HT+1 [2]-11, Sex Miserliness [-10*], Nightmares
one from which it’s possible to com- Appeal (A) HT [2]-10, Body [-5*], No Sense of Humor [-10],
pletely retire – even after you have Language or Lip Reading, both (A) Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of
returned to a “civilian” life you may Per [2]-13, or Detect Lies (H) Per-1 Duty [-2 to -20], Squeamish [-10*],
find yourself caught up in world- [2]-12. Stubbornness [-5*], Trickster
spanning intrigues. Background Skills: Computer [-15*], Unluckiness [-10],
Operation (E) IQ [1]-12; either Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ Driving (any) or Piloting (any), [-10*].
12 [40]; HT 10 [0]. both (A) DX-1 [1]-10; Guns (any) Primary Skills: Spacer (E) IQ+2
(E) DX [1]-11; plus two extra [4]-14.
Secondary Characteristics: Damage points in primary or secondary Secondary Skills: Free Fall (A) DX
1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will skills. [2]-12; Leadership (A) IQ [2]-12;
12 [0]; Per 13 [5]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Savoir-Faire (Merchant or
Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. * Multiplied for self-control Military) (E) IQ+1 [2]-13; Vacc Suit
number; see p. B120. (A) DX [2]-12; and any three of
Advantages: A total of 30 points Piloting (Aerospace) or Piloting
selected from Alternate Identity [5 Starship Bridge Officer (High Performance Spacecraft),
or 15], Charisma [5/level], Combat both (A) DX [2]-12, Computer
Reflexes [15], Contact Group [vari- 100 points Operation (E) IQ+1 [2]-13,
able], Contacts [variable], Cultural Electronics Operation (Com-
Adaptability [10 or 20], Cultural Whether you serve aboard a Terran munications), Electronics Opera-
Familiarity [1 or 2], Danger Sense Navy vessel or a commercial ship, you tion (Sensors), Navigation (Hyper-
[15], Eidetic Memory [5 or 10], are one of the officers who manage space), or Navigation (Space), all
Empathy [5 or 15], Fashion Sense critical ship functions from its nerve (A) IQ [2]-12.
[5], Favor [variable], Honest Face center – the bridge. You are trained in Background Skills: Administration
[1], Language Talent [10], a set of highly technical skills, and will (A) IQ-1 [1]-11; Brawling (E) DX
Languages [variable], Patron doubtless find yourself in great [1]-12; Carousing (E) HT [1]-10;
(Government) [variable], Security demand once you are ready to begin Guns (A) DX-1 [1]-11; and three
Clearance [variable], Social adventuring on your own behalf. extra points in primary or
Chameleon [5], Smooth Operator secondary skills.
[15/level], Versatile [5], Voice [10], Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 12 [40]; IQ
or Zeroed [10]. 12 [40]; HT 10 [0]. * Multiplied for self-control
number; see p. B120.
Disadvantages: A total of -30 points Secondary Characteristics: Damage
selected from Curious [-5*], Duty 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will
[variable], Enemy (Enemy govern-
ment) [variable], Fanaticism
(Patriot) [-15], Flashbacks

CHARACTERS 155

Starship Commander any four of Piloting (Aerospace) or the social hierarchy of merchant serv-
Piloting (High Performance ice, but you are still a necessary part of
140 points Spacecraft), both (A) DX [2]-12, starship life.
Computer Operation or Savoir-
Whether you command a tiny Faire (Servant), both (E) IQ+1 Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ
scout ship or a multi-kiloton bat- [2]-14, Electronics Operation 12 [40]; HT 10 [0].
tlewagon, you are the final authority (Communications), Electronics
on board a starship. You are one of Operation (Sensors), Freight Secondary Characteristics: Damage
the freest people in the Confederation Handling, Navigation (Hyper- 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will
– and yet, you are also deeply bound space), or Navigation (Space), all 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic
by responsibility. It’s your job to make (A) IQ [2]-13, or Strategy (Space) Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0].
the decisions that make or break for- (H) IQ-1 [2]-12.
tunes, or that mean life and death for Background Skills: Brawling (E) DX Advantages: A total of 30 points
your crewmen. [1]-12; Carousing (E) HT [1]-10; selected from 3D Spatial Sense
Guns (A) DX-1 [1]-11; and three [10], Combat Reflexes [15],
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 12 [40]; IQ extra points in primary or Courtesy Rank [1/level], Cultural
13 [60]; HT 10 [0]. secondary skills. Familiarity [1 or 2], Fit [5 or 15],
* Multiplied for self-control G-Experience [variable], Improved
Secondary Characteristics: Damage number; see p. B120. G-Tolerance [5 or 10], Intuitive
1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will Admiral [10/level], Languages
13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Starship Deckhand [variable], Mathematical Ability
Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. [10/level], Merchant Rank [5/level]
80 points or Military Rank [5/level], positive
Advantages: Either Merchant Rank 3 Reputation [variable], above-aver-
[15] or Military Rank 3 [15]; plus a Every starship is a technological age Status [5/level], Voice [10], or
total of 25 points selected from 3D miracle, but even so it requires plenty above-average Wealth [variable].
Spatial Sense [10], Combat of skilled labor to stay in operation.
Reflexes [15], Courtesy Rank You are a “deckhand,” one of the gen- Disadvantages: A total of -30 points
[1/level], Cultural Familiarity [1 or eral-service crewmen who keep any selected from Chummy [-5 or -10],
2], Fit [5 or 15], G-Experience ship running. You perform routine Code of Honor (Professional) [-5],
[variable], Improved G-Tolerance maintenance, do damage control in Curious [-5*], Duty [variable],
[5 or 10], Intuitive Admiral battle, help handle freight, and assist Enemy (Military or commercial
[10/level], Languages [variable], passengers. You may not be high in rival) [variable], Fanaticism
Mathematical Ability [10/level], (Patriot) [-15], Flashbacks [vari-
more Merchant Rank [5/level] or able], Greed [-15*], Honesty [-10*],
Military Rank [5/level], positive Intolerance [variable], Jealousy
Reputation [variable], above-aver- [-10], Lecherousness [-15*],
age Status [5/level], Voice [10], or Miserliness [-10*], Nightmares
above-average Wealth [variable]. [-5*], No Sense of Humor [-10],
Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of
Disadvantages: A total of -30 points Duty [-2 to -20], Squeamish [-10*],
selected from Chummy [-5 or -10], Stubbornness [-5*], Trickster
Code of Honor (Professional) [-5], [-15*], Unluckiness [-10],
Curious [-5*], Duty [variable], Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia
Enemy (Military or commercial [-10*].
rival) [variable], Fanaticism
(Patriot) [-15], Flashbacks [vari- Primary Skills: Spacer (E) IQ+2
able], Greed [-15*], Honesty [-10*], [4]-14.
Intolerance [variable], Jealousy
[-10], Lecherousness [-15*], Secondary Skills: Free Fall (A) DX
Miserliness [-10*], Nightmares [2]-11; Savoir-Faire (Merchant or
[-5*], No Sense of Humor [-10], Military) (E) IQ+1 [2]-13; Vacc Suit
Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of (A) DX [2]-11; and any three of
Duty [-2 to -20], Squeamish [-10*], Brawling, Gunnery (any), or Guns
Stubbornness [-5*], Trickster (any), all (E) DX+1 [2]-12, First Aid
[-15*], Unluckiness [-10], or Housekeeping, both (E) IQ+1
Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia [2]-13, Piloting (Aerospace) or
[-10*]. Piloting (High Performance
Spacecraft), both (A) DX [2]-11,
Primary Skills: Spacer (E) IQ+2 Computer Operation or Savoir-
[4]-15. Faire (Servant), both (E) IQ+1
[2]-13, or Cooking, Electronics
Secondary Skills: Administration (A) Operation (Communications),
IQ [2]-13; Free Fall (A) DX [2]-12; Electronics Operation (Sensors), or
Leadership (A) IQ [2]-13; Savoir- Freight Handling, all (A) IQ [2]-12.
Faire (Merchant or Military) (E)
IQ+1 [2]-14; Shiphandling (H) IQ-1
[2]-12; Vacc Suit (A) DX [2]-12; and

156 CHARACTERS

Background Skills: Administration [1/level], Cultural Familiarity [1 or Primary Skills: Spacer (E) IQ+2
(A) IQ-1 [1]-11; Carousing (E) HT 2], Fit [5 or 15], G-Experience [4]-15.
[1]-10; and two extra points in [variable], Gizmos [5/gizmo], High
primary or secondary skills. Manual Dexterity [5/level], Secondary Skills: Computer Opera-
Improved G-Tolerance [5 or 10], tion (E) IQ+1 [2]-14; Free Fall (A)
* Multiplied for self-control Intuitive Admiral [10/level], DX [2]-11; Vacc Suit (A) DX [2]-
number; see p. B120. Languages [variable], Mathematical 11; and any four of Armoury
Ability [10/level], Merchant Rank (Heavy Weapons), Armoury
Starship Engineer [5/level] or Military Rank [5/level], (Vehicular Armor), Electrician,
positive Reputation [variable], Electronics Repair (Com-
100 points above-average Status [5/level], munications), Electronics Repair
Voice [10], or above-average (Computers), Electronics Repair
The captain and the bridge officers Wealth [variable]. (Medical), Electronics Repair
may run the ship, the other crewmen Disadvantages: A total of -30 points (Sensors), Machinist, Mechanic
have their jobs and do them well, but selected from Chummy [-5 or -10], (Aerospace Craft), Mechanic
you are the one who makes sure she Code of Honor (Professional) [-5], (High Performance Spacecraft),
keeps going – even after someone else Curious [-5*], Duty [variable], Mechanic (Jump Drive), all (A) IQ
blows holes in her. You may be under- Enemy (Military or commercial [2]-13, or Computer Programming
paid and underappreciated, but you’re rival) [variable], Fanaticism or Engineer (Starships), both (H)
the most important member of the (Patriot) [-15], Flashbacks [vari- IQ-1 [2]-12.
crew, and in crisis time everyone able], Greed [-15*], Honesty [-10*],
remembers it. Intolerance [variable], Jealousy Background Skills: Administration
[-10], Lecherousness [-15*], (A) IQ-1 [1]-11; Carousing (E) HT
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ Miserliness [-10*], Nightmares [1]-10; Guns (any) (E) DX [1]-11;
13 [60]; HT 10 [0]. [-5*], No Sense of Humor [-10], Savoir-Faire (Merchant or
Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of Military) (E) IQ [1]-13; and three
Secondary Characteristics: Damage Duty [-2 to -20], Squeamish [-10*], extra points in primary or
1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will Stubbornness [-5*], Trickster secondary skills.
13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic [-15*], Unluckiness [-10],
Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. Workaholic [-5], or Xenophilia * Multiplied for self-control
[-10*]. number; see p. B120.
Advantages: A total of 25 points
selected from 3D Spatial Sense JOBS
[10], Artificer [10/level], Combat
Reflexes [15], Courtesy Rank

The GM and players should feel Salary: The monthly salary paid Prerequisites: Government officials
free to define jobs for their own varies from employer to employer. A need Administration, Diplomacy,
Interstellar Wars game, applying the typical corporation might pay $1,200 Law, and Politics, all at 12+.
rules found on pp. B516-518. Some + ($1,800 ¥ Merchant Rank) + ($600 ¥
suggested jobs are described here. best prerequisite skill) for Merchant Job Roll: Roll against the best pre-
Rank 2-5, and $12,000 + ($18,000 ¥ requisite skill held. A critical success
Corporate Official Merchant Rank) + ($6,000 ¥ best pre- will sometimes lead to a promotion in
requisite skill) for Merchant Rank 6+. Administrative Rank, which in turn
Many business managers or execu-
tives spend at least part of their time Wealth Level: Assuming typical affects monthly salary. Likewise,
adventuring, especially if their busi- pay scales and levels of the best a critical failure may lead to a
ness takes them to the colonial fron- prerequisite skill, a corporate loss of Rank.
tier or into Imperial space. The official’s job is Comfortable for Salary: The monthly
Bureaucrat or Capitalist templates are Merchant Rank 2-3, Wealthy salary paid depends on
most appropriate for this job. for Merchant Rank 4-5, Very the government or agency
Wealthy for Merchant Rank 6-8, that employs the official.
Prerequisites: Corporate officials and Filthy Rich for Merchant Rank The Terran Confederation
need Accounting, Administration, 9+. bureaucracy is fairly typical,
Leadership, and Merchant, all at 12+.
They also need Merchant Rank 2+. Government Official and pays $800 + ($2,000 ¥
Administrative Rank) + ($400 ¥ best
Job Roll: Roll against the best pre- Many government officials spend prerequisite skill).
requisite skill held. A critical success time on the colonial frontier, or other-
will add a 10% bonus to the base pay wise involve themselves in situations Wealth Level: Assuming typical pay
scale described below, while a critical where adventures might happen. The scales and levels of the best prerequi-
failure will impose a 10% penalty. Bureaucrat or Politician templates are site skill, a government official’s job is
Critical successes and failures do not most appropriate for this job. Average for Administrative Rank 0,
normally cause changes in Merchant Comfortable for Administrative Rank
Rank. 1-4, and Wealthy for Administrative
Rank 5+.

CHARACTERS 157

Scientist Salary: A typical income for a Prerequisites: All starship crewmen
scrounger is about $1,000 per month, need Free Fall, Spacer, and Vacc Suit
From humble lab assistants to with much of the “salary” coming in skills at 12+.
Nobel-winning scholars, scientists are kind or in the form of stolen items.
often at the forefront of Terran expan- Use the freelancing rules for this job, For any given crewman, the GM
sion. The Academician and Scientist increasing or decreasing each month’s and player should choose three more
templates are most appropriate for pay according to the outcome of the skills to be prerequisites for the crew-
this job. job roll. man’s specific job on board. For ideas,
refer to the starship-related occupa-
Prerequisites: All scientists need Wealth Level: Poor. tional templates. Good prerequisites
Computer Operation and Research at will usually come from the lists of pri-
12+. Soldier mary and secondary skills in the most
pertinent template for the job. If a
For any given scientist, the GM and The Terran Army is a major employ- character changes jobs, a new set of
player should choose one more skill, er – billions of Terran citizens have prerequisite skills should be defined.
matching the character’s scientific spent at least a few years in uniform. These additional prerequisite skills
specialty, to be a prerequisite skill for Even when a Terran adventurer is out must also be held at 12+.
the scientist’s specific job. For ideas, of active service, he may find a position
refer to the lists of secondary skills for with one of the mercenary units that A starship crewman will also need
the Academician and Scientist tem- are beginning to spring up on the fron- to have sufficient Merchant or Military
plates. This additional prerequisite tier. The Soldier template is associated Rank to justify his specific job position.
skill must also be held at 12+. with a job with any of these employers.
Job Roll: Roll against the best pre-
A scientist must have no negative Prerequisites: All soldiers need at requisite skill held. A critical success
Reputation associated with his least Guns (Rifle) and Soldier skill. will sometimes lead to a promotion in
scientific work. Soldiers with Military Rank 2+ need Merchant or Military Rank, which in
Leadership and Tactics as well. All turn affects monthly salary. Likewise,
Job Roll: Roll against the best pre- prerequisite skills must be held at 12+. a critical failure may lead to a loss of
requisite skill held. A critical success Rank.
will sometimes lead to increases in Job Roll: Roll against the worst pre-
positive Reputation, which in turn requisite skill held. A critical success Salary: The monthly salary paid
affects monthly salary. Likewise, a will sometimes lead to a promotion in varies from employer to employer. A
critical failure may lead to a loss of Military Rank, which in turn affects typical commercial firm might pay
Reputation. monthly salary. Likewise, a critical $600 + ($900 ¥ Merchant Rank) +
failure may lead to a loss of Rank. ($300 ¥ best prerequisite skill). The
Salary: The monthly salary paid Terran Navy pays $500 + ($750 ¥
varies from employer to employer. A Salary: The monthly salary paid Military Rank) + ($250 ¥ best
typical employer might pay $600 + varies from employer to employer. A prerequisite skill).
($300 ¥ worst prerequisite skill) + typical mercenary unit might pay
($1,200 for every point in positive $500 + ($750 ¥ Military Rank) + ($250 Wealth Level: Assuming typical pay
Reputations associated with the ¥ worst prerequisite skill). The Terran scales and levels of the best prerequi-
scientist’s work). Army pays $400 + ($600 ¥ Military site skill, a starship crewman’s job is
Rank) + ($200 ¥ worst prerequisite Average for Merchant Rank 0-3 or
Wealth Level: Assuming typical pay skill). Military Rank 0-5, and Comfortable
scales and levels of the worst prereq- for Merchant Rank 4+ or Military
uisite skill, a scientist’s job is Average Wealth Level: Assuming typical pay Rank 6+.
for 0-2 points in positive Reputations, scales and levels of the worst pre-
Comfortable for 3-9 points in Unskilled Laborer
positive Reputations, and requisite skill, a mercenary’s job
Wealthy for 10+ points in is Average for Military Rank Anyone can find work as an
positive Reputations. It 0-5 and Comfortable for unskilled laborer, especially in urban
would be extremely Military Rank 6+. The job of areas, near starports, or on a rapidly
unusual for any scientist a soldier in the Terran Army growing colony world.
to have such an amazing is usually Struggling for
reputation as to merit a Military Rank 0-1, Average for Prerequisites: ST 10+.
Very Wealthy or greater Job Roll: Roll against ST. A critical
income . . . Military Rank 2-7, and success will yield a permanent 10%
Comfortable for Military Rank 8+. pay raise, while a critical failure may
Scrounger lead to a 10% pay cut or firing.
Starship Crewman Salary: A typical pay rate for
If all else fails, anyone in an urban unskilled labor is about $2,500 per
area or near a starport can get a “job” Starships need crewmen with a month. Use the freelancing rules for
working as a beggar or scrounger. wide variety of occupational special- this job, increasing or decreasing each
ties. The Starship Bridge Officer, month’s pay according to the outcome
Prerequisites: Panhandling and Starship Commander, Starship of the job role.
Scrounging, both at 10+. Deckhand, and Starship Engineer tem- Wealth Level: Struggling.
plates are the most appropriate for
Job Roll: Roll against the best pre- this set of jobs.
requisite skill.

158 CHARACTERS

CHAPTER SEVEN

TECHNOLOGY

December 24, 2169 – Gukhidda “There!” Christie exclaimed a few “Yes? And a ‘program’ is what, pre-
downport, in Imperial space: minutes later. “Look at this.” cisely?”

Gen Christie sat at the officer’s Laragii peered at the computer’s dis- She thought for a moment, struggling
lounge table, head bent over a scatter of play, mentally translating the unfamil- for words for a concept she had taken for
papers and a hand computer. Across iar Terran mathematical notation. granted since childhood. “I used a spe-
from her, Mukhad Laragii, the Vilani Suddenly inspiration struck. “Yes. Yes, I cial language that the computer under-
navigator she had befriended in the see now.” stands, to describe the problem and how
starport watering hole, frowned with to solve it. Once I had done that, the
concentration. “Good. Then . . .” computer could do the work much faster
Laragii held up a hand. “Wait. Your than I could. That’s a program.”
“Perhaps I am still not understand- computer could not solve this problem
ing how to use this computer,” Laragii a few minutes ago. Now it can? How is Laragii peered at the machine. “The
complained. “I can find no procedure this accomplished?” computer . . . learns?”
for solving the equations you describe.” Christie sat back, a puzzled look on
her face. “I wrote a program to solve the “I suppose you could say that,”
Christie took the computer back problem.” Christie agreed.
from him, tapped at the keyboard, and
nodded. “You’re right.” The Vilani navigator stared at her, his
eyes alight with interest. “Tell me more.”
Laragii sighed in frustration. “I fear
you must find another way to explain,
then. I do not understand the purpose
of this mathematics.”

“Just a moment.” Christie opened
the program-development environment
on her computer, and began to punch
furiously at the keyboard. “It’s just a
matter of applying a Fourier transform
to this other set of functions . . .”

Christie’s voice faded off as she
worked, oblivious to the physical uni-
verse as she entered the world of math-
ematical abstraction. Laragii noticed
one of her Terran crewmates, casting an
indulgent smile at the navigator as he
obtained food from the galley. Laragii
deduced that she behaved this way
often, and decided to wait patiently.

OVERVIEW

The Traveller universe makes cer- TERRAN new ones of their own. This progress
tain assumptions about future tech- TECHNOLOGY caused a transition to TL10, which
nology. In GURPS terms, the funda- took place during the 2120s and
mental technologies listed in the Terran civilization has been in a 2130s. The next major set of advances,
Basic Set (see Tech Level by Field, state of rapid technological advance- breaking through into TL11, took
p. B512) never advance any further ment for centuries. The most place in the 2230s and 2240s. By the
than TL9 (or in some cases TL10). advanced nations on Terra first end of the Interstellar Wars era, Terra
However, at TL9 a number of super- reached TL9 about 2050. After contact had pushed well past the Imperial
science technologies appear and begin was established with the Vilani technological standard and had
to advance. Interstellar Wars uses Imperium, Terran scientists copied become the leading technological
TL11+ to represent advanced levels of more sophisticated Vilani technolo- center in Charted Space.
these superscience fields, layered over gies and were stimulated to develop
the stable TL9-10 situation.

