Table Of ContentT , L , T TM
RADERS INERS AND RANSPORTS
Written by DAVID L. PULVER Edited by ANDY VETROMILE
Illustrated by BEN ANGLIN, PAUL DALY, JOHN HARTWELL,
DAN SMITH, and JOHN D. WALTRIP
An e23 Sourcebook for GURPS®
STEVE JACKSON GAMES
®
Stock #37-0121 Version 1.0 – May 9, 2008
C
ONTENTS
INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Maltese Falcon-Class Manning the Ship: Types
About the Series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Yacht (TL10^) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 of Crews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
About GURPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Taj Mahal-Class Luxury Yacht OPERATINGEXPENSES. . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Publication History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 (TL11^). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Bank Payments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
About the Author. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Ulysses-Class Frontier Crew Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Yacht (TL11^) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Fuel and Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1. SPACECRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Zeta Reticuli-Class Galactic Maintenance Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
TRAMPFREIGHTERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Yacht (TL12^) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Docking and Service Fees . . . . . . . 31
Pioneer-Class Freighter (TL9^). . . . 5 HEAVY-LIFTBOOSTERS . . . . . . . . . . . 17 LEGALITIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Outlander-Class Deep-Space Baikonur Launch Red Tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Freighter (TL10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Vehicle (TL7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Fudging It. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Kiev-Class Farhauler (TL10^). . . . . 6 Conestoga-Class Heavy Corporate Taxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Anthem-Class Light Star Lift Vehicle (TL9). . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Freighter (TL11^) . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 SHUTTLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 In the Unlikely Event of War. . . . . 33
Dark Horse-Class Free Trader Condor Spaceplane (TL9) . . . . . . . 19 Factories and Trade. . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
(TL11^). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Thunderbird Cargo
FREIGHTLINERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Lighter (TL10^). . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 3. CARGO AND
Titan-Class Heavy Space-Transport Alpha Shuttlecraft (TL11^) . . . . . . 20 PASSENGERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Vehicle (TL10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 COURIERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Liner Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Prosperity-Class Heavy Star Hermes-Class Interplanetary Tramp Spaceship Operations . . . . 35
Freighter (TL10^) . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Courier (TL10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 SPECULATIVETRADE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Ricardo-Class LASH Freight Dart-Class Interstellar Buying the Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Carrier (TL10^) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Speedster (TL11^). . . . . . . . . . . 21 Trade Classifications . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Betelgeuse-Class Super FERRIESANDSHIP’SBOATS . . . . . . . 21 Selling Cargo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Freighter (TL11^) . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Aurora Orbital Transfer Vehicle Focused Cargo Searches . . . . . . . . . 38
Regulus-Class Frontier
(OTV) (TL8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 FREIGHTANDPASSENGERS. . . . . . . . 39
Transport (TL11^). . . . . . . . . . . 10
Copernicus Cislunar Basic Shipping and
PASSENGERLINERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Ferry (TL9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Passenger Rates. . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Endymion-Class Translunar BARGES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Special Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Cruise Ship (TL9) . . . . . . . . . . . 11
100-ton Container Barge (TL7). . . 22 Looking for Freight or
Prospero-Class Interplanetary
30-Ton Drop Can (TL7) . . . . . . . . . 23 Passengers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Liner (TL10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Heavy Cargo Barge (TL7) . . . . . . . 23 Slower-Than-Light Interstellar
Empress-Class Star
Sling Liner Passenger Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Liner (TL10^). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Barge (TL9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Tramp Freight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Xanadu-Class Luxury
Special-Delivery Options. . . . . . . . . 42
Liner (TL11^). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2. FINANCES AND Passengers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
SLOWBOATSANDSUNJAMMERS . . . . 13 EXPENSES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Notes on Passengers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Icarus-Class Sunjammer (TL9). . . 13 SPACEPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Full Charter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Kaufman-Class Packet Working Passage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Port of Registry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Hauler (TL9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
YACHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 SHIPSANDCREWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 INDEX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Buying a Spacecraft. . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Vega-Class Executive
Getting a Ship without
Transport (TL9). . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Buying It. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
GURPSSystem Design ❚STEVE JACKSON Managing Editor❚PHIL REED Marketing Director❚PAUL CHAPMAN
GURPSLine Editor❚SEAN PUNCH Art Director❚WILL SCHOONOVER Director of Sales❚ROSS JEPSON
Indexer❚THOMAS WEIGEL Production Artist❚ALEX FERNANDEZ Errata Coordinator❚FADE MANLEY
Page Design❚PHIL REED and Prepress Checkers❚MONICA STEPHENS GURPSFAQ MAINTAINER ❚
JUSTIN DEWITT andWILL SCHOONOVER BRETT SLOCUM
Lead Playtester: Jeff Wilson
Playtesters:Frederick Brackin, Kyle Bresin, Peter V. Dell’Orto, Ben Diedrich, Shawn Fisher, Karl Gallagher, Thomas Gamble, Martin Heidemann,
Anthony Jackson, John Nowak, Christopher R. Rice, David Scheidt, Christopher Thrash, and Jon Walters
GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid, Traders, Liners, and Transports, e23, and the names
of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license.
