Continue to Table of Contents:

7. Navies

The Complex Navy can be said to begin with the advent of powered ships and long range, large caliber naval guns, and progress through to ever larger guns, torpedoes, missiles, and more esoteric weapons and engines like lasers and fusion drives. Complex Naval vessels are by nature faster and more agile than Simple Naval vessels, and also possess longer ranged weapons. As with other Complex military units, Complex Navies pay for this added power, and require a great deal of materiel support in the form of both IUU and Ether to function properly.

Navy Types

The forces that make up a navy are divided into Types based on role and function. Within each Type a set number of ships are gathered together as a Batch and given a Base Batch Cost, just as in Armies and Air Forces. This is used in determining Upkeep costs and also in determining the Production Point cost and Production Time for building those units (see Section 11. Production for more details).

Cargo Ship Types

Upkeep Note: All cargo ships do not pay upkeep until pressed into military service.

Freighter: 1 point per 10

This is your basic heavy transport ship, be it carrack or cargo hauler. At Tech Level 1 these ships have a Cargo Capacity of 2,000; 5,000 CC at level 2; 10,000 CC at level 3; 15,000 CC at level 4; and 25,000 CC at level 5. To see how this applies to carrying cargo, see the Transport heading at the end of this Section, as well as the Transport headings in Section 5. Armies and Section 6. Air Forces.

Super Freighter: 1 point per 2

This is the bigger brother of the basic freighter - a grand galleon, liner, or super-tanker. Far more efficient for long bulk hauls it can carry ten times as much as a Freighter of equal Tech Level: 20,000 CC at TL1, 50,000 CC at TL2, 100,000 CC at TL3, 150,000 CC at TL4, and 250,000 CC at TL5. However these ships are larger and can be more vulnerable in combat environments, and also are less lucrative for operations by private owners.

Mega Freighter: 2 points per 1

This is the biggest in the freighter family - a freighter the size of a small island. Incredibly efficient for long bulk hauls it can carry fifty times as much as a Freighter: 100,000 CC at TL1, 250,000 CC at TL2, 500,000 CC at TL3, 750,000 CC at TL4, and 1,250,000 CC at TL5. Unfortunately, they are immense and inviting targets, and are too expensive to run for private owners to make much of a profit off them.

Light Warship Types

Patrol Warship: 1 point per 10

These ships are like corvettes or small frigates. They usually have light armament, limited durability, and are specialized to one or two roles. They are generally used for routine tasks that require a warship of some endurance but don’t require a larger vessel. When given the “Fast” Added Capability they can also be used as high-speed attack boats, and with enough extra weapons can become a very dangerous threat to larger vehicles.

Small Warship: 1 point per 5

The larger frigates and most destroyers fall into this category. These are ships that usually have a modest armament with similarly modest durability. They also have hangar space for 1 DP worth of aircraft, mainly for shuttles and patrol aircraft.

Cruiser: 1 point per 2

Cruisers are often the workhorse of a peaceful navy, and fall at the edge of the Light Warship Type. Their weapons can reach the lower end of the battleship scale, though they are rarely as durable. They carry hanger space for 2 DP worth of aircraft. In fleets Cruisers are often used as flotilla leaders for groups of small warships, or as backup to lines of capital ships. When used independently as raiders or heavy scouts Cruisers form a happy medium – more powerful than Small Warships, but less expensive to operate than battleships.

Escort Carrier: 1 point per 2

Escort Carriers are mid-sized vessels, often used to fill in gaps in a navy’s air coverage. They have very limited weapons and defenses, and their only power is derived from the aircraft they carry. They have a Deck Capacity of 25 DP, and a Cargo Capacity 1/4th that of an equal-tech level Superfreighter: 5,000 CC at TL1, 12,500 CC at TL2, 25,000 CC at TL3, 37,500 CC at TL4, and 62,500 CC at TL5. To see more about determining how many “Deck Points” aircraft take up, see the Transport heading of Section Air Forces.

Capital Ship Types

Upkeep note: All capital ships have double base ether upkeep (eg, a Battleship would require 4 ether base upkeep, not 2). Added caps increase upkeep as normal, eg a +2 beam cannons cap would raise ether upkeep by 1, not 2.

Battleships: 2 points per 1

The king of the seas, Battleships are the big guns of any fleet, and often the centerpieces of the navy. They pack powerful armaments and very robust defenses, allowing them to both dish it out and take it. For various utility duties and to assist in patrols and locating targets they also have hangar space for 5 DP of aircraft. Unfortunately like all large ships they are also time consuming to build and very costly to run.