TECHNOLOGY 159

Terran Biotechnology Biotechnology and Cybernetics

In Terran society, one exception to Terran society is only backward in biotechnology in terms of the stan-
the standard GURPS TL progression is dard GURPS TL progression. In fact, Terran society is quite advanced in
in the area of medicine and biotechnol- biotechnology and medical science when compared to the Vilani
ogy. Terrans were late to reach TL9 in Imperium. Terran biotech and medical equipment are among the first
this field, attaining it only about 2100. export items to find large markets within Imperial space.
During the Interstellar Wars era, they
never reached TL10 in medicine or Similarly, Terran cybernetic technology is behind its expected point
biotechnology – except in the area of on the GURPS TL progression, but is well in advance of the correspon-
“uplift” of animal species, in which a ding Vilani achievements. Terran cybertech is not as well received with-
number of successful experiments were in Vilani space, but even it finds a ready market on a few Imperial worlds.
made in the 22nd and 23rd centuries.
One of the basic assumptions of the Traveller universe is that no
Terran medical technology, as it technology advanced enough to transform the fundamental nature of
affects aging rolls and medical care, human beings will ever be widely available in the game. Traveller has its
should be considered TL9 throughout roots in science fiction of the so-called “Golden Age,” before the conse-
the Interstellar Wars era. quences of highly advanced biotechnology or cybernetics became a
common theme. Hence, societies in the Traveller universe will tend to
Terran Cybernetics lag behind the standard GURPS TL progression in these specific areas
– exactly the technologies that do have the greatest potential for
Terran society is also somewhat changing human nature.
behind the GURPS TL progression in
the area of artificial intelligence, throughout the Interstellar Wars era. Imperial Biotechnology
cybernetic implants, and brain-to- They had attained early TL10 as early and Cybernetics
machine interface. As with biotech- as 900 BC, they were still at TL10
nology and medical science, Terrans when the new Ziru Sirka put an end to The primitive Vilani were not
reached TL9 in cybertechnology about all technological innovation about 500 entirely uninterested in biological sci-
2100, and never attained TL10 during AD, and they remained at that level ence. Most food items had to be exten-
the war era. when they came into contact with sively processed before they could be
Terra. eaten, a requirement that encouraged
Self-aware artificial intelligence the shugilii caste to carefully study the
appears in the Traveller setting, but Over the centuries, Imperial tech- plant and animal species around
only at very high TL. Computers and nology matured rather than advanced. them. However, since native disease
robots at TL9-11 may be quite intelli- New techniques were not discovered – organisms were almost unable to
gent, but will not be self-aware or self- instead, familiar techniques were affect the Human body, the Vilani
motivated. This is true even for Terran slowly honed to the highest possible were never motivated to delve deep
equipment. level of reliability and sophistication. into the biological sciences. Even
The result was Imperial Standard today, the Vilani have only a limited
Cybernetic implants are generally Technology, a vast array of well- understanding of cellular biology or
limited to prosthetics – artificial defined techniques and manufactured the germ theory of disease.
replacements for damaged or defec- items. The Imperial Standard includ-
tive body parts. These may provide a ed specifications and plans for every- The Imperial Standard Technology
small advantage in strength, durabili- thing, from a tenth-solar penlight up is at an early TL7 level for biotechnolo-
ty, or capability when compared to to a billion-solar warship, from the gy and most areas of medical science.
the original organ, but prosthetics proper method for applying merdesh Through trial and error, the Vilani have
that provide a large enhancement in paint up to the definition of elaborate developed advanced surgical tech-
performance are quite rare. telecommunications protocols. niques, including the ability to perform
safe blood transfusions and some
Neural interfaces, which permit a Poor or backward worlds could not major-organ transplants. Their under-
Human to operate machines through use all of the Imperial Standard. standing of biochemistry is primitive,
a direct connection to the nervous sys- Knowing how to build a given item and they have not discovered the
tem, are possible but rare. Direct was useless if the local infrastructure structure or role of DNA.
brain-computer interfaces are not pos- could not support the process. Besides,
sible under current Terran technolo- every item in the compilation was The Vilani can make prosthetics,
gy. At most, a hideously expensive owned by one of the shangarim, which especially to replace limbs or assist the
experimental interface might connect controlled its legal use and could col- natural function of some organs (aux-
to an operator’s senses and peripheral lect licensing fees. Still, the Standard iliary lenses for the eyes, pacemakers
nerves, giving him a particularly vivid was consistent throughout Imperial for the heart, and so on). True bionic
form of “virtual reality” experience. space, giving every Imperial world the replacement organs or significant
same potential technological base. enhancements are not possible.
IMPERIAL
TECHNOLOGY

In contrast to the Terrans, the
Vilani were technologically stagnant

160 TECHNOLOGY

One advantage that the Vilani passengers, and can be repro- data, or perform any of a thousand
enjoy in medical science is access to grammed to handle any new tasks that other tasks. Every program he runs is
pharmaceuticals derived from thou- might arise. Within the limits imposed infinitely customizable, permitting
sands of worlds. Vilani pharmacists by onboard security, any crewman him to fit his experience to his own
can provide a wide variety of natural- can access any of the computer’s individual tastes. The only limit is the
ly occurring drugs, some of which functions through any terminal. The programmable capacity of his
have nigh-miraculous effects on the starship crew almost certainly computer and the availability of
Human body. Several of these drugs includes one or more people skilled in software.
are listed on p. 166. computer programming that can easi-
ly redirect the mainframe’s resources Almost every Vilani also owns a
Imperial medical technology, as it as needed. household computer. Using this
affects aging rolls and medical care, device, he can speak or send text mes-
should be considered TL7 throughout In contrast, a Vilani starship has a sages to anyone else on the same plan-
the Interstellar Wars era. computer dedicated to computing et, but the messages are always pre-
sented the same way, and they can
Nanotechnology only be sent using predefined proto-
cols. He can skim the news, but only
The standard TL progression in GURPS Fourth Edition includes the news that the single planetary
applications of nanotechnology at TL10 and above. Interstellar Wars news service provides, and only in the
assumes that nanotechnology is viable at high TL, but that the results are format the service chooses to present.
subtle, blending into the background in such a way that most people are He can download entertainment from
never aware of them. the available broadcast services, but
only what those services choose to
Nanotech devices (“nanites”) are assumed to be very delicate and make available to him. If he wishes to
expensive, useful in certain manufacturing processes or medical treat- play electronic games, he will have to
ments, but by no means ubiquitous in daily life. Nanites are also assumed buy additional devices to play them on
to be incapable of self-replication, so they can’t exist “unsupervised” or – possibly one device per game. If he
become wildly destructive. Adventurers will almost never own or use needs to process images or scientific
nanites themselves, and they can be assumed to be an invisible part of the data in the course of his job, his
background for most adventures. employer will provide him with yet
another device on which that can be
Imperial Electronics jump coordinates, another computer done. The Vilani can customize his
dedicated to processing sensor data, a interactions with the machines to a
Vilani electronic systems are effi- third dedicated to handling on-board certain extent, but he is always forced
cient, reliable, and cheap. They pro- communications, a fourth dedicated to choose items from a predefined
vide capabilities similar to those to gunnery control, and so on. Each of menu; he can never rebuild his tools to
designed by Terrans. However, these computers, by itself, is at least as suit his personal taste.
because Vilani technological develop- effective and reliable for its task as the
ment took a significantly different path Terran mainframe. However, the vari- In short, although the Vilani citizen
millennia ago, Imperial electronic ous computers are separate devices, has access to very sophisticated elec-
devices seem quite strange to a Terran which might not even be networked tronics, the way in which he interacts
encountering them for the first time. together. A crewman who knows how with his devices is very rigid and inflex-
to operate one computer might have ible. Vilani who come into contact with
The fundamental difference is that no idea how to operate a different one. Terran electronics are often extremely
Vilani electronic devices are designed If any truly new task arises that attracted to them, if they are able to
for a specific task, and are not easily requires massive computational appreciate their sheer flexibility. Of
applied to any other task. Even Vilani power, the crew is out of luck; none of course, they can also get into serious
computers are not flexible machines – the existing ship’s computers can be trouble with the Imperial authorities
each computer is “hard-wired” for a rebuilt to handle the new task without for owning or using such devices!
specific kind of calculation or data an almost complete redesign (which
manipulation, and can’t be repro- no one on board knows how to do). Vilani computers, sensors, com-
grammed to perform any other job. municators, and other electronic
This fact makes the relationship Another example: almost every devices are all considered to be at
between a Vilani and his machines Terran owns a personal computer, TL(6+4), roughly equivalent to Terran
quite different from that between a which can easily be connected to the TL10 but based on completely differ-
Terran and his. local planetary network. Using this ent principles. The major exception is
computer, he can speak or send a text in the area of robotics, where the
For example, a Terran starship message to anyone else on the net- Imperial Standard is limited to about
might have a central mainframe com- work, skim the news, download books TL(6+1), or equivalent to Terran TL7.
puter, which performs all the routine or music, manage his finances, play Vilani use crude, single-purpose
computation on board, provides games, process images or scientific industrial robots, but they do not
entertainment media to the crew and build general-purpose robots, nor do
they produce computers with any
degree of self-programming ability.

TECHNOLOGY 161

PERSONAL GEAR

The following lists of gear build on weight, draws negligible power from Cheap: The computer is less sophis-
the Basic Set, adding items and rules the attached communicator. ticated than usual, and is therefore
specific to the Traveller universe. With much cheaper. This option can be
certain exceptions listed below, any- Digital Camera (TL8): Takes full- used to describe older hardware.
thing in Chapter 8 of the Basic Set is color still or motion pictures, record-
available. ing them on a computer disk. $500, 2 Compact: The computer is substan-
lbs., 4 days. tially reduced in size and weight, but
ARMOR AND is much more expensive as a result.
PROTECTIVE COMPUTERS
GEAR Dedicated (Imperial Required): A
Computers come in a bewildering dedicated computer can only run a
The lists of armor and protective variety during the Interstellar Wars single software program, designated
equipment found in the Basic Set era, from the small hand-carried when the computer is built. The pri-
(pp. B282-287) are adequate for the devices used by many Terrans as per- mary characteristic of Imperial com-
Interstellar Wars setting. The sonal data assistants, to the powerful puters is that they are all built with the
Imperium does not use “battlesuits” mainframes used to run Terran star- Dedicated option.
(powered armor), but the Terran ships, to the myriad single-purpose
Confederation begins to use them machines produced by strange Vilani Genius: The computer uses state-
after reaching TL11. Use the Battlesuit technology. Computers use the rules of-the-art processing technology. This
from the table on p. B285, adjusting found on p. B472. greatly increases its price. Imperial
its DR for TL11 as indicated in the computers may only use this option if
notes. they are designed to run an Expert
System program (p. 164).

COMMUNICATIONS Computer Types Hardened: The computer is built
with optical systems, or with more
All communications equipment The available computers are listed sophisticated forms of hardening at
listed here uses the rules referenced in the table below. Each type’s weight, TL10+. The effect is to make the com-
under Communicators, p. B471. cost, and Complexity are given. puter more resistant to attacks such as
Computers are usually run on build- electromagnetic pulses or power
Communicator, Short Range (TL8): ing or shipboard power, although surges.
A small two-way radio, often built into Minicomputers and smaller devices
a helmet or worn on a belt. The stan- can also be run from battery power High Capacity: The computer’s soft-
dard model has a base range of 10 (provided by a computer terminal; see ware and data storage capacity is
miles. $100, negligible weight, 15 p. 163). increased by 50%. The computer can
days. Can be disguised in an earring, run three programs of its own
wristwatch, or other small accessory Several options may be added to Complexity, and so forth.
for +50% cost. any computer to alter its capabilities.
An option that is “Imperial Required” Robot Brain (Terran Only): The
Communicator, Medium Range must always be built into Imperial computer has a brain optimized to
(TL8): A palm-sized radio, with a base computers; an option that is “Terran control a mobile robot. This option
range of 100 miles. $200, 1 lb., 15 Only” may never be built into Imperial gives it a built-in operating system
days. A video display is available at computers. that permits it to move, control its
double cost.

Communicator, Long Range (TL8):
A book-sized or backpack unit, with a
base range of 1,000 miles. Capable of
reaching ships in low planetary orbit.
$500, 10 lbs., 4 days. A video display is
available for an extra $100.

Com Scrambler (TL8): Attached to
any communicator, scrambles mes-
sages so that only another scrambler
with the same cryptologic key can
decode the transmission. An eaves-
dropper with access to a Terran main-
frame (or better) computer might be
able to decode the transmission with a
Cryptography skill roll. $500, negligible

162 TECHNOLOGY

COMPUTER TABLE radio modem for “wireless” connec-
tion to nearby computer networks
Type Weight Cost Complexity (range about 10 yards). Internal bat-
Mainframe 1,000 $250,000 TL-3 teries can support a Tiny computer’s
Microframe 100 $50,000 TL-4 power requirements. $100, 0.5
Minicomputer $10,000 TL-5 pounds, 6 hours.
Small 10 TL-6
Tiny 1 $2,000 TL-7 Desktop Terminal (TL8): Includes
Options 0.1 $400 the full range of input and output
Cheap -1 devices, but lacks a printer or a high-
Compact ¥1 ¥0.05 – quality holovisual display. Includes a
Dedicated ¥0.5 ¥2 – small radio modem for wireless con-
Genius ¥0.5 ¥0.2 +1 nection (range about 30 yards).
Hardened ¥1 ¥20 – Internal batteries can support a Small
High Capacity ¥3 ¥5 – computer’s power requirements. $500,
Robot Brain ¥1 ¥1.5 – 10 pounds, 6 hours. A compact ver-
Synaptic Processing ¥1 ¥1 – sion of the terminal (a “laptop”) has
¥1 ¥2 half the weight but +50% cost.

limbs (if any), run built-in equipment, portion that manipulates data. Unless Workstation Terminal (TL8): Includes
process sensor information, under- the computer is intended strictly for an the full range of input and output
stand orders to the limits of its IQ, and unmanned vehicle, a battlesuit, or a devices, at higher quality, plus a printer.
so on. The computer has an effective robot, it should have at least one At TL9+ it includes a high-quality holo-
DX of (Complexity/2)+8 (rounded terminal. visual display. Includes a radio modem
down), and an effective IQ of (range about 100 yards). Internal batter-
Complexity+3. It is programmed to A terminal includes a keyboard or ies can support a Minicomputer’s power
obey its owner and will follow orders touchpad, a “mouse” or other pointing requirements. This is the typical ship-
literally. The main drawback of this device, one or more cameras, a board computer workstation. $1,000, 40
option is that it halves the number of holodisk reader, a screen or holodis- pounds, 6 hours.
programs the computer can run (one play, a printer – in short, a variety of
of its own Complexity, 10 of one equipment used to either provide the Data Storage
Complexity lower, and so on). computer with data input or present and Databases
data output to the user. Each terminal
Synaptic Processing (Terran Only – allows one person to use the computer A computer always has data stor-
TL10): The computer is built to imi- at a time. A single terminal can be con- age capacity (for the basic data stor-
tate the way an animal’s brain struc- nected to multiple computers, possibly age rules, see p. B472). A Complexity 1
ture works. This gives the computer a through an extensive network. computer has a base storage capacity
limited ability to “learn,” altering its of 100 MB; this capacity increases by
own programming in response to Adding a terminal to a computer a factor of 10 per level of Complexity
input. The computer gains an IQ of does not increase its capacity in any (hence a Compexity 2 computer has a
Complexity+4 for learning purposes, way. If multiple users try to exceed its capacity of 1 GB, a Complexity 3 com-
but no DX; the computer cannot learn capacity by running more programs of puter a capacity of 10 GB, and so on).
DX-based skills. Combined with the a given Complexity than the computer
robot brain option, this makes the can handle, then they will simply be Portable data storage is in the form
computer semi-sentient, with limited unable to do so. of holodisks. These are dime-sized
initiative. However, it has no interest disks that can easily be interfaced with
in anything beyond following its user’s Terminals come in several different any computer terminal. At TL9, a
orders – it is not “self-aware.” Treat levels of size and complexity. GMs and holodisk contains 100 GB of data; this
this like a normal robot brain, but on players should feel free to mix and capacity increases by a factor of 10 per
that can learn; it has its normal DX but match terminals and computers. For TL (so a disk contains 1 TB at TL10,
an IQ of Complexity+4. example, a Palmtop terminal attached and 10 TB at TL11). A holodisk costs
to a Tiny computer would be a useful $5 and has negligible weight.
The Computer Table gives the “data assistant” for almost any Terran
weight, cost, and Complexity of each starship crewman; a Mainframe com- Databases store information on
computer type. If any options are puter might be connected to dozens of various subjects (see Data Storage,
applied, change the statistics by all of Desktop terminals to form a science p. B472, for examples of how large
the factors given for the selected lab’s computer network. Terminals various databases need to be). The
options. Options can only be selected have internal batteries and can sup- cost of a database varies dramatically;
once each. port the power requirements of a com- a standard reference encyclopedia
puter as well as their own; they can may be nearly free, while a database of
Computer Terminals also be run from building or ship- military starship designs may be com-
board power. pletely unavailable except to a licensed
The equipment described on the naval architect. Typical costs are $1 to
Computer Table above is only the pro- Palmtop Terminal (TL8): Includes a $100 per GB, depending on supply
cessing element of the computer – the small screen and touchpad, plus a and demand.
microphone and speaker for spoken
interaction. Also includes a small

TECHNOLOGY 163

Although Imperial computers do for a ship 1,000-9,999 dtons in size, skill-12; it is Complexity 3 for an Easy
not use programs in the same sense and Complexity 5 for a ship 10,000 skill, Complexity 4 for an Average
that Terran computers do, the dtons or larger. The computer must skill, Complexity 5 for a Hard skill,
Imperium does use holodisks and also have an installed database of the and Complexity 6 for a Very Hard
databases. The two civilizations use ship’s blueprints and technical skill. Higher skill levels are available
different protocols to store and trans- specifications (1 GB, $1,000). (+1 to skill for +1 Complexity).
fer information, but translation is rel-
atively easy and most Terran comput- Datalink (TL8): This program Gunner (TL8): This program per-
ers are able to read Imperial storage enables any computer to link (through mits the ship’s computer to work as a
media. a cable or communicator) with anoth- gunner. The computer has skill-12
er electronic device. The computer with a Gunner program of
Software can now display data from the other Complexity 4, +1 to skill for every +1
device, and can be used to give to Complexity. The skill bonus is not
Software programs are purchased instructions through the link. This is cumulative with any bonus (or penal-
and run using the rules on p. B472. also the software used to communi- ty) from a Targeting program – use
The cost of a given piece of software cate with other computers through a the lower of the Gunner or Targeting
depends on the TL of purchase and network. Complexity 1. program bonus. One copy of the
the Complexity of the program, as Gunner program running on the
given by the following table. Highly Entertainment (TL8): A full ship’s computers will replace one
specialized programs may cost two to Entertainment program scans news human gunner.
five times the value in the table; some channels, provides visual or musical
such cases are noted below, but the entertainment, and presents computer Internal Security (TL8): This pro-
GM should feel free to impose higher games. Complexity 2. Entertainment gram monitors and controls a build-
costs. A program designated as “Free” databases must be available as well; 1 ing’s or ship’s security systems. It has
is available for negligible cost, as GB of database can include dozens of an Electronics Operation (Security
“shareware,” or bundled into packages musical performances, a few movies, Systems) skill on its own, or can add a
with other software. or a single computer game of bonus to an operator’s skill. If some-
moderate complexity. one is attempting to fool security sen-
sors, a Quick Contest of Skill in
SOFTWARE COSTS TABLE Electronics Operation (Security
Systems) may be required. A
Complexity Cost (TL9) Cost (TL10) Cost (TL11) Complexity 3 program has a skill of 14
1 Free Free Free or adds a +2 bonus to an operator’s
2 $50 Free Free skill; +1 to skill and bonus for every +1
3 $200 $50 Free Complexity.
4 $200 $50
5 $1,000 $200 Interpreter (TL8): This program can
6 $5,000 $1,000 translate from any language to any
7 $20,000 $5,000 $1,000 other language, so long as both of the
8 $100,000 $20,000 $5,000 appropriate language databases are
9 $100,000 $20,000 on line. Written or nonverbal lan-
– $100,000 guages can be handled so long as the
– – appropriate sensors and “speakers”
are available. A program that can pro-
Imperial computers do not use Expert System (TL8): An Expert vide Broken-level translations is
software, as such; each computer is System program encodes the knowl- Complexity 3, a program capable of
“hardwired” to run a single program edge of an expert in a given field, and Accented-level translation is
and cannot be reprogrammed. The can assist untrained individuals to use Complexity 4, and a program capable
program to be run is designated when the skill. They can be asked what-if of Native-level translation is
the computer is purchased. questions, but they will not bring any Complexity 5. Language databases are
new insights to a problem, and can’t usually 1 GB, $1,000.
Accounting (TL8): Used to manipu- be used for original research or inven-
late numbers, perform financial pro- tion. Expert Systems are available for Jump Navigation (TL9): This pro-
jections, and so on. The GM may con- almost any skill that requires a lot of gram is necessary in order to use the
sider this to be required for normal use “book learning” or specialized techni- Navigation (Hyperspace) skill. It
of the Accounting or Finance skills. cal knowledge (medicine, theoretical comes in several levels, depending on
Complexity 2. or applied science, engineering, star- the range of the jump to be performed.
ship systems operation, accounting or A Jump-0 program is Complexity 4, a
Damage Control (TL8): This pro- finance, wilderness survival, and so Jump-1 program is Complexity 5, a
gram monitors system status on). They are not available for most Jump-2 program is Complexity 6, and
throughout a starship, helping engi- skills that require physical perform- a Jump-3 program is Complexity 7.
neers diagnose damage and repair it. ance (most athletic or combat skills).
It gives a +2 bonus to rolls to repair The GM should determine whether an Jump Planning (TL9): This is not a
ship damage. The program is Expert System is available for any program, but a database; it includes
Complexity 2 for a ship less than 100 given skill. A basic Expert System has pre-computed values for many of the
dtons in size, Complexity 3 for a ship parameters necessary to plot a jump
100-999 dtons in size, Complexity 4

164 TECHNOLOGY

Example of Computer Design: person) or left to develop its own (gen-
erally based on those around it). A
Imperial Expert Systems simulation good enough to seem
“real” to those interacting with it for
Most Terrans are accustomed to carrying a flexible personal comput- long periods is Complexity 5, while a
er around, and have heard that Imperials don’t enjoy such a technologi- simulation of near-Human depth of
cal amenity. When they first encounter Vilani technicians, they’re often personality is Complexity 6.
surprised to see them carrying around small devices, very similar in
appearance to the Terran “perscomp.” Routine Vehicle Operation (TL8):
This program enables the computer to
In fact, many Vilani carry a small personal device, dedicated to run- control a vehicle for routine travel – no
ning a single Expert System program (p. 164) that supports their own combat driving or dangerous maneu-
technical specialty. These expert systems are very good, if somewhat vers. A program with effective Driving
inflexible, and have been carefully refined over centuries or millennia. or Piloting skill of 12 is Complexity 2;
They embody not only the technical knowledge of Vilani civilization, but +1 skill for +1 Complexity. The vehicle
also information on who owns each piece of technology and therefore must have been designed for comput-
controls any further innovation affecting it. er control and must be fitted with the
appropriate electronic sensors.
Young Vilani, just starting out on their careers, will tend to lean on
their expert systems for guidance even in the simplest technical tasks. Targeting (TL8): A starship gunner
Older, more experienced Vilani can get along without their expert sys- may use this program to predict target
tems – but they tend to continue referring to them, if only to know what positions and aim heavy weaponry.
“tinkering” might expose them to charges of illicit innovation. Since The program can be purchased at any
Imperial expert systems are so refined and extensive, they are often intel- desired Complexity, and grants a
ligence targets for Terran operatives, at least early in the Interstellar Wars bonus (or penalty) to Gunner skill
era before Terran technology attains parity with the Imperial Standard. equal to Complexity-5. Firing a star-
ship’s weapons without a Targeting
Imperial expert-systems devices can support a very wide variety of program imposes a -6 penalty to
skills. Two examples are described below – the GM is encouraged to Gunner skill. One copy of this program
design more. must be running on ship’s computers
for each gunner.
Technician’s Aide: This is a Small computer, designed with the
Dedicated and Genius options, attached to a compact Desktop terminal. Technical Reference (TL8): This
It runs a Complexity 5 Expert System program, usually providing a skill program serves as a design system
level of 13 in an Average skill such as Electrician, Electronics Repair, or and diagnostic tool for a single tech-
Mechanic. A Technician’s Aide is often issued to a new technician when nical skill (such as Armoury,
he embarks on his career, and he may rely on it heavily for many years. Electrician, Electronics Repair,
$9,750 (including software cost), 5.5 lbs., 6 hours (when not attached to Engineer, Machinist, or Mechanic). It
ship or building power). grants a +2 to any skill roll to design
or repair a piece of equipment using
Administrator’s Aide: This is a Minicomputer, designed with the the supported skill. Complexity 3.
Dedicated and Genius options, attached to a normal Workstation termi-
nal. It runs a Complexity 6 Expert System program, usually providing a Word Processing (TL8): A complete,
skill level of 14 in an Average skill such as Administration or Merchant, state-of-the-art desktop publishing
or a skill level of 13 in a Hard skill such as Accounting or Law. Many low- system, used to create and manipulate
level or mid-level administrators in Imperial society make use of an text and image files. Complexity 2.
Administrator’s Aide. $46,000 (including software cost), 45 lbs., 6 hours
(when not attached to ship or building power). MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT
between a specific pair of star systems. and normally costs $1,000. Databases AND CARE
If an appropriate Jump Planning data- for most destinations within three to
base is available, the Navigation four parsecs can usually be bought at Physicians use the rules from the
(Hyperspace) skill roll to plot the jump any Class C or better starport. Basic Set to determine how effective
safely is at +4. Imperial navigators they are (see Recovery, p. B423).
always use Jump Planning databases. Personality Simulation (Terran Only Throughout the Interstellar Wars era,
Terran navigators use them for added – TL10): This program lets the com- Terran physicians are considered to
safety but are often willing to do with- puter simulate emotions, quirks, and be working at TL9. Vilani physicians
out. Jump Planning databases are so on, and also permits the use of are considered to be at TL7, but they
sometimes called “jump tapes,” highly idiomatic speech. In a robot, it have access to all the unusual drugs
although they are stored on holodisks can also simulate gestures and physi- listed below, and they know how to
like any other database. A Jump cal mannerisms. It can be pro- use them. As a result, they can often
Planning database is 100 GB in size, grammed with a specific personality obtain more impressive results than
(even duplicating a real or fictional their technical base might suggest.

