Spacecraft

Hull size determines the spacecraft size. The bigger the hull size, the bigger the spacecraft. Hull size represents the amount of volume displaced by the spacecraft. Hull size does not correlate with reality in any way. Metric tonnes of displacement sounds lends a sciency fiction maritime feel to hull size.

Hull Composition is more of a descriptor. All hulls function the same except regarding maintenance. Most spacecraft will be composed of metal, plastix, and ceramic alloys. Smart hulls are self-maintaining and slowly repair themselves. Smart hulls offer no combat benefit at all. They allow the expedition to avoid the expenses of hull refitting.

Hull strength determines the hull’s ability to prevent damage to the ship’s interior components. It is a mix of composition strength, shape and redundancy. The hull strength is also the hull Defence Rating (DEF). The hull cannot be damaged before depleting the hull’s AR. This depletion can happen fast in spacecraft combat.

The configuration of the drive types determines the spacecraft type. The referee should always choose the kind of spacecraft that best suits the story.

The exatmo drive maneuvers the ship through the vacuum of space and is the defining feature of a spacecraft. The exatmo drives are a sciency fiction core trope. The larger the drive size, the more powerful the exatmo drive. The exatmo drives are essential in spacecraft combat. They can maneuver a ship well beyond survivable physics in combat.

Exatmo drives will be one of two types: fusion or gravetics. The player creating the spacecraft may choose between the two. Both are equally efficient at moving the ship around exatmo. Neither type of exatmo drive can function within the atmosphere. Fusion and gravetics drives require an absence of gravity and atmosphere to function.

Both the exatmo drives function equally well.

The inatmo drive maneuvers the ship through the atmosphere and gravity of planets. These are the in-atmospheric drives of the ship. Inatmo drives require both atmosphere and gravity to function, and they do not work in space. A spacecraft that does not have an inatmo drive cannot enter an atmosphere (safely). A spacecraft with both inatmo and exatmo drives can enter and exit a planet’s atmosphere.

All of the inatmo drive types function equally well.

Special drives technomagically fling the starship instantly across space. Special drives replace generational spacecraft and unhealthy cryo-suspension. Special drives are the cornerstone of sciency fiction space operas. The speed of light is just not good enough. The logistics of the 2000 year space flights are the root cause of special drives. The special drives turn insurmountable distances into science fiction pulp.

All special drives function equally well.

The drive power represents how powerful the drive is. The more powerful the drive, the faster, further the drive goes. Each drive type has its own power level between one and ten. The player rolls drive power from 1-10 (1d10) for each drive the spacecraft has. The player may roll three times for a starship (exatmo, inatmo, and special) or once for a space tug (exatmo only). The more powerful the drive is, the more hull space it occupies.

A spacecraft’s fuel type is a fun descriptor. It is entirely up to the referee if gas from one vessel is compatible with gas from another vessel. A spacecraft will only have one fuel type. Each drive type will use the same fuel type. The drive types may use the same fuel, but each drive type has different needs and rates of consumption. Whether the spacecraft has a full tank, a half tank or vapours is up to the referee and the milieu of the campaign.

For more information about fuel and energy jump to Energy and Power.

Capacity is the amount of fuel storage within the spacecraft. The more drive types the spacecraft has, the more fuel the spacecraft may have. Each drive type contributes an amount to the shared fuel capacity. The fuel storage occupies hull space on the vessel. The fuel amount also determines the range of the spacecraft.

Fuel consumption varies with the drive type and how the expedition is using it. Combat fuel consumption is much higher than tourist or haulage fuel consumption.

Both fuel consumption and fuel range are in units of time. Calculating light-years, kilometres, or parsecs became overwhelming and tedious. Using date time for monitoring fuel consumption allows for limits on fuel (if the campaign desires) and allows for more storyful measurements.

Each month of range consists of 30 days of fuel use. A month of range is for that specific spacecraft. The range takes into account the vessel size and all fuel necessary for the task at hand. Choosing a time of fuel burn proved to be the easiest way to keep track of fuel consumption.