Super Battleship: 5 points per 1

These vessels are monsters; ships with the firepower of a couple battleships for those who wish to win their slugfests by qualitative superiority. They also have hangar space for 10DP worth of aircraft, which is usually used for shuttles and scouts. They cost a great deal to run, so these ships are often kept mothballed and brought into service only for war.

Fleet Carriers: 2 points per 1

If battleships are the king, then carriers are the queen. A great deal larger than Escort Carriers, Fleet Carriers can transport a large number of aircraft allowing them to influence battles from far away. They have modest defensive weaponry, but due to their size are particularly durable. Nevertheless, these ships are extremely high value targets and often sail with escorts to protect them from enemy attack. As standard they have a Deck Capacity of 100DP, and a Cargo Capacity one-half that of an equal-tech Super Freighter: 10,000 CC at TL1, 25,000 CC at TL2, 50,000 CC at TL3, 75,000 CC at TL4, and 125,000 CC at TL5.

Super Carriers: 5 points per 1

Like Super Battleships, these immense ships are the next step up for the power-conscious. Doubling the Deck Capacity of a Fleet Carrier and adding a Cruiser's worth of offensive weaponry these ships are very powerful weapons. As standard they have a Deck Capacity of 200DP and a Cargo Capacity half that of an equal-tech level Mega Freighter: 50,000 CC at TL1, 125,000 CC at TL2, 250,000 CC at TL3, 375,000 CC at TL4, and 625,000 CC at TL5.

Uber Ship Types

Upkeep note: All uber ships have double base ether upkeep (eg, a planetoid would require 60 ether base upkeep, not 30). Added caps increase upkeep as normal, eg a +2 beam cannons cap would raise ether upkeep by 1, not 2.

Mega Capital Ship: 25 points per 1

This is for those people with serious issues of power, who wish to create things like Super Star Destroyers or the smaller GSVs. Really, you’d be better of questing to salvage one rather than build it since you’re looking at decades of construction time, but as you like. Mega Capital Ships usually have an immense onboard fighter and troop and complement, and carry masses of supplies. They have a Deck Capacity of 1,000 DP and a Carrying Capacity twice that of an equal-tech Mega Freighter.

Planetoid: 30 points per 1

Planetoids are mobile planets, and can as easily be considered fortifications as ships. While more powerful and durable than Mega Capital Ships they are far less mobile and take considerable effort to move. The Carrying Capacity and Deck Capacity of a Planetoid are considered virtually unlimited, much like a planet.

Modifications

Modifications are either positive modifiers that increase the power and abilities of a unit, but also increase its cost, and are called Added Capabilities; or negative things that reduce the power and abilities of a unit, but also reduce its cost and are called Reduced Capabilities.

Added Capabilities are modifiers added to military units which increase power and capability but also increase the cost of that unit. Added Capabilities are represented by a “+”, such as “+1 Weapons,” or “+2 Shields.” Most technological units, especially at the higher Advancement Levels, already come with a vast array of capabilities. It is not necessary to take “Missiles” as an Added Capability for at Tech Level 4 cruiser, or “Shields” for a Tech Level 5 Battleship as such devices are assumed to be standard equipment. Thus Added Capabilities are generally broad and sweeping and describe a particular specialization or an attribute that is more powerful than the norm. Each Added Capability takes up one “Slot”. The Tech Level of a unit directly determines how many Added Capability Slots it has and how much extra they will cost. Thus a Tech Level 3 Batch has three “Slots” for Added Capabilities, each of which will cost the Batch 3 extra Production Points.

Units can exceed this limit by taking what are called “External Added Capabilities.” These are devices which are not integral to the unit, but instead are attached in some manner, such as hastily bolted on, or stuffed into the rucksack. All naval units can take one External Added Capability, unless they take Added Capabilities, which increase this.

However External Added Capabilities are not as efficient as normal Added Capabilities and always incur extra upkeep (usually Ether), even if the Added Capability they are based on would not normally incur extra Upkeep. Thus a +1 External would increase Upkeep by one, and a +2 External by two, and so on. Externals are discussed in greater detail in Section 11. Production.

While taking two or more Added Capabilities of the same type often affects the Upkeep of a unit (discussed further in the Upkeep section below) it should be noted that additional Upkeep costs do not cross over or accumulate between Additional Capabilities of differing types. A 1 slot Starship Drive Added Capability and a 1 slot Weapons Added Capability do not increase Upkeep for a Type. A unit can have many Added Capabilities without paying any additional Upkeep so long as they are dispersed across many areas. However, this does NOT mean that by being overly specific you can dodge these costs – “+1 Big Killy Missiles” and “+1 Frapp Rays of Doom” are both still Weapons Added Capabilities and will incur extra Upkeep costs as for a +2 Weapons.

