d20 FUTURE
STARSHIPS - HEAVY STARSHIPS
HEAVY STARSHIP SUBTYPES
Heavy starships are the workhorses of space travel: battle cruisers, battleships, fleet carriers, tankers, liners, and heavy transports. They move relatively quickly—thanks to massive engines—but maneuver very slowly. Their real strength lies in their armor and armaments; even civilian heavy starships are built to take a pounding.
A heavy starship measures 1,001–1,500 feet long. It has a 1,500- foot-by-1,500-foot fighting space (9 500-foot squares).
In addition, all heavy starships share the following design specs.
Engines: All heavy starships have thrusters plus one other type of engine (see Starship Engines).
Armor: A heavy starship has one type of armor (see Starship Armor).
Defensive Systems: A heavy starship has a maximum of one defensive system per 50 Hit Dice (see Starship Defense Systems).
Sensors: A heavy starship has a maximum of three sensor systems (see Starship Sensors).
Communications: A heavy starship has two external communication systems (see Starship Comm Systems).
Weapons: A heavy starship has one beam, projectile, or missile weapon per 50 Hit Dice (see Starship Weapons). These weapons are often arrayed in batteries. A minelayer is considered a single weapon. Although it weighs no more than a few thousand pounds, each mine consumes 100 tons of a ship’s cargo capacity (most of it taken up by the launch system and radiation shielding).
Grappling Systems: A heavy starship may have up to two grappling systems (see Grappling Systems). Each grappling system takes away one of the ship’s weapon slots (see above).
BATTLESHIP (PL 6)
The mainstay of many spacefaring navies, the battleship is heavily armed and armored, although not very maneuverable. Battleships serve as the backbone of any battle fleet.
| Type: Heavy | Size: Colossal (–8 size) |
| Subtype: Battleship | Tactical Speed: 3,000 ft. (6 sq.) |
| Defense: 11 | Length: 1,250 ft. |
| Flat-footed Defense: 7 | Weight: 125,000 tons |
| Autopilot Defense: 7 | Targeting System Bonus: +3 |
| Hardness:30 | Crew: 400 (expert +8) |
| Hit Dice: 400d20 (8,000 hp) | Passenger Capacity: 200 |
| Initiative Modifier: +4 | Cargo Capacity: 30,000 tons |
| Pilot’s Class Bonus: +5 | Grapple Modifier: +16 |
| Pilot’s Dex Modifier: +4 | Base Purchase DC: 72 |
| Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +4 | Restriction: Military (+3) |
Attack: Battery of 3 heavy neutron guns +1 ranged (10d8/19–20) and 2 fire-linked nuclear missiles –6 ranged (24d8/19–20) and needle driver –6 ranged (8d12); or 2 fire-linked nuclear missiles –1 ranged (24d8/19–20) and battery of 3 heavy neutron guns –4 ranged (10d8/19–20) and needle driver –6 ranged (8d12)
Attack of Opportunity: Point-defense system +3 ranged (4d12×10)
Standard PL 6 Design Specs:
Engines: Fusion torch, thrusters
Armor: Vanadium
Defense Systems: 1 chaff launcher (16 chaff bundles), 1 decoy drone launcher (4 drones), improved autopilot system, improved damage control (5d10), magnetic field, point-defense system, radiation shielding, self-destruct system
Sensors: Class II sensor array, targeting system
Communications: Laser transceiver, radio transceiver
Weapons: 1 battery of 4 heavy neutron guns (range incr. 6,000 ft.), 2 fire-linked nuclear missile launchers (16 missiles each), 1 needle driver (range incr. 4,000 ft.)
Grappling Systems: Grapplers
FLEET CARRIER (PL 6)
The fleet carrier has the ability to launch devastating attacks from millions of miles away, in the form of large numbers of fighters or assault fighters. Most fleet carriers are lightly armed, as they rely on their escorting vessels and payload of fighters to defend them against attack.
In addition to its normal cargo capacity, a fleet carrier can hold 16 fighters or assault fighters. Its listed crew complement does not include the ace pilots who fly these fighter craft. (Pilots count against the passenger capacity.) A fleet carrier can deploy up to 4 ultralight craft as a move action.
