Sunday 17 February 2013

Spaceships and Spacemarines



My server been down but ive been writing plenty.

I am determined to use space marine as often as possible to counter GW claim to own the term.

SF space opera

as an alternative to my space cthulhu which players are rightfully suspicious will end unhappily. This is my version of Starships and Spacemen. Still tempted by BRP Ringworld and Starfrontiers.

After a new generation of FTL drives appear, commonwealth gunboats make contact with the lost colonies after almost a century of isolation.

Over a hundred years ago, scores of colony shops with the first ftl drives left on journeys that some never finished. The great arks each held 10-40 colony pod which could be deployed every few years. In that time the colonies were isolated by the time barrier on transmissions. FTL was so slow and costly it was saved for colony missions. The colonies grew under strange suns and had their own struggles.

Now a new commonwealth of planets run from the Colonial office on Earth has been formed. A few dozen colonies have been re-contacted and are now members. A number of new synthetic species have been developed as worker and soldiers for colonies. Each colony came with a universal factory with options for terraforming, clone vats, self building cities and habitats. The gunboat contact teams have been sent to contact and aid the colonies. New templates for their autofactories are some of the goods teams may offer a colony to streamline entry into the commonwealth. In the event any colonies have deviated from moral norms you should only intervene if the colony poses significant risk of self harm or risks commonwealth assets. Further specialist teams will be sent after you.

This is a 3 year tour of duty with expected 5-10 systems to investigate. In the unlikely detection or discovery of intelligent alien life your ships AI will enact appropriate protocols. You will be cloned in the event of your death while on tour.


Colonial Corp
Typical Commonwealth gunboat crew (up to 20)

Command - (2) Captain and Commander (Second officer)
Flight – (3) Pilot, Co-Pilot and Astrogator, Astrometrics and Coms
Engineering – (4) Chief, Power, Engine, Replication
Medical – (1) Ship Medic
Science – (4) Planetology, Xenology, Xenobiology, Astrogeology
Marines – (4) marines (one is military intelligence
AI – Donovan Class Gunboat AI
Provision to recruit colonists on mission

Clones are available but -1 level (min 1) behind highest lv attained from a clone vat
Cybernetic beings can have back up or can be recovered from your memory core from an appropriate autofac. Androids are grown like a clone but usually in a industrial chemical autofac.

Mission
1. Seek out and contact lost colonies
2. Assess population, assets and viability of colony
3. Assist colonies preparation for new commonwealth governance
4. Select representatives of colonists as recruits and representatives
5. Locate evidence of but avoid contact with sentience
6. Respect and aid the traditional colonists who fought hard for their survival
7. Enforce commonwealth standards of law and order
8. Seek and Assess alien non sentient life
9. Preserve the integrity of possible life supporting systems
10. Locate and secure strategic resources or assets of commonwealth interest 


HD
Hit
WP
NWP
Penalty
Prime 

Commonwealth Colonial Service Personnel
Core commonwealth from Sol - mostly Terra, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Luna
Command
d6
+1/3rd
2+1/2nd
4+1/lv
-3
Cha

Ship command stream for admin, ship officers, colonial governors and station commanders
Cha+Lv = Command radius, can use to rally broken morales or add +1 hit and save per 3/lv 
Flight 
d8
+1/3rd
3+1/2nd
4+1/lv
-3
Dex

Ship flight crew for pilots, navigators, sensors, communications
+1 every lv in speciality skill, +1/2nd on a secondary, high G tolerance, often have implants
Engineering
d6
+1/4th
2+1/3rd
4+1/lv
-4
Int

Ship flight technicians, station engineers, autofac managers, colonial constructors, miners
Increase in power production, +lv on construct HP, +1 2nd/lv on speciality
Medical
d4
+1/4th
1+1/4th
6+1/lv
-4
Wis

Ship or colonial medics, psychologists, combat medics, clone factory manager
Can can heal person once per lv per day, double hp healed, treat disease, insanity, poison
Science 
d4
+1/4th
1+1/4th
8+1/lv
-4
Int

