Spaceships

## Space Combat

Combat in space uses a set of rules intended to be deadly and impactful. Combat is played out in turn-based rounds; each round represents a timespan of six seconds. Space ships carry out actions in an order decided by rolling their AGI dice for initiative, adding any relevant modifiers. Characters on board ships roll their own initiative order, and their turns take place in order immediately after the turn taken by the ship they are riding.

### **Dice Steps**

A number of mechanics in space combat take advantage of dice steps. Dice steps are equal to the average of a d6, or 3. Dice steps represent degrees of success on a given roll. For example, rolling within one step of a roll's DC is barely succeeding, while rolling 4 steps over it would be the equivalent of a flawless success.

### **Attacking**

Whenever one ship attacks another, a roll is made to determine whether that attack hits. If the attacking ship has a fire control system, the roll uses a number of dice equal to the ship's PRO stat plus the **tracking** modifier of the weapon being used.

Alternatively, a character can choose to aim and fire shipboard weapons manually, using their weapon skill in place of the ship's PRO stat to make the attack roll; in this case, the tracking modifier still applies to the number of dice rolled.

If the attacker's roll is equal to or greater than the defender's evasion roll, the attack hits and a second roll using 1d100 is made, which determines what part of the ship is struck. Component slots each have a roll range on a d100, and individual components have roll ranges within them. If an attack lands on a number not within a component's roll range, then it hits a compartment instead.

### **Defending**

When a ship is attacked, it makes an evasion roll to avoid getting hit. This roll uses a number of dice equal to the ship's AGI stat plus its PRO stat. It also receives a flat modifier in the form of **evasion** granted by the ship's propulsion.

Alternatively, a character can choose to pilot and evade manually. When a character pilots a ship manually, they add their piloting skill to the ship's AGI in place of the ship's PRO to make the defense roll. In this case, the ship's evasion modifier grants extra dice rather than a flat bonus. If the ship's evasion modifier is negative, it still takes only a flat penalty and does not lose whole dice. In almost all cases, manual evasion is superior, making good pilots a hot commodity in Sol. There are some exceptions to this, such as ships with onboard AIs.

If the attacking ship's roll is less than the defending ship's roll, the attack misses.

### **Penetration**

After an attack successfully lands on a ship, a penetration roll is made to determine whether that attack deals damage. Weapons and armor have opposing stats to determine success. The attacker rolls a number of dice equal to the weapon's **penetration** stat against a DC equal to the average roll result of the defender's DUR and thickness dice. For example, if a weapon has a penetration of 5, and strikes a ship with a DUR of 2 and armor thickness of 1, the attack rolls 5d6 against a DC of 9 (the average of 3d6).

#### **Armor**

Surviving a firefight in space is nearly impossible without armor. All ships can have up to three layers of armor, which can be of any armor type. Armor types vary in thickness and damage resistance. When using the same type of armor, damage resistance and thickness are both stacked. When using multiple types of armor, thickness is stacked, but damage reduction is separate, using only the highest value.

For example, if a ship has one layer of armor with a thickness of 1 and a damage resistance of 2 against explosives and 1 against kinetic weapons, as well as two layers of armor with thickness of 1 each and a damage resistance of 1 against kinetic weapons, then the ship's total armor would be 3 thickness, 2 explosive resistance, and 2 kinetic resistance.

Keep in mind that spaceships are not *required* to use the maximum possible amount of armor. Each additional layer of armor will have a negative impact on a ship's maneuverability. For smaller ships with inherently greater agility, using less armor to improve evasiveness is often preferable.

##### *Resistance*

Each type of armor offers varying resistances against different sources of damage. Each point of resistance to a given damage type increases the penetration DC of attacks made using that damage type by +3, equivalent to an extra layer of armor thickness.

The sources of damage which are threatening to spaceships include:

* Kinetic Attacks - this includes railguns and gauss guns, as well as conventional guns, drone blades and even resistance to collisions
* High Explosive Attacks - this includes most types of rockets and missiles, explosive shells and the like
* Laser Attacks - this includes attacks made by any type of AEWS, so lasers, masers, xrasers, etc.
* Plasma Attacks - attacks made with PPGs and lightning projectors

There is no resistance to be had against other types of weapons, such as particle cannons and freeze rays.

### **Damage**

Whenever a ship takes damage, the roll made to determine what part of the ship is struck decides the result, but it always causes a hull breach. If a component is hit, the component is either damaged or destroyed depending on the weapon's description. If the component is damaged, it can be brought back into operation with extensive repairs, requiring either days to weeks of work in space, or a visit to a friendly maintenance facility. If the component is destroyed, it is completely removed from the ship's sheet.

If a compartment is struck, the degree of damage suffered is based on the initial penetration roll. If the penetration roll was within one dice step of the DC, only a hull breach is suffered. If it was two steps above the DC, wiring in the compartment is destroyed, disabling power to nearby electronics. If it was three steps above the DC, atmospheric pipes are also destroyed, preventing the compartment from being refilled with air even after the hull breach has been sealed. If it was four steps above the DC, the compartment is utterly annihilated, leaving a crater in the defending ship.

### **Destruction**

Whenever a ship suffers a hull breach, it is essentially the same as when a human character suffers a wound. The ship rolls its DUR stat - plus any relevant modifiers - against a number of dice equal to the number of hull breaches the ship has suffered. If it fails this roll, the ship is either obliterated or completely disabled, depending on the attacker's whim. Compartments that have been totally destroyed by overpenetration count as three breaches to represent the immense and sudden loss of oxygen.

### **Roll Range**

Each component has a roll range on a d100 which determines whether the component or a compartment gets hit. Uninstalled components can never be hit, and are always hits to compartments. When any component's roll range is rolled, compare the component's roll range to the component's size. The bottom range to hit the component is the bottom of the component type's roll range, and the top range is equal to the minimum roll range plus the component's size.

For example, if a 1d100 accuracy roll lands on any number between 1 and 10, it can hit the "generator" component. If the component has a size of 5, then it is hit on any accuracy roll between 1 and 6. If the roll lands on a 7 to a 10, it hits a compartment.

Any roll over 90 automatically misses any component and hits a compartment.

Mathematically, any individual part type being targeted has a chance of 11.1% to be hit, and any size modifier higher than 0 increases the chance of the individual part being hit within its roll range by 11.1% per size step. So 11.1% can be thought of as the "standard unit of chance" for hitting spaceship components.

 Computers
 Main Propulsion
 Secondary Propulsion
 Life Support
 Weapons
 Auxiliary Systems
 Artificial Gravity
 Negaton Drive
 Bridge/Cockpit

### **Multiple Components**

It is possible to equip multiple components in the same slot, but it is not possible to equip an *unlimited number* of them. The number of components that can be equipped in any given slot is based on the sum of the component's sizes and the size of the ship. This is referred to as **size capacity**. For instance, if a ship has a size capacity of 20, it can equip a number of components in an individual slot whose sizes sum to a number no more than 20.

#### **Multiple Components - Roll Ranges**

If a given component slot has multiple components, then the roll ranges do *not* stack - they overlap. The attacker may choose any part to target whose roll range is surpassed.

For example, if a ship has two guns - one with a size of three, and one with a size of four - the roll range for the first gun is 51-54, and the roll range for the second gun is 51-55. If the attacker rolls a 54, they may only target the first gun. If they roll a 55, they may choose to target either the first or the second gun.

#### **Critical Hits**

Normally, critical hits in 2308 are dealt by making a called shot with a penalty to aim. In space combat, however, critical hits occur automatically with a very low chance as a result of the d100 roll range. If the roll lands on 100, the attack hits the enemy ship's cockpit or bridge. When rolling to penetrate the bridge, the penetration DC uses the minimum values instead of the average values of the defender's dice. For instance, the DC for an attack to penetrate a ship with no armor and 5 durability would normally be 15, but if the attack hit the cockpit, it would be 5.

## To Make a Space Ship

REQUIRED SHIP PARTS: Chassis, Power Generator, Computer System, Main Propulsion, Secondary Propulsion, Bulkhead Structure, Atmospheric System

OPTIONAL SHIP PARTS: Weapons, External Armor, Internal Armor, Auxiliary Systems, Artificial Gravity Generator, Negaton Drive

Build a ship using the guide below! Each part costs a certain number of points, relative to its overall price in credits and its rarity. You start with a number of points to spend based on your gifts or at your GM's discretion, spread across a number of different modules. If something has a cost, it will be listed next to the item's name between a pair of brackets.

Ex: **Deluxe Rubber Ducky** [25]

### **STATISTICS**

Every item will have its mechanical effects listed in a table, with a more detailed description below. Mechanics specific to certain types of items are explained in their sections.

#### **Attributes**

Any impact on a ship's core attributes, using their abbreviations.

#### **Size**

This determines the size of a ship, or the size of a component. Ship sizes can be Very Small, Small, Medium, Large or Very Large. Component sizes can be between 0 and 9.

For ships, this represents the overall size of the chassis, and impacts all of the ship's attributes.

For components, this represents the amount of space inside the ship that the component occupies. Add the component's size to the bottom of the 1d100 accuracy roll range for that component.

#### **Size Capacity**

Spaceships can use a number of components in each component slot whose sizes sum to a number no greater than their size capacity. This describes the number of individual components that can fit within a given slot and represents things like the *number* of hardpoints a ship has, or the *number* of internal compartments it has to mount extra equipment.

For example, a small ship with a size capacity of 15 can fit three parts with a size of 3 and a part with a size of 4 in the same slot, or it could fit three parts with a size of 5 in the same slot.

Size capacity only applies to weapons, auxiliary components, computer systems and life support.

All other components are assumed to scale linearly in size to maintain their effectiveness on larger ships. A ship cannot have more than one form of primary propulsion or more than one power generator, for example.

#### **Size Limit**

Spaceships can use components of any size up to the ship's size limit. This describes the maximum size of any given individual component to be mounted on the starship and represents things like the *size* of the ship's individual hardpoints or the *size* of its internal mounting compartments.

For example, a ship with a size limit of 5 cannot use any component with a size of 6 or greater.

Size Limits apply to all components.

#### **Size Modifiers**

It is possible to make modifications to some types of components to bypass either size capacity or size limit. This usually comes with significant drawbacks, and is dependent on the type of component to be modified.

##### **Miniaturized**

A component which has been **miniaturized** has been subject to weight and size reduction engineering techniques. Usually, this involves drilling holes, cutting off edges, removing collapsible compartments and embedding them, or even replacing circuitry with smaller, more expensive parts. Any component that has a size of 4 or higher can be miniaturized; smaller parts are already as small as they can get.

When a component is miniaturized, reduce its size by one half, rounded up. Miniaturized components cost twice as much to maintain and have their operating times reduced by 90%. A component with an operating time of a year would drop to around a month, and so on. Additionally, they become Volatile and the DCs to repair them or maintain them are doubled.

Weapons, armor and some auxiliary components cannot be miniaturized (GM's discretion).

##### **Spinally Mounted**

A component that has been **spinally mounted** is a component that runs through the entire interior of a spaceship from front to back. Only weapons can be spinally mounted. Spinally mounted weapons cannot be installed on existing spacecraft without taking it apart and rebuilding it entirely; they must be built into the design.

When spinally mounting a weapon, you increase your ship's effective size limit for mounting that weapon by 3.

#### **Maintenance Fee**

Everything has a price. Maintenance fees determine how much has to be spent to maintain a particular ship or component. This includes factors like refueling engines, lubricating thruster intakes, flushing nuclear waste, etc. If a maintenance fee cannot be paid, then the ship or component is disabled until it can be. Maintenance fees are paid in intervals determined by the item's operation time.

Characters with the engineering skill can perform maintenance themselves, but still require credits to afford raw materials, fuel and the like. Reduce the price to 10% of the normal cost.

Under normal conditions, no roll has to be made to perform maintenance. The character simply can or cannot do the job, depending on their skill level. Use the maximum possible roll for their engineering dice, adding any relevant modifiers. They can maintain any component on the ship with a *ship generation point cost* lower than than that number.

When you decide on what parts and what size of ship you want to use, keep maintenance prices in mind. Whether you will be able to pay them or not depends on what you pick and the nature of your campaign, so you should temper your expenditure based on what you plan to be doing in game. The largest ships with the most expensive hardware are probably unaffordable for individuals other than ultra wealthy, but your GM might have maintenance fees paid entirely or in part by an organization you belong to, or a rich sponsor.

#### **Operation Time**

Nothing lasts forever. The operation time of a given ship or component determines how long that ship or component can function before it needs to be maintained, either at a proper facility or otherwise. Once a component reaches its maximum operation time, it is disabled until the maintenance fee can be paid.

