Space Travel Player Guide

This page is a reference for what players, groups, and factions can utilize for space travel. For a general lore document on space travel, see Space Travel.

The GCS Francis Drake is an example of a Heavy Destroyer-weight ship controlled by a Faction in New Frontiers.

Resources

Ship communications are done via #ic-system-comms on the New Frontiers Discord. This can be obtained by reacting to the appropriate icon (It looks like a satellite dish) on #role-reacts.

All starships (regardless of type and specifics) should be accurately tracked on the System Tracker spreadsheet to avoid confusion with other players.

Restrictions

Individual players may not exceed any of the following without administrative approval:

• Quantity: Players may not have more than 1 ship per character.
• Crew: Players may have NPC crew for their ships, but they shouldn't act in any way that'd violate any rule of New Frontiers (I.e, passing information or participating in combat without consent of all parties)
• Class: Players may not exceed the allowable mass in the starship table below.
• Realism: Players should try and aim to keep ships and space travel relatively realistic in the boundaries of the "hard" sci-fi established by New Frontiers. No transporters, super shielding, or other wacky gizmos that aren't outlined in lore or the rules.
• Technology: Player-controlled ships should avoid using "secret" or "military grade" tech unless otherwise agreed upon.
• FTL: Only accepted FTL-capable ships should be capable of faster-than-light travel. While not restricted from player use, FTL ships are considerably more expensive than non-FTL ships. Non-FTL ships may still travel intersystem via Jump Freighters.
• Player/Group/Faction: Ships are restricted based on if the user is a player, a group of players (Organized as a Player Network), or a faction. Some ships are restricted entirely to NPCs/storytellers for story plots.

If there's any doubts, consult an administrator via a ticket.

Space Combat

There is no formal Space Combat system. Individual players may settle space combat creatively by mutual agreement, such as using dice in different ways, pre-determining the outcome, or even "playing out" the fight in a space combat game.

Players should be mindful that within Onia's orbit, Onia's orbital defense grid will discourage, through force if needed, ship to ship combat.

Ship Modifiers & Weight

Special ship "modifiers" which simply dictate additions to ship specifications include:

Battle: A heavier armored and armed version of a class of ship; usually meant to face down ships of its same class. See Battlecruiser or Battlecarrier.

Light: Similar sized hull to typical class vessels, although optimised for speed and maneuvering rather then armor and weapons.

Heavy: Similar sized hull to typical class vessels, although optimised for armor and weapons, or additional bespoke capabilities at the cost of speed.

Assault: Vessel optimised for breaking through to planetary orbit and conducting/assisting space to ground operations.

Escort: Enhanced mission package centered around protective measures and counter Stalker equipment.

Patrol: Enhanced mission package centered around solo deployments over long periods. Typically more heavily armed and equipped with better AIs then ships of the line.

Stalker: Stealth vessel. Sensor nullifying materials, heat sinks and other technologies combine to turn these vessels into mobile holes in space.

Interdictor: Dedicated vessel equipped with FTL denial technology.

More modifiers may be added; and these are not a requirement, but simply allow easier identification. For players', a good example might be a "Heavy" Interceptor vs a "Light" Interceptor.

One measurement of ship "Weight" (more akin to mass in space) is the Tantalus Naval Treaty Unit (TNTU), a standard for naval displacement after the Secession War to limit the largest ships from entering then-neutral White Belt space between the Coalition and Federation. One TNTU is equal to 43,750 metric tons.

Ship Classes Table

Important Note: Outside Science Fiction Sources are used as reference material. Outside sources are used exclusively for easy reference; New Frontiers claims no credit for any outside material used and this does not mean players can use these ships in universe. See the Appearance Guide for rules on using outside sci-fi material.

Please see the below tables for intra-system and interstellar transport classes.

Intrasystem Starships

These ships constitute ships only capable of sublight travel. They must be carried by a ship capable of FTL travel to leave a star system.