GURPS Spaceships 2: Traders, Liners, and Transportsis copyright © 2008 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this material via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal,
and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage
the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
C 2
ONTENTS
I
NTRODUCTION
The lifeblood of a spacefaring civilization is the commercial
ships that carry freight and passengers between worlds and the
About the Series
intrepid captains and crews who operate them.
This GURPS Spaceships supplement is a nuts-and-bolts
This is the second installment in the GURPS
tool kit intended to give GURPS Space Game Masters the
Spaceships series, which is designed to support
ships and game mechanics for such campaigns. It presents a
GURPS Space campaigns by providing ready-to-use
range of commercial freighters, passenger liners, and special-
spacecraft descriptions and rules for space travel, com-
ized transport ships such as ferries and yachts. Rules detail the
bat, and operations. Each supplement provides vessel
expenses incurred in acquiring and operating a private space-
descriptions and supplementary rules. You’ll need the
ship for profit, and provide simple systems for interstellar
core volume, GURPS Spaceships,to use this product.
commerce.
and David Pulver; Fourth Edition by Jon F. Zeigler and James
L. Cambias).
The economics and trade systems include concepts derived
from rules in GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars by Paul
Drye, Loren Wiseman, and Jon. F. Zeigler, with additional
material by Christopher Thrash, which in turn were inspired
by the more complex system of GURPS Traveller: Far Trader.
GMs seeking a model for more detailed economics will find
much of value in these books.
A A
BOUT THE UTHOR
David L. Pulver is a freelance writer and game designer
PUBLICATION HISTORY based in Victoria, British Columbia. He is co-author of the
GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Editionand author of Transhuman
Some of the rules on buying and financing ships, and the Space, GURPS Spaceships, GURPS Ultra-Tech, and many
description of spaceports, include material from GURPS other games.
Space (Third Edition by William A. Barton, Steve Jackson,
About GURPS
Steve Jackson Games is committed to full support of Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, including us – but we
GURPS players. Our address is SJ Games, P.O. Box 18957, do our best to fix our errors. Up-to-date errata sheets for all
Austin, TX 78760. Please include a self-addressed, stamped GURPS releases, including this book, are available on our
envelope (SASE) any time you write us! We can also be website – see below.
reached by e-mail: info@sjgames.com. Resources include: Internet. Visit us on the World Wide Web at
www.sjgames.com for errata, updates, Q&A, and much
Pyramid(www.sjgames.com/pyramid). Our online mag-
more. To discuss GURPS with SJ Games staff and fellow
azine includes new GURPSrules and articles. It also covers
gamers, come to our forums at forums.sjgames.com. The
the d20 system, Ars Magica, BESM, Call of Cthulhu, and
GURPS Spaceships 2 – Traders, Liners, and Transports
many more top games – and other Steve Jackson Games
web page is www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/spaceships2.
releases like Illuminati, Car Wars, Transhuman Space,and
Bibliographies. Many of our books have extensive bibli-
more. Pyramidsubscribers also get opportunities to playtest
ographies, and we’re putting them online – with links to let
new GURPSbooks!
you buy the books that interest you! Go to the book’s web
New supplements and adventures. GURPS continues to
page and look for the “Bibliography” link.
grow, and we’ll be happy to let you know what’s new. For a
current catalog, send us a legal-sized SASE, or just visit Rules and statistics in this book are specifically for the
www.warehouse23.com. GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition. Page references that
e23.Our e-publishing division offers GURPSadventures, begin with B refer to that book, not this one.
play aids, and support not available anywhere else! Just head
over to e23.sjgames.com.