Ship science officers, contact officer, xenobiologists, xenology specialists, mining survey staff
one insight per lvper day, +1 2nd/lv on speciality
Marines
d10
+1/2nd
4+1/lv
2+1/2nd
-2
Con

Ship combat teams, snipers, intelligence officers, heavy weapons, survival speciality
3rd lv +1 attack with separate weapon. again at 7th and 10th
Recent members of the Commonwealth
Belter
d6
+1/3rd
3+1/3rd
3+1/2nd
-3
Dex

Space born miners, space gypsies and nomads. Reputed smugglers and bootleggers. Found throughout Sol and other colonies, often feud with planetary colonies. Belters are often streetwise and good at improvising tech. One jury rig item per day, improvise repairs, replacements, traps, alternate ammo, etc
Mercenary
d8
+1/2nd
4+1/2nd
2+1/2nd
-2
Str

Private military from colonies and outside commonwealth. Often criminals or local colony militias or even pirates. Juryrig & improvise trap, arms or armour once day/lv, replacements, traps, alternate ammo, etc. Mercenaries are sometimes recruited for expertise in seamy side of space.
Tulan
d8
+1/2nd
3+1/lv
3+1/2nd
-2
Wis

Former cruel militant despotic state, now recruited as commonwealth intelligence and security. Tulani are unsentimental grimly efficient and dont rate life or kindness highly. They do accept the  Commonwealth may care about these things. Morale attack one per lv/day. Victims, flee, blab, break down in fear. 
Lemuria
d6
+1/3rd
2+1/3rd
6+1/2nd
-3
Int

Savage jungle philosophers, now recruited as contact and science personnel, blue skin, pointy ears. Lemurians are highly UV resistant, very logical and scientific but also practice violent rites to secure mates and resolve disputes. Lemurians have basic psionics disciplines preferring body, matter, mind then senses. They get one new Lv to cast and a new discipline each lv and a Wisdom bonus on extra levels usable per day. Often act as science officers and contact officers.
Gardenia
d6
+1/4th
1+1/4th
8+1/2nd
-4
Int

Plant symbiotes from gardenworld, now recruited as xenobiologists and life support techs
Can be revived Con+Lv x 10m after death, slow metabolism+2 vs poison or radiation. Gardenians have a symbiotic plant skin layer that provides them with half their food needs if exposed to sunlight. They feel water deprivation more than most. They are calm and cool. 
Saurea
d10
+1/3rd
4+1/2nd
4+1/2nd
-2
Str

The dinosaur planet, tough hi tech tribal society recruited as commandos and planetary scouts
+1 attack at 3rd with secondary weapon at 3rd lv, melee and unarmed damage dice goes to nxt highest at 8th. +2 resist pain, endurance and fear saves. The commonwealth allows them to carry a huge combat knife or machete as part of thir fleet uniform.
Tanaga
d8
+1/3rd
3+1/3rd
3+1/2nd
-2
Dex

A highly militarised and industrial colony which independently developed advanced robotics, drones and battlesuits. Recruited as military and robot techs as well as military. +1/2nd lv on drones under control and drone and remote op skills. Start with one drone. Tanakans are disciplined and honour obsessed. They have a low tolerance for failure. The commonwealth prevent them carrying swords and dagger in uniform and frown on them carrying sword sets with personal belongings.
EdenII
d6
+1/3rd
2+1/3rd
6+1/2nd
-3
Wis

Formerly dominated by religious medical technicians, now recruited as medics. Edens have basic psionics disciplines preferring body, mind, senses, then matter. They get one new Lv to cast and a new discipline each lv and a Wisdom bonus on extra levels usable per day. They are often militant moralistic Christians and voice their opinions often.
Ariel
d10
+1/2nd
3+1/2nd
2+1/2nd
-2
Str

A balkanised multicultural world formerly in constant civil war, recruited as soldiers. They are tough survivors and adapt to new factions and regulations easily. They get +1 AC and from 3rd they can remain concious in negative HP up to Con as a minus.
Animen biological construct species
Bred to replace workers o colonies from  clone vats, intended to be phased out but most species resisted this. Some independent or have own colonies. Most have 1d4 bite and 1d3 claw basic damage. Most seldom make officer stream. Cetaceans are common but dont serve gunboats.
Avian
d6
+1/3rd
3+1/3rd
4+1/lv
-3
Dex