Characters with the engineering skill can use that skill to extend the operating time of a component. This can be done with any component ***except*** components that consume fuel. This includes most types of propulsion and power generators, as well as some auxiliary devices.

Make an engineering roll for each component whose operation time you want to extend, adding relevant modifiers. The DC for each roll is equal to the item's *ship generation point cost*. If you succeed, the component does not have to be maintained until its maximum operation time is reached a second time. This can only be done on a component once before it needs proper maintenance, unless stated otherwise.

#### **Power Usage**

Most components draw some amount of power, and while in use will affect the ship's POW. Each point of power usage reduces a ship's POW score by 1. A ship can use an amount of components simultaneously whose power usage does not exceed the ship's POW stat. If the ship has to make a POW roll while components are in use, it subtracts a number of dice from its roll equal to the amount of power usage.

Engineers can ***push it*** to output more power temporarily in an emergency. When doing so, the engineer makes an engineering roll, adding any relevant modifiers, against the ship's POW score. If the engineering roll lands within one dice step of the POW roll, the ship's POW is increased by 1 for one minute (equivalent to ten rounds). For each dice step the engineering roll succeeds by, increase the ship's POW by another 1, up to a maximum of +5. The engineer can choose to increase POW by a smaller amount if they surpass the previous dice step.

After the ten rounds are up, the ship's POW score is reduced by the same amount it gained for the ten rounds after that. If this would reduce the ship's POW score below 0, the ship is temporarily disabled and no components can be used.

### **MODIFIERS AND OTHER EFFECTS**

Many items have special modifiers or other effects attached to them. In some cases, these modifiers will be described in the item's component description. Modifiers which are common to many components will be listed here.

#### **Explosive**

Weapons and ammunition with the "explosive" property are those which have large areas of effect. If an explosive weapon penetrates a ship's armor, all adjacent compartments and components must make DUR rolls to resist being damaged or destroyed. In addition, if an explosive weapon penetrates a Volatile component, the part and the nearest adjacent compartment are both completely destroyed, removing the part from the ship's sheet and causing five hull breaches (wounds).

#### **Extend Operation**

Components with the Extend Operation modifier can have their operating time extended by an engineer more than once. The number in front of Extend Operation determines how many additional times the component can have its operating time extended before maintenance is forced.

#### **Generates Nuclear Waste**

Components which generate nuclear waste are very dangerous to crew if damaged. When a component with this modifier is damaged or destroyed, all crew members who are not wearing radiation-proof equipment automatically take a wound, and must roll VIG against their wounds to avoid falling into critical condition. In addition, the maintenance fee for such items is doubled each time its operating time is extended.

#### **Incendiary**

Weapons and ammunition with the "incendiary" property cause some type of thermal damage. If an incendiary weapon penetrates a Volatile component, the component is automatically destroyed and all adjacent compartments are *on fire*. As long as a ship has any compartment on fire, the fire continues to spread to each adjacent compartment every round. The ship suffers a hull breach every round as long as it is on fire, and any characters in hot or flaming compartments take a wound unless they are wearing heatproof equipment. If the fire spreads to every compartment, all oxygen is consumed and the fire is automatically snuffed out. All crew not equipped with oxygen tanks begin to suffocate.

Since there is no oxygen to fuel a fire in a vacuum, incendiary weapons have no extra effect when hitting compartments or components that lack the Volatile property.

#### **Size Squared**

Components with the "size squared" modifier must be made *exponentially* larger to retain the same degree of effectiveness on ships of a larger size. Their listed size is their size when equipped on a Very Small ship. For each size larger than Very Small, add the listed size again. Components with this modifier can only have a listed size of 1 or 2, and can never have a size greater than 9 (for example, for a part with a listed size of 2 on a Very Large vessel).

For instance, a Medium ship with a component equipped that has a listed size of 1 with the "size scales" modifier would count that component as having a size of 3 and list it as such on its vehicle sheet, or a size of 6 if that component had a listed size of 2.

#### **Stellar Restriction**

Components with a stellar restriction cannot operate properly without proximity and line of sight to a star. When within 20 AU and in direct line of sight to a star, components with a stellar restriction provide their bonus. Otherwise, they convey their penalty.

#### **Volatile**

Volatile components are components which are either made of or contain some type of highly flammable or explosive substance. For instance, the hydrogen fuel used in MHD hydrogen generators, or the ammunition used in conventional weapons. Volatile components have no negative effect on their own, but are susceptible to incendiary and explosive weapons, with the potential to cause a large degree of extra damage to a vessel if struck.

#### **Weakspot**

If a component is a "weakspot," it means it is absolutely vital to a ship's operation and must be in continuous use. If a component with the "weakspot" property is damaged or destroyed, the ship is completely disabled until the component is repaired or replaced.

### **SHIP CLASS**

Although many space explorers like to analogize their exploits to those of famous ocean explorers like Marco Polo and Magellan, space exploration is completely different from ocean navigation. One can rely only on their instruments to guide them, and most starship designs more closely resemble rockets or submarines than boats. However, many nautical terms remain in use to describe certain kinds of ships. The military classifies ships by size and role, while civilian industries often classify them solely by role. In the world of ship design and engineering, however, ships are primarily distinguished by their size.

In general, there are five size groups of spacecraft: Very Small, Small, Medium, Large, and Very Large. The size of a spaceship impacts every aspect of it, and should be the primary concern of any enterprising pilot when deciding what kind of ship to fly.

#### **Very Small** [1]

A very small ship could be a short-range civilian transport, an astrofighter, a fighter or salvage drone, a small science vessel or even an escape pod. Ships of this size are the most common throughout the solar system. They include any ship smaller than 15 meters in length.

#### **Small** [2]

A small ship could be a military frigate or a cargo transport, a surveillance craft, luxury yacht or a mining vessel. Ships of this size are very common. With money, they can easily be refitted to serve an endless number of purposes. Small ships range between 16 and 40 meters in length.

#### **Medium** [4]

A medium ship could be an industrial transport or a military frigate, a cruiseliner or a salvage hauler. These ships are between 41 and 90 meters in length. Medium sized ships are extremely common on the fringes of Sol, where crews might have to go for much longer periods without restocking or refueling.

#### **Large** [8]

Large ships vary greatly in their uses, from exploratory research vessels to military battleships, massive industrial freighters or mobile mining bases. They range from 91 to 160 meters in length. Large ships are uncommon, and very few are owned by private individuals. The majority of large ships are owned by large organizations and crewed by hundreds of employees.

#### **Very Large** [16]

Very large ships are rare, but are often portrayed on the media and in fiction. Most civilians living on space stations will get to see very large ships coming into or leaving port, but they are generally too large to land in pressurized environments. Very large ships could be military carriers or dreadnaughts, colony ships or interstellar research vessels fitted for extreme-length research missions in alien star systems. They include ships between 161 meters to 1 kilometer in length.

#### **Gargantuan** [∞]

Players cannot start with gargantuan sized ships, and gargantuan ships are by far the rarest vessels that exist in Sol. One could be considered lucky if they ever got to witness one in person; however, some specific examples are very well known and frequently reported on by the media. Most player characters would know about the most common example of Gargantuan vessels - the three kilometer long, unmanned, cylindrical Drone Fabricators that have been in operation in Sol for centuries, and which are responsible for building the vast majority of space infrastructure. The media-savvy would likely also have seen the UEFN's flagship reported on in the news. The *UEFS Heracles*, designed and manufactured in the half a century following the Solar Civil War, is the largest manned spaceship ever built in Sol. With a length of 1.5 kilometers and a crew compliment in the thousands, the *Heracles* was intended to be the last word in intra-solar conflict. Since humanity made contact with the Krut, the *Heracles* has been on the front lines in another star system, and its colossal size has been noted as a detriment by military officials.

### **CHASSIS**

Since there are such a wide variety of spaceship chassis' in production in 2308, you get to design your own! Usually, space ships are longer than they are wide, and wider than they are tall, with many angles along the surface of the hull. Most ship chassis have a generally circular, hexagonal or octagonal shape when viewed from the front. Smaller ships may have wings and tails for atmospheric flight, while larger ships might have towers or additional structures jutting out from the main chassis.

Use the chassis section to give your ship a model name and describe its physical appearance. You can also describe its purpose or background if you wish.

Here are some examples of starship chassis:

#### **Future Forward Corp. A98 “*Astrofighter*”**

An icon of Human militaries since before the solar civil war, *Astrofighters* exemplify the robust, three-dimensional design ethic of Sol’s engineers. An astrofighter is made up of a ball-shaped cockpit in the center with four wings attached to it, each one on a corner. The wings are swept back and angled away from the center, each one housing a vector thruster nozzle on a restricted gimble with a 280 degree freedom of rotation. The base of the wings where they attach to the main module is attached via a ball and socket joint, allowing the wings to rotate 360 degrees. These very small ships rely on a single main thruster mounted on the back of the vessel. On the sides, top and bottom of the cockpit are mounts for weapon pods, and missile launch tubes are spread out on the wings. Thousands of variant designs of the A98 have been produced since its invention by nearly every military manufacturer in Sol, and its original name, "*Astrofighter*," has been used to describe this entire class of high-speed, super small combat vessels.

#### **Future Forward Corp. CC19 *"Condor"* Industrial Transport**

One of the most common vessels in all of Sol, the Future Forward CC19 is a staple of Human society. With its robust and cost-effective design, it is easily acquired by most enterprises. The *Condor* has a detachable cockpit which also functions as an escape pod attached to a much wider main body by a thin airlocked "neck." The main body is three times wider than it is tall, with large flat sections on the top and bottom. The chassis is mostly rectangular except for cropped corners at the top, giving the *Condor* a hexagonal cross-section from the front. Underneath the main body of the ship, four magnetic clamps hold the detachable cargo bay in place. The upper half of the ship has wings attached on either side which are angled 45 degrees downward and taper towards the rear. This medium-sized ship is usually propelled by a cluster of three main thrusters, with vector thrusters placed in divets along the corners and wings. This small-sized transport is easily capable of atmospheric flight, and due to this versatility it has been produced in hundreds of variants by both civilian and military enterprises.

#### **Kawasaki Heavy Industries Mark 3 Mod 1 *"Yuubokumin"* Frigate**

An offensive frigate frequently used by the United Earth Federation Navy, along with various paramilitary groups throughout the inner worlds. This small-sized vessel is long and flat with a single deck and rounded edges, cut in half by a space in the center of the ship which opens up in the front, but is connected in the rear. This space is usually used for mounting large weapons, such as torpedo launchers. The *Yuubokumin* has two wings attached near the rear which are parallel with the sides and taper towards the front. Both halves of the ship curve towards the center near the front. It is most often propelled by two main thrusters spaced out evenly on the back of the ship, with vector thrusters placed in holes spaced out along the rounded corners and wings. The *Yuubokumin* is an old pre-civil war design, but considered to be extremely reliable. Despite its age, it has remained in service throughout Sol, albeit with periodic refits.

#### **Titan Aerospace GmbH. TSN-BC-07**

A battlecruiser designed by the Republic of Titan's state-sponsored aerospace R&D company. This large-sized ship uses a simple, but effective "submarine" style chassis design to maximize armor capability, space utilization and crew comfort. The ship is very long, with an octagonal cross-section. The surface of the hull is littered with outcropped sensor towers and observation posts, but mostly adheres to the basic shape. It has two pairs of large, wide wings which taper toward the back, spaced evenly along the middle of the ship's sides. These "wings" are used for mounting additional turrets and vector thrusters, as the ship is too large for atmospheric flight. Usually, the TSN-BC-07 is propelled by a cluster of five thrusters on the rear, with vector thrusters placed in cavities along the flat sections and wings.

#### **Future Forward Corp. CC23 *"Ziz"* Freighter**

Named after the legendary giant bird from Hebrew mythology, the Future Forward CC23 is aptly designated. This very large ship chassis is one of the biggest industrial vessels ever developed. At nearly 900 meters in length, it more closely resembles a small space station than a vessel, yet it is capable of high-speed, long-distance travel all the same. The *Ziz* is composed of six separate rectangular, detachable cargo bays mounted on either side of a cylinder along its length. At the rear of the vessel, on the top, is a dome-shaped structure intended to act as a bridge or command center. The cargo bays are held in place each by a single gigantic magnetic clamp which reaches around it from the top of the vessel. On either side of the *Ziz*, at the very back, the cylinder is widened with a flat top and bottom in order to accommodate three clusters of five thruster nozzles on the rear of the ship. Vector thrusters are usually mounted along the cylindrical main body of the ship, inside divets on the rounded corners.

