User:MJ12 Commando

Panopticon
Test Alchemical
Tech Ninja Test
Rexberrant PC

Nexus

The Explorers of the Xia Dynasty
Concept: Lost Confucian Chinese Empire Explorers

Population: R1 (2 pts)

The crew of the original exploration ship was never large, and although they have had success attracting followers and refugees it has not been sufficient to create a significant populace comparable to the larger powers in the Nexus.

Transumanism: R3 (4 pts)

A combination of cutting-edge genetic engineering and millenia-old martial arts (especially the conceptual and animal styles) has blended past and present. When genetic boosts combine with the learning enhancement techniques, the superhuman physical prowess that was available only to the dedicated and strong of spirit in the pre-scientific age is now available to anyone. The Xia Dynasty can augment the mind, the body, and the soul of its citizenry and expects them to partake of such extensively.

Infrastructure: R2 (2 pts)

Their industrialization has been limited as they have not had significant time to do more than offload Forge Vats and build cities for their followers, but their advanced assemblers have made it possible to keep up with many powers in industrial might.

Growth Potential: R1 (0+1 pts)

Resources are available but slow population growth rates make expansion difficult for the Xia Dynasty's latest outpost.

Military Support: R0 (0 pts)

The crew were originally explorers, not soldiers. Although certainly armed and trained in the use of such their primary mission remains trade and diplomacy, and a minimal navy is sufficient for their use of soft power.

Space Fleet: R1 (1 pts)

Although insufficient for large scale conquest operations, the Explorers' space fleet is sufficient for defense and trade.

Diplomacy: R2 (2 pts)

Explorers are not true diplomats but their occupation (encountering new cultures and assimilating them into the empire) requires some level of diplomatic tact.

Espionage: R2 (2 pts)

Similarly, they are not spies, but the Emperor's Eyes often use them for information, and as such they have learned a bit of what is valuable and how to protect what they do not want exposed.

General Advancement: R2 (8 pts)

The particularly ideologically-fixed may mock the blending of mysticism such as martial arts, spiritualism, and Feng Shui with cutting-edge science as crass, but often enough they forget the 'cutting-edge' in the term.

Unique Technology: R3 (4+1 pts)

The combination of mystical tradition and scientific might has provided many unique fields of technical development to the Xia Dynasty, from weapons which disrupt Qi to the physiological science of martial arts development and various other advancements in the harnessing and disrupting of external and internal alchemy.

Emergent Technology: R3 (6 pts)

Alchemical Nanomachinery based on the Elements of Earth and Metal build the powerful vessels and systems of the Xia Dynasty's vessels, and the exploration ship Wei Lin was stocked with many of these Creation Engines. Similarly other cutting-edge emergent systems such as the powerful Prayer Servers of the vessel and the Immortals, men who have given their bodies for immortal godlike ones, show their empire has a mastery of many emergent advances.

Magic: R3 (4 pts)

The Xia Dynasty lasted from before the invention of gunpowder to a true spacefaring power, although conservative streaks and its own success have proven obstacles in many cases to timely adoption of untested developments. However, its inherent conservatism also prevented it from abandoning what worked, even when they found that machines could do much the same thing as magic could. Martial artists, alchemists, and sorcerers all exist in the small outpost of the Xia Dynasty in the Nexus, more often than not technologically capable as well as mystically.

More Than Human

The superman has always been with us. Since time immemorial, there have been those capable of feats no human can do, leading us into the future. They always called it a bright future, a land of wonders, they have always done great deeds in the name of causes they themselves thought were noble, but what has it led us to?

It has led to a hundred million dead in the ten years of the Second World War. It has led to the situation today, where Stalin rules the USSR with an iron fist, facing down an equally unyielding NATO as apocalypse looms over the heads of all. It has led to brushfire wars all over the world, except that in many cases the soldiers have the ability to destroy towns and cause untold destruction. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and on both sides there are those who fight for what they believe is right-and in the end all they create is death. The question is not if there will be a reckoning, but when.

Faster-than-light has guaranteed that the apocalypse will not be total, though. Perhaps the survivors will realize, when apocalpyse finally happens, how foolish our course is. Or perhaps, despite being more than human, they are still all too limited by their viewpoints and beliefs.

The Supermen

There are roughly four types of superhuman, although there are significant variations in them. One of them has apparently existed since time immemorial, the Legends. The Inspired started appearing since the early 1900s, first very rarely, but now more and more often. One was created in the early 1920s, the Novas. And the last one was pioneered by the USSR in the mid-1940s, an attempt to create an artificial superman-the Remade.