It is important to realize that a ship with +1 Weapons is not as powerful as two ships of the same Type, nor one with +1 Shields as tough as two without. Added Capabilities make a unit significantly more capable, but they don’t fully compensate for the increased cost. However, for larger ships like Battleships the benefits of taking Added Capabilities increase, as the additional costs become smaller proportional to the increased Base Batch Cost. For this reason Capital Ships are almost always highly capped.

Reduced Capabilities are modifiers that lower the capabilities of a unit, but also lower its cost. Each Reduced Capability cancels out the cost increase of one Added Capability. If there are no Added Capabilities left, or none have been taken, a Reduced Capability reduces the Basic Batch Cost of the unit by one. If the Base Batch Cost is already one, then it reduces it by one-half. The Cost cannot be reduced any further than this. Reduced capabilities are represented by a “-”. Reduced Capabilities are usually taken either as a -1 or a -2. A -1 is a serious (50% or more) reduction in Capability in the listed area. A -2 is a near total reduction in Capability in the listed area. As many different Reduced Capabilities as desired can be taken, though the Basic Batch Cost can never go below one half.

How Added and Reduced Capabilities affect the cost of units is discussed in detail in Section 11. Production.

Added Capabilities List:

+X Starship Drives: Starship drives are a requirement for spaceships. A ship without a drive is assumed to be a “wet navy” vessel and can sail on water, but not in space. As such this is without a doubt the single most important Added Capability for space navies. Drive types vary with Advancement Category used to create them and Tech Level in the Category. Before Tech Level 3, starships are limited to using Simple Sails, but at Tech Level 3 and higher other options open up. All additional engine caps increase the base travel speed of the first by 50%. Each one after the first incurs +1 Ether Upkeep, even if you take different types of drive. Starship drives are explained in greater detail below under 15. Strategic Travel and Fuel.

+X Armour: Extra armour is a common Added Capability for Naval units. Armour improves the ability of a ship to absorb and survive damage, and usually the larger the ship, the more benefit is provided by this Added Cap. Because starships are large vessels they can handle significant increases in mass without penalty, so Armour does not increase the Upkeep of Naval units, no matter how many times it is taken.

+X Shields: Shields refer not to primitive barriers of wood or iron but to energy barriers and fields. These are intrinsic to ships once Physics Level 4 is reached. All Naval units of the appropriate Tech Level have shields, but this Added Capability can be used to increase the strength and ability of those a unit naturally has. Shields are generally not as strong as armour, but are more effective at longer ranges where they have time to shift their power and respond to attacks, and less effective at closer ranges where they can be more easily overwhelmed. Each Added Capability over the first incurs an extra +1 Ether Upkeep due to increased energy drain by the shield generators.

+1/+2 Point Defenses: For Naval units, Point Defenses are a separate Added Capability from Shields. They increase a ship’s ability to intercept incoming fire with their own weapons. At +1 Point Defenses a ship can intercept incoming fire aimed at itself with its full firepower rating. At +2 Point Defence it can intercept fire aimed at other ships with its full rating as well. Point Defence relies on things like precision targeting and high speed computer algorithms rather than extra firepower, so does not incur any additional Upkeep even if taken as a +2. Note: This Added Capability can be given to Army Super Vehicle Types rather than their normal Point Defense Added Capabilities.

+X Weapons: This added cap increases the general offensive firepower of a unit, and is one of the more common and widely used Added Capabilities. While it can add a bit of flavor to list such Added Capabilities as “+1 Heavy Broadside Cannon,” or “+2 Smart Missiles,” the reasons for this increased firepower do not need to be specified. Weapons can be taken multiple times, but every Weapons Added Capability over the first incurs an extra +1 Ether or Industry Upkeep due to increased ammunition demands. It should be specified whether the Upkeep is paid in Ether or IUU, and this cannot be changed – a 200mm cannon cannot suddenly be loaded with fuel cells rather than tungsten cored solid shells.

+X Torpedoes: Torpedoes are considered a “special” weapon and are treated separately from normal weapons, with their own rules. Torpedoes are fired separately from normal weapons and have limited ammunition, being capable of one massive “Alpha Strike”, three large salvoes, or five small salvoes (though this can vary depending on the scale of the battle). They also have much shorter range and can only be fired at “Close” range or less. Torpedoes can also be evaded, though smaller ships have a better chance of this than larger ones. However for all this Torpedoes can deal incredible damage when they hit, even to Battleships, which makes them a favoured weapon of Light Warships that want to punch above their weight. Torpedoes are not affected by Added Capabilities that modify Weapon effects, such as Tracking or Long Range Weapons unless those Added Capabilities are tied to the Torpedoes rather than the ship’s normal Weapons. Every Torpedo Added Capability after the first incurs an extra +1 Ether or Industry Upkeep due to increased ammunition demands. It should be specified whether the Upkeep is paid in Ether or IUU, and this cannot be changed.