### **POWER GENERATORS**

All ships require electricity to function. There are various types of power generators available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

***How are spacecraft generators cooled?***

Since exposure to sunlight and the generation of electricity create heat, spacecraft are generally designed to cool off passively using closed-loop cooling systems. These cooling systems pass a liquid medium with an extremely low freezing point next to a heat exchanger attached to the generator, collecting heat from within the ship. The liquid medium is then passed through the vacuous space between the bulkheads and the exterior hull plating and releases that heat into space through the small gaps between hull plates as infrared radiation. These coolant systems use redundant piping and are protected by both the hull and any armor plating the vessel might have, making it exceedingly rare for them to sustain enough damage to fail unless the ship is nearly destroyed.

***What about standard Thermoelectric Generators (TEGs)?***

The technology of gas-based Thermoelectric Generation, also called a **Seebeck Generator** was invented in the 19th century and produced even less energy than contemporary steam engines. By the 20th century, TEG technology had improved enough to become a favorite for use in situations where solid-state power generation was required in remote places with little access to renewable resources or maintenance, such as aboard space probes and shuttles. Since then, TEGs have been totally obsolesced by the widespread adoption of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generators and nuclear energy technologies, and were completely supplanted for use on spaceships by radioisiotope thermoelectric generators (RTEGs) during the recolonization of Earth. Today, gas-based TEGs are virtually non-existent, and, like petrol-based fuels, are viewed as an antiquated technology. Instead, modern shipboard TEGs are used solely as secondary generators, converting waste heat pumped through an exhaust flue from other sources into electricity. They can be found under **auxiliary components**.

#### **Conventional Turbine Generator**

Small and extremely cheap, conventional turbine generators function by igniting fuel (almost always liquid hydrogen) and using the gas produced to drive a heat engine (turbine). They are fairly reliable owing to their time-tested design, but have poor fuel-efficiency and require frequent maintenance.

They have extremely low output compared to most modern generator designs and are not capable of powering a Negaton drive. The majority of starships utilizing these types of generators are either extremely old, or specialized for short-distance jaunts within planetary systems.

#### **Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Hydrogen Generator** [1]

Very small, cheap and reliable, MHD Hydrogen Generators function by using a magnetohydrodynamic converter to convert thermal and kinetic energy from burning hydrogen directly into electricity.

They have fairly low output, but extremely high fuel-efficiency - to such a degree that even with constant use, a Magnetohydrodynamic Generator (or **MHD**) would only need refueling about once a year. They have no moving parts and almost never require maintenance, making them extremely popular for small, short-range spacecraft such as shuttles or emergency pods, as well as short-range self-powered drones and tube-launched space probes. They are also frequently used as auxiliary back-up generators in larger vessels.

#### **Nuclear Fission Reactor** [2]

Huge and fairly high-output, the classic nuclear fission reactor functions using the heat generated from the fission reaction to heat water until it vaporizes into a gas, which is then used to drive a heat engine (turbine). While fuel rods rarely need to be replaced, the complex system of different moving parts, cooling pipes, etc. makes these generators highly unreliable; they require constant maintenance to operate at peak capacity. Modern reactors are capable of reusing the vaporized water by condensing it back into liquid, mixing it with moisture captured from the atmospheric system and depositing it back in the holding tank. They generate about half as much power as a fusion reactor of the same size, while taking up more space and requiring frequent waste disposal and recalibration as the levels of fissile material change. Their primary advantage over more modern designs is their low initial cost in comparison to their output. They are usually seen on medium or large sized independently-owned ships, and are especially popular on pirate vessels.

#### **Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTEG) (Fission)** [3]

Fairly expensive compared to a standard fission reactor, a fission-based Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (or **RTEG**) functions by converting thermal and kinetic energy collected from the electron beta decay of the fissile material into electricity. They have a lower output than a turbine-based reactor (by appx. 15%) while maintaining about the same fuel-efficiency, but are much more reliable and require a good deal less maintenance outside of waste disposal due to the lack of moving parts. Fission-based RTEGs predate the perfection of fusion technology, and are much less common than the fusion-based alternative despite their lower cost. They are most frequently mounted on medium-sized vessels, but can also be mounted in a dual-configuration on large-sized ships. Fission-based RTEGs are popular for civilian enterprises with lower budgets, but are usually dismissed for military applications due to their obsolescence.

#### **Nuclear Fusion Reactor** [4]

Slightly smaller than a fission reactor and with about double the power output, the classic nuclear fusion reactor uses the heat generated from the fusion reaction to heat a container of water until it vaporizes into a gas, which is then used to drive a heat engine (turbine). While fuel rods rarely need to be replaced, the complex system of different moving parts, cooling pipes, etc. makes these generators unreliable; they require constant maintenance to function at peak capacity. Modern reactors are capable of reusing the vaporized water by condensing it back into liquid, mixing it with moisture captured from the atmospheric system and depositing it back in the holding tank. They do not require waste disposal or recalibration as *all* the fusile material is converted into gas. Nuclear fusion reactors are by far the most common type of power generator on any ship in Sol, being the current technological standard. They cost about three times as much as a comparable fission reactor, but are so high-output for their size that most designers and ship-owners opt to install one regardless, instead cutting costs in other areas if necessary. They are used on ships of small size and above, often in dual configurations for very large ships.

#### **Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTEG) (Fusion)**  [5]

Much smaller than the standard nuclear fusion reactor and far more expensive, the fusion-based Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (**RTEG**) is relatively uncommon due to its lower output and extremely high price tag. Like the fission-based variant, it functions by collecting energy from radioactive decay and converting it into electricity; however, unlike the older technology, it collects energy from neutron and baryon decay in addition to electron beta decay, granting it a far higher output. It has a smaller collector surface, is *extremely* fuel-efficient and takes up little room in comparison. It requires no waste disposal, but about the same frequency of maintenance as a fission-based RTEG. A single load of nuclear fuel rods can last a fusion-based RTEG from three to six months. These features make fusion-based RTEGs the most popular modern option for long-range drone spacecraft. While they are infrequently used in larger vessels, fusion-based RTEGs do have the distinction of being the most common power generators mounted in astrofighters due to their high output for their size.

#### **Nuclear Fusion Reactor (Tokamak)** [8]

The most expensive reactor engines available, **Tokamak** type reactors are extremely large, extremely expensive, and output as much power as multiple standard fusion reactors operating in tandem. Tokamak reactors function by confining a fusion reaction inside an electromagnetic field in the shape of a torus, then collecting energy from both particle decay and the heat created by the reaction itself. They require more frequent refueling than other reactors but have very few moving parts, so rarely need maintenance. Due to their size and both their initial and operating costs, Tokamak type reactors are rarely seen outside of large or very large vessels owned by militaries or major corporations.

***Special Effect***: If a ship is equipped with a Tokamak, it does not reduce its POW score by an amount equal to the power usage of its components. It still cannot use more components than would be possible to activate with its maximum POW score, but it may use its full POW score for dice rolls at all times.

#### **Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) Cell Array** [2]

An old-fashioned type of power generation technology which was first invented in the 19th century. Thermophotovoltaic (**TPV**) cell arrays are also called "solar panels", and operate by converting thermal energy collected from the distant sun into electricity. While TPV cell arrays are somewhat sizeable, they are mounted externally and so do not have an impact on the available space inside a vessel. They do add to the vessel's bulk, slightly decreasing its maneuverability. TPV cell arrays are cheap and extremely reliable, almost never requiring maintenance unless the joints used to rotate the cells become damaged. They are also capable of producing a fairly sizeable amount of electricity, which increases along with the size of the vessel as more cells can be added to increase the surface area of the TPV cells. Their primary drawback is that they require line-of-sight to the sun to generate electricity, and generate less and less power the further from the sun the vessel gets (especially within atmospheres). TPV cell arrays are frequently used on drones and short-ranged spacecraft in inner Sol, or as secondary power generators on larger ships.

#### **Solar Power Tower** [6]

A type of solar-based power generation technology which was invented in the 21st century, solar power towers function by using reflectors to direct thermal energy collected from the sun into a huge container of a non-vaporizing liquid medium (usually liquid sodium), which then passes its heat to a container of water, vaporizing it into gas to drive a heat engine. Solar Power Towers output a very considerable amount of power - often equal to or greater than a fusion generator if used within close proximity to the sun (inner Sol). Since heat cannot be dissipated in space, solar power towers on spaceships usually operate by collecting heat externally, then retracting inside the vessel to make contact with an internal heat exchanger that directs heat into the water container. Like modern reactor designs, modern solar power tower designs reuse the vaporized water by condensing it back into a liquid and depositing it back into the container. Due to the abundance of moving parts, solar power towers require constant maintenance to function at peak capacity, but they are extremely high output and efficient for their price. Like TPV cell arrays, the primary drawback of solar power towers is that they require line-of-sight to the sun to generate electricity, and generate less and less power the further from the sun the vessel gets (especially within atmospheres). Due to their cheap cost and comparatively high output, solar power towers are often operated in groups to power larger spacecraft. Their massive size makes them unsuitable for use on ships of medium or smaller size. They are almost never used by military vessels, but are extremely common among commercial vessels.

### **COMPUTER SYSTEMS**

All ships require at least some computer systems in order to perform basic functions, such as controlling engines and life support, or utilizing basic navigation technology like RADAR. Additional systems, such as fire control software (FCS), electronic counter-measures (ECM), and electronic counter-counter measures (ECCM) can give the vessel a great advantage in combat. Others may be more suited for civilian uses, such as material analysis or terraforming. Vessels can have multiple computer systems, including AI, but it is illegal for combat and utility AI to be present on the same vehicle.

Computers and sensors use a negligible amount of electricity and are always active - they have no significant power usage.

Computer maintenance is cheap and easy; most systems can be maintained for an indeterminate time for a negligible cost. Systems that include AIs or external parts such as sensors can be less reliable.

All computer systems have special effects that unlock functions for spaceships. The functions they unlock will be detailed in the item description and summarized below it.

#### **Basic Package**

Computer systems integrated with the starship allow automatic control of atmospheric feeds, power generation and navigation, but no auto-pilot. This also includes the basic navigational sensors required to find one's way in space, such as RADAR sensors, LADAR sensors, galvanometers, magnetometers, hall effect detectors, and MEMS sensors. All starships have the basic package at minimum, and can have multiple other packages installed.

##### *Function*

The basic package is *required* for spaceships to operate any automated systems, including atmospheric control, power generator control, thruster control, sensors and weapons. It is possible to manually operate any component on a space ship, but a given crewman can only operate a single component at a time, and minimum engineering skill requirements for operating certain types of machines still apply. Any component that is not being manually operated stops functioning within two rounds, potentially leading to power or atmospheric failure.

#### **Industrial Electronics** [1]

Integrates additional sensors used for salvaging, mining and surveying, such as electroscopes, long-range audiovisual scanners, gravimetric sensors, rock analyzers, and ground-penetrating RADAR. Also includes an autopilot and a control system for commanding survey probes. Used in tandem with a Military Electronics package, the autopilot gains the ability to perform docking procedures without human interference.

##### *Functions*

The industrial electronics package grants the ability to detect the mineral composition of an object in space and the presence of heat or breath, as well as to quickly assess the degree of damage a vehicle, station or machine has sustained. No rolls are required for this function to operate. If scanning a celestial object, like a barren asteroid, the GM simply reveals the presence of any metallic ores and any remarkable properties. If scanning a vehicle, station or machine, the GM reveals what components are undamaged, what components are damaged, what components are completely destroyed, any sources generating heat, and the number of living beings detected. If the object is a spaceship, the GM also reveals how many hull breaches or destroyed compartments the ship has suffered.

Industrial electronics grant the ship the ability to interface with short-range probes, also called survey probes, which have a range of 200 miles.

Industrial electronics grant the ship a simple autopilot that can navigate around obstacles in space while proceeding in a straight line to its destination. If a military electronics package is also installed, the autopilot also has the ability to perform docking procedures without human assistance.

#### **Military Electronics** [2]

Integrates a basic fire-control system for computer-assisted or entirely automated targeting of onboard weapons, including missiles. Also comes with a basic ECM suite for initiating short-range electronic attacks such as RADAR jamming or LASER guidance interference. Includes an autopilot and command and control systems for evaluating combat situations and dispensing orders. Used in tandem with an Industrial Electronics package, the autopilot gains the ability to perform docking procedures without human interference.

##### *Functions*

The military electronics package grants ships the ability to attack automatically without requiring a crewman to manually operate weapons.

Military electronics grant ships a single electronic reaction and a single electronic action that can be performed by making a hacking roll. If the ship does this automatically, roll a number of dice equal to the ship's PRO and COG stats added together. When performed manually, ship hacking uses the crewmember's INT and hacking skill. Unless otherwise noted, hacking counts as a full round action using two AP.