TECHNOLOGY 165

Available Drugs Sharaddun: This drug is often used Ushkiirga: This anti-bacterial agent
by Vilani soldiers in combat, and has is sometimes called the “ultimate
The following are examples of the appeared on the Terran black market. antibiotic” by Terran physicians. It
kind of “miracle drugs” that are avail- While under the influence of the drug, not only attacks bacterial infections
able in the Imperium (or, via trade, in the user acquires the Enhanced Time directly, but it also bolsters the
Terran space). The GM should feel Sense advantage. At the end of the Human immune system and improves
free to design more, using the rules on drug’s period of effect, he must make resistance even against viral diseases.
p. B425. a HT-4 roll or take 1d FP and 1d HP. It provides a +8 bonus to all HT rolls
The drug is administered as an injec- to resist infection or infectious dis-
Gakinisharra: Used to treat the tion, with each dose lasting (25 – HT) ease. It is administered by injection,
sleep-deprivation syndrome suffered minutes; multiple doses extend the with each dose lasting (25 – HT)/4
by the Anakundu race (p. 80), this effect, but the fatigue and hit points hours; multiple doses extend the
drug can also be used to counteract lost must be determined for each dose. effect. LC 3, cost per dose $250.
insomnia and other sleep disorders. It LC 1, cost per dose $1,000.
is very effective, non-habit-forming, Suspended Animation
cheap, and widely available every- Urshaggim: Another “combat drug”
where in Imperial space. Gakinisharra often used by Vilani soldiers, this drug Imperial and Terran scientists have
cancels up to three levels of Less provides a +1 bonus to ST, DX, and independently developed ways to sus-
Sleep, and also gives a +2 to HT when HT for the duration of its effect. At the pend Human metabolism for long
making a roll to avoid an episode of end of the drug’s period of effect, the periods. The process is fairly cheap,
the Insomniac disadvantage. It is user must make a HT-4 roll (using his but it requires bulky equipment and
taken as a pill, with a dose lasting one unmodified HT) or take 1d HP. The the care of a skilled physician. The
day; multiple doses have no added drug is administered as an injection, necessary “low berth” equipment is
effect. LC 4, cost per dose $10. with each dose lasting (25 – HT) min- most often found on large-scale pas-
utes; multiple doses extend the effect, senger transports, lifeboats, and
Kash: Simply called “fast,” this sub- but the hit points lost must be deter- Terran slower-than-light colony ships.
stance triggers a kind of hibernation mined for each dose. LC 1, cost per
state in Humans. Many Vilani use it as dose $1,000. Entering a low berth requires five
a short-term substitute for the risky minutes, or twice as long without
process of suspended animation. assistance. A low berth can be set to
Upon taking the drug, the patient
immediately falls into a deathlike
trance, during which he is considered
to have Metabolism Control 5. He uses
only half as much oxygen as usual,
and the effects of starvation and dehy-
dration take 32 times as long to harm
him – thus, after 10 days under the
drug, the patient will only feel the
effects of one missed meal or about
eight hours without water. The drug is
administered as a contact agent, usu-
ally in the form of a patch, with each
dose lasting a week. Multiple doses
have no additional effect, so if a
patient is to remain in hibernation
someone must be present to apply a
new patch on a regular basis. LC 3,
cost per dose $2,000.

Kulikasu: The “physician’s friend,”
this drug was discovered early in
Vilani history and is presently used all
over Imperial space. The patient must
make a roll against HT-6 or fall uncon-
scious until the drug wears off. While
under the influence of the drug, the
patient loses the Slow Healing disad-
vantage and acquires Regeneration
(Regular). The drug is administered as
an injection, with each dose lasting
(25 – HT)/4 hours; multiple doses
extend the effect but also multiply the
penalty to the HT roll to retain con-
sciousness. LC 3, cost per dose $300.

166 TECHNOLOGY

revive its occupant at any fixed time, drugs, explosives, and so on. Range is Pressure Tent (TL8): An airtight tent
or when it receives a signal from a 5 yards. $700, 2 lbs., 2 weeks. strong enough to be inflated to one
linked computer that is programmed atmosphere in a vacuum. Opening it
to recognize certain external condi- Densitometer (TL11): This gadget completely evacuates the air; entering
tions. Revival takes 15 minutes. uses gravitic-imaging technology to or leaving through the one-man air-
Success is automatic if the revival map the interiors of objects at a range lock takes a minute. $500, 15 lbs. for a
process is monitored by someone with of up to 500 yards. It can also be used one-man tent; $1,500, 30 lbs. for a
Electronics Operation (Medical) skill to locate water, ores, or other items two-man tent; $5,000 and 150 lbs. for
at 10 or better. Otherwise, roll against underground. A clear scan requires an eight-man tent.
HT+6; the patient dies on a failure or one second per 27 cubic feet of vol-
critical failure. One person can only ume scanned. When an object has Respirator (TL9): Makes Thin and
monitor four revivals at a time. been scanned, the data is stored on Very Thin atmospheres safely breath-
standard computer media can be used able. Includes protective goggles and a
Low berths become available at to produce “cutaway” views of the short-range communicator. $300, 3
TL9. Throughout the Interstellar Wars object. $15,000, 20 lbs., 5 minutes. lbs., 36 hours.
era, one low berth (with space for a
single passenger) takes up 250 cubic Inertial Compass (TL8): Small Reducing Respirator (TL9): Makes
feet, weighs 2 tons, and costs $50,000. device that indicates direction and dis- Dense and Very Dense atmospheres
A low berth requires an uninterrupted tance traveled from any preset point safely breathable. Includes a short-
source of power, usually from a city on a planet, accurate to within a yard range communicator. $500, 5 lbs., 36
power grid or a ship’s power plant. per 1,000 miles. Must be calibrated for hours. Requires a chemical recharge
Internal batteries can maintain service the planet (takes one hour and a every two weeks, costing $50.
for about one day. Navigation or Electronics Operation
(Sensors) roll). Can be tied into a plan- Rescue Ball (TL8): This is a book-
SENSORS AND et’s geolocation satellite system for sized package that inflates into an air-
SCIENTIFIC greater accuracy. $250, 1 lb., 3 weeks. tight bubble with a self-sealing flap. It
EQUIPMENT can be inflated in four seconds and
SURVIVAL holds 15 minutes of air (more if the
Atmosphere Tester (TL8): A simpli- GEAR user carries an air tank). It floats, and
fied chemsniffer that tests the atmos- is flexible enough to move in (Move
phere and displays the composition Air Mask (TL7): A face mask and 1). A rescue ball is easy for even an
using a digital readout. A light glows air hose. Used on worlds with untrained individual to use, so many
red if the atmosphere is unbreathable unbreathable but otherwise harmless merchant vessels issue them to
for Humans, or green if it is safe. atmospheres. If the atmosphere lacks passengers instead of vacc suits. $800,
Exotic chemical or biological contam- enough oxygen (or has too much) then 5 lbs.
inants may be beyond the tester’s abil- air tanks are also required, while if it
ity to assess (use a chemsniffer for has enough atmosphere but is con- Personal Reentry Kit (TL8): A
these). $400, 1 lb., 3 weeks. taminated or tainted, a filter (but no foamed ablative heat shield, chemical
tanks) is required. $100, 2 lbs. For thruster, and parachute allows an
Biosniffer (TL10): An advanced another $50, add a mini-tank with 10 individual in a sealed suit (such as a
chemsniffer that can recognize and minutes of air. vacc suit or battle dress) to re-enter a
analyze evidence of biological organ- planetary atmosphere from low orbit.
isms. The biosniffer could determine Air Tank (TL7): Stores two hours’ Safe re-entry requires successful Free
what type of life forms had previously worth of air. Usable with vacc suits, air Fall and Parachuting skill rolls.
occupied an area by picking up char- masks, sealed armor, and so on. $15,000, 30 lbs.
acteristic molecules produced by their Multiple tanks can be worn. Each tank
exhalation, skin flakes, and so on. It is $100, 10 lbs. An advanced rebreather WEAPONS
could then compare them to a data- (TL8, $200, 1 lb.) added breathing gear
base included in the device’s comput- multiplies tank duration by 10. The lists of melee and ranged
er, helping the user track specific weapons found in the Basic Set
organisms or species. Range is five Filter (TL8): Used with any air (pp. B267-281) are adequate for the
yards. Previously unknown life forms mask or respirator, a filter allows con- Interstellar Wars setting. “Blaster”
will impose a penalty to the taminated air to be breathed without weapons are not available, even at
Electronics Operation (Sensors) roll resorting to air tanks. The filter media TL11. Beam weapons in the Traveller
to successfully use the device. $2,000, require replacement every 48 hours. universe are usually designed so that
2 lbs., 2 weeks. $200, 1 lb. for CBR-rated filter usable the power supply can be carried or
against chemical agents, bioweapons, worn separately from the working
Chemsniffer (TL8): Analyzes chem- or radiation fallout; $100 for a filter portion of the weapon. The power
ical traces in the atmosphere. Can be rated only for things like pollution, pack is normally worn on the belt or
used to determine atmospheric com- volcanic fumes, or pollen. back, with a sturdy cable running to
position in greater detail than is avail- Replacement filter media: $40 for the weapon. Imperial forces tend to
able from a standard atmosphere CBR-rated, $10 otherwise, 1/4 lbs. use “slugthrower” weapons, especially
tester. It can also locate contaminants, Note that to protect against contact the TL9 autopistol and the TL10
agents like nerve gas or bioweapons, a Gauss rifle. Terran soldiers follow
sealed suit will also be necessary. suit, although at TL10+ Terran forces
often use laser weapons as well.

TECHNOLOGY 167

VEHICLES

“Grav vehicles” are the main trans- suits. A standard air/raft has a capacity They are usually designed for light
portation of a high-technology society, of one driver, three to five passengers, troop transport duties, carrying heav-
replacing almost all other vehicle and four tons of cargo. Air/rafts are ier armor and often mounting a light
types except in specialized applica- often carried by small starships as aux- infantry-support weapon in an open
tions. All gravitic vehicles are con- iliary craft; they take up four dtons of gun mount. They are sealed, but are
trolled using Piloting (Contragravity) space in a vehicle bay or hangar. too slow for travel beyond low plane-
skill. There are three grav-vehicle con- tary orbit. A standard G-Carrier can
figurations in common use: air/rafts, Speeders carry a driver, a gunner, and up to 12
speeders, and G-carriers. Each of passengers, with two tons of cargo. G-
these has an “Imperial Standard” type, Speeders are large, overpowered Carriers are sometimes carried by
which is the most common model gravitic vehicles, sacrificing passenger military starships as auxiliary craft;
manufactured in Imperial space. and cargo space for streamlining and they take up eight dtons of space in a
Various Terran manufacturers also speed. They are sealed against high vehicle bay or hangar.
produce varying grav-vehicle models. winds and vacuum, and can easily be
used for surface-to-orbit travel. A stan-
Air/Rafts dard speeder can carry a driver, one
passenger, and up to 200 pounds of
An “air/raft” is the gravitic equiva- cargo. They are sometimes carried by
lent of the personal ground car. They starships as auxiliary craft, although
are slow, and can become rather diffi- their lack of cargo capacity makes
cult to handle in high or turbulent them unpopular in this role. They take
winds. They are open-topped, and can up six dtons of space in a vehicle bay
be covered with a cloth or plastic or hangar.
canopy, but cannot be sealed against
vacuum. Air/rafts can be used for sur- G-Carriers
face-to-low-orbit flights, although the
trip can take several hours and G-Carriers are heavy cargo vehi-
requires that the passengers wear vacc cles, with handling characteristics
similar to those of a large air/raft.

GRAV VEHICLE TABLE

TL Vehicle ST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ. DR Range Cost Loc. Stall
10 1/25 5.9
9 General Gravitics 12 1/30 5.4
11 1/30 5.8
Air/Raft 57 +3/2 11 1/40 5.4 4.9 +3 1+3 15 – $400,000 O 0
11 2/40 5.8
10 Imperial 12 10/300 1.8
11 10/300 2.0
Standard Air/Raft 50 +3/3 11 12/360 1.8 4.4 +3 1+3 16 – $600,000 O 0
11 16/400 1.8
10 Hill & Masterson 10 1/30 9.4
12 1/30 7.4
Phoenix Air/Raft 53 +3/3 11 1/30 7.4 4.6 +3 1+5 18 – $560,000 O 0
11 2/40 7.4
10 Kaufmann

Diamond Air/Raft 50 +4/3 4.4 +3 1+3 16 – $700,000

11 Hill & Masterson

Phoenix II Air/Raft 53 +3/3 4.6 +3 1+5 22 – $630,000 O 0

10 Imperial

Standard Speeder 57 +4/2 0.3 +4 1+1 12 – $1 million – 0

10 Hill & Masterson

Thunderbird Speeder 57 +4/2 0.5 +4 1+1 10 – $1 million – 0

10 Kaufmann

Sapphire Speeder 57 +4/3 0.3 +4 1+1 12 – $1.2 million – 0

11 Hellenic Industries

OTV Speeder 57 +4/2 0.3 +4 1+1 16 – $1.5 million – 0

9 General Gravitics

Heavy Cargo Carrier 72 +2/3 3.4 +5 2+12 16 – $750,000 X 0

10 Imperial

Standard G-Carrier 63 +2/4 3.4 +5 2+12 22 – $1 million X 0

10 Hill & Masterson

Basilisk G-Carrier 67 +2/4 3.4 +5 2+12 24 – $1 million X 0

11 Hill & Masterson

Basilisk II G-Carrier 72 +2/4 3.4 +5 2+12 28 – $1.2 million X 0

168 TECHNOLOGY

CHAPTER EIGHT

STARSHIPS

Wherever we want to go, we
go. That’s what a ship is, you
know. It’s not just a keel and
a hull and a deck and sails . . .
That’s what a ship needs. But
what a ship is . . . is freedom.

– Captain Jack Sparrow,
“Pirates of the Caribbean”

The fundamental fea-
ture of Traveller is travel. A
typical Traveller campaign
touches on many worlds,
with adventurers voyaging
from one world to the next
through space.

STARSHIP SYSTEMS

A starship is a very complex piece mass. This makes them expensive, and A jump drive works by projecting
of technology, composed of many strictly limits the velocities they can the ship through an alternate universe
component systems. Some of the most reach. known as jumpspace. Once a starship
important of these systems are moves to a safe distance from a world,
described here. Fortunately a better alternative is it can activate its jump drive and enter
possible. At late TL8, new drives use jumpspace.
MANEUVER power to generate forward thrust
DRIVES without needing to burn fuel or eject While the ship is in jumpspace, it
reaction mass. Such reactionless exists inside a “bubble” of normal
Maneuver drives are devices used to thrusters violate the laws of physics as space maintained by the jump drive.
propel spaceships through “normal” understood in the early 21st century, Inside that bubble, the laws of physics
space from world to world. They are but they make cheap, convenient remain “normal,” and the ship and its
most often used to move between an space travel possible. Reactionless inhabitants can function normally.
inhabited world and a nearby point thrusters are the standard maneuver Outside the bubble, the laws of
where the jump drive can be used. drive used by the Imperium, Terrans, physics are very strange – machinery
They are also used to move between and all other known spacefaring civi- and Humans that are exposed directly
worlds in a single solar system; this is lizations. to jumpspace tend to malfunction.
less common, since few solar systems
have more than one inhabited world. The performance of a maneuver Jump space appears to exist in
Finally, maneuver drives can be used drive is most often expressed in terms multiple “levels.” A jump through the
for interstellar travel, but this is of space acceleration, which is meas- first level will take the starship up to
extremely rare since the distances are ured in gravities (G). A drive that can about one parsec in normal space,
so long and the jump drive is a much deliver 1 G of space acceleration can while a jump through the second level
more convenient method for crossing cause the ship to accelerate as if under will take the starship up to about twice
them. standard Terran gravity (32 feet per as far. Each level is reached using a
second per second). Typical maneuver significantly different kind of jump
Most civilizations begin their explo- drives deliver between 0.5 G and 6 G. drive – thus a starship with two-parsec
ration of space using reaction drives, range uses different machinery (and
“rockets” that eject mass backward in THE JUMP more of it) than one with only one-
order to propel a vehicle forward. The DRIVE parsec range. There are probably
main drawback of such drives is that more than three levels in deep jump-
they require vast quantities of reaction Only one form of faster-than-light space, but no one knows how many
travel is available: the jump drive. might exist, or how to reach them.

STARSHIPS 169

The performance of a jump drive is Interface Operations
expressed in terms of jump number. A
jump drive that can cause the starship One of the most difficult maneuvers any ship can undertake is to land
to jump up to one parsec has a jump on or take off from a world with a substantial atmosphere. Maneuver
number of one, and is usually drives are very powerful and can do a great deal to overcome gravity –
described as a “jump-1” drive. but passage through a thick atmosphere can itself be very dangerous. The
Imperial starships can be designed following rules apply to any ship attempting to land on or take off from
with jump-1 or jump-2 drives. Terran any world that has more than a Trace atmosphere.
starships have similar capability
through the first half of the Ships are considered to have unstreamlined, streamlined, or airframe
Interstellar Wars era, and later hulls (see Streamlining, p. 189). Each type has its own maneuver profile.
become capable of jump-3. Landing or taking off in a substantial atmosphere requires a Piloting
(Aerospace) roll. Local atmospheric conditions can modify this roll; tak-
Technical Details ing off under perfect conditions might give a +2 bonus, while landing in
the middle of a hurricane will give at least a -6 penalty!
Jump drives operate most reliably
at a distance from large, massive An airframe-hull ship can actually fly to or from orbit, its hull gener-
objects. Any object more massive ating lift so that the ship’s drive doesn’t have to do all the work of over-
than a given starship has the potential coming gravity. This will work even if the ship’s space acceleration rating
to disrupt the ship’s drives. If the is lower than local gravity. The process takes only a few minutes, and
drive is actuated within 100 times the requires a single Piloting (Aerospace) roll. On a failure, the takeoff or
diameter of such an object, it may landing maneuver isn’t carried out successfully; either the ship misses its
malfunction disastrously. designated takeoff lane, or it overshoots the landing zone and must dou-
ble back. Such failures sometimes earn fines or criminal penalties, espe-
The jump drive operates along a cially in crowded airspace! On a critical failure, the ship takes damage
straight line, called a jump line, from buffeting or collision equal to 10% of its hit points.
through normal space. If the jump line
intersects a 100-diameter sphere A streamlined-hull ship isn’t really designed for atmospheric flight,
around an object larger than the ship, but it is capable of careful takeoff or landing, with the ship’s drive doing
the ship is “precipitated out” of jump- all the work of opposing gravity. In this case, takeoff or landing is only
space, appearing in normal space near possible if the ship’s space acceleration rating is higher than local gravi-
the disrupting object. It is an astroga- ty. To determine the time required, divide 20 minutes by the difference
tor’s job to plot a course that avoids between the ship’s space acceleration and local surface gravity (in Gs). A
such pitfalls. Of course, the effect pre- Piloting (Aerospace) roll is necessary every five minutes; the results of a
vents a ship from emerging from failed roll are as for an airframe ship.
jumpspace within another object.
An unstreamlined ship is not designed to move in an atmosphere at
Jump navigation requires some very all, and any such maneuvers are very hazardous. Takeoff or landing is
advanced mathematics and a great deal only possible if the ship’s space acceleration rating is higher than local
of computer “number crunching.” gravity. The time required is as for a streamlined ship, with a minimum
Every jump is different, and a great time of 10 minutes. A Piloting (Aerospace) roll is necessary every minute
deal of careful planning and computa- during the maneuver. On any ordinary failure, the ship will take damage
tion has to be done before the jump equal to 10% of its hit points; on a critical failure it will take damage
drive can be turned on. equal to 1d ¥ 10% of its hit points. Most unstreamlined ships are not
designed with landing gear, so any but a very gentle landing will do more
Terrans and Imperials approach damage to the hull (GM’s discretion).
the problem of jump navigation differ-
ently. Terrans compute all the details from that origin system to that desti- ship’s reactor, while some of it is used
of each jump as they are needed, using nation system. Even with a jump tape, as reactor coolant. The rest of the fuel
highly trained navigators and powerful some computational work must still be is expelled into jumpspace while the
digital computers to do the necessary done for each specific jump, but the ship is in transit, to hold open the
work. This makes the job of planning work is much easier for the navigator. “bubble” of normal space that protects
each jump much harder, but it also The drawback to this approach is that it. Although the term is technically
means that Terran ships can always an Imperial ship can’t jump at all with- inaccurate, all of this expendable
plan a jump, even in unexplored space out a jump tape. As a result, if an hydrogen is referred to as “fuel.” Jump
or after a previous misjump. Imperial ship finds itself in unexplored fuel is normally consumed at the rate
space, or can’t get the jump tape for a of 10% of the ship’s displacement ton-
On the other hand, Imperial ships given origin-destination pair, it’s nage per parsec jumped (although
use a computational short-cut. If an stranded. some jump drives are less efficient; see
Imperial ship is following a known p. 191). An in-system microjump
travel route, it uses a jump tape Each jump requires a quantity of requires the same amount of fuel as a
(p. 164). A jump tape is designed for liquid hydrogen. Some of this hydro- one-parsec interstellar jump.
one origin-destination pair of star sys- gen is converted into energy in the
tems. It contains some pre-computed
parameters that apply to any jump

170 STARSHIPS

Jump Operations most likely candidate is Piloting Jump drives have several “failure
(High-Performance Spacecraft). modes,” depending on exactly why a
A successful jump requires four given jump failed to take place as
skill rolls on the part of a ship’s crew. Navigation (Hyperspace) is used to planned.
These four skill rolls must be made in “plot a course” through jumpspace.
a specific order. They can be per- The ship’s navigator determines the No Jump: If a Navigation (Space)
formed by four different people, or proper setting for the jump drive con- or Piloting mishap takes place, the
(since they must be done one after trols that will bring the ship out at the result is “no jump” − the jump drive
another) by fewer than four people on desired point at the destination. If the simply fails to operate. The process of
a ship with a very small crew. ship is Imperial and has a jump tape planning and executing the jump must
for the desired origin and destination be resumed from the beginning.
Attempting a jump using unrefined systems, then this roll is at +4. If an
fuel (p. 192) is -2 to all four rolls. Imperial ship doesn’t have the right Misexit: If a Navigation (Hyper-
Attempting a jump from within 51- jump tape, then the jump drive cannot space) mishap takes place, the ship’s
100 diameters of a massive object is be used. navigator has planned the wrong path
-4, within 11-50 diameters is -8, with- through jumpspace and the ship fails
in 10 diameters is -12. Mechanic (Jump Drive) is used to return to normal space at the
when the ship reaches the jump point, desired location. Roll 1d. On a 1, the
In each case, success on the skill to activate the jump drive and make ship has exited near a solitary world,
roll means that the operation was suc- sure that it operates within the param- comet, or odd chunk of rock in the ori-
cessful and the next stage in the eters defined by the Navigation gin star system. On a 2-3, the ship exits
process can be attempted; if all four (Hyperspace) skill. near a world or gas giant in the desti-
rolls succeed, the jump takes place as nation star system, but not the right
planned. A simple failure on a skill roll Jump Mishaps world or gas giant. On a 4-6, the ship
means that the operation was unsuc- exits at a random point on the desti-
cessful; that task must be attempted Jump drives are very temperamental nation star’s 100-diameter limit.
again, at a -1 penalty per subsequent machines, and can malfunction spec- Misexit mishaps are usually not dan-
attempt, or the whole process must be tacularly. Although they are quite reli- gerous, but they can wreak havoc with
started over from the beginning. able when used under ideal conditions, the ship’s schedule (and can be incon-
they become less so when used under venient when the ship is trying to
A critical failure on any of the four stress. Many jump-drive technicians are make a rendezvous).
rolls means that a jump mishap may intensely superstitious . . .
take place. Roll again. On a success,
the task has experienced a simple fail- Deep Space Jumps
ure, as above. On a failure, the jump
mishap takes place. On a second criti- The mathematics of jump navigation is much simpler when there is a
cal failure, a jump disaster takes place, large mass, a star or very massive planet, in normal space close to each
and the starship is completely end of the jump. During the Interstellar Wars era, neither Terran nor
destroyed (or simply experiences crip- Imperial navigators are able to plan a jump that starts or ends in deep
pling damage, at the Game Master’s interstellar space, far away from any such massive object.
option).
This means that the vast majority of interstellar travel must go from one
If the process of planning and exe- star system to the next. The empty hexes on the maps in Chapter 5 (or on
cuting a jump is performed under rou- subsector maps generated using the rules in that chapter) are normally off-
tine conditions (the ship is not under limits to starships using the jump drive. This means that “gaps” – regions
fire, the ship is well-maintained, and of space containing no star systems – can be so wide as to be impassable!
there are no penalties to any of the
rolls) then skill rolls may not be neces- Of course, interstellar space is not entirely empty. An enterprising
sary. Under such circumstances, any astronomer may be able to find massive objects even in the empty hexes
crewman with at least 12 in one of the on the maps: rogue sunless planets, large comets, “brown dwarf” stars,
requisite skills can perform the associ- and so on. Such objects could easily serve as an “anchor” for one end or
ated task, assuming success without the other of a jump. Terran navigators call such deep-space objects “jump
having to make the roll. points,” and are willing to use them as needed. On the other hand, the
Imperium has not searched for new jump points in centuries, and
The four skill rolls, in the required Imperial navigators rarely use even the ones that are known.
order, are as follows:
Deep-space jump points are not marked on the maps in this book, and
Navigation (Space) is used to locate there are no rules for placing them on a newly designed map. The GM
the proper point at which the ship should place them as he decides they’re needed for his campaign.
should enter jumpspace, and plot a However, a GM who wishes to use jump points should be aware that they
course through normal space that will are rare, and that the discovery of a new one can change the course of an
bring the starship to that point. entire campaign. In particular, a jump point in the right position could
permit whole fleets to move directly across three-parsec gaps – an ability
Piloting is used to maneuver the that could change the whole course of the early Interstellar Wars.
ship to the proper jump point. The
Piloting specialization that is neces-
sary depends on the performance of
the starship’s maneuver drives; the