Only the Remade can be truly built-a Legend is born as much as made, to become an Inspired is a subconscious choice, and although one might think that a Nova could be cloned it hasn't happened successfully yet. The clone always ends up insane and Tainted-only the most insane and suicidal will attempt it nowadays.

The Legends

-Some are born to greatness.

Legends are those who are born into greatness, a main character in some sort of inscrutable cosmic story. Their destiny is unknown to any, even to them, but they know that they will be guaranteed to be remembered. Legends are often called "magicians" but their magic is not the common perception of wand-waving. Their magic is as varied as they are, and they are as often supermen in the vein of Odysseus and Achilles as they are magicians like Merlin. Their power is not bound is only bound by their force of will, their beliefs, and their destiny.

Their tradeoff however, is an inability to create. A Legend can only rehash or exaggerate-it needs that grain of truth lest it become fiction.

A human can split a wood board with a blow-a Legend can split a concrete wall.

A human can create fire with two stones and kindling-a Legend can create a conflagaration with no tools.

A human can build a wall-a Legend can summon one out of the Earth.

A human can dodge a ball-a Legend can dodge a bullet.

The Inspired

-Others achieve greatness through work.

The most human-seeming at first glance, Inspired are powered by their obsession. Their obsession in one field lets them create wonders, whether through alchemy, clockwork, electricity, atomic power, nanotechnology, or exotic spacetime manipulation. They have been responsible for many of the breakthroughs that we take for granted-fusion powerplants, cures for diseases and poisons, flying cars, superconductors-and more. They have also been responsible for the creation of doomsday devices, disassembler bombs, flying fortresses, and other weapons of death.

The Inspired's obsession is their greatest strength and their greatest weakness. An Inspired always starts obsessing about one field, but as their power grows their obsession grows, and often Inspired die of overwork, alienated from society in their waning years. A brief life burns brightly and the Inspired burn all too bright and all too brief.

An Inspired can break scientific tenets, presumably altering reality-but some of that Inspiration rubs off on their machines. This doesn't happen with all their inventions-some of them are just ahead of their time instead of physics-breaking, but the minority, like perpetual motion machines, teleporters, and FTL drives, are. These devices require an Inspired to build but not to maintain or use.

Novas

-There are those who have greatness thrust upon them.

Novas gained their superhuman ability by sheer luck. Ever since the 1921 Hammersmith Experiment which swept a wave of mutagenic radiation over the Earth, a few are born with the Mazarin-Rashoud gene, and the possibility to express it. In a time of extreme stress this gene manifests, allowing the now-erupted Nova to warp reality. Often this is used to improve their bodies and minds, but they can also create energy, manipulate minds, teleport, or other acts.

Novas are capable of incredible physical and mental feats and are possibly the most versatile of all posthumans. However, being more than human in every way they are also the most strained in relating to humanity-a Nova suffers from Taint as the body was not designed to channel the raw power of the universe, invaribly driving them away from humanity.

Although Novas may build wonders as well their wonders must conform to mundane laws of physics-they may copy the designs of the Inspired but they may not improve on them or truly understand them-no matter how intelligent. There is "novatech", but that is not technology as much as an extension of a Nova's will-it works because the Nova wants it to work and has invested some of his reality-warping power into it, little more.

Remade

-And there are those who buy greatness.

Remade are Human 2.0, created by a lab instead of human stock. Prototyped by the USSR to counteract the Axis's advantage in superhuman numbers, Remade are the most common of all posthumans. The earliest ones were genetically and chemically modified, faster, stronger, and tougher than human and threatening to German supermen when given super-science weaponry. Development of Remade has not ceased since the end of World War II and the technology has leaked, despite USSR attempts to keep it secret. Now any country with the ability to afford the equipment (and there are many) can start producing its own superhumans.

There are now dozens of varieties of Remade, ranging for the USSR Alphas to the advanced cyborg chassis that the Chinese Steel Dragons use to the Splicers becoming more and more common in the United States. As anyone willing to pay the money can become a Remade it is the easiest course of transcending human limits and some countries are debating or have enacted mandatory enhancement policies.

Most Remade conform to physical limits-only a few have been rebuilt by Inspired, allowing them nearly as much power as a "true" superman. They may be superhumanly strong-but if they try to lift a car they'll just rip the bumper off, and if they try to throw a one-ton weight they'll just go flying backwards instead. Nevertheless a cutting-edge Remade can match a weak Nova or Legend and in numbers and armed with similarly cutting-edge weaponry they are potent in their own right.