I 3
NTRODUCTION
C O
HAPTER NE
S
PACECRAFT
Captain Winters was 34 years old, and he had two loves in his had been so disgusted he’d just kept the 13 surviving bottles him-
life. The first was his starship, the Kiev-class tramp freighterS.S. self rather than even try reselling them. So now he drank one bot-
Innsmouth. The second was his wife, Fiona Sullivan, former tle a week, every jump.
third cargo officer of the freight linerSullivan’s Rose. They’d first Because he was scared he’d lose his ship.
met in a spacer’s bar on Ambergris, then collided again when On their most recent port call, Fiona had invested the last of
their ships crossed path seven months later at an orbital station their savings in a speculative lot: a half-price deal on 200 slight-
on Nova Terra. Careful docking maneuvers were followed by a ly used agricultural robots, which she was surewould sell on the
marriage proposal, which entailed complex negotiations with the agricultural world of Melchidezek III. She even had a contact
Sullivan clan – any engagement between interstellar traders was over there, some pretty blue-eyed farm boy she’d met years back
more than a love match. at a local square dance when Sullivan’s Rose had visited. The
Winters gained a skilled cargo officer with the kind of contacts kid was sweet on her. Had even written, for a while. A farm-boy-
that came from service aboard a major freight liner. Fiona gained made-good who was now president of the planet’s Agricultural
a husband and a promotion. She became first officer on the Export Board. He would give them a good deal, Fiona promised.
Innsmouth, finally escaping from under her great-grandmother’s For old times’ sake.
thumb. (The captain of Sullivan’s Rosewas an ancient matri- When we meet him, better not say we’re married,
arch whose supply of black-market immortality drugs had she’d said.
ensconced her in command for more than a century.) Fiona
knew her only future lay in marriage or mutiny. She chose
marriage.
But though she was now wife and first mate, Fiona had no
illusions that she came first in her new husband’s heart. Like all
starship masters, Nathaniel Winters was first and foremost mar-
ried to his ship. Innsmouth massed only 3,000 tons, but her
holds could carry 1,000 tons of general cargo and her powerful
little warp drive could make an impressive two parsecs a week. But Melchidezek III was six parsecs away. And with half their
The ship, its small crew and dependents, and the few passengers holds full of farm machinery bought on spec, would they find
she sometimes carried were Captain Winters’ total responsibility. enough freight and passengers to keep them out of the red until
He was absolute ruler and monarch of a tiny world, and he ran then? He’d done the numbers. There was only one thing to do.
the ship with both an iron hand and a sober intensity that were Skip on the insurance. Fake it. Hope nothing went wrong.
frightening to behold. In his cabin, Captain Nathaniel Winters sighed. Then he
That is, until Innsmouth got safely into hyperspace. Then reached for another bottle of peach brandy.
Nathan turned everything over to his wife and first officer, locked It was the last one left ...
himself in his cabin, and drank himself into oblivion.
Commercial spacecraft are the thread that binds the worlds
He drank because Fiona loved children, he couldn’t say no,
of a spacefaring society. This chapter presents several craft
and now he had four pint-sized crew brats still too young for
built using the GURPS Spaceships rules. However, since
proper work taking up valuable space that could otherwise go to
GURPShas no default interstellar background setting, only a
paying passengers.
few of the many possible combinations of spaceship systems,
He drank because his old girl Innsmouthwas a fusion-drive
drive types, and degrees of superscience can be covered. These
freighter in an era of reactionless-drive ships, the fuel costs were
ships are a representative mix of hard science (mostly at TL8-
eating his profits alive, and the bank had turned down his loan
10) and superscience (mostly at TL10-12) commercial and pri-
for a new engine.
vate vessels. Since the basic system in GURPS Spaceshipsis
He drank because of berthing fees, insurance fees, the loom-
highly modular, GMs should find it fairly simple to swap out
ing annual maintenance inspection, and his mercenary, hired
components and adjust their details to fit campaign assump-
crew that refused to accept shares over salary.
tions. Feel free to replace any system with another, adjusting
And most of all, he drank because a high-G course to outrun
the statistics as described in the GURPS Spaceshipsrules.
a suspected pirate ship off Starkad’s Drift had broken nearly all
Note: The abbreviation “C” is used for Complexity when
the expensive Akkadian peach brandy in the hold that his idiot
referring to control-station computers; e.g., a “C8 computer”
crewman Dobbs had improperly stowed. Oh, they’d been insured,
has Complexity 8. A high-energy system is indicated by a “!”.
but it had taken a week to clean the sickly sweet mess out of the
cargo hold. After Dobbs had finished swabbing it out, Nathan
S 4
PACECRAFT
T F
RAMP REIGHTERS
Also known as freehaulers or free traders, these vessels are constructed using an unstreamlined hull that masses 300 tons
merchant spaceships that don’t follow fixed schedules. They (SM +7) and is about 90 feet long. Ships are named after early
tend to serve small colony worlds or stations on frontier aviation and space pioneers.
worlds or along branches away from the main space lanes.