Available hacks:

* *Intercept*: Intercept an attack by making a hacking roll against the attacker's attack roll. If successful, roll again against the attacker's hacking check. If the second check succeeds, weapon targeting systems are tampered with and missiles are thrown off course, causing them to miss automatically. This counts as a reaction and can be performed a number of times per turn equal to the ship's COG score, with a minimum of once per turn if it has no AI. If a crewmember is performing the hacking, they still have the same number of reactions as normal in infantry combat (equal to their CUN score).
* *Intercede*: Reduce an enemy ship's attack rolls by making an opposed hacking roll. If the hack is successful, the enemy ship loses a single attack dice on all attacks it makes until the end of its next turn.

Military electronics grant the ship a simple autopilot that can navigate around obstacles in space while proceeding in a straight line to its destination. If an industrial electronics package is also installed, the autopilot also has the ability to perform docking procedures without human assistance.

#### **Research Electronics** [2]

Integrates advanced, long-range, penetrating sensors used for studying the internal composition of planetoids, asteroids, buildings, vehicles, spaceships, caves or even individual objects. Also included is a software suite used for experimental data tracking, research and development, which provides detailed statistical analysis and automated processing of datasets. Replaces external sensors with more expensive and generally superior instruments with better precision and range compared to others. If used with an Industrial Electronics package, it doubles the useful range of survey probes.

##### *Function*

The research electronics package gives ships the ability to completely analyze objects in scanning range down to their elemental constituents. Additionally, it includes a shipboard machine called a deconstructive analyzer, which can analyze smaller objects placed inside down to the sub-atomic level, including precise details about electron configurations and molecule chains. Items placed in the deconstructive analyzer are not reconstituted; once scanned, they are lost forever. Items scanned in the analyzer can be reproduced using a molecular printer, assuming that the necessary resources are available. They cannot be adapted to other technologies unless they are reverse-engineered, but the analyzer makes this possible with time and without the need to make any engineering rolls, assuming that the engineer has at least the minimum skill to operate the object.

If used with an industrial electronics package, any probes the ship launches double their detection radius.

#### **E-WAR Package** [3]

Integrates a specialized electronic warfare suite that allows for hacking of enemy vessels' computer systems via EM band interference, making possible techniques like negaton drive interdiction, propulsion hacking or power disruption. Also comes with an ECCM (electronic counter-countermeasures) system which can defend against such attacks and other forms of electronic warfare. Includes a control system for commanding drones.

##### *Functions*

The E-WAR package grants ships a number of electronic attacks that can be performed by making a hacking roll. If the ship does this automatically, roll a number of dice equal to the ship's PRO and COG stats added together. When performed manually, ship hacking uses the crewmember's INT and hacking skill. Unless otherwise noted, hacking counts as a full round action using two AP.

Available hacks:

* *Interdict*: Disable a ship's negaton drive remotely by rolling against an opposed hacking check. The drive is disabled for a number of turns equal to the number of dice steps over the DC that the attacker rolls, up to a maximum of 3 turns. If the roll succeeds by 4 dice steps, the negaton drive becomes disabled permanently until it is manually reactivated.
* *Interfere*: Take over a ship's thruster control systems and move it as desired by rolling against an opposed hacking check. The defending ship loses half its acceleration and evasion for a number of turns equal to the number of dice steps over the DC that the attacker rolls, up to a maximum of 3 turns. If the roll succeeds by 4 dice steps, the thrusters are completely subverted; on the defending ship's turn, its movement is controlled by the hacker.
* *Interface*: Take over a ship's computer systems by rolling against an opposed hacking check. A new check on the proceeding turn must be made against each individual computer system if the hacker wishes to affect more than one of them, and basic systems must always be the last system targeted. The defending ship loses control over its computer systems' functions for a number of turns equal to the number of dice steps over the DC that the attacker rolls, up to a maximum of 3 turns. If the roll succeeds by 4 dice steps, the computer systems are completely subverted; any system they automate can no longer be used manually, and they are controlled by the hacker.
* *Interrupt*: Temporarily interrupt a ship's power distribution by tampering with its generator settings. Make an opposed hacking check. The defending ship loses a number of points of POW equal to the number of dice steps over the DC that the attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to the same amount, up to a maximum of 3 POW for 3 turns. If the roll succeeds by 4 dice steps, the power generator is completely subverted; it no longer distributes power at all, and can be intentionally made to overload and meltdown if it is any type of reactor.

The E-WAR package also grants the ship ECCM, a method of counter-hacking against enemy ships to prevent electronic attacks before they happen. ECCM has two modes: passive and active.

* *Active ECCM*: When you use active ECCM, you must declare that you do so during your turn. When automating active ECCM, a vessel cannot make an automated attack in the same round; one of the two actions must be performed by a crewmember. The ECCM remains in active mode until the end of your next turn. While ECCM is in active mode, you may spend a reaction to attempt to reverse any electronic attack against your vessel that fails by making an opposed hacking check. If you succeed, the enemy ship suffers the effect of its own hack and cannot use any type of ECM until after the end of its next turn. This can be done every combat round to lock down a ship's electronic warfare capability. If you use active ECCM, you cannot use passive ECCM until the end of your next turn. Reversing failed hacks counts as a reaction and can be performed a number of times per turn equal to the ship's COG score, with a minimum of once per turn if it has no AI. If a crewmember is performing the hacking, they still have the same number of reactions as normal in infantry combat (equal to their CUN score).

* *Passive ECCM*: While ECCM is in passive mode, the vessel with passive ECCM is immune to *intercept* and *intercede* hacks. Additionally, whenever an enemy ship attempts to hack the vessel, the defending vessel may make its defensive hacking roll twice and take the higher of the two results.

Finally, the E-WAR package grants ships a control system for commanding combat drones.

#### **Utility AI** [4]

Introduces a utility AI to assist the crew with most aspects of ship and sensor control. The utility AI is capable of performing complex analyses much quicker than a normal computer and can detect false sensor readouts by constantly comparing relevant data, or greatly speed up the rate at which a research package analyzes and collates data. While the utility AI lacks the advanced combat features of a combat AI, it is still capable of controlling all ship systems, including weapons and drones, with at least the competency of an average human operator. The utility AI is fully self-aware, but is programmed to serve and protect the registered crew of the ship. It has free will, but will not betray its owners or creators unless compromised by a hack, virus, or other electronic attack.

Utility AIs provide the most perfect form of auto-pilot available, and will automatically dock at space stations to refuel or resupply. When provided with onboard utility drones, utility AIs can also perform all required maintenance automatically, from cleaning and repairs to electrical bypasses to physically replacing fuel rods or otherwise maintaining all of a ship's systems.

#### **Combat AI** [6]

Introduces a combat AI to assist the crew with most aspects of ship and weapon control. The combat AI is capable of performing complex analyses much quicker than a normal computer, and can actively counter electronic warfare measures without human intervention. The combat AI is not self-aware, and lacks the corresponding problem-solving or self-growth capabilities of a self-aware AI. However, this makes it much safer and more efficient for use during combat. The combat AI is capable of controlling all of a ship's weapon systems and commanded drones simultaneously with perfect precision, making it vastly superior to human weapon or drone operators.

Combat AIs provide the crew with a replacement for ship-to-ship combat personnel. They can perform high-level piloting maneuvers, determine priority targets, adjust the ship's facing to take blows to a more heavily armored side, make complex tactical assessments and carry out those tactics, all without any human interference. When provided with onboard battle drones, combat AIs can also replace security personnel, automatically repelling boarders or assaulting enemy ships with boarding craft. Due to the lack of a self-learning feature, it is extremely rare for manned vessels with combat AIs not to have backup combat personnel onboard in case the AI fails, is compromised, or is tricked by a clever enemy that knows of its existence.

### **MAIN PROPULSION**

The main propulsion is what is used to impart the majority of the ship’s forward thrust to its mass. “Thrust" refers to the average forward momentum the thruster is capable of outputting, while "specific impulse" refers to the mass-efficiency of the thruster's propellant. Thrusters optimized for high thrust allow for extreme shifts in speed and inertia by generating quick bursts of speed, but are generally very fuel-inefficient during sustained use. Conversely, thrusters which are optimized for high specific impulse are able to provide a greater relative thrust in proportion to the mass of the propellant, making them more efficient when used over long periods of time. This makes high thrust engines better for those vessels which are intended to be agile in combat, while high specific impulse engines are better for long-distance hauls.

#### **Conventional Rocket Engine**

A rocket engine uses stored rocket propellants as the reaction mass for forming a high-speed propulsive jet of fluid, usually high-temperature gas. These were the first ever thrusters used on spacecraft, like the Apollo 11 shuttle. No matter the age, old technology still functions as it once did.

These engines have low thrust and extremely low specific impulse, but they consume no power and are both extremely cheap and extremely small. They require constant refueling, as well as constant maintenance. These ancient space engines are a budget option even for civilian enterprises, and are not recommended for combat vessels.

Conventional rocket engines have plumes of white-hot fire that taper in temperature to orange-hot at the tip.

#### **Hall Effect Thruster** [1]

Hall Effect thrusters are a type of ion thruster in which the propellant is accelerated by an electric field. They were the first ion thrusters ever developed by mankind, but have since been perfected.

They have an average thrust, with relatively low specific impulse and average power consumption. Hall Effect thrusters are low-cost and reliable, considered to be the go-to propulsion system for most starship designs. They use compressed xenon as a propellant, and require frequent refueling.

Hall Effect thrusters have an ocean blue plume.

#### **Electric Lattice Thruster** [2]

Electric Lattice Thrusters are a type of extremely efficient gridded ion thruster in which the propellant is accelerated using electrostatic forces. They run almost entirely on electrical power, using carbon recycled from carbon dioxide in the air and then doubly ionized as propellant.

On manned vessels, they never require refueling, and can be considered to have essentially unlimited specific impulse. Drones can usually operate without refueling for several months at a time. They have average maintenance requirements, but are easily maintained by drones. They tend to perform better on medium sized spacecraft or smaller. They provide about the same thrust as Hall Effect thrusters, but draw a much larger amount of power in operation. Electric lattice thrusters are recommended for starships that are unlikely to have access to maintenance facilities, or those which perform long-duration travel in deep space. They are commonly seen on space cruise liners and transport vessels.

Electric lattice thrusters have a deep orange plume.

#### **Magnetic Arcjet Thruster** [4]

Magnetic Arcjet thrusters are a type of extremely high thrust ion thruster with high specific impulse, making use of the Lorentz force resulting from the interaction between the current flowing through the plasma and the magnetic field to generate thrust.

They are very expensive, and tend to operate more efficiently at smaller scales, making them ill-suited for most larger vessels. Magnetic arcjet thrusters perform better at both high delta-V manuevers and long-distance travel in comparison to the standard Hall Effect thruster, making them overall superior in all aspects of flight performance. They use compressed lithium as a propellant, draw enormous amounts of power and require frequent refueling and maintenance. Their superior flight specifications make them popular for use in astrofighters and other small combat vessels, as well as space racers, but are usually seen as uneconomical and inefficient for larger vessels.

Magnetic arcjet thrusters have a carmine red plume.

#### **Variable Impulse Electrothermal Thruster (VIET)** [8]

Variable Impulse Electrothermal Thrusters, or **VIET**s as they are commonly known, are the most expensive type of ion propulsion available, as well as the most power-intensive. VIETs function by using radio waves to ionize and heat an inert propellant, forming a plasma, then a magnetic field to confine and accelerate the expanding plasma, generating thrust.

Unlike other types of ion thrusters, the VIET uses specially-mixed argon/xenon canisters at a specific ratio for propellant. This allows the thruster to avoid long-term fouling, and go without maintenance or refueling for much longer periods of time. Unlike most types of ion thrusters, VIETs tend to scale well to larger sizes, and are especially efficient when mounted on ships of medium or greater size. The primary selling point of the VIET is its dual-mode capability. In thrust mode, the VIET produces about thrice as much thrust as a magnetic arcjet thruster, with about half the specific impulse. In specific impulse mode, the VIET produces about thrice as much specific impulse as a magnetic arcjet thruster, with about half the thrust. This makes the VIET an extremely attractive option for larger ships that might only need to perform high delta-V maneuvers in rare, specific situations, but which need to conserve fuel for long-distance journeys just as often. Most high-spec military spaceships use VIETs, excluding those of small size or below.

VIETs have an aqua blue plume.