Mostly parrot, bird of prey but chickens, geese and others exist, often used high altitude or low g
1/3rd mass, +2AC feathers and compartmented organs, mimic voice, +4 any flying skills, Spot, balance, mimic, jump. Avians are friendly, talkative anc sociable. Some are aggressive predators and prefer meat.
Primate
d10
+1/2nd
2+1/3rd
2+1/2nd
-2
Str

Orangs, gorillas, chimps, baboons, monkeys, gibbons all readily adapted to service. Apes have been treated as second class humans and many are resentful and sensitive. Some seem to be long haired sasquatch or snowman types to adapt to colony weather. +1AC +4 acrobatics, climb, jump, leap, can all jump double normal human distances
Cat
d8
+1/2nd
3+1/3rd
2+1/2nd
-2
Dex

Bred as companions and assassins or scouts or occasionally military. Cats feel privelaged and can handle isolation or groups equally. +4 jump, climb, leap, track, survival, can all jump double normal human distances, nightvision
Otter or Beaver
d6
+1/3rd
2+1/3rd
4+1/lv
-3
Dex

Bred as wetland colony workers sometimes beavers also used +4 Swim, climb, All hold breathe = Con, Swim full move in water, +2AC fur and blubber. Jolly sociable and adorable.
Pig 
d12
+1/3rd
2+1/3rd
3+1/lv
-3
Con

Bred as domestics, labourers, techs and soldiers (aka Proximen faked alien invasion on Ariel)
Pigs are walking medical supplies, organs, blood, tissues compatible with everyone and edible. Hairless types often have service jobs, while others hairy and tusked to be used as fake  aliens to intimidate colonies when the first gunboats came to colonies. The plan backfired and rogue “Proximen” with autofacs and gunboats escaped. Pigs get +1HP from any healing.
Canine
d10
+1/2nd
3+1/3rd
2+1/2nd
-2
Str

Bred as loyal police, troops and security, high morale and very loyal, often use implants. Dogs are popular but poor independent thinkers and will assert dominance if a weak leader fails to control them. +1AC +4 Track, Smell, Listen, 1d6 bite,  +1 hit and damage bite 3/lv 
Draconians
d12
+1/2nd
2+1/3rd
1+1/3rd
-1
Str

Bred as troops on Saurea the dino planet. Difficult reputations as carnivorous and aggressive  troops. +4 AC, nightvision, 1d6 bite, 1d4 claws, +4 track (toungue), hide (chameleon), hold breath 1R/Con
Octopus
d6
+1/2nd
3+1/2nd
4+1/lv
-2
Dex

Excellent space workers and scientists, often mistaken for aliens
4 arms 4 legs, have extra hands, full move for swim and breathe water, +4 Swim, Spot, Hide, Sneak, squirt ink once per day to blind or act as smokescreen in water.
Badger
d8
+1/2nd
3+1/2nd
3+1/lv
-3
Con

Bred as miners and troops for subterranean exploration
Nightvision, +4 Track, Smell, Listen, Sense direction +2AC fur and blubber
Synthetic construct species
Built for specific missions. AI are greatly respected and accorded human status in the Commonwealth. Terra is administered by an AI name Osiris.  Military models may kill under orders. Police may capture or fire in defence some weapons but try to capture. Most built cannot use weapons to harm. 
Android
d8
+1/2nd
3+1/2nd
3+1/2nd
-2
Con

Grown from chemicals and bioplastic synthetic flesh as servants and soldiers
Heal 1hp+Con bonus per hour, 1 7/th required food, water, dont need air, vacuum resistant
Replicant
d6
+1/3rd
1+1/3rd
4+1/2nd
-3
Cha

Flesh and blood designer clone grown as companions, servants, soldiers, spies or assassins
+4 on one inbuilt skill, +2 on a second at 3rd
Synthoid
d10
+1/3rd
1+1/3rd
6+1/2nd
-4
Int

Cybernetic humanoid with plasiflesh disguise coating or usually metal and plastic shell
+4 AC, Can self repair up to Con per day in 10m, one inbuilt tech item 2nd lv, AI Core can be saved and rebooted and reinstalled in a new body.
Robot
d8
+1/2nd
2+1/2nd
4+1/2nd
-3
Str

Form = function walking tool box built for a specific function
+4 AC, Can self repair up to Con per day in 10m, one inbuilt tech item lv, AI Core can be saved and rebooted and reinstalled in a new body. +4 in one skill, Most use tracks or wheels to start.