Consider a special drive jump as an example. A special drive jump uses one month of fuel and moves the ship as many light-years as the special drive level indicates. A 10 tonne or a 100-tonne vessel would use one month of their fuel storage to make the jump. This method allows the ship to make several jumps before refuelling but does not bog the players down with astronomical calculations.

So a spacecraft with 15 months of fuel could make 15 special drive jumps or compete in 60 turns of space combat or 90 minutes of inatmo flight. A spacecraft drops out of combat if there is less than one week of fuel onboard. Depleting an opponent of fuel is a victory condition. A spacecraft cannot jump if there is less than one month of fuel onboard.

The nature of refuelling depends on the referee’s milieu and campaign. Some fuel types may be ubiquitous materials that one skims off the local gas giant. Other fuel types may require days of retooling by highly skilled space mechanics.

Crew replacement software indicates programmes and mechanical devices that can replace essential crew. In some circumstances, the crew software replaces the required crew member completely. In other circumstances, the programmes direct a persona or robot on how to operate the system.

A spacecraft is limited to using one software title per level of computer at once. Players may have to make choices about what is the most critical software to run. A low-level ship’s computer may always require a persona crew member to function.

The player rolls decidice (1d100) for each programme, and there is a chance of having it. A level 3 computer has a 60% chance of an astrogation programme and a 15% chance of a piloting programme. The player rolls once for every item on the chance table, i.e., she makes a separate roll for astrogation, navigation etc.

Miscellaneous software consists of programmes that vary from functional to sublime. The programmes include both the hardware and software that the packages need to operate. The programmes allow the ship’s computer to carry out the task and help personas perform maneuvers.

When a persona can use the ship’s computer for a maneuver, she enjoys a bonus of +1 per computer level. For instance, a persona who can use the etiquette programme to help cater a fancy dinner. If the computer level is 5, the persona gets a +5 DD bonus when making the meal.

The player makes one roll per level of the ship’s computer.

The pilot is an essential crew member, and a spacecraft cannot function without one. The pilot is the overseer of all the ship’s functions. She is responsible for executing planetary maneuvers, star system maneuvers, combat maneuvers, ship procedures, and ship authority. All of these tasks require the intimate cooperation of the ship’s computer and the pilot. Without a pilot, the ship is a motionless piece of space opera potential. No ship cannot travel without a pilot. Spacecraft can have personalities and attitudes, but they are not autonomous lifeforms.

Every 10000 tonnes of displacement requires an additional pilot (co-pilot).

The astrogator is an essential crew member if the ship has a special drive. The astrogator operates the ship’s special drive, and a special drive cannot function without one. The astrogator works with the ship’s computer to coordinate a safe special drive jump.

The engineer is an essential crew member, and a spacecraft will malfunction without one. The engineer does essential repairs and maintenance on the spacecraft. A spacecraft may jump once or engage in combat once without an engineer. Afterwards, it will not function. Without maintenance, the spacecraft will cease to operate.

The engineer maintains tonnes of drives, complicated airlocks. There is a lot that will go wrong. It is the responsibility of the ship’s mechanic to monitor the computer’s maintenance programs, to program repairs, and to pick up the wrench herself occasionally.

A spacecraft requires an extra engineer for every 9000 tonnes of hull displacement.

Gunners operate the combat equipment: artillery, naval artillery, mines, active defences, missiles, and shields. None of the listed equipment will function without a gunner or a software replacement. Combat robots can replace a gunner without the need for a gunnery program. Combat robots can operate one active combat device for every 4 points of Intelligence.

Any spacecraft that has organic passengers requires a ship’s doc. Guests, soldiers, cattle without proper vet attention will get sick in deep space.

Guest laden starships require a ship’s steward. The steward changes linen, washes clothes, and generally makes space travel bearable for guests. Without a steward, guests will undoubtedly be in a bad temper and may even rebel during a long trip.

A spacecraft requires one steward for every 50 passengers.

One optional crew member who the expedition may actively shun is the ship’s administrator. The ship’s administrator will arrange docking papers, interpret cartage laws, balance accounts, designate cargo allotments, and fill in as the ship’s legal advisor.