Front Hull System
They’re owned by individuals, families, or small companies
[1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 5).
rather than major shipping lines. Tramps are smaller than the
[2-4] Cargo Holds (15 tons capacity each).
heavy freight liners since they operate in the margins of the
[5] Habitat (bunkroom, one-bed sickbay).
larger operations, carrying mixed freight and passenger loads
[6] Habitat (two cabins).
or surviving through speculative trading. Faster or longer-
[core] Control Room (C5 computers,
ranged traders are also used for exploratory trading ventures,
comm/sensor 5, three control stations).
going where no merchant has gone before to seek out prof-
Central Hull System
itable opportunities and open up new markets. They may also
[1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 5).
engage in risky and illegal activities such as smuggling, priva-
[2] Cargo Hold (15 tons capacity).
teering, or slave trading, either out of greed . . . or simple
[3-6] Fuel Tanks (15 tons hydrogen providing
desperation.
.54 mps delta-V each).
Rear Hull System
P -C
IONEER LASS [1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 5).
[2-5] Fuel Tanks (15 tons hydrogen providing
F (TL9^)
REIGHTER 0.54 mps delta-V each).
[6] Nuclear Thermal Rocket (0.5G acceleration).
This is a small nuclear-powered rocket ship built for mixed
[core] Engine Room (one workspace).
cargo and passenger transport on relatively short, fast hops
(e.g., Earth orbit to the moon, or to a Lagrange station). The The usual crew is a command pilot, a navigator, a ship’s
spaceship lacks artificial gravity and has little in the way engineer (who splits his time between the engine room and
of creature comforts, but is inexpensive to operate. It is bridge station), and sometimes a steward or cargo master.
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL9 (HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
9 Pioneer-Class 50 -2/5 13 0.5G/4.32mps 300 60.8 +7 8ASV 5/5/5 0 $4.05M
O -C Central Hull System
UTLANDER LASS
[1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 10).
DEEP-SPACE FREIGHTER [2] Hangar Bay (100 tons capacity).
[3-6] Cargo Holds (150 tons capacity each).
(TL10)
[core] Engine Room (two workspaces).
Rear Hull System
This is a general-purpose medium freighter built for inter-
[1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 10).
planetary cargo voyages to worlds or stations off the main
[2-4] Fuel Tanks (15 tons hydrogen providing
routes. It has a 3,000-ton (SM +9) unstreamlined hull about
30 mps delta-V each).
200 feet long. Most of its payload is devoted to cargo; it can
[5] High-Thrust Fusion Rocket Engine
also carry several passengers, although it lacks artificial gravi-
(0.01G acceleration).
ty. It is not designed for planetary landings, but is equipped
[6] Cargo Hold (150 tons capacity).
with a hangar bay for a shuttle or ferry, to facilitate cargo
transfer when operating in frontier areas with limited space-
port facilities.
Ships are named after synonyms for wanderer, stranger, or
traveler.
Front Hull System
[1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 10).
[2-5] Cargo Holds (150 tons capacity each).
[6] Control Room (C8 computers,
comm/sensor 8, four control stations).
[core] Habitat (16 cabins, gym, two-bed
automed sickbay).
S 5
PACECRAFT
The Outlander has spin gravity providing 0.15G, and has The usual crew is a command pilot, a navigator, a
exposed radiators. comm/sensor operator, a ship’s engineer, two technicians, and
a cargo officer.
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL10 (LOW-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
10 Outlander-Class 100 -3/5 13 0.01G/90 mps 3,000 1,453.2 +9 32ASV 10/10/10 0 $46.2M
K -C Central Hull System
IEV LASS
[1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 7).
FARHAULER (TL10^) [2-3] Cargo Holds (150 tons capacity each).
[4!] Tertiary Battery (two turrets with
This tramp freighter is constructed using a streamlined hull 30 MJ UV lasers; 140 tons cargo).
that masses 3,000 tons (SM +9) and is about 200 feet long. [5-6] Fuel Tanks (150 tons of water
Built with limited-superscience technology, it is intended for providing 5 mps delta-V each).
interstellar cargo hauling and transport in frontier sectors. Rear Hull System
Because it visits backwater planets that lack orbital facilities, [1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 7).
the Kievis designed with enough thrust and delta-V to land on [2-3] Fuel Tanks (150 tons of water
or take off from an Earthlike world. It’s a typical space-opera providing 5 mps delta-V each).
design, with a defensive armament to give it some chance [4] Engine Room (two workspaces).
when fighting off pirates and other hostiles. [5] Fusion Torch Engine (with water,
Ships are named after port cities from either the space age 1.5G acceleration).
or the nautical age. [6!] Stardrive Engine (FTL-1).