Space weapons are those used by humans across known space. These are just the standard off the autofac commonwealth template versions. 


Laser weapons
Standard space crew weapons easily rechargeable. Better models can act as cutter, lighter, laser designator, torch. Some can select fire to fire burst or normal shots. Some can select a stunner option like the standard commonwealth gunboat crew issue las pistol. Any save roll of 1 on requires victim save vs death. Some weak victims may react this way without a fumbled 1 roll.
Name
Dam
Range
Ammo
ROF
Mass
WP
Burner
1d3
25m
10
1
0.2
Laser Pistol
Las Pistol
2d6
50m
10
2
1
Laser Pistol
Las Stunner
Con Save
1d20m
30m

2
2
Laser Pistol
Hand Laser
5d6
100m
10
2
2
Laser Pistol
Las Carbine
2d6+3
150m
20
2
3
Laser pistol or rifle
Pulse Carbine
2d6
50m
40
B10
3
Laser pistol or rifle
Las Rifle
3d6+3
500m
10
2
4
Laser Rifle
Pulse Rifle
3d6
250m
40
B10
4
Laser Rifle
High Energy Laser 
6d6
1000m
10 
2
6
Laser Heavy

Slug Guns
Primitive shell casings, binary propellant, various systems of firing solid munition. Easiest for colonies to manufacture from basic materials in autofac. Grenaide launchers are fairly absolete with self guided jet munitions but are still used. The advanced GL includes advanced low ight telescopic sights, and airburst assist tech.
Name
Dam
Range
Ammo
ROF
Mass
WP
Compact Pistol
1d4
15m
10
1
1
Slug pistol
Medium Pistol
2d4
20m
20
2
2
Slug pistol
Heavy Pistol
3d4
20m
10
2
2
Slug pistol
Light SMG
1d4
20m
100
2 B20
3
Slug pistol or rifle
Medeum SMG
2d4
50m
40
2 B20
3
Slug pistol or rifle
Heavy SMG
3d4
40m
40
2 B10
3
Slug rifle
Light Rifle
1d6
100m
100
2 B10
4
Slug rifle
Medeum Rifle
2d6
200m
40
2 B10
4
Slug rifle
Heavy Rifle
3d6
500m
20
2
4
Slug rifle
Minigun
1d6
100m
1000
6 B10
30kg
Machinegun
Machinegun
2d6
250m
100
2 B10
12kg
Machinegun
Heavy machinegun
4d6
400m
50
2 B1-
20kg
Machinegun
Flare Pistol
2d6
slug
25m
1
1/2
2
Shotgun

3/1d6
buckshot
3m





2d6 Incendiary
25m




Shotgun
3/2/1d6
buckshot
10m
6
2
4
Shotgun

2d6 slug
50m




Combat Shotgun
3/2/1d6
buckshot
10m
20
2 B10
6
Shotgun

2d6slug
50m





3d6 3m r
explosive
50m




Grenade Launcher
5d6 frag
40m
1
1/2
2
Shotgun
Assault GL
5d6 frag
100m
10
2
6
Shotgun
Advanced GL
4d6 frag
250m
30
2 B3
5
Shotgun


