DwD Studios
AD Astra! Ship: Dark Star
Mon, 04/03/2017 - 11:11pm | 
William J. Wilson
Ship Name: Dark Star
Shipyard/Company: Mijönir Shipyards
Ship Type: Scout
Date of Manufacture: 12 January, 2790
Price (Full/Adjusted): 600,000/???
Primary Ratings:
Structure: 55
Handling: 45
Targeting: 60
Scanners: 75
Computer: 50
Performance:
Nova Drive: 2 LY/dy (2 upgrades MAX)
Pulse Drive: 8 AU/hr (1.1c) (2 upgrades MAX)
Atmo Drive: 950 kph (1 upgrade)
Inventory:
Hull Points: 70 (Subsystem 14)
Capacitors: 20 (Recharge 1/rnd)
Fuel Tanks: 20 (Scoop 1/hr)
Provisions: 200
Configuration:
Frame: Small, Exploration (Max upgrade/system: 3)
Crew/Pass: 1/8 (1 upgrade)
Power Core: Type I Reactor
Docking Space: 250 CU
Cargo Hold: 35 CU (10 CU in hidden hold) (1 upgrade)
Integration: 3 spaces remaining
Hardpoints: 0 remaining
Integrated Tech:
Subspace Radio
Transponder (multi-configured)
Artificial Intelligence
PER 50, INT 50, Pilot +0, Scientist (physical science) +0,Technician (starship) -10, Marksman +10 (Gunner)
Grapple Clamps
Sick Bay (1 patients)
Defenses:
Security Ballistic Screen
each 1HP drains 1 capacitors
Security Reflec Screen
each 1HP(B) drains 1 capacitors
Weapons:
1x Laser Battery
1-5D(B) damage, Range 8h, Uses 1-5 cap/shot
1x Rocket Battery
3D damage, Range 6h, Payload 10
Notes:
Mijönir Shipyards: +10 to targeting for all ships.
The Dark Star is an example of a typical scout vessel in the hands of a civilian. Scouts and runabouts are, probably, the most “tricked-out” ships in the galaxy.
The drives on this vessel have been upgraded to almost the best the Solar Alliance has to offer; even the pulse drive is FTL (1.1c). The cargo hold has been modified to store 10 CU worth of smuggled goods in secret compartments (-20 to scan – and local scans only). The science lab has been removed in favor of a larger cargo hold. The docking bay holds an Explorer craft, a hover car, a workpod, and two ground cycles.
The ship’s computer has a female personality that responds to the name “DARLA.” Her anti-violence protocols have been bypassed by successful hacking techniques. DARLA can handle most ship operations by herself, if needed.
Dark Star can be found in just about any civilized sector in the Milky Way Galaxy (and even in a few uncivilized ones). From the coreward Antares Sector to the rimward Aldebaran Sector, this ship may be found.
The captain of the Dark Star is a Human male called John Merrick. Only a few people know him by that name; John’s alias list is as big as the Orion Nebula. He and his ship is among the PDSR(1) and IH’s(2) Most Wanted list. In the SA(3), he is only accused for smuggling non-aggressive goods to worlds where they are banned. In the other two superpowers, he is wanted for people transport – mainly beings seeking asylum from their mother countries. They are usually brought to either SA space or an independent world that has no expediting treaties with the PDSR and IH. The Dark Star, however, always seems to get away.
The cargo hold has full life support capabilities that can handle more than 100 people, if it is needed. If you are in a bind and don’t see a way out, the Dark Star may just be coming your way……..
(1). Peoples’ Democratic Socialist Republic
(2). Império do Homem – Empire of Man
(3). Solar Alliance
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Tags: 
Very cool ship. Map map map!!! :-)
You're spot-on regarding the top speed of the pulse drive. FrontierSpace's "Pulse Drive" is in AU/hr, while its "Nova Drive" is in LY/day. But people don't generally catch on that 7.22 AU/hr is roughly the speed of light, so even with a pulse drive alone some ships could traverse the FrontierSpace map in Cryo Cells (PHB playtest v1.3 page 118) taking 1 year to cover each hex of movement :-)
Exactly! In my Ad Astra! campaign, the pulse drive is maxed-out at 8AU/hr; with current tech, the pulse drive cannot be driven faster.
I also am going to get into the habit of computing the "c" factor for the pulse drives on the ships I submit. Maybe this could be added to the rules. A simple conversion chart wouldn't go amiss. This would give players a possible easier way to understand how fast their ships are actually going. How about that?
I am not the best mapper. I am still trying to understand how large each ship class is. I already know each size class is 10x the previous size.
The way I see the ship, it, pretty much, has two decks: the top deck is the main deck where the crew and standard passengers are, usually. The bottom deck is for the cargo hold (which may also hold passengers. See above) as well as the vehicle bay. Maybe someone better than me can think this out. :)
meh - we decided not to hard-code how the deck layouts work and actual mass/size. We don't, for instance, specify that each ship size is 10x the previous anymore. We focus on the stats and ship contents/capability, then build up a floor plan from there to try to make sense.