TEXT: The Modern Dispatch
  More�Starship�Class�Templates
  Page 1
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  phil�reed,�chris�davis
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  #76
  More Starship Class Templates
  by Phil Reed
  It has been a long time since the Dispatch last 
  presented a selection of starship class templates (not 
  since way back in issue #12) and it is with that in 
  mind that I’ve written the following new starship 
  class templates. As with that ﬁrst time around, I’ve 
  included not only new templates (and a sample 
  starship for each template) but also new starship 
  devices to help expand the number of options 
  available to starship designers.
  For even more templates and starship devices take 
  a look at Ronin Arts’ Future: Datastream – 2005 
  Collection. Recently released, this 170+ page PDF 
  presents a lot of material – ranging from characters to 
  mecha to starships – for use with the future SRD.
  
  The Modern Dispatch
  More�Starship�Class�Templates
  Page 2
  Starship Templates
  Frankenstein-Class Template (PL 8)
  By the time of the Energy Age there are literally 
  thousands of cast off starships cluttering orbital 
  scrapyards across the galaxy. The Frankenstein-class 
  template represents a ship that is cobbled together 
  from bits and pieces of scrap – these ships are 
  characteristically ugly and instantly recognizable 
  as a junker. The Nova Dragon-class template can 
  be applied to any ultralight or light starship. The 
  starship’s design specs should be adjusted as follows:
  Hit Dice: Increase by +6d20.
  Engine Upgrade: Select any PL 6 or PL 7 engine.
  Tactical Speed Reduction: Decrease by –1,000 ft. (2 
  squares).
  Armor Upgrade: Obviously, the ship is built with 
  the best armor its creators can ﬁnd but unfortunately 
  there’s never enough of the best. Instead, the ship is 
  constructed with a mixed selection of armor types 
  – whenever the ship is hit roll on the following table 
  to determine what type of armor the impact spot is 
  covered in.
  D6 Roll
  Armor/Hardness
  1-2
  Cerametal/30
  3-4
  Deﬂective/20 (ballistic), 40 (all other)
  5
  Neutronite/40
  6
  Advanced Ablative/45
  Defense System Upgrade: Trade any one item out 
  for an item 1 PL greater.
  Sensors Upgrade: Trade any one item out for an 
  item 1 PL greater.
  Communications Upgrade: Trade any one item out 
  for an item 1 PL greater.
  Weapons Downgrade: Permanently remove one 
  weapon. Additionally, select any one other weapon 
  and replace it with a weapon of a previous PL 
  (minimum PL 5).
  Cargo Capacity Modiﬁcation: Increase by +25%.
  Frankenstein-Class Hauler (PL 8)
  This commercial transport, built from the scraps of 
  hundreds of older starships, is a type usually seen in 
  service with down-on-their-luck traders and tramp 
  merchants.
  Type: Light
  Subtype: Hauler
  Defense: 7
  Flat-footed Defense: 5
  Autopilot Defense: 5
  Hardness: Special, see template text
  Hit Dice: 42d20 (840 hp)
  Initiative Modiﬁer: +2
  Pilot’s Class Bonus: +3
  Pilot’s Dex Modiﬁer: +2
  Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +2
  Tactical Speed: 2,000 ft. (4 sq.)
  Length: 450 feet
  Weight: 6,000 tons
  Targeting System Bonus: +3
  Crew: 8 (trained +4)
  Passenger Capacity: 8
  Cargo Capacity: 4,125 tons
  Grapple Modiﬁer: +16
  Base Purchase DC: 56
  Restriction: Restricted (+2)
  Attack: 1 heavy laser –3 ranged (12d8)
  Attack of Opportunity: Point-defense system +3 
  ranged (2d12×10)
  Standard PL 5 Design Specs:
  Engines: Particle impulse engine, thrusters
  Armor: Special, see template
  Defense Systems: Autopilot system, improved 
  damage control system (3d10), point-defense system
  Sensors: Class IV sensor array, targeting system
  Communications: Mass transceiver, radio 
  transceiver
  Weapons: 1 heavy laser (range incr. 4,000 ft.)
  Grappling Systems: Grapplers
  Krankenhaus-Class Template (PL 7)
  The hospital ship is common throughout the galaxy 
  during the Gravity Age. This particular type is built 
  on the skeletal basis of existing, decommissioned 
  starships. The Krankenhaus-class template can 
  be applied to any PL 5 or PL 6 ultralight, light, or 
  mediumweight starship. The starship’s design specs 
  should be adjusted as follows:
  Defense System Upgrade: Add gravitic stabilizers
  Weapons Downgrade: Remove all weapons.
  Passenger Modiﬁcation: Multiply the number of 
  passengers the ship can carry by ten. This is the 
  number of patients the ship can accommodate – each 
  in his own bed. 
  Crew Modiﬁcation: Add 1 doctor and 2 nurses for 
  every 5 passengers the ship can carry.
  Cargo Capacity Modiﬁcation: Reduce by 75%.
  Krankenhause-Class Hospital Ship 
  (Modiﬁed Bulk Freighter) (PL 7)
  Probably one of the most commonly modiﬁed ships, 
  the bulk freighter makes an excellent hospital ship.
  Type: Mediumweight
  Subtype: Bulk freighter
  Defense: 7
  Flat-footed Defense: 5
  Autopilot Defense: 7
  Hardness: 20
  Hit Dice: 125d20 (2,500 hp)
  Initiative Modiﬁer: +2
  Pilot’s Class Bonus: +3
  Pilot’s Dex Modiﬁer: +2
  Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +2
  Size: Colossal (–8 size)
  Tactical Speed: 2,500 ft. (5 sq.)
  Length: 800 feet
  Weight: 32,000 tons
  