STARSHIPS 171

Misjump: If a Mechanic (Jump Radio: Shipboard radios use the microframes, with Complexity equal
Drive) mishap takes place, the jump standard rules for that to TL-4. A command bridge installs
drive undergoes a serious malfunction. Telecommunication type, and nor- mainframes, with Complexity equal to
Roll 1d. On a 1-2, the ship undergoes mally have the Video enhancement TL-3.
no jump, as above. On a 3-4, the ship (p. B91). A cockpit has one radio, a
experiences a failed jump; it spends a small bridge has two, a standard A Terran ship installs actual digital
week in jumpspace, and then emerges bridge has five, and a command computers, which can be repro-
into normal space at the exact same bridge has 10. A cockpit radio’s range grammed and are accessed via com-
point from which it departed. On a 5- is 250,000 miles at TL9 or 500,000 puter terminals distributed around
6, the ship experiences a misdirected miles at TL10+. A bridge radio’s range the ship. Almost every compartment
jump and emerges from jumpspace at is 2.5 million miles at TL9 or 5 million includes a computer terminal − even
a point very distant from its intended miles at TL10+. staterooms have them − that can tap
destination. into the ship’s computer to run
Laser: Shipboard laser communi- entertainment or news software.
BRIDGE cators use the standard Tele-
SYSTEMS communication rules, with the Laser Imperial ships don’t install central-
and Video enhancements. A cockpit or ized digital computers. Instead, every
A spaceship’s control center is usu- small bridge has one laser communi- ship’s system has its own dedicated
ally its bridge, a special compartment cator, a standard bridge has two, and computer. For simplicity’s sake, an
from which the rest of the ship’s sys- a command bridge has four. A cockpit Imperial ship is treated as having the
tems can be managed. Several major laser’s range is 500,000 miles at TL9 or same type of computer as a Terran
systems are actually centered on 1 million miles at TL10+. A bridge ship with the same type of bridge.
the bridge, notably the ship’s laser’s range is 5 million miles at TL9 However, an Imperial ship can’t
communicators and computers. or 10 million miles at TL10+. change the “programs” being run by
this notional computer network.
The available bridge systems are IFF-Transponder: Every ship is
described in Chapter 9 (p. 192). Short- required by law to install an IFF- For more rules regarding computer
range craft can have a small cockpit or transponder system. This system use, see Chapter 7 (pp. 162-165) and
large cockpit. Starships will usually sends out an automatic identification p. B472.
have a small bridge, a standard bridge, code by radio communicator. On a
or a command bridge. The type of civilian ship this system comes facto- SENSOR
bridge installed determines the level of ry-sealed; it can be turned on or off, SYSTEMS
performance that can be expected but the identification code can’t be
from communications and computer altered. Military systems can be repro- Every ship needs sensor systems to
systems. grammed to give false identities to ensure that the crew is aware of its
enemy ships, or to not respond at all. surroundings and any potential
Communications Cockpits install one IFF-transponder threats. All ships have a mix of active
Systems system. Bridges install two to give a and passive sensors.
backup.
All ships have several different An active sensor directs radar and
communications systems installed. Computer Systems other emissions at a target, then ana-
These systems operate using the rules lyzes the energy that “bounces” back
for the Telecommunication advantage Every cockpit and bridge system in order to learn about the distance,
(p. B91). includes three identical computers for direction, size, composition, appear-
redundancy. A small cockpit or bridge ance, and other aspects of the target.
installs minicomputers, with Active sensors use the rules for
Complexity equal to TL-5. A large Scanning Sense (p. B81). The basic
cockpit or standard bridge installs type is Radar, with the Multi-Mode
and Targeting enhancements.

The ship’s passive sensors use a
combination of telescopes, cameras,
and similar devices to take in whatev-
er electromagnetic radiation is already
present in the environment. Passive
sensors use the rules for the
Hyperspectral Vision advantage
(p. B60) with the Extended High-Band
and Extended Low-Band enhance-
ments. They also have Telescopic
Vision (p. B92) and Protected Sense
(p. B78).

A ship’s sensor systems are given a
Scan rating, which is a measure of
their range and power of resolution.
The Scan rating is used during space

172 STARSHIPS

combat or when a ship’s crew simply visions on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Spacecraft) roll can be attempted once
wishes to detect or track another waste matter accumulates in the ship’s per day; if it succeeds, it will restore
object. See Chapter 10 for rules gov- life support system, and must be 10% of full capacity. Note that once
erning sensor use. dumped from time to time. the life support begins to fail, the
effect snowballs. If the ship remains
LIFE SUPPORT Capacity overloaded, life support will eventual-
SYSTEMS ly reach 0% and fail. At that point, all
A life support system is rated for its the oxygen in the air will be used up
Manned ships always need elabo- capacity, the number of people that within 1d hours, and everyone will
rate systems to provide crew and pas- can be supported by the system for die. Those in low berths are unaffect-
sengers with clean air, potable water, long periods of time (assuming that ed if life support fails . . . as long as the
food, and habitable temperatures, and enough provisions are on hand). power stays on.
to deal with biological wastes. These
life-support systems are much more A life support system can be over- Short-Term Life Support
complex than most non-technicians loaded if necessary. Roll 3d after each
realize; maintaining and repairing day of overloading, at +1 per full 10% Some ship components carry short-
them is one of the most unpopular by which the number of people term life support, and can keep a few
shipboard duties. aboard exceeds system capacity. On crewmen or passengers alive for a mat-
an adjusted roll of 13 or more, the sys- ter of hours. Such systems are normal-
Interstellar Wars starships don’t tem begins to break down, losing 10% ly only used in emergencies or on
have total-recycling life support of its current capacity (rounded up to board short-term ships (fighter craft,
systems. Breathable air and water are the nearest full person) for each point shuttles, and so on). Refer to the ship
recycled with high efficiency, but bio- by which the roll was exceeded. A design rules in Chapter 9 for specifics.
mass is not. Ships must bring on pro- Mechanic (High Performance

STARSHIP

OPERATIONS

Operating a starship requires con- Interplanetary Travel Spaceships usually follow a nearly
siderable advance planning. Some of straight-line course through space,
the pertinent considerations are Interplanetary distances are usually accelerating halfway to their destina-
discussed below. measured in thousands or millions of tion, then “turning over” and deceler-
miles (for a world and its satellites) or ating the rest of the way in order to
TRAVEL TIMES astronomical units (for whole star sys- match velocities with the destination
tems). One astronomical unit (AU) is upon arrival. This is the most efficient
Many travelers, especially mer- equal to 93 million miles, the average way to reach any destination in nor-
chants, will want to know how long it distance between Terra and its sun. mal space, using maneuver drives as
takes to reach their destination.
powerful as reactionless

MANEUVER DRIVE thrusters.
TRAVEL TIMES TABLE To determine travel

time for such a journey,

Distance 0.5 G 1G 2 G 3 G 4 G 5 G 6 G Notes use this formula: Time
0.001 3.0 h 2.2 h 1.5 h 1.2 h 1.1 h 1.0 h 0.9 h Habitable world to nearby moon (in hours) = 68 ¥
0.002 4.3 h 3.0 h 2.2 h 1.8 h 1.5 h 1.4 h 1.2 h Habitable world to distant moon [Square root of (D/A)],
0.005 6.8 h 4.8 h 3.4 h 2.8 h 2.4 h 2.2 h 2.0 h Habitable world 100D limit where D is the distance
0.01 9.6 h 6.8 h 4.8 h 3.9 h 3.4 h 3.0 h 2.8 h Gas giant to nearby moon in AU, and A is the accel-
0.02 14 h 9.6 h 6.8 h 5.6 h 4.8 h 4.3 h 3.9 h eration of the ship in Gs
0.05 22 h 15 h 11 h 8.8 h 7.6 h 6.8 h 6.2 h Gas giant to distant moon (the sAccel statistic gen-
0.1 30 h 22 h 15 h 12 h 11 h 9.6 h 8.8 h Gas giant 100D limit erated in the ship-design
0.2 43 h 30 h 22 h 18 h 15 h 14 h 12 h sequence in Chapter 9).
0.5 68 h 48 h 34 h 28 h 24 h 22 h 20 h
1 4.0 d 68 h 48 h 39 h 34 h 30 h 28 h Average Terra-to-Venus distance For approximate val-
2 5.7 d 4.0 d 68 h 56 h 48 h 43 h 39 h Average Terra-to-Mars distance ues, refer to the
5 9.0 d 6.3 d 4.5 d 88 h 76 h 68 h 62 h Average Terra-to-Jupiter distance Maneuver Drive Travel
10 13 d 9.0 d 6.3 d 5.2 d 4.5 d 4.0 d 88 h Average Terra-to-Saturn distance Times Table. Travel
20 18 d 13 d 9.0 d 7.3 d 6.3 d 5.7 d 5.2 d Distance to times are given in hours
(h) or days (d).

outer gas giant worlds

50 28 d 20 d 14 d 12 d 10 d 9.0 d 8.2 d Distance to inner cometary cloud

STARSHIPS 173

Interstellar Travel Sublight Interstellar Travel

The geometry of jumpspace means Since reactionless thrusters require no fuel, they can be run for long
that a voyage through it almost always periods of time without interruption. After several months of constant
takes close to a week (168 hours, plus acceleration, a starship can reach a significant fraction of the speed of
or minus 10%). The time spent in light – making interstellar travel feasible even without using the jump
jump has no relation to the distance drive.
traveled in normal space; a 3-AU
“microjump” and a multiple-parsec During the Interstellar Wars, this kind of travel is used on a number
interstellar jump both take about a of occasions. Terran colony ships use slower-than-light (STL) travel to
week. cross wide “rifts,” in which no stars are available to serve as jump points.
Other colony ships use STL simply to hide, fleeing for distant regions of
Although the exact duration of a the galaxy where the Imperium will never find them. The Vilani are not
jump cannot be predicted, a ship can interested in colonization, but the occasional Imperial ship often has to
usually detect the onset of emergence limp home through normal space after being stranded by a misjump or
a few minutes in advance. Most star- by jump-drive damage.
ships set a 168-hour “jump clock”
when the jump engines are turned on, The usual procedure for STL interstellar travel is for the ship to accel-
and an alarm sounds when the ship is erate at maximum drive capacity until reaching about 0.8 c (where c is
about to emerge from jumpspace. the speed of light, about 186,000 miles per second). This takes about two
Some starship crewmen entertain months for the fastest warships, or between 18 and 24 months for slow
themselves by placing bets on the merchant vessels and colony ships. Although reactionless thrusters work
exact length of each jump . . . at even higher velocities, 0.8 c is the highest safe speed – any faster, and
even a heavily armored vessel faces too much risk from interstellar debris
STARSHIP and hard radiation.
COSTS
At this “interstellar cruising speed,” a ship takes about four years to
Starships are expensive pieces of travel a single parsec (one hex on the standard subsector maps). The ship
equipment, beyond the means of any shuts down its drives and coasts through interstellar space, only beginning
but the wealthiest individuals. Most to decelerate when it approaches the target star.
starships in the Interstellar Wars
game are owned by large organiza- A ship in such a situation usually faces some risk due to the inability
tions – the Imperial or Terran Navy, to perform annual maintenance at a shipyard (p. 175). Still, a ship has a
one of the Vilani shangarim, or a fair chance of completing an interstellar journey safely if it is in good
Terran corporation. condition and is well-maintained and well-provisioned to begin with. The
most common problem is crew dissatisfaction, much of it arising from
Financing simple boredom. Many starship crews who are faced with unplanned
interstellar STL voyage place as many men as possible in low berths.
Most small-scale Terran starship
owners purchase their ships with new trade routes into the Imperium, specified period (generally 30 years),
financial backing from larger corpora- discovering new commodities or mar- full title reverts to the owner, who then
tions or the Confederation govern- kets, conducting astrographic surveys, retains all of the profits for himself.
ment. Small Imperial merchant ships, collecting economic intelligence, per-
held by individuals or small groups, forming as naval auxiliary in wartime, For example, a brand-new
are subsidized by the appropriate level and so on. The future owners and Lightning-class merchant ship costs
of the shangarim bureaucracy. In backers negotiate until they reach an $250 million out of the shipyard. If the
either case, the ship’s backers expect agreement on how the ship will be purchaser of such a ship put up $5
due diligence from their active part- used and what kinds of returns are million, his share of the profits would
ners in pursuing agreed-upon goals, expected. be $5 million times 4, divided by $250
and also expect significant returns on million, or 8%. His backers would
their investment. Owners who consis- The purchaser is expected to put up keep the remaining 92% of net profits.
tently fail to meet their objectives may a substantial fraction of his own
find their ships repossessed. money to demonstrate his commit- Maintenance
ment. The amount of this “down pay-
The details of such a subsidy ment” varies, up to 20% of the ship’s Starships require constant routine
scheme vary, but a typical arrange- purchase price. The backers will then maintenance. Members of the engi-
ment is as follows. cover the rest of the cost. The owner’s neering, maintenance, and life sup-
share of net profits (after expenses) is port crew sections (p. 196) spend
The individual or corporation pur- determined by multiplying their down most of their time performing this
chasing the ship must have a good payment by a factor (typically ¥4) to maintenance. The expected size of
reputation and a well-considered busi- represent the active risks they run in these crew sections, as defined in
ness plan. The financial backer will operating the ship, and dividing the Chapter 9, indicates the amount of
have goals in mind that the ship is result by the ship’s purchase price. The maintenance that must normally be
intended to fulfill: maintaining regular backers receive the remainder. After a performed. Each member of these
contacts among colonies, developing crew sections is assumed to provide

174 STARSHIPS

eight man-hours per day in mainte- Meanwhile, starship crews must world. As far as a merchant crew is
nance work. At the GM’s option, purchase provisions. Standard provi- concerned, customs duties never
crewmen from races with the Less sions cost $6 per man-day, and must apply to freight (goods owned by
Sleep advantage or the Workaholic be carried as cargo. Small ships on someone else that the crew has been
disadvantage may provide more man- short journeys can ignore the cargo paid to transport) – in such cases, any
hours per day, while crewmen with space needed for provisions, but large duties are paid by the owner of the
the Laziness, Short Attention Span, or ships may need to track it. One dton of freight. However, whenever a mer-
Sleepy disadvantages may provide provisions has a mass of 12 tons, con- chant sells cargo (speculative goods
fewer. tains 2,000 man-days of food and that he owns himself) on a world, he
other supplies, and costs $12,000. must pay any duties that apply. In the
If a ship is short-handed in the per- Imperium, the shangarim always col-
tinent crew sections, crew may be Crew Salaries lect a duty of 4% of the sale price of
required to put in longer work shifts, the cargo. In Terran space, the duty
members of other sections may have Crew salaries must be paid on a depends on the starport and the type
to chip in, or the ship may simply fall monthly basis. Chapter 6 suggests that of cargo; the duty will be 1d%.
short on its required maintenance. for merchant ships, a fair monthly Customs duties can be avoided
salary for any given crewman is $600 through smuggling (see Covert
The rules for the Maintenance dis- + ($900 ¥ Merchant Rank) + ($300 ¥ Operations, p. 176).
advantage (p. B143) apply, as do the best job skill). If the exact mix of skills
rules under Breakdowns (p. B485). and Merchant Rank levels among the Freight Handling: Ships that don’t
Although maintenance work is per- crew is undetermined, this can be have enough personnel to handle
formed on a continuous basis, the approximated as $9,000 for the Senior cargo or freight themselves can pay
maintenance period is biweekly. If Captain commanding a large mer- starport stevedores to do the loading
insufficient maintenance is performed chant ship (1,000+ dtons), $7,800 for or unloading. The necessary number
during a maintenance period, the ship the Captain commanding a smaller of crewmen is one per 250 dtons of
loses one point of HT and must make merchant ship, $6,600 for each officer, cargo or freight; the needed crewmen
a HT roll. If the HT roll fails, the ship $5,700 for each petty officer, and can come from the cargo services sec-
loses 1d dHP (D-scale hit points, used $4,800 for each ordinary crewman. tion, or can be diverted from other
to measure damage to spacecraft; see crew sections that aren’t busy in port
Chapter 9). If a ship makes a particularly prof- (gunners or ship’s troops, for exam-
itable voyage, it is common for part of ple). The standard cost of hired steve-
See Damage Effects (p. 223) for the the profit to be distributed among the dores is $20 per dton of cargo or
effects of damage to the ship; in par- crew as a bonus. Any such division is freight, with a minimum of $500.
ticular, damage due to missed mainte- up to the ship’s commanding officer or
nance may lead to Major Damage the policy of his corporate sponsors. Lighterage Fees: Cargo, freight, and
results, indicating serious breakdowns fuel can be delivered to or from a ship
in ship’s systems. Service Fees that’s away from the starport. Cargo
and freight lighterage costs $10/dton
Along with routine maintenance, When a starship makes berth, it from surface to orbit, $15/dton to a
every starship requires a complete must usually pay a variety of service ship at a planet’s 100-diameter limit,
overhaul once a year to ensure that it fees. For simplicity, the GM may or $40/dton to a ship at a star’s 100-
remains in good working order. This assume that these amount to $100 per diameter limit. Fuel delivery is more
annual maintenance restores any dam- dton of ship per week (or fraction of a expensive: $80/dton from surface to
age or HT loss due to missed routine week) in port. If the GM wishes to orbit (if the starport has no refueling
maintenance, and removes any track the fees more closely, he may facilities in orbit), $100/dton to a ship
remaining faults not caused by battle apply the following. at a planet’s 100-diameter limit, or
damage. It costs 0.1% of the base price $400/dton to a ship at a star’s 100-
of the ship, and requires two full Berthing Fee: Berthing frees cover diameter limit.
weeks at a Class B or better starport. power, life support, and data hook-ups
The ship’s operators should make pro- at the berth, access to facilities for Shuttle Tickets: A one-way ticket
vision for the payment of the mainte- maintenance, and often courtesy from orbit to a planetary surface (or
nance fee when it comes due, and transportation to the main starport ter- back) is $50 per person. Each person
should prepare for the revenue lost minal. Once paid, berthing fees cover can bring up to 200 pounds of bag-
while the ship is laid up. unlimited arrivals and departures for gage; any extra is carried at lighterage
the entire duration, although crowded rates.
Supplies starports frown on berths that stand
empty for too long. The standard Special Handling: Any cargo or
The primary expendable item used berthing fee, at both Imperial and freight that requires special handling
by any starship is the hydrogen fuel Terran starports, is $20 per dton of adds 50% to all freight handling and
used by the jump drive. Refined fuel ship for the first six full days, plus $2 lighterage fees.
can only be purchased at a Class B or per dton of ship per day thereafter.
better starport, and normally costs Starport Administration Fee: This
$350/dton. Unrefined fuel can be pur- Customs Duties: These duties fee covers the costs of administration,
chased at a Class D or better starport, apply when any foreign party moves maintenance, and operation of the
and costs $80/dton. goods through a starport onto a port, as well as search and rescue
services. The standard fee is $500,
paid on landing.

STARSHIPS 175

Covert Operations

Spies, smugglers, and other adventurers may wish Sensor TL: Subtract 2 ¥ (TL-6) of the starport or
to land covertly on an inhabited planet. A ship coming planetary-defense sensors. If the planet is at TL5 or less,
in for a landing will be at least as visible and audible as add +2.
a large meteor, due to the flare of re-entry and the sonic
booms of deceleration from orbital speed. Population: Add (10-PR) where PR is the planet’s
Population Rating (p. 98). For example, a planet with a
If the planet is at TL5 or lower, the best solution is population of 30 million (PR 7) would give a +3 bonus.
simply to come down in a secluded area, at least a few
hundred miles from any known habitation. With luck, Knowledge: If the captain or any bridge crewman
no one will be on hand to see the ship. Landing during has details of the planet’s sensor systems and any weak-
bad weather will further reduce this chance. nesses, blind spots, or passcodes, or even holidays
when the local inhabitants may be less alert, the GM
If the planet is at TL6+, the process is more complex. may assign a +1 to +5 bonus. On the other hand, if the
The full details of planetary defense are beyond the planet’s defenders have been warned to expect intrud-
scope of this book, but the following rules can be used ers at a given time or place, the GM may assign a -1 to
for a quick-and-dirty approach to the problem. -5 penalty!

First, the intruder must slip past any hostile vessels Good Planning: The basic Shiphandling roll repre-
in space near the planet. The starship combat rules in sents good but unexceptional planning, knowledge of
Chapter 10 can be used to game out any such attempt. sensors, and the use of night, weather, and terrain to
If the patrol vessels detect and intercept the intruder, mask an approach. The GM may assign a further mod-
they will alert planetary defences. In this case, the ifier if the players come up with a particularly good (or
intruder may give up and try to break off, or may fight particularly bad) plan.
its’ way through to the surface.
A critical success on the Shiphandling roll means
If the intruder evades the space patrol, it can that the ship can come down wherever it pleases with-
attempt to evade ground watchers and sensors. For out detection, and can fly about at will once it is in the
each individual ship attempting to land covertly, the lower atmosphere (the GM may require another roll
captain must make a roll against his Shiphandling skill. once per hour). Success means that the ship avoids
Modifiers are as follows. detection in the upper atmosphere, but will be detected
at low altitude unless it chooses to come down some-
Alertness: +4 if the local authorities are not very alert where far from habitation. Failure by 1 or 2 is treated as
(typical of a sleepy frontier planet or complacent inner a success, but the ship’s trajectory was tracked briefly
world); +2 if the planet is somewhat alert (there is a and someone has a rough idea of where to find it (with-
local navy base, but local authorities have no reason to in a few hundred miles). Failure by 3+ means that the
expect intruders). ship was detected in orbit or at high altitude. Depending
on local attitudes, authorities may ignore it, challenge it
Piloting Skill: +1 if the ship’s pilot has Piloting skill over the radio, send ships to intercept it, or simply blow
at 15+, or +2 at 20+. it out of the sky with ground-based defenses.

Size Modifier: Subtract the ship’s Size Modifier. For Ships attempting to take off without being detected
example, if the ship has SM +10, the captain gets a -10 can simply reverse the above procedure.
penalty.

Starport Type: If the planet has a Class A starport, -6;
if it has a Class B starport, -4; if it has a Class C starport,
-2; if it has a Class D or lower starport, no modifier.

