Starship

A **Starship** is a massive human spacecraft designed for travel between stars. They are the largest class of spacecraft, with some featuring entire communities and living spaces in order to harbor a large crew for extended periods of time during the voyage between stars.

## History

### Origins

The first starships came about during late interplanetary colonization, before the invention of the Drive. These pre-FTL starships lacked any sort of FTL capabilities, relying completely on arrays of fusion engines. Because of this, early starships took decades to travel even the smallest distances between stars.

### Interstellar Colonization

Following the creation of the Superluminal Drive, starships would be able to cross interstellar gaps in mere months. Because of this, starships would suddenly become much more frequently used. Warship spacecraft would also be developed during this time.

### The Resource Wars

In the years following the formation of the United Systems and the Interstellar Navy, starships would see a period of rapid innovation and development, improving their speeds and cementing Drive ships as an effective class of spacecraft.

## Types

### Colony Ships

Colony ships are massive starships specifically designed to transport and sustain massive populations of colonists during interstellar voyages. Because of the need to sustain human life for long periods of time, colony ships are typically constructed as O'Neill Cylinders in order to create artificial gravity and ample living space.

### Warships

Warship spacecraft are vessels designed for war and space combat.

#### Assault Craft

Assault craft are fast and heavily armored, but hard to maneuver, light spacecraft. In most scenarios, they are almost entirely autonomous from larger ships of the line, and are piloted by one person. Assault craft are typically characterized by strong point defense, but minimal offensive capabilities. Most assault craft serve as dropships in order to transport planetside forces - such as rangers, marines, mechs, and small vehicles. Some assault craft are also used explicitly for point defense of larger ships.

#### Corvettes

Corvettes are smaller (at least compared to ships of the line) warships with heavy armor plating, huge acceleration, but limited offensive armament. Due to their niche specifications, corvettes are rarely deployed. In the case that they are, they are almost always used as blockade runners and couriers.

#### Light Attack Craft

Light attack craft, or LAC's, are the most balanced crafts in term of defensive and offensive capabilities. They carry even sets of armaments and medium armor plating. However, light attack craft are incapable of FTL travel, and are stationed in-system for search and rescue, commerce protection, and as pirate hunters.

#### Frigates

Frigates are variants of corvette designs which trade some heavy armor for incredible maneuverability and balanced armaments. They were primarily used for search and rescue and commerce protection. However, the United Systems has since removed all frigates from service, allowing them to end up in the hands of pirates, insurgents, and other private organizations.

#### Destroyers

Destroyers are widely considered to be the standard warship. They are well balanced in most regards, typically having reasonable or even excellent characteristics. However, destroyers do not have the capacity for large complements. On average, they only carry a single platoon of marines and two dropships - and support limited orbital bombardments as well.

#### Cruisers

Cruisers are generally thought of as the most versatile single vessel. They are significantly larger than destroyers, and proportionally possess far less weapons systems. However, they make up for this with a large troop complement. Light cruisers tend to three companies of marines, four dropships, and three mechs (including their corresponding transport). Heavy cruisers are extended versions of light cruisers. Because of this, they are slower and less maneuverable, but are able to carry massive amounts of troops, armor, and ammunition - allowing them to be more flexible for longer campaigns. Heavy cruisers are able to carry four full companies of marines, eight mechs (and their corresponding transport), as well as twelve dropships.

#### Battleships

Battleships are craft significantly larger than even cruisers, going up to double their internal volume. However, they only carry two marine companies despite their immense size. This allows for battleships to be armed with multiple spinally-mounted weapons, as well as multiple banks of radially mounter lasers. The remaining internal volume is take up by oversized reactors and powerful engines.

#### Carriers

A carrier is a modified version of a battleship - featuring a downgraded reactor, the removal of some weapons systems, and some other minor modifications. All of these changes creates enough space within carriers to support several battalions of ground forces. This combined with the ability to hold twenty mechs, forty ground vehicles, and thirty dropships - as well as a number of advanced weapon fittings - makes carriers the premier ship for orbital bombardments.

### Other

Aside from colony and warships, starships come in a wide variety of different forms and roles.

#### Freighters

Freighter space craft are starships specifically designed to carry cargo across vast astronomical distances. Because of this, they possess large cargo bays - as well as light armament in order to defend from pirates.