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  More�Starship�Class�Templates
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  Targeting System Bonus: +3
  Crew: 8 (trained +4) plus 16 doctors and 32 nurses
  Passenger Capacity: 80 patients
  Cargo Capacity: 5,000 tons
  Grapple Modiﬁer: +16
  Base Purchase DC: 60
  Restriction: Restricted (+2)
  Attack: None
  Attack of Opportunity: Point-defense system +3 
  ranged (3d12×10)
  Standard PL 7 Design Specs:
  Engines: Fusion torch, thrusters
  Armor: Alloy plating
  Defense Systems: Gravitic stabilizers, improved 
  autopilot system, improved damage control (4d10), 
  point-defense system, radiation shielding, sensor 
  jammer
  Sensors: Class II sensor array, targeting system
  Communications: Laser transceiver, radio 
  transceiver
  Weapons: None
  Grappling Systems: Grapplers
  Mercury-Class Template (PL 8)
  Some of the fastest ships in the galaxy are the 
  Mercury-class ultralight starships. Equipped with 
  advanced surge burners, plasma acceleration drives, 
  and inertial ﬂux engines, ships of the Mercury-
  class frequently outrun other starships – even those 
  from advanced civilizations. The Mercury-class 
  template can be applied to any ultralight starship. The 
  starship’s design specs should be adjusted as follows:
  Engine Upgrade: Advanced surge burners, plasma 
  acceleration drive, and inertial ﬂux engines.
  Tactical Speed Modiﬁcation: +1,000 ft. (2 squares).
  Mercury-Class Assault Fighter
  Type: Ultralight
  Subtype: Assault ﬁghter
  Defense: 19
  Flat-footed Defense: 13
  Autopilot Defense: 6
  Hardness: 20 (ballistic) or 40 (other damage forms)
  Hit Dice: 9d20 (180 hp)
  Initiative Modiﬁer: +8
  Pilot’s Class Bonus: +7
  Pilot’s Dex Modiﬁer: +6
  Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +8/+3
  Size: Gargantuan (–4 size)
  Tactical Speed: 6,500 ft. (13 sq.) (7,000 ft. with 
  plasma acceleration drive engaged)
  Length: 32 feet
  Weight: 36,000 lb.
  Targeting System Bonus: +4
  Crew: 1 (ace +12)
  Passenger Capacity: 1
  Cargo Capacity: 1,200 lb.
  Grapple Modiﬁer: +8
  Base Purchase DC: 48
  Restriction: Military (+3)
  Attack: 2 ﬁre-linked particle beams +8 ranged 
  (18d8) and plasma missile +3 ranged (18d8/19–20); 
  or 2 ﬁre-linked particle beams +8/+3 ranged (18d8)
  Attack of Opportunity: None
  Standard PL 8 Design Specs:
  Engines: Advanced surge burner, plasma 
  acceleration drive, inertial ﬂux engine, thrusters
  Armor: Deﬂective
  Defense Systems: Autopilot system, improved 
  damage control (2d10), stealth screen
  Sensors: Class V sensor array, improved targeting 
  system
  Communications: Mass transceiver, radio 
  transceiver
  Weapons: 2 ﬁre-linked particle beams (range incr. 
  4,000 ft.), 1 plasma missile launcher (8 missiles; 
  range incr. 5,000 ft.)
  Grappling Systems: None
  Nova Dragon-Class Template (PL 7)
  This design features light plasma cannons – a Nova 
  Dragon-class starship is a brutal, powerful weapon 
  of destruction. The Nova Dragon-class template can 
  be applied to any ultralight starship. The starship’s 
  design specs should be adjusted as follows:
  Hit Dice: Increase by +3d20.
  Engine Upgrade: Particle impulse engine (tactical 
  speed + 1,000 feet).
  Armor Upgrade: Neutronite.
  Weapons Upgrade: Replace each individual weapon 
  with 2 ﬁre-linked light plasma cannons
  (10d8 damage; range incr. 2,500 ft.) and another 2 
  ﬁre-linked light plasma cannons (10d8 damage; range 
  incr. 2,500 ft.)
  Nova Dragon-Class Assault Fighter
  Nova Dragon assault ﬁghters are powerful, close 
  range attack ﬁghters designed speciﬁcally for 
  assaulting orbital facilities and capital ships.
  Type: Ultralight
  Subtype: Assault ﬁghter
  Defense: 19
  Flat-footed Defense: 13
  Autopilot Defense: 6
  Hardness: 40
  Hit Dice: 12d20 (240 hp)
  Initiative Modiﬁer: +8
  Pilot’s Class Bonus: +7
  Pilot’s Dex Modiﬁer: +6
  Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +8/+3
  Size: Gargantuan (–4 size)
  