Technology

The appearance of the Inspired in the early years of the 20th century did much to leapfrog technological advancement. New theories and improvements were hitting maturity right as people had adjusted to the old generation. The oldest remember how impressed they were with radio-but merely a decade and a half after its invention television was introduced, and color television soon after that. Those who have grown up with posthumans have gotten used to near-continuous culture shock, as new and superior inventions were introduced at a breakneck pace.

In peace and in war, technology has advanced as fast as there were Inspired to take it to new heights, civilian and military both. World War II was fought with stealth fighters and cluster bombs, and ended with the nuclear annihilation of several cities in Britain, Japan, and Germany. World War III, when it will be fought, will be fought with antimatter bombs, fusion-powered warships, and high-energy weapons.

Although advancements can be built by Novas and Inspired alike, the ones Novas create are either extensions of their will or perfectly possible under mundane laws of physics. The inventions of the Inspired defy physics and cannot be reproduced without another Inspired at least managing the process-but nevertheless can do wonderful things. Despite the obvious power of atomic rayguns, nanite disassemblers, energy shields, and one-man warships, there are often significant needs for material which can be mass produced cheaply and easily and issued in bulk numbers.

Superscience

Although wondrous devices can be constructed without any violation of the laws of physics, superscience is still valuable for what the posthuman mind can accomplish without being bound to the laws of physics. Those who are Inspired can create wonders which should not function-clockwork golems with the ability to reason and think, powered only by windup springs, faster than light drives, teleporters and resurrection machines-wonders that could only have been dreamed about without the crafting hand of the Inspired.

Static Superscience

The most common method of creating technological wonders, static superscience conforms to the laws of physics, although it is almost always far more advanced than it has any right to be, or use principles of physics which although real are essentially impossible to apply without the hand and mind of the Inspired. Antimatter battery-powered railguns, strong AI, and even the occasional reactionless drive. The lowest examples of static superscience and the most cutting-edge prototypes of human origin blend together, but the greatest are still wondrous in their own right.

Dynamic Superscience

The true draw of the Inspired is, however, the ability to break physics completely, instead of merely playing with its quirks or what is theoretically possible but implausible. Faster-than-light teleportation, direct temporal manipulation, resurrecting the dead, energy shields, pocket dimensions, and more are the realm of dynamic superscience, which is often as magical as the powers of the Legends. Rarer, far more difficult to create, and requiring both skill, inspiration, and an excessive amount of obsession, the rare machines which fall under this category are much-prized for their power.

Novatech

Novas themselves can create and invest machinery with their reality-altering characteristics, giving it some of the character of superscience. The Nova's own power is the relevant factor here-the investment of that power is what makes the machine work, not anything inside. A Nova who fancies himself a magician may build a magic wand, carving it with arcane runes for nights on end, while another one may construct a multi-ton industrial device for the same purpose of transmuting matter. Either way, the machine functions, as the internals are not as important as the Nova's will and the Nova's intent.

Rules Sketches

The rules sketches are for, in theory, a SD. A RPG would run on M&M rules or something similar.

Nation Generation

A nation in More Than Human has four characteristics-infrastructure, traits, military, and major characters. Nations will have points to spend on each category.

Traits

A nation may have one positive Defining Trait and any number of positive Lesser Traits, the latter of which are bought by starting points. A nation may also choose to take one negative Defining Trait to gain another positive Defining Trait.

Positive Defining

God-King-the nation is ruled by a powerful God-King, whether benevolent or not. The nation receives one -level

Utopia-whatever the power's political philosophy the power does not suffer from internal dissent, bureaucratic inefficiencies, or other problems that plague real governments. Popular support is high,

Upgrades-the vast majority of the entire nation's population is posthuman, almost always Remade, although there are a handful of colonies which are mostly to entirely made up of Novas. This allows one to put a no-cost posthuman template on all its people. This template is Zeta-level.

Posthumans

The most critical component of a nation, posthumans of all stripes have defined history. Would modern computer systems have been possible without the Novas and Inspired to create cheap methods of synthesizing sapphire, gallium-arsenide, and other rare materials? Could nuclear fusion have been developed without the help of the Inspired? The posthuman are truly the architects of this century and most of the last.

Posthumans were classified under several response codes by NATO, with the Warsaw Pact using similar. (names subject to change.)

Zeta-The posthuman has powers which can be emulated with relative ease or are of marginal use. A Zeta is roughly equivalent to a small group of men (a fireteam, two or three workers) in an area where he or she specializes in. An Inspired at this level is capable of easily understanding and improving modern technology but does not have the strength of obsession to break the laws of physics yet.