+2 Megacannon: These are commonly giant beam cannon although they can also be immense rail guns, or massive rocket launchers. Like Torpedoes, Mega Cannon are considered a “special” weapon. They also have limited ammunition, being capable of one massive full power shot, three medium powered shots, or five low powered shots (though as with Torpedoes this can vary depending on the scale of the battle). These weapons cannot be mounted on anything except Capital Ship Types, since the weapon itself is often the size of a cruiser. They do fearsome amounts of damage if they hit, though like Torpedoes they are fired separately from the normal weapons and can be dodged. Mega Cannon are also not affected by Added Capabilities that modify normal Weapon effects, such as Tracking or Long Range Weapons, unless those Added Capabilities are tied to the Mega Cannon rather than the ship’s normal Weapons. A Mega Cannon is a +2 Added Capability in and of itself, and costs +2 in Ether and/or Industry Upkeep, which must be specified and cannot be changed.

+X Close Combat Weapons: Close Combat Weapons are not common on Complex Naval units, nevertheless they are added caps that augment the ability of the unit to fight the enemy in close combat. For ships these can be very short ranged cannon, or more commonly some sort of ramming design or device. Close Combat Weapons have extremely limited ranges that make them only useful on specialized units, or in special situations (such as suicide ships) but they have the advantage of never adding to the upkeep of a unit, no matter how many times this Added Capability is taken, and even if taken as an External.

+X Extended Range Weapons: This Added Capability extends the range of the unit’s weapons and sensors. It can be taken multiple times, but every Long Range Weapons Added Capability over the first incurs an extra +1 Ether or Industry Upkeep. It should be specified whether the Upkeep is paid in Ether or IUU, and this cannot be changed.

+1 Heavy Weapons: These are powerful weapons designed for optimum performance at longer ranges – high angle naval rifles and long range missiles are a couple of examples. Instead of gaining the standard firepower bonus for engaging at Close range, they gain firepower at Long range. They are less effective at closer ranges as they have trouble coming to bear on the target. This Added Capability may only be taken once, and once taken modifies ALL the weapons on the unit – you may not have a mix of Heavy and normal weapons unless you also take some sort of Special Weapon.

+1 Bombardment Weapons: This Added Capability is available to all Naval units, and augments their abilities against ground targets. This would typically involve additional ventral batteries, or weapons specially designed to fire through the atmosphere. It does not affect the weapons of the ship in any other way, and does not reduce their effects against non-ground targets. This Added Capability may only be taken once and does not increase Upkeep.

+1 Anti-Aircraft Weapons: This Added Capability is available to all Naval units. It enhances a unit’s ability to engage Air targets, and is common on area defense ships. When coupled with a +2 Point Defense it allows aircraft to be engaged even if they are conducting close attack runs (“skindancing”) against other vessels. Apart from enhancing AA capabilities this does not affect the weapons of the ship in any other way, and does not reduce their effects against non-air targets. This Added Capability may only be taken once and does not increase Upkeep.

+1 Fast Tracking Weapons: This Added Capability modifies the weapons of a unit to allow it to track and engage extremely rapidly. If the unit with fast-tracking wins initiative it can destroy the enemy before its opponent has a chance to return fire. Fast Tracking Weapons is best used by formations where it is possessed by all the main combat units, such as torpedo flotillas, or high speed battlecruisers. If only a handful of Fast Tracking units are present in a larger formation they will tend to engage with the other units and so the advantage is lost. Fast Tracking Weapons can be taken once and does not add to Upkeep

+X Sensors: All Complex Naval units have fairly extensive detection gear, but a Sensors Added Capability increases this. Typical sensor abilities and ranges are described in greater depth in Section 10: Sensors and Communications. A ship does not have to have powerful Sensors itself to take advantage of them, as they can receive targeting data from another ship with more capable detection equipment, and specialized fleet command and control vessels can be created by giving a vehicle multiple Sensor Added Caps. Cruisers often fill this role in Small Warship flotillas, while Carriers often perform it for large fleets. As with other Added Capabilities, for every Sensor Added Capability that is taken after the first a unit gains +1 Ether Upkeep.