Small Craft

A "Hopper" shuttle by Gunnersberg Dynamics

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Notes
Interceptor	>20m	>43,750	>1	GBD Sciamach Fighter	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Interceptors are small, lightweight fighters that are capable of interdicting other fighters and large craft. They can be piloted by organic life, as remains common in the Coalition and Federation, or purely drones and piloted in swarms by A.I, though this is more expensive.
Bomber	>20m	>43,750	>1	BTL Y-Wing (Star Wars)	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Bombers are in the same class as interceptors, but serve to launch larger bombs, torpedoes, and missiles, at either larger ships or ground combatants.
Shuttle	>20m	>43,750	>1	Ky-5 Rescue Orbital Dropship	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Shuttles are small craft to transport individuals or small cargo from Point A to Point B; most commonly, from a planet's surface to orbit.
Yachts	<20m	>43,750	>1	N/A	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Yachts are private, usually elegant and opulent ships owned by a individual or set of individuals. A wealthy corporate manager may use a yacht to traverse around his companies holdings in one system.
Launches	<20m	>43,750	>1	SKNK Ames Ship's Boat	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Launches are moderately sized vessels providing large-scale public transport; very much akin to modern day airliners.

Support Craft

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Notes
Tugs	>30m	>43,750	>1	Draugr Class Clipper (Nebulous)	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Tugs provide the much needed service of moving raw cargo from point A to point B; often from asteroid mines to orbital refineries.
Fireboats	>30m	>43,750	>1	F-143 Emergency Speeder (Star Wars)	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Fireboats provide foam, water, and rescue services to ships in distress around a starport or orbital platform.
Light Freighter	>30m	>43,750	>1	GBD Bolar Class Freighter	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Light Freighters provide a much needed supply line to small-scale mining operations and colonies around a star system.
Tenders	>30m	>43,750	>1	Flathead Class Monitor (Nebulous)	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Tenders provide a larger intra-system network to support smaller vessels, say, tugs around a mining operation.

Commercial Craft

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Notes
Freighter	30m-1.5km	350,000 +-	2-30	Canterbury (Expanse)	NPCs	Intrasystem freighters remain common as they are far cheaper to operate than Jump Freigters.
Passenger	30m-1.5km	350,000 +-	2-30	Belt Transit Ferry (Expanse)	NPCs	Intrasystem ferries remain common as intra-system FTL travel remains cost prohibitive for all but the ultra-wealthy or those with their own star ships.

System Security Craft

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Notes
Gun Boat	30-70m	>43,750	1-2	GBD Anomura Gunboat	Groups, Factions, NPCs	Gunboats, Patrol Boats, Missile Boats are often the same hulls, just designated based on configuration.
Patrol Boat	30-70m	>43,750	1-2	GBD Anomura Gunboat	Groups, Factions, NPCs	Gunboats, Patrol Boats, Missile Boats are often the same hulls, just designated based on configuration.
Missile Boat	30-70m	>43,750	1-2	GBD Anomura Gunboat	Groups, Factions, NPCs	Gunboats, Patrol Boats, Missile Boats are often the same hulls, just designated based on configuration.
Cutter	70m-200m	200,000 +-	4-6	N/A	Factions, NPCs	Cutters are used by system security forces to patrol system space. They are able to face most pirates and smugglers.
Monitor	200m-400m	300,000 +-	6-8	N/A	NPCs	Monitors are large ships of the line of any planetary defense force; they are usually better armed and armored than many Cruisers or Destroyers due to saved space that a FTL system would require.
Man o'War	400m+	400,000 +	10+	N/A	NPCs	These ships are able to go toe-to-toe with FTL capable warships, but act more as defensive platforms due to their large mass and lack of FTL capability.

FTL Capable Starships

These ships constitute craft large enough for faster-than-light travel. They are magnitudes more expensive than non-FTL capable vessels, usually being owned by corporations or governments. Though individually owned ships do exist in the case of a particularly wealthy individual, or one particularly mechanically inclined with access to scrap parts.