Waste Dumping Fee: Interstellar warehouse space, and transfer space cash reserve and collects it from the
Wars starships do not have total-recy- on the berth itself. The owner of freight crew member later (perhaps by
cling life support systems. Over time, a usually pays this fee, but merchant reducing his pay).
ship’s life support system accumulates crews carrying speculative cargo must
wastes, which must be disposed of. pay for their own space. The standard Failure to Vacate: If a ship is
These can be ejected into space for cost is $20/dton for up to 30 days, and ordered to vacate its berth at a star-
free (although this is usually illegal in $2/dton per day thereafter. port and fails to do so on time, the
crowded shipping lanes or in low- starport authority will levy a fine. The
orbit space). They can also be dumped Fines standard fine is $1,000/hour.
at any starport, for $1/man-day since
the ship last cleared the life-support Fines are the personal responsibili- Violation of Regulations: Any other
system. ty of the ship’s captain, unless the fine violation of local, Confederation, or
is the direct result of misconduct by a Imperial regulations will likely lead to
Wharf Fees: If cargo or freight is to crew member. Even then, the captain a fine. The amount varies, but typical
be stored on the berth, the wharf fee usually pays the fine out of the ship’s fines are $500 or more per incident.
covers the use of port facilities,

176 STARSHIPS

INTERSTELLAR TRADE

Then a health (we must drink it in However, the Imperium doesn’t major types. If the campaign is taking
whispers) use free-market economics. Truly free place in the standard Interstellar
trade is unstable and hard to control, Wars setting (near Terra, about 2170)
To our wholly unauthorised horde – even if it is often more efficient. The then the maps in Chapter 5 indicate
To the line of our dusty foreloopers, shangarim therefore insist on a main- where these trade routes lie.
The Gentlemen Rovers abroad – and-branch system, with almost all Otherwise, the GM must draw trade
– Rudyard Kipling, “The Lost Legion” trade passing through the hub worlds routes on his own star maps while
as choke points. Such a system is rela- going through the world-design
TRADE IN THE tively easy to control, and helps the sequence found in that chapter.
INTERSTELLAR shangarim executives to retain their
WARS privileged position in a stable social Major routes are the larger “mains,”
structure. tying together hub worlds that are
During the Interstellar Wars era, located in “clusters” relatively close to
interstellar commerce is shaped by a Terran civilization is much more each other. They carry tens or even
clash between two wildly different devoted to free and open trade. Even hundreds of thousands of dtons of
economic models. The Ziru Sirka so, during the Interstellar Wars era the cargo per week. Any given world on a
manages a vast economic system, growing Terran trade network tends major route will usually see several
based on a mature network of trade to follow the same main-and-branch super-freighters of 10,000+ dtons, and
routes that has been stable for cen- model, despite its inefficiency. This is many freighters of 1,000+ dtons, each
turies. On the other hand, the Terran largely due to historical accident. week. Free Traders and other small
Confederation is a new economic merchant ships will find little work
sphere, full of energy but very unsta- Early in the interstellar period, the along such routes, unless they can find
ble due to its explosive growth. Terran economy is almost entirely small consignments of freight which
Adventuring merchants who wish to dominated by Terra itself. The various have not been consolidated into large
make a profit in this environment colony worlds have no more than a lots by the major shipping lines.
need to understand how it works. few million inhabitants each, and very
little heavy industry. Terra exports Minor routes are lesser “mains,”
Trade Routes manufactured goods and a steady flow making up longer links that connect
of emigrants to the colonies; the the hub-world clusters. A minor route
Throughout the Interstellar Wars colonies export raw materials and a carries freight in the high thousands
era, commercial traffic tends to follow a few exotic luxury items back to Terra. or low tens of thousands of dtons per
“main and branch” system of trade The colonies carry on almost no direct week. A world on a minor route will be
routes. The most populous and pros- trade with each other. Thus the early visited by six to 10 freighters of 1,000+
perous planets are designated as hub Terran trade system resembles the dtons, along with a dozen or more
worlds. These hub worlds are connected Imperial model, with a single “hub small ships of 100-400 dtons, each
to one another by main shipping routes. world” (Terra) and a cluster of week.
colonies strung out along a few
Minor worlds rarely trade directly branch routes. Branch routes are small tributaries,
with one another – instead, their connecting the most prosperous
exports are sent to the nearest main Later, populous Imperial worlds minor worlds into the trade network.
route or hub world, and their imports begin to fall into the Terran economic A branch route carries freight in the
are drawn from the same place. Some sphere, first by ones and twos and high hundreds or low thousands of
minor worlds generate enough off- then by whole clusters at a time. The dtons per week. A world on a branch
world trade that they are worth pro- Terran advance is so rapid that Terran route will see up to about a dozen
viding with regular shipping service. merchants are almost forced to work small merchant ships per week, all of
The routes that carry goods to and within the existing main-and-branch them well under 1,000 dtons in size.
from such worlds are called branch system. Some Free Traders and entre-
routes. preneurs get rich by short-circuiting Frontier worlds are those inhabited
the Imperial routes, bringing worlds worlds that are not on the established
This system of organizing trade into direct commercial contact for the trade network at all (that is, they are
routes is inefficient; it often causes first time. Major shipping lines, how- not even on a branch route). The most
traffic to make more jumps than are ever, stay with the ancient – and populous frontier worlds may be visit-
really necessary to get a given con- proven – Imperial trade routes. Only ed by one to two small merchant ships
signment of goods from its source to after the Interstellar Wars are over will per week. Others are served only by
its destination. In a free-market sys- many Terran shippers begin to set up infrequent “packet” transports and
tem, every pair of worlds would be their own, more efficient, routes. tramp merchant ships, sometimes
free to trade directly, and traffic would going for months without an interstel-
always follow the most efficient Trade Route Types lar visit. Free Traders sometimes find
routes. Trade routes would simply the greatest opportunities (and the
appear where the merchant traffic In the Interstellar Wars setting, greatest risks) by visiting worlds off
freely chose to follow certain paths. trade routes are classified into three the established trade routes.

STARSHIPS 177

Speculative Trade Eventually, Terran Free Traders will
overturn centuries-old trading patterns,
Cautious merchants will tend to revolutionizing commerce within the
stay on the main and branch trade Imperium.
routes, earning money by carrying
freight and passengers at fixed rates. The Market meets in a different Imperial government and ultimately
This enables them to minimize risk, place on every Vilani world. On some pave the way for Terran victory in the
because it’s easy to predict how much worlds it is a secretive institution, Interstellar Wars.
freight and how many passengers will while on others it meets openly near
be available. On the other hand, this the main starport. In any case, The BASIC TRADE
approach is unlikely to yield great Market is a place where managers SYSTEM
profit. and executives can meet to arrange
trades outside official channels. The following system helps the GM
Ambitious merchants will accept Managers that have excesses they and players quickly determine how
greater risk for the chance of greater can’t easily dispose of meet with oth- much a small merchant ship will
profit, by engaging in speculative ers that have shortfalls they can’t fill make by carrying freight and passen-
trade. Rather than signing contracts to and attempt to make deals to mutual gers. It assumes that the ship is going
carry someone else’s goods, a mer- benefit. Various quasi-legal means are to stay on established trade routes – it
chant captain will buy goods using his used to avoid official attention: cash- will not be able to find significant
own money, and then try to sell the only transactions, unwritten agree- freight or passengers otherwise. So
goods elsewhere for a profit. If every- ments, barter, or carefully arranged long as that condition is met, however,
thing works well, he can make a real reciprocal “theft.” the basic trade system is ideal for cam-
killing – if they don’t, he may have to paigns that feature trade only as a
sell at a loss simply to keep operating. Such shady commerce naturally backdrop for other adventures.
attracts smugglers and a few real
Speculative trade is a very com- criminals, making The Market subject Bilateral Trade Number
mon practice in Terran space, where to intermittent sweeps by shangarim (BTN)
free markets are common, local police. Still, it is firmly enshrined in
economies are booming, and a mer- Imperial tradition. Most Vilani con- The total amount of trade that takes
chant captain only needs cash to sider participation in The Market to place along a given trade route is
invest. Many Terrans are surprised to be illegal and mildly dangerous, but reflected in the route’s “size” (major,
learn that the practice is also known not particularly shameful. Getting minor, or branch). When a merchant
inside the Vilani Imperium. caught means having your goods con- ship needs to find freight or passengers
fiscated, paying the fine, and trying for a specific destination, the GM must
In theory, the three shangarim have harder not to get caught the next determine how much trade is taking
a monopoly on all trade within the time. place specifically between the current
Imperium. The Sharurshid organiza- and destination ports. This can be
tion claims to control all trade in the Terran Free Traders, largely shut done by computing the Bilateral Trade
rimward sectors, with a specific out of legitimate trade within the Number (BTN) for the two worlds.
monopoly on trade with the barbarian Imperium, often find The Market cus-
Terrans. In practice, the situation is tom-tailored to their needs. It can be To determine the BTN, begin by
quite different. Many parties work to hard for inexperienced Terran mer- adding the World Trade Numbers
undermine the shangarim monopoly: chants to navigate, but its commercial (WTNs) for the two worlds, as deter-
dissident subcultures like the potential is large. Terrans can use The mined during the world-design
kimashargur Vilani, restless subject Market to find surpluses where no sequence in Chapter 5. This gives the
races like the Vegans, ambitious man- Vilani has looked for them, and create amount of trade that can be expected
agers, and even the occasional frus- markets that Vilani have never between them, based solely on the size
trated shangarim executive. thought to exploit. of the world economies.

These subversive elements con- Eventually, Terran Free Traders Next, examine the trade classifica-
spire to create an institution known as (and their Vilani imitators) will over- tions of the two worlds as generated in
duraag. In High Vilani, the word turn centuries-old trading patterns, the world-design sequence. If one
duraag simply means “marketplace,” revolutionizing commerce within the world is Agricultural (Ag) and the
and is applied to a variety of public Imperium. Along the way, they will other is Extreme (Ex) or
spaces in Vilani cities, including some contribute to the collapse of the
that have nothing to do with com-
merce. In Low Vilani slang, the word
duraag is applied to a kind of back-
room bazaar that exists on every
world with a significant economy. In
this context, the word is always
emphasized by its position in the sen-
tence – so when translated into
English, it is usually capitalized: “The
Market.”

178 STARSHIPS

Non-Agricultural (Na), then increase begin searching for freight and passen- to the Trade Volumes Table below and
the BTN by 0.5. Likewise, if one world gers to carry there. The current port make the roll for passenger volume
is Industrial (In) and the other is Non- and the declared destination must be that is indicated for the BTN of the
Industrial (Ni), then increase the BTN connected along the established trade current and destination worlds. Halve
by 0.5. This adjustment accounts for routes, but they do not need to be a the result (rounded down) if the ship
the fact that worlds in this situation single jump apart. The BTN between is Terran-registered and the port is
complement each other – they have the current and destination worlds under Imperial control, or vice versa.
more to gain from trade than a more must be at least 6.0, otherwise any traf- The final result gives the number of
typical pair of worlds. fic that may be available will be number of potential passengers who
monopolized by large shipping lines. present themselves that day.
If the two worlds are under the
control of two different political enti- Freight To determine what level of service
ties (normally, the Imperium and the each potential passenger wants, begin
Terran Confederation), then decrease Beginning on the first full day after by rolling 1d with a maximum of the
the BTN by 1. Trade that must cross a the ship lands, it may try to find total number of potential passengers.
political border is usually hindered. freight that is intended for the desti- This indicates the number of low and
nation port. Once per day, refer to the standard tickets that the ship can sell
Next, determine the distance Trade Volumes Table below and make that day. At an Imperial port, all of
between the two worlds along the trade the roll for freight volume that is indi- these tickets will be for standard pas-
network and refer to the Distance cated for the BTN of the current and sage. In a Terran port, half (rounded
Modifier Table below. Decrease the destination worlds. Halve the result up) of these tickets will be for low pas-
BTN by the amount indicated for the (rounded down) if the ship is Terran- sage and the rest will be for standard
distance between the two worlds. registered and the port is under passage. If any potential passengers
Worlds that are further apart under- Imperial control, or vice versa. The are left, roll 1d again with a maximum
take less direct trade. No Available final result gives the number of dtons of the remaining number of potential
Trade indicates not that there will be of freight that are available that day. passengers. This indicates the number
no freight or passenger traffic between of first-class tickets that the ship can
the two worlds, but that there will be Each lot of freight must be deliv- sell that day. Any potential passengers
no such traffic available for small mer- ered within one week, plus 10 days for that remain will want luxury tickets. If
chant ships to handle. Long-haul every two parsecs of distance along the the ship can’t provide the level of serv-
freight and passenger service is almost trade network between departure and ice that a given potential passenger
entirely monopolized by the destination ports. Unloading at the wants, he will go elsewhere rather than
shangarim shipping lines or their destination starport is usually suffi- settle for a different kind of ticket.
Terran megacorporate successors. cient for delivery (but see Special
Handling, p. 175). Late delivery incurs A passenger is expected to pay for
DISTANCE a 10% penalty per day late. his ticket in advance, either when
making his travel reservations or
MODIFIER The standard rate for freight ship- when boarding the ship. On the other
ping is $700 per dton per parsec along hand, once a passenger has made
TABLE major or minor routes, or $800 per reservations to travel on a given ship,
dton per parsec along branch routes. he will expect the ship to depart for his
Distance (pc) Distance Modifier destination within one week (seven
00 days). He will also expect to arrive at
his destination within one week, plus
1-2 -0.5 TRADE 10 days for every two parsecs of dis-
3-5 -1 tance along the trade network between
6-9 -1.5 VOLUMES departure and destination ports.
10-19 -2
20 or more No Available Trade TABLE A ship that fails to meet passengers’
expectations about timeliness and qual-
Finally, if one world of the pair has Freight Passenger ity of service may be able to get away
a much smaller economy than its part- Volume Volume with it, at least for a while. At the GM’s
ner, the economic model behind the BTN Roll Roll option, the ship’s crew may acquire a
WTNs and BTN breaks down some- 6 2d-10 None negative Reputation, or angry passen-
what. To correct for this, the final None gers may lodge complaints with Terran
BTN may not be greater than twice 6.5 2d-7 1d-4 or Imperial authorities.
the smaller WTN+1. 7 2d-2 1d-2
7.5 (2d-2) ¥ 5 1d-1 The standard rates for passenger
Once the BTN has been computed, 8 (2d-2) ¥ 5 2d-2 transport are $400 for a low ticket,
the GM and players can determine 8.5 + (2d-2) ¥ 10 $2,500 for a standard ticket, $3,500 for
how much freight and how many pas- a first-class ticket, and $6,000 for a
sengers are available for transport to Passengers luxury ticket. Ticket prices are per
the declared destination. jump rather than per parsec traveled.
Beginning on the first full day after
Basic Procedure the ship lands, it may solicit passen-
gers who wish to travel to the
Once a merchant ship reaches port, destination port. Once per day, refer
it may declare its destination and

STARSHIPS 179

SPECULATIVE high. Merchants seek goods for sale receptive markets. This makes
TRADE (possibly on The Market, in Imperial advance information about the
space) and buy them with whatever region of space where he is trading a

SYSTEM resources are available. They carry particularly valuable commodity.
these goods in their holds to subse- Generally only one merchant or
The following system can be used quent destinations, seeking interested
when a small merchant ship is trying buyers. A Free Trader normally car- team of merchants per crew may
to turn a profit through speculative ries a number of different speculative search for goods or buyers – any more
trade – the art of buying cargo at a cargoes, never knowing which will sell is counter-productive.
low price, in the hopes of selling it first, and fills his hold with freight as
later for a high price. This system can necessary. When a given lot of specu- Finding Goods for Sale
be used whether the ship stays on lative cargo seems to have found a
established trade routes or not, and it profitable market, it is sold. Ideally, Beginning on the first full day after
can be used in conjunction with the the merchants bring in enough to pay the ship lands, a merchant crew may
basic trade system (p. 178). The spec- for landing expenses, operating costs, begin searching for speculative car-
ulative trade system is useful for cam- a new load of goods, and a little prof- goes to buy. Each attempt takes five
paigns in which the GM and players it. Unfortunately, they are sometimes days, and is made using the best skills
are interested in following trade in forced to accept whatever they can to from among the merchant team. If an
some detail. prevent a total loss. attempt fails, repeated attempts may
be made at no penalty (unless a criti-
In outline, the speculative trade A canny trader can maximize his cal failure occurs; see below).
system is very basic: buy low and sell profits by matching likely goods with Attempts to find goods to buy can be

done at the same time as

SPECULATIVE GOODS TABLE any attempts to find buyers
for goods already in the
Dice Price Sale Price Lot Size Density hold (p. 181).
Roll Commodity ($/dton) Modifiers (dtons) (tons/dton)
11 Heavy Metals 20,000,000 Ex-3 Roll versus Merchant or
1d 25 Streetwise, whichever is
10 lower. Any penalty for lack-
12 Industrial Crystals 2,000,000 In+3, Na-3 1d 10 ing an appropriate Cultural
13 Radioactives 100,000 In+4, Na-3 1d 7 Familiarity advantage
14 Petrochemicals 15,000 In+3, Na-4 2d¥5 5 applies, as does any penalty
15 Artwork, Handicrafts 10,000 2d 5 for not being a native
16 Wood, Wood Products 2,000 Ag-4, In+1, Ex+4 5d¥10 25 speaker of the local lan-
21 Industrial Metals 75,000 Ex-2 2d 10 guage. Any applicable
0.5 Reputation (good or bad)
22 Ceramics, Glass 15,000 2d 7 also modifies the effective
7 skill. Modifiers: +1 if any-
23 Gemstones 10,000,000 In+4, Ni-2 1d 5 one on the team has Area
10 Knowledge for the local
24 Spices 6,000 Ag-2, Ex+1, Na+2 1d¥5 10 planet at 12+, or +2 at 20+;
5 -1 if the world is on a
25 Alcoholic Beverages 7,500 Ag-3, In+1, Ni-1 2d 25 branch route, or -3 if on a
4 main (major or minor)
26 Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts 2,400 Ag-2, In+3, Ex+2, Na+2 4d¥10 1 route.
8
31 Special Minerals 750,000 In+1, Na-3 1d 5 A successful roll indi-
7 cates that a lot of cargo has
32 Lanthanum 5,000,000 In+2, Na-3 1d 2 been located for purchase;
6 critical success indicates
33 Polymers 12,000 In-2 3d¥5 10 one to three lots.
34 Light Metals 10,000 2d¥5 2
35 Textiles 30,000 Ag-2, Ex+2, In-1 3d¥5 10 A critical failure results
36 Livestock 1,000 Ex+4, Ni-2 3d¥5 8 in the crew being shunned;
41 Shelters 12,000 Ex+1, In-1, Na+2 3d 5 no one from this ship will
42 Computers 250,000 In-2 2d 4 ever be able to contact the
8 speculative cargo markets
43 Firearms, Ammunition 120,000 1d 7 on this world again, until
1d 2 they make amends. On a
44 Pre-recorded Media 50,000 Ni+2 1d 3 Terran world, this may
2d¥5 3 mean simply paying a fine
45 Pharmaceuticals 120,000 Ag-1, In+3, Ni-3 1d 4 for insider trading or other
1d¥5 8 violations of local law. On
46 Grain, Flour, Baked Goods 5,000 Ag-2, Ex+2, Na+2 an Imperial world, a critical
failure means that the local
51 Protective Suits 400,000 Ag-4, Ex+4, In-2, Ni+1

52 Tools 20,000 In-1

53 Manufactured Goods 50,000 In-1, Ni+1 3d

54 Toys, Games, Sporting Gear 50,000 Ni+3 2d

55 Entertainment Devices 50,000 Ni+3 1d¥5

56 Meat, Fish 20,000 Ag-2, In+2, Ex+2, Na+2 1d¥5

61 Precision Instruments 400,000 In-3, Ni+3 2d

62 Electronics, Electronic Parts 50,000 In-1, Ni+1 1d¥5

63 Ground Vehicles 40,000 In-2, Ni+2 3d¥5

64 Grav Vehicles 250,000 In-2, Ni+2 1d¥5
1d¥5
65 Grav Units, Gravitic Parts 160,000 In-2, Ni+2 4d¥10

66 Machinery, Mechanical Parts 50,000 In-1, Ni+1

180 STARSHIPS

leaders of The Market have decided the the base price of the goods. For exam- success, a buyer is found. On a critical
crew cannot be trusted; such trust can ple, if the initial roll on the Actual failure, the crew will be shunned on
probably be regained only through a Price Table gives a result of 150%, a that planet, with the same effects as a
difficult adventure . . . victory in the Quick Contest will lower critical failure when searching for
goods.
Determine Available the purchase price to 140% of base,
Goods while a defeat raises it to 160% of Determine Selling Price
base. Groups desiring more options
Once a lot of speculative cargo has may consult pp. B560-562. Once a potential buyer has been
been located, roll two dice, one at a found for a given lot of goods, the sale
time. Modifiers: on the first die, -1 if If the lot is larger than desired, price must be determined. Use the
the world is Non-Industrial; +1 if breaking it up and buying only a por- same process as that used to deter-
Industrial. On the second die, -1 if the tion requires a positive Reaction roll mine purchase price. The Sale Price
world is Non-Agricultural; +1 if from the seller. One member of the Modifiers that apply are the ones asso-
Agricultural. Treat results less than 1 merchant team may attempt an ciated with the world where the goods
as 1, and greater than 6 as 6. Read the Influence roll (p. 359) instead; are being sold. If a Quick Contest of
two numbers consecutively, as a two- modifiers for Cultural Familiarity and Merchant skill is used to try to
digit number from 11 to 66, and language skill still apply. improve the same price, a victory will
consult the Speculative Goods Table. raise the price by 10%, while a defeat
Once goods are purchased, they lowers it by 10%.
For each lot of cargo, roll the indi- are delivered at the ramp or docking
cated number of dice to determine lot bay outside the ship’s cargo hatch. It is The sale price offered by a poten-
size in dtons. Multiply the lot size by the crew’s responsibility to load each tial buyer doesn’t have to be accepted,
the price per dton ($/dton) to deter- lot into the hold, though at Class C or but refusal to sell counts as a failure to
mine base price. If needed, multiply better starports they can hire steve- find a buyer. Another attempt must be
lot size by density (tons/dton) to deter- dores. If desired, the crew may offer to made, taking five more days.
mine total mass; multiply again by come and pick up a cargo in return for Furthermore, the merchant team
local gravity to determine weight. a favorable Reaction modifier, but must make a Reaction roll; on a Poor
then they are responsible for paying or worse reaction, the result is equiva-
Determine Purchase (or evading) any outbound customs lent to a critical failure on the roll to
Price and duties. find a buyer, and the crew is shunned.

Once the nature of each lot of spec- Finding Buyers The crew is responsible for unload-
ulative goods is known, roll on the ing the goods, clearing them through
Actual Price Table to determine the Beginning on the first full day after inbound customs, and paying (or
actual purchase price. Subtract 2 if the ship lands, a merchant crew may evading again) any duties owed on
the world is Poor; add 4 if the world is begin searching for buyers for any them. Goods are considered delivered
Rich. Add or subtract the Sale Price speculative cargoes that are in the when turned over to the buyer at his
Modifiers that apply to the world hold. Each attempt to find a buyer for place of business or other specified
where the goods are being purchased, any one lot takes five days, and is destination.
as indicated for the specific commod- made using the best skills from among
ity on the Speculative Goods Table. the merchant team. If an attempt fails, ACTUAL PRICE
The result on the Actual Price Table repeated attempts may usually be
gives the actual purchase price as a made at no penalty. If the ship has TABLE
percentage of the base price as given more than one lot of speculative cargo
on the Speculative Goods Table. in the hold, the crew may search for Roll Actual Price
buyers for each of them at the same 3 or less (% of Base Price)
One member of the merchant team time, and can also search for a lot of 4
may use Merchant skill to try to lower goods to purchase. 5 30%
the actual purchase price, using a 6 40%
Quick Contest according to the rule on Attempts to find a buyer use the 7 50%
p. B209. The result of the Quick same skill roll as finding goods for 8 60%
Contest will add or subtract 10% from sale; add an additional modifier equal 9 70%
to WTN-6 (round down). On a 10 80%
11 90%
12 100%
13 100%
14 110%
15 120%
16 130%
17 140%
18 or more 150%
160%
170%

STARSHIPS 181

INTERSTELLAR
EXPLORATION

The long day wanes: the slow moon first. On a critical success, the system (i.e., the plane most of the
climbs: the deep follow-up scientific skill roll is made planets will orbit in). He will also have
with a +3 bonus. On a success, the fol- a rough estimate of the orbit for each
Moans round with many voices. low-up roll is made unmodified. On a planet sighted.
Come, my friends, failure, some of the collected data are
incorrect, but a correct interpretation Another task that is undertaken at
’Tis not too late to seek a newer can be made with more difficulty; this stage is to “listen” for signs of
world. make the follow-up roll at a penalty intelligent life. Detecting a civilization
equal to the amount by which the sen- will take one day of observation; this
Push off, and sitting well in order sor roll was missed. On a critical fail- can be done at the same time as the
smite ure, the data are obviously bad and search for planets, but a different sci-
the follow-up roll may not be made at entist must do the work. At interstellar
The sounding furrows; for my pur- all. The GM may wish to make either ranges, only civilizations at TL7 and
pose holds or both rolls for the players, to keep above can be detected using ship-
them in the dark as to whether they board instruments.
To sail beyond the sunset, and the are succeeding or not.
baths Roll against Electronics Operation
System Detection (Sensors) to detect civilizations, using
Of all the western stars, until I die. the same modifiers for range as for
It may be that the gulfs will wash us Survey operations in a new star detecting planets. On a success, the sci-
down: system begin long before the survey entist will detect any population of at
It may be we shall touch the Happy ship first jumps into the system. The least 10 billion living at TL7, one bil-
Isles, first step is to get an impression of the lion at TL8, 100 million at TL9-10, or
And see the great Achilles, whom we contents of the target star system. 30 million at TL11+. If the sensor roll
knew. This is normally done from one or is made by a significant margin, the
two parsecs’ distance. scientist may detect smaller popula-
– Alfred, Lord Tennyson, tions, down to one-tenth the size on a
“Ulysses” (1842) First, the survey ship attempts to critical success. Also on a critical suc-
locate planets in the target star sys- cess, the process will gather 2d hours
During the Interstellar Wars era, tem. This takes a day of observation of language samples (see Linguistic
most of “known space” is not known from a survey module. Roll against Assessment, p. 184). Even if no
to Terrans, who are constantly visiting Electronics Operation (Sensors). detectable civilization is present, the
worlds and regions of space for the Modifiers: +1 if at a one-parsec dis- GM should roll in case of a critical fail-
first time. In any case, the Vilani can tance, -1 at two parsecs, -2 at three ure – in which case he may mislead the
only tell Terrans about space toward parsecs, -3 at four to five parsecs, or -4 scientist into believing a civilization is
the galactic core. Out toward the rim at six parsecs. present even if it isn’t.
are thousands of worlds that no
Human has ever seen, worlds where If the sensors roll succeeds, any System Mapping
Terrans might build a civilization large gas giants (Saturn- or Jupiter-
entirely independent of the Imperium. sized) will be detected. Success by 2 or When the survey ship jumps into
Before that can happen, Terrans must more will detect small (Uranus- or the target system, the crew may have
go out to explore and survey those Neptune-sized) gas giants. On a criti- only a rough idea of what planets are
worlds, breaking ground for the cal success, large terrestrial planets present and where they are. They
colonies to come. (6,000+ miles in diameter) will be must immediately make a map of the
detected. Even on a successful skill star system and establish their own
SURVEY roll, some planets may be concealed at location. Once that’s done, a more
OPERATIONS the GM’s discretion; perhaps they are detailed study of the system’s worlds
behind the primary star or are pre- can be done.
Survey operations involve a general senting an unlighted face to the
evaluation and mapping of the worlds observer. First, the ship’s exact location
in a target star system. Many of the must be established. This task is usu-
tasks involved in survey work require a If any planets were detected, roll ally undertaken by the ship’s naviga-
shipboard survey module; standard against Astronomy to produce a rough tor, using the standard ship’s sensors.
ship’s sensors will not do because they system map, at +4 if more than one Roll against Navigation (Space), with
aren’t properly configured for survey planet was detected (GM’s discretion). a +2 if a rough system map is already
work. On a success, the astronomer can available (either from library data or
locate the ecliptic plane of the target from astronomical observations at
Survey tasks normally involve
using the Electronics Operation
(Sensors) skill, followed by a scientific
skill to interpret the collected data.
Make the Electronics Operation roll