+X Communications: While all Complex Military Units are assumed to have some form of communications, from telegraph and wireless to subspace relays, some units have a need for more specialized and dedicated systems. Communications boosts the command rating of a force, and allows information to be passed faster and in greater detail. Communications is a good Added Capability for command units, which can use it to coordinate others, and for scouts and sensor units who can use it to relay their information to others. In automated armies it can even allow a command unit to remotely control other forces (detailed in Section 10: Sensors and Communications). Communications can be taken multiple times, but for every Communications Added Capability that is taken after the first a unit gains +1 Ether Upkeep.

+X Fleet Command Ship: Navies often have specific command ships which Admirals can direct their armadas, issue orders and make plans. The presence of such units on the battlefield can greatly assist other vessels. All Navies are naturally assumed to have ships that can function as flagships, but a Fleet Command Ship turns a unit into a specialized command vessel. Often Fleet Command Ships are combined with other Added Capabilities such as Sensors and Communications. Fleet Command Ship can be taken multiple times, but for every Added Capability that is taken after the first a unit gains +1 Wealth (yes, Wealth, all those Admirals need paying) Upkeep.

+1 Militarized: Cargo ship types meant for military service, or simply dangerous runs, can be equipped with improved defenses, superior hull design and carry a (tiny) armament. Offers a modest improvement to all Freighter combat stats. These vessels then gain normal upkeep like all other military units.

+X Cargo Capacity: This Added Capability applies mostly to Cargo Ships, Carriers and Uber Ships, though it can be added to any vessel. For Cargo Ships, Carriers and Uber Ships, each +1 Cargo Capacity increases the total that can be carried by 50% of the base amount. That is, the percentage increases are not cumulative, so a TL3 Freighter (10,000 CP) with +2 Cargo Capacity as its Added Capabilities would have a total Cargo Capacity of 20,000 Cargo Points, not 22,500. Any ship that does not have intrinsic Cargo Capacity gains CP from each Added Capability as if it were a Carrier of equal Batch size. As there is no Carrier analogue for Small and Patrol ships, these ships gain CP at a rate ½ and 1/5th (respectively) that of a Cruiser. These Added Capabilities can be taken multiple times and do not increase Upkeep in any way.

+X Cargo Capacity (specialized): This Added Capability can only be taken by ships with integral Cargo Capacity such as Cargo and Carriers and Uber Ships. Each +1 Cargo Capacity (specialized) increases the total of one particular item that can be carried by 100% of the base CC amount rather than by 50%. The specialty should be noted, such as “Troops”, “Vehicles”, “Ether”, “IUU”, and so on, and only the specialized item can be carried. Normal Cargo Capacity and Specialized Cargo Capacity cannot be mixed on a single unit, so taking this Added Capability specializes the entire Cargo Capacity, not just that gained by the Added Cap. These Added Capabilities can be taken multiple times and do not increase Upkeep in any way

+X Deck Capacity: This Added Capability is primarily for Carriers, though other ship types can take it as well. Each +1 Deck Capacity increases the Deck Points of a Carrier or Uber Ship by 50%. If taken by non-Carrier warships they gain Deck Points as if they were a Carrier of Equal Batch Size, though they only gain 25% for every time they take this Added Capability, not 50%. As there is no Carrier analogue for Small and Patrol ships, these ships gain CP at a rate ½ and 1/5th (respectively) that of a Cruiser. Cargo ships are the exception, and Freighters, Super Freighters and Mega Freighters are compared to Escort Carriers, Fleet Carriers and Super Carriers respectively, and gain 25% for every time they take this Added Capability. Deck Capacity can be taken multiple times, but increases the Upkeep by +1 Ether or Industry Upkeep for every time it is taken due to increased upkeep demands of maintaining an air wing.

+X Deck Capacity (specialized): This is a specialized version of Deck Capacity. It doubles the DP gained each time this added Capability is taken, but means the ship can only carry a specific kind of unit, either Missiles, Aviation or Mobile Suits. A ship cannot be specialized to carry other type – only those listed above. Normal Deck Points and Specialized Deck Points cannot be mixed on a single unit, so taking this Added Capability specializes all the DP, not just that gained by the Added Cap. Deck Capacity (specialized) can be taken multiple times and times and increases the Upkeep by +1 Ether or Industry Upkeep for every time it is taken due to increased upkeep demands of maintaining an air wing. The exception is a Missile specialization, typically called Silos, which does not increase upkeep.

+X Compact: Compact allows for smaller units that take up less space and present smaller targets to enemy fire. Each +1 of Compact reduces the CP a unit takes up by half. If a unit with Cargo or Deck Capacity takes Compact (bad idea!) its CP and/or DP are similarly reduced. Compact can be taken multiple times and does not incur any additional Upkeep no matter how many times it is taken.