The diplomat is good at being excruciatingly polite, even to the most horrific of alien species. A diplomat will attempt to keep the crew, the guests, (and especially the personas) from offending rarely encountered cultures.

The life support onion is the layering of the spacecraft defences that protect the contents of the hull. The innermost part of the onion is life support itself. Before anything can damage or impair life support, it must work its way through all the outer layers.

Before damaging life support, the outer layers of the onion must be disabled or destroyed. The outermost layer of the onion is the ship’s shields. If the ship does not have shields, the outermost layer of the onion is the hull Defence Rating. The hull Defence Rating must fail before the hull can be damaged. The hull must fail before gravity control can be damaged. Gravity control must fail before life support can be damaged.

To learn how defensive systems work in combat jump to Spacecraft Combat.

Life support maintains a comfortable environment for the organic and delicate inorganic contents of the ship. The most straightforward description is an 'outer space air conditioner.' Destroying the life support system exposes all of the hull’s contents to the deadly vacuum of space.

Life support is entirely self-contained and is impossible to tamper with and hard to destroy. The life support system functions entirely unknown for the players until something goes wrong. Life support, gravity, Defence Rating, hull and shield (if present) are all part of the Life Support Onion.

Gravity maintains a safe, comfortable and convenient gravitational force throughout the space vessel. The gravity system allows the personas to work in comfort and protects them from extreme maneuvering gravities. A spacecraft’s exatmo drives generate gravities that would kill any organic or delicate inorganic persona.

Gravity works on walkways, workspaces, cargo holds, cabins, and the exterior hull. The ship’s computer controls gravity at a constant attraction of 1g with local adjustments between 0.5 and 1.5 gravities.

Gravity is entirely self-contained and is difficult to tamper with and hard to destroy. The gravity system functions entirely unknown for the players until something goes wrong. Life support, gravity, Defence Rating, hull and shield (if present) are all part of the Life Support Onion.

The hull defines the space vessel. The hull protects the contents of the spacecraft from the lethal vacuum of space. Every spacecraft system is part of the hull, and the hull contains every spacecraft system.

The hull also determines the shape of the spacecraft. The players decide the shape of their spacecraft. Most often, the hull is an oblong spheroid that contains the spacecraft’s contents. A spacecraft that can enter the atmosphere may have a more streamlined appearance.

The hull is the structure that maintains the ship’s gravity and life support. Life support, gravity, Defence Rating, hull and shield (if present) are all part of the Life Support Onion.

Armour indicates the strength of the spacecraft’s hull. Armour is in addition to the shape and structure that the hull offers. The hull and Armour have an intimate relationship. The Armour protects the hull and makes its appearance as the hull strength during hull creation.

The Armour of the hull determines the structural resilience of the hull during combat. Attack rolls must be higher than the hull’s Armour to damage the vessel. Damage reduces Defence Rating. Once the Armour drops to 420, it no longer protects the hull.

The Armour is a component of the life support system. Life support, gravity, Defence Rating, hull and shield (if present) are all part of the Life Support Onion.

Electronic countermeasures (ECM) manipulate the electromagnetic spectrum to defend the ship. A more powerful ship’s computer makes for more effective electronic countermeasures. ECM is a combination of programming and equipment. ECM is integrated throughout the ship and connects to every ship system.

ECM uses all kinds of electronic deception to both defend or attack. Personas can use the ECM unit to defend the ship or attack another ship. One ECM unit cannot do both in the same combat turn.

Personas can work in unison with ECM to protect the space vessel. For example, a mechanic with ECM 2 working with a level 3 computer creates a total ECM level of 5.

Electronic countermeasures are not part of the life support onion.

The shields protect the hull Defence Rating from energy and kinetic attacks. These are the classic sciency fiction shields that handsome captains raise just before combat. The defensive shield can be a force field or a structural mechanism. Both mechanisms work by distributing the destructive force across the entire hull. This faux scientific diffusion effectively dampers the damage. The shields have an active mode that the players turn on to thwart intentional damage. Shields also have a passive mode, and when present, they are part of the life support onion. Life support, gravity, Defence Rating, hull and shield (if present) are all part of the Life Support Onion.