182 STARSHIPS

interstellar range). On a success, the involved with the search for planets. orbit. The survey ship orbits at a very
ship’s position has been established Roll against Electronics Operation high inclination to the planet’s equa-
with enough accuracy to allow fur- (Sensors). On a success, the scientist tor, actually passing over the north
ther survey operations to proceed will detect any population of at least and south polar regions on each cir-
normally. On a failure, the navigator 10 billion living at TL5, one million at cuit. As the planet rotates, the ship
was inaccurate and all subsequent TL6, 100,000 at TL7, 10,000 at TL8, finds itself always passing over new
system-mapping skill rolls will be at 1,000 at TL9-10, or 300 at TL11+. terrain, eventually scanning every por-
-1. On a critical failure, the inaccura- Again, if the sensor roll is made by a tion of the planet’s surface. If the plan-
cy is greater (penalty is -3). Any penal- significant margin, the scientist may et is too small or its rotation is too
ty will last until the first success in a detect smaller populations, down to slow, the ship may alter its trajectory
system-mapping task (the error was 1/10 the size on a critical success. Also slightly on each pass to get the same
noticed and corrected). on a critical success, the process will effect. Taking up an effective ball-of-
gather 2d hours of language samples. yarn orbit requires a successful
Next, any planets in the system The GM should always make this roll, Piloting roll. The entire mapping
must be located precisely. This is actu- even if no detectable civilization is process takes a number of hours equal
ally more time-consuming once the present or detection is automatic. to the diameter of the planet in thou-
ship is inside the target system; from a sands of miles, squared (minimum 2
few parsecs away, it’s easy to know Planetary Survey hours).
which way to point the telescope.
From inside the target system, the Terran explorers don’t usually To gather data for the survey, each
whole sky needs to be searched. examine every world in a target sys- specialist (up to four per survey mod-
tem closely. Any nearly-habitable ule) must make an Electronics
To produce a workable system planet is likely to get considerable Operation (Sensors) roll. If at least one
map requires 10 days of observations. attention. Standard procedure is to do surveyor succeeds, a Cartography roll
Up to four astronomers per system an initial evaluation of the planet is needed to assemble the survey data
module can work together and reduce while still at some distance (four to into a working planetary map.
this time. Roll against Electronics five million miles), then move in to Modifiers: +2 for each surveyor after
Operation (Sensors) to locate system close orbit for a detailed survey and the first who succeeded in his sensors
objects, at +2 if a rough system map is mapping sweeps. roll.
already available. This mapping
process will automatically detect all It takes very little time to discover a The completed survey map will dis-
the gas giant planets present in the planet’s general parameters: diameter, play visual and thermal features of the
system. On anything but a critical fail- atmosphere, hydrographic coverage, surface, resolving features down to
ure, all the terrestrial planets will also and climate. A rough idea of the plan- about 100 feet across. If there is no
be detected. On a success, all of the et’s density and surface gravity will reason to avoid using active sensors,
larger moons in the system will also be possible. An hour’s observation the survey will also yield a synthetic-
appear. On a critical success, smaller with a survey module will suffice. aperture radar map of the planet,
moons and planetoids will also be Make a roll against Electronic including nearly exact elevations.
detected. Operations (Sensors) to gather data, Densitometer scans will give some
then against Geography (Physical) idea of what lies under any oceans,
Once planets and other bodies with the appropriate specialty (see giving a rough map of the seafloor.
have been detected, a follow-up p. B180) to interpret the results. The GM may wish to simply share any
Astronomy roll will produce a working planetary map he has drawn with the
map of the star system. On a success, To map the surface of a terrestrial players at this point.
gas giants and terrestrial planets will world and determine its density and
be immediately identifiable, and the composition, a survey ship takes up a The orbital mapping survey is the
GM may reveal the main world’s spe- close orbit and begins using its plane- last chance the exploration team has
cific planet type (see p. 96 for a dis- tary-survey instruments. Multiple tele- to detect intelligent life, short of actu-
cussion of planet types). Any unusual scopes and other instruments are used ally landing on the planet and looking
features of planetary orbits will also in concert, with each survey specialist for citizens. Once the mapping sensor
be known at this point. Finally, suc- supporting the work of other members results are in, make another
cess will permit the ship’s navigator to of the team. Cartography roll, at +2 for every sur-
prepare jump parameters for return veyor after the first who succeeded.
visits to the star system. So long as The best orbit for surface mapping Success in this roll will detect any pop-
jump masking is not a factor, future is some variation of the “ball-of-yarn” ulation of at least 10 million at TL0,
jumps into the star system can be one million at TL1-4, or 100,000 at
made directly to the 100-diameter TL5. Again, if the sensors roll is made
limit of any desired body. by a significant margin, smaller popu-
lations can be detected, down to 1/10
Finally, the ship will again search the size for a critical success. Any
for evidence of intelligent life. TL6+ civilization that has thus far
Civilizations at TL5 and up can be eluded detection is automatically
detected at interplanetary ranges. located once close-orbit mapping
Detection again requires one day of results are available.
observations by a scientist who is not

STARSHIPS 183

If intelligent life has been detected whether there are any valuable miner- understood, and the most prevalent
now or at any earlier point, a success- al deposits in the area. Actually locat- large species will be identified. To get
ful Cartography roll will locate any ing these deposits may take months or a real understanding of how local
major population centers. Even cul- years of work, and may not be a task ecosystems work, however, a full
tures that lack cities will have regions for the initial exploration team. ecological survey is necessary.
of unusually dense population (hunt-
ing ranges or good agricultural land), If the planet being explored has no An ecological survey takes 2d years
and these can be placed on the map. significant local life, then geological to complete, and is usually done after
surveys may be sufficient to determine a full scientific colony is placed on the
EXPLORATION the planet’s Resource Value Modifier world. The surveyors must painstak-
OPERATIONS (p. 98). This will require the successful ingly identify local species down to the
completion of 2d local area surveys smallest animal and plant forms.
Once the initial survey of a new (GM rolls). Further, the team must observe how
world has been completed, explorers all of these species interact over sever-
can get down to business. Real under- Biological Survey al local years, to make sure that any
standing of any new world requires seasonal changes are noticed and
that explorers go down and get their Meanwhile, if the planet is a understood. The survey will involve
hands dirty. After all, every new plan- Garden world, biologists will fan out many rolls against various Biology
et is a world, the end product of bil- to gather information about native life specialties.
lions of years of isolated evolution, full forms. Such a biological survey takes
of traits unique to itself. about 1d days per region and terrain CONTACT
type covered. PROCEDURES
Geological Survey
During the biological survey, the Once explorers have determined
General information about plane- explorers will collect samples of plant that intelligent life is present, the ques-
tary geological formations will be life and soil for later analysis. They tion of contact arises. As of 2170, the
available due to the orbital mapping will also try to study at least 10-12 dif- only new intelligent races that Terrans
pass. More detailed maps of local ter- ferent animal species in each terrain have come into contact with have been
rain can be generated by low-altitude type. Small animals can be captured members of the Vilani Imperium.
mapping flights. During these, a ship’s for intensive study. Large creatures However, the Terran Confederation
small craft or grav vehicles pass over will be anesthetized or killed, so that has already developed contact proto-
the terrain at a height of about one gross anatomic studies can be done cols that all official expeditions are
mile, using visible-light cameras, IR and tissue samples can be taken. The ready to implement. Unofficial expedi-
sensors, radar, and densitometer read- explorers will also try to make holo- tions may have to develop their own
ings to build an extremely detailed graphic records of as many species as procedures on the fly . . .
map. Assume that one team (two to possible, exhibiting normal behavior
four explorers) can cover about 5,000 in their natural environment. In general, explorers will avoid
square miles in a day. The task going in to contact a new society
requires a lot of routine Piloting and The biological survey will require a “cold.” If possible, the exploration
Electronic Operation (Sensors) use, number of Biology rolls, possibly with team will study the natives for weeks
but the GM may not want to bother various specialties (Botany to study or even months from hiding.
with skill rolls unless unusual circum- plant samples, Zoology to study cap-
stances present themselves. To assem- tured animals, Biochemistry or Linguistic Assessment
ble the final detailed map of any given Microbiology to study soil samples,
area, a Cartography roll is required. and so on). Photography skill will also The most important precontact
be useful in taking holographs of crea- task is a study of the local languages.
The detailed terrain map will give tures in their natural setting. Capturing If the native society is at a low level of
some information about subsurface or hunting animal specimens should be development (TL0-TL5), then samples
geological formations and ore played out as a set of mini-adventures, of the language must be gathered via
deposits, but getting a complete pic- using as much detail as GM and direct monitoring of conversations.
ture will require on-site inspection. In players are comfortable with. This would most likely be done using
a given region, a geologist will drill stealth reconnaissance drones placed
core samples in carefully chosen loca- On a world with significant local in inhabited areas. At TL6 and up, it
tions, and will also use seismometers life, both geological and biological sur- becomes possible to gather samples by
and a portable densitometer. This veys are needed to determine the plan- monitoring radio communications
process requires 1d days for an area of et’s Resource Value Modifier (p. 98). from orbit.
about 500 square miles. The geologist This will require the successful com-
must succeed in skill rolls against pletion of 2d local geological surveys Stealth drones are almost impossi-
Electronics Operation (Sensors) and and 2d local biological surveys. ble for a low-tech society to detect in
Geology. On a success, the geologist flight, but at higher tech levels the
will understand the broad outlines of Ecological Survey local sensor network begins to have a
local geological history, and will know chance at detection. It can be difficult
The biological survey will yield to deploy drones where they will have
enough information to get a broad a good vantage point and yet will not
view of a world’s natural history.
Major plant and animal orders will be

184 STARSHIPS

be discovered accidentally. Use the and political parameters. Again, this is not always as obvious as the overall
appropriate Piloting skill to deliver a based on information gathered structure. At this point, the explorers
stealth drone undetected, at a -1 through stealth reconnaissance and will be most interested in the specifics
penalty for each native TL above 6. A radio monitoring. However, even if of local law. Soon they will be prepar-
failure indicates that the flight had to the language is beginning to be ing for actual contact – and they will
be aborted, while a critical failure known, it will take considerably more want to know what might get them
indicates that the probe was lost or work to get insight into the local cul- arrested! Roll against Anthropology to
shot down. Once the drone has ture. The rules below assume that at make a rough assessment of local
reached the target area, the pilot can least 200 hours of language samples political structures and laws.
use his Camouflage skill to find a good have been gathered. If less than this is
place from which it can eavesdrop. available when the explorers try to Instead of resolving the sociological
make a sociological assessment, apply assessment purely with skill rolls, the
Radio monitoring can be done with- a -1 penalty to each skill roll for every GM may wish to game out the process
out risk of detection. Use Electronics 10 full hours of deficit. Extra samples in more detail. In this case, once the
Operation (Communications) to tap give a +1 bonus for every 100 hours of initial language database has been
into the local radio net using a ship’s surplus. Video samples or stealth- built, or even before, the GM may
communicators. At higher tech levels drone photography count double if begin to provide clues to social param-
the signals themselves may become dif- they show natives interacting socially. eters by describing the exploration
ficult to interpret. As analog signals give team’s observations.
way to digital (late TL7), the eavesdrop- Technology Level: The easiest
pers must first break the pro- parameter to assess from a distance is For example, rather than calling for
tocols that encode voice, the level of technological develop- an Anthropology skill roll and telling
video, or text data. This ment. The overall TL of a society the players “the society accepts dis-
requires several hours’ should be obvious by the time the ini- sent,” the GM may describe a crowded
worth of samples and a tial language database is complete, city square, observed by a stealth
Cryptography roll, at -2 for without any need for skill rolls. drone. Dress and appearance are
every native TL above 8. diverse. Some of the natives are appar-
Population: The native population ently putting on a political demonstra-
Each flight of a stealth is also fairly easy to estimate by the tion, with signs and chanted slogans,
drone can gather 1d-2 time the initial language database has but although there are angry expres-
hours of useful language been completed. Make a roll against sions no one is moving to stop it.
samples (minimum 0). Geography (Political) to estimate the Indeed, some natives in uniform are
Ship’s communicators world’s native population, and again to apparently protecting rather than
can gather one hour of estimate the population of any specific arresting the dissidents. Of course,
useful samples for every area. some of the explorers’ observations
two hours of monitoring. can be misleading . . .
The GM should determine Political Structure: During this
how many hours of samples phase, the team can determine the This treatment can give the players
will be needed before a working model world’s government type. Intercepted more latitude to direct the investiga-
of the language can be derived. If the communications can give some idea tion, perhaps using other skills to fer-
language is related to a known lan- as to who makes decisions, and how ret out bits of evidence. Once the play-
guage (as for a lost colony of some political power is implemented. Roll ers have drawn and stated their con-
kind) then 2d ¥ 10 hours may be against Sociology to determine the clusions, the GM can make skill rolls,
enough to “break” the new dialect. If local government type. granting bonuses if the players have
the language is completely unknown, been perceptive, or penalties if not.
then at least (2d+8) ¥ 10 hours of sam- Specific Political Institutions: The
ples will be needed, possibly more if details of local politics and customs are
the language has unusual syntax or is
communicated in an unusual manner.

In any case, Linguistics rolls will
be needed to analyze the samples
properly, and to create a database for
the new language. At this point, the
database is still incomplete, and will
not permit anyone to learn the
language at better than a Broken
comprehension level.

Sociological Assessment

Once the local language has been
“broken,” explorers must make an ini-
tial estimate of local social, cultural,

STARSHIPS 185

Covert Contact The goal of each covert-contact overt contact is left up to the mission
mission is to gather more detailed commander, since the circumstances
Once the linguistic and sociological information about local language, cul- are likely to vary widely (and since
assessments are finished, the com- ture, political structures, laws, and Terrans don’t have much experience
mander of the exploration team may customs. The Alpha Team must with such missions to draw upon).
authorize covert contact. This is not decide what items or information later
intended to open communications teams will need to better interact with Established protocols call for the
between the Terran Confederation and the natives. They should obtain exam- first overt-contact mission to open
the new culture. Instead, the explorers ples of local currency, identity docu- communication with local political
will be sent to gather more informa- ments, clothing, personal equipment, authorities. The existence of off-
tion without revealing themselves to and so on. They can also obtain worlders or Terran civilization is not to
the natives. scrolls, books, newspapers, down- be revealed to the general populace
loads from library computers – any until local authorities agree that this
Of course, the whole concept of kind of documentation that will can be done. Even then, the announce-
covert contact implies that Terran improve the expedition’s grasp of the ment is left up to the local officials,
explorers can be covert when they local language and social situation. with the contact team operating only
move among the natives. Surgical Naturally, all this will mean interact- in support.
alteration and disguise can only go so ing with the local population, unless
far when dealing with a non-Human the team resorts to stealth and theft. The Beta Team should not discuss
civilization. The Terran Navy is exper- Apply all penalties to social skills for the details of Terran scientific or tech-
imenting with custom-built robots lack of language skill or Cultural nological knowledge. High-technology
that are operated remotely by contact Familiarity! items may be demonstrated as part of
specialists, but this technique has not the process of proving the team’s
yet been tried in earnest. Current pro- The GM should decide in advance claims, but how devices work should
tocols call for Terran explorers to how many successful covert-contact be left to later discussions.
move directly to an overt contact missions will be required before this
mode. stage of the contact operation can be Similarly, the team should not dis-
concluded. For a Human culture that cuss Terran politics or institutions.
Members of the “Alpha Team” isn’t too alien to Terran experience, Beta Teams may admit to being from
assembled for a covert contact mis- 1d+1 missions may suffice. For a a starfaring civilization that is inter-
sion must be as familiar as possible non-Human culture, 2d or even 3d ested in continuing contact with the
with the native language and customs. missions might be needed. local society, but the details should be
At this point, they will speak the native left vague if possible. The team may
language at a Broken level, but their Once the requisite number of promise that more information will be
understanding of local culture will be covert-contact missions has been made available once a good working
too incomplete to permit any level of completed, the exploration team may relationship seems likely.
Cultural Familiarity. This implies the improve the language database so that
expenditure of one character point or members can buy up to an Accented Once local authorities are coping
200 hours of study per explorer. comprehension level. Cultural well with the implications of contact,
Familiarity for the local culture may the Beta Team should conclude an
If possible Alpha Team members also be purchased at this time. agreement with them, laying out how
are provided with clothing and per- further contacts may proceed. This
sonal equipment that will fit local Overt Contact may require considerable negotiation.
styles. Money is often a problem, espe- The explorers should gain free access
cially if the local technology can pro- Once covert contact is finished, or to the local population, enough to
duce elaborate currency that is hard to once the decision has been made to complete in-depth linguistic and soci-
counterfeit without close examina- skip the covert contact step entirely, in ological surveys. This normally
tion. Instead, the Alpha Team is pro- the case of a truly alien culture, the requires that the authorities cooperate
vided with compact items that might exploration team can move to overt and that the population be made
be of value in trade. Precious metals contact. The Terran Confederation aware of the explorers’ presence. The
are a common choice. High-technolo- has no “non-interference” principle, relationship should be set up so that
gy goods may be carried, but only if and permits its explorers to make the existing social and political situa-
they can be concealed very easily; open contact even with low-technolo- tion is left as intact as possible. In par-
covert-contact specialists often have gy societies. After all, Terra needs ticular, the Beta Team must be careful
high levels of the Holdout skill. The allies wherever it can find them . . . not to become part of any local power
Alpha Team may carry concealable struggle, withdrawing entirely if that
weapons for self-defense. The “Beta Team” that engages in appears necessary.
first overt contact is outfitted in a
An inhabited area is chosen for the manner similar to the covert-contact Once friendly overt contact has
mission, preferably a frontier or rural Alpha Teams, although if higher lev- been made, other Terran agencies will
region that allows for an unobserved els of language skill and Cultural step in, especially from the Ministry of
landing. Once the Alpha Team lands, Familiarity are available, the Beta Trade and the Ministry of Culture. The
it makes its way into contact with the Team members must have invested exploration team’s job is complete,
local population. Naturally, the course in them. The exact procedure for and it will doubtless be assigned to
of each covert contact mission should other work . . .
be played out as an adventure!

186 STARSHIPS

CHAPTER NINE

STARSHIP
DESIGN

January 18, 2237 – Kaufmann and for all. It seemed he
Sternenschiffbau R&D offices, L5
habitat, Terra-Luna space: would just have to go on

Alexa Karlsen shook her head. “I’ve imagining.
told you, David. The Navy just won’t
pay for the design studies.” But Karlsen wasn’t

David Sandoval made a fist and finished. “Now, I did
thumped his desk in frustration, scowl-
ing at the stars beyond the viewport. have one interesting
“You made your arguments?”
encounter after I left the
“The best ones I could,” Karlsen
answered. “They told me exactly what I meeting . . .”
said they would. You’re trying to use too
many new technologies at once. They’re “With whom?”
not willing to risk so much on an
untried concept.” Sandoval asked, not

“That’s stupid,” Sandoval growled. really listening.
“None of these technologies are really
untried. They’ve all been thoroughly “Admiral Albadawi.”
tested, and some of them even saw
action in the last war. But as long as we Sandoval blinked.
keep using them in bits and pieces, we’ll
never get the kind of synergistic effect “Really?”
we need.”
“Really. Now, I don’t
“I know that. You know that. But
the Bureau of Ships isn’t buying.” want you to get your

Sandoval sighed. He could imagine hopes up . . .”
it, flying between the stars, a warship
like none the galaxy had ever seen. It “Right.” Sandoval If we want to give him something to
was a shining hammer that the Navy look at, we’ll have to put it together our-
could use to shatter the Imperium once thought hard. Manuel Albadawi was selves, and we’ll have to work very fast.”

the Navy’s rising star. Rumor had it that “I see.”
“Do you think you can do it?”
he was likely to be named Grand Sandoval frowned. “I don’t know. I’ll
try.”
Admiral very soon. “Was he interested?” “Good enough,” said Karlsen. “I’ll
keep R&D off your back for the next few
“Yes, he was.” Karlsen leaned for- weeks. Drink a lot of coffee, David. This
is the big one.”
ward, holding Sandoval’s gaze. “Now, After Karlsen left, Sandoval watched
the stars spin past his viewport for a
he doesn’t have any discretionary funds few more minutes. Then he opened his
desktop, cleared away all the files for his
to back a design study. But he is willing other projects, and began with a blank
template. First, he entered a new title.
to consider supporting any proposal we “Preliminary Design Proposal,
Advanced Battleship Class,” he mur-
can come up with. The only problem is mured to himself. “Tentative name . . .
Indomitable.”
that he’s leaving in six weeks for a tour Six hours later, he was still hard at
work. The stars wheeled outside the
of the Occupation Zone. He’ll be gone viewport, unwatched.

for months. The ship-design system presented
here gives the GM and players all the
tools necessary to create ships for the
Interstellar Wars setting. The system
is modular, permitting ships to be
assembled from standard-sized hulls
and modules.