Epsilon-The posthuman has powers which can generally only be emulated with extreme difficulty. At this level a posthuman is equivalent to a larger group of men (a platoon or small business) in what he or she can do. An Inspired at this level dabbles in bending the laws of physics, and is capable of creating low-level Static superscience. Most Legends are Epsilon-level.

Delta-The posthuman is very powerful, with powers which technology can only build in far larger . A posthuman at this level often finds mundane tools as much of a hindrance and limiter as a help. Delta-level posthumans can duel with tanks, explore space on their own, and other impressive feats. A Delta-level Inspired is capable of creating Static superscience routinely and Dynamic superscience with difficulty. Novas are generally Delta-level.

Gamma-The posthuman is exceedingly powerful. Gamma-level posthumans are far beyond humanity, capable of feats that humans can only conceive about with the most impressive tools in their arsenal. A Gamma-level Inspired can make use of both Static and Dynamic superscience but will also start to feel the encroachment of madness.

Beta-The posthuman has the power equivalent to what a city government could possibly bring to bear. Betas can duel with armor battalions and air support, leap miles with a single bound, outspeed bullets, solve equations faster and more precisely than the best supercomputers, and other feats far beyond human comprehension. An Inspired at this level can make use of even the most extreme superscience, but is likely at least somewhat insane.

Alpha-The posthuman has power equivalent to small nations. An Alpha's actions take an entire nation's infrastructure to emulate. An Alpha may be able to destroy a cutting-edge warship, singlehandedly solve climactic apocalypse, destroy a city in a matter of minutes, or other feats of raw power. An Inspired at this level considers physics to be even less than a suggestion and finds it trivial to create Dynamic superscience which does so.

Points and Modifiers

Points/Power Level/Maximum characteristic/ability level

Zeta-3 points, x1, +1
Epsilon-5 points, x1, +2
Delta-10 points, x1, +3
Gamma-20 points, x2, +3
Beta-40 points, x2, +3
Alpha-80 points, x5, +5

Epsilons and Deltas can be used as draft for combat units in which case their characteristics improve the unit if applicable, while Gammas, Betas, and Epsilons act on their own. Only Zetas, Epsilons, and Deltas may be Remade.

Characteristics

A characteristic always costs (Power Level) points per level of improvement. All posthumans may buy characteristics although they manifest differently.

Power-the physical strength and power of the posthuman. At +0 the posthuman is no more than human, while a Zeta with +1 could have an average lift exceeding the human world record and an Alpha with +5 Power is capable of benchpressing a frigate. Presence increases a character's close-in attack and speed.

Resistance-the durability of the posthuman. At +0 the posthuman can die from a case of the flu or a inconvenient bullet, while a Epsilon with +2 durability can shrug off most small arms fire and virtually any non-engineered disease, and an Alpha at +5 requires naval artillery to wound.

Finesse-a measurement of the character's precision and agility. A Zeta with +1 might outsprint an Olympic runner and have steadier hands than a surgeon or a master sniper, while an Alpha with +5 could deflect bullets with a sword.

Abilities

Matter Creation (15 pts) [Novas only]-the posthuman is capable of creating matter out of thin air. The posthuman therefore improves industrial output as rare material can be synthesized for free, albeit in small quantities. Each posthuman (10 Gammas, 1 Beta, or 1 Alpha) creates 1/5/15 industry per game turn, respectively.

Unkillable (5 pts)-the posthuman may bleed like a normal person but they take a lot longer to put down for good. Although just as easy to incapacitate the posthuman is far harder to kill. Unkillable and Unstoppable are not mutually exclusive but less efficient than simply buying more Resistance.

Unstoppable (5 pts)-the posthuman simply can't be put down. He/she/it might expire of blood loss and shock immediately after accomplishing the task, but the task will get done. The posthuman is just as easy to kill but far more difficult to incapacitate.

Security Nightmare (5 pts/level)-the posthuman is capable of, whether by shapeshifting, pheromones, magic, or psychic powers, of easily breaching security measures. This greatly increases their ability to attempt espionage missions.

Hyperintelligent (1 pt/level)-the posthuman is much smarter and can trivially figure out what it takes skilled baselines months or more to analyze. This improvement increases research output as well as the ability to command. Hyperintelligents must be explicitly assigned to do such-although useful when applied it is a waste when not.

Flight (2/5/10/15 pts)-the posthuman is capable of flight. At 2 points the posthuman flies as fast as a slow helicopter, at 5 the posthuman can fly at high subsonic to low supersonic, at 10 the posthuman is capable of traveling anywhere on a planet in a matter of hours, and at 15 the posthuman can travel fast enough for interplanetary travel.

