As I wrote just today I am gearing up for a CT campaign focused in a TL 9 interstellar nation. Here are a few of the homebrew ships.
Up front, I use High Guard (CT Book 5) to make all my ships. There are a few reasons for this: I like big ships; I want to use a consistent ruleset for all ships; in 1979 right after I got High Guard Eric Wasson "borrowed" my copy of Book 2 and I didn't get a new copy for 2 years, so I used Book 5 for everything until it is what I am used to.
I do full design steps but usually describe ships by 'what matters to players'.
Small Craft:
Small Launch- TL8 design. 10 dT needle hull. Maneuver-2. Agility-2. Computer-1. 1 ton of fuel. 1 Pilot couch. 1 passenger couches. 4 tons of cargo space.
The bobtail trucks of space, small launches are ubiquitous in and around Comity space. Relatively cheap, reliable, and versatile they can be found ferrying passengers and cargo to and from orbit, between ships, and occasionally on longer trips. They are also easily modified to carry passengers (up to 10 total), as mobile workshops and repair bays, small fuel shuttles, and even emergency medical facilities.
Customs Gig- TL 9 design. 30 dT flattened sphere hull. Maneuver-6. Agility-6. Armor-4. Computer-1. 1.8 tons fuel. 1 Pilot couch. 1 Gunner couch. 6 Passenger couches. 5 dT bay for cargo or LGAV. Hardpoint, typically with a triple missile launcher (Factor 2 missile battery). 1 low berth.
Carried by customs ships, some defense boats, and in various bases the customs gig helps extend the operational range and reaction speed of police, customs, and even military forces. It isn't designed for autonomous, or even extended, missions but is very good at quickly closing with and engaging small ships.
The passenger area can carry a customs inspection team, police group, or marine squad. The cargo area is designed to carry a 5 ton Light Armored Grav Vehicle that is accessible to the passengers of the gig. The gig can also be reconfigured to carry a total of 8 tons of cargo. There are a few rare disarmed versions used as priority local cargo shuttles.
Cargo Lighter- TL 8 design. 60 dT flattened sphere hull. Maneuver-1. Agility-1 (or less). Computer-1. 1 ton of fuel. 1 Pilot couch. 1 Cargomaster couch. 50+ tons of cargo space.
Where the launch is the bobtail truck of space, the cargo lighter is the semi. It can carry an amazing 50 tons of cargo in a dedicated bay but also has 4 dT of "flex space". The flex space can be configured for 8 passengers, 16 emergency low berths, secure mail carrying, high-security cargo, and even fuel purification (turning it into a fuel lighter), or just 4 more cargo tons.
Commercial Ships:
Small Tramp Freighter- TL 9. 100 dT flattened sphere hull. Maneuver-1. Agility 1. Jump-1. 10 tons jump fuel. 1 ton operational fuel. Computer-1. 1 full stateroom, 2 half-staterooms. 3 low berths. Space allocated for a hardpoint and fire control. 0.5 dT 'ship's locker'. Bay for small launch (included). Cargo 40 tons.
The small tramp freighter is not very common within the Comity but is more frequently found in the Twelve Moon Trade Combine (of TMTC) where their low-cost, durability, ease of maintenance, low-complexity, and small crew requirements make them ideal for companies that do not have direct access to TL 9 facilities.
It has an impressive cargo capacity (up to 44 tons if the launch's bay is also used) and can be run by a single person, although a crew of three is most common.
The 'standard' design (above) is meant to operate within range of fueling facilities and not meant for long haul routes (routes that require more than one jump to reach the next system). There is a 'frontier' version which places a fuel purification system into the 'ship's locker' space and a 'long haul' version where 10 tons of the cargo bay is set up as 'flex fuel tanks' allowing the ship to carry 20 tons of jump fuel and, thus, capable of making 2 Jump-1's in a row. The long haul version loses 2 tons of cargo space to the pipes and fittings, reducing its cargo to 38 tons with 10 tons of fuel and 28 tons with 20 tons of fuel. There is also, of course, the 'long haul frontier' version which usually includes a mixed sandcaster/missile turret.
Large Tramp Freighter- TL 9. 400 dT needle hull. Maneuver-1. Agility-1. Jump-1. 40 tons of jump fuel. 4 tons of operational fuel. Computer-1. 1 full stateroom, 4 half staterooms, 4 passenger staterooms, 2 emergency low berths. space for 2 hardpoints and fire control. Fuel purification system. Bay for small launch (included). 1 ton ship's locker. Cargo 300 tons.
Despite its name, the large tramp freighter is used by everyone from independent operators to large corporations to planetary governments. Even the Lanxing Royal Navy has a few as resupply ships. This workhorse is sometimes jokingly called 'the flying shipping container' because of its design (essentially components around a hold) and its massive cargo to size ratio.
It requires a minimum crew of 3, but typically has a crew of 5.
The frontier version was so popular that fuel refining was added standard 3 generations ago (although some old ships may lack it). There is also a long haul version that has 80 tons of jump fuel and only 260 tons of cargo space.
Military Ships:
Fleet Courier- TL 9. 100 dT flattened sphere. Maneuver-2. Agility-2 (or less). Armor-6. Jump-1. Jump fuel 20 tons. 2 tons of operational fuel. Computer-1/fib. 1 full stateroom, 3 half staterooms. Turret and fire control. Fuel purification. Bay for 3 ton grav car (included). Cargo 10 tons.
Weapons: triple sandcaster (factor 2) or triple missile (factor 2) or dual beam (factor 2)
These small ships carry orders, personnel, and priority military cargoes throughout Comity and allied space. While it can be operated by a single crewman, these ships usually have a crew of 3. Disarmed surplus ships are sometimes seen on the secondary market.
Patrol Cruiser- TL9. 1,000 dT cone. Maneuver-3. Agility-0. Armor-6. Jump-1. Jump fuel 200 tons. Operational fuel 30 tons. Computer-3/fib. 8 full staterooms, 30 half staterooms (double occupancy at times). 4 emergency low berths. Space allocated for chapel, field hospital, and mustering area. Fuel purification. Bay for 30 ton Customs Gig (included). Bays for 2 LGAVs. Cargo 70 tons.
Weapons: 10 x triple sandcaster turrets ( 5 batteries of factor 4 ea); 10 x triple beam turrets (5 batteries of factor 5 ea.); 10 x triple missile turrets (1 battery of factor 6)
The patrol cruiser of the Lanxing Comity is the warship most people associate with the navy. It is fairly well armored, has a mix of weapons, and is capable of 'double jumping'. Patrol cruisers usually carry a half platoon of marines and have the capacity to carry a full platoon. The LGAVs can be launched directly from the cruiser or moved into the customs gig between interlinked bays. A 10 ton space can be used for mustering or as a field hospital and all patrol cruisers have a chaplain and chapel.
Patrol cruisers do it all from 'showing the flag' to anti-piracy, customs inspections to disaster relief.
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