[CODA] "Expanded Starship Operations" sourcebook

[KillerWhale]

Hey all

I've been away for a week and I just got back... The work pressure is lifting a little bit, so I'll be able to resume the work

I hope to have finished the content by mid-June. As soon as this is done, I'll post it; then I'll start the layout, to offer a finished product.

[qerlin]

Built a station, tried some combat with it. Works great.

[KillerWhale]

Thanks for letting me know! That makes me very glad

[KillerWhale]

Another sample to keep you waiting: the massive scale combat rules!
http://rpg.lionelkw.com/eso_sample5.pdf

Let me know if it works fine for you

[buck rogers]

I love the mass combat system very Can't wait to see the vehicle rules! The rules I made up work but I would love to see something better

[qerlin]

Just an English point (it's the pro writer in me, I guess...) KW: Instead of "massive scale" you may want to use "Fleet Action" or "Mass Combat" for the title of this last chunk. More accurate.

[Snake_Plissken]

I've glanced at the fleet action rules and they look quite tight! Good going!

[KillerWhale]

Thanks for your nice comments guys And for the correction in English; I appreciate it. I may be a good speaker, English still isn't my mother tongue and I'm liable to make some mistakes...

[qerlin]

Fully understand, KW...you should hear my French. Or second thought, maybe not...

[Darth Sarcastic]

KW-

Any news on your Expanded SO book? Or should I just try and sit still until June 15?

[KillerWhale]

I'm still working on it - albeit slowly because of some IRL problems and lots of work.

I still hope to finish it for the 15th, but most likely the layout won't be done - only the raw contents, that I'll put online anyway to have you wait

Only the vehicle construction rules and ship/starbase profiles remain to be written now.

[Darth Sarcastic]

Thanks for the update. I'll behave now.

[buck rogers]

I can't wait KW! I especially the want to see those vehicle rules

[Darth Sarcastic]

KW-

I am going through ESOM withdrawl...anything new?

[KillerWhale]

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late... Sorry... Lotsa work.

Here's a bit to keep you waiting and show you I'm still working

VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION
As said previously, vehicle construction follows the same basic set of rules than starbase or starship construction. This allows for a seamless integration of all craft scales.
Vehicles are small craft (Size 1 to 6) designed for planetary, or, generally speaking, atmospheric operations. They can be ground-based, such as the Argo buggy seen in Star Trek Nemesis, or travel in low orbit, like the travel pods of Star Trek The Motion Picture. They can be transporting craft, attack tanks, or support vehicles.
They all have one thing in common: they are unable to leave the celestial body they are deployed on without external assistance, such as a shuttlecraft or a spaceship. It should be noted that star-faring species seldom rely on vehicles; transporters, or orbital bombardment for military operations, allow for a much quicker and easier deployment of ground forces. These two strategies will always be preferred to the use of a vehicle whenever possible.

VEHICLE SIZES
As said previously, vehicles use the same size chart as starships (Starships, Table 1.3, p.8).
As with starship, structure points can be “sold” and “bought” by increments of 5 points of space, but in any case, the structure of a vehicle cannot exceed 30 points – they are, after all, light craft. If you want to have a vehicle with a higher structure, maybe you should consider building a small starship with atmospheric capability instead.
However, the rules of action and combat are different.

VEHICLE CLASSIFICATIONS
As with starships and stations, vehicles are classified depending on their role, from light exploratory buggies to heavy attack hovercrafts. Starbase classifications can be found in Table 1.24. As for starships, vehicles have minimum and maximum space requirements.

Reconnaissance Vehicles
These vehicles provide ground or atmospheric support for exploration teams in hostile environments, or when transporters cannot work properly. Usually, they are rather light and fast craft, equipped with sensors and especially nimble.
Unless they are Size 1, recon vehicles must trade at least 5 points of structure for 5 points of space. They purchase engines at a –1 space cost.

Transports
These are among the most common type of vehicles found in star-faring civilizations. They provide means of personnel transportation over long distances, or even in atmospheres. The conditions can be elementary, for short trips, or outstandingly comfortable, as for pleasure cruises. Transports can also be drop-ships, designed for the deployment of ground soldiers.
Transports must buy at least twice their Size in cargo units.

Cargo Carriers
Cargo carriers are the other common type of vehicles found in star-faring civilizations. They provide transportation means for goods of all natures: food, cattle, minerals, manufactured products… As for transports, they can be either ground-based or operate in low orbit.
Cargo carriers must buy at least five times their Size in cargo units.

Specialized
These vehicles are devoted to some specific but various tasks.
CONSTRUCTION: These vehicles are the Trek equivalent of cranes, bulldozers and such heavy machines used in public works, like building construction or even terraforming.
AGRICULTURAL: These are various utilitarian craft used for all agricultural purposes, from seeding, environment maintenance, to harvesting. Usually they are equipped with antigrav generators in order to float above the landscape.
MEDICAL: These vehicles are involved in a variety of medical tasks, like transporting the wounded, providing an emergency response in case a catastrophe happens, or acting as medical support in a battlefield.

Tactical
These vehicles are used in a variety of military operations requiring ground support: they can act as strike craft, bombers, interceptors, troop transports.
Tactical vehicles must be equipped with shields and have an offense value equal at least to five times their size.

