Second Line Equipment

Overview

As technology marches on, doctrines change and simple time takes it toll, military equipment becomes dated and less effective than when it was first built. However, even in an era of ubiquitous industry nations take an attitude of 'waste not, want not' towards expensive machinery and trained people. This is Second Line Equipment. In addition to representing half-century old warships, reservist formations and early-model aerofighters, these points can also be used to buy certain extremely common but relatively modern designs as well as civilian craft.

Points for Second Line Equipment may only be spent on items from this list. Optionally, unspent Second Line points may be banked against future contingencies to represent mothballed craft, refurbished museum ships, etc. For every 2 points kept this way, 1 point of Second Line Equipment can be bought during gameplay in quarterly budgets. Once bought they enter your OOB as normal. Thus it is more efficient to spend your points at nation creation but saving them allows flexibility during gameplay at a premium.

Note as well that normal military points can be used to buy Second Line Equipment as well, but as stated, not the inverse.

Finally, due to the age of most Second Line Equipment they may not entirely follow standard design rules.

Currently, all nations get 10,000 points to spend on Second Line Equipment.

Units are classed in one of four rarity levels representing how easy or difficult they are to acquire.

Common units are available in functionally infinite numbers, though buying a hundred cheap old-tech battleships will not pass muster. If a unit does not have a listed rarity value, assume it is Common.

Limited units have a per-nation cap, generally due to policy restrictions - for example, ZOCU never built more than one Pallada per member-world. The (Limited: X) number is thus how many any given world can buy.

Rare units have a maximum total count that may exist at the start of the game, divided in whatever fashion is agreed-upon. The (Rare: X) number is thus how many exist as of game start. Rare units are first-come, first serve.

Unique units are just that - singular units of a unique design and/or construction. Only one player may start with a given unique unit.

Universal

Universal items may be bought regardless of affiliation.

Spaceships

Drone Whaler

150 points

Light Parasite

• 2 Fusion Drives
• 1 Microjump Drive
• 2 Belted Armor
• 1 Railcannon
• 1 Harpoon Launcher

Beta Destroyer

200 points

Escort

• 2 Fusion Drives
• 1 Short Jump Drive
• 2 Orbital Steel Armor
• 2 Massdrivers (Naval Rifles)
• 2 Anti-Ship Missile Launchers

The Beta type destroyer was the most common of the 'Greek Series' and like the others is an old faber template dating back to the late 21st century. Being relatively small they could be built with fairly minimal infrastructure beyond the fabricator itself, giving far-flung colonies the ability to construct one or more defensive ships in case of feral drones or other threats. Originally considered quite fast ships, even (hypothetical) newly-built copies would only have average performance today.

Gamma Monitor

350 points

Cruiser

• 1 Fusion Drive
• 1 Short Jump Drive
• 24 Hangar Space
• 1 Electronics (old, incapable of FTL targeting)
• 1 Orbital Steel Armor
• 1 Massdrivers (Naval Rifles)
• 1 Anti-Ship Missile Launchers

The third of the 'Greek Series', the Gamma type monitor is a cruiserweight ship designed for local patrols. Emphasising the patrol aspect it contains fairly substantial hangar, particularly for its day as well as a power radar array. Like all of the Greek Series Gammas are considered woefully obselete in the current era, though a number still carry on as training or reserve vessels.

Delta Battleship

1000 points

Battleship

• 1 Fusion Drive
• 1 Longjump Drive
• 2 Orbital Steel Armor
• 2 Massdrivers (Naval Rifles)
• 2 Anti-Ship Missile Launchers

The Delta type battleship is a very old design, a fabricator template dating back to the dawn of the colonization era and specifically designed to be built using local materials and minimal fabricated components and then assembled in orbit. It was the heaviest of the so-called 'Greek Series' and due to the expense and difficulty of putting together such a large ship they were rarely built. It is known that Nibiru constructed and operated a substantial fleet of Deltas in the 2120-2160 period to defend against drones. More problematically, Deltas have been known to occasionally appear as 'pirate' warships, evidently constructed by particularly resourcefull outlaws.

While designed to accept a Longjump drive, many Deltas were built with simpler in-system drives. Such designs cost 800 points.

