Regardless of TL, one workshop M$30 at TL10, Cargo Space
system takes up 2.5 spaces, has a mass and M$15 at
of 15 tons, costs M$0.06, and uses neg- TL11+. At the Any leftover space in the ship may
ligible power. Workshops at higher TL GM’s discretion, a either be left as “empty space” or des-
will have better equipment. Up to survey module can ignated as a cargo hold. Each space of
three personnel at a time can work in count as laborato- cargo hold has room for 500 cubic feet
each workshop. ry space for skills of cargo. Necessary cargo doors,
like Astronomy, ramps, tie-downs, and other equip-
One workshop should be installed Cartography or ment are included. Multiple spaces of
for every 60 full personnel in the engi- Geology. It pro- cargo can either represent a single
neering, maintenance, and life sup- vides space for large hold or a number of smaller
port sections. On Terran ships, espe- four scientists. A holds. Holds may be installed in half-
cially those likely to be in Imperial or ship will rarely space increments.
unexplored space for long periods, need more than
this requirement is often exceeded. one survey mod- An empty cargo hold has no mass
ule, unless it is or cost.
If a workshop is available, any likely to have
penalty for not having one is negated. many survey spe-
A workshop also provides a +2 bonus cialists working at
to the user’s skill on any task involv- the same time.
ing the diagnosis or repair of ship’s
systems. For rules re-
garding the use of
Laboratories a survey module,
see Interstellar
Ships intended for exploration, Exploration, p. 182.
survey, or other scientific work need
laboratory space for the science spe- Sickbays
cialists on board. Each laboratory sys-
tem is dedicated to a single scientific Any ship carry-
skill and cannot be used to support ing medical per-
other skills. sonnel may have
sickbays where the
Regardless of TL, one laboratory sick and injured
system takes up two spaces, has a mass can be treated
of 10 tons, and costs M$1. under controlled
Laboratories devoted to certain physi- conditions. A sick-
cal sciences (GM’s discretion) use 0.3 bay includes med-
MW of power each; other laboratories ical beds with spe-
use negligible power. One scientist at a cial instruments
time can work in each laboratory. One and storage for
laboratory should be installed for every drugs and surgical
science specialist in the crew, unless equipment. A
some of the scientists are working in a large sickbay can
survey module (see below). include a motion-
controlled theater
A laboratory gives a +2 skill bonus for surgical procedures.
in any situation where the associated
scientific skill is being used and lab Regardless of TL, a sickbay system
equipment would be a benefit. takes up one space, has a mass of one
ton, costs M$0.2, and uses negligible
Survey Modules power. One medical specialist at a
time can work in each sickbay, and
Exploration and survey ships often there is room for two patients per sick-
carry specialized astronomical instru- bay. Multiple sickbay systems can be
ments and sensor arrays. These sen- combined into one larger medical
sors are not useful for ship-combat sit- facility. One sickbay should be
uations and can’t be used to target installed for every two people in the
ship’s weapons. Instead, they are used medical section. If there is only one
to detect astronomical objects at medic on board, but that medic is an
multi-parsec distances, and to survey officer, he is usually given a sickbay to
planetary surfaces in detail from orbit. work in.
Regardless of TL, one survey mod-
ule takes up four spaces, has a mass of
12 tons, and uses negligible power. A
survey module costs M$60 at TL9,
STARSHIP DESIGN 199
Starship Operating Condition Hit Points
Starships don’t all operate to the same standard. Some are built by The ship’s hit points depend on its
skilled craftsmen applying the best tools and resources, while others are empty mass. Refer to the following
built in ramshackle civilian shipyards by contractors who are engaging in table and record the ship’s hit points.
wholesale fraud and embezzlement. Even a well-constructed ship will
tend to decay over time as wear and tear accumulates. SHIP HIT
A vessel’s general condition is indicated by its HT attribute (see POINTS TABLE
p. B483). In the Interstellar Wars era, a vessel just out of the shipyard will
have a HT of 8-12. The vast majority of new ships will have a HT of 10, Empty Mass Hit Points (dHP)
while only the most exceptional ships will have HT as low as 8 or as high
as 12 (indicating truly atrocious or remarkably sound workmanship, 15 tons or less 10
respectively).
16-42 tons 15
A vessel’s HT attribute declines by one level every 50 years. Once a
ship’s HT drops below 8, it is too unreliable for use and is normally 43-91 tons 20
scrapped. Thus a typical starship can expect to have a 150-year operating
lifespan. Many Imperial ships are at least this old – on the other hand, 92-160 tons 25
Terrans have been operating starships for so short a time that very few
Terran ships have had the chance to lose any HT. 170-270 tons 30
A spacecraft’s purchase cost is naturally related to its workmanship 280-420 tons 35
and state of repair. The GM may choose to tie a ship’s purchase cost to
its HT attribute, permitting adventurers to buy old or ramshackle ships 430-610 tons 40
for a bargain price, or superbly built ships for a premium. A suggested
scheme is as follows. Multiply the base cost for the ship (as given by the 620-850 tons 45
ship design sequence) by the Price Multiplier for its current HT score.
860-1,300 tons 50
1,400-2,100 tons 60
2,200-3,300 tons 70
3,400-4,900 tons 80
5,000-6,800 tons 90
6,900-10,000 tons 100
11,000-17,000 tons 120
18,000-27,000 tons 140
28,000-39,000 tons 160
SHIP HT AND COST TABLE 40,000-54,000 tons 180
Vessel HT Price Multiplier 55,000-91,000 tons 200
12 5.0
11 2.0 92,000-160,000 tons 250
10 1.0
9 0.5 170,000-270,000 tons 300
8 0.1
280,000-420,000 tons 350
430,000-610,000 tons 400
STEP 14 – mass, and so on. A dense, heavy load The actual formula for dHP is
PERFORMANCE may be as much as 25 tons per space. taken from p. B558, and the GM may
choose to use that formula to get more
At this point, the ship design is ● The mass of crew and passengers. exact Hit Point totals for his own
complete and a number of important Assume 0.1 ton per person. As a rule of designs. Remember to divide HP by 10
attributes can be determined. thumb, this can be simplified to one to get dHP.
ton per bunkroom, 0.2 tons per state-
Ship Mass room or luxury stateroom, 0.2 tons per Other Attributes
space of low berths, 0.4 tons per space
Total Empty Mass (EMass): Add of emergency low berths, or 1.2 tons Total Cost: Add together the cost of
together the Hull Mass (from Step 5) per space of small craft seating. all components to get the ship’s final
and the mass of all installed systems. cost. Round off to two significant fig-
Do not include the mass of ammuni- ● The mass of hydrogen fuel. This ures.
tion, fuel, or payload. The result is the can be simplified to one ton per space
ship’s empty mass. Round the EMass of fuel tanks. Size Modifier (SM): As determined
to two significant figures. in Step 2 (p. 00).
● The mass of ammunition. This
Total Loaded Mass (LMass): This is can be simplified to 1.8 tons per turret ASig: This is the ship’s active sensor
equal to the empty mass, plus these missile rack or sandcaster, 90 tons per signature. It is equal to SM, minus
additions: light missile array, and 180 tons per (TL-4) if the ship has stealth.
heavy missile array.
● The mass of cargo carried. Life Support Capacity: This meas-
Assume five tons per space of cargo ● The empty mass of any small ures how many people can be sup-
hold; this figure allows for holds that craft or vehicles carried in vehicle ported by the ship’s life support sys-
are not fully packed, for container bays or hangar bays. tems for long periods (assuming
enough provisions are on hand).
Round the LMass to two significant Capacity is equal to (2 ¥ Luxury
figures. Staterooms) + (2 ¥ Staterooms) + (10
¥ Bunkrooms). Low berths yield no
life support capacity. Bridge systems
and small craft seating modules also
200 STARSHIP DESIGN
DRAG TABLE
Consumables and Extras Streamlining Drag Factor
Airframe Hull 100
The ship design sequence maps out the more or less permanent com-
ponents of a ship class. Every individual ship needs a variety of “extras,” Streamlined Hull 200
which should be purchased before the ship becomes fully operational. Unstreamlined Hull 1,000
These include:
The top air speed in a Standard
Consumables: Food and other supplies (p. 175). Most ships maintain atmosphere (p. 97) is equal to the
at least a month’s worth of consumables for the crew and any expected square root of [15,000,000 ¥ (Total
passengers. thrust/Drag)]. A streamlined hull is
restricted to 740 mph, while an
Computer Software: Example programs are described on pp. 164-165. unstreamlined hull is restricted to 600
Every starship should run at least one Damage Control program, a Jump mph. This represents the ship’s top
Navigation program complex enough to support the ship’s jump range, speed for normal cruising, not when it
and one Targeting program per gunner. Other programs and databases is accelerating into or out of orbit.
can be installed as needed, up to the capacity of the ship’s computer Round off to two significant figures.
(p. 163).
Ammunition: Missiles mass 0.15 tons each, and cost $30,000 apiece.
Sandcaster loads mass 0.06 tons each, and cost $400 apiece. A turret mis-
sile rack has a capacity of 12 missiles, a light missile array has a capacity
of 600 missiles, and a heavy missile array has a capacity of 1,200 missiles.
A sandcaster has a capacity of 12 canisters.
Missiles can also be stored in cargo space, at 30 missiles or sand can-
isters per space of cargo. Missiles launched must be tracked, and once
they are gone no more can be launched until the racks and bays are
reloaded (usually between battles).
yield no life support capacity, vs. full fuel tanks, or with empty vs. STEP 15 –
although they can provide life support full cargo holds). FINALIZE
for strictly limited periods. DESIGN
Jump Performance (Jump): This is
Space Acceleration (sAccel): This the ship’s jump range, and is deter- The ship design is now complete. A
measures how rapidly the ship can mined by the size of its jump drive new ship is usually categorized by size
accelerate (including its ability to (see p. 170). A ship may have jump-0, and function (“heavy cruiser” or
decelerate and maneuver). A ship’s jump-1, jump-2, or jump-3 capability. “tramp freighter”). The first ship of a
sAccel in Gs is equal to the tons of new class usually gives its name to the
thrust provided by its maneuver drive, Top Air Speed: To compute a ship’s class, and subsequent ships built
divided by the ship’s total loaded mass top cruising speed in a substantial under the same design will have
in tons. Round off to two significant atmosphere, begin by calculating the names which are thematically similar.
figures. ship’s drag as equal to her surface area For example, all battleships in the Ares
(measured in ksf) multiplied by the class are named after Terran (or alien)
GMs may wish to calculate multi- appropriate factor from the Drag war deities.
ple sAccel for ships whose mass can Table.
change dramatically (e.g., with empty
COMMON SHIPS
The following small craft and star- squadron’s function was to emerge Hull: 10-dton Flattened Sphere
ship designs are typical of those from its mother ship, remain at a dis- Airframe hull, dDR 33 armor,
encountered during the Interstellar tance from the enemy, add to the Stealth.
Wars era. weight of the fleet’s missile volleys,
and then return for reloading. As a Systems: 3 Maneuver Drive, Large
IMPERIAL result, Vilani fighter pilots tended to Cockpit, Model-0 Sensors (Scan
10-DTON be more lightly trained and to have 14), 2 Fixed Mount, 2 Missile
MISSILE less esprit de corps than their Terran Racks, 3-1/2 Fusion Power.
FIGHTER counterparts – a fatal flaw once the
Terrans built their own fighter wings Statistics: EMass 95 tons, LMass 100
The Imperial Navy used fighter and their own (much more aggressive) tons, Cost M$20, SM +6, ASig +0,
craft, but Vilani fighter doctrine was fighter doctrine. Hull dHP 25, no life support capac-
not very aggressive. A fighter ity, sAccel 6.0 G, no jump capacity,
Tech Level: 10. Top Air Speed 5,300 mph.
Crew: Command Section (1 officer),
Gunnery Section (1 crewman).
Total 1 officer, 1 crewman.
STARSHIP DESIGN 201
TERRAN often equipped with specialized long- cruisers often used the assault craft to
10-DTON term lifeboats. This example can support customs inspections, while
LIGHT FIGHTER carry 24 passengers in low berths. other vessels used them to
When the low berths are full, and deliver Marines to capture enemy ships
Throughout the early Interstellar power consumption has been set to in battle.
Wars era, the Terrans used light fight- minimum (a distress beacon broad-
ers for a variety of purposes. They casting on a timer; minimal power to Tech Level: 10.
were a critical part of planetary the low berths and computer; no life Hull: 20-dton Needle/Wedge Airframe
defense. They could be very useful in a support), lifeboats can and do keep
fleet escort role, multiplying point passengers alive for centuries. The hull, dDR 13 armor.
defense against Imperial missile standard lifeboat has no airlock, and Systems: 3 Maneuver Drive, Small
storms. Finally, they helped project so cannot take on more passengers in
power against Imperial formations, vacuum or a hostile atmosphere Cockpit, Model-2 Sensors (Scan
using speed and stealth to get into unless everyone is in protective gear. 17), Light Turret, Beam Laser,
beam-weapon range. Many variant Missile Rack, Sandcaster, 4-1/2
fighters were produced – the one Tech Level: 10. Fusion Power, 2 Small Craft
described here was a typical laser- Hull: 10-dton Flattened Sphere Seating, 7-1/2 Cargo.
heavy model of the early Interstellar Statistics: EMass 110 tons, LMass
Wars. Airframe hull, dDR 10 armor. 150 tons, Cost M$28, SM +6, ASig
Systems: 1/2 Maneuver Drive, Large +6, Hull dHP 25, no life support
Tech Level: 10. capacity, sAccel 4.0 G, no jump
Hull: 10-dton Needle/Wedge Airframe Cockpit, Model-0 Sensors (Scan capacity, Top Air Speed 3,800 mph.
14), Fusion Power, 6 Emergency Crew: Command Section (1 officer),
hull, dDR 16 armor, Stealth. Low Berths, 1 Cargo. Gunnery Section (1 crewman).
Systems: 2-1/2 Maneuver Drive, Small Statistics: EMass 59 tons, LMass 67 Total 1 officer, 1 crewman.
tons, Cost M$8.2, SM +6, ASig +6,
Cockpit, Model-1 Sensors (Scan Hull dHP 20, no life support capac- STANDARD
16), 2 Fixed Mount, 2 Pulse Lasers, ity, sAccel 1.5 G, no jump capacity, 30-DTON
4 Fusion Power. Top Air Speed 2,200 mph. SHIP’S BOAT
Statistics: EMass 83 tons, LMass 83 Crew: Command Section (2 crew-
tons, Cost M$22, SM +6, ASig +0, men). Total 2 crewmen. If the Larger merchant ships that need
Hull dHP 20, no life support capac- lifeboat is left in space for more extra cargo or passenger transport
ity, sAccel 6.0 G, no jump capacity, than a few days, the crew must service use a “ship’s boat” as their all-
Top Air Speed 4,400 mph. take the last two low berths. around auxiliary craft. The standard
Crew: Command Section (1 officer). ship’s boat exists in a variety of variant
Total 1 officer. STANDARD forms, five of which are listed here.
20-DTON
STANDARD ASSAULT Standard Ship’s Boat
10-DTON CRAFT
LIFEBOAT This variant is normally used for a
This small craft was used by both balanced mix of passenger and cargo
Small starships rely on rescue Imperial and Terran forces for a partic- service. It is a typical small craft used
balls or conventional small craft in ular mission: the “opposed boarding” by small and medium-sized merchant
emergencies. Larger starships are of potentially hostile vessels. Patrol ships.
Tech Level: 10.
Hull: 30-dton Needle/Wedge Airframe
hull, dDR 10 armor.
Systems: 2 Maneuver Drive, Large
Cockpit, Model-0 Sensors (Scan
14), 2-1/2 Fusion Power, 4 Small
Craft Seating, 20 Cargo.
Statistics: EMass 83 tons, LMass 190
tons, Cost M$17, SM +7, ASig +7,
Hull dHP 20, no life support capac-
ity, sAccel 2.1 G, no jump capacity,
Top Air Speed 2,700 mph.
Crew: Command Section (1 officer, 1
crewman). Total 1 officer, 1 crew-
man. If passengers are carried, one
or two stewards must accompany
the crew to take care of the
passengers during the flight.
202 STARSHIP DESIGN
Cargo Shuttle Variant Systems: 2 Maneuver Drive, 24 Fuel Tech Level: 10.
Tanks, Large Cockpit, Model-0 Hull: 100-dton Close Structure
This variant is often used by large Sensors (Scan 14), 2-1/2 Fusion
merchant vessels that specialize in Power. Streamlined hull, dDR 10 armor.
cargo transport. Systems: 2 Maneuver Drive, Small
Statistics: EMass 77 tons, LMass 100
Tech Level: 10. tons, Cost M$17, SM +7, ASig +7, Bridge, Model-1 Sensors (Scan 16),
Hull: 30-dton Needle/Wedge Airframe Hull dHP 20, no life support capac- 2 Hardpoints, 2-1/2 Fusion Power,
ity, sAccel 4.0 G, no jump capacity, 13 Staterooms, 41 Cargo.
hull, dDR 10 armor. Top Air Speed 2,700 mph. Statistics: EMass 110 tons, LMass
Systems: 2 Maneuver Drive, Large 310 tons, Cost M$21, SM +8, ASig
Crew: Command Section (1 officer, 1 +8, Hull dHP 25, Life Support 26,
Cockpit, Model-0 Sensors (Scan crewman). Total 1 officer, 1 sAccel 1.3 G, no jump capacity,
14), 2-1/2 Fusion Power, 24 Cargo. crewman. Top Air Speed 740 mph.
Statistics: EMass 77 tons, LMass 200 Crew: Command Section (3 officers),
tons, Cost M$17, SM +7, ASig +7, Mobile Base Passenger Service Section (1 offi-
Hull dHP 20, no life support capac- cer), Cargo Service Section (1 petty
ity, sAccel 2.0 G, no jump capacity, This variant is designed for place- officer), Medical Section (1 petty
Top Air Speed 2,700 mph. ment on a planetary surface, usually officer). Total 4 officers, 2 petty
Crew: Command Section (1 officer, 1 by an exploration team that intends to officers.
crewman). Total 1 officer, 1 crew- spend days or weeks working away Passengers: 3 First-Class, 6 Standard.
man. from the parent ship. It includes a
bunkroom for long-term life support, CROCKETT-
Passenger Shuttle laboratory space, and cargo storage CLASS 100-
Variant for secondary vehicles, pre-fabricated DTON PICKET
shelters, or equipment. SHIP
The passenger shuttle variant is
used by large passenger liners, and Tech Level: 10. As early as the Second Interstellar
can transfer large numbers of passen- Hull: 30-dton Needle/Wedge Airframe War, the Terran Confederation real-
gers to or from a planetary surface in ized that the Imperium had a major
a short time. Another variant, with hull, dDR 10 armor. advantage in its strategic “depth.”
more powerful engines and some Systems: 1-1/2 Maneuver Drive, Large Imperial expeditions could be organ-
armor, is sometimes used by Terran ized many parsecs behind the front
mercenary units as an assault lander. Cockpit, Model-0 Sensors (Scan lines, leaving Terran admirals
14), 2 Fusion Power, Small Craft unaware of the danger until it was
Tech Level: 10. Seating, Bunkroom, 2 Laboratory, almost too late to respond. Something
Hull: 30-dton Needle/Wedge Airframe 8 Cargo. needed to be done to give Terra more
Statistics: EMass 95 tons, LMass 140 warning of new Imperial offensives.
hull, dDR 10 armor. tons, Cost M$17, SM +7, ASig +7,
Systems: 2 Maneuver Drive, Large Hull dHP 25, Life Support 10, One response was the Crockett-
sAccel 2.2 G, no jump capacity, class picket ship. Designed to operate
Cockpit, Model-0 Sensors (Scan Top Air Speed 2,400 mph. up to several parsecs behind the mili-
14), 2-1/2 Fusion Power, 20 Small Crew: Command Section (1 officer, 1 tary front, the Crockett was small, fast,
Craft Seating, 4 Cargo. crewman). Total 1 officer, 1 crew- extremely stealthy, and equipped with
Statistics: EMass 110 tons, LMass man. Scientists and other special- a much larger warship’s sensor suite.
150 tons, Cost M$17, SM +7, ASig ists may travel with the vessel as It could lurk in the vast empty spaces
+7, Hull dHP 25, no life support temporary crew. to be found even in an important star
capacity, sAccel 2.7 G, no jump system, watch enemy fleet move-
capacity, Top Air Speed 2,700 mph. STANDARD ments, and then sprint for home to
Crew: Command Section (1 officer, 1 100-DTON give warning of anything out of the
crewman). Total 1 officer, 1 crew- INTERPLANETARY ordinary.
man. If passengers are carried, sev- SHUTTLE
eral stewards must accompany the Best of all, the Crockett was rela-
crew to take care of the passengers In star systems with widely sepa- tively inexpensive. Thousands of
during the flight. rated settlements, there is always a Crockett-class ships were built during
need for interplanetary transportation the course of the Interstellar Wars.
Fuel Skimmer Variant for passengers and small cargoes. Sometimes teams of several Crocketts
Variants on the standard 100-dton each were operating in 25-50 star sys-
This variant is often used by shuttle can be found in large numbers tems at a time. Many of the picket
unstreamlined civilian ships to skim in almost any densely inhabited star ships were captured or destroyed by
fuel for the jump drive. Military ships system. It is designed for short-hop Imperial forces, but many more
use their own (much larger) fuel skim- trips of up to a few days’ length, and escaped to bring vital intelligence
mers to perform refueling operations. can provide reasonable comfort for home.
passengers and crew.
Tech Level: 10.