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  Tactical Speed: 4,000 ft. (8 sq.)
  Length: 32 feet
  Weight: 36,000 lb.
  Targeting System Bonus: +4
  Crew: 1 (ace +12)
  Passenger Capacity: 1
  Cargo Capacity: 1,200 lb.
  Grapple Modiﬁer: +8
  Base Purchase DC: 48
  Restriction: Military (+3)
  Attack: 8 ﬁre-linked light plasma cannons +8 ranged 
  (10d8, range incr. 2,500)
  Attack of Opportunity: None
  Standard PL 7 Design Specs:
  Engines: Particle impulse engine, thrusters
  Armor: Neutronite
  Defense Systems: Autopilot system, improved 
  damage control (2d10), stealth screen
  Sensors: Class V sensor array, improved targeting 
  system
  Communications: Mass transceiver, radio 
  transceiver
  Weapons: 8 ﬁre-linked light plasma cannons (range 
  incr. 2,500 ft.)
  Grappling Systems: None
  New Starship Systems
  In order to make the new starship class templates 
  especially useful, most of the ones presented in this 
  entry of the Dispatch include at least one new piece 
  of starship equipment.
  New Starship Engines
  Advanced Surge Burners (PL 7)
  A starship equipped with this device may perform 
  a surge forward maneuver as a move action (see 
  the Starship Move Actions section of the SRD). 
  Advanced surge burners carry enough fuel for 
  six uses – after that the system must be refueled 
  (requiring 30 minutes and a purchase DC of 12) 
  in order for it to be used (when the fuel supply is 
  depleted the ship may still perform a surge forward 
  maneuver but it requires a full-round action, as per 
  the basic rules for the maneuver.
  Advanced surge burners are not powerful enough to 
  move a starship on their own; the starship must also 
  be equipped with a standard engine.
  Minimum Ship Size: Huge.
  Tactical Speed Bonus: See text.
  Purchase DC: 18.
  Plasma Acceleration Drive (PL 7)
  These small accelerant boosters redirect plasma 
  energy from an inertial capacitor through energy 
  rockets, increasing the starship’s tactical speed for a 
  short period of time. A plasma acceleration drive may 
  only me mounted on a ship equipped with PL 7 or 
  greater engines and if those engines are damaged, the 
  acceleration drive will not function.
  Activating the plasma acceleration drive is a 
  full round action for the ship’s pilot. A plasma 
  acceleration drive provides its boost for 2d4 rounds 
  after which the drive cuts itself off and cannot be 
  reactivated again for one hour (the drive needs one 
  hour to properly charge the inertial capacitor). A ship 
  can mount multiple plasma acceleration drives – the 
  effects of multiple drives do not stack.
  Minimum Ship Size: Huge.
  Tactical Speed Bonus: +500 feet (+1 square) for 2d4 
  rounds, see text.
  Purchase DC: 10 + one-half the base purchase DC 
  of the starship.
  New Starship Armor
  Advanced Ablative (PL 8)
  This slightly improved version of ablative armor is 
  strengthened by molecularly bonding the armor to a 
  neutronite backing. The armor is identical to ablative 
  except as follows:
  Hardness: 45.
  Purchase DC: 17 + one-half the base purchase DC 
  of the starship.
  New Starship Defense System
  Gravitic Stabilizers (Pl 7)
  Gravity generators embedded in the starship’s 
  hull and decks create an artiﬁcial gravity ﬁeld that 
  instantly adjusts to external conditions. In any 
  situation that the crew would be shaken or stunned 
  there is a 25% chance that the effect is completely 
  negated – the gravitic stabilizers prevent the crew 
  from being jostled around and disrupted.
  Gravitic stabilizers are a more advanced form of 
  shock stabilizers (see Future: 13 More Starship 
  Devices).
  Purchase DC: 18 + one-half the base purchase DC 
  of the starship.
  Restriction: Licensed (+1).
  
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  Page 5
  New Starship Weapon
  Plasma Cannon, Light (PL 7)
  This smaller, lighter version of the Gravity Age 
  plasma cannon is frequently mounted on ultralight 
  ﬁghters and escorts. Its smaller size enables a starship 
  to mount 2 of these weapons in place of any 1 normal 
  weapons – an ultralight starship that can carry 1 
  weapon for every 3 Hit Dice can carry 1 light plasma 
  cannon for every 1.5 Hit Dice (round up).
  Damage: 10d8 (45)
  Critical: 20
  Damage Type: Fire
  Range Increment: 2,500 ft.
  Rate of Fire: Single
  Minimum Ship Size: Huge
  Purchase DC: 33
  Restriction: Military (+3)
  Section 15
  Future: 13 Starship Devices, copyright 2005 Philip 
  Reed. Published by Ronin Arts www.roninarts.com.
  Modern Dispatch #12 2004, Ronin Arts; Author Phil 
  Reed
  
  The Modern Dispatch
  More�Starship�Class�Templates
  Page 6
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