Environmental Resistance (1 pt)-the posthuman never gets sick or tired and is much more resistant to environmental hazards.

Adaptability (3 pts) [Novas only]-the Nova is essentially immune to any environment, no matter how extreme. This does not translate into an immunity to direct attack, even if the Nova can literally sunbathe or finds magma baths relaxing. This is a far more powerful version of Environmental Resistance and stacking both has no effect.

Ranged Attack (3-7 pts/level)-the posthuman is capable of a powerful ranged attack. Each level of this ability costs as much as the posthuman's power level + 2. The attack is on the same scale as the posthuman, with firepower equal to the posthuman's Power. Each further purchase of this power increases the attack power, accuracy, and range.

Stealth (3-7 pts/level)-the posthuman is difficult to spot, whether because he or she doesn't show up in mirrors and electronic recordings, can turn invisible, or due to shapeshifting. Each level of this ability costs as much as the posthuman's power level + 2, and increases their ability to hide from surveillance.

Superscience

Inspiration (5pts/level) [Inspired Only]-the Inspired are capable of constructing wonders. Each level of Inspiration allows the posthuman to create (Power Level) points of Inspiration each game turn, which can be spent on super-science advancements

System

Sketch Combat Ideas The Modifier is a representation of the rough scale of the combatant. The Modifier multiplies the unit's attack, range, defense, as well as the attack roll. Infantry and light vehicles are x1, most vehicles are x2, and warships are generally x5. The modifier benefits weapon and armor rolls but generally penalizes (multiplies the opponent's) agility and accuracy rolls.

Special Abilities

Pint-Sized (X)-the unit is not as large as its modifier would suggest and therefore takes the agility, stealth, and accuracy penalty of a unit which has a modifier of (X) instead of its true value. All Gammas, Betas, and Alphas have Pint-Sized (1).

Sphere 2 Silliness

Technology

Civilian

Psychology

Memetic Quantification

In-depth analysis of human psychology has granted an understanding of how humans react to advertisements and propaganda, allowing your power to push its citizens further with less dissent, and with the ability to predict where dissent will rise up,

Effects: +Morale

Social Variable Simplification

Economists have tried to create a model of the consumer for centuries, and psychologists have tried to create a model of social groups for just as long. However, these models have suffered from either inaccuracy or overcomplexity. As even small errors in these models can lead to economic or societal problems, refinement of the models has only recently provided ones that are nearly 100% reliable for the power in question.

Prerequisites: Memetic Quantification

Effects: Morale and Wealth Effects are more effective

Group Efficiency Engineering

As one reduces the scale of these models, further inaccuracy crops up, and the margin of error increases. Slimming these models allows one to accurately model the behavior of smaller social groups, increasing productivity with no cost in societal dissent.

Prerequisites: Social Variable Simplification

Effects: +Wealth infrastructure

Ethical Calculus

Creating an accurate mathematical model of individual human behavior has been something of a "holy grail" in psychology. Although modeling human behavior can be brute-forced by the creation of an upload and a realistic simulation, only recently have scientists in the Sphere come close to creating a simplified yet accurate model of individual human behavior.

Prerequisites: Group Efficiency Engineering

Effects: +Morale, +Diplomacy

Prestige Units

Naval

Super Battleship

Mobility: -1

Evasion: -1

Armor: 12

Structure: 10

Hits: 100

Space: 500

Engineering Coefficient: 25

Hull Coefficient: 20

Hull Expansion

+50 Spaces

Technical Descriptions

Armor

Belted Armor

Standard armor is a combination of a brittle ablative layer, amorphous (noncrystalline) metal, and carbon nanotube weave for spall lining. Spaced and angled for shot deflection, standard armor gives excellent penetration resistance and protection with moderate mass and low cost.

Depleted Uranium Armor

Depleted uranium armor reinforces the amorphous metal in standard armor by 'sandwiching' depleted uranium layers inside, increasing its ability to protect against enemy attacks and reducing the chance of an attack that penetrates of retaining sufficient force to deal critical damage. However, DU armor is fantastically heavy and ships equipping it are notoriously sluggish.

Belted Iridium Armor

Osimium-Iridium alloys have been used for situations where hardness, wear, and temperature resistance have been critical since over 350 years ago, but it is only with the advent of spaceflight and modern materials science which has allowed extensive fabrication of such alloys to use in armor plate. Belted Iridium Armor uses amorphous iridium plating laminated with lightweight polymer for spall catching, making it even more penetration-resistant than DU-reinforced armor with no additional mobility penalty.