Hull: 30-dton Needle/Wedge Airframe
hull, dDR 10 armor.
STARSHIP DESIGN 203
CROCKETT-CLASS 100-DTON PICKET SHIP
204 STARSHIP DESIGN
The Crockett was designed to oper- even on the rimward frontier. Most Hull: 100-dton Needle/Wedge
ate away from fleet support, possibly are in Imperial Navy service, but some Airframe hull, dDR 50 armor,
for months at a time. Unlike many are actually in private hands. Stealth.
small Terran warships, its crew accom-
modations used no low berths or As a matter of long-standing tradi- Systems: 11 Maneuver Drive, 3 Jump
bunkrooms to save space. Instead, even tion, a mid-level Imperial naval offi- Drive, 40 Fuel Tanks, Fuel
ordinary crewmen were given a rela- cer with an exemplary record will Processor (3.2 dtons/hour),
tively large “ration” of stateroom space sometimes be issued a surplus Iiken Standard Bridge, Model-6 Sensors
to help alleviate the tension of long when he leaves active service. Naval (Scan 21), 2 Hardpoints, Vehicle
deployments. The main weakness of pensions being what they are, this is Bay (4-ton capacity, carries one
the class was a lack of cargo space; this often the only way that a retired offi- air/raft), 12-1/2 Fusion Power, 4
forced crews to be very creative when cer from the manager classes can Staterooms, 3 Cargo.
finding places to store consumables afford personal interstellar trans-
and other small necessities. portation. The “detached duty” Iiken Statistics: EMass 680 tons, LMass
ships receive limited maintenance 740 tons, Cost M$110, SM +8, ASig
Members of the Crockett class were support from the Navy, making pri- +2, Hull dHP 45, Life Support 8,
usually named after famous soldiers sAccel 3.0 G, Jump-2 (4-parsec
and frontiersmen of the pre-space- vate operation even easier. In range), Top Air Speed 4,200 mph.
flight era. exchange, the retired officer
operating the ship must Crew: Command Section (3 officers),
Tech Level: 10. report regularly to Navy Engineering Section (1 officer).
Hull: 100-dton Needle/Wedge intelligence officials on Total 4 officers.
anything “interesting”
Airframe hull, dDR 70 armor, he may encounter. Passengers: None.
Stealth. Meanwhile, if war
Systems: 19-1/2 Maneuver Drive, 3 breaks out in the region, PHIDIPPIDES-
Jump Drive, 20 Fuel Tanks, 2 Fuel a detached-duty officer CLASS 200-
Processor (6.4 dtons/hour), and his Iiken are subject to DTON FAST
Standard Bridge, Model-5 Sensors COURIER
(Scan 20), 2 Light Turret, 2 Beam being recalled for active service.
Laser, 2 Missile Rack, 2 Meanwhile, a number of Iiken- After the Third Interstellar War,
Sandcaster, 22-1/2 Fusion Power, 6 class ships have been captured or oth- the Terran Confederation found itself
Staterooms, 1/2 Cargo. erwise acquired by Terrans over the maintaining significant military forces
Statistics: EMass 940 tons, LMass years. Just as in the Imperium, some in star systems as far apart as Nusku
970 tons, Cost M$140, SM +8, ASig of these have been “excessed” into and Mirabilis. The Terran Navy in par-
+2, Hull dHP 50, Life Support 12, civilian hands. ticular saw the need to quickly move
sAccel 4.0 G, Jump-2 (2-parsec An Iiken-class ship normally oper- messages, critical personnel, and
range), Top Air Speed 5,600 mph. ates with a full crew of four when in small cargoes among its various sta-
Crew: Command Section (3 officers), active Imperial service. A highly tions. The response was the
Engineering Section (2 officers), skilled individual can (barely) operate Phidippides-class fast courier, the
Gunnery Section (2 crew- the ship alone. leading military courier ship of the
men), Specialists (1 petty early Interstellar Wars era.
officer, 1 crewmen – sen- Tech Level: 10.
sor and SIGINT special-
ists), Maintenance
Section (1 crewman).
Total 5 officers, 1 petty
officer, 4 crewmen.
Passengers: None.
IIKEN-CLASS
100-DTON
SCOUT/COURIER
The Imperium mixes the functions
of picket vessel and naval courier in
the Iiken-class scout/courier ship. This
is one of the oldest ship designs in
Imperial service; it was first manufac-
tured over 2,000 years ago, during the
Consolidation Wars.
Hundreds of Iiken-class ships can
be found in any Imperial subsector,
STARSHIP DESIGN 205
The Phidippides had no advantage HERO-CLASS low-ranking shangarim employees,
over other ship classes in jump capaci- 200-DTON without any personal reason to resist
ty, but it gained an edge in efficiency. PRIVATE capture – and usually no weaponry to
Oversized fuel tanks meant that it MERCHANT resist with, even if they were so
could make two maximum-range inclined. The little ships surrendered
jumps in a row without stopping to Perhaps the most widely-known in droves; still more were captured on
refuel. Extra fuel processors meant that ship in Terran or Imperial space, the the ground while laid up “in ordinary”
it could perform wilderness Hero-class private merchant has on Nusku.
refueling very rapidly. Powerful become the stuff of legends despite its
maneuver drives gave it the ability to humble beginnings. During peace negotiations,
quickly cross normal space between Imperial officials didn’t consider the
jump points when necessary. The Imperial shipping network is Hero-class ships to be valuable enough
Meanwhile, the Navy usually provided based on a rigid, but very effective, to demand their return. As a result,
courier ships with its best personnel, main-and-branch system. Major dozens of these ships have been sold to
including promising junior officers worlds are connected by branches to private Terran bidders at scrapyard
who were being earmarked for the nearby hub worlds. Trade flows from prices, to be converted into independ-
command of larger ships. With all its origin world to a hub world, along ent trading and exploration vessels.
these items in play, the Phidippides was high-capacity main lines to a hub They have proven so successful in that
often able to make interstellar journeys world at the far end, and then along role – a combination of the right size
– especially those involving multiple the final branch to the destination. and versatility – that Imperial ship-
jumps – significantly more quickly Many minor worlds are located along yards in the rim provinces have not
than any other ship in the Navy. one of these lines, and are served in been able to keep up with demand for
passing. new ones. Indeed, some Terran corpo-
Many examples of the Phidippides rations have produced their own ver-
class found their way into private serv- Meanwhile, a few backwater or sions of the existing Imperial design.
ice, to be used as commercial courier frontier worlds are off the Imperial As of 2170, the little Hero merchant
ships or even refitted as private yachts. trade network, not directly served by ships are among the most common
The class was retired from active naval the system. For these, it is necessary to starships seen in the Terran
service after the Eighth Interstellar provide occasional shipping service to Confederation and far beyond.
War, to be replaced by a variety of the nearest world on the trade net-
jump-3 courier types. However, a few work. For centuries, Sharurshid has Ironically, even the Imperial Navy
Phidippides-class ships could still be employed an unremarkable 200-dton has adopted Siigiizuni (“heroic person”)
found in operation years after the lifting-body design, cheap and easily as a designation for Hero-class ships
Interstellar Wars were over. manufactured, to provide this service. operating under Terran command.
Ships in the Phidippides class were The English name of this ship class Tech Level: 10.
named after famous message-carriers is a classic example of the pitfalls of Hull: 200-dton Close Structure
from Terran history and legend. automatic language translation. As
with most Imperial merchant vessels, Streamlined hull, dDR 10 armor.
Tech Level: 10. the 200-dton packet vessels had no Systems: 5-1/2 Maneuver Drive, 6
Hull: 200-dton Needle/Wedge official names, just registry numbers.
The original Confederation Navy des- Jump Drive, 40 Fuel Tanks, Fuel
Airframe hull, dDR 10 armor, ignation for the ship class was simply Processor (3.2 dtons/hour),
Stealth. “Type A.” When Terrans asked what Standard Bridge, Model-1 Sensors
Systems: 19 Maneuver Drive, 6 Jump the ships were called, their crews often (Scan 16), 2 Hardpoints, 6 Fusion
Drive, 80 Fuel Tanks, 4 Fuel responded disigshar, which means Power, 10 Staterooms, 7 Low
Processor (12.8 dtons/hour), “sandwich filled with a variety of Berths, Workshop, Sickbay, 87-1/2
Standard Bridge, Model-3 Sensors sliced meats and vegetables.” This is Cargo.
(Scan 18), 3 Hardpoints, 24 Fusion an example of Low Vilani slang, com- Statistics: EMass 240 tons, LMass
Power, 10 Staterooms, 22-1/2 menting on the ships’ less-than-ele- 720 tons, Cost M$68, SM +8, ASig
Cargo. gant appearance and pedestrian mis- +8, Hull dHP 30, Life Support 20,
Statistics: EMass 430 tons, LMass sion. However, the most popular early sAccel 1.5 G, Jump-2 (2-parsec
630 tons, Cost M$150, SM +8, ASig Vilani-to-English translation program range), Top Air Speed 740 mph.
+2, Hull dHP 40, Life Support 20, rendered the word as “hero,” and the Crew: Command Section (3 officers),
sAccel 6.0 G, Jump-2 (4-parsec name stuck. Examples that fell into Engineering Section (1 officer),
range), Top Air Speed 4,500 mph. Terran hands were soon named after Specialists (1 petty officer – usually
Crew: Command Section (3 officers), famous figures from folklore, a Vilani interpreter or guide),
Engineering Section (2 officers), mythology, and popular fiction. Passenger Service Section (1 offi-
Passenger Service Section (1 offi- cer), Cargo Service Section (1 petty
cer), Specialists (1 petty officer, 1 When the Terran Navy advanced officer), Medical Section (1 petty
crewman – communications spe- into Imperial territory during the officer). Total 5 officers, 3 petty
cialists), Maintenance Section (1 Second and Third Interstellar Wars, it officers.
crewman). Total 6 officers, 1 petty captured many small, innocuous Hero- Passengers: 1 First-Class, 4 Standard,
officer, 2 crewmen. class vessels. Their crews were 14 Low.
Passengers: 4 First-Class.
206 STARSHIP DESIGN
HERO-CLASS 200-DTON PRIVATE MERCHANT
STARSHIP DESIGN 207
HARMONIOUS crewmen), Passenger Service class operated with extra crew as well;
REPOSE- Section (1 officer, 1 petty officer, 3 for example, carrying gunners even
CLASS 200- crewmen), Maintenance Section (1 before ship’s weapons were installed.
DTON YACHT crewman), Life Support Section (1 The cost associated with these items
crewman), Medical Section (1 offi- often made it very difficult for the
Terra’s wealthiest citizens took to cer), General Service Section (1 ships to turn a profit. On the other
interstellar travel quite early, pursuing crewman). Total 6 officers, 2 petty hand, they were all quite useful in a
everything from colonial investment officers, 9 crewmen. conflict situation. The Lightning-class
opportunities to simple tourism. At Passengers: 8 Luxury. ships could run, hide, and fight far
first, wealthy travelers took ship on better than any other merchant vessel
corporate or even military transport, LIGHTNING- of their size, which made them natural
“roughing it” on Terra’s crude early CLASS exploratory or privateer craft.
starships. After the Second Interstellar 400-DTON
War, there was enough surplus ship- FRONTIER The High Frontier Consortium
yard capacity to permit a few wholly MERCHANT regarded the Lightning class as an
private (and rather frivolous) designs. investment in its long-term commer-
Beginning in 2159, the High cial success. By the end of the 22nd
In 2136, Kaufmann Sternen- Frontier Consortium (p. 68) construct- century, the Consortium had com-
schiffbau AG (p. 68) built the first ed a special line of fast merchant ships mercial and political contacts many
Harmonious Repose yachts. For their at the newly-rebuilt Nusku shipyards. parsecs into Imperial space, and more
time they were quite advanced, incor- The Lightning-class “frontier mer- conventional merchant ships were
porating a great deal of Vilani-derived chant” was intended to explore deep working a network of trade routes.
technology, and they quickly gained a into the Vilani Imperium. It would Other parties also used the Lightning
reputation for mechanical reliability. carry cargo and passengers along design for their own exploratory
They were also very luxurious, and Imperial trade routes, but it would also traders – or for commerce raiding
sported the finest interior comforts yet “spy out the land,” building a better during wartime.
built into any Terran starship. The understanding of the Imperium for
model quickly became popular. Many Terran merchants – and for the Terran Lightning-class ships usually came
major corporations with offworld government. unarmed from the shipyard, since
interests purchased yachts for travel- Terran ships were not permitted to
ing executives. A few very wealthy cit- Lightning-class ships were only enter Imperial space armed during the
izens bought them simply to visit the marginal as merchant vessels, carry- Empty Peace. Naturally, enterprising
colonies or Imperial space. ing a number of features that weren’t crews usually acquired weaponry at
useful from a strictly commercial the earliest opportunity. The ship’s
The origins of the name standpoint. It was one of the fastest fusion power plants were oversized,
Harmonious Repose are obscure; the small merchant vessels of its day, its permitting the installation of a full
name appears to have been assigned power plant was unusually large, and complement of laser weapons.
on a whim of Britte Kaufmann, dilet- it carried advanced sensor and sensor-
tante heiress of the Kaufmann indus- masking systems. Most ships of the Ships in the Lightning class were
trial empire. Other examples of the usually named after famous merchant
class are named by their owners vessels from Terran history. Names
according to personal preference. taken from age-of-sail “clipper ships”
were quite popular.
Tech Level: 10.
Hull: 200-dton Flattened Sphere
Airframe hull, dDR 12 armor.
Systems: 4-1/2 Maneuver Drive, 6
Jump Drive, 40 Fuel Tanks,
Standard Bridge, Model-2 Sensors
(Scan 17), 2 Hardpoints, 2 Vehicle
Bays (4-ton capacity, each carries
one air/raft), 6 Fusion Power, 8
Luxury Staterooms, 10
Staterooms, Workshop, Sickbay,
22 Cargo.
Statistics: EMass 300 tons, LMass
460 tons, Cost M$78, SM +8, ASig
+8, Hull dHP 35, Life Support 36,
sAccel 2.0 G, Jump-2 (2-parsec
range), Top Air Speed 2,400 mph.
Crew: Command Section (3 officers),
Engineering Section (1 officer),
Flight Section (1 petty officer, 3
208 STARSHIP DESIGN
LIGHTNING-CLASS 400-DTON
FRONTIER MERCHANT
STARSHIP DESIGN 209
Tech Level: 10. Imperial missile storm. Its massive Imperial forces had advanced so far as
Hull: 400-dton Needle/Wedge maneuver drives and power plant to lay siege to Terra itself, and the
make it quite expensive, but also give Navy’s mobile forces had been unable
Airframe hull, dDR 10 armor, it great maneuverability despite its to mount a decisive response. During
Stealth. mass of armor. Its main weakness is the naval buildup after the Imperial
Systems: 24 Maneuver Drive, 12 its lack of defensive weaponry; point- forces abandoned the siege, the Navy
Jump Drive, 80 Fuel Tanks, 2 Fuel defense lasers and sandcasters have solicited proposals for a new ship class
Processors (6.4 dtons/hour), been slighted in favor of greater mis- – the system defense boat.
Standard Bridge, Model-4 Sensors sile throw-weight. Despite their tough-
(Scan 19), 4 Hardpoints, 2 Vehicle ness, Richthofen corvettes can still be System defense boats (or SDBs)
Bays (4-ton capacity, each carries overwhelmed by Imperial attack. would be non-starships, posted in
one air/raft), 37 Fusion Power, 15 squadrons to any star system that the
Staterooms, 2 Bunkrooms, Terran Navy crewmen dislike Navy wished to defend to the bitter
Workshop, Sickbay, 162 Cargo. being assigned to the Richthofen class; end. They would be fast, stealthy, and
Statistics: EMass 680 tons, LMass the ships are very crowded due to their tough, able to both survive major
1,600 tons, Cost M$250, SM +9, massive drives and large engineering engagements and flee into hiding.
ASig +3, Hull dHP 45, Life Support crews. Members of the class are During the initial invasion of a star
50, sAccel 3.0 G, Jump-2 (2-parsec named after famous military aviators system, the SDBs would operate in
range), Top Air Speed 3,900 mph. from Terran history. conjunction with the Navy’s main fleet
Crew: Command Section (5 officers), – but if the Navy was forced to with-
Engineering Section (2 officers, 1 Tech Level: 10. draw, the SDBs could remain behind
crewman), Gunnery Section (1 Hull: 400-dton Close Structure to make life difficult for the victorious
petty officer, 3 crewmen), Flight Imperials. SDB squadrons could hide
Section (1 petty officer, 3 crew- Streamlined hull, dDR 140 armor, in deep space, in the thick atmosphere
men), Passenger Service Section (1 Stealth. of a gas giant, or in the depths of a
officer), Cargo Service Section (1 Systems: 84 Maneuver Drive, 12 planet’s ocean. They could stay in hid-
petty officer), Ship’s Troops Jump Drive, 160 Fuel Tanks, 2 Fuel ing for weeks or months, emerging
(1 petty officer, 3 crewmen), Processors (6.4 dtons/hour), when an opportunity to strike against
Maintenance Section (1 petty offi- Standard Bridge, Model-6 Sensors Imperial forces presented itself.
cer, 1 crewman), Life Support (Scan 21), 4 Light Turrets, 12
Section (1 crewman), Medical Missile Racks, 85-1/2 Fusion As it happened, the SDB squadrons
Section (1 officer), General Service Power, 5 Staterooms, 2 Bunk- deployed in the Terra system were
Section (1 crewman). Total 9 offi- rooms, Workshop, Sickbay, 16-1/2 never called to action. However, sys-
cers, 5 petty officers, 13 crewmen. Cargo. tem defense boats played an impor-
Passengers: 3 First-Class, 6 Standard. Statistics: EMass 2,600 tons, LMass tant role elsewhere in the later wars.
2,800 tons, Cost M$470, SM +9, They helped to slow Imperial offen-
RICHTHOFEN- ASig +3, Hull dHP 70, Life Support sives, and kept tenuous lines of com-
CLASS 400- 30, sAccel 6.0 G, Jump-2 (4-parsec munication open to Terran worlds
DTON MISSILE range), Top Air Speed 740 mph. that had been overrun.
CORVETTE Crew: Command Section (5 officers),
Engineering Section (2 officers, 1 Members of the Bannerjee class of
In the first engagements of the petty officer, 6 crewmen), Gunnery SDBs were named after Terran politi-
Interstellar Wars, Terran forces were Section (1 petty officer, 3 crew- cians and statesmen. The Terran Navy
soundly defeated whenever they went men), Ship’s Troops (1 NCO, 3 sometimes succumbed to the tempta-
up against Imperial missile frigates. enlisted men), Maintenance tion to name SDBs after living politi-
They soon began experimenting with Section (2 crewmen), Life Support cians, in order to curry favor with the
mobile missile platforms of their own. Section (1 crewman), Medical civilian administration.
One of the most successful develop- Section (1 petty officer), General
ments of this design strategy was the Service Section (1 crewman). Total Tech Level: 10.
Richthofen-class missile corvette, 7 officers, 4 Navy petty officers and Hull: 400-dton Needle/Wedge
which first appeared soon before the Marine NCOs, 16 Navy crewmen
Third Interstellar War and played an and Marine enlisted men. Airframe hull, dDR 150 armor,
important part in blunting the first Passengers: None. Stealth.
Imperial offensives of that conflict. Systems: 159 Maneuver Drive,
BANNERJEE- Standard Bridge, Model-6 Sensors
The Richthofen class is often called CLASS 400- (Scan 21), 5 Light Turrets, 6 Beam
a “missile boat” (a misnomer, since DTON SYSTEM Lasers, 6 Missile Racks, 3
“boat” implies a non-jump-capable DEFENSE Sandcasters, 166-1/2 Fusion Power,
ship). It is very heavily armored for a BOAT 5 Staterooms, 3 Bunkrooms, 2
ship of its size, can shrug off most tur- Workshop, Sickbay, 29 Cargo.
ret beam weapons, and is even some- The Third Interstellar War was a Statistics: EMass 5,100 tons, LMass
what survivable in the midst of an terrible lesson for the Terran Navy. 5,300 tons, Cost M$790, SM +9,
ASig +3, Hull dHP 90, Life Support
40, sAccel 6.0 G, no jump capacity,
Top Air Speed 10,000 mph.
210 STARSHIP DESIGN
Crew: Command Section (5 officers), an overdeveloped sense of superiority (1 crewman), Medical Section (1
Engineering Section (3 officers, 2 to all “barbarians.” officer), General Service Section (1
petty officers, 11 crewmen), crewman). Total 10 officers, 5
Gunnery Section (1 petty officer, 4 The Gashidda-class cruiser is petty officers, 21 crewmen.
crewmen), Ship’s Troops (1 NCO, 3 designed to carry a single standard 20- Passengers: None.
enlisted men), Maintenance dton assault craft (p. 202) to support
Section (2 crewmen), Life Support customs inspections and boarding ZHENG HE-
Section (1 crewman), Medical actions. Members of the class are CLASS 800-
Section (1 petty officer), General named after famous soldiers from DTON SURVEY
Service Section (1 crewman). Total Vilani history. VESSEL
8 officers, 5 Navy petty officers and
Marine NCOs, 22 Navy crewmen Tech Level: 10. After the Third Interstellar War,
and Marine enlisted men. Hull: 400-dton Needle/Wedge the Terran Confederation Navy was
given a new mission – long-range
Passengers: None. Airframe hull, dDR 90 armor, exploration. Navy vessels were to
Stealth. explore widely, searching out places
GASHIDDA- Systems: 68 Maneuver Drive, 12 for Terrans to settle beyond Imperial
CLASS Jump Drive, 80 Fuel Tanks, 2 Fuel control (and routes to reach these new
IMPERIAL Processors (6.4 dtons/hour), worlds, even if they had to cross
400-DTON Standard Bridge, Model-6 Sensors Imperial space).