+X ECM: ECM stands for Etheric Countermeasures. It is used to blind sensors, jam or decoy guided weapons and even counter magical effects. All Complex Naval units have some sort of ECM, but this Added Capability expands those capabilities. ECM affects the entire battlefield, and the more units that have ECM, the more effective it becomes, cutting down the ranges at which the enemy can see and engage at, and increasing the chance of spell failure. ECM can be taken multiple times, and for each Added Capability after the first incurs +1 Ether Upkeep.

+X Stealth: Stealth can be anything from a radar absorbent hull coating to a fully invisible holographic cloaking field. Stealth of any sort is not easy to just slap on a ship; the more comprehensive the Stealth package the more design compromises in other areas that are required. +1 Stealth has no serious detrimental effects on a unit, but at +2 or higher it reduces the protection of the unit by 25% as defensive fields and armour are compromised by the Stealth architecture. Stealth is never totally absolute, even at the highest levels, and there is always a chance it can be penetrated, particularly after a unit opens fire on the enemy. Stealth can be taken multiple times, and for each Added Capability after the first incurs +1 Ether Upkeep.

+X Disguise: Purposeful effort meant not to hide a unit, but to make it look like something else to varying levels of scrutiny. This will not allow a unit to perfectly mirror a unit belonging to another power, only appear to an observer to be a different unit type of roughly the same size. At +1 this can allow for a unit to fool inspection at a distance such as a warship spoofing electronic signatures of known freighters or having structures added to match radar returns. At +2 this can allow for a unit to appear convincing at visual range, such as a Q-ship being built specifically to match a certain class and silhouette.

+1 Submersible: A lesser form of Stealth, Submersible functions exactly like a +2 Stealth, but only when a ship is under water. A ship without Submersible cannot travel underwater unless it has a +2 Stealth (the two can be considered interchangeable). If a ship with Submersible is outside of the water this Added Capability has no effect at all. Submersible can only be taken once, and has no effect outside of the water.

+1 Automation: Automation is the replacing of people with machines. It speeds up routine processes, reduces error, increases efficiency and decreases Upkeep costs. An Automated ship will have a higher command rating and be more resilient to battle damage. As well, Wealth Upkeep and Draft requirements are both halved. Automation does not itself incur any additional Upkeep.

+1 Mind: Magical powers, or indeed magitech powers, can imbue an Artificed unit with some form of intelligence and awareness to eliminate human attendants or crew. Wealth upkeep and Draft requirements are eliminated entirely. For narrative purposes a unit with +1 Mind is ranges from half cognizant - while able to understand and follow simple instructions it is easily confused - at low MLs to a fully coherent human-level intelligence at higher levels.

+2 AI/Mind: Both magical and technological powers can not only eliminate the human factor entirely but exceed it, whether by binding a spirit to the machine or advanced computing. AI has an even better command rating and battle damage resilience than +1 Automation. Additionally it reduces Wealth Upkeep and Draft requirements to zero. AI does not itself incur any additional Upkeep. As an aside, a +2 Mind is a human-level intelligence straightaway but a technological AI may not be the best conversation partner until TL5 Psych.

+1 Clones: At a sufficient level of Psychology and Biology, a Power can produce flash Clones with the implanted training to function as soldiers as soon as they are decanted. Draft pool requirements are removed entirely. However, at TL4 Biology, these clones are deeply problematic, as such they both take a full Capability slot and they must take the effect of a Reduced Capability - pick from the list below. At TL5 Biology these flash Clones are fully stable, having no negative effect, and become Slotless.

+1 Low Maintenance: Units with Low Maintenance are either very efficient and reliable, or perhaps just possess crews who are very skilled at doing more with less. Low Maintenance halves the Industry Upkeep (after all Added Capabilities are calculated) of a unit (round up), and allows all types of vehicles (but not Infantry) to be mothballed indefinitely with no loss of capability. It may only be taken once, incurs no additional Upkeep, and counts as a Slot Free Added Capability on Naval units.

+X Regenerating: This Added Capability is also called Self Sustaining and requires Bio/Eng/Crea/Trans 4. Regenerating units will slowly repair themselves after battle, as well as re-arm all their weapons and maintain their systems without Industry resupply. Regenerating makes repairs faster and cheaper, and increases damage control saves. It also allows you to pay all Industry Upkeep with Ether instead, if you choose. Taking this Added Capability more than once increases the speed at which self-repair happens. Regenerating incurs no additional Upkeep no matter how many times it is taken.