[core] Fusion Reactor (two Power Points).
Front Hull System
[1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 7). The typical crew consists of six bridge officers (captain,
[2] Habitat (18 cabins, two-bed pilot, sensor officer, navigator/gunner, engineering officer, and
automed sickbay). comm officer/gunner), two engine-room technicians, and a
[3-6] Cargo Holds (150 tons capacity each). cargo master.
[core] Control Room (C8 computers,
comm/sensor 8, six control stations).
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL10 (HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
10^ Kiev-Class 100 -1/5 13 1.5G/20 mps 3,000 1,043.6 +9 36ASV 7/7/7 1¥ $139.7M
Top air speed is 2,450 mph.
A -C L S Ships are named after folk songs, popular music, and
NTHEM LASS IGHT TAR
national anthems.
F (TL11^)
REIGHTER
Front Hull System
This is a stock tramp trading vessel from a superscience civ- [1] Steel Armor (dDR 3).
ilization. It uses a streamlined hull that masses 1,000 tons (SM [2-4] Cargo Holds (50 tons capacity each).
+8) and is 150 feet long. The design emphasizes cargo capaci- [5] Habitat (four cabins, two-bed
ty, but it also carries a few passengers. Its drive is powerful automed sickbay).
enough to blast off from most planets. [6] Habitat (six cabins).
Those Anthem-class ships that operate in [core] Control Room (C9 computers,
war-torn or pirate-infested sectors may be comm/sensor 8, four control stations).
heavily modified by their owners, replacing Central Hull System
one or two cargo holds with weapons bat- [1] Steel Armor (dDR 3).
teries, defensive ECM, or force-screen gen- [2-5] Cargo Holds (50 tons capacity each).
erators, and sometimes upgrading the [6!] Tertiary Battery (one turret with
power plant (removing the de-rated option) 10 MJ UV laser; 43.5 tons cargo).
to better support these modifications.
S 6
PACECRAFT
Rear Hull System
[1] Steel Armor (dDR 3).
[2-3] Cargo Holds (50 tons capacity each).
[4!] Hot Reactionless Drive
(2G acceleration).
[5!] Stardrive Engine (FTL-1).
[6] Engine Room (one workspace).
[core] Fusion Reactor
(de-rated, one Power Point).
The ship is equipped with artificial gravity.
The normal complement is four bridge crew (pilot/captain,
navigator/gunner, and an engineering officer), an engine-room
technician, and a cargo master.
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL10 (HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
10^ Anthem-Class 70 -1/5 13 2G/c 1,000 495.5 +8 20ASV 3/3/3 1¥ $25.9M
Top air speed is 3,500 mph.
D H -C Front Hull System
ARK ORSE LASS
[6] Control Room (C9 computers,
FREE TRADER (TL11^) comm/sensor 8, four control stations).
Central Hull System
This is a “souped-up” star freighter designed with a fast [1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 5).
maneuver drive and superior FTL performance, as well as [2-4] Cargo Holds (50 tons capacity each).
defensive weapons and force screens. Its high cost and reduced [5!] Secondary Battery (two turrets with
payload mean it can’t compete on regular runs, so it must earn 30 MJ improved UV lasers, 40 tons cargo).
its keep hauling priority cargoes in dangerous sectors where [6] Habitat (six cabins).
hazard rates are offered, or through speculative trade or expen- [core!] Light Force Screen (dDR 70).
sive charters. Its speed and defenses also make it appealing for Rear Hull System
“first-contact” merchant forays in uncharted space or for ille- [1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 5).
gal activities such as smuggling. Ships are named after terms [2-3!] Super Reactionless Engines
that suggest gambling, risk-taking, or quixotic ventures: (50G acceleration each).
Serendipity, Four Aces, Dance with the Devil, and Double or [4-6!] Stardrive Engines (FTL-1 each).
Nothing, for example. It has a streamlined hull that masses [6] Engine Room (one workspace).
1,000 tons (SM +8) and is 150 feet long. [core] Super Fusion Reactor (four Power Points).