PATROL (Scan 21), 5 Light Turrets, 3 Pulse
CRUISER Lasers, 9 Missile Racks, 3 The Navy was not well-organized
Sandcasters, Vehicle Bay (20-dton for exploration, and had no ships
The Imperium uses the Gashidda- capacity, carries one 20-dton specifically built for such work. After
class patrol cruiser to “show the flag” assault craft), 71 Fusion Power, 20 evaluating many proposals, the
in Imperial star systems, especially Staterooms, Sickbay, 51-1/2 Cargo. Admiralty settled on a class designed
those that are off the main trade net- Statistics: EMass 2,900 tons, LMass by Kaufmann Sternenschiffbau AG
work. They have been deployed in 3,400 tons, Cost M$440, SM +9, (p. 68). The new class would be
large numbers to systems along the ASig +3, Hull dHP 70, Life Support specifically designed to operate in
rimward border, where they pay par- 40, sAccel 4.0 G, Jump-2 (2-parsec uncharted space for long periods,
ticular attention to the movements of range), Top Air Speed 6,500 mph. mapping and exploring star systems
Terran ships. Many a Terran mer- Crew: Command Section (5 officers), for the first time. The first examples
chant captain has had to endure Engineering Section (2 officers, 1 left the shipyard in 2160, and were
being “pulled over” by one of these petty officer, 4 crewmen), Gunnery soon committed to long-term
small cruisers – a particularly annoy- Section (1 petty officer, 4 crew- exploratory ventures to spinward and
ing experience, since many of their men), Flight Section (1 officer, 2 rimward of Terra.
commanders are junior officers with crewmen), Ship’s Troops (1 offi-
cer, 2 petty officers, 7 crewmen), Only about a dozen ships in the
Specialists (1 petty officer – expert Zheng He class were ever built.
inspector), Maintenance Section Although members of the class
(2 crewmen), Life Support Section brought incredible quantities of infor-
mation back to Terra, they often
seemed to be laboring under a curse.
The Zheng He itself was lost to an
unknown disaster on its third voyage,
apparently with no survivors. The
Jacques Cartier was caught in Vilani
space at the outbreak of the Fourth
Interstellar War, and was destroyed
by an Imperial patrol. The Pytheas
was critically damaged while investi-
gating a derelict starship in an unex-
plored star system; its crew was
forced to settle on the system’s sole
habitable planet until rescue arrived
over 20 years later. Other members of
the class suffered less critical
mishaps, often having to limp home
to Terra. Even so, the Zheng He and
its successors were among the most
successful exploratory ships of the
Interstellar Wars era.
STARSHIP DESIGN 211
GASHIDDA-CLASS IMPERIAL
400-DTON PATROL CRUISER
212 STARSHIP DESIGN
The Zheng He class was unstream- HARDRADA- Dingir subsector, especially when
lined, and was incapable of gas-giant CLASS combined with the kind of small
refueling or landing on a target world. 800-DTON Marine raids in which this class spe-
It usually carried two mobile bases COMMERCE cialized. In later wars, similar ships
(p. 203) to land exploration teams on RAIDER played a small but critical part in
the surface of interesting worlds and keeping the Imperium off balance,
two fuel skimmers (p. 203) to help it Terrans used commerce raiding preventing any coordinated
perform wilderness refueling. It had from the earliest years of conflict with response to the Terran advance.
extensive cargo capacity, and could the Imperium, but no ships were
place temporary camps or bases on deliberately built for the strategy until Members of the Hardrada class
target worlds to facilitate months-long the Third Interstellar War. The were named after famous pirates,
exploratory ventures. Hardrada class was one of several built privateers, and military adventurers of
in the early Interstellar Wars era, Terran history. The class ship itself
Ships in the Zheng He class were while the Terran Navy experimented was named after Harold Hardrada, a
named after famous Terran seagoing to find the best way to strike into the Viking king of Denmark who was
explorers of the pre-industrial era. Imperium’s rear areas. another contender for the throne of
Most of the ships were named after England in the year that Duke William
ancient or non-European explorers, The Hardrada class was a typical of Normandy won the Battle of
due to public-relations considerations. small Terran warship, relying heavily Hastings. Ironically, the most famous
on laser weapons for striking power ship of the class was probably the
Tech Level: 10. (and for point defense against Duke William, which carried out an
Hull: 800-dton Sphere Unstreamlined Imperial missiles). Its most unusual audacious raid against the Imperial
feature was the extensive provision for naval depot at Dingir in 2228.
hull, dDR 10 armor. ship’s troops. A Hardrada could carry
Systems: 20 Maneuver Drive, 24 a light platoon of Marines, trained and Tech Level: 10.
equipped for rapid-deployment raids. Hull: 800-dton Needle/Wedge Air-
Jump Drive, 160 Fuel Tanks, 2 Fuel While the ship could be quite effective
Processors (6.4 dtons/hour), in deep-space attacks on Imperial frame hull, dDR 75 armor, Stealth.
Command Bridge, 2 Model-5 merchant shipping, the Marine con- Systems: 96 Maneuver Drive, 24
Sensors (Scan 20), 5 Hardpoints, tingent made it capable of effective
Hangar Bay (120-dton capacity, raids against critical facilities on Jump Drive, 320 Fuel Tanks, 4 Fuel
normally carries four ship’s boats), minor Imperial worlds. Of course, the Processors (12.8 dtons/hour),
24 Fusion Power, 28 Staterooms, 2 presence of so many Marines made Standard Bridge, Model-5 Sensors
Workshop, 16 Laboratory, Survey, the Hardrada class one of the most (Scan 20), 8 Light Turrets, 12
2 Sickbay, 160-1/2 Cargo. crowded small warships in the Terran Beam Lasers, 6 Missile Racks, 6
Statistics: EMass 790 tons, LMass order of battle. Sandcasters, 2 Vehicle Bays (30-
2,100 tons, Cost M$320, SM +10, dton capacity, each carries one
ASig +10, Hull dHP 45, Life Hardrada-class ships were designed ship’s boat), 109 Fusion Power, 23
Support 56, sAccel 1.9 G, Jump-2 to carry two passenger-variant ship’s Staterooms, 10 Bunkrooms, 3
(2-parsec range), Top Air Speed boats (p. 203) as Marine assault landers. Workshop, 3 Sickbay, 48 Cargo.
600 mph. Statistics: EMass 4,000 tons, LMass
Crew: Command Section (5 officers), The Hardrada class saw limited 4,700 tons, Cost M$700, SM +10,
Engineering Section (2 officer, 1 use for over 20 years before it truly ASig +4, Hull dHP 80, Life Support
crewman), Flight Section (4 offi- came into its own during the Fifth 146, sAccel 4.0 G, Jump-2 (4-parsec
cers, 1 petty officer, 4 crewmen), Interstellar War. Commerce raiding range), Top Air Speed 6,300 mph.
Ship’s Troops (1 petty officer, 4 was particularly successful among Crew: Command Section (5 officers),
crewmen), Specialists (4 officers, 4 the lightly-populated worlds of the Engineering Section (2 officers, 2
petty officers, 12 crewmen – com- petty officers, 7 crewmen),
puter, sensor, and scientific special- Gunnery Section (2 petty officers, 6
ists), Maintenance Section (1 petty crewmen), Flight Section (2 offi-
officer, 2 crewmen), Life Support cers, 2 crewmen), Ship’s Troops (3
Section (1 crewman), Medical officers, 22 NCOs, 54 enlisted
Section (1 officer, 1 crewman), men), Specialists (1 officer, 2 petty
General Service Section (2 crew- officers, 4 crewmen – computer
men). Total 16 officers, 7 petty and intelligence specialists),
officers, 27 crewmen. Maintenance Section (1 petty offi-
Passengers: None. cer, 2 crewmen), Life Support
Section (2 crewmen), Medical
Section (1 officer, 2 crewmen),
General Service Section (3 crew-
men). Total 14 Navy and Marine
officers, 29 Navy petty officers and
Marine NCOs, 82 Navy crewmen
and enlisted Marines.
Passengers: None.
STARSHIP DESIGN 213
KARL MARX- Ricardo, Jean-Baptiste Say, Joseph had a substantially different design
CLASS Schumpeter, and Adam Smith. and was applied for different purposes.
1,000-DTON
HEAVY FREE Tech Level: 10. StarLeaper Zero was the experimen-
TRADER Hull: 1,000-dton Cylinder tal prototype, and was used primarily
as transportation for a deep-space fuel
As the Empty Peace dragged on, Streamlined hull, dDR 12 armor, depot in 2095-2096. StarLeaper One
Terran merchants ranged further and Stealth. was the ship used during the historic
further afield in the Imperium, Systems: 30 Maneuver Drive, 30 Barnard’s Star expedition of 2097-
searching for new goods, fresh mar- Jump Drive, 200 Fuel Tanks, 4 Fuel 2098, and later made a number of
kets, and deeper toe-holds. In the early Processors (12.8 dtons/hour), round-trip voyages between Terra and
2160s, the FarStar Association (p. 67) Standard Bridge, Model-5 Sensors Barnard. StarLeaper Two was the first
proposed a more aggressive stance, (Scan 20), 9 Hardpoints, Vehicle jump-drive ship to reach Prometheus
centered around a vessel even larger Bay (30-dton capacity, carries one in 2101, and was later lost with all
than the Lightning class. In 2166, ship’s boat), 40 Fusion Power, 28 hands while searching for a deep-
Hasegawa Limited launched the Staterooms, 3 Bunkrooms, 15 space jump point beyond Prometheus.
so-called “heavy trader” Karl Marx. Emergency Low Berths, Work- StarLeaper Three was abandoned in
shop, Sickbay, 522 Cargo. mid-construction in 2103, but in 2125
The heavy traders were naval Statistics: EMass 960 tons, LMass it was brought out of “mothballs,”
escorts in all but name, not as fast in 3,900 tons, Cost M$370, SM +10, completed with a jump-2 drive, and
normal space as the smaller ASig +4, Hull dHP 50, Life Support sent out on several voyages of explo-
Lightnings, but capable of mounting a 86, sAccel 1.6 G, Jump-2 (2-parsec ration. Three was the most long-lived
respectable array of laser and missile range), Top Air Speed 740 mph. and far-traveled member of the group,
batteries. The single standard ship’s Crew: Command Section (5 officers), eventually carrying a diplomatic
boat provided an extra platform for Engineering Section (2 officers, 3 expedition as far as Dingir in 2135.
exploring unfamiliar star systems; crewmen), Gunnery Section (1 offi-
holds and passenger space could cer, 2 petty officers, 6 crewmen), The ship design given here is that
carry paying cargo in peacetime and Flight Section (1 officer, 1 crew- used during the StarLeaper One expe-
captured goods in wartime. man), Ship’s Troops (1 petty offi- dition to Barnard’s Star. The ship car-
cer, 5 crewmen), Passenger Service ried several small landing vehicles and
Peace ultimately spelled the demise Section (1 officer, 1 crewman), early grav cars for ground exploration
of the heavy traders. They were simply Cargo Service Section (1 petty offi- (not included in the performance list-
too big to maintain by “living off the cer), Maintenance Section (1 petty ed below). During the expedition it
land” – trading small but lucrative car- officer, 2 crewmen), Life Support had no provision for wilderness refu-
goes in exchange for port fees and the Section (1 crewman), Medical eling; instead, it carried enough fuel
next load of goods. Few worlds could Section (1 officer, 1 crewman), for a double jump so that it could
supply the appetite of their enormous General Service Section (2 crew- return to the deep-space fuel depot on
holds with chance-found wares; fewer men). Total 11 officers, 5 petty the way back to Terra.
still could find markets enough for all officers, 22 crewmen.
that they needed to sell to stay afloat. Passengers: 6 First Class, 12 Tech Level: 9.
They might have survived if they had Standard. Hull: 1,000-dton Cylinder
access to the steady flow of regular
trade, but by the time reliable markets STARLEAPER- Unstreamlined hull, dDR 10
began to open up to Terran mer- CLASS armor.
chants, they were obsolete – too 1,000-DTON Systems: 10 Maneuver Drive, 20
expensive and overbuilt to compete. EXPLORATION Jump Drive, 400 Fuel Tanks, 2
While they lasted, however, the Karl VESSEL Fuel Processors (5 dtons/hour),
Marx heavy merchants were the Command Bridge, Model-5 Sensors
undisputed Kings of the Free Traders, The StarLeaper ships were notable (Scan 18), Hangar Bay (100-dton
and they long remained so in popular as the first true interstellar vessels ever capacity), 50 Fission Power,
imagination and fiction. built by Terrans. Earlier jump-drive 17 Staterooms, 4 Bunkrooms, 2
ships had explored the outer solar sys- Workshop, 15 Laboratory, 2
Ships in the Karl Marx class were tem, but it was the StarLeaper ships Sickbay, 194.5 Cargo.
named for famous or influential eco- that first visited other stars. Statistics: EMass 1,000 tons, LMass
nomic thinkers of previous centuries. 2,400 tons, Cost M$320, SM +10,
In the end, only a few dozen members The StarLeaper ships were built and ASig +10, Hull dHP 50, Life
of the class were ever built. Other manned by an international consor- Support 74, sAccel 0.83 G, Jump-1
ships in the class included Irving tium, although most of the funding (2-parsec range), Top Air Speed
Fisher, Milton Friedman, Friedrich and personnel support came from the 600 mph.
August von Hayek, John Maynard United States. Only four of the class Crew: Command Section (5 officers),
Keynes, John Locke, Alfred Marshall, were ever built; they were given no Engineering Section (3 officers, 2
James McLean, John Stuart Mill, David names as such, but only the numbers petty officers, 11 crewmen), Flight
Zero through Three. Each of the four Section (4 officers, 4 petty officers,
5 crewmen), Ship’s Troops (1 petty
214 STARSHIP DESIGN
officer, 5 crewmen), Specialists (3 Crew: Command Section (10 offi- The Shamshir typically carries
officers, 6 petty officers, 6 crew- cers), Engineering Section (4 offi- three standard 30-dton ship’s boats as
men – sensor and scientific special- cers, 5 petty officers, 20 crewmen), support craft.
ists), Maintenance Section (1 petty Gunnery Section (2 petty officers, 7
officer, 2 crewmen), Life Support crewmen), Ship’s Troops (1 NCO, 5 Tech Level: 10.
Section (1 crewman), Medical enlisted men), Maintenance Hull: 1,000-dton Flattened Sphere
Section (1 officer, 1 crewman), Section (1 petty officer, 2 crew-
General Service Section (2 crew- men), Life Support Section (1 Streamlined hull, dDR 160 armor,
men). Total 16 officers, 14 petty crewman), Medical Section (1 offi- Stealth.
officers, 33 crewmen. cer, 1 crewman), General Service Systems: 200 Maneuver Drive, 30
Passengers: None. Section (2 crewmen). Total 15 offi- Jump Drive, 200 Fuel Tanks, 10
cers, 9 Navy petty officers and Fuel Processors (32 dtons/hour), 2
AGRIPPA- Marine NCOs, 38 crewmen and Command Bridge, Model-7
CLASS Marine enlisted men. Sensors (Scan 22), 7 Light Turrets,
1,000-DTON 6 Pulse Lasers, 15 Missile Racks,
CORVETTE Passengers: None. Hangar Bay (90-dton capacity, car-
ries three ship’s boats), 205 Fusion
The Agrippa-class corvette was first SHAMSHIR- Power, 30 Staterooms, Sickbay,
designed after the Third Interstellar CLASS 26-1/2 Cargo.
War, in response to growing saber-rat- IMPERIAL Statistics: EMass 7,400 tons, LMass
tling activity along the Imperial rim. 1,000-DTON 8,000 tons, Cost M$1,200, SM +10,
Capable of extremely high accelera- DESTROYER ASig +4, Hull dHP 100, Life
tion, it is able to get to a trouble spot ESCORT Support 60, sAccel 5.0 G, Jump-2
in minimal time. Its heavy emphasis (2-parsec range), Top Air Speed
on beam weapons permits it to deal The Shamshir is a typical Vilani 740 mph.
out harsh damage at close range, or to destroyer escort. It relies on its size and Crew: Command Section (10 offi-
act as a missile shield for convoys. speed to protect its charges, running cers), Engineering Section (4 offi-
alongside while looking for hostiles that cers, 4 petty officers, 13 crewmen),
Typical missions for the Agrippa might be trying to make flanking Gunnery Section (2 petty officers,
class include convoy escort and attacks. Its lack of capital-ship weapon- 5 crewmen), Flight Section (3 offi-
perimeter patrol. Its jump capacity ry is not a drawback in this role, as it is cers, 3 crewmen), Ship’s Troops (1
and high acceleration qualify it as a able to shoot at many targets at once. petty officer, 3 crewmen),
true escort, often deployed to run Maintenance Section (1 petty offi-
alongside destroyer squadrons. Terran forces have often managed cer, 2 crewmen), Life Support
to lure a Shamshir into an unequal Section (1 crewman), Medical
Ships of the Agrippa class are engagement, drawing one away from Section (1 officer, 1 crewman),
named after famous “wet-navy” offi- the main fleet. Without any support General Service Section (2 crew-
cers of the pre-spaceflight era on from the main guns of other ships, men). Total 18 officers, 8 petty
Terra. The class ship itself is named this vessel is easily destroyed. officers, 30 crewmen.
after Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, pos- Passengers: None.
sibly the greatest naval commander of
the late Roman Republic.
Tech Level: 10.
Hull: 1,000-dton Needle/Wedge
Airframe hull, dDR 138 armor,
Stealth.
Systems: 270 Maneuver Drive, 30
Jump Drive, 200 Fuel Tanks, 10
Fuel Processors (32 dtons/hour),
Command Bridge, Standard
Bridge, Model-7 Sensors (Scan 22),
Model-2 Sensors (Scan 17), 4 Light
Turrets, 5 Heavy Turrets, 6 Pulse
Lasers, 6 Beam Lasers, 10 Plasma
Guns, 291-1/2 Fusion Power, 33
Staterooms, Workshop, 2 Sickbay,
30 Cargo.
Statistics: EMass 8,600 tons, LMass
9,000 tons, Cost M$1,500, SM +10,
ASig +4, Hull dHP 100, Life Support
66, sAccel 6.0 G, Jump-2 (2-parsec
range), Top Air Speed 9,800 mph.
STARSHIP DESIGN 215
SHARURSHID SHARURSHID Systems: 40 Maneuver Drive, 60
STANDARD STANDARD Jump Drive, 400 Fuel Tanks,
2,000-DTON 2,000-DTON Standard Bridge, Model-3 Sensors
PASSENGER BRANCH (Scan 18), 60 Fusion Power, 24
LINER FREIGHTER Staterooms, Sickbay, 1,338-1/2
Cargo.
These vessels were employed by Designed to carry cargo from
Sharurshid wherever passenger num- major world to main line hub along Statistics: EMass 1,100 tons, LMass
bers justified their expense, on both the branches of the Sharurshid trade 8,200 tons, Cost M$580, SM +10,
main lines and branches of their network, the standard freighter was ASig +10, Hull dHP 50, Life
sprawling network. Since many the workhorse of Imperial shipping in Support 48, sAccel 1.0 G, Jump-2
branch terminals did not fill the liner’s the rimward territories. In keeping (2-parsec range), Top Air Speed
passenger capacity each week, depar- with Vilani practice, individual mer- 600 mph.
tures were often infrequent (though chant vessels were not given names,
still rigidly regular). but nicknames were common in addi- Crew: Command Section (10 offi-
tion to the official registry numbers. cers), Engineering Section (2 offi-
Imperial regulations insisted that Most often, an Imperial would refer to cers, 1 petty officer, 5 crewmen),
enough seats be provided on auxiliary one of these ships as damgar (“mer- Passenger Service Section (1 offi-
craft to evacuate all crew and passen- chant”) and not give it another cer), Cargo Service Section (1 petty
gers in an emergency. To fulfill this thought. officer, 4 crewmen), Maintenance
requirement, the liner carried four Section (1 petty officer, 5 crew-
30-dton passenger shuttles (p. 203). The “branch freighter” was an men), Life Support Section (1
unstreamlined vessel, carried no small crewman), Medical Section (1 offi-
Tech Level: 10. craft, and thus was forced to rely on cer), General Service Section (1
Hull: 2,000-dton Close Structure transport based at each port of call in crewman). Total 14 officers, 3 petty
order to load and unload cargo. As a officers, 16 crewmen.
Unstreamlined hull, dDR 10 result, the freighter rarely stopped at
armor. frontier ports, even when these were Passengers: 2 First Class, 4 Standard.
Systems: 20 Maneuver Drive, 60 located on a trade route.
Jump Drive, 400 Fuel Tanks, KARGASH-
Standard Bridge, Model-3 Sensors Although not intended as a passen- CLASS
(Scan 18), 4 Vehicle Bays (30-dton ger vessel, the branch freighter includ- IMPERIAL
capacity, carries one passenger ed six staterooms for passengers. The 2,000-DTON
shuttle each), 60 Fusion Power, 6 accommodations were simple, but fre- LIGHT CRUISER
Luxury Staterooms, 250 quent departures made “tramping” an
Staterooms, 140 Low Berths, 7 attractive option for some. The Kargash light cruiser forms the
Sickbays, 136-1/2 Cargo. backbone of the Imperial fleet’s raid-
Statistics: EMass 1,800 tons, LMass Tech Level: 10. ing squadrons. Imperial light cruisers
3,400 tons, Cost M$580, SM +10, Hull: 2,000-dton Close Structure are typically found in groups of 10,
ASig +10, Hull dHP 60, Life with numerous destroyers and
Support 512, sAccel 1.2 G, Jump-2, Unstreamlined hull, dDR 10 destroyer escorts running alongside.