#### **Nano-particle Field Extraction Thruster (NanoFET)** [6]

An expensive type of novel spacecraft engine that provides thrust by emitting electrically charged, cylindrical carbon nanotubes. The nanotubes are rapidly manufactured in flight from raw carbon used as fuel stock, and the system is capable of varying the size of the tubes in order to greatly alter the engine's output. In operation, it is somewhat similar to a VIET, but rather than varying the ratio between specific impulse and thrust, a NanoFET varies the ratio between power consumption and thrust.

NanoFETs are large and expensive, but extremely reliable when properly maintained. While their initial cost is comparable to that of a VIET, it is far cheaper to refuel NanoFETs from carbon stock. NanoFET engines are designed to recycle carbon from carbon dioxide in the air, similar to an electric lattice thruster, and so have functionally unlimited specific impulse when used by manned vessels. Drones, meanwhile, can operate for a few months at a time.

NanoFETs provide the best ratio of thrust to power consumption on the market, but lack the maximum output capabilities of engines that are specialized for high-thrust, such as VIETs and magnetic arcjet thrusters. The greatest drawback of the NanoFET engine is its maintenance requirements; while the thruster is extremely robust under normal conditions, it can rapidly fail if not properly cared for. This feature makes NanoFETs unpopular for use in combat spacecraft, but their other attributes make them very competitive with other thruster types in the civilian market.

NanoFETs have a transparent, black-tinted plume.

#### **Magnetic Sail (Solar Sail)** [5]

Magnetic Sails, also called Solar Sails, are an ancient concept brought back to life with modern technology. Solar Sails rely on pressure exerted by radiation emit from the sun to generate thrust, and so they use no propellant and never run out of fuel. Originally, Solar Sails were designed to use large, reflective, diamond-shaped mirrors attached to the rear of a spacecraft, to "catch" solar radiation and propel themselves. Modern Magnetic Sails, however, use an electromagnetic "net" cast between four magnetized columns jutting out from the spacecraft at 90 degree angles from one another. This "net" can be broken by debris, projectiles or other foreign objects and instantly recreated, eliminating the worst drawback of original solar sail designs: extreme fragility.

Magnetic Sails are highly reliable and almost never fail, and the electromagnetic net they cast consumes almost no power to maintain. They tend to function better at larger sizes, but become very inefficient when scaled up too much and produce no thrust at all in an atmosphere. They have no moving parts and almost never require maintenance, but vary in maximum output based on their distance to the sun. Their primary drawbacks are their size requirements and relatively low thrust compared to most other forms of propulsion, producing about the same degree of force as a standard Hall Effect thruster at their greatest speed. These features make Magnetic Sails fairly unpopular, but they still have a niche. There is no better option for unmanned vessels meant to travel extreme distances with no maintenance, no refueling, and no human interference. Even electric lattice thrusters on unmanned vessels require occasional refueling, but Magnetic Sails never do. Additionally, they produce almost no torque when flared to full sail, making Magnetic Sail vessels very smooth rides. This particular feature makes them desirable for luxury vessels, such as space yachts and cruiseliners.

Magnetic sails produce no plume, but the electromagnetic "net" they cast appears like a thin, faintly blue, translucent, shimmering field.

### **SECONDARY PROPULSION**

A spacecraft's secondary propulsion refers to the smaller thrusters placed on the top, bottom, front, sides and angles of the ship to adjust its position and orientation in three dimensional space (called **angular velocity** and **attitude** respectively). This type of propulsion is called **Thrust Vectoring.** The thrusters used for thrust vectoring are often different from those used for primary propulsion. Because secondary thrusters are so small, they are designed primarily to produce great degrees of thrust for short periods of time, with far less consideration given to specific impulse.

#### **Miniature Chemical Rockets**

Miniature chemical rockets are rocket engines that have been used for thrust vectoring since the invention of the earliest space shuttles. They perform extremely poorly compared to other forms of secondary propulsion, with their only advantages being their extremely low cost and lack of power consumption. This type of secondary propulsion is also very unreliable, as the thrusters often fail to produce equivalent thrust to one another due to variations in the amount of propellant remaining. They require near-constant refueling during practical use, but the hydrogen/oxygen bipropellant fuel is among the cheapest fuels available. These ancient space engines are a budget option even for civilian enterprises, and are not recommended for combat vessels.

Miniature chemical rockets have plumes of white-hot fire that taper in temperature to orange-hot at the tip.

#### **Miniature Hall Effect Thrusters** [1]

Essentially identical to Hall Effect thrusters used for main propulsion, miniaturized Hall Effect thrusters differ only in that their smaller size and greater output makes them less efficient with regards to power and fuel consumption. They are small, cheap and reliable, with generally average attributes across the board. Like the larger variant, they require frequent refueling with cheap compressed xenon, but only occasional maintenance. Miniature Hall Effect thrusters are generally considered to be the go-to secondary propulsion system for most starship designs.

Miniature Hall Effect thrusters have an ocean blue plume.

#### **Pulsed Plasma Thrusters** **(PPTs)** [2]

Pulsed Plasma Thrusters, also called Plasma Rocket Engines, are generally considered the simplest form of electric spacecraft propulsion and were the first form of electric propulsion to be flown in space, having flown on two Soviet probes (Zond 2 and Zond 3) starting in 1964. Like Hall Effect thrusters, PPTs have long since been perfected. Plasma engines differ from ion engines in that they create thrust by directly expelling a quasi-neutral plasma, while ion engines create thrust by extracting ions from a plasma source before accelerating them through an electric grid. Modern engineers have found that plasma thrusters have far too little specific impulse to be usable as primary propulsion on today's spaceships, but they produce an enormous amount of thrust, so they are still fairly common as a form of secondary propulsion.

PPTs function by passing an arc of electricity through a gaseous propellant medium, charging the propellant and creating a great deal of heat. The heat turns the resultant gas cloud into a plasma, which is then propelled at low speed through two charged plates, an anode and a cathode. Since the plasma is charged, the fuel effectively completes the circuit between the two plates, allowing a current to flow through the plasma. This flow of electrons generates a strong electromagnetic field which then exerts a Lorentz force on the plasma, accelerating the plasma out of the PPT exhaust at high velocity. Basically, one can think of Its mode of operation as being similar to a railgun.

PPTs are called "pulsed" thrusters because their propellant output is "pulsed" rapidly, like a tube overflowing with gas being stopped and unstopped. This is both a side-effect of their method of operation and a useful way to improve thrust generation. PPTs produce roughly 50 "pulses" for every 10 seconds of operation, or 300 pulses per minute.

Pulsed plasma thrusters use canisters of compressed argon as fuel and tend to run through it quickly. They are recommended for starships that need to perform high-G maneuvers, but also have easy access to maintenance and supply facilities.

Pulsed plasma thrusters have a bright magenta plume.

#### **Electrodeless Plasma Thrusters** **(EPT)** [3]

Electrodeless Plasma Thrusters (**EPT**s) are an advanced type of plasma thruster which utilize a magnetic field, rather than dipolar electrodes, to direct the propellant through the nozzle. Propellant plasma is accelerated by magnetized ponderomotive force, and thus avoids many of the problems associated with common PPTs. For instance, EPTs require far less maintenance since the mechanical parts are protected by the enclosing electromagnetic field.

EPTs produce moderately less thrust velocity than PPTs, but they are vastly more reliable and efficient. Like PPTs, they consume a small amount of power, but their fuel consumption is drastically lower using the same fuel, keeping their operating costs low and their delta-V high. EPTs are extremely popular and can be found in use by most types of vessels across the spectrum.

Electrodeless plasma thrusters have a bright magenta plume.

#### **Miniature Magnetic Arcjet Thrusters** [4]

Miniature Magnetic Arcjet Thrusters are nearly identical to the larger versions used as primary propulsion on starships. They differ only in that their smaller size makes them more efficient. They perform better at all types of travel in comparison to the standard Hall Effect thruster, but still produce less immediate thrust than a PPT. They are commonly mounted on ships that use the same types of thrusters for primary propulsion, giving them fuel commonality and making them easier to maintain.

Like the primary propulsion model, the Miniature Magnetic Arcjet thrusters use compressed lithium as a propellant, draw enormous amounts of power and require frequent refueling and maintenance.

Magnetic arcjet thrusters have a carmine red plume.

### **BULKHEAD LAYOUT**

A bulkhead is an internal wall separating rooms and passageways within a ship. Bulkheads allow other sections of a ship to retain air in the event of a hull breach by using airlocks to seal off the breached compartment. You can decide the layout of the bulkheads within your vessel at your leisure; alternatively, you may use one of these common layouts.

#### **Internalized Layout**

An internalized layout consists of a cockpit or bridge at the front of the vessel, a cargo hold at the bottom or the rear of the vessel depending on its size, and engineering systems such as power generators, computer mainframes and atmospheric control systems in the center where they are most protected. Other rooms, such as bedrooms or bunks, dining areas, rec rooms, kitchens, armories etc. are spaced out along a hallway that leads from the front to the back of the vessel in a straight line, sometimes with multiple hallways on multiple decks parallel to one-another. In addition, maintenance tunnel entrances are located between rooms, in order to allow access to atmospheric pump rooms, thruster maintenance rooms, emergency closets, etc. This simple and functional layout is commonly seen on many starships throughout Sol, usually considered the standard for all sorts of vessels.

#### **Externalized Layout**

Similarly to an internalized layout, an externalized layout consists of a cockpit or bridge at the front of the vessel, a cargo hold at the bottom or the rear of the vessel depnding on its size, and engineering systems such as power generators, computer mainframes and atmospheric control systems in the center where they are most protected. Other rooms, such as bedrooms or bunks, dining areas, rec rooms, kitchens, armories etc. are spaced out along multiple hallways that go around the outer edges of the ship in a rectangular shape, with some hallways in the center leading from one side to the other. When a ship has multiple decks, the hallways on each deck are parallel to eachother. In addition, maintenance tunnel entrances are located between rooms and on the outside walls of the hallways. This layout is usually seen on vessels with large crew compliments; it is less secure than an internalized layout, but allows for more space to be utilized inside the vessel, usually for cargo or room and board.

#### **Space-Optimized Layout**

Space-optimized layouts are uncommon due to their unintuitive nature and are usually seen on starships that were constructed or modified on a tight budget. Space-optimized layouts are focused entirely on maximum utilization of all the empty room inside the vessel. Important areas are muddled together as close to each other as possible, usually with sections leading into one another, while rooms such as bathrooms or closets are simply put wherever they will fit. In addition, maintenance tunnels must take a path to go around or in between the rooms, turning them into a labyrinthine maze. On a ship with this sort of layout, one might see a kitchen with a door leading directly into the engine room, or a cockpit right next to the bedroom.

#### **Luxury Layout**

This layout is commonly seen on large civilian starships such as cruise liners and space yachts. Engine rooms, atmospheric control rooms, thruster control rooms and other engineering systems are kept separate from the rest of the vessel, usually in the front, rear, or - in the case of multi-deck ships - bottom of the ship, so that their operation does not bother the rest of the ship's occupants. Multiple intersecting hallways criss-cross the ship in order to make it easy to get from one side to another. The bridge is usually in the center of the ship, so it can be quickly accessed from any area, while rooms such as bedrooms, kitchens, rec rooms etc. are spaced out along the sides of the ship, so that the areas most frequented by passengers and crew have a majestic view of space. Ships with this sort of layout are designed with comfort in mind rather than function.

### **LIFE SUPPORT**

Life support consists of those systems within a spaceship designed to keep a crew comfortable and safe during space travel. It primarily refers to a ship's air supply and plumbing.

*Why does this matter?* It matters because you could die of suffocation or dehydration if the wrong part of your ship gets hit.

#### **Air Tank**

A simple air tank is a budget option normally used on small, short-range vessels such as shuttlecraft and on emergency escape pods. Rather than using an actual atmospheric loop system, this simple design uses a series of pumps to inject a fresh nitrogen-oxygen air mix from a pressure tank into the cabin and scrubs carbon dioxide into separate tank, but has no other functions. Air tanks can be refilled easily and freely and take up little to no room, making them a good option for craft that need to take up as little space as possible.

#### **Atmospheric Distribution System** [1]

A standard atmospheric distribution system uses a series of pumps and scrubbers to inject a nitrogen-oxygen air mix into the cabin and scrub carbon dioxide and exhaled nitrogen into their own tanks. As air returns to the main atmospheric control room, it passes through a series of filters and electrolyzers which separate the elements into their own independent tanks. Pure oxygen and nitrogen are then mixed into another tank at an optimum ratio, and the recycled air is pumped back through the feed. Relatively cheap and taking up only moderately more space than a tank of oxygen, these are the most common atmospheric systems in Sol.