Gyrojet Guns
Self propelled munitions with various payloads. Operate in vacuum and underwater (1/2 range). Recoilless. Quieter firing sign but leaves thermal trail to weapon. Basic ammo is just a rocket slug but advanced ammo has guidance systems +1 or better, explosive, incendiary, web, gas, shock, extra range, etc.  While not standard issue with commonwealth commonly used by mercenaries and space troops. The variable magazines are popular with police who can verbally select between non lethal and lethal rounds.
Name
Dam
Range
Ammo
ROF
Mass
WP
Wrist rockets
2d6+3
or 1d4
25m
10
1
1
Jet Pistol
Jet Pistol
2d6+3
or 1d4
50m
10
2
2
Jet Pistol
Variable Jet Pistol
2d6+3
or 1d4
50m
6 choose any rounds
2
2
Jet Pistol
Jet Carbine
2d6+3
or 1d4
100m
20
2
3
Jet Pistol or Rifle
Jet Rifle
3d6+3
or 1d6
500,
10 choose any round
2
4
Jet Rifle
Jet Assault Rifle
3d6+3
or 1d6
200m
40 select from 2 clips
2 B10
4
Jet Rifle
Micromissile
5d6
or 2d6
500
1 or 4
1 to 4
1
Missile
Minimissile
10d6
or 3d6
1000m
1
1
4
Missile
Cone Rifle
3d10
or 2d6
1000m
1 or 6
1/2 or 2
12
Missile

Other weapons
A collection used on the new frontier. Sonic stunners are safer but shorter range and stun less. Common security weapon. Flamers are mostly used by quarantine and pest control squads. Impulse weapons fire a burning hydrogen fuel cell often used to breach doors and vs heavy armour, vehichles and robots. Unsafe in space habs. Rounds stick in armour or a hull or door or victims flesh and keeps burning 2d6 for 1d10 rounds. Basic needler can be gas or flywheel or electricity fired for advanced models. Mostly silent. The needle gun is a high tech gauss or chemical propelled micro-needle with a huge ammo capacity and almost no recoil. Hypersonic ammo is not as silent and has a blue muzzle flash.
Name
Dam
Range
Ammo
ROF
Mass
WP
Sonic Stunner
Con Save
1d6m
10
10
2
2
Stunner
Sonic Stun Carbine
Con Save
1d6m
40
40
3
3
Stunner
Hand Flamer
2d6 incendiary
3 10
1 or 10
1
3 + 4
flamer
Combat Flamer
3d6  incendiary
10m
10 or 40
1
6 + 12
flamer
Impulse Pistol
4d6 incendiary
40m
6
1
2
impulse pistol
Impulse Gun
7d6 incendiary
200m
10
1
8
impulse pistol
Needle pistol
1pt narc
or 1d4 barbed
10m
20
2
1
slug pistol
Needle gun
1pt
or 1d4 hypersonic
40m
100
2 B20
2
slug pistol

Gunboat crew all have laser pistols with military specialists authorised to use limited heavy weapons and fabricate others if needed such as part of a disguise. Such personnel also use heavier armour.

Melee
+1 quality x10 cost/time machine sharpened
+2 quality x100 cost/time synthetic diamond tipped
+3 quality x1000 cost/time monoblade (commonwealth only)

Colonial force screen based weapons are rare
3d6 dagger 10m
5d6 blade 10m

Captive bolt impact weapon +1d6 blunt weapon
Vibro blade weapon +1d6 edged weapon (chainsaw type used by colony)
Shock weapon +1d6 electric damage or stun fx

Grenades and ammo - ill fill in later

Defence
Colony Colony Space Suit +2AC 10kg
Colony Kevlar BodySuit +2 2kg no energy or melee defence
Colony Flak Vest +2AC 5kg no energy or melee defence
Colony Flack Suit +4AC 12kg 
Colony Ablative vest 2kg 50% 10hp vs fire and energy attacks
Colony Ablative vest 5kg 20hp vs fire and energy attacks
Colony High Threat Helmet +1 2kg no energy or melee defence
Colony Threat Shield +1 2kg
Colony Assault Shield +2 4kg
Commonwealth Flight Uniform +2AC 2kg
Commonwealth Assault Vest +2AC 5kg
Commonwealth Assault Armour +5AC 12kg
Commonwealth Space Marine +8AC 20kg
Commonwealth Personnel Inertia Screen 4kg absorbs 1/2 kinetic damage 10m power
Commonwealth Personnel stealth Screen 4kg absorbs local sound 60m power
Commonwealth Holofeild  Screen 4kg chamo or  recorded illusion disguise 30m power
Commonwealth Forcefeild Screen - inbuilt in structures, able to absorb 40-100 hp per round 
Commonwealth ECM Screen – shields from radar, EM leakage, some radiation, some guided munitions
Commonwealth Defence Jet Pack – strap to armour, +4AC vs guided missiles, 4 uses per pack, 2kg strapped to armour or shoulder pack