Top Air Speed 600 mph. armor.
Crew: Command Section (10 offi-
cers), Engineering Section (2 offi-
cers, 1 petty officer, 4 crewmen),
Flight Section (4 officers, 1 petty
officer, 4 crewmen), Passenger
Service Section (3 officers, 4 petty
officers, 15 crewmen), Cargo
Service Section (1 petty officer),
Maintenance Section (1 petty offi-
cer, 5 crewman), Life Support
Section (1 petty officer, 6 crew-
men), Medical Section (2 officers,
4 petty officers, 8 crewmen),
General Service Section (2 offi-
cers, 4 petty officers, 15 crewmen).
Total 23 officers, 17 petty officers,
57 crewmen.
Passengers: 6 Luxury, 50 First Class,
150 Standard, 280 Low.
216 STARSHIP DESIGN
Alone, a single Kargash can deliver them among the cheapest vessels to crewmen). Total 22 officers, 19
devastating blows to an enemy’s ves- operate per ton of freight, allowing petty officers, 73 crewmen.
sel. When light cruisers are used in low-value bulk goods to ship at a prof- Passengers: 5 First Class, 10
concert with all of their escorts, they it, or more expensive wares to ship Standard, 20 Low.
are a sight to be feared. across greater distances. They were
rarely encountered away from the INDOMITABLE-
As is typical with Vilani warships, main trade routes, although they CLASS
these vessels are designed primarily to would venture wherever demand was 30,000-DTON
serve as missile platforms. The small- sufficient to fill their holds. BATTLESHIP
craft loadout varies (and is not included
in the performance listed below), but Tech Level: 10. More than any other ship class, the
the most typical configuration includes Hull: 10,000-dton Close Structure Indomitable and its sister ships were
three standard 30-dton ship’s boats. responsible for breaking the back of
Unstreamlined hull, dDR 10 the Imperial Navy.
Tech Level: 10. armor.
Hull: 2,000-dton Cylinder Stream- Systems: 200 Maneuver Drive, 300 The keel of Indomitable was laid in
Jump Drive, 2,000 Fuel Tanks, 2239, in the heady days immediately
lined hull, dDR 240 armor, Stealth. Command Bridge, Standard following the Eighth Interstellar War.
Systems: 460 Maneuver Drive, 60 Bridge, Model-3 Sensors (Scan 18), She was the first capital ship to be
Model-0 Sensors (Scan 14), 4 constructed purely from TL11 tech-
Jump Drive, 400 Fuel Tanks, 20 Hardpoints, 300 Fusion Power, 73 nology. As such, she had capabilities
Fuel Processors (64 dtons/hour), 2 Staterooms, 10 Low Berths, 2 that had never been seen before, in
Command Bridge, Model-6 Workshop, 2 Sickbay, 6,881 Cargo. any Terran or Imperial warship. The
Sensors (Scan 21), Model-4 Statistics: EMass 4,500 tons, LMass Indomitable class of battleships soon
Sensors (Scan 19), 2 Light Missile 41,000 tons, Cost M$2,900, SM became the cornerstone of Grand
Arrays, 2 Heavy Turrets, 4 Plasma +12, ASig +12, Hull dHP 80, Life Admiral Albadawi’s strategy for the
Guns, Hangar Bay (100-dton Support 146, sAccel 1.0 G, Jump-2 defeat of the Imperium.
capacity), 466 Fusion Power, 60 (2-parsec range), Top Air Speed
Staterooms, Workshop, 2 Sickbay, 600 mph. The design was eminently success-
31 Cargo. Crew: Command Section (10 offi- ful. Indomitable and her sister ships
Statistics: EMass 14,000 tons, LMass cers), Engineering Section (5 offi- took part in every major naval offen-
15,000 tons, Cost M$2,500, SM cers, 7 petty officers, 28 crewmen), sive mounted by the Terran Navy,
+10, ASig +4, Hull dHP 120, Life Passenger Service Section (1 offi- from the early battles of the Ninth
Support 120, sAccel 6.0 G, Jump-2 cer, 1 crewman), Cargo Service Interstellar War to the final surrender
(2-parsec range), Top Air Speed Section (3 officers, 6 petty officers, of the Imperium. Indomitable herself
740 mph. 18 crewmen), Maintenance served as Grand Admiral Albadawi’s
Crew: Command Section (10 offi- Section (2 officers, 5 petty officers, flagship during the Ninth Interstellar
cers), Engineering Section (7 offi- 19 crewmen), Life Support Section War. Unstoppable laid down history’s
cers, 9 petty officers, 33 crewmen), (2 crewmen), Medical Section (1 first meson-cannon barrage during the
Gunnery Section (2 petty officers, 4 officer, 2 crewmen), General Battle of Muan Kwoyen, destroying
crewmen), Ship’s Troops (1 officer, Service Section (1 petty officer, 3 numerous Imperial ships.
6 petty officers, 16 crewmen),
Maintenance Section (1 petty offi-
cer, 5 crewmen), Life Support
Section (2 crewmen), Medical
Section (1 officer, 2 crewmen),
General Service Section (3 crew-
men). Total 19 officers, 18 petty
officers, 65 crewmen.
Passengers: None.
SHARURSHID
STANDARD
10,000-DTON
LINE
FREIGHTER
Known generically as kaanukir
(“freighter”), these behemoths carried
the bulk of Imperial trade along the
main “backbone” lines of the
Sharurshid network in the rimward
provinces. Economies of scale made
STARSHIP DESIGN 217
Although Imperial news dispatches needed goods into spare staterooms sAccel 4.5 G, Jump-3 (3-parsec
claimed six times that one of these and bunkrooms, but this led to severe range), Top Air Speed 740 mph.
ships had been destroyed, not one was crowding on board. Crew: Command Section (12 officers,
actually lost to enemy fire. They did 1 petty officer, 2 crewmen),
survive many close calls and near- Ships in the Indomitable class were Engineering Section (70 officers,
misses – such as the incident in which usually named after martial virtues, in 136 petty officers, 476 crewmen),
Terrible was rammed by a Vilani the style of ships of the line in the Gunnery Section (6 officers, 19
destroyer during intense fighting over ancient Age of Sail. petty officers, 40 crewmen), Flight
Sylea. Still, their sheer size, toughness, Section (24 officers, 7 petty offi-
and firepower made them queens of Tech Level: 11. cers, 16 crewmen), Passenger
the battlefield for over a century. Hull: 30,000-dton Needle/Wedge Service Section (1 officer, 3 crew-
men), Ship’s Troops (3 officers, 22
The Indomitable carried a double- Streamlined hull, dDR 400 armor, NCOs, 54 enlisted men), Specialists
strength squadron of 20 laser-armed Stealth. (2 officers, 4 petty officers, 14
fighters. These small craft were prima- Systems: 4,260 Maneuver Drive, crewmen – intelligence and staff
rily used for close-in defense, freeing 1,200 Jump Drive, 9,000 Fuel specialists), Maintenance Section
up the battleship’s weapon mounts for Tanks, 180 Fuel Processor (720 (7 officers, 15 petty officers, 54
ship-killing systems. On occasion, dtons/hour), 2 Command Bridge, 2 crewmen), Life Support Section (1
they were hurled forward for deep- Model-9 Sensors (Scan 26), Heavy officer, 1 petty officer, 10 crew-
penetration raids or other audacious Spinal Meson Cannon, Repulsor men), Medical Section (5 officers, 7
maneuvers. Array, 2 Bay Fusion Guns, 2 Light petty officers, 12 crewmen),
Missile Arrays, 5 Heavy Turrets, 10 General Service Section (2 officers,
The primary weakness of the Fusion Guns, Hangar Bay (200- 5 petty officers, 17 crewmen). Total
Indomitable class was logistic rather dton capacity), 8,182 Fusion 133 Navy and Marine officers, 217
than tactical. The ship’s hull was so Power, 75 Bunkrooms, 230 petty officers and Marine NCOs,
tightly packed that there was almost Staterooms, 2 Luxury Staterooms, 698 crewmen and enlisted
no room for cargo, including spare 17 Workshops, 12 Sickbays, 276 Marines.
parts and consumables. As a result, Cargo. Passengers: 2 Luxury, 16 First-Class,
the battleships were unable to mount Statistics: EMass 180,000 tons, 30 Standard.
raids away from the main body of the LMass 190,000 tons, Cost
Terran fleet. Crews sometimes packed M$32,000, SM +13, ASig +6, Hull
dHP 300, Life Support 1,214,
218 STARSHIP DESIGN
CHAPTER TEN
STARSHIP
COMBAT
June 21, 2172 – Somewhere in Acceleration is measured in Gs. while the other is a vector counter to
Imperial space: Vessels with less than 1 G acceleration mark its future position. Both should
use special rules for movement (p. 222). be marked similarly so that they can be
Cutty Sark continued, apparently distinguished from each other and
oblivious, while the Imperial patrol Any unqualified use of the term from other counters on the map, but
cruiser moved smoothly to match “spacecraft” can be assumed to cover so that the two counters for one space-
courses. A burst of Vilani speech came ships, small craft, and missiles. craft can easily be associated with each
across the intership channel. other.
Preparation
“As before, sir. ‘Terran ship, cut As with character counters in the
your engines and prepare to be In addition to a hexagonal grid Tactical Combat System (p. B348),
boarded,’ ” the communications map, each spacecraft requires two spacecraft and vector counters must
officer translated. counters. One is a spacecraft counter to be placed on the map so that they are
indicate the vessel’s current location, fully inside a hex. Each of the two
Captain Blake smiled. “Use the counters must always face a specific
running lights, Mr. Shimanni.
Sharurshid standard protocols. hex side, and the two counters must
Signal ‘Communications array always face in the same direction.
malfunctioning, request escort.’ ”
Setting Up
“Aye, sir.”
The patrol cruiser appeared The GM should only set up a map
on the unmagnified main viewer, and counters if space combat is a
a chip of silver against the stars, possibility (or if he wants players to
only a few dozen miles away. think that it is). While deep-space
“Wait for it,” said the captain. encounters are possible, most action
The communications officer occurs within a few hundred hexes of
cleared his throat. “Once again, a world.
and they’re starting to sound impa-
tient. ‘Cut your engines and prepare If space combat seems imminent,
to be boarded.’ ” the GM should first place any planets,
Blake waited one more moment, moons, or other large bodies on the
then leaned forward and opened the map (see Celestial Bodies, p. 225).
intercom to the gunners. “Gentlemen, Different planets will be tens of thou-
let fly!” sands of hexes apart, but a
planet/moon system is likely to fit on
The Interstellar Wars era saw thou- the map. For example, the average
sands of battles in space, from single- Earth-Moon distance is 24 hexes – and
ship skirmishes to massive main-fleet many planetary satellites will be much
engagements. The system presented closer to their primaries.
here is intended to resolve space
actions on a hexagonal grid, using The GM secretly decides on the
counters or miniatures. It is intended location and course of NPC space-
for vessels created with the craft. Before revealing the location of
Interstellar Wars ship design system. these vessels, he asks players to pro-
vide him with the same information
Scale and Definitions for their spacecraft. Based on this, the
GM should place friendly, neutral, and
Space battles are fought in 20- hostile spacecraft (except any carried
minute combat rounds. One map hex aboard ships) on the map. The GM
is equal to 10,000 miles of distance. may wish to keep some unspotted
Each spacecraft counter represents a craft “off the map” to surprise players,
single vessel or a salvo of missiles. A possibly stationary vessels hidden on
velocity of one hex per round is equal or behind worlds.
to a speed of 30,000 mph.
STARSHIP COMBAT 219
Facing spacecraft has its two counters in the
same hex, one moving at about 30,000
The direction that a spacecraft or vector counter faces is important in mph (one hex per round) toward a
several specific rules. A counter’s facing defines its front arc, side arcs, and planet would have its vector marker in
rear arc as follows. the adjacent hex closest to the planet,
and so on. Relatively low velocities (one
From the center of a counter’s hex, draw two lines along the closest to five hexes per round) are most
sides of the hex immediately in front of the counter, and extend these playable, as faster-moving vessels will
lines as far as needed. These lines should define a 60º arc in front of the take a long time to turn around.
counter. Any hex that is partially or entirely between these two lines is
considered to be in the counter’s front arc. The distance between opposing
spacecraft depends on the situation.
Similarly, from the center of the counter’s hex, draw two lines along
the closest sides of the hex immediately behind the counter, and extend In a system with a busy starport
these lines as far as needed. Any hex that is partially or entirely between (Class C or better), there is usually a
these two lines is considered to be in the counter’s rear arc. great deal of traffic passing by, and
captains won’t begin to grow con-
Any hex that is not in a counter’s front or rear arcs is in one of its side arcs. cerned until a vessel passes within half
If two spacecraft A and B are in the same hex, and spacecraft A has a light-second or so (seven to nine
declared that it is attempting to ram spacecraft B, then B is in A’s front hexes). Likewise, if a PC crew is plan-
arc. Otherwise, B is in A’s side arc. ning some sort of nefarious activity,
You can download all the counters required for starship combat at an enemy won’t usually pay much
http://e23.sjgames.com/. attention to them until they get within
a similar distance.
Place each spacecraft’s counter position of the vector counter relative
where the spacecraft is at the start of to the spacecraft counter indicates the In a frontier star system or an actu-
the engagement, and place its vector spacecraft’s heading, while the al war zone, ship captains will be
counter where the spacecraft will be distance between the two counters more cautious. The GM may want to
next round if it doesn’t maneuver. The indicates its velocity. Thus, a stationary start checking for detection within a
light-second or two (18-36 hexes) On
the other hand, if an enemy was hid-
ing behind a planet, moon, or large
asteroid, the combat could begin at
much shorter ranges as it suddenly
appeared within line of sight.
If the battle is a set-piece engage-
ment or a random encounter, the GM
should be careful to place ships with
converging vectors. If the engagement
is the climax of a chase, place the quar-
ry in the center of the map and the pur-
suers at one edge, bearing in mind that
the pursuer will be unable to catch up
unless he possesses a faster ship or
missiles. Care should also be taken
when placing things that can’t maneu-
ver (or can’t maneuver much) in the
context of the game – i.e., space sta-
tions, satellites, or low-acceleration
ships.
SEQUENCE OF
ACTION
Play proceeds through the follow- 1. Detection and Communication 5. Point Defense and Collision Phase
ing sequence each round. There are no Phase 6. Launch and Docking Phase
individual turns as such – detection is 7. Damage Control Phase
checked for all spacecraft, then 2. Maneuver Phase
maneuvers are made for all spacecraft, 3. Movement Phase
and so on. 4. Direct Fire Phase
220 STARSHIP COMBAT
DETECTION is no logical reason to not be using moving behind a planet. Further
active sensors as well. attempts can be made to detect the
AND same object, in order to improve the
Note that missiles are controlled quality of the context; in this case,
COMMUNICATION with laser or “tight-beam” radio com- ignore any results that would lower
PHASE munications, which are very hard to the degree of detection achieved.
detect from a distance. A ship may
Each space combat round, check control missiles from any sensor Any objects launched by a space-
to see if spacecraft detect previously stance, including silent running. ship after it has been detected are
unnoticed objects. Large objects like spotted automatically. In particular, if
moons, planets, or stars are automati- The GM should secretly decide a spacecraft that has been identified
cally detected. The GM may require which stance each NPC spacecraft is fires missiles, they are identified as
sensor rolls to detect smaller objects in, and then ask players to reveal the they launch.
like asteroids if they aren’t on charts. stances of their own spacecraft.
MANEUVER
Sensor Stance Detection Procedure PHASE
For each spacecraft, determine its For each sensing ship and potential In this phase, every spacecraft with
sensor stance at the beginning of this target, roll against the sensor opera- a working maneuver drive may
phase. Each spacecraft is always in tor’s Electronics Operation (Sensors) maneuver. Spacecraft maneuver in
one of three stances: silent running, skill, adding appropriate modifiers order of lowest to highest sAccel rat-
active, or broadcasting. found in Sensor Modifiers later in this ing. Spacecraft with equal sAccel
chapter (p. 227). If the ship is in silent maneuver in order of highest to lowest
Silent running means that the running, the roll must use the Passive Size Modifier. Break ties with a Quick
spacecraft is using only passive sen- Sensors modifiers. If the ship is in Contest of Tactics skill between the
sors, and is not making any deliberate active or broadcasting stance, then the respective captains, with the winner
radio or other transmissions. The roll may use either Passive Sensors or maneuvering last. Each spacecraft’s
spacecraft’s transponder, if any, must Active Sensors modifiers, whichever pilot (or the controlling gunner, for a
be turned off. A spacecraft in this gives the better chance of detecting a missile) determines how the space-
stance can still be seen at a consider- given object. craft will maneuver.
able distance, either through a tele-
scope or through the detection of the Failure means that the object is not On its turn, a spacecraft maneuvers
waste heat from its power plant and detected, but another try may be made by changing facing and/or accelerat-
drives. Missiles are always in silent next round. ing. To carry out a spacecraft’s maneu-
running, but manned spacecraft need ver, using the following procedure:
not be. Success by 0-2 means detection.
The object’s existence has been discov- 1. Turn the spacecraft counter to
Active means that the spacecraft is ered, and its location and course are face any hexside.
using its active sensors, but not mak- known. The object’s spacecraft and
ing deliberate radio or other commu- vector counters can be placed on the 2. Turn the vector counter to face in
nication transmissions. The space- map. the same direction as the spacecraft
craft’s transponder, if any, must be counter.
turned off. The emissions from the Success by 3-4 means detection and
spacecraft’s active sensors may be eas- recognition. The object is detected, 3. If desired, move the vector
ily detected by other ships; this is one and its general shape resolves as a counter to a new hex. The distance
reason why warships should carefully fuzzy image. that the vector counter may be moved
consider when to “go active.” depends on the direction in which it is
Success by 5+ means detection and moved. If the vector counter’s new
Broadcasting means that the identification. The object appears “on position will be in the front arc of its
spacecraft is making deliberate radio screen” as an actual image, and its old position, it may move a number of
transmissions using its standard com- identity can be determined if it exists hexes up to the spacecraft’s sAccel rat-
munications gear, or that it has an in available databases. ing (rounded down). Otherwise, it
activated transponder. Spacecraft in may move a number of hexes up to
this stance are very easy to detect Once detection is achieved, it is half of the sAccel rating (rounded
from a distance. Civilian starships are retained unless something occurs that down).
almost always in this stance – indeed, would interrupt a direct line of sight
it is illegal for a civilian ship to turn off between the vessels, such as a ship
its transponder when in an inhabited
star system’s traffic lanes. Note that
radio communicators and transpon-
ders are designed to be easy to detect,
and are usually detectable at longer
ranges than a ship’s active sensors. If
a ship is in broadcasting stance, there
STARSHIP COMBAT 221
Slow Maneuvering 1. Pick up the spacecraft counter 4. Examine the line traced from
and put a placeholder (a small coin or the placeholder to the spacecraft
If a spacecraft has sAccel less than die) in the hex the spacecraft counter counter’s current position. Each grav-
1 G, it will not be able to maneuver was taken from. ity hex that this line enters, ignoring
every round. It requires (1/sAccel) the placeholder’s hex but including
rounds to maneuver (rounded down). 2. Pick up the vector counter and the spacecraft counter’s hex, will
Each time it maneuvers, it may move put the spacecraft counter in the hex cause the vector counter to move. If
its vector counter one hex, but this the vector counter was taken from. the line passes along a hexside
movement must be into the vector The spacecraft counter must face in between a gravity hex and a non-
counter’s closest front hex. the same direction that the vector gravity hex, this doesn’t count.
counter did before movement.
For example, a spacecraft capable 5. For each gravity hex in turn,
of 0.3 G acceleration can maneuver 3. Trace a line from the center of visualize an arrow from that gravity
once every 1/0.3 = 3.33 rounds, round- the placeholder’s hex through the cen- hex pointing to the planet, and move
ed down to every three rounds. ter of the spacecraft counter’s hex and the vector counter one hex in that
Between these rounds, it may not on in the same direction. Move the vec- direction. Remember to maintain the
change facing or accelerate. tor counter along that line, a number vector counter’s facing.
of hexes equal to the distance between
Missiles and the placeholder and the spacecraft 6. Once the vector counter has been
Maneuvering counter. The vector counter must face moved for each gravity hex, the place-
in the same direction as the spacecraft holder can be picked up and the next
A missile can only maneuver if it is counter. Once this is done, the place- ship’s movement can be performed.
currently under the direct control of a holder can be removed from the map
gunner. It must be within communi- (but see Gravity Fields, below). Collisions
cations range of the ship on which the
gunner is working (50 hexes at TL9, or In effect, the spacecraft moves into If a spacecraft’s course (the line
100 hexes at TL10+). Gunners on the place held by its vector counter between its placeholder and its new
board a given ship can only control from the previous round, and the vec- spacecraft counter position) intersects
one missile per installed missile rack, tor counter is moved to a new location a planet-sized celestial body, it must
24 missiles per light missile array, and along the same projected course. A either crash into the planet or land on
36 missiles per heavy missile array. spacecraft that does not maneuver will it (see Celestial Bodies, p. 225).
continue to move each round in the
Control of a missile can be “hand- same direction. Any number of spacecraft may
ed off” from one ship to another, so share the same hex with each other,
long as the two ships are within com- Gravity Fields or with small bodies like asteroids,
munications range of each other. If a without risking accidental collision.
missile is dropped because there is no Each world with a surface gravity
gunner is available to control it, it can of at least 0.25 G will be surrounded Ramming
be “reacquired” on the next turn. In by gravity hexes (see p. 225). A space-
fact, it must be reacquired on the next craft that passes through a gravity hex After all spacecraft have completed
turn, otherwise it will automatically will be accelerated, its velocity vector their movement, a spacecraft that is
self-destruct during the Maneuver altered, by the world’s gravity. Once in the same hex as any other space-
Phase. the spacecraft’s vector counter has craft (or other object) may attempt to
been placed in Step 3 above, but before ram. Ramming must be declared at
Any one missile may only maneu- the placeholder is removed, add the the end of the movement phase by the
ver three times before running out of following two steps. spacecraft’s pilot. The target of a ram-
on-board power. GMs may wish to use ming attempt may cooperate, attempt
a small die or another marker next to to evade the ram, or even announce
each missile counter to keep track of that it is ramming a different vessel.
remaining power. Once a missile runs The actual results of ramming are
out of power, it will automatically self-
destruct after the Point Defense and
Collision Phase of that turn.