STARSHIP DESIGN 187

DESIGNING A SHIP

The design system involves a step- Units and Abbreviations
by-step procedure. Calculations are
simple and can easily be done on The following units and abbreviations will be used throughout the
scrap paper. A calculator is useful but starship design process.
not essential. Before beginning, refer
to Units and Abbreviations (see box) dDR: A measure of spaceship Damage Resistance. One point of dDR
for a list of terms and abbreviations equals DR 10.
used in this design system.
dHP: A measure of hull hit points. One point of dHP equals 10 hit
Step 1: Determine the design points.
concept.
dton: A “displacement ton,” a measure of hull volume. One dton is
Step 2: Design the ship’s hull. equal to 500 cubic feet.
Step 3: Choose armor and surface
features. Gravity (G): A measure of acceleration equivalent to that produced
Step 4: Evaluate the hull design. by the surface gravity of Terra. One G is equal to 32 feet per second per
Step 5: Install maneuver and jump second.
drives.
Step 6: Install fuel tanks and fuel ksf: A measure of hull or turret surface area, equal to 1,000 square
processing equipment. feet.
Step 7: Install bridge systems.
Step 8: Install sensors. M$: A “megasolar,” or one million Terran Confederation solars.
Step 9: Install weapon systems. MW: A megawatt, a unit of power production or consumption. Equal
Step 10: Select small craft. to 1,000 kilowatts (kW).
Step 11: Install power plant. Space: A unit of 500 cubic feet, a convenient measure of the internal
Step 12: Determine the size and volume of a hull, or of the size of a ship’s systems. Often used inter-
makeup of the crew. changeably with dton (see above).
Step 13: Install quarters and Ton: A measure of mass or weight, equal to 2,000 pounds.
miscellaneous systems.
Step 14: Determine ship perform- variety of technology levels, depending The base cost of any hull is equal to
ance. on the year of construction. $50,000 per dton. This covers not only
Step 15: Finalize the design. the cost of the hull itself, but also the
As design choices are made, keep STEP 2 – cost of internal bracing, partitions, air-
track of the number of internal spaces HULL locks, power transmission infrastruc-
taken up by ship’s systems, the ship’s ture, artificial gravity, and other sys-
mass (in tons), its cost (in M$), and A ship’s hull is its frame, and also tems not explicitly described in the rest
the power required by ship’s systems provides its basic infrastructure of the ship-design rules.
(in MW). (decks, cables, stress bracing, and so
on). The size of a hull is measured in The Size Modifier for each hull size
STEP 1 – dtons. To design the ship’s hull, is assumed to incorporate the modi-
DETERMINE choose its size, shape, and degree of fiers for hull shape from p. B550,
DESIGN streamlining. regardless of the actual shape of the
CONCEPT hull. A spherical hull has the same
Hull Size cross-section from every direction, but
First, decide on the general con- gets the full +2 bonus to Size Modifier.
cept and mission for the ship. Who is Begin by selecting a hull size from A long, narrow hull will be larger in its
building it and for what purpose? Is it those listed on the Hull Table. Note longest dimension, but will have no
a starship, or a craft intended only for that the largest hulls are only available bonus to Size Modifier. In any case,
in-system travel? Is it a merchantman at higher TL. Based on the hull’s size, the total SM will be the same.
or a warship? Does it have specialized record the hull’s base surface area (in
functions that most ships do not have? ksf), base cost (in M$), and Size Configuration
Modifier (SM). and Shape
Next, decide at what TL the ship is
being designed and built. During the The base surface area of each hull Hulls come in different configura-
Interstellar Wars era, Vilani starships is the area of a sphere with the appro- tions as well as sizes. Each configura-
are always built at TL10 (the “Imperial priate volume (assuming 500 cubic tion defines the hull’s shape and affects
standard” technology, see p. 160). feet per dton of hull volume). Areas the layout of internal and external fea-
During the same era, Terran shipbuild- have been rounded off to two signifi- tures. The available configurations are
ing technology progresses from TL9 to cant figures. Hull shapes that vary needle/wedge, flattened sphere, cylinder,
TL11; Terran ships can be built at a from a sphere will have more surface close structure, sphere, and dispersed
area to cover the same volume; this is structure. Some configurations have
implemented in later steps. more surface area than others, and

188 STARSHIP DESIGN

HULL TABLE Sphere: A standardized Streamlined vessels are generally
spherical shape, with few or cylindrical, spherical, or block-
Hull Size TL Base Area Base Cost no attached substructures. shaped. Sharp edges may have been
(dtons) Required (ksf) (M$) SM Some very large “monitors” rounded off, but the hull does not gen-
0.5 +6 (armed, nearly-stationary erate lift and there are no aerodynam-
10 – 1.4 1.0 +6 space stations) are built ic control surfaces. A streamlined ship
20 – 2.2 1.5 +7 with this shape, as are a few may skim gas-giant atmospheres for
30 – 2.9 2.0 +7 smaller ship classes that are hydrogen fuel (p. 192), but they must
40 – 3.6 2.5 +7 intended exclusively for exercise caution when landing on or
50 – 4.1 3.0 +7 deep-space operations. taking off from worlds with substan-
60 – 4.7 4.0 +7 tial atmospheres. However, they nor-
5.0 +8 Dispersed Structure: A mally have retractable landing gear
80 – 5.7 10 +8 generic classification for and are unlikely to be damaged by
15 +9 ships built as open frame- simply landing on a planetary surface.
100 – 6.6 20 +9 works rather than compact
200 – 10 25 +9 hulls. Very few ship classes Airframe vessels are sleek, usually
300 – 14 30 +9 are built with this shape, needle-, wedge-, or disk-shaped. An
400 – 17 35 +9 although the Terran Navy airframe ship is designed for atmos-
500 – 19 40 +10 has experimented with it for pheric performance and smooth air-
600 – 22 45 +10 some support vessels. flow over the hull. It has full atmos-
50 +10 pheric maneuverability, and generates
700 – 24 100 +10 Select a hull configura- lift in any substantial atmosphere.
800 – 26 150 +10 tion. Make a note of the Area Airframe ships may skim for fuel and
900 – 28 200 +11 Modifier, Cost Modifier, can safely re-enter any atmosphere.
1,000 9 30 250 +11 Turrets Modifier, and best An airframe hull is assumed to include
2,000 9 48 300 +11 streamlining available for retractable landing gear.
3,000 9 63 350 +11 that configuration.
400 +11 Select a streamlining level, and
4,000 9 77 450 +11 Streamlining make a note of the Area Modifier and
5,000 10 89 500 +12 Cost Modifier from the following
6,000 10 100 1,000 +12 Every hull has one of table. The best level of streamlining
7,000 10 110 1,500 +13 three levels of streamlining: that is available depends on the hull
8,000 10 120 2,000 +13 unstreamlined, streamlined, configuration, as given on the Hull
9,000 10 130 or airframe. Configuration Table.

10,000 10 140 Unstreamlined vessels

20,000 10 220
30,000 10 290
40,000 10 360

50,000 10 410 2,500 +13 may have dispersed struc- ULL

H75,000 11 540 3,750 +13 tures, or they may have
S100,000 11
660 5,000 +14 more standard hull shapes TREAMLINING

some configurations are more likely to but with no concessions to TABLE
be sleek and streamlined. airflow. An unstreamlined vessel
must remain below supersonic speeds Area Cost
Needle/Wedge: A long, sleek shape in any atmosphere denser than Trace Streamlining Modifier Modifier
with very clean lines. “Needle” hulls or it risks destruction. This makes
are very long and narrow, while atmospheric landings and takeoffs Unstreamlined 0.0 0.0
“wedge” hulls are somewhat shorter very difficult and dangerous for such Streamlined 0.2 0.2
Airframe 0.3 0.4

and wider. Most Terran warships and vessels. Meanwhile, unstreamlined
small craft are built on this shape.
Flattened Sphere: A round, flat vessels typically have no landing gear Finalizing Hull Design
or other facilities to relieve the stress-
shape, reminiscent of the classic “fly- es on the hull when set on the ground. Once the hull size, configuration,
ing saucer” configuration. Imperial An unstreamlined ship may be able to and degree of streamlining are deter-
small craft are usually built with this land on a world once – but it is likely mined, several attributes of the hull
shape, especially if they need good to be unable to ever lift off again. can be computed in turn.

atmospheric performance.

Cylinder: A long, rounded shape,

suitable for ships that don’t need the

H C Tbest atmospheric performance. Most
ULL ONFIGURATION ABLE

Imperial cruiser-class warships are Area Cost Turrets Best

built with this shape. Configuration Modifier Modifier Modifier Streamlining

Close Structure: A generic shape, Needle/Wedge 2.5 2.0 0.3 Airframe

generally cylindrical in structure but Flattened Sphere 2.0 1.6 0.25 Airframe

with various pods, nacelles, and other Cylinder 1.5 1.2 0.3 Streamlined

substructures attached. Many civilian Close Structure 1.2 1.0 0.25 Streamlined

ships, both Imperial and Terran, are Sphere 1.0 1.0 0.2 Streamlined

built with this shape. Dispersed Structure 2.0 1.0 0.2 Unstreamlined

STARSHIP DESIGN 189

Suggested Hull Sizes Structure may have any dDR. A ship
with a Dispersed Structure hull must
A ship’s classification depends on its function, not its size. Even so, have dDR 0. Most civilian ships will
naval experts usually classify spaceships according to hull size. Here are have at least dDR 10 – but ships likely
some suggested hull size ranges for various ship classes during the to face enemy fire (warships, Terran
Interstellar Wars era. privateers, renegade Vilani ships) are
likely to be much better armored.
A ship with a hull size of less than 100 dtons cannot mount a working
jump drive. Starship hulls must therefore be at least 100 dtons in size. To determine how much armor a
ship needs, review the weapon tables
COMMON HULL SIZE TABLE starting on p. 226. As a rule of thumb,
a light military vessel will be able to
Ship Class Hull Size Range (dtons) withstand a hit from turret lasers at its
Fighter or Lifeboat 10-20 TL, if the hit does average damage. A
cruiser-sized warship will be complete-
Launch, Gig, or Ship’s Boat 20-30 ly impervious to turret laser weapons,
and will be able to withstand average
Pinnace or Cutter 30-50 hits from bay-mounted beam
Shuttle 50-100 weapons. Battleships and dread-
Scout or Courier 100-400 noughts will be impervious to bay-
Tramp Merchant 100-200 mounted beam weapons, and will be
Small Free Trader 200-400 able to withstand average hits from
Patrol Cruiser or Corvette 400-1,000 spinal-mount particle cannon.

Large Free Trader 400-1,000 Armor Mass and Cost
Destroyer or Frigate 1,000-2,000
Freighter 1,000-2,000 Armor Mass: Multiply the ship’s
Light Cruiser 2,000-3,000 hull area (in ksf) by the chosen dDR.
Cruiser 3,000-5,000 Multiply the result by 0.75 tons at TL9,
Heavy Cruiser or Attack Cruiser 5,000-10,000 0.5 tons at TL10, and 0.3 tons at TL11.

Carrier 10,000-20,000 Armor Cost: Multiply the armor’s
Large Freighter 10,000-20,000 total mass (in tons) by M$0.012 to get
Dreadnought armor cost.
Battleship 20,000+
30,000+ Stealth

Surface Area: To determine the STEP 3 – A vessel can optionally be given
total surface area of the hull (in ksf), ARMOR AND stealth to make it harder to detect with
multiply the base surface area from SURFACE active sensors (like radar). Stealth
the Hull Table by the sum of the Area FEATURES subtracts (TL-4) from the effective
Modifiers from the Hull Configuration skill level of active sensor scans.
Table and the Hull Streamlining Ships are armored to protect
Table. against micrometeors, cosmic radia- Stealth Mass: Multiply the ship’s
tion, and enemy weapons. Adding hull area (in ksf) by 0.25 tons. Stealth
Mass: The hull’s mass is computed armor will make a ship more massive mass does not vary by TL.
by multiplying the total surface area and therefore slower, but it will also
(in ksf) by 1.5 tons at TL9, 1 ton at make the ship more durable. Other Stealth Cost: Multiply the stealth
TL10, and 0.75 tons at TL11. surface features may make the ship feature’s total mass (in tons) by M$0.3
harder to spot using active or passive to get stealth cost. Stealth cost does
Cost: To determine the total cost of sensors. These features do not take up not vary by TL.
the hull (in M$), multiply the base cost internal hull volume, but do add mass
from the Hull Table by the sum of the and cost. STEP 4 –
Cost Modifiers from the Hull EVALUATE
Configurations Table and the Hull The mass and cost of these surface HULL DESIGN
Streamlining Table. features depends on the total surface
area of the hull (in ksf), as derived in So far, the design process has
Maximum Number of Turrets: The Step 2. focused on the hull. Now the hull has
maximum number of turrets that can been completely described, and the
be placed on the ship’s hull is based on Choose Armor dDR process is about to move to the task of
the hull’s base surface area from the allocating ship’s systems to take up
Hull Table. Multiply the base area by Spaceship armor is rated in dDR space within the hull. At this point, the
the Turrets Modifier from the Hull (multiples of DR 10). An airframe or hull should be evaluated to set the
Configurations Table. Round the streamlined ship must have at least parameters for later stages in the
result down to the nearest integer. The dDR 10. An unstreamlined ship with a process.
degree of streamlining does not affect configuration other than Dispersed
the number of turrets that can be
mounted on the hull.

190 STARSHIP DESIGN

Hull Spaces Maneuver drive systems are STEP 6 –
installed by the space. No matter what FUEL
Hull spaces are a measure of usable the TL, one space of maneuver drive
internal hull volume. A ship, no matter machinery has a mass of 4 tons, costs Starships with the jump drive use
what its degree of streamlining, begins M$1.0, uses 20 MW of power, and pro- large quantities of hydrogen fuel dur-
with hull spaces equal to its hull size vides 200 tons of thrust. Half-space ing each jump. Much of a starship’s
in dtons. maneuver drive systems can be volume will be devoted to the storage
installed, taking up half the mass, and processing of this fuel.
Record the number of available hull requiring half the cost and power, and
spaces. Beginning with the next step in delivering half the thrust of a single Fuel Tanks
the design process, ship’s systems will space.
be installed inside the hull. Each sys- Starships need fuel tanks to store
tem will take up some number of hull Jump Drive hydrogen fuel, which is used to actu-
spaces – if the total number of hull ate the jump drive and to maintain the
spaces occupied by systems is no The jump drive enables faster- ship’s presence in jumpspace during
greater than the number of available than-light interstellar travel, as well as travel. Ships without a jump drive do
spaces, the design will be legal. an alternative method of interplane- not need fuel tanks for their own oper-
tary travel that is sometimes conven- ation, although “tankers” that provide
Hull Mass and ient. Only ships with hull size of 100 fuel to other ships are possible.
Estimated Mass dtons or more can install a working
jump drive. Fuel tanks are installed by the
Compute the mass of the empty space. No matter what the TL, one
hull, and use this figure to estimate Jump drive systems are installed by space of fuel tanks has an empty mass
the final loaded mass of the completed the space. No matter what the TL, one of 0.025 tons, costs M$0.02, and uses
ship. This estimate is useful when space of jump drive machinery has a no power. Half-space fuel tank sys-
choosing drives and other equipment mass of 4 tons, costs M$4.0, and uses tems can be installed, with half the
for the ship. 20 MW of power. The jump drive’s mass and cost, and storing half as
power requirement applies only while much hydrogen fuel.
Hull Mass: Add together hull mass, the ship is in jump space, so the
armor mass, and stealth mass, as designer can assume that the maneu- At TL10 and above, a ship uses
determined in earlier steps. Record ver drives will be shut down while the exactly 10 spaces of hydrogen fuel per
the total as the Hull Mass. jump drive is drawing power. parsec of jump for every 100 dtons of
ship hull size. For example, a 100-dton
Estimated Mass: Record a working To determine how many spaces of ship making a two-parsec jump will
approximation of the ship’s final jump drive systems are required, refer use 20 spaces of hydrogen fuel; a
loaded mass, useful when deciding to the Jump Drives Table below. Each 1,000-dton ship making a one-parsec
what components (especially what available jump range has a specific jump will use 100 spaces of hydrogen
maneuver drives) are to be placed in requirement in spaces of jump drive fuel. A jump of less than interstellar
the hull. Estimated Mass can be systems – install exactly that many range always uses the same fuel as a
ignored once the ship design is com- spaces per 100 dtons of ship hull size. one-parsec jump.
pleted. The density of internal compo- A jump drive of a given range will only
nents and payload can vary widely, but be available at certain TL. The earliest Terran jump drives
for most ships a reasonable estimate is (notably those used aboard the
Hull Mass + (2 ¥ hull spaces). Note that a “Jump-0” drive is avail- Starleaper exploratory ships) were very
able. This represents the earliest fuel-inefficient. Double the above fuel
STEP 5 – Terran jump drives, which were high- consumption for any Terran jump
DRIVES ly experimental and only capable of drive built at TL9. Ships built by non-
reaching the solar cometary cloud Terran TL9 civilizations may or may
Every mobile ship needs a maneu- (maximum range about 0.25 parsecs). not use inefficient jump drives – if
ver drive, or “M-drive,” to propel it Very few ships would have mounted they don’t, their fuel consumption is
through space. Every starship needs a such drives by the beginning of the as for TL10+.
jump drive, or “J-drive,” to permit it to Interstellar Wars era, but the option is
make jumpspace transitions from one presented here for the sake of cam- A ship usually has at least enough
star system to the next. paigns set in the earliest days of fuel tanks to store the fuel necessary
Terran space exploration. for one jump at its maximum range.
Maneuver Drive Ships may have extra fuel tanks, in
JUMP DRIVES order to perform more than one jump
A maneuver drive is a reactionless without having to refuel.
system that produces thrust without TABLE
needing to consume fuel or reaction
mass. Maneuver drive systems are Jump Spaces Ship TL
rated for thrust, measured in tons; the
total thrust delivered by all M-drive Range (per 100 dtons) Required
systems on board is used later to
determine the ship’s maneuvering Jump-0 4 Early TL9
performance. Jump-1 2 Late TL9
Jump-2 3 TL10
Jump-3 4 TL11

STARSHIP DESIGN 191

Fuel Processors BRIDGE SYSTEMS TABLE

Starships sometimes perform Mass Cost Power
“wilderness refueling,” refilling their (M$) (MW)
fuel tanks from materials found on System Spaces (tons) 0.25 neg. Computer Complexity
backwater worlds or out-of-the-way neg.
moons. The most common method is Small Cockpit 0.5 3 1 neg. Minicomputer TL-5
for a starship to skim the outer atmos- 0.5 neg.
phere of a gas giant planet, scooping Large Cockpit 1 4 1 neg. Microframe TL-4
up hydrogen gas. If a gas giant is not 4
Small Bridge 1.5 8 Minicomputer TL-5

Standard Bridge 2.5 12 Microframe TL-4

Command Bridge 5 24 Mainframe TL-3

available, fuel can be “cracked” from other ship’s systems, communications backups (see Computers, p. 162). The

water or other ices that can be found equipment, image processing equip- Complexity of the ship’s computers is

in many places in almost every star ment for the ship’s sensors, and so on. also noted. Note that a jump-0 ship

system. Hydrogen that is skimmed or A small cockpit is a single-seat needs an onboard computer of

cracked must be processed and puri- cockpit, typical of short-range, Complexity 4+, a jump-1 ship needs a

fied before it can safely be used as unarmed craft. It includes limited life computer of Complexity 5+, a jump-2

fuel. support (three man-days at TL9, six ship needs a computer of Complexity

Fuel processor systems are rated man-days at TL10+). 6+, and a jump-3 ship needs a

for the amount of unrefined fuel that A large cockpit is a twin-seat computer of Complexity 7+.

they can process in one hour, cockpit, typical of fighters and

measured in dtons. long-range small craft. It includes lim- STEP 8 –
Fuel processors are installed by the ited life support (six man-days at TL9, SENSORS
12 man-days at TL10+). There is a sin-
hull space. The statistics for each

space of fuel processors depend on TL gle bunk in the back of the cockpit, Every ship needs sensor equipment

and are given in the following table. permitting one crewman to stretch in order to remain aware of its envi-

Half-space fuel processor systems can out for rest periods. ronment. Install at least one sensor

be installed, taking up half the mass, A small bridge is typical of large but system in each ship; multiple sensor

requiring half the cost and power, and non-jump-capable ships, such as systems can be installed as backups in

processing half of the unrefined fuel of interplanetary shuttles. It also appears case of battle damage. Most small

a single space. on a few small starships that have civilian ships can get by with no more

FUEL less than the maximum available than a Model-1 sensor array; warships
PROCESSORS jump range; the onboard computer and large freighters will have heavier
TABLE does not have the capacity to plot sensor systems.
maximum jumps. It has three crew
stations and enough room for the Sensor systems have a Scan rating,
a general measurement of sophistica-

Fuel crew to get up and walk around. It tion and power. For detailed rules on
includes limited life support (24 sensor use, see Sensors, p. 172. The
ShipMass Cost Power Processed/ man-days at TL9, 48 man-days at spaces, mass, and cost of a sensor sys-
TL10+). tem do not vary with TL. However,
TL (tons) (M$) (MW) Hour (dtons) sensors built at higher TL have greater
A standard bridge is typical of power requirements and longer range.
9 4 0.2 20 2.5 small warships and most civilian Apply the tech level adjustments given
starships. Its onboard computer is
10 4 0.2 18 3.2

11 4 0.2 16 4.0

STEP 7 – capable of navigating even the maxi- in the table for each sensor system.

mum jump range available at its TL. It Note that early Traveller material

BRIDGE has five crew stations and plenty of used the “Model-X” notation to
walking-around room. It includes lim- describe the ship’s computer, and
Every manned ship needs at least ited life support (40 man-days at TL9, made no provision for sensor systems.
one bridge to serve as a command cen- 80 man-days at TL10+). “Realistic” computer systems are like-
ter for the ship. In this compartment, ly to be small and light, but realistic
the ship’s leading officers and crew A command bridge is usually found sensors are bulky even at very high TL.
work and manage ship’s systems. on large warships. Its onboard main- Interstellar Wars assumes that the
Many ships have secondary control frame can compute maximum-range massive “computer” systems in early
rooms as well. In particular, warships jumps with ease, with plenty of pro- Traveller designs actually represent
often have an emergency bridge in cessing power left over for a variety of sensors and other electronics.
case the main bridge is damaged, or a other operations. It has 10 crew stations
“flag bridge” for the use of flag officers and plenty of walking-around room. It STEP 9 –
in command of whole squadrons. includes limited life support (80 man- WEAPONS AND
days at TL9, 160 man-days at TL10+). DEFENSES
Select at least one bridge system
for the ship. A bridge is assumed to For each bridge system type, the The universe is a dangerous place,
include the ship’s main computers, size of the ship’s computer is given. and most ships mount some sort of
workstations for the bridge crew, Every ship is assumed to have three armament.
mechanical and electronic controls for hardened computer systems of the
same size, with two of them serving as

192 STARSHIP DESIGN

SENSOR SYSTEMS TABLE installed when the ship is built.
Instead, “hardpoints” up to the
System Spaces Mass (tons) Cost (M$) Power (MW) Scan maximum number of allowed turrets
Model-0 12 can be designated as places for turrets
0.5 6 2 1 14 to be installed later.
15
Model-1 1 12 4 2 16 Fixed Mounts: Any small craft (100
6 3 17 dtons or less) may install up to three
Model-2 1.5 18 8 4 18 fixed mounts in the hull. Fixed mounts
12 6 19 permit the installation of turret
Model-3 2 24 16 8 20 weapons without the ability to rotate
24 12 21 them to cover different fields of fire. In
Model-4 3 36 22 order to aim a weapon in a fixed
mount, the whole ship must be turned.
Model-5 4 48 – If a small craft includes fixed mounts,
+2 they displace one turret on the hull.
Model-6 6 72 +4 However, a small craft that is too small
to mount any turrets at all can still
Model-7 9 110 36 18 install up to three fixed mounts.

Model-8 14 170 56 28 If the ship is not going to carry tur-
Model-9 20 240 80 40 rets at first, stop after allocating hard-
points. Otherwise, assign fixed
Tech Level Adjustments mounts or light or heavy turrets as
needed. Plasma or fusion guns can
TL9 – – – – only be installed in a heavy turret,
– – ¥2 while all other turret weapons can be
TL10 – – – ¥4 installed in a fixed mount or light tur-
ret. Refer to the Turrets Table for turret
TL11 – requirements.