Front Hull System It is equipped with artificial gravity and gravitic
[1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 5). compensators.
[2] Habitat (four cabins, two-bed The standard complement is four control crew (pilot/cap-
automed sickbay). tain/navigator, two gunners, and an engineering officer), an
[3] Hangar Bay (30 tons capacity). engine room technician, and a cargo hand or steward.
[4-5] Cargo Holds (50 tons capacity each).
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL11 (HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
11^ Dark Horse-Class 70 1/5 13 100G/c 1,000 322 +8 20ASV 5/5/5 3¥ $94.3M
Top air speed is 25,000 mph.
F L
REIGHT INERS
As frontier colonies evolve into civilized core worlds, the A single heavy freighter can transport a massive load of
commercial traffic increases to the point where small tramp goods. It costs hundreds of millions to billions of dollars and is
freighters are no longer economical. They’re replaced by heavy owned by a major transplanetary or multistellar shipping
freighters that ply the regularly scheduled routes between corporation – or, in some civilizations, by a powerful
major spaceports. space-trading clan.
S 7
PACECRAFT
Most follow tight schedules and have little choice as to what Front Hull System
they carry, but some captains are allowed enough leeway to [1] Steel Armor (dDR 10).
make independent judgments ... as long as it ends up turning [2] Habitat (five cabins, two-bed automed
a profit. Reliable performance or successful risk-taking means sickbay, minifac fabricator, 260 tons cargo).*
bonuses and eventual promotion to the helm of a larger ship in [3-5] Cargo Holds (500 tons capacity each).
the company fleet, and perhaps ultimately to a position as a [6] Hangar Bay (300 tons capacity).*
corporate executive. Failure may mean a board of inquiry that [core] Control Room (C9 computers,
strips them of their command. comm/sensor 9, four control stations).*
Central Hull System
T -C H [1] Steel Armor (dDR 10).
ITAN LASS EAVY
[2-6, core] Cargo Holds (500 tons capacity each).
S -T V Rear Hull System
PACE RANSPORT EHICLE
[1] Steel Armor (dDR 10).
(TL10) [2] Cargo Hold (500 tons capacity).
[3-5] Fuel Tanks (500 tons hydrogen
The Titan HSTV is a large interplanetary spaceship built for
providing 60 mps delta-V each).
low-cost freight transport rather than high speed or accelera- [6] Fusion Rocket Engine (0.005G acceleration).*
tion. It has room for a few passengers, but the ship has no arti-
ficial gravity. Constructed using an unstreamlined hull, the *One technician mans each system.
Titanmasses 10,000 tons (SM +10) and is about 450 feet long. It has spin gravity (0.2G) and exposed radiators.
It is not designed to land on or lift off from an Earth-sized The ship’s usual complement consists of four bridge crew
planet, and so must rely on orbital port facilities or shuttle (pilot, captain/navigator, communications operator, and a
craft. Ships are named for mythical giants and Titans. chief engineer), and four technicians.
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL10 (LOW-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
10 Titan-Class 150 -5/5 13 0.005G/180 mps 10,000 5,061 +10 10ASV 10/10/10 0 $157.4M
P -C H Rear Hull System
ROSPERITY LASS EAVY
[1] Steel Armor (dDR 15).
STAR FREIGHTER (TL10^) [2-3] Cargo Holds (1,500 tons capacity each).
[4-5] Fuel Tanks (1,500 tons of hydrogen
This giant heavy freighter is designed to transport great providing 15 mps delta-V each).
cargo loads across interstellar distances. A limited- [6] Fusion Torch Engine (0.5G acceleration).*
superscience design, it is constructed with a 30,000 ton (SM [core] Fission Reactor (one Power Point).*
+11) unstreamlined hull 450 feet long. Its FTL speed is unim-
pressive, but a high fraction of its mass is cargo, making it very *Three technicians man each system.
economical to operate. Large, efficient bulk freighters like the Spin gravity provides
Prosperity are the mainstay of corporate freight liner fleets. 0.3G, and it has exposed
Individual vessels are named for words or places evocative of radiators.
wealth and material success. The ship’s complement
consists of four bridge
Front Hull System crew (pilot, captain/navi-
[1] Steel Armor (dDR 15). gator, comm officer, and a
[2] Habitat (eight cabins, two-bed chief engineer), three
sickbay, 190 tons cargo).* habitat techs, three
[3-5] Cargo Holds (1,500 tons capacity each). fusion-torch mechanics,
[6] Control Room (C9 computers, three stardrive mechan-
comm/sensor 10, four control stations).* ics, and three power plant
Central Hull System mechanics. It also carries
[1] Steel Armor (dDR 15). a cargo specialist.