MOVEMENT
PHASE
Spacecraft move in any order –
since there are no decisions to be made
in this phase, it doesn’t matter what
order movement takes place in. For
each spacecraft, the GM or a player
should use the following procedure:
222 STARSHIP COMBAT
resolved in the Point Defense and space combat only, treat all directed- Sandcasters
Missile Phase, but the decision must energy weapons as having RoF 20 and
be made now, as a spacecraft closing Recoil 2 (p. B373); one extra hit is In the Direct Fire Phase, a turret’s
to ram becomes easier to hit. A space- achieved for every full multiple of two sandcasters can be targeted toward a
craft may attempt to ram only one by which the attack roll is made. single enemy vessel. A single sandcast-
target per round. er adds dDR 40 to its ship’s armor
3. If the target is hit, has a pilot, dDR against all laser fire originating
DIRECT FIRE and has sAccel of at least 0.1 G, it may from the targeted vessel. Multiple
PHASE attempt a vehicular dodge against sandcasters can combine to protect
each attack that hits (p. B375). Roll against fire from a single spacecraft,
Direct fire is fire performed using against half of the pilot’s Piloting but each extra sandcaster only adds
directed-energy weapons: lasers, plas- (High Performance Spacecraft) skill, another +5 dDR.
ma guns, particle cannon, or meson rounded down. A spacecraft may
cannon. Spacecraft perform direct fire attempt to dodge multiple times in the Damage Effects
one at a time. All fire is considered same round, but may only attempt to
simultaneous. Attacks should be dodge once against any given attack. A Damage effects are calculated
resolved sequentially and can take successful roll avoids one hit, plus immediately, but do not take effect
place in any order, but any damage additional hits from the same attack until the end of the Direct Fire Phase.
should not be applied until the end of equal to the margin of success. A crit- Thus, everyone has a chance to fire
the phase. ical success dodges all the hits from before being crippled or destroyed.
that attack.
When it is a spacecraft’s turn to fire, All damage to a spacecraft is con-
resolve fire one gunner at a time. Each 4. For each hit that is not dodged, sidered to be to the body. The following
gunner decides for himself whether to roll the weapon’s damage dice (see damage results are possible.
shoot and what to shoot at. A single Space Weapons Table on p. 226).
gunner can fire all of the weapons in Damage is halved beyond the half- Major Damage: Each time the
his turret or bay, if he is at the turret or damage range. Subtract target dDR, spacecraft takes 50% of its original
bay’s crew station. Fixed-mount and modified by armor divisor, as usual. dHP in damage from a single attack,
spinal mount weapons are fired from Sandcasters may offer extra dDR or when the spacecraft is reduced to
bridge crew stations. A Gunner pro- against lasers (see Sandcasters, less than 1/3 of its original dHP, it
gram running on the ship’s computer p. 193). If damage penetrates armor, takes Major Damage. Roll 3d on the
can replace a single gunner. see Damage Effects below. On a critical Major Damage Table (p. 227) and apply
hit, the attacker may choose to do the result.
One gunner can only fire at one double damage, or to have defenses
target per round; he may not “split” protect at one-tenth of normal DR. Disabled: When the spacecraft is
the fire of multiple directed-energy reduced to 0 dHP, it is crippled, out of
weapons under his control. Each Pinpoint Fire power, and leaking air. It continues to
weapon may only fire once per Direct move in the Movement Phase, but
Fire Phase – this represents a number A gunner using a directed-energy may not maneuver, dodge incoming
of carefully aimed tracking shots fired weapon other than a meson cannon fire, jump, fire weapons, use sensors
over the entire 20-minute period of a can attempt to use “pinpoint marks- or communicators, or apply any other
combat round. manship” against a weak spot in the shipboard systems that require power.
target’s armor (e.g., hatches, weapon Piloted small craft (such as lifeboats
Procedure tubes, turret rings, and so on). This is or fighters) can still be launched and
difficult: when computing the gun- recovered.
Use the following procedure for ner’s effective skill, ignore the target’s
each weapon that is being fired: Size Modifier. On a hit, the target’s DR Destroyed: When the spacecraft is
protects at half normal, cumulative reduced to -1¥dHP, it must make a HT
1. Choose a target. A weapon can with other armor divisors. roll. On a failure, it is destroyed. The
fire on any target that the gunner’s effects are as for disabled, above, but
spacecraft has detected, is within his Pinpoint fire may be used to knock the ship can no longer launch or
weapon’s maximum range, and is out specific systems on the target recover small craft. Another HT roll
within his arc of fire. Weapons in tur- spacecraft. In this case, the gunner must be made each time the space-
rets or bays may fire in any direction. making the attack must declare the craft is reduced to another multiple of
Weapons in fixed mounts or spinal specific target before firing; in effect, -1¥dHP. At -5¥dHP, the spacecraft is
mounts may only fire into the space- he may choose any one entry on the automatically destroyed.
craft’s front arc. Major Damage Table (p. 227). The
attack will not get any extra hits no Crew and Passenger Damage: Use
2. Determine the modified Gunner matter how well the gunner makes his the Occupants and Vehicle Damage
skill for the firing gunner (or pro- skill roll. On a hit, the target’s dDR is rule (p. B555) to determine whether
gram) using the Gunnery Modifiers halved, as is usual with pinpoint fire. any occupant of a spacecraft is hit
Table (p. 227). Roll against modified The attack must do at least 10 dDR of when damage penetrates the hull and
skill to determine if the hit occurred. damage (after armor and other armor. Remember that damage is in
During the 20-minute combat round, defenses) to inflict the desired Major D-scale – multiply by 10 to determine
a successful attack roll may indicate Damage result. hit points of damage to a crewman or
multiple hits. For the purposes of passenger. Crewmen are rarely just
wounded in space combat . . .
STARSHIP COMBAT 223
POINT standard TL10 beam lasers for this may also recover small craft.
DEFENSE AND purpose. A sandcaster used for point Spacecraft perform these tasks in the
MISSILE defense cannot hit more than one tar- same order in which they maneuvered
PHASE get, no matter how well the gunner during the Maneuver Phase.
does on his skill roll.
If a spacecraft attempted to ram its Missile Launch
target and was not destroyed by Ramming
enemy fire during the Direct Fire A spacecraft may launch one mis-
Phase, the ram attempt is resolved in If both spacecraft cooperate in sile per missile rack, 24 missiles per
this phase. If multiple spacecraft are ramming each other, the attempt light missile array, and 36 missiles per
ramming each other in the same hex, automatically succeeds. Otherwise heavy missile array each round. Note
resolve them in order of highest to the attempt is resolved as a Quick that a spacecraft can only control
lowest sAccel, then lowest to highest Contest of Skill between the rammer about this many missiles at one time
Size Modifier, breaking ties with a and the target. Manned craft use their (see Maneuver Phase, p. 221). One
Quick Contest of Tactics. (This is the pilot’s Piloting skill. Missiles use their salvo will usually not be launched
reverse of the order established in the controlling gunner’s Gunnery skill. until the previous salvo has reached its
Maneuver Phase.) Refer to Ramming Modifiers (p. 227) targets.
for the modifiers to each side’s skill
Although missiles do not attack by level. If a very large salvo of missiles Newly launched missiles are placed
physically colliding with their targets, attempts to ram the same spacecraft, in the same hex as the launching space-
they do run very close before setting the GM may wish to break the salvo craft, with any desired facing. The mis-
off proximity-fused explosives. For the into groups of 3, 5, or 10 missiles and sile’s vector counter is placed in the
purpose of the following rules, this is make a contest of skill for each, rather same hex as that of the launching
considered “ramming.” than rolling for each individual spacecraft, facing the same direction as
missile. missile’s spacecraft counter.
Point Defense
If the rammer loses or ties, it fails For convenience, salvos of missiles
Before any spacecraft is rammed, it to hit the target. If this occurs, noth- that are intended to maneuver togeth-
may attempt to use directed-energy ing happens, and the ramming space- er and strike the same target can be
weapons and sandcaster fire for point craft remains in the target’s hex. If the represented by a single pair of coun-
defense. Fire is allowed even if the rammer wins, both spacecraft collide. ters. A small die or some other marker
weapon also fired during the Direct can be used to indicate how many mis-
Fire Phase. Point-defense fire is Space-combat missiles do damage siles are in the salvo, and to register
resolved like normal fire against a tar- by proximity explosion, delivering a losses to enemy fire.
get, except that no range modifier is shaped-charge explosive warhead just
applied to the skill roll. before actual collision with the target. Small Craft Launch
A hit from a missile always does
A spacecraft may only use point- 12d(10) burn explosion damage. A spacecraft may launch one small
defense fire against other spacecraft craft per vehicle bay or hangar bay per
that are attempting to ram it in the Collision damage depends on the turn. A launch tube can launch up to
current phase. Point-defense fire may relative velocity between the two 40 small craft per turn. A spacecraft
be performed even against incoming spacecraft. This can be determined by with a dispersed structure may launch
spacecraft that have not yet been counting the distance between their all of its small craft in one turn.
detected; it’s assumed that the incom- two vector counters in hexes. Collision
ing spacecraft appears on proximity inflicts crushing damage on both Newly launched small craft are
sensors less than a minute before spacecraft equal to the relative veloci- placed in the same hex as the launch-
impact, giving enough time for an ty in hexes, times the dHP of the small- ing spacecraft, with any desired fac-
attempt to shoot it down. er spacecraft, times 150 dice of dam- ing. The vector counter of a small craft
age. Any collision between two war- must be placed in the same hex as the
Each directed-energy weapon may ships is likely to destroy both! launching ship’s vector counter, with
only fire once during this phase. If its the same facing as the small craft’s
gunner scores multiple hits (see Ramming an asteroid, planet, or spacecraft counter.
p. 223), he may divide those hits among moon won’t do damage on a planetary
different targets rather than hitting the scale, but it can devastate an area. Docking
same target more than once. This Aside from any warhead effects,
requires that subsequent targets be no assume that anything nearby takes Two spacecraft that occupy the
harder to hit than the first. This tech- crushing explosion damage equal to same hex, and whose vector counters
nique is most often used against groups one-tenth the collision damage. are also together in a single hex, are
of incoming missiles; on average, a sin- said to have “matched courses.” They
gle directed-energy weapon will take LAUNCH AND may dock during the Launch and
out two or three missiles. DOCKING Docking Phase. One of the spacecraft
PHASE must be capable of maneuver; the
When sandcasters are used as other must either cooperate, or must
point-defense weapons, treat them as In this phase, spacecraft may be crippled and unable to maneuver.
launch missiles and small craft, and
224 STARSHIP COMBAT
Safe docking requires careful pilot- 20-minute combat round (see Time Low Orbit: A stationary spacecraft
ing and takes an entire combat round. Spent, p. B346) and of working on a in a world hex (i.e. a vessel whose
Neither spacecraft may maneuver in very expensive item (p. B484). Outside spacecraft and vector counters are
the next combat round’s Maneuver combat, engineers can take as much both in the world hex) is assumed to
Phase. The docking maneuver is not time as they need, although the -3 be in low orbit.
complete until the beginning of the penalty for repairing an object costing
next Launch and Docking Phase. Once over $1,000,000 still applies. Each suc- Landing and Takeoff: A spacecraft
docked, spacecraft can maneuver pro- cessful skill roll restores one normal- in low orbit can land on the world’s
vided that they continue to match scale HP times the margin of success. surface during the Maneuver Phase,
courses and don’t exceed 1 G of accel- Every 10 normal-scale HP restored leaving the map. A spacecraft on a
eration (i.e. their vector counters are will repair one dHP. world’s surface may leave the world by
never moved more than one hex dur- being placed on the map in low orbit
ing the Maneuver Phase). Undocking Major Repairs: Each Major (i.e. stationary in the world hex).
is faster; it takes a single phase and Damage result, or point of lost HT due
doesn’t restrict maneuver. to missed maintenance, must be con- Large Bodies
sidered a Major Repair. If a Major
Small Craft Recovery Damage result is being repaired, use Large bodies such as gas giants
the cost of the individual ship’s system and stars will take up multiple hexes.
A spacecraft can recover small in order to determine the cost of spare Represent such bodies as a circle
craft, storing them on board, if all the parts. If a point of lost HT is being (Diameter/10,000) hexes across. A
requirements for docking are met and repaired, the cost of the spare parts is large body’s gravity hexes are repre-
the smaller craft can fit aboard. One equal to 1d% of the ship’s base price. sented by a larger circle with a diam-
small craft may be recovered per vehi- eter of 4 ¥ Square root(Mass). Don’t
cle bay (assuming the small craft is CELESTIAL worry about aligning a large object on
designed to fit the bay), hanger bay, or BODIES the hex grid; it won’t fit. Just draw a
launch tube on the larger spacecraft. If circle for the given diameter, and if
a bay or launch tube is used for small While most of space is empty, the the 1-G gravity well is larger, a second
craft launch, it cannot also be used for valuable parts aren’t. Many engage- circle for it.
small craft recovery in the same ments will take place around planets
Launch and Docking Phase. and other strategic objectives. Large bodies will block line of sight
as worlds do. Realistic gravity and
Emergency Docking Worlds orbital mechanics for large bodies are
or Recovery beyond the scope of this system. GMs
These are planets and moons whose can apply gravity effects as in the stan-
A docking or recovery operation diameter is 1,000 miles or greater. dard rules, except that the gravity
can be performed more quickly. The Typical inhabited worlds are less than zone may be a number of hexes deep.
pilot of the maneuvering craft makes a 10,000 miles in diameter, and so com-
Piloting skill roll. On a success, the fortably fit in a single hex. Worlds A ship that enters a gas giant or
operation takes a single Launch and should be represented on the map star hex is immediately destroyed.
Docking Phase, and there is no restric- either by drawing a circle or by placing Ships that perform wilderness refuel-
tion on maneuvers next round. If the an appropriate counter in a hex. ing (p. 192) skim the very thin outer
roll fails, the two spacecraft collide at fringes of the gas giant’s atmosphere,
relatively low speed. Both take dice of Line of Sight: A world blocks line of just outside the planet’s radius as
crushing damage equal to 1/10 of the sight past it. A spacecraft may use sen- drawn on the map.
smaller spacecraft’s dHP. sors, communicators, and directed-
energy weapons other than meson Small Bodies
DAMAGE cannon into (but not through) a world
CONTROL hex. Meson cannon may be fired Small bodies include asteroids (a
PHASE through a world hex. few yards to several miles across) and
small moons or planets up to 1,000
In this phase, engineers can attempt Gravity Hexes: Any world with a miles in diameter. In the space com-
to repair damage to their vessel. The surface gravity of 0.25 G or more will bat system, such bodies do not affect
rules under Repairs (p. B484) apply. generate gravity hexes. The world’s detection or fire unless a ship is in the
hex itself is not a gravity hex. See same hex and is deliberately keeping
Minor Repairs: Hit points lost due Gravity Fields (p. 222) for the effect of the small body between itself and
to missed maintenance, battle dam- these hexes on movement. another spacecraft.
age, or any other cause can be
repaired by crewmen with the appro- High Orbit: A spacecraft that moves Ships may pass freely through
priate skills. All repair rolls during one hex directly from a gravity hex to hexes containing small bodies. They
combat are at -7. This penalty is a an adjacent gravity hex during the do not generate gravity hexes.
combination of rushing the repair roll Movement Phase is in orbit. The
by 40% in order to make it in a spacecraft’s movement should carry it SPECIAL
completely around the planet without RULES
requiring any further acceleration.
The following rules elaborate on
various aspects of space combat.
STARSHIP COMBAT 225
Crew Positions commanders, at his discretion) to per- Note that almost any hit from a
and Skill Rolls form piloting, gunnery, and sensor space combat weapon will disable a
operations all at the same time missile, preventing it from finishing its
Smaller vessels often have the without penalty. attack run. The GM may rule that one
same crewman performing multiple hit from any weapon will destroy a
roles. If a crew member is undertaking Jump missile without needing to roll for
multiple tasks during a single space damage.
combat round, he suffers a -2 penalty A starship with a working jump
to all skill rolls for each extra task he is drive and enough fuel may prepare for Tech Level: 10.
performing. a jump in any Maneuver Phase. The Hull: Cylinder Streamlined hull, dDR
ship may not maneuver in that phase,
Actions counted as tasks are: pilot- and jumps at the beginning of the next 4 armor, Stealth.
ing; firing one weapon or one set of Maneuver Phase. Statistics: EMass 0.15 tons, LMass
identical weapons at the same target
(sandcasters may not be fired in A safe jump entry (or exit) requires 0.15 tons, Cost $30,000, SM +0,
groups); controlling any number of a distance from any large body of at ASig -6, Hull dHP 2, no life support
missiles; acting as a sensor operator; least 100 diameters. Thus, starships capacity, sAccel 8.0 G, no jump
damage control; complex communica- may jump in or out safely from (plan- capacity, Top Air Speed 740 mph.
tions (GM’s option; e.g., coordinating a etary diameter in miles/100) hexes. Crew: None (remotely controlled).
squadron or tracking a signal). See p. 171 for jump procedures.
Transponders
A ship with more than two crew Ships jumping in appear at the
engaged in the above tasks should also beginning of a Maneuver Phase, In both Imperial and Terran space,
have a captain, who does nothing but retaining whatever vector they had civilian ships are required to carry
give orders. If no captain is on hand, when they went into jump. active transponders that constantly
the GM should apply an extra -1 broadcast their location and identity.
penalty to everyone’s skill rolls! Missile Statistics This means that they are normally in
the broadcasting sensor stance.
Fighters and similar small craft are Both Imperial and Terran ships use Transponders can be turned off, but
often designed to make it easier for a very similar ship-to-ship missiles naval patrols reserve the right to fire
single crewman to manage multiple throughout the Interstellar Wars era. on any detected ship that is running
tasks. The GM should permit fighter The statistics, using the same abbrevi- without a transponder.
pilots (and other small-craft ations as for spaceships, are as follows.
CHARTS AND TABLES
SPACE WEAPONS TABLE * Meson cannon ignore all DR,
from armor or any other source.
Weapon/TL Damage sAcc Range
Beam Laser/9 6d(5) burn 0 1/3 Damage is given in D-scale dice.
Beam Laser/10 7d(5) burn 2 2/6 Multiply by 10 to get normal scale damage.
Beam Laser/11 8d(5) burn 2 2/6
1/3 sAcc is the weapon’s space accuracy.
Pulse Laser/9 3d(5) burn 0 2/6 Add 30 to get its normal Acc score.
Pulse Laser/10 4d(5) burn 2 2/6
Pulse Laser/11 5d(5) burn 2 0/2 Range is the half-damage and max-
Plasma Gun/10 12d(3) burn -1 0/2 imum range, in space combat hexes.
Plasma Gun/11 14d(3) burn -1 0/2
Fusion Gun/11 16d(3) burn -1 2/6 SPACE RANGE
3/9 TABLE
Heavy Particle Cannon/9 6d(10) burn 2 3/9 Modifier
3/9 Hexes +0
Heavy Particle Cannon/10 8d(10) burn 3 3/9 Point Defense -10
Heavy Particle Cannon/11 10d(10) burn 3 1/3 0 -12
Light Particle Cannon/10 6d(10) burn 3 1/3 1 -14
Light Particle Cannon/11 8d(10) burn 3 1/3 2 -15
Bay Plasma Gun/10 0 4/12 3 -16
Bay Plasma Gun/11 6d¥4(3) burn 0 4/12 4-5 -17
Bay Fusion Gun/11 6d¥5(3) burn 0 4/12 6-8 -18
Heavy Spinal Particle Cannon/10 6d¥6(3) burn 4 4/12 9-11 -19
Heavy Spinal Particle Cannon/11 4 3/9 12-17 -20
Light Spinal Particle Cannon/10 16d(10) burn 4 3/9 18-28 -21
Light Spinal Particle Cannon/11 20d(10) burn 4 29-39 -22
Heavy Spinal Meson Cannon/11 12d(10) burn 3 40-56 -23
16d(10) burn 57-85 -24
20d(*) burn ex 86-113 -25
114-170
Light Spinal Meson Cannon/11 16d(*) burn ex 3
226 STARSHIP COMBAT
SENSOR ASig score, use its Size Modifier Faster Spacecraft: The spacecraft
MODIFIERS instead. with the higher sAccel rating adds half
of the difference between the two
In the following modifiers, “being Target Location: -4 if the target is in sAccel ratings (rounded down).
within a planetary atmosphere” the same hex as or in a hex adjacent to
assumes that the spacecraft is sur- a planet or moon, but not within a Target Size: The ramming space-
rounded by an atmosphere denser than planetary atmosphere; -6 if the target craft adds the target’s Size Modifier
Trace. This can be the atmosphere of a or the sensing ship is within a (SM). The target’s shape does not
terrestrial planet or of a gas giant. planetary atmosphere. affect ramming.