Double-Bonded Lunar Titanium Armor

The latest material to come out of the EU's Cordis Material Science Laboratories, the composition of double-bonded Lunar Titanium armor is highly classified. What scientists in other powers believe is that the material is not even titanium at all, but a composite material making extensive use of cutting-edge high-strength/weight ratio materials such as amorphous diamond. Nevertheless the armor provides superior overall protection to even iridium armor with no power draw and far less mass premium.

Laminate Armor

Misleadingly named (as standard armor is already a laminate material) laminate armor was inspired by Velan drone design, using nanofabrifcation to create an armor consisting of hundreds of millimeter-thick sheets of varying materials. The extremely thin layers, although individually weak, create a protective barrier which is stronger in terms of strength-to-weight ratio than standard armor material, but somewhat more vulnerable to catastrophic failure-a projectile which successfully penetrates is more likely to cause critical damage.

Anti-Beam Laminate

Reverse engineered from Nephilim armor, anti-beam laminate uses thermal-conductive layers to rapidly redistribute the shock of an energy weapon attack away from the impact point, reducing an energy weapon's penetrative ability. However these thermal conductor grids are significantly more vulnerable to weapons fire than the original filler.

Polarized Laminate

By using electroreactive "smart" materials, an armor can be built that changes state in response to being powered, hardening in response to enemy fire. Replacing the lightweight polymer sheets in laminate armor with these electroreactives provides superior protection, while retaining the conductive fibers of anti-beam laminate (now used for power supply as well) allow it to still resist penetration from energy weapons. Although the armor now has a significant power requirement, it has equal protection to standard laminate armor and superior resistance to energy weapons such as plasma cannons and mega particle weapons.

Bistate Polarized Laminate

Bistate polarized laminate armor uses superior smart materials which can change state much more quickly and effectively to not only resist enemy fire, but to shed energy against penetration in a way that reduces potential damage. Against ballistic weapons the armor can flex and bend elastically to further reduce penetrating damage, while against energy weapons the armor can absorb and reradiate energy outwards. However, in terms of resisting actual penetration, bistate laminate is only the equal of polarized or conventional laminate armor even if it does retain the conductive layer which mitigates the penetrative ability of MPBs and other high-penetration energy weapons.

Phase Shift Laminate

A technical development from electrical reactive armor, phase-shift laminate armor incorporates electrically charged layers alternating with nonconductive layers, becoming a large capacitor. Any kinetic penetrator that pierces the first layer contacts the second layer, closing the circuit and dumping a massive amount of energy into the penetrator. The penetrator itself is generally melted or vaporized by this action, greatly reducing its penetrative ability. However phase-shift laminate is no more protective than standard laminate armor against energy weapons.

Trans-Phase Laminate

Trans-phase laminate uses superior conductive layers which help to mitigate damage from both energy and ballistic weapons that do penetrate.

Variable Phase Polarization Laminate

Quite possibly the pinnacle of non-theotech armor material design (debates between Variable Phase and Lunar Titanium proponents are generally heated at best) variable-phase armor works by generating a plasma window inside vacuum-filled gaps in the vessel's armor. This pocket can be energized further to damage kinetic penetrators, or in its low-power state, serves to absorb and diffuse the focus of all energy weaponry. By using a low-density, largely nonphysical component as its primary method of stopping enemy fire, variable-phase armor is extraordinarily lightweight, and any attack that penetrates the armor itself is likely to be heavily diffused and unlikely to penetrate to critical vessel areas.

Railguns

Rhenium Integration

The limits to railgun power are based off of both power draw and peak acceleration. Standard rails, using steel-jacketed tungsten or DU slugs, cannot be given significantly more power without melting the power lines or the electromagnets. However, several asteroid belts in the human Sphere have become sources of rhenium, allowing extensive use of superconducting rhenium alloys in critical components such as the power feeds and electromagnets. With superconducting power feeds and temperature-resistant superconducting electromagnets, lethality and efficiency are increased over previous designs.

Gauss Accelerator

Although rhenium integration solves one of the problems, the other problem of peak acceleration exists-when one problem is fixed, another becomes the limitation. This problem can be solved by making the barrel longer, but this increases the vulnerability of the weapon to enemy fire. Famous EU engineer Johan Eckbert, though, sketched out a prototype railgun design which used spiraling "rails" in conjunction with shield systems to allow a hundred-meter long barrel to be contained in a ten-meter long turret. In fact, to make costs manageable, the electromagnets in a gauss accelerator are actually expensive and less powerful in an absolute sense, although the increased length more than makes up for it. The only limitation at this point is barrel wear and shield systems.