#### **Emergency Atmospheric Failsafes** [1]

Emergency failsafes consist of a series of programmable air alarms and heavy, armored airlocks, at least one for each room on board the ship. These air alarms passively detect harmful changes to the atmosphere of a room and will automatically close emergency airlocks in the event of a breached bulkhead or a fire. The air alarms are capable of detecting low air pressures and oxygen depletion, as well as identifying unknown gasses. In the event of atmospheric sabotage with harmful gasses or a distribution malfunction, the harmful substance will be listed by its common name, chemical formula and chemical nomenclature This system is also capable of performing a manual panic syphon or panic drain, in which the vents in a room deactivate and the scrubbers attempt to empty the room of all gasses, including air, in order to correct an atmospheric problem such as overpressure or a harmful gas leak.

#### **Deluxe Atmospheric Distribution System** [3]

An atmospheric distribution system with enhanced functionality, not compatible with a standard atmospheric distribution system. Deluxe life support implements closed, isolated atmospheric loops with independent tanks for all compartments within a starship. As a result, it takes up far more room than a standard system, but it also allows for pipe breaches and other failures to be corrected mid-battle without the need for manual repairs. They are most often seen on larger combat vessels which were built with the expectation of taking a significant degree of damage in a fight, such as heavily armored cruisers. With a deluxe distribution system, no matter how many rooms on board a ship get breached, the air will never run out in rooms that retain their hermetic seal.

#### **Shielded Life Support** [3]

Shielded life support uses EMP-hardening and vacuum-tube technology in essential areas so that the atmospheric recycling system will continue to operate in the event of an EMP, engine sabotage or other kind of power surge or failure. It includes a bank of replaceable and rechargeable backup batteries which can power the system for up to 48 hours without any human interference. These systems are extremely tedious to install, requiring a deft hand and a great deal of manual labor, as they must be tailored to the specific pipe layout of individual ships. This makes shielded life support very expensive, so it is rarely seen on independently operated vessels.

#### **Cistern**

All spaceships carry their water supplies in cisterns. A cistern carries a supply of water in a pressurized container and delivers it directly to the ship's internal plumbing using simple liquid pumps. Cisterns are entirely mechanical, making them immune to EMP and power failure. Because of their simplicity and robustness, cisterns without any recycling technology are fairly common on ships of large sizes with small crews. A full cistern on a medium sized ship can last for upwards of 3 months with a crew of 4 and can be refilled cheaply nearly anywhere. Smaller ships and ships with larger crew compliments rely on water recycling. Ships with only cisterns installed usually dispose of waste by storing it in a separate container and trashing it after docking; spacing biohazardous waste is highly illegal.

#### **Direct Potable Recycler** [1]

Direct Potable Recycling, also called DPR, is an advanced technique for rapid reuse of recycled water. Nonpotable Recycling requires the recycled water to percolate through a buffer medium for weeks to months, making it nearly impossible to perform aboard a spaceship. Direct Potable Recyclers clean and filter water as it is deposited into drains, using a variety of techniques to rapidly refill the ship's water supply. Direct Potable Recyclers are extremely common aboard nearly all types of spaceships, but are susceptible to failure from loss of power. Direct Potable Recyclers are limited by the volume they can clean at once, making them a poor option for extremely large ships with enormous crews.

#### **Moisture Collector** [2]

The most advanced type of water recycling available, moisture collectors absorb water from exhalations around a spaceship's interior and quickly separate pure water from all drained waste. Moisture collectors are connected to a ship's atmospheric distribution loop, making them incompatible with simple air tanks. They are by far the most effective form of water distribution used in space, essentially giving crews an unlimited supply of water to drink and bathe with. Since they rely on electrolytic separation, moisture collectors tend to be fairly heavy on power usage as well as cost.

### **WEAPONS**

As the myriad of weapons in Sol is too large to list them all here, this list will contain only broad variations. All weapons are mounted either forward-facing, on cylindrical turrets, or on ball-and-socket shaped hardpoints, and can be controlled manually from within the hardpoint joint or automatically from the bridge if a ship has a fire-control system. Although advanced super-weapons are more specialized, conventional weapons can have an enormous range of compatible munitions. Missiles and rockets might come in EMP or Nuclear flavors, and firearms can use incendiary or armor-piercing ammunition to improve their lethality.

Weapons used on spaceships are considerably different from those used on other vehicles. Taking into consideration the extremely slow dissipation of heat in a vacuum, weapons must be designed specifically to withstand very high temperatures. Cheaper weapons usually use some type of liquid cooling jacket, with a heat exchanger piping the heat into an ejectable external heat sink. Heat sinks are then replaced by conveyor. This has the disadvantage of being more susceptible to malfunction, requiring constant upkeep, as well as having a limited number of onboard heatsinks to exchange during a firefight. More expensive variants will use a heat sink connected directly to the weapon, with a heat exchanger leading into an internal cooling chamber filled with liquid helium, liquid nitrogen, or some other type of strong refrigerant. These systems are far more reliable and are self-cooling, with heatsinks usually lasting for months of constant use before requiring replacement.

The extreme range of engagements in outer space necessitates designing weapons that either have very high rates of fire or tremendously fast projectiles. Even in space, where the potential range of a projectile is essentially unlimited, weaponry is considered to have a maximum effective range at which further distances make accuracy impossible.

#### **Point-Defense Gun (PDG)** [1]

An automatic machinegun chambered for a caliber used in handheld firearms. On any size of spaceship, PDGs are intended purely for defense. They are primarily meant for destroying incoming missiles, picking off boarding parties as they scale the outer hull, or eliminating small fighter drones. Common on all types of ships, including civilian, as they are cheap, reliable and effective. These weapons can be dangerous to some civilian craft, but can't even scratch the hull of an armored vessel in most cases.

#### **Heavy Machinegun (HMG)** [3]

An automatic machinegun capable of both point defense and direct offense. These weapons are generally chambered for larger calibers in between 12.7mm and 14.5mm. Usually seen on private military ships, pirate vessels, corporate cargo vessels and independent ships near the fringe of Sol, heavy machineguns are far more destructive than PDGs. Their primary purpose is to defeat astrofighters and armored missiles, but with certain types of ammunition loaded, a heavy machinegun can also defeat lightly armored frigates or gunships with concentrated fire. Most civilian vessels could easily be destroyed with heavy machineguns, making them a popular choice for pirate astrofighters.

#### **Light Autocannon** [5]

An autocannon used for direct engagements and fast-paced combat. These weapons are usually chambered in calibers between 20mm and 30mm. Light autocannons are designed for high rates of fire and are often seen in Gatling configurations. They can reliably defeat unarmored and lightly armored vessels and are extremely effective for point defense. Weapons larger than machineguns are far more expensive, so autocannons are rarely seen on independently owned civilian vessels; however, they are often used for defense against pirates and other threats by transports and similar ships. Light autocannons are also the most popular primary weapons aboard astrofighters, making them extremely common.

#### **Heavy Autocannon** [7]

An autocannon used for direct engagements with larger vessels. Generally, these weapons are chambered in calibers between 30mm and 50mm. Heavy autocannons are much more destructive than light autocannons, but also have a much slower rate of fire. In almost all cases, they are unsuitable for point-defense. Owing to their lack of versatility, they are almost exclusively mounted on vessels built for battle alongside other weapons. They can reliably dispatch vessels with light to medium armor and fire projectiles with much higher muzzle energies, giving them a longer effective range and greater penetration than light autocannons.

#### **Light Mortar** [9]

A homing artillery cannon used for mid to long-range engagements. Usually, light mortars are chambered for calibers between 50mm and 100mm in size. With more destructive power and a much longer effective range than an autocannon, light mortars are usually used for engagements with larger spacecraft at greater distances. They are equipped with small propellant pods in addition to gunpowder, and can alter their trajectory slightly at a distance. While a light mortar would barely scratch a UEF battleship, it could destroy a medium sized vessel like a cruiser.

#### **Heavy Mortar** [11]

A homing artillery cannon used for long-range engagements and designed to destroy smaller vessels such as frigates with a single shot at range. These weapons are usually chambered in calibers between 100mm and 200mm. Heavy mortars are generally too large and cumbersome and their ammunition too voluminous to be mounted on small vessels, though they can occasionally be seen jury-rigged to fire a round or two from an aftermarket astrofighter or frigate. Heavy mortar projectiles can self-correct their trajectories slightly, but only at long ranges. Heavy mortars are the most common high-caliber space weapons in Sol owing to their high cost-effectiveness ratio. They are very dangerous in space combat and are capable of damaging all types of armor, with a huge variety of ammunition that can cater to nearly any situation. Even some military vessels can rapidly be destroyed with accurate fire from such weapons.

#### **Howitzer** [13+]

A homing artillery cannon designed for engagements with large ships at extreme distances. These include any cannon with a bore larger than 200mm. The point cost of a howitzer increases by 1 for every 100mm of its diameter greater than 200mm, up to a maximum of 1000mm. The power and accuracy of a howitzer dwarfs that of smaller weapons, with projectiles that can self correct with great precision at enormous ranges and the destructive capability to completely obliterate most ships with a single round. Among all types of conventional weapons other than missiles and torpedoes, howitzers are the only one that can threaten the most powerful military battleships.

#### **Rocket Pod** [10+]

A multiple-launch rocket system firing unguided missiles, usually mounted aboard large drones and astrofighters. Rocket pods allow for close-range bombardment of larger or clustered targets. While rockets are very inaccurate, their small size due to a lack of a guidance system allows for twice as many to be mounted in the same size hardpoint as a missile launcher. Rockets can be devastating in high-speed hit and run attacks, giving small ships the power to obliterate those of a much larger size. Rockets usually come in sizes between 88mm to 150mm. Their point cost increases by 1 for every 50mm increase in size over 150mm, up to a maximum of 300mm.

#### **Missile Launcher** [12+]

A system containing a tube (or tubes) and autoloading mechanism for the use of guided missiles. Various types and sizes of missiles exist, and so these versatile weapons can be found mounted on almost any class of ship. Sometimes, a single missile can be mounted to an external hardpoint. In this case, the cost of a single missile is 3 points. Usually, missiles can be found in sizes between 120mm and 280mm. The point cost of a missile launcher increases by 1 for each 20mm increase in width above 280mm, up to a maximum of 400mm. Although they can be used at almost any range, these otherwise highly accurate weapons are susceptible to jamming and hacking. Due to the prevalence of ECM and point-defense systems, it is usually preferable to fire more missiles of a smaller size than less missiles of a larger size.

#### **Torpedo Launcher** [15+]

A system containing a tube (or tubes) and autoloading mechanism for the use of guided torpedoes. Various types of torpedoes exist, but torpedoes are inherently very large, so they are rarely seen on smaller vessels. Sometimes, a single torpedo can be mounted to an external hardpoint. In this case, the cost of a single torpedo is 4 points. Torpedoes inflict high levels of damage and have a correspondingly high price. In most cases, a single torpedo will completely destroy its target. Their weakness is in their slow mid-flight correction speed as a result of their large mass and their susceptibility to jamming and hacking. To counteract these drawbacks, torpedoes are often armored to withstand point defense fire and many come equipped with onboard ECCM. Torpedoes are the most common delivery method for nuclear and chemical weapons. Torpedoes can come in any size above 400mm. The point cost of a torpedo launcher increases by 5 for each 150mm increase in width above 400mm, up to a maximum of 1000mm.

Missiles larger than torpedoes exist, but are generally unavailable to individuals due to cost. Such weapons can be thought of as being similar to cruise missiles and ICBMs of the 21st century, costing tens of millions of credits for a single warhead.

#### **Railgun** [20]

An old design from the 20th century, a railgun is a projectile launcher which uses a pair of electromagnetic rails to propel armor penetrators at incredible speeds. These powerful weapons were originally less efficient than standard firearms, but they have since been perfected. Railguns draw far more power than conventional firearms and are extremely expensive; however, they make up for it with their sheer destructive power. Railguns are better able to reliably strike targets at extreme distances than normal firearms due to the higher speeds of the projectiles and are capable of penetrating all but the heaviest armor. Their projectiles cannot be shot down and can even survive atmospheric descent, making them suitable for orbital bombardment. The large size of railgun ammunition heavily restricts the amount that can be stored on board a vessel. Relative to conventional firearms, railguns are similar in lethality to the largest howitzers, while having a significantly greater effective range and superior armor penetration. Railgun projectiles are not designed to carry warheads and can sometimes be less effective against certain targets than a howitzer loaded with the most expensive munitions, such as thermobaric, EMP, or even nuclear rounds; however, they are much cheaper to rearm, are nearly incapable of malfunction, and can store ammunition much more safely.