Basic Modifiers GUNNERY Missile Control Range: If the ram-
MODIFIERS ming spacecraft is a missile, -1 for
Skill: Add the sensor operator’s every three full hexes range from the
Electronics Operation (Sensors) skill The following modifiers apply for controlling spacecraft to the target.
level. any attempt to hit a target with
directed-energy weapons. Missiles and Repulsors: If the ram-
Sensors: Add the Scan rating of the ming spacecraft is a missile and the
sensor systems, based on the model Skill: Add the gunner’s Gunner target has at least one repulsor array,
number of the sensor and TL of the (Beams) skill. the target adds +15. A single repulsor
ship (p. 193). array can be used against only 100
Accuracy: Add the weapon’s sAcc incoming missiles in one round.
Range: Count the distance in hexes rating, as taken from the Space
between the sensing spacecraft and Weapons Table (p. 226). MAJOR
its target, and get the appropriate DAMAGE
modifier for that distance from the Range: Count the distance in hexes TABLE
Space Range Table (p. 226). between the sensing spacecraft and its
target, and get the appropriate modifi- 3-4: One bridge or cockpit is
Prior Detection: If the object has er for that distance from the Space knocked out. If all bridge or cockpit
been detected on a prior round by the Range Table (p. 226). systems are disabled, the ship can still
same ship, or by an ally sharing be controlled, but all skill rolls are at -4.
information, +4. Target Size: Add the target’s Size
Modifier (SM). If the target has nee- 5-6: Communications disabled.
Passive Sensors dle/wedge or cylinder shape, and the Ship cannot communicate with other
firing ship is in the target’s front or vessels or maintain control of missiles.
If the sensing ship is using passive rear arc, -2; if the target has flattened
sensors, apply the following modifiers sphere or close structure shape, and the 7: Sensors damaged. Scan rating is
to see if it can detect a given target. firing ship is in the target’s front or reduced by four.
rear arc, -1.
Passive Sensors: -6 for all detection 8: Cargo holds damaged. Cargo or
attempts using passive sensors. Sensor Stance: If the firing ship is freight is destroyed equal to one-quarter
currently using active sensors, +2. of the ship’s original cargo capacity.
Passive Signature: Add the target’s
Size Modifier (SM). If the target has a Meson Targeting: If the target has 9: Power plant damaged. Ship loses
needle/wedge or cylinder shape, and the dispersed structure shape, and the half of its original sAccel and jump
sensing ship is in the target’s front or firing weapon is a meson cannon, -4. capacity.
rear arc, -2; if the target has a flattened
sphere or close structure shape, and the RAMMING 10: Weapon(s) knocked out.
sensing ship is in the target’s front or MODIFIERS Choose one fixed mount, turret, bay,
rear arc, -1. or spinal mount. All weapons in that
The following modifiers apply to mount are disabled.
Target Sensor Stance: If the target is both sides in any ramming attempt.
in the active stance, +20; if it is in the 11: Fuel tank shattered. Half of the
broadcasting stance, +30. ship’s original fuel capacity is lost.
Target Location: -2 if the target is in 12: Maneuver drive damaged. Ship
the same hex as or in a hex adjacent to loses half of its original sAccel.
a planet or moon, but not within a
planetary atmosphere; -6 if the target 13: Jump drive disabled. Ship can-
or the sensing ship is within a not jump.
planetary atmosphere.
14: One vehicle bay, hangar bay, or
Active Sensors launch tube is disabled. The facility
cannot be used to launch or recover
If the sensing ship is using active small craft. At the GM’s discretion,
sensors, apply the following modifiers small craft being carried may also take
to see if it can detect a given target. damage.
Active Signature: Add the target’s 15-16: Life support damaged. 20%
active signature (ASig). If the target is of the ship’s original life support
not a spacecraft and doesn’t have an capacity is lost (see Life Support
Systems for details, p. 200).
17-18: Fuel processors (if any) are
disabled.
STARSHIP COMBAT 227
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CAMPAIGNS
April 15, 2174 – Nusku star system, from the Apishal jump point at 1935 cargo of experience – friends
in the war zone: standard time, 15 April 2174. Request won, contacts made, knowl-
transponder code assignment and flight edge gathered from dozens of
Shimannii reached the bridge in plan to Nusku Down starport along Imperial worlds.
time to see the jump-emergence tumble minimum-time trajectory.”
begin. A flash of blue-white light Shimannii and Cutty
washed the hull cameras, and then Almost four minutes before Nusku Sark were coming home, to
stars wheeled all around Cutty Sark. starport would reply. Shimannii used Nusku rather than to the
the time to review the voyage. Four Terran homeworld that nei-
“Emergence confirmed,” said the years away from Terran space. The ther had ever seen.
navigator, watching her instruments. Captain and a third of the crew lost. The
“We are in Nusku space, on the 100- ship nearly crippled, then repaired, then “Cutty Sark, this is
diameter stellar limit as expected.” damaged once more. Trade links forged, Nusku Orbital Control. Your
and then most likely lost with the arrival recorded and accept-
“Well done,” Shimannii replied. renewed outbreak of war. No freight in ed. You are cleared for a min-
“Comms, find Orbital Control for me, the hold, no passengers in the state- imum-time trajectory for
please.” rooms, the ship frankly running for Nusku, squawk 2771, main-
home through the war zone. On the tain contact on channel 5.
“Done,” reported the little alien at the other hand, the ship carried a priceless Welcome home.”
communications console.
Shimannii nodded.
“Nusku Orbital Control, this is “Thank you, Control.
Cutty Sark, Nusku registry, arriving Transponder set to 2771,
contact on channel 5. See
you soon.” He tapped at his
controls, setting the ship
moving along the course that
the navigator had already
plotted.
“Sir?” It was young
Alexia Dergan, a technician
promoted to Sensor Officer
after the position’s former
occupant had been killed.
“Yes, Officer Dergan?”
Shimannii prompted.
“Do you think we’ll go out
again?”
Shimannii stifled a smile. Terrans!
Drag them through fire and death, and
the ones who survived still continued to
think ahead to the next venture. They
were nothing like Vilani, and
Shimannii realized that was just how
he liked them. “That’s up to the
Consortium, Officer Dergan,” he said,
and turned to look at the stars. “Still, I
imagine we will.”
This chapter provides the GM with
some suggestions as to how to get
started with the Interstellar Wars
setting.
228 CAMPAIGNS
THE DEFAULT
CAMPAIGN: TERRAN
FREE TRADERS
Interstellar Wars was designed start the first Terran colonies as they subsectors are more distant without
under the assumption that a cam- spend opening markets in Imperial ter- being entirely cut off from Terran
paign will most often focus on Terran ritory. The Imperium is a much more space. The Urima and Duusirka sub-
Free Traders operating within the present and overwhelming threat. sectors are particularly interesting
Vilani Imperium. Free Traders travel because they are the core of the
through Imperial space, buying and In later eras, Free Traders are very Imperial rim province, as well as the
selling goods in order to make a prof- active, penetrating dozens and even home territory of the enigmatic Vegan
it. They must deal with varying situa- hundreds of parsecs into Imperial species.
tions on many different Imperial space. They become very self-confi-
worlds. They will be faced with dent, conscious of their position in the Free Traders who truly strike out
Imperial disapproval, but they may vanguard of Terran power. They know for new frontiers will pass beyond the
also make friends in surprising places that wherever they go, Terran battle Chapter 5 maps. For such a campaign,
in Vilani society. fleets and Terran government will one the GM should generate a field of play
day follow. Of course, the era is also using the world-design rules in
SETUP one of more frequent (and more Chapter 5. The GM should also decide
chaotic) warfare – Terran merchants about where the generated region falls
To set up a working Free Traders are very likely to get caught up in a on the map of known space (p. 100)
campaign, the GM should consider flare-up of violence along the military and how far it is from Terra in terms of
designing some or all of the following frontier. travel time. The campaign can begin
materials ahead of time. with the adventurers entering the gen-
In general, the more the GM wish- erated region for the first time, with
Timeframe es to challenge the players with several weeks or months of previous
strange worlds and powerful Imperial travel assumed to be in the back story.
The GM should decide the date of adversaries, the earlier he should
the beginning of the campaign. Refer place his campaign. If the players are The GM should use the rules in
to Chapter 2 and settle on a period that more interested in doing as they Chapter 5 not as a set of dictates, but
seems likely to give the best “flavor.” please against the backdrop of a as a springboard for his own creative
decaying Imperium, the campaign ideas. If he wishes to generate a region
Most of the material in this book should be set later in the era. of space that is somehow atypical, he
assumes a “default present” of 2170. should feel free to change the world-
At this time, Terra has survived sever- The Field of Play design procedure to suit himself.
al Imperial attacks and has attained
rough parity with Imperial technolo- Unless the campaign is only going to Once the field of play has been
gy. However, Free Traders are only last for a few sessions, it will need at designed in broad details, the GM
beginning to explore deep into least a dozen interesting worlds to serve should at least consider how to
Imperial space, with the limits of well- as a backdrop (where “interesting” can expand on the bare-bones description
known space less than 20 parsecs be defined as “worth visiting repeated- of the most important worlds. Are the
from Terra. Adventurers will have ly”). This implies that at least half a sub- worlds of the region settled by tradi-
plenty of opportunity to visit worlds sector will be needed, with about 20 tional Vilani, or has local culture
that are completely new to Terran worlds in all. A full subsector will pro- diverged from the Imperial norm? Do
experience. Meanwhile, storm clouds vide plenty of extra space, and will be any Imperial subject races have signif-
of renewed conflict are gathering on useful if the campaign needs to shift its icant settlements in the region? Are
the horizon. Within a few years the focus on the map for any reason. there any local races not well known
Imperium will launch another war to Terrans? Where are the hub worlds
against Terra, and the outcome is by If the campaign is to take place located, and which of them is likely to
no means certain. close to Terra, one of the subsectors be the local political center? Are there
already mapped out in Chapter 5 may any minor worlds that nevertheless sit
In earlier eras, the Free Trade be a good choice. The Dingir subsec- at the junction of several trade routes?
movement does not yet exist or is just tor (p. 109) is quite close to Terra; the Which worlds have very repressive
getting under way. Terran entrepre- PC merchants will probably face a governments (Control Rating 6), and
neurs will be at a technological disad- great deal of competition from other which are unusually free or anarchic
vantage, and will be limited to operat- Terrans, and they will find themselves (Control Rating 1 or less)? Are any
ing in space very close to Terra. They right on the front line if a new war worlds technologically backward,
may spend as much time helping to breaks out. The Apishlun (p. 107), possibly indicating isolated societies?
Urima (p. 103), and Duusirka (p. 105)
CAMPAIGNS 229
The Ship will be Spacehands or Apprentices, comfortable with, they can return to
with Merchant Rank 0. character and the commander can give
The adventurers will need a ship in the appropriate orders. Alternatively,
which to travel, carry cargo and The bridge crew should include at the ship’s captain can be an NPC, used
freight, and meet interesting least a command pilot and a navigator, by the GM to provide guidance and
passengers. and may include communications, direction to the crew.
computer, or sensor officers as well.
Several of the ship classes in The engineering section should Initial Conditions
Chapter 9 are appropriate for a Free include a chief engineer, and possibly
Traders campaign. The Hero-class pri- an engineer’s mate and a senior main- Once the field of play, the ship,
vate merchant would be good for a rel- tenance technician. If there is a gun- and the characters are ready, the
atively small crew, possibly operating nery section or a section of ship’s campaign can begin. Place the ship
on a shoestring budget without the troops, each should have a leading and crew on a world on the edge of
sponsorship of a major corporation. crewman. The senior “enlisted” crew- the field of play, and assume that the
Larger crews could use the Lightning- man on board (Merchant Rank 1 or ship has just arrived there after some
class frontier merchant or the Karl less) may be designated the “bosun,” period of traveling from Terran
Marx-class heavy merchant. These are and given special responsibilities in space.
all designed to be good “adventurer’s managing the crew. The leading crew-
ships,” capable of working as priva- man in either the passenger service or The GM should determine how
teers if the crew decides to go over to the cargo service sections should be much cash is currently in the ship’s
the wrong side of Imperial law. On the designated the ship’s purser, the officer operating fund. An amount equal to
other hand, these ships are harder to most responsible for record keeping about one month’s expenses is appro-
operate at a profit as legitimate while the ship engages in commerce. priate. The hold should initially be
traders. If the GM doesn’t wish to nearly full of speculative cargo at the
make the mercantile life difficult for Assign players to the available ship- start of the campaign (the GM can
his players, he should provide them board roles before starting character allow the players to select cargos from
with corporate sponsorship to relieve design, then design PCs to fit the the table on p. 180, or roll randomly)
some of the profit-making burden. assigned roles. For all but the smallest and the port fees for this world
ships, most of the crew will be NPCs. unpaid, as if the ship is newly arrived.
Most of the merchant ships in The GM can simply keep track of what The passenger staterooms, however,
Chapter 9 are not listed with installed positions are filled by NPCs, naming should be empty. The crew will doubt-
weapons. If the GM wishes, he can them and generating their character less make acquiring new cargo,
revise the design to include a weapons traits only as needed. Of course, a freight, and passengers an early
loadout. Alternatively, he can force the large crew can serve as a pool of priority.
crew to enter Imperial space replacements for any PCs that are
unarmed, hoping to acquire ship’s killed or lost. GOALS
weapons later on (doubtless after a
series of adventures). One approach to handling a large By definition, Terran Free Traders
crew is a “troupe play” technique, per- will have several closely linked goals.
Characters mitting each player to generate two or
more characters in different positions. Trade
Once a region of play and a ship For example, each player might have
have been selected, the players can one senior officer and one lower-rank- First, Free Traders need to trade.
begin to think about character design. ing crewman. The player would then They must turn at least enough profit
choose which character to play in a to pay operating expenses and crew
This process should be driven by given adventure; if the other character salaries, while keeping the banks or
the selected ship class. Each ship is needed, the GM can handle him the corporate sponsors happy. To
design includes a listing of the most briefly as an NPC. This style of play make a profit, the crew will have to
typical crew roster. The GM and play- provides variety, and reduces the continually search out commercial
ers should work out the complete chance that a player will find himself opportunities. More basically, the ship
department organization and chain of without a character who could will have to keep moving from world
command on board the adventurers’ reasonably be involved in a given to world – if the adventurers linger too
ship; these do not have to exactly fol- adventure. long in one place, they will find
low the roster given for the ship themselves falling behind on their
design. Another point to consider is whether expenses.
to permit a player to take on the role of
The ship should have a Senior the ship’s captain. Some play groups Exploration
Captain (Merchant Rank 4) or Captain will find a player-run commander to be
(Merchant Rank 3) in command. uncomfortable, as other players resist Second, Free Traders are explorers.
Other “officers” noted under the ship’s taking orders. One approach to this sit- Even if they fail to make much profit
design should hold the rank of First or uation is to permit the players to briefly through trade, they can still earn
Second Officer, with Merchant Rank drop out of character when a critical rewards by recording what they
2. “Petty officers” should actually hold decision point arrives, so that they can observe on new worlds, and returning
the rank of Third or Fourth Officer, discuss the matter and make decisions those observations to Terra. On each
with Merchant Rank 1. “Crewmen” cooperatively. Once the players have
reached a decision in a manner they’re
230 CAMPAIGNS
world they visit, they should inquire Campaign Character
into the basic facts of local society. Packages
Who lives on the world? What are the
quirks of local culture? Who are the When designing characters to fill out a Free Trader crew, several char-
political decision-makers, and what acter traits may be best considered as being shared among all the PCs.
factions exist among them? Is the pop- The GM should design a “campaign package” of character traits, to be
ulation loyal to the Imperium, are taken by every PC in order to fit the campaign. It may be possible to set
there dissident splinter groups, or is the total character-point cost of the package at zero – in any case, the
the world just waiting for a chance to traits in the package should not count against the campaign’s limit on
rebel? Can the crew make any local disadvantages. A similar package may be set up for group-design
friends or allies, to be called on later? situations in other campaign types.
Answering these questions may well
involve the Terrans in short-term Character traits that can go into the campaign package include
adventures on each world they visit. Contacts or Contact Groups (representing known contacts that anyone in
the crew can use), Duties (representing the obligations imposed by a cor-
Survival porate, military, or Imperial sponsor), Enemies (persistent villains faced
by the full crew), or Patrons (the ship’s organizational sponsors).
Third, a Free Trader crew working
deep inside Imperial space will need to Every PC should take a frequency of appearance of “quite rarely” (6 or
see to its own survival. If hostilities less) for each of these traits; very small play groups (two to three players)
break out again between the Imperium might use “quite often” (9 or less) instead. The GM should roll for Duties,
and Terra, Free Traders may find Enemies, or Patrons for each player once per adventure; the level to
themselves surrounded by foes. which the shared trait comes into play depends on how many players
Meanwhile, the Imperium itself is no make their appearance roll.
longer stable. Local civil wars and
rebellions can break out at any time, For example, suppose that every member of an adventuring party
catching Free Traders in the crossfire. composed of six PCs takes an Enemy, who appears on a 6 or less for any
one crewman. The Enemy will appear in about 45% of adventures. In
Long-Range Goals about 10% of adventures, more than one player will succeed in the
appearance roll; the GM can make the Enemy a leading factor in those
Aside from these general goals, adventures.
the GM should come up with one or
two long-term plot arcs to give his Sample Package
campaign its own shape.
The GM plans a campaign package for the PC crewmen of a Free
A Free Trader ship may have a mis- Trader starship. The ship is associated with Terran Navy Intelligence,
sion other than its obvious purpose of which will occasionally send money or other resources, but will also
trade and exploration. Many Free require the crew to perform hazardous missions. Meanwhile, an Imperial
Trader ships are owned by a large Navy captain opposes the Terrans, and directs patrol vessels and law-
Terran corporation, which can assign enforcement officials to harass them.
long-range tasks: finding trade goods of
a certain description, setting up trade Terran Navy Intelligence counts as a Patron. In Terran space it would
agreements with leading figures on spe- count as an “extremely powerful organization,” but deep inside Imperial
cific worlds, and so on. Other Free space its resources are much more limited; it counts only as a “very pow-
Traders cultivate a relationship with erful organization” worth a base cost of 20 points. It appears “quite
Confederation military intelligence, act- rarely,” and so is worth only 10 points to each PC. The GM decides that
ing as couriers or operatives for special aside from providing information and “pull,” the Patron will sometimes
missions. Still others may ally with an make up the shortfall if the Free Trader’s ship fails to meet its expenses.
Imperial leader or faction, carrying out
tasks that their allies can’t handle The missions assigned by Navy Intelligence count as a Duty, which
through normal channels. All of these applies to the crew as a whole. The Duty comes up “quite rarely” for each
connections can serve as a source of player, and the missions are not overly hazardous. The Duty is worth -2
extra income, making it easier for a points for each PC.
Free Trader crew to meet its expenses.
The Imperial officer who pursues the crew is the leader of a medium-
An enigma is often a good way to sized group, which includes several formidable individuals (including the
give a campaign long-term interest. officer himself). He counts as a Rival-level Enemy, since he only wishes
Every new world the adventurers visit to harass and inconvenience the crew rather than destroy it. He or his
is going to be a mystery of sorts, but in minions appear on a 6 or less for each PC. This Enemy is worth -30 ¥ 1/2
the normal course of events that mys- ¥ 1/2 = -7-1/2 points, rounded down to -8 points.
tery will be “solved” by the time the
ship lifts. A true enigma is a far-reach- The total cost of the campaign package is 0 points.
ing mystery with clues scattered
across several worlds, a mystery that will take many play sessions to unrav- alien or minor-Human races, or high-
el. Typical enigmas for the Traveller technology artifacts that date to
universe include wide-ranging before Human history.
political conspiracies, mysterious
CAMPAIGNS 231
OBSTACLES Aside from these continuous low- RESOLUTION
level hindrances, the campaign should
Every planetside visit will likely have at least one recurring villain, a In theory, a Free Trader campaign
carry its own obstacles. Starport offi- personal opponent who will make life can go on indefinitely. The GM may
cials, shangarim representatives, difficult for the adventurers. wish to have a final series of adven-
Imperial military officers, and ordi- Possibilities include a shangarim offi- tures in mind, in which the mission,
nary citizens, will all tend to look at cial who regards the Free Traders as enigma, recurring villain, and any
Terrans with suspicion. Of course, dangerous competitors, a Navy officer other plot arcs can all be resolved.
even friendly Imperials are alien to who directs patrol ships to follow and Once the resolution is complete, a new
Terran experience. Misunderstandings harass the Free Trader vessel, or an campaign can be set up using different
of language or culture can complicate aristocrat who despises “barbarians” premises. Perhaps the characters are
the simplest of adventures. and does his best to oppose the crew’s sent to a new region of space with a
Meanwhile, both the mission and the actions. new mission, or perhaps they have
enigma will carry their own obstacles. accumulated enough money that they
can go into business for themselves.
ALTERNATIVE
CAMPAIGNS
Aside from the “Terran Free other adventures. Players can also repairs and to unload captured goods.