+X Motivators: This Added Capability gives a ship external motivators or “arms” with which to hold and manipulate things. Each +1 Motivators allows a ship to carry one extra External Added Capability. This Added Capability also slightly enhances a ship’s ability in Close Combat, and can aid with tasks such as debris or aircraft recovery. Motivators may be taken multiple times, and does not incur any extra Upkeep no matter how many times it is taken.

+1 Loyalty Training: Thanks to a highly selective screening process and a steady diet of propaganda your sailors are loyal to death. Ships with this Added Cap have a higher resistance to enemy subversion and will be the last ones to rebel, if ever. In addition, whether by suicidal fanaticism or rear of the Commissar’s wrath, they will undertake missions that any other sane solider would balk at. Loyalty Training can only be taken once, incurs no extra Upkeep, and counts as a Slot Free added capability. If taken as an external this Added Capability it is considered to be additional equipment (slave collars, or neural whips perhaps?) and is not Slot Free, taking up one external slot, and costing the usual External Upkeep. It otherwise functions exactly the same as Loyalty Training.

+1/2 Casting Chamber: A casting chamber is an area on a large unit purposefully designed to amplify the effects of spellcraft. It can be equipped on any unit with a base batch size of 1/10 or larger, providing a free level of AoE for spells cast by a mage within it and reducing the enchantment cost of the unit in question as if it were one ML lower (to a minimum of 1). Only one mage can be assigned to any particular casting chamber. Note that for batches with more than 1 unit, the free AoE still only applies to one mage.

+1 Multifusion (Tech/Magic): It is possible to build a military unit with more than one Technomagical or Magitech Fusion. For each Fusion after the first a batch must take a Multifusion Added Capability. Each Multifusion Added Capability applies only to a specific combination of Tech and Magic, so a unit with Engineering/Movement, Engineering/Material, and Engineering/Creation would still need two Multifusion Added Capabilities. Multifusion is Build Free and Slot Free, and does not increase Upkeep.

+1 Fast: Some navies use ships of incredible speed, treating them more as aircraft than lumbering naval vessels. Fast exists to represent this design philosophy. This Added Capability doubles the basic speed and mobility of a Naval unit, but similarly doubles the base Ether upkeep, and reduces Durability by 25%. Fast can only be taken once, and apart from the doubling of the base Ether Upkeep, this Added Capability incurs no other Upkeep costs.

Internal Factory: This Added Capability allows a ship to actually transport and use Industrial Infrastructure on the move, becoming a factory ship. In essence, the ship is the 'host' for the Industry, which is bought as normal for Industry production. This is a potential godsend for those who are trying to support fleets on the far reaches of the Star Ways, months from home. It becomes especially useful if a source of Raw Materials can be found (such as the low-tech indigs you're helping out) as the production can be Specialized (for detail on this process see Section 11. Production) to churn out finished materiel. Of course, if the ship carrying the Industry is destroyed or captured, you not only lose the ship but the Infrastructure as well. The amount of Industry that can be housed per level of Internal Factory varies on the size of the ship. Freighters, Battleships and Fleet Carriers can carry 1 point of Industry per level of Internal Factory; Super Freighters, Super-Battleships and Super-Carriers can carry 5 points of Industry per level of Internal Factory; Mega Freighters and Mega Capital Ships can carry 10 points of industry per level of Internal Factory. A Planetoid Type Mega Capital Ship has no limit on the amount of internal Industry it can take once it takes this Added Capability. This added Capability increases the Wealth Upkeep of the vessel by one for every point of Industry taken. Space Dweller Powers can take this Added Capability without PP cost or additional construction time on any ship, though they must still pay the appropriate Upkeep for any Industry taken, and the Added Capability still takes up one of the ship’s Added Capability slots.

+1 Geode Reactor: Sometimes colloquially known as ‘nuclear powered’, a Geode Reactor uses Ether Geodes to provide power to the ship, reducing refueling requirements and increasing engine output, thus ships with Geode Reactors gain a +25% increase in speed and mobility. Geode Reactors only need to be refueled once a year and so never pay War Upkeep or travel costs, however they can only be fuelled with Geodes. All other Upkeep rules remain the same, thus a ship with 3 Ether Upkeep still requires 3 points of Geode Ether per year. Geode Reactor is a Slot Free Added Capability as the space taken up by the reactor is saved in reduced fuel bunkerage.