[2-6] Cargo Holds (1,500 tons capacity each).
[core] Stardrive Engine (FTL-1).*
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL10 (HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
10 Prosperity-Class 200 -2/5 13 0.5G/30 mps 30,000 15,191.6 +11 16ASV 15/15/15 1¥ $1,310.45M
S 8
PACECRAFT
R -C LASH
ICARDO LASS
Front Hull System
FREIGHT CARRIER (TL10^) [1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 15).
[2] Habitat (18 cabins, two-bed sickbay,
This lumbering starship is an interstellar carrier vessel for 200 tons cargo).*
smaller (but still substantial) cargo lighters or barges. LASH [3] Hangar Bay (300 tons capacity).*
stands for Lighter Aboard Ship. The LASH carrier is intended [4-5] External Clamps.
for use by transport lines serving highly developed star sys- [6] Control Room (C9 computers,
tems, especially if the spaceship’s stardrive requires it to comm/sensor 9, 10 control stations).*
appear out of hyperspace, warp, or a jump point at a consider- Central Hull System
able distance from a destination world. After arriving in a sys- [1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 15).
tem, the freight carrier doesn’t bother to head for the planet. [2-4] External Clamps.
Instead, it immediately launches its cargo-laden lighters [5-6!] Stardrive Engines (FTL-1 each).*
(sometimes to multiple destinations) or releases its barges on [core] Fusion Reactor (two Power Points).*
an appropriate trajectory. Meanwhile, the local company office Rear Hull System
dispatches a fresh set of lighters to rendezvous with the carri- [1] Light Alloy Armor (dDR 15).
er. It picks them up and exits the system, having saved fuel and [2-5!] Stardrive Engines (FTL-1 each).*
several hours or days. [6, core] Fusion Reactors (two Power
The Ricardo is built on an SM +10 hull massing 100,000 Points each).*
tons and measuring about 600 feet long. It does not include a
maneuver drive; if it needs to visit a planet, it gets a lift from a *One technician mans each system.
tug or from its carried craft. Each clamp holds one vehicle no The crew consists of 10 bridge workers (pilot, captain, nav-
larger than the Ricardo itself; thus, it can carry five SM +10 igator, chief engineer, and six comm/sensor officers), and 12
lighters, tugs, etc. In settings where more FTL drives allow technicians, plus any lighter crew.
faster movement, a Ricardo may be underloaded to enable
faster travel. Ships are named after famous economists.
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL10 (STARSHIP)
10^ Ricardo-Class 150 -2/5 13 – 10,000 201.8 +10 36ASV 15/15/15 6¥ $951M
B -C S Front Hull System
ETELGEUSE LASS UPER
[core] Control Room (C10 computers,
FREIGHTER (TL11^) comm/sensor 11, five control stations).*
Central Hull System
This giant star freighter is designed to service main routes [1] Steel Armor (dDR 20).
between major star systems. The Betelgeuse is a superscience [2-6] Cargo Holds (5,000 tons capacity each).
design with an unstreamlined hull, massing 100,000 tons (SM Rear Hull System
+12) and measuring 600 feet long. It is not intended to land on [1] Steel Armor (dDR 20).
a planet, and is fairly sluggish even with both maneuver [2-4] Cargo Holds (5,000 tons capacity each).
engines and stardrive; over half its immense mass is devoted to [5!] Stardrive Engine (FTL-1).*
payload. To reduce personnel costs, it is highly automated, [6!] Standard Reactionless Engine
using a surprisingly small crew for a vessel of its size. There is (1G acceleration).*
no onboard hangar capacity at all, so it is completely reliant on [core] Fusion Reactor (de-rated, one
existing space stations or shuttles for unloading. Ships are Power Point).*
named after super-giant stars.
*One technician mans each system.
Front Hull System The ship has artificial gravity and high automation.