Traders” premise, the Interstellar generate more than one character This often draws them into factional
Wars setting can support a wide each, permitting a mix of high-level conflicts within the Imperium – and
variety of other campaign frames. “command” adventures and low-level even encourages them to start such
“ordinary crew” adventures. conflicts where they can.
MAIN FLEETS
COMMERCE A commerce-raiding campaign
Although the Interstellar Wars era RAIDING shares many features with a merchant
is best known for massive naval cam- campaign, and in fact many Terran
paigns and space battles, setting up a A campaign can still focus on naval Free Traders turn to commerce raid-
campaign centered on such events can adventure, while avoiding many of the ing in wartime. Commerce raiders will
be very challenging. Serving naval scale problems of a main-fleet situa- engage in space battles with freighters
officers and crewmen have little free- tion. Terran commerce raiders often and small escort craft, but they also
dom to move about and adventure, operate independently, well behind carry ship’s troops in order to carry
especially in wartime or when the military frontier where they can’t out raids on undefended groundside
assigned to a major battle fleet. There rely on orders or support from their targets.
is also the problem of the campaign’s superiors. They have wide discretion
scale. It is difficult to set up a cam- as to where to operate and which tar- GROUND
paign involving large-scale fleet gets to attack. They often operate at a WARFARE
maneuvers and battles while still leav- disadvantage in technology or num-
ing PC adventurers with anything bers, and must be clever if they are to The Interstellar Wars era saw hun-
significant to do. succeed. dreds of major ground campaigns and
thousands of minor battles. Although
Possibly the best compromise is to Of course, successful commerce this book doesn’t include extensive
permit the players to take on the roles raiders rarely operate entirely alone. detail about the organization and tac-
of senior officers aboard a large war- Some find allies among subject-race tics of ground forces, the GM may
ship, possibly even a capital ship (like or dissident populations on Imperial wish to design a campaign around
the Indomitable-class battleship worlds, giving them a place to go for such operations.
described in Chapter 9). Such a ship
can be a base for wide-ranging adven-
tures, especially late in the Interstellar
Wars era when Terran fleets are
advancing across whole sectors.
Adventures involving maneuver and
battle can be interspersed with adven-
tures about intelligence gathering,
interaction with Imperial populations,
or even shore leave in exotic ports. The
adventurers’ ship will be very signifi-
cant even in the largest battles, and
will serve as a safe home base for
232 CAMPAIGNS
Terran Malcontents local population usually tried to
accommodate itself to the Terran pres-
No matter what the campaign frame, the GM should bear in mind that ence. There were exceptions, of course
the Interstellar Wars are not a campaign of Good against Evil. Terran – and even on a “pacified” world, some
propaganda is reminiscent of that used by the Allies during the World formerly Imperial citizens may be will-
Wars – casting the war as a noble crusade, exhorting the populace to be ing to conspire against the Terran
unified in purpose, demonizing the enemy as inhumane and un-Human. regime. Meanwhile, not all of the
Even so, many Terrans find it easy to be cynical about this portrayal, see- Terran immigrants were honorable
ing the Terran Confederation as an institution designed mostly to protect people. Many adventures can revolve
the privileges of a small minority of Terrans. around the effort to prevent unscrupu-
lous Terrans from exploiting the popu-
Terran travelers can easily be from backgrounds that are likely to lace or trying to carve out an empire
make them skeptical about the Terran social structure: citizens of poor independent of Terran control.
nations, poor citizens of major nations, citizens of colony worlds that are
shut out of meaningful participation in Confederation government. How EXPLORATION
much any one adventurer may resent or resist the Terran establishment
is up to the player. Plenty of worlds within a year’s
travel of Terra are unknown. Even in
Meanwhile, the GM should make a conscious choice about just how Imperial space, there are worlds that
much skepticism about the Confederation is warranted! A “good” remain uninhabited and have almost
Confederation may be very much as the propaganda portrays it: honest, never been visited. To rimward and
competent, and devoted to the survival and growth of Terran civilization. trailing of Terra is a vast expanse of
An “evil” Confederation may be far more corrupt than even the average unexplored territory, never colonized
Terran citizen believes. by either Terrans or the Imperium.
Many Terrans of the Interstellar
A campaign centered on a major short-term (although there is always Wars era regard this region as the
ground war would probably involve the possibility of treachery by an best hope for their future, a place to
no more than one world, usually a employer). Mercenaries will usually establish whole civilizations out of
Garden world with a large Imperial operate far from support, so if things the military (and cultural) reach of
population. The GM should develop go badly there may be nothing to the Imperium.
this world in considerable detail: prevent a disaster.
regional and local maps, the structure An exploration campaign can be
of pre-invasion government, the size OCCUPATION organized much like a naval or Free
and composition of Imperial forces, Trader campaign, in that the PC group
and information about local popula- Once a world has been secured, fills out the crew of a survey vessel.
tions and factions. Terran troops will Terran forces may remain stationed Most of the same techniques for char-
take part in combat missions of vari- there for many years. During this acter design apply here as well. The
ous sizes. Between battles, they will occupation period, Terran colonists Zheng He-class survey vessel is ideal
gather intelligence, borrow from the and administrators will arrive, begin- for this kind of campaign, and is typi-
local economy, and otherwise interact ning to integrate the world into the cal of the exploratory ships operated
with the civilian population. Terran Confederation. The period can by the Terran Navy throughout the
be one of considerable social change, Interstellar Wars era.
Ground-warfare campaigns rarely conflict, and opportunity.
involve months of all-out combat. The design of an exploration cam-
Once Terran forces secure space An entire campaign can be cen- paign can provide a serious challenge
around a given world, Imperial forces tered on the transition of an Imperial for the GM. Explorers don’t have the
will quickly be reduced to guerrilla world to full membership in Terran constant pressure of making a profit
and small-unit resistance. A campaign society. Adventurers can come from to drive their efforts, so the GM will
will involve lots of foot or vehicle the Terran Army, serving in the garri- have to come up with some other
patrols, occasional skirmishes with son, possibly accepting discharge ongoing challenge to maintain sus-
Imperial troops, and rare major con- locally in order to settle permanently pense. Meanwhile, explorers by defi-
frontations with plenty of artillery or on the occupied world. Others will be nition won’t be dealing with the
aerospace support. administrators, merchants, and Imperium very often, so there will be
colonists, come to build a Terran a shortage of interesting NPCs
An alternative way to approach this enclave among the Vilani or subject- (including villains) and character-
kind of campaign is to center the race population. The goal is to build a driven tasks. The GM may want to
game on the adventures of a Terran thriving hybrid society, and possibly consider introducing an alien civi-
mercenary unit. Terran mercenaries to win independence within the lization, renegade Terrans, or some
do travel from world to world fre- Terran Confederation. other party to provide both an
quently, and face a wide variety of ongoing challenge and a source of
opponents. They are usually hired Armed civilian resistance was rare NPC interactions.
for very specific objectives, so their on Imperial worlds; once Imperial
mission is usually clear and troops were forced to surrender, the
CAMPAIGNS 233
COLONIZATION the growing settlements, and will use in negotiations, acting as an advocate
force to maintain their control. for their fellow citizens in foreign ter-
During the Interstellar Wars era Colonial law enforcement authorities ritory, and generally trying to make
and afterward, most Terran migration may be thinly spread across whole friends and influence people. They
is to the worlds of the Vilani continents, unable to maintain control rarely see violent action and are not
Imperium. However, Terrans also set- on their own. Even law-abiding citi- trained for it; they are forced to think
tled dozens of worlds that were previ- zens will be forced to defend their own their way out of difficult situations.
ously uninhabited, carving new civi- lives and property.
lizations out of the wilderness. A com- Spies gather information on behalf
plete campaign can be set up around One advantage of a colony-based of their home government. Very few
the events on a single colony world. campaign is that the situation evolves spies are James Bond-style super-
very rapidly. PCs can easily find them- agents who engage in combat-heavy
The GM will need to design the selves to be important people, making missions. Most are trained in “field-
colony world in considerable detail, decisions that will affect an entire craft,” a set of techniques that enables
mapping existing settlements, placing world’s future history. them to recruit local allies, stay in con-
sites of interest to explorers, deciding tact with them, and gather informa-
what local flora and fauna may exist, DIPLOMACY tion from them – all without attracting
and so on. Important colonists will the attention of local authorities.
need to be drawn up as NPCs. AND
These two genres of adventure are
A Terran colony, especially in its ESPIONAGE linked because they are likely to occur
earliest days, will have a “Wild West” together. Both Terra and the Imperium
flavor about it. Aside from the dangers This campaign frame is unlikely to have similar diplomatic traditions. In
inherent in settling a new world, the require frequent starship travel or the peacetime, diplomats are relatively
colonists themselves will often be in development of new worlds. untouchable unless they are caught
conflict. Culture-groups that were Diplomacy and espionage are most spying, and even then they can only be
antagonistic back on Terra will be likely to take place near a center of expelled. This makes an embassy – a
thrown together on the new world. power, such as Terra or an Imperial Terran legation on an Imperial world,
Political factions will struggle to con- hub world. The GM may wish to set or the Imperial embassy on Terra – the
trol the rising colonial government. up one such world in considerable most common place from which to run
Groups will disagree about how to use detail, and have most of the campaign a spy ring. In any case, diplomats are
the new territory, and may try to steal take place there. among the most avid consumers of
land or force others to abandon their intelligence . . .
claims. Criminals will set up shop in Diplomats spend their time
representing their home government
CAMPAIGN SEEDS
Aside from the general campaign The best way to set up this kind of case, the adventurers begin the cam-
frames described above, the following campaign is to find a common back- paign together and familiar with each
special campaigns may be of interest ground for the PC adventurers. other, but with no connections, not
in an Interstellar Wars setting. Perhaps they are all from the same much money, and no easy way to get
poor nation, or they all come from the more.
EXILES TO same unprivileged segment of a major
GLORY nation-state’s population. A common An “exiles to glory” campaign can
history in Terran government or mili- use many of the campaign frames
To add a bit of grittiness, have all of tary service will help as well. In any described above. Ambitious ex-Army
the Terran characters come from poor or ex-Marine troopers may be
or outcast backgrounds. Terra is dom-
inated by the most influential citizens The Vilani Campaign
of its wealthiest nation-states; this
leaves most of the world’s population For a change of pace, an Interstellar Wars campaign can be set up on
shut out of political and commercial the other side of the epic conflict – with most or all of the PC adventurers
opportunities. This gives many citizens being Imperial citizens.
a rather cynical attitude toward uni-
fied Terra. They often regard service to An Imperium-centered campaign should likely still be set close to the
the Terran government or military as a interface with Terran civilization. In regions of Imperial space far from
way to gain personal advancement, the war zone, conflicts tend to be quietly Byzantine, involving behind-
not as an honorable obligation. Once the-scenes maneuvering and elaborate intrigue rather than direct action.
they are out of service, they look for a Close to Terran space, Imperial society may be fragmenting, permitting
way – any way – to avoid returning to Imperial characters to engage in more recognizable adventures.
the poverty-stricken and powerless Meanwhile, Terrans provide a tough adversary, especially later in the era.
communities they left behind.
234 CAMPAIGNS
discharged on an occupied Vilani Improvement Through Study, p. B292, TERRA
world, where they can seek out oppor- for guidelines). CONQUERED
tunities. People with starship experi-
ence may (somehow) come into pos- Once the travelers reach Vland, the For a real challenge, ignore the
session of a cast-off merchant ship, GM should have a complex and inter- “official” historical timeline and have
hoping to make a killing in interstellar esting series of adventures prepared for the Imperium conquer Terra!
trade. Settlers on a colony world may them – they are at the capital of the
strike out for new territory, hoping to entire Imperium, where the wealth and Terra could have fallen under
seize valuable land or mining rights. intrigue of 10,000 worlds converge! Imperial control at many different
Or they may stay in a colony’s boom- Perhaps they have made friendly con- points in history. Had the United
towns, trying to carve out a fortune in tact with one of the leading Imperial Nations and Terran Confederation not
the streets. nobles of the outer provinces, and can managed to keep Terra unified, some
use that connection to get involved in of Terra’s nation-states might have
The main difference in a campaign the highest levels of Imperial politics. If been tempted to come to a separate
of this type is that there is no assump- they have assimilated enough into arrangement with the Imperium.
tion that “following the rules” is the Vilani society, perhaps they can win Even with Terra unified, any of the
right thing to do. From the poor man’s appointment to important positions in first four Interstellar Wars might have
standpoint, the Terran establishment the Imperial bureaucracy. Or they may ended in a decisive Terran defeat, had
is designed to keep him penniless and find themselves, as always, barbarians – the Imperium been willing to expend
powerless. In any case, adventurers shut out of any legitimate advance- more effort on the task.
from a poor background are likely to ment, able to progress only through a
be viewed with suspicion by Terran high-stakes gamble. Yet the Interstellar Wars era was
authorities. To get ahead, adventurers not the time of maximum danger. For
will have to be grasping, ruthless, and If the Terrans win a place in about 1,000 years (from 200 to 1200)
not very respectful of authority. Much Imperial society, they may wish to stay Terra was ripe for Imperial conquest.
like most PCs in any roleplaying game, on Vland or somewhere else along the Only a few more parsecs of expansion
in fact . . . voyage, and the campaign can be at the end of the Consolidation Wars
resolved at that point. Otherwise they or during the conquest of the
GRAND TOUR will return to Terra. To avoid ending kimashargur (p. 18) would have
the overall campaign in anticlimax, brought Imperial armadas to Terra.
Throughout the Interstellar Wars the return voyage should be signifi- Even the mightiest Terran states of the
era, a number of Terrans made the cantly more challenging. Perhaps the time (the Roman Empire, the Arab
long journey to the Imperial capital. voyagers return to find that war has caliphates, or the T’ang or Sung
Some went out of curiosity, others in broken out, and they must avoid cap- dynasties in China) would have been
search of business opportunities, and ture if they are to return home. Or per- unable to resist an invasion.
others as spies. Most who attempted haps the connections they made at the
the journey never returned to Terra, Imperial capital will permit them to
dying or finding a new home some- intervene in affairs on the provincial
where along the way. Those few that frontier . . .
succeeded brought home fantastic
tales and, sometimes, great fortunes.
A voyage from Terra to Vland and
back using jump-2 transport takes 160-
200 jumps, depending on the exact
route taken. The trip is not likely to take
less than six and eight years, and may
take a good deal longer if the travelers
linger anywhere along the way.
The GM shouldn’t try to draw up
every world along the way. Instead,
the “grand tour” can be organized as a
series of mini-campaigns, each involv-
ing only a few worlds. The adventurers
arrive, become entangled in whatever
local problem or mystery exists, and
move on after the problem has been
resolved. There may be as much as a
year or two of “off-camera” time
between mini-campaigns; the GM
may hand out character points to
reflect experience earned during the
routine activity of these periods (see
CAMPAIGNS 235
Alternate Interstellar Wars
If the Terra Conquered setting isn’t exotic enough, try their knowledge of the future. A longer campaign can
one of the following campaign seeds for truly over-the- strand the adventurers in the past permanently, starting
top adventure. an Interstellar Wars campaign that doesn’t have to stick
with the “official” history . . . because the presence of the
Legacy of War time travelers has already created an alternate universe!
In this ambitious set-up, the campaign spans the Masterminds of Terra
entire Interstellar Wars era. The goal is to produce an
episodic campaign, mimicking a historical novel in As described on p. 135, psionics are virtually
which successive members of the same families interact unknown during the Interstellar Wars period . . . or so
with major events. They would have you believe. In fact, the Terran explo-
ration of space, the Interstellar Wars, and the eventual
The campaign is set up as a series of short story arcs, victory over the Ziru Sirka are all machinations of a
starting with First Contact with the Vilani (or even ear- secret cabal of Terran psis!
lier) and ending with the Terran victory over the Ziru
Sirka. Each story arc lasts for about 4-6 sessions, after After all, how else could a backwater world on the
which a number of years pass “off-camera.” Existing edge of the vast Imperium win such a conflict? Pundits
characters can become much more experienced, or they claim the Vilani underestimated the Terrans, and were
may retire (or die) and give way to their descendants. too caught up in provincial and traditional thinking –
but who forged those chains of thought? Who planted
For example, one hero might be a crewman on the idea that the Terrans were no real threat? Who fore-
board the StarLeaper One, involved in first contact with saw the right opportunities, and made sure the
the Vilani. By the start of the First Interstellar War, he Confederation seized them?
is a seasoned veteran. By the start of the Second, he
may have retired from active adventuring, but perhaps The Terran heroes in this campaign may uncover a
his son or daughter has entered the service. Players can dark conspiracy at the heart of their homeworld. They
swap family lines over time, cross them, and introduce might be unwitting pawns, or even latent psis targeted
entirely new lines of descent – perhaps introducing a for recruitment . . . or termination, if they refuse.
Vilani or other non-Terran Human into the cast of
characters. The Infinite Wars
Past Tense The Centrum (see p. B523 or GURPS Infinite
Worlds) has undertaken its most ambitious plan yet: to
This campaign frame permits experienced Traveller influence the outcome of the Interstellar Wars in favor of
players to bring their existing characters into the the Vilani Imperium! In many ways, Vilani culture is
Interstellar Wars era. After a jump accident, an similar to Centrum’s, and there is much to be gained by
encounter with a spatial anomaly, or tinkering with influencing so vast an empire. Infinity, naturally, favors
some Ancient device, a group of travelers from the Third the scrappy Terrans and opposes Centrum on principle.
Imperium find themselves in the time of the Interstellar Both sides try to influence the outcome of the Interstellar
Wars! Wars, without tipping their hand and revealing the
Secret to the technologically advanced civilizations of
Can the visitors from the future change history as this alternate. The heroes might be members of an I-
they know it? Should they? This could be a short cam- SWAT team, or locals who discover the cross-temporal
paign in which the stranded travelers look for a way back meddlers and their plans.
home, while avoiding changing the past and dodging
everyone who might wants to grab their technology or
After an Imperial conquest, Terra refused, and disrupted the Imperial most of the adventurers will be of
would have been ruled by Sharurshid regime, would have been stamped out. Terran origin at least partially assimi-
as a commercial colony. Vilani lated into Imperial culture. If the point
colonists would have arrived by the Over time, Terrans would have set- at which Terra was conquered is
millions, setting up industries, search- tled on many of the worlds of the placed early enough, the GM may
ing out local resources for exploita- Imperial rimward province – appar- want to work out an “alternate histo-
tion, teaching Imperial laws and cus- ently assimilated into Vilani society, ry” of events taking place after the
toms to the Terran population. but nursing deep-seated resentment Imperial arrival. The natural course of
Terrans who accepted Vilani ways against the Imperium. There they the campaign would be to work out
would have been rewarded with would have met the kimashargur, who how Terrans might adjust to their con-
wealth and a position in the felt similarly . . . quered state; this may involve violent
Sharurshid government. Terrans who rebellion or a long effort to win higher
A “Terra Conquered” campaign status within the Imperial system.
will be much like the Vilani-only cam-
paign (p. 234), with the exception that
236 CAMPAIGNS
ADVENTURE SEEDS
The following adventure seeds are Heart of Darkness The Imperial authorities in the
typical of the ones most likely to be region are effectively helpless due to
useful in the Interstellar Wars setting. Late in the Interstellar Wars era, a their own internal power struggles,
Terran renegade has gone to ground and possibly because of the Terran
Cash on Delivery on a world inside Imperial space. He advance. It is therefore up to a Terran
was once a very senior military officer, team to go in and deal with the rene-
The Terrans are assigned to sell a and he presently commands a mixed gade, before his activities cause a sub-
large cargo of electronic equipment on bag of Vilani renegades and Terran sector full of Vilani to conclude that
a Vilani world some distance behind mercenaries. His troops have deposed the Terrans must be resisted to the
the military frontier. Unfortunately, the Vilani governor and taken over the death. Of course, the Imperium may
the Imperium has placed import con- planet, which they now run as a pri- send an observer along, a rare
trols on such goods, and the nobles vate fief. This is not the only world instance of cooperation between the
governing the world in question are that has fallen under Terran control in two great powers.
particularly hostile to Terrans. On the a similar way, but in this case the
other hand, the local population renegade refuses to submit to Like a Desolating
would be very receptive to the goods, Confederation authority. He’s also a Pestilence
if properly approached. Can the mer- certifiable lunatic: paranoid, megalo-
chants persuade or get around maniac, and utterly ruthless toward Terran merchants are given a
Imperial authorities, and get the cargo the Vilani population of “his” world. cargo of vaccines and anti-viral medi-
to its intended audience? cines to be carried to a team of Terran
physicians posted on a remote
Imperial planet. When the ship
arrives, they find that the Terran
physicians are nowhere to be found,
apparently abducted by persons
unknown. Without them, the crew
can’t be paid for delivery, nor can the
cargo be used to save millions of lives
from the Terran-derived viral diseases
already appearing there. The local
population is already somewhat anti-
Terran, aside from a few friendly dis-
sidents, and the local government is
not at all helpful. Can the physicians
be found in time to prevent a
disaster?
Locked-Room Mystery
While visiting an Imperial world,
the Terran adventurers are invited to
an audience with an important local
figure – perhaps a shangarim aristocrat
or a local dissident leader. They attend
the audience, taking part in the social-
izing and entertainment that come
before a private meeting. Then, while
they are meeting privately with the
Imperial leader, he suddenly collapses
and dies.
The cause of death is not obvious
even to a Terran physician, much less
an Imperial one. Nevertheless, the
Terrans are accused of murder! Can
they determine what actually
happened, and clear their names?