Tools
Colony mini tech kit 2kg
Commonwealth mini tech kit .5kg
Colony  tech kit 12kg +2 skill
Commonwealth  tech kit 4kg +2 skill
Colony micro scanner 2kg bio, energy, chemical or other types 25m range
Commonwealth micro-scanner .3kg bio, energy, chemical, motion, or other types 100m range
Colony multi scanner 10kg bio, energy and chemical 100m range
Commonwealth uni-scanner 4kg bio,energy, chemical  and others 1k range

Medical Stuff
Colony med pack 1d3 healing .5kg
Colony trauma kit 1d4 healing 4kg
Colony med-bay 1d4+1 healing or suspended animation 1000kg
Colony med-scanner - basic diagnosis scanner 6kg
Commonwealth auto-medic 1d4 healing, 10 charges .5kg
Commonwealth auto-surgeon 1d6, healing, 100 charges 4kg
Commonwealth life-pod 2d4, healing and clone vat, 450kg
Commonwealth micro med scanner .5kg basic diagnosis scanner +2  treat or diagnose
Commonwealth med scanner 4k +4 treat or diagnose

Gunship Crew Standard Kit
Colonial kit is often bulkier, heavier and less functional, personnel usually light to medium encumbered. Commonwealth types are reluctant to ever be encumbered but military will be exception. Non combat and security personel usually adverse to killing. Commonwealth non combat crew make morale check every kill at 1st level as the agonise over what they have done. Colonists more practical.

Commonwealth Flight Uniform +2AC 2kg
Wrist computer, retina HUD projector, com suite
Torch and burner attach to arm

Medic takes med kits and scanner
Science and tech specialists take toolkits and scanners

Las pistol or stunner may be issued in ready room before away team or if boarders immanent

Military or security
Commonwealth Assault Vest +2AC 5kg
Always carry a side arm
Additional side arm standard in feild
long arm and other weapons in field
Military permitted to using all weapons
Security prefer non lethal arms but but will use small arms, smgs, carbines and rifles but not heavy weapons

Most artificial units unarmed. Police or security may carry stunner or non lethal weapon may be issued lethal if defending unarmed vs armed or supporting authorities. Military artificial usually have weapons disarmed on ship or when not in combat mode. Ammo usually issued with away team prep.

Gunboat
Standard commonwealth latest design 30 times faster and longer fuel and life support than any other ship. A destroyer version is being tested in secret, specs for larger on the way. Some colonies have a few fighter and a frigate or pinnace class is occasional used where a system has internal disputes, belt pirates or crime.

Most colonies have no FTL. The ship has a 1G artificial gravity and work station chairs chairs have 2G inertial dampeners and emergency life support. Other chairs have only short emergency life support and 1G dampner. This helps flight crew tolerate higher G manoeuvring  and accelerations than colonial ships.

Colonial ships don’t bother with space for FTL which lets them compete with commonwealth FTL ships of same size a little better. Some fighter crews high G engineered in fluid atmospheres to perform at 5-6G or faster in small doses. Drones have no such limits 10-20G not uncommon. Stardrives just open corridors built by ancients – multiple networks built by different races.