Crew Complement
A vehicle does not require a lot of crew – depending on the size and function of the craft, a vehicle can be manned by one or two persons, and rarely needs more than four of five.
The multipliers of Table 1.25 indicate how much passengers can come aboard the vehicle – just multiply the vehicle’s Size by the figures provided.

SYSTEMS OVERVIEW
Just like with starships and starbases, vehicles are equipped with systems, that all have reliabilities and that can break down if damaged.
Vehicles are equipped with the same systems as starships (namely, propulsion – called engines for a vehicle –, weapons, shields, sensors, operations and life support) but the system damage track differs, to reflect the different rules that apply to vehicles (see Table 1.26). The systems that can be equipped are also very different from the ones found on starships or starbases – otherwise specified, starship or starbase systems cannot be installed on a vehicle.

VEHICLE SYSTEMS

Engines
The engines of a vehicle allow it to move, but not only on the ground – antigravity also counts, when designing an hovercraft.
On the most primitive vehicles, the engines are organic – the craft can be pulled by beasts or even by people. And at the other end of the spectrum, we find the most advanced technology – antigravity generators coupled with cold fusion thrusters.
Engines are purchased according to the speed desired, and to the altitude the vehicle can attain. The basic cost of the engines is attached to the maximum speed of the vehicle, measured in factors. With the reachable altitude (ground only, low or high atmosphere – see p. for more on that matter) comes a multiplier to that basic cost, that indicates the overall cost of the engine. See Table 1.27.
A vehicle requires sensors of a class equal to at least its speed factor, except for speed factor 1. When some high speeds are attained, people need the assistance of machines to continue piloting safely.

Life Support And Operations Systems
Vehicles do not always need life support, if they operate in an environment where the temperatures and atmosphere are within acceptable ranges for humanoid life (M class planets). However, big or closed vehicles, operating in high atmospheres or hostile environments will need life support systems.
Operations systems are much more simple than on starships or starbases, yet they still provide vial functions, like steering or the coordination of computer systems, when applicable, as on large barges.
The cost of these systems can be found in Table 1.6 in Starships. If no life support systems are installed aboard a vehicle, it gains two points of free space. Operations systems can be skipped as well, gaining two other points of free space, but that limits the vehicle to speed 1.

Table 1.24: Vehicle classifications
VEHICLE TYPE / CLASSIFICATION CODE / SIZE RANGE
RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLES
Light Scout VSL 1 1
Medium Scout VS 1 2
Heavy Scout VSH 1 3
TRANSPORTS
Light VTL 1 2
Medium VT 2 3
Heavy VTH 3 5
CARGO CARRIERS
Light VCL 2 3
Medium VC 3 4
Heavy VCH 4 6
SPECIALIZED
Construction VC 2 6
Agricultural VA 1 6
Medical VM 3 6
TACTICAL
Light VHL 1 2
Medium VT 2 4
Heavy VHT 4 6

Table 1.25: Vehicle passenger capacity
TYPE OF VEHICLE / MULTIPLIER
Reconnaissance 0-5
Transports 100-500
Cargo carriers 5-15
Construction, agricultural 0-5
Medical 75-300
Tactical 0-50


Table 1.26: Vehicle system damage track
SENSORS / ENGINES
RATING EFFECT / RATING EFFECT
F +5 TN to system ops (Sensors) tests / F No charge
E -1 initiative / E -1 intiative
D -1 maneuverability / D -1 maneuverability
C -1 tactical / C -1 initiative
B Cannot lock on / B -1 maneuverability
A System offline: vehicle limited to Speed 1 / A System offline

OPERATIONS / WEAPONS
RATING EFFECT / RATING EFFECT
F +5 TN to computer use tests / F Lose lock on
E -1 initiative / E -1 tactical
D -1 maneuverability / D -1 penetration all cannons
C -1 initiative / C Only basic fire allowed
B -2 maneuverability / B -2 tactical
A System offline: cloak offline, no maneuverability / A System offline

LIFE SUPPORT / SHIELDS
RATING EFFECT / RATING EFFECT
F Emergency lighting: -1 to all physical tests / F -1 shield strength
E Panel shorts: TN 10 stamina or stun 1D3 rounds / E -1 shield strength
D Panel explodes: TN 10 quickness or 1D6 wounds / D -1 shield threshold
C Depressurization: -2 to all physical tests / C -2 shield strength
B Thin atmosphere: TN 10 stamina or stun 1D6 rds / B -1 shield threshold
A System offline: 1D6 rounds to abandon vehicle / A System offline: shields down

Table 1.27: Vehicle engines costs
PROPELLING MEANS
SYSTEM / SPEED FACTOR / MAX. SPEED / SPACE
Pulled by animals or people / 1 / 15 KPH / 0
Sails, small chemical engine… / 2 / 100 KPH / Size x 2
Chemical rockets or propellers… / 3 / 2,000 KPH / 4
Ion thrusters / 4 / 10,000 KPH / 8
Cold fusion thrusters / 5 / 25,000 KPH / 12

ALTITUDE CAPACITY
SYSTEM / MAXIMUM ALTITUDE / MULTIPLIER
Wheels, skis … Ground-based x1
Wings, anti-gravity field… Low atmosphere x2
Rockets, starship atmospheric systems… High atmosphere x3