CAMPAIGNS 237
Most Dangerous Game Finding the heir doesn’t take very one should know about, the names
long; he is living on a world only three and histories of his companions, and
Terran merchants carry an unusu- to four jumps away, and he isn’t hid- so on. The dissidents invite him to
al group of passengers – a party of ing from anyone. Unfortunately, he visit their homes, where they will
Vilani aristocrats on their way to a has “gone native” with a vengeance. “reveal his destiny.”
nearby world to hunt a particularly He has accepted Vilani customs, taken
dangerous game-beast that can be a Vilani name, married into a Vilani It turns out that the adventurer is
found there. The nobles enjoy their aristocratic family, and accepted a expected here. In fact, the dissidents
trip on the “barbarian” ship, and end position in the shangarim hierarchy. claim that they have expected his
by inviting some of the crew to accom- In short, he doesn’t want to go home arrival for centuries. He is the fulfill-
pany them on the expedition. More to Terra. ment of an ancient prophecy, which
eyes (and more guns) are always wel- claims that the Imperium will be over-
come, and the animal’s carcasses con- What follows is up to the GM. thrown and the dissidents will estab-
tain certain glands and organs that are Perhaps the heir can be persuaded to lish an independent state of their own
quite valuable. come home, although he will probably under his benevolent rule. The dissi-
want to bring his wife and a few asso- dents are ready to be led to victory.
The natural preserve in which the ciates with him. Or perhaps he will What are their leader’s orders?
game animals are found is quite have to be kidnapped – after which his
rugged. Local regulations place strict adopted family will doubtless send its Naturally, the adventurer and his
limits on the amount of high-technol- own agents out to retrieve him. friends will be suspicious. Still, the
ogy equipment that can be taken into evidence seems overwhelming: a dissi-
the preserve, or how many animals The Man Who Would dent leader of centuries past really
can be taken. Naturally, the game ani- Be Saarpuhii seems to have prophesied the adven-
mals are very dangerous, willing and turer’s arrival and his leadership
able to attack Humans. When the adventurers visit a against the Imperium. If the dissi-
remote Vilani world, one of them is dents are mounting a deception, it’s an
Soon, however, the party sees signs sought out by a local dissident faction. uncommonly good one. Meanwhile,
that they are not alone in the wilder- The dissident leaders seem to know a the local Imperial authorities are
ness. Then one of the Vilani noblemen great deal about him: his name, his weak, so a coup might even be
vanishes from their camp with signs of personal history, past events that no successful . . .
a struggle. Has a family rival struck in
the darkness? Or is someone else lurk-
ing in the rough country, watching and
waiting to strike again?
Return of the Native
While deep inside Imperial space,
the adventurers are contacted by
another Terran, the representative of
an extremely wealthy family back
home. The representative is far out of
his depth, and is effectively stranded
in the Imperium with no idea how to
proceed. He needs the adventurers
and their experience with Imperial
laws and customs.
Apparently the representative’s
employers have a serious problem.
The head of the family is feeling his
age, and wishes to hand over the fam-
ily holdings to his only son.
Unfortunately, the young man disap-
peared about two years ago while trav-
eling in Imperial space on business.
The representative has been sent to
track the heir down and return him to
Terra. He can pay the adventurers
handsomely (on the order of $2-3 mil-
lion) to guide him through the
Imperium, help him find the heir, and
help them return together to Terran
space.
238 CAMPAIGNS
INDEX
Academician template, 146. Challenges to Imperial rule, 30. Dilettante template, 149. Great Schism, 38, 40.
Addiction disadvantage, 135. Character packages, campaign, Dingir, 35, 110; subsector, 109, 229. Green badge, 119.
Administrative rank, 138. Diplomat template, 150. Greenhouse world, 96.
Advantages, 134. 231. Direct fire phase (in combat), 223. Ground forces, Terran, 62.
Adventure seeds, 237. Characters, 133. Disadvantages, 135. Ground warfare, 232.
Advertising, 70. Disciplines of Faith disadvantage, Gunner skill, 136.
Advisory Board, Terran Chauvinism, 72. Gunnery modifiers (in combat),
Childhood, Terran, 50; 136.
Confederation, 54. Vilani, 72. Dishaan, 83; racial template, 144. 227.
Agencies, Terran Confederation, 55. Chrysolite, 118. Doctor template, 150. Hardrada-class 800-dton commerce
Agidda, 113. Civil affairs, 64. Draft, The, 51.
Agrippa-class 1,000-dton corvette, Civilian control, 54. Droyne, 85. raider, 213.
Clan/Tribal government type, 99. Dumushir regime, 33. Harmonious Repose-class 200-dton
215. Class system, Vilani, 73. Dumushir, Kidarneri, 34.
Air/rafts, 168. Clerical Investment advantage, Duty disadvantage, 136. yacht, 208.
Albadawi period, 34. 134. Duusirka subsector, 105, 229. Hasegawa Limited, 67.
Albadawi, Manuel, 35, 36, 45. Code of Honor disadvantage, 135. Education, Terran, 50; Vilani, 72. Hasegawa, Yukio, 43, 66, 67.
al-Ghazali, Umar bin-Abdallah, 44, Collectivism, 70. Efficiency, 71. Hellenic Industries Limited, 67.
Colonial administration, Terran, 56. Eighth Interstellar War, 35. Hero-class 200-dton private
68. Colonial expansion, 29. Electronics, Imperial, 161.
Alpha Centauri, 114. Colonist template, 149. Ember, 115. merchant, 206.
Alternate Interstellar Wars, 236. Colonization campaign, 234. Empty Peace, 7, 29; playing in, 30. Hierarchy, Vilani, 78.
Alternative campaigns, 232. Combat rounds, 219. Endgame, playing out, 38. High Frontier Development
Anachronisms, 85. Commerce Raiding campaign, 232. Entertainer template, 150.
Anakundu, 80; racial template, 143. Common ships, 201. Entertainment, Terran, 52. Consortium, 68.
Anarchy government type, 99. Communications gear, 162; Environment, Terran, 48. High TL advantage, 134.
Ancients, 13, 85. systems, 172. Envoys, 24. High Vilani, 15; language, 134.
Answerin, 81; racial template, 144. Computer Hacking skill, 136. Erasharshi, Kadur, 27, 31, 44. Hill and Masterson, 68.
Apishlun, 108; subsector, 107, 229. Computer Programming skill, 136. ESP, 135. Home rule, 131.
Appearance advantage, 134. Computers, personal, 162; systems, Espionage, 234. Honesty disadvantage, 136.
Archimedes Station, 21. 172. Estigarribia, Hiroshi, 47. Human origins, 13.
Architecture, Terran, 52; Vilani, 75. Conservatism, 69. Evolution, convergent, 13. Igsiirdi, 77.
Ariirkii, 37. Consolidation Wars, 15, 18, 29, 72. Expeditionary forces, 61. Iiken-class 100-dton scout/courier,
Armed merchant marine, 65. Consumables and extras, 201. Exploration, 233.
Armor, 162. Contact era, 24. Facing (in combat), 220. 205.
Army, Terran, 62; Vilani, 93. Contact procedures, 184. FarStar Association, 67. Iilike, 34, 35.
Asteroid Belt world, 96. Convergent evolution, 13. Feudal government type, 99. Iinu, 104.
Asteroidenbergwerke GmbH, 67. Convoy escort, 60. Feudalism, corporate, 13. Imperial 10-dton missile fighter,
Athenian Democracy government Corporate merchant fleets, 66. Fifth Interstellar War, 32.
Corporate Official job, 157. Financing, 174. 201.
type, 99. Corporate State government type, First colonies, 21. Imperial-kimashargur allegiance,
Athlete template, 146. 99. First contact, 22.
Athletics, Terran, 53; Vilani, 75. Corporations, major, 67. First Imperium, 4. 98.
Atmospheric taints, 125. Corrosive atmosphere, 97. First Interstellar War, 7, 25. Imperial Terra, 37.
Attorney template, 147. Cosmopolitanism, 9. Fourth Interstellar War, 30, 32. Imperial-Vegan allegiance, 98.
Awareness, 135. Cost of living, 143. Free Traders Foundation, 26; Imperium, 69; administration, 78;
Bannerjee-class 400-dton system Courtesy rank, 143.
Covert operations, 176. movement, 26. allegiance, 98; Client State
defense boat, 210. Crockett-class 100-dton picket ship, Free Traders, 66. allegiance, 98; Code of
Barnard’s Star, 23. 203. Gadgeteer advantage, 134. Honor, 135; collapse,
Barren (Ice) world, 96. Cultural Familiarity advantage, Galaxy Map, 100. 39; hierarchy, 78;
Barren (Rock) world, 96. 134. Garden world, 96. military rank, 140;
Basic trade system, 178. Culture, Vilani, 74. Gargarin, Yuri, 21. society, 15; status,
Battle of Three Suns, 40. Curious disadvantage, 136. Gashidda, 36. 137; surrender, 40;
Bawapab language, 134. Cybernetics, 160. Gashidda-class 400-dton Imperial
Behmer Aktiengesellschaft, 67. Damage control phase (in combat), technology, 160; wealth, 142.
Belter template, 148. 225. patrol cruiser, 211. Imperium boardgame, 4.
Biographies, 41. Darmine, 39, 40. G-carriers, 168. Indomitable-class 30,000-dton
Biotechnology, 160. Deck plans, Crockett-class 100-dton Gear, personal, 162.
Birth, Terran, 50; Vilani, 72. picket ship, 204; Gashidda- Gemini subsector, 120. battleship, 217.
Black-flag Terrans, 24. class 400-dton Imperial patrol Gender roles, 133. Inferno, 120.
Blue helmet, 21. cruiser, 212; Hero-class 200- General Assembly, Terran Interface operations, 170.
Branch routes, 177. dton private merchant, 207; International affairs, Terran, 49.
Breakout, 31. Lightning-class 400-dton Confederation, 54. Interplanetary travel, 173.
Bridge systems, 172. frontier merchant, 209. Generating worlds, 121. Interstellar exploration, 182; trade,
Bureau of Colonization, 66. Decline of the nation-state, 8. Generation ships, 22.
Bureaucrat template, 148. Deep space jumps, 171. Geonee, 39, 40, 84; language, 134; 177; travel, 174.
Bwaps, 82; racial template, 144. Degen, Josep, 35. Intolerance disadvantage, 136.
Campaigns, 228; alternative, 232; Describing Worlds, 95. racial template, 144. Jobs, 157.
Desert (Ice) world, 96. Glacier world, 96. Journalist template, 151.
goals, 230; seeds, 234. Desert (Rock) world, 96. Goals, campaign, 230. Jump drive, 22, 169; mishaps, 171;
Capella subsector, 118. Detection and communication Government Official job, 157.
Capitalist template, 148. phase (in combat), 221. Governors, 78. operations, 171.
Careers, Terran, 51; Vilani, 73. Dictatorship government type, 99. Grand Tour campaign seed, 235. Junction, 114.
Cash on Delivery adventure seed, Grav modules, 22. Kaareshur, 103.
Great Ministers of the Four Kargash-class 2,000-dton Imperial
237.
Caste government type, 99. Quarters, 78. light cruiser, 216.
Celestial bodies (in combat), 225. Karl Marx-class 1,000-dton heavy
free trader, 214.
Kaufmann Sternenschiffbau AG,
68.
Khugi, Sharrukin, 42.
Known universe, 95.
Kovacs, Arpad, 39, 46.
Kushuggi, 18; sector, 13.
INDEX 239
Languages advantage, 134. Peacekeeping, 8. Sharurshid standard 2,000-dton campaign, 229; ground forces,
Launch and docking phase (in Peraspera, 115. branch freighter, 216. 62; ground tactics, 65;
Per-capita income, 132. international affairs, 49; leisure,
combat), 224. Personal gear, 162. Sharurshid standard 2,000-dton 52; major nation-states, 56;
Legacy of War campaign seed, 236. Petty emperors, 78. passenger liner, 216. Marine corps, 59; merchant
Legal Immunity advantage, 134. Pharmaceuticals, 160. marine, 65; military rank, 139;
Legion of the Frontier, 94. Phidippides-class 200-dton fast Shiphandling skill, 137. national governments, 55; naval
Leisure, Terran, 52. Shulgiasu, 107. tactics, 61; navy, 57;
Life support systems, 173. courier, 205. Shulimik, 34, 35. neighborhood, 101; occupied
Lightning-class 400-dton frontier Philosophy skill, 137. Shululsish, 102; subsector, 101.
Phoenix expeditions, 57. Shuruppak, 33. 35. worlds, 57; political
merchant, 208. Piloting skill, 137. Siege mentality, 53. organization, 53;
Likushan, Shana, 24, 42. Placing populations, 127. Siege of Terra, 27. political parties, 55;
Liriinan, 102. Placing worlds, 121. Sionnach, 116. public service, 51;
Longevity, Vilani, 75. Plagues, 30. Sirius, 111. religious rank, 141;
Long-range exploration, 62. Planetary defense, 65. Sixth Interstellar War, 33. retirement, 51; social
Low TL disadvantage, 136. Planetary invasion, 65. Skills, 136.
Low Vilani, 15, 73; language, 134. Planetary-defense army, 64. Smutny Associates, 68. unrest, 49; standards of
Main Fleets campaign, 232. Point defense and missile fire Social Regard advantage, 134. living, 49; Starport Authority,
Major nation-states, Terran, 56. Social Stigma disadvantage, 136. 68; status, 137; strategy, 60;
Major routes, 177. phase (in combat), 224. Social unrest, Terran, 49. technology, 159; wealth, 142.
Maneuver drives, 169. Point totals, 133. Sol, 114; subsector, 112. Terran 10-dton light fighter, 202.
Maneuver phase (in combat), 221. Policeman template, 152. Soldier job, 158. Terran Confederation, 7, 8, 38, 40,
Mapping a subsector, 121. Political organization, Terran, 53, Soldier template, 154. 53; agencies, 55.
Marine Corps, Terran, 59. Special rules (in combat), 225. Terran-Vilani allegiance, 98.
Marine template, 151. Vilani, 76. Speculative trade, 178; system, 180. Thalassa, 117; subsector, 116.
Marines, Vilani, 91. Political parties, Terran, 55. Speeders, 168. Theocracy government type, 99.
Markhashi, 35. Politician template, 152. Spy template, 155. Third Imperium, 4.
Masterminds of Terra campaign Pollutants, 125. Standard 100-dton interplanetary Third Interstellar War, 27, 28.
Population categories, 127. Topornin/Rostovtzeff, 68.
seed, 236. Populations, placing, 127. shuttle, 203. Toxic atmosphere, 97; organic, 125.
Medical Equipment, 165. Power projection, 59. Standard 10-dton lifeboat, 202. Trade routes, 177.
Merchant organization, 66. Precedent, 76. Standard 20-dton assault craft, Travel times, 173.
Merchant rank, 141. Pre-Garden world, 96. Treaty of Ensulur, 36.
Merchant types, 65. Procyon, 32, 35, 114. 202. Treaty of New York, 20.
Mesa, 119. Progress, technological, 9. Standard 30-dton ship’s boat, 202. Tunguska, 119.
Meshan, 110. Prometheus, 10, 29, 114. Standard atmosphere, 97. Underkings, 78.
Meson cannon, 36. Prosthetics, 160. Standards of living, Terran, 49. Unexplored planets, 116, 119.
Military occupation, 65. Protective gear, 162. StarLeaper One, 23. United Nations Space
Military police, 64. Provincial governors, 78. StarLeaper-class 1,000-dton Coordination Agency, 21.
Military rank, 139. Psionics, 135. United Nations, 7, 19, 53.
Miniphant, 52. Psychokinesis, 135. exploration vessel, 214. United Worlds Organization, 26.
Minor routes, 177. Psychology, Vilani, 69. Starship Bridge Officer template, UNSCA, 21.
Mirabilis, 29. Public service, Terran, 51. Unskilled Laborer job, 158.
“Miracle drugs,” 166. Racial templates, 143. 155. Uplift, 52.
Misexit, 171. Ramming modifiers (in combat), Starship Commander template, Urima subsector, 103, 229.
Misjump, 172. Ushiin, 104.
Movement phase (in combat), 222. 227. 156. Vegans, 35, 36, 88; allegiance, 98;
Muan Gwi, 105. Redwing Express, Incorporated, Starship Crewman job, 158. language, 134; Polity, 18, 36;
Muan Issler, 106. Starship Deckhand template, 156. racial template, 145.
Muan Kwoyen, 37. 68. Starship Engineer template, 157. Vehicles, 168.
Mutual assimilation, 12. Religious rank, 141. Starships, 169; combat, 219; costs, Vilani, 69; administrative rank, 138;
Nanotechnology, 161. Representative Democracy and glory, 89; architecture, 75;
National governments, Terran, 55. 174; design, 187; operations, aristocracy, 23; army, 93; army
National sovereignty, 8. government type, 99. 173. rank, 93; athletics, 75; birth, 72;
Nation-state, decline of, 8. Retirement, Terran, 51. Status, 137. campaign, 234; careers, 73;
Naval bases, 59, 129. Richtofen-class 400-dton missile Strider, Lorette, 43. childhood, 72; class system, 73;
Naval rank, Terran, 140; Vilani, 90, Subgiant world, 96. culture, 74; dissidents, 76;
corvette, 210. Subject races, 80. education, 72; exploration, 17;
141. Rim Province, 13. Sublight interstellar travel, 174. hero, 71; Imperial
Naval strategy, Vilani, 92. Rogue template, 153. Suerrat, 39, 40, 86; language, 134; administration, 78; Imperial
Navigation skill, 136. Saris-Yenisei bridge, 120. racial template, 145.
Navy, Terran, 57, Vilani, 89. Savoir-Faire skill, 137. Suffocating atmosphere, 97. hierarchy, 78; Imperium,
Neodog, 52. Scientist job, 158. Supreme governors, 78. 12, 76; longevity, 75;
New millennium, 19. Scientist template, 154. Survey operations, 182. marines, 91; military,
New York, Treaty of, 20. Scrounger job, 158. Survival gear, 167. 89; naval rank, 90;
Ninth Interstellar War, 36, 37. Second Interstellar War, 27. Susceptible disadvantage, 136. naval strategy, 92;
Non-aligned allegiance, 98. Secretariat, Terran Confederation, Suspended animation, 166. navy, 89; political
Novotny Factoring, 68. System defense, 60. organization, 76;
Nugiiri, 85; racial template, 145. 54. System survey, 62. psychology, 69;
Nusku, 12, 29, 30, 33, 35, 112. Secretary-General, Terran Tactical combat system, 219. racial template, 146;
Occupation campaign, 233. Tainted atmosphere, 97. religious rank, 142;
Occupational templates, 146. Confederation, 53. Talent advantage, 135.
Occupied worlds, Terran, 57. Sensor modifiers (in combat), 227. Technological progress, 9. secret societies, 76;
Official history, 19. Sensors, personal, 167; systems, Technology, 159. settlement patterns, 79; way of
Opening moves, 24. Telepathy, 135. life, 72; way of war, 89.
Operations, Terran army, 65, Terran 172. Teleportation, 135. Vostok I, 21.
Sequence of action, 220. Terra, 48; administrative rank, Wealth, 142.
navy, 59. Settlement patterns, Vilani, 79. 138; allegiance, 98; and Weapons (personal), 167.
Organic toxins, 125. Seventh Interstellar War, 34. colonists, 40; architecture, 52; Workaholic disadvantage, 136.
Organization, Terran army, 63, Shadow Emperor, 36, 76, 78. athletics, 53; birth and World types, 96.
Shamshir-class 1,000-dton Imperial childhood, 50; careers, 51; Worlds, placing, 121.
Terran navy, 58. Client State allegiance, 98; Yangila, Sharik, 30-33, 45.
Outback region, 32, 120. destroyer escort, 215. colonial administration, 56; Zheng He-class 800-dton survey
Overconfidence disadvantage, 136. Sharrukin clan, 41. colonies, 10; conquest, 10; vessel, 211.
Oynprith language, 134. Sharrukin, Arashir, 34-37, 42. counteroffensive, 28;
Parsec, 95. Sharrukin, Eneri, 33, 41. discontents, 233; education, 50;
Sharrukin, Khugi, 34, 37, 38. entertainment, 52;
Sharrukin, Ushan, 41. environment, 48; free traders
Sharurshid standard 10,000-dton
line freighter, 217.
240 INDEX
ONE WORLD AGAINST THOUSANDS
The struggle between the First
Imperium and the Terran
Confederation has always
been a pivotal era in
Marc Miller’s Traveller
universe. Now, for the
first time, Traveller players
can explore this rich setting.
Interstellar Wars covers
200 years of war, peace, and
overwhelming change as the ancient
Vilani Imperium falls to the upstart
Terrans. Forge new trade routes
within the Imperium. Defend the
homeworld from invaders during
the Siege of Terra. Make first
contact with alien races. Help
guide the Confederation in its
expansion from a single planet
to a star-spanning empire.
GURPS Traveller: Interstellar
Wars is an official GURPS Fourth
Edition sourcebook for the Traveller
universe. It includes a detailed
timeline, along with rules for starship
design, interstellar trade, exploration,
ship-to-ship combat, and tailoring characters
to the last days of the First Imperium.
By Paul Drye, Loren Wiseman, and Jon F. Zeigler Edited by Wil Upchurch and Steve Jackson
Cover Art by Jesse DeGraff and Bob Stevlic
Illustrated by Andy Akins, Jesse DeGraff, Chris Quilliams, and Bob Stevlic
1ST EDITION, 1ST PRINTING
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2006
ISBN 1-55634-746-4
9!BMF@JA:RSVSUVoY`Z^ZnZnZ`
Printed in
$39.95 SJG 01-2401 the USA
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GURPS - 4th Edition - Traveller Interstellar Wars
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