Turret Weapons weapons – the powerful bolts are TURRETS
strong enough to melt any missile,
Turrets are rotating superstructures drone, or foolhardy small craft into TABLE
mounted on the hull, used to hold slag.
weapons. They have considerable flex- Mass Cost Power
ibility in arc of fire, since they can Missile racks are launchers for
rotate on the hull to aim in any direc- ship-to-ship missiles. Each turn, a System Spaces (tons) (M$) (MW)
tion. As long as the ship’s hull or vessel may launch one missile per tur-
appendages aren’t in the way, the tur- ret missile rank, 24 missiles per light Fixed Mount 1 0 0 0
ret can fire in any target, regardless of missile array, and 36 missiles per-
the ship’s current attitude. Turret heavy missile array. Missile racks are Light Turret 1 1 0.1 neg.
weapons are the universal tools of inconvenient for small civilian craft to
space combat. Even on large vessels, use – the missiles are very long and Heavy Turret 2 1.5 0.2 neg.
they still fulfill valuable point defense are a chore to load except when the
and close-defense roles (against ship is grounded or docked at an Turret weapons take up no hull
missiles and small vessels). orbital facility. Still, the racks are also space beyond that used by the fixed
useful for launching non-weapon mount or turret. Plasma and fusion
Lasers are coherent-light weapons. drones (communication relays, elec- guns may be mounted two per heavy
Most ships mount them as a missile tronic-warfare drones, survey probes, turret, while all other turret weapons
defense; they are the most common and so on) and so many civilian ships may be mounted one per fixed mount,
weapons on civilian ships due to their will mount at least one. Warships or three per light turret. If multiple
long range and high penetration. At often mount missile racks, taking weapons are mounted in one turret,
TL9, these weapons are “rainbow” advantage of the missiles’ long range they are usually identical – but some
lasers, capable of being tuned to per- and standoff capability. Indeed, the small Terran ships use a triple mount
form well in various conditions such Imperial Navy almost specializes in with one laser, one missile rack, and
as planetary atmospheres, dense fog, missile combat at the expense of one sandcaster for maximum flexibility.
smoke, and even underwater. At TL10 directed-energy weapons.
and above, X-ray lasers become the Turret armament need not be spec-
standard ship’s laser cannon, offering Sandcasters are a defensive system ified when a vessel is designed, as
greater penetration against armor. used for protection against laser fire. shipyards can leave turrets empty for
The standard military laser is a beam They launch canisters full of tiny the owner to customize. Merchant
laser, which projects a continuous reflective/ablative crystals, commonly ships in safe regions may have empty
beam on each firing. Civilian ships are called “sand.” These crystals scatter turrets, or may mount only one or two
more likely to use a pulse laser, which incoming laser light, reflecting part of rather than the full complement of
projects shorter pulses before needing it in all directions, absorbing the rest. weapons. Although empty or partially
to recharge. The standard tactic is to shoot “sand” filled turrets cannot be used to store
canisters so that a cloud of sand is cargo, crews often find creative uses
Plasma guns and fusion guns are placed between the ship and any for the extra space – like illicit stills.
high-energy weapons that shoot bolts enemy vessels that might fire on it.
of superheated gas, contained in a For more details of the use of sand-
magnetodynamic “bottle.” They suffer casters in combat, see p. 223.
from short range when compared to
lasers, because the magnetic contain- The maximum number of turrets
ment of the plasma decays in a short that can be installed depends on the
time. Still, they are superb defensive area of the ship’s hull, and is deter-
mined in Step 2. Turrets need not be

STARSHIP DESIGN 193

TURRET SPINAL MOUNT

WEAPONS WEAPONS TABLE

TABLE Mass Cost Power Turrets
(tons) (M$)
Mass Cost Power System Spaces 20,000 4,000 (MW) Displaced
(M$) (MW) 18,000 3,500
System (tons) Light Spinal Particle Cannon/10 4,000 23,000 4,500 60,000 35
1 5 20,000 2,000
Beam Laser/9 3 1 20 Light Spinal Particle Cannon/11 3,500 10,000 2,000 55,000 35
0.5 20 25,000 5,000
Beam Laser/10 3 0.5 2.5 Heavy Spinal Particle Cannon/10 4,500 70,000 40
0.5 10
Beam Laser/11 3 Heavy Spinal Particle Cannon/11 4,000 60,000 35

Pulse Laser/9 3 Light Spinal Meson Cannon/11 2,000 30,000 25

Pulse Laser/10 3 Heavy Spinal Meson Cannon/11 5,000 75,000 40

Pulse Laser/11 3 0.25 10 Repulsors are not, strictly speaking, mounts have a limited arc of fire, so in
Plasma Gun/10 5 1.5 20 a weapon system – they are a defense order to aim a spinal mount weapon
Plasma Gun/11 5 0.75 20 against enemy missile weapons. They the whole ship must be turned.
Fusion Gun/11 5 2.0 30 project gravitic fields toward incom-
Missile Rack 1 0.75 neg. ing missile volleys, twisting the mis- Spinal mount weapons are almost
Sandcaster 1 0.25 neg. siles’ trajectories so that they fail to never found in ships built at TL9 or
smaller than 5,000 dtons, and are

Bay Weapons close to striking distance. never found in civilian ships. Most

As with turrets, bay weapons need ship designs will not need to consider

Weapon bays are large spaces allo- not be installed when the ship is built. them. A ship may only include one
cated for heavy weapons on the skin of Empty bays can be set aside at con- spinal-mount weapon.
the ship’s hull. They are rarely found struction and filled later. Warships
on even very large civilian craft, but may use empty bays to store “deadfall The Terran Confederation often
they are quite common on medium- ordnance” (i.e. missiles and bombs for uses spinal mount weapons in its
sized warships. Bay weapons have planetary bombardment, which are largest warships; the Imperium uses
limited arc of fire, requiring the ship delivered by simply being dropped similar technology in a few warship
to maneuver to face them toward the from the weaponless bay). Empty classes, but tends to rely on massive
enemy. Some bay weapons are larger bays can also be used to store cargo or missile volleys instead. Most spinal
versions of turret weapons systems, small craft. mount weapons at TL10 are massive
but there are also weapons that can particle-accelerator cannon, but a new
only be mounted in bays. Empty weapon bays take up space variation of the technology appears at
in the hull (50 or 100 spaces, as appro- TL11 and is used by most large Terran
Particle Cannon weapons are the priate) but have no mass, cost, or warships after that point.
most typical beam weapons given bay power requirement. Weapon bays take
mounts. They accelerate hydrogen up hull area and displace turrets; a 50- Meson cannon are an advanced
nuclei to relativistic velocities, strip dton bay displaces eight turrets, while weapon type that is only available to
them of their charge, and fire them at a 100-dton bay displaces 10 turrets. Terran warships, and only after the
a target. “P-beams” have less range Confederation advances to TL11. A
than lasers, but are considerably Spinal Mount Weapons meson cannon takes advantage of a
more powerful and are harder to specific class of subatomic particles
defend against. They deal heat and A spinal mount is a large weapon that does not interact with normal
explosive damage, and metal mount used only for massive beam matter – but which releases radiation
“spalling” exposes the target’s crew weapons. In effect, the ship is built when it decays, a few microseconds
and unshielded electronics to hard around the weapon, which is fixed after creation. The meson cannon fires
radiation. inside the ship’s hull and is considered energetic beams of these particles at
its main structural member. Spinal speeds very close to that of light. If the
beam’s velocity is properly calibrated,

BAY WEAPONS TABLE then the particles decay inside the tar-
get ship, bypassing any armor, causing
System Spaces Mass (tons) Cost (M$) Power (MW) internal explosions and radiation.
500 100 500
Heavy Particle Cannon/9 100 500 100 Only one spinal mount weapon can
500 50 1,500 be installed in any ship. The weapon
Heavy Particle Cannon/10 100 250 50 1,500 must be specified and installed at the
250 25 design stage; a spinal mount forms an
Heavy Particle Cannon/11 100 250 75 750 integral part of the ship’s structure,
250 40 750 and the ship cannot operate without
Light Particle Cannon/10 50 250 100 1,000 the weapon in place. Like other
400 100 1,000 weapons systems, spinal mounts take
Light Particle Cannon/11 50 400 100 1,500 up hull area and displace turrets.
100 75 250 Refer to the Spinal Mount Weapons
Bay Plasma Gun/10 50 50 40 250 Table, which gives turrets displaced for
neg. each weapon along with the other
Bay Plasma Gun/11 50 neg. usual attributes.

Bay Fusion Gun/11 50

Repulsor Array/10 100

Repulsor Array/11 100

Heavy Missile Array 100

Light Missile Array 50

194 STARSHIP DESIGN

STEP 10 – the bay must be specified; the exact STEP 11 –
SMALL CRAFT nature of the small craft to be carried POWER PLANT
need not be. Decide whether the
Ships often carry various vehicles systems form one large hangar or During the Interstellar Wars era,
and small craft – air/rafts or orbital several smaller ones. almost all starships use a fusion power
shuttles for the crew’s use, lighters to plant design first developed by the
permit cargo offloading from un- Regardless of the size of any small Vilani over 7,000 years earlier.
streamlined ships, fighter squadrons, craft to be stored within a hangar bay, Although Terrans had developed
and so on. Any such vehicles or small the necessary equipment takes up 1.5 fusion power independently, they
craft should be selected at this point. spaces, has a mass of one ton, has neg- quickly borrowed features of the much
ligible cost, and uses negligible power. more efficient Imperial design. A few
Small craft can be carried in The hangar bay must then be allocat- early Terran ships used fission power
several different ways. ed two spaces for every dton of capac- plants, trading long-range endurance
ity; this extra space has no mass, cost, and safety for cost effectiveness.
Vehicle Bays or power requirement.
A ship may have more than one
A vehicle bay is a small space Hangar bays are normally sealed separate power plant, to provide
recessed into the larger ship’s hull, against vacuum, and can be provided redundancy in case of systems failure
custom-designed to snugly hold a sin- with air pressure and life support or battle damage.
gle, specific small craft. It cannot be while the ship is not engaged in
used for any other type of vehicle. To launch or retrieval operations. Total up all of the power (in MW)
access the small craft, crewmen use a required to run all systems installed so
hatch that directly connects the larger Launch Tubes far. For most ships, any remaining
and smaller vehicles. Any mainte- power requirements are trivial. The
nance to be performed on the small Ships that carry many similar total power requirement must nor-
craft must be done from inside unless small craft (such as carriers or “moth- mally be met in full by installing
the two vehicles are in spacedock. er ships,” which carry fighter power plant systems. The GM may
squadrons) sometimes install launch choose to permit “underpowered”
The total size of all small craft car- tubes in order to launch the small ships, but this adds extra complication
ried in vehicle bays cannot exceed craft as efficiently as possible. A as the crew must choose which sys-
20% of the larger ship’s hull size. For launch tube is a low-powered mass tems to keep fully powered at any
example, a 100-dton scout ship could driver, which uses electromagnetic given time.
carry two 10-dton lifeboats or a single induction to propel the launched craft
20-dton gig in vehicle bays, but no quickly away from the larger ship’s Since a ship’s maneuver drive and
more. hull. There is usually a “reloading” weapons are very unlikely to be run-
mechanism, a set of elevators used to ning in jumpspace, the jump drive’s
Regardless of the size of the small bring new craft into the launch tube power requirement can be ignored
craft, the equipment for a vehicle bay very quickly. unless it is greater than the sum of
takes up one space, has a mass of 0.5 maneuver drive and weapon power
tons, has negligible cost, and uses no If a ship is to launch small craft requirements.
power. The vehicle bay must also be with a launch tube, begin by installing
allocated one space for every dton of a hangar bay in which all of the car- Select a power plant system from
the small craft’s size; this extra space ried small craft can be stored when the following table. Power plants are
has no mass, cost, or power not on flight operations. Then install a also rated for output, giving the MW of
requirement. separate hangar bay just large enough power required for other ship’s sys-
to contain the largest craft to be tems that can be satisfied by the
Hangar Bay accommodated by the launch facility. power plant. They are also rated for
Finally, add one module of launch endurance, giving the time (in years)
A hangar bay is a large space inside tube systems for every five dtons (or that the power plant can operate with-
the ship in which a variety of smaller fraction thereof) of the largest craft to out needing to refuel.
craft can be stored for use. Unlike a be accommodated. Regardless of TL,
vehicle bay, a hangar bay is not spe- one module of launch tube systems Output, mass, and cost are per
cific to one class of small craft. Any takes up two spaces, has a mass of 20 space of power plant. Power plants
small craft that does not exceed a tons, costs M$0.2, and uses 0.5 MW of may be taken in half-space incre-
specified size may use it – indeed, power. ments, with half the listed output,
large hangar bays may provide suffi- mass, and cost.
cient space to store many small craft.
Such large hangar bays have bay POWER PLANT TABLE
doors, and may include elevators or
ramps to move the small craft into System Mass Cost Output Endurance
launch position. Fission Power/9 4 2.5 8 2
Fission Power/10+ 4 1.5 8 2
There is no limit to the size of 12 8
hangar bays within a larger ship. Fusion Power/9 4 3 20 200
When hangar bays are being Fusion Power/10 4 1.5 20 200
designed, the capacity (in dtons) of Fusion Power/11 4 200

STARSHIP DESIGN 195

STEP 12 – Aside from dividing crew into sec- Engineering Section
CREW tions, the crew allocations listed here
also classify crew into officers, petty The engineering section includes
Now that almost all of the ship’s officers, and crewmen. These terms are technicians who operate the ship’s
systems have been installed, consider very specific to the Terran Navy – but drives and power plant. It also
how many crewmen will be needed to every starship service tends to divide includes technicians who perform
man them. its crew in some fashion into “com- routine maintenance and repairs on
manders,” “experienced crewmen,” the drives.
Typical crew requirements are and “ordinary crewmen.” In services
given below, but these are averages; other than the Terran Navy, feel free The engineering section requires
actual requirements can vary a great to apply different labels to each level one engineer for every five spaces of
deal, and every individual ship may of the crew as appropriate. jump drive, maneuver drive, or power
have a different crew roster. Military plant systems at TL9, or one engineer
ships will have larger crews to allow Command Section for every 20 spaces at TL10+. The
for multiple shifts and to replace loss- number of engineers is rounded
es in combat. Transports often run The command section includes down, although ships of 200 dtons or
with a bare minimum of crew to save “bridge crew,” the officers and sup- more almost always have at least one
money. A civilian yacht might not port staff who coordinate all of the engineer. Small craft don’t normally
have any permanent crew, but when ship’s activities. carry an engineering section, relying
the yacht is in operation somebody instead on maintenance technicians
needs to do each job. Ships with min- Small craft usually run with only carried by the parent ship.
imal crews call for talented people, one or two crewmen in the cockpit. All
since several jobs are doubled up. of these crewmen are considered to be The first two crewmen in the engi-
part of the small craft’s “command neering section are always officers, the
In general, crew should have a skill section.” chief engineer and the second engi-
level of at least 12 in the skill(s) appro- neer, or “chief engineer’s mate.” After
priate for their positions. If the GM Very small starships (100-200 these two, the engineering section will
feels that a ship is under-crewed, he dtons) often get by with as few as three have about 10% officers, 20% petty
should assess penalties to appropriate crewmen in the command section: a officers, and 70% ordinary crewmen.
skill rolls, especially in stressful situa- commanding officer, a pilot who also
tions when one crewman has to be in serves as navigator, and an officer who Gunnery Section
three places at once. runs sensors and communications
systems. The gunnery section includes not
Crews, especially on large ships, only the “gunners” who operate ship’s
are divided into sections; each section Slightly larger vessels will usually weapons in combat, but also the fire-
has a specific function and is usually split the available work among more control and tactical specialists who
commanded as a unit. For the purpose officers. A five-man command section, coordinate weapon fire in accordance
of these rules, we divide the various typical for ships of 200-1,000 dtons with orders from the ship’s captain.
sections into core crew (the crewmen size, would include: commanding offi-
required to operate the ship’s func- cer, executive officer (who also serves Spinal mount weapons need one
tions) and the support crew (the crew- as command pilot), navigator, sensor gunnery crewman per 100 spaces
men whose primary job is to support officer, and communications officer. taken up by the weapon (round to the
the core crew). The core crew includes nearest whole number). Bay weapons
the command section, the engineering Ships approaching 10,000 dtons in need at least two crewmen, and turret
section, the gunnery section, the flight size will often have a 10-man com- weapons need at least one crewman
section, the passenger service section, mand section: a commanding officer, per turret.
the cargo service section, the ship’s an executive officer (command pilot),
troops, and the specialists. The sup- an additional pilot, two navigators, two The gunnery section will usually
port crew includes the maintenance sensor officers, two communications have about 10% officers, 30% petty
section, the life support section, the officers, and a computer officer. officers, and 60% ordinary crewmen.
medical section, and the general On warships, there is usually at least
services section. On ships of 10,000 dtons or greater one officer or petty officer to serve as
hull size, the command section often a chief gunnery officer; if the gunnery
Before allocating the crew, decide expands beyond the bridge, including section is large, there will be at least
how many passengers the ship can more officers and a support staff that one petty officer per type of weapon on
expect to carry; the size of several works elsewhere on the ship. The total board.
crew sections depends on the passen- number of personnel in the command
ger capacity of the ship. Passengers section should amount to at least five Flight Section
can travel by low passage, standard per 10,000 dtons of ship.
passage, first-class passage, or luxury The flight section includes pilots
passage (p. 179); although passenger On any starship, up to the first 10 and crew for the ship’s attached small
accommodations can be shuffled from members of the command section craft, including personal vehicles,
one trip to the next, the expected num- will all be officers. After that, about gigs, interface shuttles, fighters, and
ber of passengers in each class should 50% of the section will be officers, even subsidiary spaceships of 100
be determined. 25% will be petty officers, and 25% dtons or more. It also includes “flight
will be ordinary crewmen.

196 STARSHIP DESIGN

control” officers, who coordinate the crew into service to help with cargo take part in military exercises when
traffic of such smaller vehicles. handling, or they rely on cargo han- required by the ship’s commanding
dlers working at each port of call. The officer. They are also used for dam-
Each small craft needs its own major exception is Terran merchant age-control parties, for manning some
pilot, as well as any other crew that is vessels working inside Imperial terri- ship’s weapons, and for boarding
needed when the craft is in operation. tory; such ships cannot usually call on actions.
Each craft also needs at least one tech- port stevedores, so they carry their
nician to provide regular maintenance. own cargo-handling crew instead. Ship’s troop contingents vary in
If the ship has at least four small craft size from about three per 1,000 dtons
on board, then the launch facilities Any starship that carries cargo for to three per 100 dtons. They are armed
themselves (hangar bays, launch pay must have at least one crewman and organized according to the stan-
tubes, and so on) will need at least one dedicated to cargo handling. Small dards of the service from which they
crewman for every four small craft. merchant ships will usually press other are drawn.
Finally, if the ship has at least 10 small crewmen into service during cargo
craft on board, then it needs at least loading or unloading. Large merchant Specialists
one flight control crewman for every ships with at least 1,000 spaces of cargo
10 small craft. storage are likely to have dedicated Large ships, especially military ves-
teams of stevedores; on such ships, sels, will carry full-time officers and
The pilot for each small craft of 10 assume one stevedore (and appropriate specialists for a variety of tasks: com-
dtons or more will be an officer, as cargo-handling equipment) for every munications, sensors, landing teams,
will any flight control crewmen. After 250 spaces of cargo. security staff, science crew, and so on.
that, the flight section usually includes Allocate as many specialists as appear
10% officers, 30% petty officers, and The cargo service section is led by to be needed to fit the ship’s functions,
60% ordinary crewmen. a crewman called the cargomaster. considering all the crew that were
This individual supervises loading assigned to other core-crew sections.
Passenger Service and unloading operations, and dou-
Section ble-checks the cargo manifest. If the Total up all of the crewmen allocated
cargomaster is the only stevedore on thus far; these are the core crew.
The passenger service section board, he is usually a petty officer
includes crewmen whose primary job reporting to the ship’s purser; on Maintenance Section
is to tend to the comfort and enter- some ships he is the ship’s purser. If
tainment of passengers. Crewmen in there are multiple stevedores on The maintenance section includes
the passenger service section are also board, then the cargo service section technicians who perform generalized
called stewards. usually consists of 10% officers, 20% maintenance and damage control on
petty officers, and 70% ordinary all of the ship’s systems (the drives,
Ships designed to carry passengers crewmen. power plants, life support, and other
always require at least one crewman systems as well).
dedicated to passenger care. A ship Ship’s Troops
needs one extra steward for every 50 The maintenance section includes
low passengers, one for every 20 stan- Most ships of at least 1,000 dtons one full-time mechanic if there are at
dard passengers, one for every 10 first- size have an armed contingent on least eight core crewmen on board;
class passengers, and one for every board, the ship’s troops. On a warship, one more for every full 40 core crew-
two luxury passengers. these are marines; on a civilian ship, men or 400 dtons of ship, whichever is
they are usually security forces organ- greater. Maintenance crewmen usually
The passenger service section’s ized in a paramilitary fashion. The report to the chief engineer. The sec-
first crewman is usually an officer ship’s troops contingent varies in size tion normally consists of 10% officers,
called the chief steward; this officer from a single fire team up to a whole 20% petty officers, and 70% ordinary
often acts as the ship’s purser as well, regiment. They often fill the role of crewmen.
handling the ship’s day-to-day security forces aboard their ship and
accounts and running the ship’s store.
After the chief steward, the passenger
service section usually consists of
10% officers, 20% petty officers, and
70% ordinary crewmen.

Cargo Service Section

The cargo service section includes
crewmen whose primary job is to han-
dle cargo loading and unloading oper-
ations, and to monitor and care for
cargo when a ship is in transit. Cargo
handlers are also called stevedores.

Even many ships that make a living
carrying freight have no specific cargo
service section. Such ships press other

STARSHIP DESIGN 197

Life Support Section security duties and to reflect the fact ship’s supplies or life support. So long
that ship’s troops often act as supple- as the ship’s power plant continues to
The life support section includes mentary service crew when not on operate, the low berth will maintain
technicians who specialize in per- combat duty. its occupant in good health. A low
forming maintenance and damage berth can be designated as an emer-
control on the ship’s life support The general service crew usually gency low berth with the same volume,
systems. consists of about 10% officers, 20% mass, and cost; an emergency low
petty officers, and 70% ordinary berth will carry four passengers, but it
The life support section includes crewmen. is too dangerous for routine passenger
one full-time technician if there are at transport. See Suspended Animation
least 15 core crewmen and passengers STEP 13 – (p. 166) for rules.
on board; one more for every full 80 QUARTERS
core crewmen and passengers. Life Small Craft Seating: A unit of small
support technicians usually report to AND craft seating provides moderately
the chief engineer. The section nor- comfortable seating for 12 passengers
mally consists of 10% officers, 20% MISCELLANEOUS for a short period of time (up to 12
petty officers, and 70% ordinary hours). It is normally installed only on
crewmen. Once the crew size has been deter- small craft intended for short-term
mined, quarters and other working operations (orbital or interplanetary
Medical Section spaces can be installed. shuttles, for example).

The medical section includes fully Quarters A flag officer will normally have his
certified medical doctors, nurses, and own luxury stateroom. A ship’s com-
medical technicians to care for crew Crew and passengers need quarters manding officer normally has his own
and passengers. to live in during travel. Several classes stateroom, as does any officer com-
of accomodation are available. The manding the engineering, gunnery, or
The medical section includes one space taken up by these systems is flight sections, or the ship’s troops.
full-time medic if there are at least 15 only about 50% allocated to living Other officers and petty officers live
core crewmen and passengers on space; the rest is taken up by common two to the stateroom. Ordinary crew-
board; one more for every full 40 core areas (corridors, galleys, lounges, and men and ship’s troops may share
crewmen and passengers. A ship so on) and life support equipment. staterooms, although on Terran ships
should have at least one medic per (especially warships) they are often
sickbay system. Bunkrooms: A bunkroom is a room housed in bunkrooms. Each luxury
with 10 bunk beds (each with a small passenger should have his own luxury
On a small ship, the first medic is locker), intercom, controls for light stateroom, while standard and first-
usually a petty officer reporting to the and temperature, and shared sanitary class passengers should have their
ship’s chief steward or directly to the facilities. Bunkrooms are generally own staterooms; couples or groups
captain. On a ship of 1,000 dtons size used only on Terran warships, where traveling together may share state-
or larger, the first medic is usually an space is at a premium. One bunkroom rooms, but this should not be
officer. A large medical section usual- can accommodate up to 10 crewmen. assumed when installing quarters.
ly consists of about 20% officers, 30%
petty officers, and 50% ordinary Stateroom: A stateroom is a cabin Half-space versions of low berths
crewmen. capable of housing one or two people. or small craft seating may be installed,
It contains beds, chairs, desks, closets, with half the mass, cost, power
General Service Section and sanitary facilities. There is an requirement, and capacity.
intercom and controls for heat and
The general service section includes temperature. Workshops
a number of different specialties, all of
whom provide basic services to crew Luxury Stateroom: A luxury state- Many ships need built-in work-
and passengers. These run shops and room is a spacious cabin capable of shops to support the engineering and
storage, provide ship’s security (espe- housing one or two people in great maintenance staff. Machine parts
cially if there are no ship’s troops comfort. Its fittings are similar to often need to be repaired or replaced,
aboard), provide food service, handle those of a standard stateroom, but are and if a needed component isn’t
cargo, and perform other operations. much more expensive and attractive. immediately available it may need to
be fabricated by hand.
All ships require service crewmen Low Berth: A low berth is a sus-
to take care of the crew’s general pended-animation system, capable of
needs, as well as to provide services housing up to two passengers for long
that both crew and passengers share. periods of time without drawing on
Allow one such crewman if there are
at least 15 core crewmen and passen- QUARTERS TABLE
gers on board; one more for every full
40 core crewmen and passengers. System Spaces Mass (tons) Cost (M$) Power (MW)
Increase the size of the general service 0.5 0.01 neg.
section by 50% if there are no ship’s Bunkroom 2 1 0.05 neg.
troops on board, both to perform 2 0.15 neg.
Stateroom 4 4 0.05 neg.
1.5 0.01 neg.
Luxury Stateroom 8

Low Berth 1

Small Craft Seating 1

198 STARSHIP DESIGN