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.

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:

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 weight after the Secession War to limit the largest ships from entering then-neutral White Belt space between the Coalition and Federation. One TNU 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

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Special Notes
Interceptor	>20m	>43,750	>1	GBD Sciamach Fighter	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs
Bomber	>20m	>43,750	>1	BTL Y-Wing (Star Wars)	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs
Shuttle	>20m	>43,750	>1	GBD Hopper Shuttle	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs
Yachts	<20m	>43,750	>1		Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs
Launches	<20m	>43,750	>1	SKNK Ames Ship's Boat	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs

Support Craft

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Special Notes
Tugs	>30m	>43,750	>1	Draugr Class Clipper (Nebulous)	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs
Fireboats	>30m	>43,750	>1	F-143 Emergency Speeder (Star Wars)	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs
Light Freighter	>30m	>43,750	>1	GBD Bolar Class Freighter	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs
Tenders	>30m	>43,750	>1	Flathead Class Monitor (Nebulous)	Players, Groups, Factions, NPCs

Commercial Craft

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Special Notes
Freighter	30m-1.5km	350,000 +-	2-30	Canterbury (Expanse)	NPCs
Passenger	30m-1.5km	350,000 +-	2-30	Belt Transit Ferry (Expanse)	NPCs

System Security Craft

Type	Length Bracket	Average Weight (MT)	TNTU Value	Example (Sci-fi or on-sim/second life)	Accepted Users	Special 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		Factions, NPCs	Cutters are used by system security forces to patrol system space. They are able to face most pirates and smugglers.
Man o'War	400m+	400,000 +	10+		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.