A gun is a defensive tool in spacecraft combat. A gun does not sound like a defensive tool, but occasionally the best defence is a good offence. Guns on spacecraft are anti-personnel air lock defence weapons. In ship-to-ship combat, a gun is an ineffectual weapon. However, to prevent boarding or airlock intrusion, a mounted gun can be very effective. To create the airlock gun jump to Guns

Guns are not part of the life support onion.

Active defences are fancy mechanisms that attack incoming attacks. Active defences are sometimes called actives. They can eject missiles, shrapnel, energy blasts, lazer matrices, or crystalline discharges. All active defences function equally, and the description is the player’s choice. Their goal is to dissipate, prematurely detonate, or destroy incoming attacks. Active defences work against grenades, mines, or artillery. Actives do not work against boarding, ramming, ECM, or naval artillery.

Boarding lines up airlocks to prepare for a breach and boarding of the target vessel. All spacecraft can attempt to dock with another vessel forcibly. Boarding is congenial ramming. Boarding only works exatmo (exterior to atmosphere). Once connected, the attacking crew will breach the airlock of the target ship and then board. This method of attack preserves the target spacecraft, generating hostages, free cargo, and is a lot more fun.

Ramming is aggressive boarding casting caution to the solar wind. A ramming spacecraft has a specialized airlock that can attach to any part of the target ship’s hull. Once attached, the attacking party must breach the hull or airlock to enter the ship. Ramming is similar to boarding, except that ramming has lots of crunching and scraping noises.

ECM is the acronym for electronic countermeasures. ECM units battle for control over the electromagnetic spectrum. In spacecraft combat, ECM is the battle for control over the electronics of the other vessel.

ECM uses all kinds of electronic deception to both defend or attack. So the personas can use the ECM unit to defend the ship or attack another ship. One ECM unit cannot do both in the same combat turn.

Personas can work in unison with ECM to protect the space vessel. For example, a mechanic with ECM 2 working with a level 3 computer creates a total ECM level of 5.

Grenades in space! In spacecraft combat, grenades are tiny bombs exploding against the hull to damage the internal mechanisms of the ship. Grenades launch their attack by mini-missile or mini-mine.

They do not enjoy the area of effect attack of their terrestrial counterparts. Grenades require a successful attack roll to inflict damage. If the attack roll is unsuccessful, the grenade detonates ineffectively and silently in space. Grenade delivery systems have diminutive titles because they only deliver grenades. Naval missiles and naval mines deliver bombs.

Bombs are lethal attack weapons. Bombs are both dangerous and destructive. Bombs delivery systems are either missiles or mines. Missiles and mines can also be called naval missiles or naval mines. Having this type of offensive system indicates a combat vessel of some fashion.

In space, bombs are an area of effect weapon. Bombs need only explode near the ship’s hull to inflict damage to the contents within. A bomb is guaranteed to damage a target with a successful attack roll. Every bomb gets a second chance to damage a vessel just by getting close enough. If the raw attack roll of a missile or mine is higher than 500, the target is still damaged.

The purpose of ship artillery is to damage the target ship so that it ceases to function. This goal is to wear down shields and armour and directly damaging the hull if necessary. In space combat terms, artillery is very tiny and is only in range when vessels are boarding or ramming. Naval artillery is the literal big gun of space combat.

In space combat (exatmo), artillery must win an attack roll to damage the target vessel. While inside the atmosphere (inatmo), artillery functions as an area of effect weapon on terrestrial targets. Artillery cannot cross into the atmosphere or out of an atmosphere.

Ship artillery has the same ranges, damages, and effects as the artillery it is modelled after. Energy-based weapons can fire as long as the ship has fuel, and artillery requiring ammo will have 100 times the regular supply.

Naval artillery is for destroying the target ship. Naval artillery is not for softening the target vessel. The sheer force of naval artillery leads to the target’s destruction. One use of naval artillery exhausts a whole day’s worth of fuel. Naval artillery requires a gunnery program and a gunner. Without this complement, the ship cannot fire its naval artillery.