Momentum Transfer Rails

The M-T "railgun" is no longer a railgun, but a inertial transfer system using similar principles to the Mercurion Drives that ZOCU uses. The geometry of the system is entirely different though, as while Mercurion drives impart motive force on the drive system (and by extension the vessel it is attached to), Momentum Transfer Rails are intended to do the opposite, imparting motive force on something that is not the drive system. With a theoretically infinite acceleration rate, limited only by power input and projectile tensile strength, a M-T rail can be built much shorter than a conventional design, although it is somewhat less efficient. Although early trials were disappointing, Rheinmetall researchers cracked the necessary geometry in 2187, successfully accelerating a 3-gram ceramic projectile to 6 km/s, and the EU DSF is rumored to be doing field trials on such systems, although information is sparse.

Pulse Weapons

Synchronous Acceleration

Conventional pulse weapons were generally linear accelerators, making them simple to manufacture and maintain, although limiting their destructive power. Cyclotrons were judged too expensive and too vulnerable to be used to build military weapons around. However, with Eckbert's breakthrough idea of cyclical rails (a decade earlier than shield technology could allow practical use of the concept in railguns), PACT scientists realized that his architecture made an excellent basis for a damage-resistant, military-hardened particle accelerator weapon, and a few ZOCU powers have had similar designs. Complaints about the difficulty of maintenance of these new weapons have been, as usual, ignored.

Supercollider Augmentation

A pulse weapon, although more accurate than a railgun, is far more sensitive to damage, and must be run with a much higher margin of safety. Integrating superconductive rhenium alloys into the design of a pulse weapon increases its efficiency drastically, improving the amount of power which can be fed into a weapon as well as how efficiently it uses this power, allowing truly fearsome outputs without risk of weapon destabilization.

Adaptive Focus

One issue with charged particle beams is that they attract or deflect each other-rendering long-range shots impossible, forcing pulse weapons to use neutral particle beams even if charged particle beams are far more efficient. Delta-dust based quantum-computing systems however, have allowed the charged particle beam to make a surprising comeback. These computers allow the prediction of long-range divergence paths by charged particle beams due to fire from both allies and enemies to an extremely high degree of reliability, increasing range, accuracy, and hitting power. On the other hand, the power savings from the cyclotrons are more than made up by the power-hungry computing network. USASF test platforms have found this weapon effective although large-scale deployment is unlikely to happen for years.

Lasers

Adaptive Optics

The problems with focusing a weapon at the ranges common in interstellar combat, while still having a "turret", are non-trivial. Lenses, although simple, are easy to damage by a laser weapon capable of doing significant harm to an enemy warship, and although mirrors are easy, the systems required to allow effective focusing at any range are nontrivial. Improved adaptive optics allow the removal of the mechanical systems and heavily reinforced lenses necessary for earlier laser weapons to be effective, replacing them with flexible mirrors and phased-array optics. These weapons have far fewer moving parts and can focus much faster, improving effective range and accuracy.

Heterodyne Lasers

A complex combination of geometry and electronics provides a focusing system allows heterodyne lasers to produce wavelengths normally only possible under extreme circumstances. No longer is a X-Ray or gamma-ray laser only possible by the use of excessively large and fragile equipment or the detonation of a nuclear weapon. This improvement increases the penetrative force of a laser weapon against armor materials, although efficiency suffers from it.

Optimized Photon Pulses

Photon Pulse Weapons use improved computer systems and fully smart optics to optimize wavelength and pulse characteristics for the target at hand. With the ability to rapidly switch pulse length and power, a photon pulse laser is capable of drilling through hull using extremely short-duration low-energy pulses, then causing severe damage to internal systems with long, high-energy pulses without missing a beat.

Ships

Aegis

The Aegis cruiser was designed as a vessel with fast strategic speed but had minimal tactical speed to carry a higher weapons complement. Using a large complement of naval cannon, the Aegis was more than adequate against most larger drone forces, and its armor, although minimal, could ward off the strikes of light drone weapons. Standard armament was 12 electrothermal cannon, backed up by a pair of multipurpose missile launchers. Later an interim refit for fighting heavier units took advantage of the vessel's modularity and responsiveness to expansion, replacing the entire weapons complement with anti-ship and anti-aerospace missiles, turning the Aegis into an "arsenal ship" designed to support frontline combatants with heavy missile fire at extreme range-as although the Aegis had an immense amount of firepower it had nearly no survivability against antiship weapons.

Although an obsolete design, its high tolerance for expansion and modular hull design made it an easy and cost-effective design to extensively refit, and there are a few powers which use modernized variants almost unrecognizable as the original vessel.