[1] Steel Armor (dDR 20). The vessel’s normal complement is five bridge crew (pilot,
[2-5] Cargo Holds (5,000 tons capacity each). captain, navigator, comm officer, and a chief engineer), a cargo
[6] Habitat (two luxury cabins, master, and five technicians.
eight cabins, three-bed automed sickbay,
2,925 tons cargo).*
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL11 (HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
11^ Betelgeuse-Class 300 -2/5 13 1G/c 100,000 62,927 +12 20ASV 20/20/20 1¥ $2,204.55M
S 9
PACECRAFT
R -C F Front Hull System
EGULUS LASS RONTIER
[core] Control Room (C10 computers,
TRANSPORT (TL11^) comm/sensor 10, 10 control stations).*
Central Hull System
This is a medium-sized freight liner built to serve major star [1] Steel Armor (dDR 7).
systems located off the main trade routes, but which still gen- [2-5] Cargo Holds (500 tons capacity each).
erate more commerce than a tramp freighter could handle. [6!] Secondary Battery (four turrets with
Frontier transports are also employed for interstellar trading 300 MJ ultraviolet lasers; 200 tons cargo).*
expeditions far beyond settled regions. It’s a superscience Rear Hull System
design with a streamlined hull that masses 10,000 tons (SM [1] Steel Armor (dDR 7).
+10) and is 300 feet long. It’s intended for settings where mul- [2-5!] Stardrive Engines (FTL-1 each).*
tiple stardrive engines improve interstellar speed or range. In [6!] Hot Reactionless Engine (50G acceleration).*
concert with its relatively heavy defensive armament, its high [core] Super Fusion Reactor (four Power Points).*
FTL rating makes it suitable as a naval auxiliary, carrying vital
wartime cargoes. Regulus-class transports are named after *One technician mans each system.
large, bright stars. The Regulus has artificial gravity and gravitic
compensators.
Front Hull System Its usual complement is 10 bridge crew (pilot, captain, nav-
[1] Steel Armor (dDR 7). igator, sensor operator, chief engineer, comm officer, and four
[2] Habitat (two luxury cabins, gunners), a small craft pilot, and seven technicians. It also car-
12 cabins, four-bed automed sickbay, ries a cargo master and his assistant, and long-range trading
200 tons cargo).* missions into alien space may have specialists trained in mak-
[3-5] Cargo Holds (500 tons capacity each). ing “first contact.”
[6] Hangar Bay (300 tons capacity).*
TL Spacecraft dST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ dDR Range Cost
PILOTING/TL11 (HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
11^ Regulus-Class 150 -2/5 13 50G/c 10,000 3,142.8 +10 28ASV 7/7/7 4¥ $889.4M
Top air speed is 18,000 mph.
P L
ASSENGER INERS
These commercial space liners are built to make a profit by e.g., honeymooners, gamblers (with onboard casinos),
transporting passengers on interplanetary or interstellar voy- popular-science enthusiasts (with guest lecturers), or elderly
ages. Their advent opens space travel to the ordinary person, retirees (with extra medical care).
as they affordably carry tourists, immigrants, and business- Those cruise ships or liners that regularly ply particularly
men between worlds. Liners follow a regular route between exotic routes (such as a cross-border voyage between rival
two or more high-population planets, although they may visit interstellar powers or different races) may become famous
less densely inhabited destinations if they lie astride the busier institutions in their own right, much like the Orient Express
routes. To attract passengers willing to pay premium prices, railway line on Earth. Merely to travel on such a craft may
larger vessels feature restaurants or bars, gift shops, be an experience. Some wealthy eccentrics could
promenades, ballrooms, swimming pools (some- even choose to take up permanent residence,
times with zero or variable gravity), observa- while real or imagined meetings between spies
tion decks, and other facilities. and diplomats can add an aura of intrigue.
Cruise ships are luxury liners built to pro- Space liners are normally owned by cor-
vide an unforgettable vacation experience to porations rather than individuals, since they
travelers who want to get away from it all. rely on regularly scheduled runs from major
Depending on a vessel’s range and capabili- high-population worlds to attract passen-
ties, voyages may take visitors past dramat- gers and make a profit. However, govern-
ic lunar mountains, gas-giant ring systems, ments may subsidize larger liners in
or nebulas, or to exotic planetary destina- exchange for their use as naval auxiliaries
tions. Early cruise ships may be austere, with (e.g., as troop transports or for refugee evacua-
passengers paying high prices merely to experi- tion) in time of war. If so, it may be equipped with
ence space travel, but by TL10, vessels can rival five- provision for defensive armaments, although under
star hotels in both opulent fittings and the attention paid ordinary circumstances the only weaponry likely to be
to guests. On luxury cruise ships, the number of entertainers, aboard is those sidearms issued to security teams. (On most
activity leaders, and stewards can match that of the passen- passenger ships, a couple of stewards are also cross-trained as
gers. Trips may also be marketed to particular types of guest – security officers.)
S 10
PACECRAFT