#### **Gauss Gun** [22]

Similar to a railgun, a gauss gun propels a projectile using electromagnetic coils instead of rails. Like railguns, they are a centuries old technology which has since been perfected. Gauss guns have a much higher rate of fire than railguns, but produce significantly less power. They are still much more destructive than conventional firearms, however, and ‒ like their cousins ‒ require a large amount of electricity. Since they produce less power, Gauss Guns use smaller projectiles to reach similar velocities to railguns. These smaller projectiles are less capable of piercing heavy armor than the projectiles railguns can accelerate, but they allow for a greatly increased ammunition capacity and a much higher likelihood of scoring hits against fast-moving targets. Compared to conventional firearms, a gauss gun has the fire rate of a heavy machinegun, while hitting as hard as a heavy mortar. Gauss guns are usually considered to be a more versatile choice than railguns and the market reflects that fact with a higher price tag. Like railguns, they are cheap to rearm, but their greater frequency of use makes them more prone to malfunction; however, they still have the benefit of storing explosively inert ammunition, overcoming the greatest disadvantage of conventional weaponry.

#### **Amplified Electromagnetic Weapon System (AEWS)** [23+]

An Amplified Electromagnetic Weapon System, or AEWS, is a directed energy weapon which projects an amplified beam of electromagnetic radiation. Also referred to as a MASER gun (or other acronyms depending on the frequency), these weapons are extraordinarily powerful, but require enormous amounts of power to operate. In addition, they are many orders of magnitude more expensive than conventional weapons, and are especially weak against ablative armor. Higher frequency AEWS are more effective, and the point cost of an AEWS increases by 1 for each step above a standard MASER (LASER, XRASER, GRASER, in that order). Against most vessels one might encounter in Sol, a focused attack from any AEWS is more than enough to ensure total annihilation. AEWS are the most common superweapons in military usage owing to their extreme range and accuracy. Since their "projectiles" are photons and radioactive particles which move at or near the speed of light, there is no need to lead targets or worry about interceptions; attacks simply hit targets instantly. Ablative armor is extraordinarily resistant to AEWS technology, but lacks defensive capabilities in other areas, so AEWS are usually mounted alongside other weapons to account for target disparity.

#### **Pulsed Plasma Gun** **(PPG)** [26]

Pulsed plasma projectors are a type of plasma-based weapon which rely on a field of compressed electromagnetic forces to "squeeze" plasma into a teardrop-like shaped projectile. Plasma is generated by ionizing compressed gas as ammunition, then compressed by funneling it through a small opening leading to the equivalent of a plasma weapon's chamber. Once loaded, the plasma is then launched out the front of the weapon by further compressing it from back to front while simultaneously opening the front of the chamber. Laymen usually describe this action as being alike to squeezing the last bit of toothpaste out of a tube. The compressed projectiles then burst on contact, creating a wave of force and heat not dissimilar to high explosives, but far hotter. Pulsed plasma weapons have a relatively short range and poor accuracy as a result of their mechanism; even the largest of them are only effective at medium ranges. This is due to the nature of the projectile, which begins to flare out as it travels, like a drop of water moving at high speed. These types of weapons are especially effective against ablative armor, as the energy and temperature of the blast does not disperse in a vacuum, causing the superheated material to "splash" over the target on impact and stick to it. For some seconds after being struck, the target suffers from rapidly building exterior temperatures which can be tens of thousands of degrees kelvin This quickly depletes ablative armor, leaving the target defenseless against more precise weapons. The ionized radiation acts as an electromagnetic pulse as it contacts the hull, conducting through the ship and potentially damaging electronics. Pulsed plasma projectiles can sometimes superheat the interior of a target vessel enough to destroy electronics or even burn the crew to death. Plasma weapons are very effective against most types of armor, with the exception of composite armor. When these weapons score hits on unarmored vessels, the targets often simply melt away or disintegrate. Composite armor creates a large buffer between the exterior and interior of a ship, usually requiring repeated hits from thermal weapons to penetrate. Pulsed plasma projectors draw the same amount of power as an AEWS and are perfectly married to them due to their opposing strengths, making it very common for both to mounted alongside one another.

#### **Particle Accelerator Cannon** **(PAC)** [30]

Particle accelerator cannons (PACs) are extremely expensive and destructive superweapons demanding massive amounts of power, which operate on the same principle as railguns and gauss weapons, but with a much more advanced application. PACs use a circular chamber lined with a series of internal railguns and paired with superconductors to continuously accelerate a single particle around and around, passing through the same accelerating fields countless times. After building enough momentum, an angular stoppage shuts the chamber and funnels the particle through a stabilizing tube before it is launched out the barrel. Due to this method of operation, PACs require an enormous amount of power to operate, as well as a "recharge" time after each fired shot. PACs use nuclear fuel rods as ammunition; the particles they fire are gathered from radioactive decay and super-condensed to even smaller size. The massive kinetic energy carried by the projectile creates an incredible explosive release of heat and force upon impact, comparable to a megaton-yield nuclear hydrogen bomb. PACs can penetrate almost any armor in existence, with the notable exception of ADNR Matrix Armor. PACs require a large amount of space to operate and are generally only mounted on the largest of vessels. Smaller vessels sometimes mount PACs in a spinal configuration, allowing the barrel to run across the length of the ship, but this greatly limits the weapon's accuracy. PACs are extremely rare, reserved as the main weapons of flagship vessels in most fleets. PACs are considered to be weapons of mass destruction under interplanetary law in both the Republic and the Federation, making their use extremely restricted and heavily monitored.

**Bose-Einstein Condensate Gun (BEC Gun)** [30] – A unique weapon which kills the crew of a starship rather than destroying the starship itself. It projects an electromagnetically confined stream of bose-einstein condensate, which looks like a translucent mist. This ultra-cold substance is cooled to near absolute zero, so when it makes contact with the vessel, it causes snap freezing. This damages the hull severely, destroys sensors, and quickly begins to freeze the inside. Temperatures inside the ship quickly fall far below the limit of human endurance, and the crew dies of hypothermia in minutes. These weapons are extremely rare and expensive, and almost never encountered outside of specialist military operations.

#### **Lightning Projector** [32]

Lightning Projectors are among the most powerful and expensive space-based weapons in existence, rivalling even weapons of mass destruction in raw energy potential, though with a far smaller and more precise area of effect. Just like a nuclear bomb, a Lightning Projector generates a powerful electromagnetic pulse on impact and has a very high likelihood to shut down electronics entirely when striking vessels that lack rigorous protection against EMPs. Lightning Projectors are so-called due to the appearance of their operation, but the plasma they generate is millions of times more energetic than the lightning seen in storms on Earth. Lightning Projectors use low-power internal acceleration chambers similar to PACs to launch a stream of superconductive particles at unbelievable speeds. At the same time, the chamber is flooded with ultra high energy radiation collected in a similar manner, and the entire particle stream is ionized. This connects the end of the stream to the weapon's chamber, transferring all of the built-up energy into the target. The energy transfer is delayed over a period of several seconds, during which it appears similar to a fork of lightning striking in the sky on Earth and fading away. By delaying the release of energy over several seconds rather than an instant, the energy generated is able to be focused on the point of impact rather than dispersing in a massive explosion. Lightning Projectors are effective against all types of armor, including ADNR Matrix armor - which is otherwise impervious to nearly anything other than very high-yield nuclear weapons and BEC guns - though they will still require a great number of hits to defeat it. Lightning Projectors are not considered WMDs due to their small area of effect, and are considerably more common than PACs despite being more expensive. Usually, it appears as though the fork of lightning strikes the target, then spreads along the exterior, shredding armor and hull away until the lightning fades away entirely. These weapons obliterate most targets in a single shot - after the few seconds it takes for the lightning to fade, all that remains of most things is scrap and dust.

### **EXTERNAL ARMOR**

One of the most important considerations for captains of any starship is the decision whether to mount armor or not, and if so, what type, and how much? It is not only the type of armor, but the amount of armor that affects a starship’s ability to survive in battle. However, more armor is not always better, as it comes with a cost. Heavier armor gives the ship more mass, and creates far greater strain on the propulsion systems, making it less agile. There are three general levels of armor – Light, Moderate, and Heavy. Adding more armor is always more expensive. In this category, three point prices will be listed, separated by commas. The prices are listed from light to heavy.

Armor can be mixed and matched, so far as it does not exceed being "heavy." For instance, you could have Sloped Armor (Light) and Composite Armor (Medium), but you could not have Explosive Reactive Armor (Medium) and Ablative Armor (Medium).

Ex: **Deluxe Foam Armor** [1, 2, 3]

#### **Sloped Armor** [1, 2, 3]

Sloped armor consists of overlapping, sloped plates of metal with a backbone made of a strong ceramic. It is a design so old it has been in use since before the industrial revolution. Increasing armor slope improves the armor's level of protection by increasing the armor's thickness measured on a horizontal plane. This armor is very effective at countering solid projectiles, but offers minimal protection from high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) weapons or directed energy weapons. Sloped armor is cheap and extremely easy to install and replace, making it by far the most common type of armor in Sol. Because it consists of solid plates of dense material, sloped armor tends to be more massive than other types of armor, leading to greater decrease in maneuverability.

Sloped armor can never be completely destroyed unless the vessel it is a part of is obliterated.

#### **Composite Armor** [2, 3, 4]

Composite armor consists of thick layers of different material such as metals, plastics, or ceramics, along with empty pockets of air or vacuum. Composite armors were first invented in the 20th century to defeat HEAT and HESH rounds, and have only improved since then. Most composite armors have less mass than their all-metal equivalent, but instead occupy a larger volume for the same resistance to penetration. While the primary purpose of composite armor is to help defeat shaped-charge warheads, it is a good versatile armor overall. It is effective at countering solid projectiles, and some types of directed energy weapons, such as plasma weapons, but it is easily defeated by lasers or penetrative (tandem) warheads.

Composite armor can never be completely destroyed unless the vessel it is a part of is obliterated.

#### **Ablative Armor** [2, 3, 4]

Ablative armor consists of a number of solid plates of ablative ceramic material. The ablative ceramic is designed to absorb a large amount of heat prior to disintegrating, a process called ablation. The first designs for ablative armor were created for Russian and US space programs in the mid-20th century to protect space shuttles from the high heat friction of atmospheric descent. It is the most quickly depleted type of armor, but renders vessels nearly impervious to lasers and similar weapons. It is also somewhat effective against solid projectiles, although it offers minimal protection from HEAT weapons and explosives. Ablative armor is especially weak to plasma weapons, which can spread enormous amounts of heat over the surface area of the armor and disintegrate much of it simultaneously.

When ablative armor is struck by a laser weapon, the laser weapon makes no penetration roll - it is automatically deflected. When ablative armor is struck by a plasma weapon, the plasma weapon makes no penetration roll; instead, remove one armor level from the ablative armor (heavy becomes medium, medium becomes light, light becomes no armor). Reduction in armor levels do not count as part damage - they completely remove the armor, which must be entirely replaced. When any other type of weapon strikes ablative armor, remove one level of thickness from the armor, to a minimum of 0. When the armor reaches 0 thickness, it is completely destroyed and cannot be repaired. If the armor does not reach 0 thickness, it can still be repaired.

#### **Explosive Reactive Armor** [3, 4, 5]

Explosive reactive armor is a type of armor designed specifically to defeat shaped-charge explosives. It consists of a layer of metal on top of a ceramic backbone, but interspersed with small internal explosive shaped charges. The internal charges go off at the time of impact to create an explosive counter-force, which usually destroys warheads outright, or at least mitigates their penetrative ability. Explosive reactive armor was designed in the 21st century as a countermeasure against improvements in anti-tank weapons technology, such as tandem HEAT warheads. This type of armor offers incredible protection against all sorts of explosive weapons and solid projectiles, but offers no protection against lasers or similar weapons.

Each time an explosive or kinetic projectile attack hits explosive reactive armor and penetrates the armor, reduce the armor's thickness by 1 and reroll for penetration, taking the lower of the two results. If the armor's thickness reaches 0, it is completely destroyed and cannot be repaired.

#### **Electric Reactive Armor** [4, 6, 8]

One of the most advanced types of armor available, electric reactive armor is made up a series of conductive plates separated by ceramic plate armor, which acts as an insulator and creates a high-power capacitor. In operation, it requires a power source. When an incoming body penetrates the plates, it closes the circuit to discharge the capacitor, dumping a great deal of energy into the source of penetration, which may vaporize it or even turn it into a low-energy plasma, significantly diffusing the attack. This type of armor is highly effective at defeating solid projectiles and reasonably effective at defeating explosives. It even offers light protection against directed energy weapons as well by diffusing them across its surface, making it extremely popular for use in high-end combat spacecraft due to its versatility.

Electric reactive armor can never be completely destroyed unless the vessel it is a part of is obliterated.