Typical Far Trader

Far Trader Ship

1000 points

Battleship

• 1 Fusion Drive (note: very unmaneuverable)
• 1 Longjump Drive
• 16 Hangar Space
• 2 Habitation
• 1 Orbital Steel Armor
• 3 Cargo Bays
• 4 External Hardpoints
• 1 Massdrivers (Naval Rifles)

Far Traders have plied the starlanes since the late 21st century, transporting goods between Earth and far-flung colonies across the Expanse and even into the Rim. Designed for long-term missions they had spacious spin gravity sections and large cargo holds. The statline above is a fairly typical for a Far Trader, though a common variation would be to replace the hangars (used primarily for shuttles as opposed to combat craft) with 4 additional hardpoints at no cost.

PACT

Spaceships

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3D mockup of the MacArthur system control ship. Note azipod system, introduced on third flight series.

MacArthur (First/Second Flight)

1500 points

Battleship

• 1 Fusion Drive
• 1 Longjump Drive
• 32 Hangar Space
• 1 Habitation
• 2 Belted Armor
• 1 Scattering Field
• 1 External Hardpoint
• 1 Heavy Railcannons
• 1 Anti-Air Missiles

Perry Patrol Cruiser

900 points

Cruiser

• 1 Fusion Drive
• 1 Longjump Drive
• 1 Electronics
• 1 Habitation
• 1 Belted Armor
• 1 Scattering Field
• 1 External Hardpoint
• 2 Railcannons
• 1 Autorail Array

EU

Spaceships

Canopus System Defense Ship

1300 points

Battleship

• 1 Fusion Drive
• 2 Short Jump Drive
• 2 Belted Armor
• 1 Scattering Field
• 2 Massdrivers (Naval Rifles)
• 1 Anti-Ship Missile Launchers
• 1 Flak Cannons

CIS

???!

China

Spaceships

Zheng He Treasure Ship

?? Points

Lotta cargo!

Longjump drive

ZOCU

ZOCU worlds of PACT origin may spend up to 50% of their Second Line Equipment points on PACT Second Line Equipment. Worlds of EU origin may spend up to 50% of their points on EU Second Line Equipment. Longshot/UN worlds may spend up to 25% of their points on EU or PACT equipment (whichever is logically closer).

Spaceships

Proton Alpha

Aviation Escort

420 Points

• 2 Fusion Drives
• 2 Theta Drives
• 16 Hangar Space (4 MS/Fighters)
• 1 Belted Armor
• 1 Flash Field
• 1 Pulse Cannon Turret
• 1 Burst Cannon Array

Spartacus (Original Model)

Aviation Cruiser

1000 Points

• 2 Fusion Drives
• 2 Theta Drives
• 32 Hangar Space (8 MS/Fighters)
• 1 Belted Armor
• 1 Scattering Field
• 2 Heavy Railcannon Turrets
• 1 Autorail Array

ZOCU Refit MacArthur

Battleship

2600 Points

• 1 Fusion Drive
• 1 Azipods
• 2 Theta Drives
• 32 Hangar Space (8 MS/Fighters)
• 1 Habitation
• 2 Belted Armor
• 1 Scattering Field
• 1 Docking Hardpoint
• 1 Anti-Ship Mega Particle Cannons
• 1 Anti-Air Launcher

Several MacArthurs were stuck in ZOCU space during the Breakdown and were eventually brought into the local defenses forces. As such they were the largest starships ZOCU had until the construction of the first Palladas in the early 2180s and had strong influence on ZOCU doctrine and design. Due to various conflicts and threats they were progressively refitted to take advantage of various developments and indigenous hardware. While each was ultimately unique, the statline above is fairly typical for a refitted MacArthur.

The Anti-Air Launchers may be replaced by a Burst Cannon Array at no cost.

The Azipods may be replaced by a second fusion drive for -100 points.

The ZOCU bloc aggregated fleet may not contain more than 6 Refitted MacArthurs.

League

Up to 25% of League Second Line Equipment may be bought off the EU or Russian lists.

Spaceships

Refitted Combat Conveyor

150 Points

Escort

• 1 Fusion Drives
• 1 Shortjump Drive
• 1 Belted Armor
• 6 Hardpoints
• 1 Naval Rifle

The League converted over a hundred local freighters to military purposes during the war, mostly of the Pilkington and Bison classes. A common modification was to cut out most of their cargo holds and replace them with docking hardpoints for gunships or ISO-standard orbital containers. Ungainly and graceless they were nonetheless vital in their intended role. As the war progressed they were steadily refined, often sporting haphazard additional armor plating and balky electrothermal cannons to discourage Magnate raiders. The 'Bison Ball' became a popular tactic for the sluggish ships to defend themselves en masse while recycling drives. These refits proved so effective that by the early '70s the Magnates were performing similar modifications.