Aegis cruiser (1x Cruiser)
Stats

Mobility: 1

Evasion: 1.5

Armor: 4+6 (10)

Structure: 5+1.5 (6.5)

Hits: 20+12 (32)

Internal Space: 110

Power and Propulsion (-8 Space, +0 Power)

2 Fission Reactors (-2 Space, +16 Power)

1 fusion thruster (-4 Space, -8 Power)

2 Jumpdrives (-2 Space, -8 Power)

Armor and Defenses (-12 Space)

3 Belted Armor (-12 Space, +6 Armor, +1.5 Structure, +12 Hits)

Weapons (-90 Space)

4 Medium Naval Rifles (-40 Space)

8 Small Naval Rifles (-40 Space)

2 Strike Missile Launchers (-10 Space)

Weapons (Aegis ADCAP Refit) (-90 Space)

12 Anti-Shipping Missile Launchers (-60 Space)

6 Anti-Air Missile Launchers (-30 Space)

Aegis (Magnate Refit)

A few Aegis designs were refit into capable although not exceptional modern combatants by Magnate worlds. Although still with relatively thin hulls, DU-laminate armor makes them a lot more survivable. Their original greatest weaknesses, their near-nonexistent speed and lack of AA capability, were removed by a near-total overhaul of their armaments and an expansion of hull size. With a reactor rating 500% that of the original vessel, the Magnate refit is significantly more capable.

Aegis Block II cruiser (3x Cruiser)
Stats

Mobility: 0+4-1 (3)

Evasion: 1+2-1 (2)

Armor: 4+6+4 (14)

Structure: 5+3 (8)

Hits: 20+18 (38)

Internal Space: 130

Power and Propulsion (-26 Space, +80 Power)

8 Fusion Reactors (-8 Space, +120 Power)

4 fusion thrusters (-16 Space, -32 Power)

2 Jumpdrives (-2 Space, -8 Power)

Armor and Defenses (-16 Space, -32 Power)

3 DU Armor (-12 Space, +6 Armor, +3 Structure, +18 Hits, -1 Mobility)

1 Scattering Field (-4 Space, -32 Power, +4 Armor, +4 AP, -1 Evasion, -1 Sensors)

Weapons (-88 Space, -48 Power)

4 Medium Naval Railguns (-40 Space, -32 Power)

2 Burst-Modal Small Naval Railguns (-10 Space, -8 Power)

4 Burst-Modal DP Cannon (-16 Space, -8 Power)

4 Strike Missile Launchers (-20 Space)

1 Vulcan PD (-2 Space)

Building Craft Around Ship Weapons

This is assuming that a Mobile Armor's x4 means that 1 space on a craft is 4 or more space on a vehicle, which is almost certainly untrue but that's why I'm putting this here instead of on a Sphere 2 page. Used a x5 multiplier because it's nice and even.

Not A Glitter Boy

Assault Frame, 4x Expansions
Speed 4+4 (8)
Agility 4+5-2 (7)
Evasion 3+3.5+.5 (7)
Armor 10+6+2 (18, 2 AP Protection)
4 Hits Component Space: 12 + 16 (28)

Power and Propulsion (Space -14, Power +21)

7 Fusion Reactors (Space -7, Power +28)

4 Thrusters (Space -4, Power -4, Speed +4, Agility +2, Evasion +2)

3 Verniers (Space -3, Power -3, Agility +3, Evasion +1.5)

Defensive Systems (Space -7, Power -8)

6 Armor (Space -1, Armor +6, Agility -2)

1 Flash Field (Space -1, Power -8, Armor +2, AP Protection +2, Evasion +.5)

Weapons (7 Space)

Antimissile Gatling (-2 Space)

Mecha SMG (-5 Space)

External Carriage: 12 + 8 (20)

1 DP Cannon (Space -20, Power -10)

Flakbot 1.0

A far more reasonable design. Probably League.

Assault Frame, 1x Expansion
Speed 4+4 (8)
Agility 4+6-2 (8)
Evasion 3+4 (7)
Armor 10+6 (16)
4 Hits Component Space: 12 + 4 (16)

Power and Propulsion (Space -10, Power +0)

2 Fusion Reactors (Space -2, Power +8)

4 Thrusters (Space -4, Power -4, Speed +4, Agility +2, Evasion +2)

4 Verniers (Space -4, Power -4, Agility +4, Evasion +2)

Defensive Systems (Space -6)

6 Armor (Space -1, Armor +6, Agility -2)

External Carriage: 12 + 2 (14)

1 Flak Cannon (Space -10)

1 Antimissile Gatling (-2 Space)

1 Alpha Sword (-2 Space)