#### Aggregated Diamond Nano-rod (ADNR) Matrix Armor [26, 32, 38]

By far the most expensive type of armor available to any ship in Sol, Aggregated Diamond Nano-rod Matrix Armor - also called ADNR matrix armor, or hyperdiamond armor - is more protective than any other substance in existence. It is almost unheard of to see ships equipped with such armor outside of the military or intrasolar police. It is practically impervious to all forms of damage, with the heaviest ADNR plating rendering ships utterly immune to all but the most destructive weapons.

ADNR Matrix armor has several mechanical advantages over all other types of armor. Any weapon with a penetration modifier lower than the armor's thickness makes no penetration roll and cannot deal damage. Weapons with penetration modifiers higher than the armor's thickness subtract the armor's thickness from their modifier before rolling for penetration. Finally, the penetration DC for ADNR matrix armor takes the maximum rather than the average of its thickness dice. This renders it initially invulnerable against nearly all weapons other than large nukes and lightning projectors.

Whenever an attack's penetration roll reaches or exceeds the average of the armor's durability and thickness, add a counter to the armor. For each counter, ignore one point of thickness for the purpose of reducing the attack's penetration dice (but not for calculating the penetration DC). If the counters reach the same number as the armor's thickness, the penetration DC is also reduced back down to the average roll of DUR and thickness, rather than the maximum. Upon repair, all counters are removed and the DC is restored to the maximum.

**INTERIOR ARMOR**

In addition to the armor plating that embraces the exterior of a space vessel - which is primarily designed to protect critical ship components - most spaceships are also equipped with additional interior armor which is geared towards protecting secondary components and the crew.

#### **Hull Plating** [3]

"Hull plating" refers to any kind of thick plating lining the Interior of a ship. It is usually made up of overlapping steel and ceramic plates and affords extra protection against hull breaches in case exterior plating is defeated.

Whenever a compartment - *not* a component - is hit, increase the penetration DC by 3. Additionally, automatically prevent the first hull breach suffered by the ship. This prevention works only once until the plating is repaired.

#### **Blast Doors** [2]

A blast door is a heavily armored emergency airlock intended to close off interior sections of a ship by sealing bulkheads. Blast doors allow for extra protection in the case of enemy boarding, making it possible to lock boarders into a compartment of the ship. Blast doors are impervious to most man-carried weapons, but can be destroyed with explosives or cut through with vibroblades and arc welders.

#### **Robust Life Support** [2]

Atmospheric systems and plumbing are carefully braced and organized and have collapsible armored panels to protect them from sustaining inadvertent damage during combat or collisions.

Whenever a life support system would be damaged by an attack, roll for penetration a second time to confirm. If the second roll fails to pass the penetration DC, the attack only hits the compartment. This does not apply to the central atmospherics room or the ship's cistern.

#### **Robust Electrical Systems** [4]

Electrical systems are carefully braced and organized and have collapsible armored panels to protect them from sustaining inadvertent damage during combat or collisions.

Whenever an electrical system would be damaged by an attack, roll for penetration a second time to confirm. If the second roll fails to pass the penetration DC, the attack only hits the compartment. This does not apply to power generators.

#### **Armored Mainframe** [5]

The ship’s mainframe computer is protected by an armored enclosure fitted with an ovonic threshold protector and braced against its walls with non-conductive material, protecting it from strong kinetic shock as well as EMPs.

Whenever a computer system would be damaged by an attack, roll for penetration a second time to confirm. If the second roll fails to pass the penetration DC, the attack only penetrates the compartment. In addition, the ship's computer systems ignore EMPs. This applies to all computer systems.

**AUXILIARY SYSTEMS**

Too many auxiliary systems exist for them all to be listed. Come up with your own and I'll price it! Here are some of the many examples.\

#### **Emergency Fire Suppression** [1]

Emergency systems that activate in the case of a fire, spraying it with water or a foaming suffocant which quickly douses the flame.

If the vessel with this system suffers from a fire anywhere in the interior, the condition is removed one turn later. This does not function if the ship's cistern is destroyed.

#### **Utility LASER** [3]

A LASER projector that emits a low-intensity, sustained beam for long periods of time; it is completely different in operation from AEWS used for battle, which "pulse" to deliver as much energy as possible in an instant. Utility LASERs are designed to be used to “cut” through surfaces slowly, and are usually used for cutting apart destroyed vehicles for salvage or asteroids for mining purposes.

Utility LASERs cannot normally be used for battle, but can be used to slice through hull and armor if the vessel is completely immobile. Cutting through armor takes an amount of hours equal to the armor's penetration DC, while cutting through hull takes only 10 minutes, or 30 minutes if the vessel also has hull plating.

#### **Fighter Launcher** [2]

A flat magnetic strip extending from a hangar - often the cargo bay - with electromagnetic rails on the sides. Used to propel both astrofighters and drones out of the vessel and towards opposing ships or scouting locations.

When using a fighter launcher to deploy a drone or astrofighter, multiply the drone or astrofighter's acceleration by 10.

#### **Probe** [1]

A surveillance drone mounted with various long-range sensor equipment. Generally very accurate, probes are frequently used for transporting light cargo as well, as they can carry small loads (7x7x7 feet).

Double the result of any SEN roll made to detect something (ships, objects, clouds of gas, people) if the target of the roll is within 1,000 miles of the probe.

#### **Thermoelectric Backup Generator** [8]

An auxiliary power generator of Seebeck design, usually appended to the "end" of a primary power generation system - for instance, at the exhaust of a heat engine system, to convert the wasted heat back into electricity. These generators can be set to either add to overall power generation, or to store their generated power in a separate battery for use in emergencies.

#### **Defense Drone** [6]

A heavily armored drone armed with point-defense weapons and missile tubes. Defense Drones are very tough with accurate weapons, but lack the speed, agility and raw destructive power of attack drones.

#### **Attack Drone** [8]

A lightly armored drone armed with dual low-caliber autocannons and rocket pods. They are much faster and more agile than Defense Drones, but are vulnerable even to low-caliber point defense guns. Attack Drones can also be damaged or destroyed with concentrated small arms fire. Assault runs across the surface of a ship by an attack drone can completely annihilate small or lightly armored vessels through sheer volume of fire.

#### **Boarding Drone** [14]

A moderately armored drone equipped with magnetic feet and vibroblades designed for landing on a vessel's exterior, tearing through its armor and hull and assaulting the interior. These drones are used to destroy components from inside the vessel where they are unprotected, as well as to slaughter ship's crews. Boarding drones are extremely lethal and dangerous, often considered to be among the deadliest threats in space for their ability to slice through all but the heaviest armor. Their expendability and expense makes them ill-suited for use by individuals or private enterprises, and outside of self-made variants used by criminal organizations and pirates, it is very rare to see boarding drones used outside mercenary groups, the police or the military.

### **ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY GENERATOR**

In order to stave off the severe negative health effects of long-term exposure to zero gravity, most ship captains opt for an artificial gravity generator. However uncommon, some ships still operate entirely without gravity. These are usually ships meant for short journeys, or those which are self-built.

#### **Nothing**

Some ships simply operate without any type of artificial gravity at all. While it may seem like nothing but a bad idea, there are some benefits to taking this route. The risks to health are very much real, but it is possible to mitigate them with physical exercise using zero G exercise equipment. In addition, it lowers costs and energy consumption and does not compromise the ship's integrity in any way.

#### **Exterior Centrifuge**

An archaic - and nowadays exceedingly uncommon - form of artificial gravity in which a large spinning ring is built around the ship’s midsection, imparting its rotational force outward upon each full rotation. At steady speeds, this creates the sensation of gravity for those inside the centrifuge's cabin, and helps counteract the health effects of zero gravity. Increases the ship's mass exponentially, impacting its speed and maneuverability. For the captain on a serious budget, but who still wants some form of gravity generation on their vessel.

#### **Interior Centrifuge** [1]

An uncommon, but cheap type of artificial gravity generation often used in independent vessels on a budget is the interior centrifuge. Though similar in theory to an exterior centrifuge, these devices operate entirely differently in application, and usually require an entire ship to be built around them. A central spinning cylinder imparts rotational force outward as it spins from within the vessel, granting the sensation of gravity to occupants in the rest of the ship. In most cases, these centrifuges are also hollow, allowing for quick transfers from one side of the ship to the other. In these instances, there is no gravity within the cylinder itself, and they are often lined with handholds to make navigation easier.

#### **Negaton Gravity Generator** [2]

The most common type of artificial gravity generation in Sol, generally considered the universal standard. Negaton gravity generators are devices which burn through negaton fuel in an applied manner to artificially increase the mass of the ship's "bottom" by warping spacetime around it to "compress" it. These generators are usually made specifically for the ships that they are attached to, and could only be programmed to another ship's chassis by someone with extensive knowledge. Once activated, the device selects the most appropriate center of gravity and creates a perfect and consistent 1G atmosphere.

### **NEGATON DRIVE**

A negaton drive is a propulsion engine which relies on theory from the 20th century written by Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre. Negaton drives operate by applying the Alcubierre effect to warp space around a vessel and force it through the spatial dimension like squeezing a bottle of toothpaste. Inside the warp bubble, the ship is not moving. In this way, the Alcubierre effect is used to negate time dilation when traveling at extremely high, sub-luminal speeds, and when powered by an external device such as a cosmic gateway, faster than light speeds.

All negaton drives rely on the use of special fuel composed of negaton particles - artificially produced particles with a negative mass. Negaton fuel is extremely common, but can be expensive due to its difficult manufacturing process and laborious handling protocols. It usually presents in the form of a vacuum-sealed capsule about one and a half foot tall and 8 inches in width. Fuel capsules are disposable and can safely be jettisoned when emptied. The process of replacing fuel capsules is usually as simple as pressing a button to pop one out of a port, and then sticking the other one in.

Due to the complexity of these machines, there are an extremely scarce number of products on the market, all sold by the most well-known manufacturers in Sol.

#### **Future Forward Corp. CC-G-19 Drive** [1]

The most popular negaton drive on the market, the patented Future Forward Corp. CC-G-19 could be considered the standard four cylinder engine of its time. With a maximum cruising speed of 0.1 AUPh, the CC-G-19 is primarily rated for large passenger vessels and cargo transports. Because of its low price, it can also be seen in use on all sorts of vessels, ranging from salvage or mining craft to personal hobby vessels.

At 0.1 AUPh, a journey from Earth to Mars would take roughly a day, while a trip to Saturn could take a week.

#### **Jameson S23 Deluxe Drive** [4]

A popular negaton drive that surpasses its direct competition by just enough for savvy consumers to favor it. The Jameson S23 Deluxe is yet another example of exceptional Jameson engineering. With a top speed of 0.2 AUPh, the S23 Deluxe is twice as fast as its direct competitor. It is also equipped with a variety of redundant mechanisms, ensuring that the warp drive will automatically deactivate in the event of a warp bubble collision or collapse, effectively preventing damage to the vessel. Compared to other negaton drives, the S23 is notably cheap and easy to maintain with an extremely long service life.

At 0.2 AUPh, a journey from Earth to Mars would take roughly 13 hours, while a trip to Saturn would take close to two days.

**MEGATECH Type 08-N Premium Drive** [10]

A very powerful negaton drive with a price point to match. It features extremely quick warp activation, shortening the delay between drive engagement and maximum speed. It tops out at a blazing fast 0.75 AUPh, far outstripping the cheaper models by a wide margin. MEGATECH Industries issues an individual warranty on each Type 08-N Premium Drive for the length of its service, guaranteeing repair or replacement as a result of any damage not sustained intentionally or in battle.

At 0.75 AUPh, a journey from Earth to Mars would take a couple hours, while a trip to Saturn would take about half a day. Reaching the nearest fringe world, Uranus, would take a little over a day.

**Titan Aerospace MH3Z ULTIMATE Drive** [26]

Far and away the most expensive negaton drive on the consumer market, the MH3Z ULTIMATE is designed for ships intent on reaching the furthest depths of solar space. The furthest planet from Earth is Pluto, at 33AU, or roughly three billion miles. Meanwhile, the furthest objects in the solar system which are capable of orbiting the sun's gravity are thousands of AU away. A number of sparse outcast settlement can be found between anywhere from 2000 to 5000 AU from the sun, so some sort of drive is required to navigate those vast distances. These types of drives are generally only seen on deep space probes or on extreme long-distance transports and cargo ships. They have a top speed of 15 AUPh, and can travel to the farthest reaches of the Oort cloud in about half a month.

At 15 AUPh, a journey from Earth to mars would take about 5 minutes, while a trip to Saturn would take around 20. Reaching the nearest fringe world, Uranus, would take just over an hour.