+1 ZPE Receiver: The Zero Point Ether Receiver is the heir to the Geode Reactor. The ZPE Receiver allows a ship to receive Ether from a distant ZPE Transmitter (see Section 6.D. Fortifications) rather than having to carry its own supplies. Upkeep still needs to be paid as normal (not once a year as with Geode power) but a Power can pay it directly out of their central stocks without having to worry about carrying or storing supplies. Like the Geode reactor it allows a vessel so equipped to high speeds for extended periods, and so grants a 50% increase in speed and mobility. Ships with ZPE receivers can also conduct brief system overloads, powering shields and weapons up to extreme and dangerous levels with a surge of power sent through the receiver. However this costs a full Ether Upkeep payment instantly and runs the risk of burning out the receiver.

+1 Catapult: carriers can launch their planes out one additional range bracket

+1 Fast Launch: carrier is optimized to minimize turn-around time for complement in combat

Others: There are of course a host of other Added Capabilities that can be taken. Most can use one of the Capabilities listed above as a model. If a player is unsure and wishes to inquire about a potential modification and is unsure of the exact mechanism it is always best to check with the Game moderators.

Reduced Capabilities

Deep Sky Travel

Speeds

All space ships need drives.

All distances are measured in Great Leagues (GLs) and speeds are in Cosknots; 1 Cosknot is sufficient speed to cross 1 Great League in one week.

Eng 2 or Bio 5 allow ether sails that move you at 1 Cosknots with no fuel costs

Eng 5 allows ether sails that move you at 2 Cosknots with no fuel costs

Chem 3 allows chemical rockets that move you at 2 Cosknots

Chem 4 allows fusion torches that move you at 4 Cosknots and allow a sprint option in combat

Chem 5 allows EAM drives that move you at 6 Cosknots and allow a sprint option in combat

Phys 4 allows AG drives that move you at 4 Cosknots and give a maneuverability bonus in combat

Phys 5 allows AG drives that move you at 6 Cosknots and give a maneuverability bonus in combat

Move 3 allows ships to be artificed with permanent enchants or magic materials that move a ship at 2 Cosknots and give a maneuverability bonus in combat

Move 4 allows ships to be artificed with permanent enchants or magic materials that move a ship at 4 Cosknots and give a maneuverability bonus in combat

Move 5 allows ships to be artificed with permanent enchants or magic materials that move a ship at 6 Cosknots and give a maneuverability bonus in combat

All additional engine caps increase the base travel speed of the first by 50%. So a TL4 +2 fusion torch ship goes 6 Cosknots, a +3 goes 8 Cosknots, etc.

Travel Fuel Costs

The cost for ships to travel can be significant; for every 20 GL a ship travels it must pay its BASE ether upkeep, pro-rated as appropriate and rounded up. Examples below:

A battleship has a base ether upkeep of 4 (as capital ships double their base ether upkeep), thus for every 5 GL (or fraction thereof) it travels it must pay 1 ether.

A single cruiser with +3 laser cannons has an batch ether upkeep of 3, however as this is a single ship (out of a batch of 2) and cruisers do not increase their base ether upkeep like capital ships do, it would pay 1 ether for every 40 GL of travel it undertakes.

A modified version of the cruiser above also has +1 fast; this specific added cap increases its base ether upkeep to 2 and its batch ether upkeep to 4. Thus a single one traveling around would burn 1 ether for every 20 GL traveled.

Fleets pool their ether travel costs together (and it can become quite significant!) but in no cases can a single move’s ether cost to travel anywhere be less than 1. Consider that the cost of firing up the space boilers.

Fuel Capacity

TL1-3 and ML1-3 stores ether in various forms of chemical reagents (such as starbat guano, gaseous ether, etheric clathrates, ethernol and Jet-E). Each point of ether stored in this way takes up 5,000 CP. Ships built at TL1-3 may store a single upkeep’s worth of ether, giving them an effective maximum unrefueled range of 20 GL.

TL4 stores ether in advanced chemical fuels optimized for plasma-fusion rockets and powerplants, which takes up only 1,000 CP per point. Ships built at this TL may store up to five upkeep’s worth of ether, which gives them an effective maximum unrefueled range of 100 GL.

TL5 and ML4-5 stores ether in various forms of ultradense and highly purified forms, such as etheric anti-matter and ether crystals. These only take up 1 CP per point of ether (but can be potentially rather volatile) and ships burning such concentrated ether can be loaded with an effectively unlimited amount of ether.

Etheric Geodes always take only 1 CP per point, but ships with geode reactors generally cannot be refueled on the run and thus need to return to some sort of friendly anchorage to have their cores refreshed once a year. During that year however they have effectively unlimited operational range.

Links

Return to the Index

Lords of Ether (20th Anniversary Edition) Navies

Contents