Naval artillery is more deadly than regular deadly artillery. Naval artillery inflicts three times the damage and has 100 times the range. Naval artillery only works exatmo and cannot fire inatmo or cross into an atmosphere.

The player rolls on the spacer artillery table above and then does arithmetic as directed below.

Allows access to the spacecraft when inatmo. If the spacecraft has an airlock, the airlock can function as the inatmo access portal. A spacecraft may have one access port per 20 tonnes of hull size. Access ports are not limited by hull space or cargo space.

Every crew member requires a workspace. A workspace is not a cabin or an office. The workspace may be a chair with a console with or without Each crew member (pilot, engineer, astrogator) requires a half tonne of workspace.

The entire ship is accessible by utility corridors. Utility corridors connect workspaces, drives, computers and fuel systems. They are cramped, claustrophobic and slow to navigate. Utility corridors occupy no significant amount of hull space. However, they are cramped, claustrophobic and slow to navigate.

Datalocks are also called hardpoints. Data locks are electronic accesses to the exterior of the hull. Every external contraption requiring exatmo access (guns, missiles, viewers, etc.) requires a datalock. A ship has ten datalocks per computer level.

Outer space habitat assurance is an extension of the life support system. OSHA will temporarily repair minor air leaks, and suppress small fires. OSHA may also close off bulkheads to contain larger fire, depressurization or radiation leaks. While it appears that this is for the crew of the spacecraft it is actually there to protect the ship’s computer.

The ship can only look after itself in a limited way. Major events must be dealt with by the crew. Major hull repair, radiation clean up and passenger rescue need actual personas on board.

Hull space determines what can be attached to or built into the spacecraft. Hull space is the remaining tonnage available after drives, computer and fuel is taken into account. Accessories are limited to available hull space.

Let’s walk through an example 100 tonne spacecruiser (space bus). Exatmo drives level 10. Fuel storage level 5. Computer level 4.

An airlock allows passengers, crew and stuff to get in and out without decompressing the spacecraft. Airlocks work perfectly well inatmo. Airlocks are simple, secure and safe. Any tool using life form can use an airlock. They usually employ pictograms and may even have language assist. Airlocks are secure. The ship will only allow the identified crew to enter the spacecraft. Airlocks are safe. It would be nearly impossible to eject a life form from a functioning airlock.

An airlock takes up no space inside the spacecraft. However, an airlock requires at least 5 tonnes of hull space. A ship can have one airlock for every 5 tonnes of hull space. So a ship with a 15 tonnes hull hold could support three airlocks anywhere on its hull.

Smaller spacecraft do not have enough space for an airlock. Airlocks are free to be located anywhere on the spacecraft. A ship with only 2 tonnes of hull space can only have an access port.

Cargo airlocks are enormous airlocks that only gigantic spacecraft can use. The cargo airlock can move cargo in and out without depressurizing the spacecraft. A cargo airlock requires at least 500 tonnes of hull space. Cargo airlocks are rated by how many tonnes of cargo they can move at once. For example a cargo airlock may need to allow a 10 tonnes spacecraft to pass through it. For every 2 tonnes of capacity 1 tonne of hull space is required. So a cargo airlock that allows 10 tonnes of spacecraft to exit exatmo would eat 5 tonnes of hull space.

There are no open hull force field protected cargo airlocks in EXP. Development is ongoing, and EXP users may reach this milestone with expected technological advances.

Cabins are a space luxury. If a spacecraft has passengers, other than in cold storage, it must have cabin space. If a spacecraft has cabins it must have corridors connecting them. Each cabin requires one tonne of hull space and can comfortably house two passengers.

A larger ship may prefer a cargo lock. A cargo lock is not pressurized and can only work inatmo. It is like a big access portal. A cargo lock requires a minimum of 50 tonnes of hull space. A cargo lock does not occupy any cargo space.