Typical In System flight speeds
Max short often 10m or to reach escape velocity or flee. Very fuel consuming, engineers needed to maintain longer. Usually automated and hard on crew, no manoeuvrability – courses mostly pre set)

colony roidship 1G max 4G
colony surface shuttle 2G max 12G
colony freighter 1G max 2G max 2G
colony defence boat 2G non combat speed 1G
colony fighter 4G non combat speed 1G max 12G
colony advanced fighter 12G usually perform at 5 or 6 G max 20G

commonwealth ship boat 4G or 3G if in couches or 2G without 20G max
commonwealth gunboat 3G or 2G cruising or 9G max

fast escape velocity from earth type planet 12-20G
G resistant get save to stay concious
comfortable velocity from earth type planet 4-6G
G resistant stay concious other save to resist

FTL Travel time:
One week FTL between systems
Arrive system rim of gravity well of one system to nxt
Stardrive activated at 5% the speep of light
or about a week acceleration in a gunboat or months in a colony ship,
take one week to reach inner system and slow down to reach inner planet in sol type system
so 3 weeks to go from one colony to next
deep space fuel depots means no need to go inner system
a comet might work as fuel or reaction mass also
One clone at a time can be grown in 30 days onboard

Flight Deck
A Pilot
B Co-Pilot
C Astrogator
D Sensor Ops
E Comunications Ops
F Gunnery Ops
G Commander
H Bridge
I EVA Prep – space suits, tool boxes, repair drone lockers
J Airlock
K Medbay – with clone capable automed
L Passenger Lounge
M Stateroom – for temporary passengers or group gamining
N Power Plant
O FTL Drive
P Tech Lab – for hans on repairs, projects and study
Q Planetology Lab – biological and geological labs
R Life Support
S Gymnasium

Crew Deck
T AI Room – direct AI terminal for captain
U Crew Lounge – kind of a groovy bar/hip resteraunt
V Galley
W Cargo Bay
X Armoury
Y Torpedo Bay
Z Ship Boat – 2 six man shp boats – 2 assault rockets, 1 light laser 10HP
ZZ Fabrication – auto fabicator to build guns, robots even vehichles from templates
YY Ready Room – bathroom, lockers, away team tool lockers

Basic Tech Notes
The colonies are using what was cutting edge and self replicated from autofacs a hundred years ago.  The colonies have over a hundred year lead and the industrial base and AIs to have advanced more. FTL tech was obtained from reverse engineering alien wrecks found orbiting Jupiter in the 24thC. They have continued to study the alien wrecks and use their technology.

Autofacs are everywhere generally come briefcase fabricator, bench fabricator then in industrial scales. Autofacs are specialised in roles such as mechanical, electronic, robotic, cybernetic, chemical, biological etc. Specialist recycling drones can feed them by preparing raw materials. A case sized autofac could make custom on the spot drugs, or a weapon autofac could customise a weapon and make custom ammo.

Each Colony arrived with a single huge autofac with basic template to build everything they needed but not necessarily how to build advanced arms, drones, computers,  clone vats, mini autofacs, FTL drives and many other advances. Colonies FTL 4-30x speed of light, ship encased in bubble of overspace, gravity limits top speed and survival in space. Commonwealth FTL 60-360x speed of light, ship enters overspace according to pre-set routes, artificial gravity, energy screens, portable autofacs, portable AI.

What’s happening
This is a stop gap early version of my sf game and a bit of a parody of nice starfleet style. The commonwealth here is basically in a massive land grab. They have been caught out performing some scandalous tactics and of late have become more open minded to ease the assimilation. Its fine if players have no savy about who they really work for as commonwealth gunboat crew.

Core are working on a new template of tech to ensure an era of peace and prosperity for all. Using clone technology and new tech to launch a new era of colonisation and even a network of FTL  communications stations to link the core worlds. Many plans for the destiny of humanity are secret.

Aliens will appear much later in game and can be a total surprise. Colonists have made local environment mods and altered their appearance for gravity, solar spectral type and and other conditions. Animen and uplifted animals were bred to be vat grown workers. Androids (psuedobiologicals), relpicants, robots and AI are common on earth.  Colonies were limited in autofac codes for AI and other tech. Fake aliens have many precedence. Ancient machines have been found, many hostile and so advanced resemble biological life. Newts are genticaly identical clone species found on many planets even living in ancient ruins. Some claim they are sentient or at least domesticated pets of ancient species killed in some war.

Colonies have no hope to resist or out tech earth. Their autofacs are a generation behind and are limited in not very advanced weapons. Vehicles or cybernetics. Clone vats were misused often in local utopian schemes.