Refitted Combat Conveyors are poorly balanced and nonstandardized modifications and consequently they may not transport Heavy Parasites or other craft/items that require more than 2 Hardpoints.

Faith Parasite Attackship

200 Points

Light Parasite (2 Hardpoint)

• 2 Fusion Drives
• 1 Microjump Drive
• 2 Belted Armor
• 1 Plasma Cannon
• 1 Anti-Ship Missiles
• 1 Flak Cannon Array

The Faith attackship was a common sight throughout the war, mass-produced in Minkowski factory-satellites and shipped to the front to be crewed by League starsailors. Heavily armed and armored Faiths are austere but effective designs on the attack, equipped with a mass of forward firepower as well as a number of turreted flak cannons to defend against Magnate aerospace craft.

League Canopus

1300 Points

Battleship

Statline as per EU Canopus

A number of Canopi were sold to worlds that would eventually become the League in the '40s, as part of a general EU divestment of older warcraft. Several of them were instrumental fighting the drone outbreak around Faery in 2149. Their main claim to fame however was during the Magnate war where these aging warhorses held the line against Magnate attack. While poorly suited to offensive operations they were nonetheless priority warships and many suffered damage and reconstruction.

The Scattering Field may be replaced by a Bubble Field at no cost.

1 Massdriver may be replaced by a Capital Laser System and 4 external hardpoints for +100 points. This refit may not transport any craft/items that require more than 2 Hardpoints.

Here To Help (aka Resplendent Light of the Infinite, aka UNS Kofi Annan)

Rarity: Unique

6000 points

Superbattleship

• 1 Fusion Drive (extremely sluggish)
• 1 Longjump Drive
• 1 Belted Armor
• 1 Scattering Field
• 1 Habitation
• 32 Hangar space
• 8 Hardpoints
• 1 Heavy Massdrivers (Heavy Naval Rifles)
• 1 Capital Laser Bays
• 1 Flak Cannon Array
• 1 Anti-Ship Missile Launchers
• Onboard Fabricator (100 quarterly output)
• Shortjump Cycle System

A unique refit of the General Secretary-class ship UNS Kofi Annan, parked in Sarrevan orbit since 2144, started at the height of the Magnate war and completed near the end. It repaired the Kofi Annan's FTL jump drive and removed much of the colonization equipment, replacing it with various beam and projectile weapons to turn the ship into a mobile base to strike at the Magnates. With prodigious carrying capacity and both an onboard industrial core and jump recycle equipment for the expected fleet the Here To Help or the Resplendent Light of the Infinite (depending on which project manager one spoke to) was to be the vanguard at offensive action into Magnate space. Unfortunately political winds had shifted and the war ended before the ship had gotten past securing Chatham's World.

Magnate

Up to 25% of Magnate Second Line Equipment may be bought off the Russian list.

Spaceships

Refitted Combat Conveyor

150 Points

Escort

See League list for full details.

Type 11 Undeniable March of Progress Toward Mutual Advancement Assault Subcraft

270 Points

Light Parasite (2 Hardpoint)

• 1 Fusion Drive
• 2 Azipods
• 1 Microjump Drive
• 1 Depleted Uranium Armor
• 2 Railguns
• 1 Laser Cannon

Developed as a direct answer to League parasite gunships, the Type 11 Assault Subcraft is somewhat slower but more agile than the League equivalents, traits deemed acceptable given the longer range of the Magnate railguns.

Type 4 Parallel Movement With Coherent Goals Directed-Energy Warship

350 Points

Cruiser

• 1 Fusion Drives
• 1 Shortjump Drive
• 1 Habitation
• 1 Polarized Laminate Armor (anti-energy)
• 4 Docking Hardpoints
• 2 Capital Laser Bays

A less than successful design, the Type 4 'directed-energy warship' was an early attempt to control ranges against the League's fleet of aging battlewagons and plasma-armed attack craft. While the optical lasers had all the range promised their damage-dealing capabilities were unimpressive and as the war progressed the Type 4s were relegated to fire-support roles, flooding League bubble fields with coherent photons while other ships moved in for the kill. The polarized armor intended to deflect plasma shots was equally questionable in practice, the factories suffering quality control problems for the entire duration of the war and resulting in several embarassing losses.

Type 9 Inevitable Triumph of Rightthink Combat Transport Vessel

?? Points

Light Carrier

Type 1 Commencement of Glorious Future Large Invasion Transport Vessel

Rarity: Unique

?? Points

Supercarrier (?)

??