Warships

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Notes
Corvette	40-60m	87,500 +-	1-2	Hulani-class Scout-Explorer (Righteous Indignation)	Groups, Factions, NPCs	Corvette-weight ships vary from the Scout Explorers of the Directorate Scout Service to FTL-capable patrol and torpedo boats. Most are "glass cannons"; capable of punching above their weight class, but unable to sustain damage for long. These ships are typically highly specialized; either as exploratory vessels, scouting/reconnaissance, stealth torpedo corvettes, or other roles.
Frigate	60-145m	175,000 +-	4	Kilo-class frigate (Dandelion Wine)	Groups, Factions, NPCs	Frigate-weight ships are usually independent patrol vessels, though often are seen escorting carrier or battleship battlegroups. Frigates are often generalized vessels; capable of fitting many roles as required by their respective fleets.
Destroyer	145-250m	262,500 +-	6	N/A	Factions, NPCs	Destroyers are just that; ships designed to destroy smaller and larger vessels alike. Destroyers are the largest vessels "Stalker" technology to hide a vessels emissions and radar signatures are typically found on, as this technology gets exponentially more expensive the larger the ship.
Cruiser	250m-400m	350,000 +-	8	Davey Jones-class Stalker (GCS Francis Drake)	Factions, NPCs	Cruisers are large scale combatants, and typically the mainstay of most galactic fleets. Much like Frigates, Cruisers are generalist ships often capable of fitting multiple roles.
Escort Carrier	500m-1.2km	525,000 +-	12	N/A	NPCs	Escort Carriers are smaller carriers of craft and interceptors; usually escorting larger combatants like battleships. They are considerably smaller than Fleet Carriers, but far easier to manufacture and supply.
Battleship	500m-1km	612,500 +-	14	N/A	NPCs	Battleships are the cream of the crop of space warfare; capable of directly facing near any space combatant.
Fleet Carrier	1.2km +	1,225,000 +-	28	N/A	NPCs	Fleet Carriers trade armor and any direct anti-ship capability to launch considerably more fighters and small craft. One Fleet Carrier may be able to launch double or even triple the complement of smaller carriers like Escort Carriers.
Moon Breaker	1km +	1,531,250	35	"Titan" class ships on EVE Online	NPCs	Moon Breakers only exist in rumor to most; being large fortresses with FTL drives, these vessels are capable of long-term sieges of entire planets. Only a handful exist in the largest galactic navies.

Civilian Starships

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Notes
Jump Courier	20m-60m	87,500 +-	1-2	GBD Bolar Class Freighter (When modified to be FTL capable)	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs	Jump Couriers are lightly armored, lightly armed vessels that do what the name implies; transportation of time-sensitive materials, persons, and parcels around the galaxy.
Jump Tug	100m-200m	200,000 +-	3-6	N/A	NPCs	Jump Tugs are commonly used to "tow" large containers of industrial materials and jump them around as industry requires. This process can be risky and dangerous.
Star Carrier	200m-500m	300,000 +-	6-10	Flying Duchman (Columbus Day)	NPCs	A long, spinal ship capable of 'bolting' non-FTL capable ships onto pylons along its spine. Most common way to transport non-FTL ships too large for jump freighters, albeit costly.
Jump Freighter	1.5km+	500,000 +-	10-30	Anshar-class Jump Freighter (EVE Online)	NPCs	Used by the largest corporations of the galaxy, Jump Freighters are large, hulkingly slow vessels capable of stowing dozens or hundreds of smaller intrasystem craft and mixed cargo alike in their holds. Non-FTL capable craft commonly use Jump Freighters to traverse the galaxy.
Interstellar Cruiseliner	200m+	250,000 +-	5-20	Axiom (WALL-E)	NPCs	Commonly used to traverse the galaxy by the wealthy and the poor alike, Interstellar Cruiseliners provide travel to the masses. Though, the user experience may vary wildly depending on how deep the passenger's pocketbook is.
Mobile Industry Platform	100m-1km	200,000 +-	3-20	N/A	NPCs	Commonly used by W-1 mining facilities, these are large, industrial space stations capable of the rare FTL jump to another deposit site. Those that are incapable of direct travel use Jump Tugs.