A cargo lock is more than just a door; it is a system. A typical cargo lock has a capacity of 10 tonnes. A 10-tonne cargo lock can load/unload 10 tonnes of cargo per hour or a day or whatever.

Cold storage is for cryogenic suspension of organic material less than 250 kg in wate. The freezers will maintain life, with no drain on life support, and will continue to function after life support has failed. Cold storage will work until the cold storage box itself is destroyed. Each cold storage space occupies a half tonne of cargo space.

Corridors are passageways that connect cabins, workspaces or ship systems. Corridors are considered a space luxury, but are required if there are cabins. Cabin corridors require 200 kg of hull space per map hex (2 meters) of passage. If personas want to run from the artillery bay to the exatmo drives quickly, corridors are a must.

The entire ship is accessible by utility corridors. Utility corridors occupy no significant amount of hull space. However, they are cramped, claustrophobic and slow to navigate.

External drives are self-explanatory. Exatmo or inatmo drives are bolted onto the outside of the hull freeing up hull space. The drawback of this system is that the drive units are more vulnerable to attack during combat. Any attack that damages the hull of the spacecraft would damage the external drives. External drives are accessed directly through the hull or via an airlock.

Special drives are delicate and can never be external.

Gravity couches are specialized chairs designed to save the body from damage during the lethal maneuvers of combat. They are composed of force-absorbing materials and restraining belts. Grav couches allow a spacecraft to maneuver even with a damage gravity system. Passengers and crew not in gravity couches during high-g combat maneuvers are dead.

These are military devices and are only found on military craft (pirate or government). A combat vessel is a spacecraft with naval artillery, bombs or grenades.

A life bloat will maintain four passengers (up to 250 kg in wate each) in cryogenic suspension for an indefinite length of time. The cryogenic suspension will begin when the balloon-like life bloat is subject to exatmo. There will be one life bloat for every four luxury passengers.

The machine shop is a mechanic’s place of operation and personal respite. A machine shop requires two cabins (2 tonnes) worth of space. There is a 5% chance per robot on board of having a machine shop.

The food machine will generate nutritionally balanced meals for anything that eats. The referee determines the palatability of said foodstuffs. Most food machines employ algae, or fungal, cultures to create the primary heterotrophic food groups. One tonne of food machine is required for every ten eaters supported. Because of their potential for comic relief, all ships will have a food machine. Food machines are also known as compu-cooks and auto chefs. If the food machine is busy enough, it would be reasonable to give it a personality.

Robots are a common occurrence on long-haul spacecraft. The use of robots must reflect the referee’s milieu. The robots can be on board to replace crew, to aid crew, or as paying guests. The chance of a ship sporting a particular robotic has many factors. The depth of persona fabrication that goes into spacer robots depends on the referee’s resources and story needs.

The player rolls decidice (1d100) for every robot type. A level 3 computer has a 6% chance of having a maintenance robot on board. The player rolls once for every item on the chance table, i.e., she makes a separate roll for combots, social robots etc.

The sickbay is the veterinarian’s place of operation and personal respite. A sickbay can hold four patients and takes up two cabins (2 tonnes) worth of space. There is a 1% chance per organic persona that the spacecraft will include a sickbay. If the spacecraft has a ship’s doc (veterinarian), there will automatically be a sickbay.

Vac suits allow delicate organic life forms to survive exatmo. A spacecraft will have one civilian vac suit per crew member and luxury cabin. So a pleasure cruiser with five crew and six cabins would have eleven civilian vac suits.

There is a 10% chance per civilian vac suit that there will be an industrial vac suit.

For more information about vac suits jump Vac Suits.

The EXPS value of a spacecraft is impossible to assess. The expedition earns experience for a spacecraft once they have flown it somewhere. In austere resource campaigns, the EXPS award for an earned spacecraft is one complete EXPS level. If spacecraft are commonplace, this EXPS award only counts once.

A spacecraft’s value depends on several components: hull, drives, computer, etc. Wear and tear may have reduced a ship to worthlessness in one culture, while another will pay dearly for anything that can get them into orbit. Spacecraft are precious. Spacecraft with powerful computers and special drives are worth enormous amounts.