Adventures


A colony has some recently found alien ruins causing problems. Possibly ancient drones or necrovirus has revived and planning to kill all humans

A colony has gotten entangled in strange local species life cycle. Humans infected and monsters on loose

Rogue animen or androids have occupied the colony, humans possibly all dead or in hiding. Birth of a free species of kill them all?

Pirates hold system to ransom, stop them and find their base

Local dictators have vile local customs and hope to kill earthmen

Locals have altered selves and forgotten earth

Colony AI has determined the one way to live

Colony ship has gone feral – savage and or mutant crewmen on ruined ship with habitats

Ancient alien structure on asteroid. Hazards like contamination or ancient drones

Explore new world

Search colony ruins for what killed people

Find sole survivors with secret

Warlord wants earthican hostages and their ship

Cybernetic civilisation who often revive preserved brain of creator for advice. Have human slaves on planet (possibly androids trained to infiltrate earth or colonies). Hostile and attack for FTL tech.

Necrovores ship – humans infected by necrovirus and now evil undead looking for more virus hosts for their strain. Will infect any who are exposed to them.

Habitat or colony infected by by mutagenic alien weapons

Colony keep uniform by virus which turns all humans into locals loyal to state.

Lotus Eaters – a colony addicted to electronic pleasure administered by AI

Cyborgs feel threatened by earth AI and operating system upgradess and attack

Colony has alien doomsday device that may awaken other devices, believes can stay independent

Starvikings – colony has raided neighbour system and control a colony gen ship with slightly superior to base colonial tech. A pocket empire of 1d3+2 systems

Primitive world where AI created fantasy world of mixed species 

Complications

Animen gunboat or pirate corsair moves in at bad time

Alien critters swarm on ship and strain life support or hull

Alien disease infects crew

Alien nanoids corrode ship hull or infect crew

Local terrorists, cultists or crime gang wants earthmen

Locals will do anything to get out of system

Romantic entanglement

Espionage attempt

Monster or rogue droid attack

Hyperdrive accident – ghosts, demons, things from beyond

Revolution breaks out inspired by heroic Terran arrival

Coup uses pc arrival to seize colony or outpost

Fave RPG Aliens

Will consider adding some aliens – mostly stolen
dont want many humanoids not of human stock

Kafer – angry cockroach men from 2300
Hiver – from traveller sociologist starfish
Pentapods – from 2300 bilogical engineer tentacled blob constructs (shoggoths)
Goblins – kafer slave race with caste system from 2300
Zuraquor – StarFrontiers mantis hive insect folk + cyborg and other divergent strain
Sathar – StarFrontiers selfish worms from love, espionage, business and warrior castes
Draselite - StarFrontiers micro shoggoths actually ancient constructs
Vrusk - StarFrontiers corporate insects
Dire Wraiths – Marvel Rom space knights - shapeshifter
Arachnids – starship troopers films and game
Virus and worm parasites that turn prey into slaves
Tyranid swarm, zoati, genestealers from 40k
Necrons from 40k – ancient cyborg fanatic killers
Tau drone using competing humanoid civilisation with servitor races
My newts are Carol Kapel type slave race but real elder newts are psionic ancients
MiGo, great race, old ones and other lovecraftian possibilities but long lost elders
Larry Niven protectors/pak and puppeteers are cool but not right for my needs
GURPS has nice aliens too
Fraal – alternity basic elder-greys-psions and saucermen

Ancient remnants
Drones – probes or war machines
Machines – mighty machines with fathomless purpose
AIs – a device, probe or installation artificial inteligence
Nanoswarms – nanomachine colony deconstructs or assembles matter
Technovirus – nanomachines hack biological or cybernetic systems
Androids – psudobiological synthetic life form
Genetic Constructs – looks like member of a species but all are clones
Necrovirus – an attack on earth made undead rise, almost killed all earth life
Chimera – ultra dense liquid dwells in planetary cores for billions of years – occasionally awake, build weapons and create life and fight ancient wars

First deck plan Ive done on computer

1 comment:

  1. Really enjoyed reading this. Great Stuff! How did it run in practice? Going to post this on the Whitestar and StarsWithoutNumbers G+ so hopefully you will get some traffic :D

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