| Type: Heavy | Size: Colossal (–8 size) |
| Subtype: Fleet carrier | Tactical Speed: 3,000 ft. (6 sq.) |
| Defense: 11 | Length: 1,400 ft. |
| Flat-footed Defense: 7 | Weight: 140,000 tons |
| Autopilot Defense: 7 | Targeting System Bonus: +3 |
| Hardness: 30 | Crew: 320 (expert +8) |
| Hit Dice: 500d20 (10,000 hp) | Passenger Capacity: 80 |
| Initiative Modifier: +6 | Cargo Capacity: 40,000 tons |
| Pilot’s Class Bonus: +5 | Grapple Modifier: +16 |
| Pilot’s Dex Modifier: +4 | Base Purchase DC: 72 |
| Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +4 | Restriction: Military (+3) |
Attack: Battery of 5 neutron guns +3 ranged (6d8/19–20) and 2 batteries of 2 CHE missiles –5 ranged (6d12/18–20)
Attack of Opportunity: Point-defense system +3 ranged (4d12×10)
Standard PL 6 Design Specs:
Engines: Fusion torch, thrusters
Armor: Vanadium
Defense Systems: 2 chaff launchers (8 chaff bundles each), 2 decoy drone launchers (4 drones each), improved autopilot system, improved damage control (5d10), magnetic field, point-defense system, radiation shielding, self-destruct system
Sensors: Class III sensor array, targeting system
Communications: Laser transceiver, radio transceiver
Weapons: 1 battery of 5 neutron guns (range incr. 5,000 ft.), 2 batteries of 2 CHE missile launchers (4 launchers total, 16 missiles each)
Grappling Systems: Grapplers
HEAVY TRANSPORT (PL 6)
The heavy transport is designed to move great amounts of specialized cargo such as bulk freight, containerized freight, or roll-on/rolloff vehicle storage.
| Type: Heavy | Size: Colossal (–8 size) |
| Subtype: Heavy transport | Tactical Speed: 3,000 ft. (6 sq.) |
| Defense: 7 | Length: 1,320 feet |
| Flat-footed Defense: 5 | Weight: 120,000 tons |
| Autopilot Defense: 7 | Targeting System Bonus: +3 |
| Hardness: 30 | Crew: 24 (trained +4) |
| Hit Dice: 350d20 (7,000 hp) | Passenger Capacity: 20 |
| Initiative Modifier: +2 | Cargo Capacity: +16 |
| Pilot’s Class Bonus: +3 | Grapple Modifier: +16 |
| Pilot’s Dex Modifier: +2 | Base Purchase DC: 68 |
| Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +2 | Restriction: Restricted (+2) |
Attack: Battery of 3 heavy lasers –1 ranged (8d8/19–20) and battery of 3 gauss guns –6 ranged (8d12/19–20); or Battery of 3 gauss guns –1 ranged (8d8/19–20) and battery of 3 heavy lasers –6 ranged (8d12/19–20)
Attack of Opportunity: Point-defense system +3 ranged (4d12×10)
Standard PL 6 Design Specs:
Engines: Fusion torch, thrusters
Armor: Vanadium
Defense Systems: Damage control system (4d10), decoy drone launcher (2 drones), improved autopilot, magnetic field, point-defense system, radiation shielding, sensor jammer
Sensors: Class II sensor array, targeting system
Communications: Laser transceiver, radio transceiver
Weapons: 1 battery of 3 heavy lasers (range incr. 4,000 ft.), 1 battery of 3 gauss guns (range incr. 4,000 ft.)
Grappling Systems: Grapplers
TANKER (PL 6)
A tanker is a large starship intended for the transport of large quantities of gases or liquids. It can be adapted for other forms of cargo storage, but most ships of this size carry water, hydrogen, petrochemicals, or oxygen.
| Type: Heavy | Size: Colossal (–8 size) |
| Subtype: Tanker | Tactical Speed: 3,500 ft. (7 sq.) |
| Defense: 7 | Length: 1,200 feet |
| Flat-footed Defense: 5 | Weight: 120,000 tons |
| Autopilot Defense: 7 | Targeting System Bonus: +3 |
| Hardness: 30 | Crew: 32 (trained +4) |
| Hit Dice: 250d20 (5,000 hp) | Passenger Capacity: 8 |
| Initiative Modifier: +2 | Cargo Capacity: 52,000 tons |
| Pilot’s Class Bonus: +3 | Grapple Modifier: +16 |
| Pilot’s Dex Modifier: +2 | Base Purchase DC: 64 |
| Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +2 | Restriction: Restricted (+2) |
Attack: 1 battery of 4 heavy lasers +0 ranged (8d8/19–20)
Attack of Opportunity: Point-defense system +3 ranged (4d12×10)
Standard PL 6 Design Specs:
Engines: Ion engine, thrusters
Armor: Vanadium
Defense Systems: Damage control system (4d10), improved autopilot, point-defense system, radiation shielding, sensor jammer
Sensors: Class II sensor array, targeting system
Communications: Laser transceiver, radio transceiver
Weapons: 1 battery of 4 heavy lasers (range incr. 4,000 ft)
Grappling Systems: Grapplers
BATTLE CRUISER (PL 7)
The battle cruiser is a formidable warship that sacrifices weight of armor in exchange for speed. Its heavy weapons can make short work of any smaller vessel, and it can usually outrun anything big enough to stand up to it in a fair fight.
| Type: Heavy | Size: Colossal (–8 size) |
| Subtype: Battle Cruiser | Tactical Speed: 4,000 ft. (8 sq.) |
| Defense: 11 | Length: 1,360 feet |
| Flat-footed Defense: 7 | Weight: 140,000 tons |
| Autopilot Defense: 7 | Targeting System Bonus: +5 |
| Hardness: 30 | Crew: 320 (expert +8) |
| Hit Dice: 450d20 (9,000 hp) | Passenger Capacity: 160 |
| Initiative Modifier: +4 | Cargo Capacity: 50,000 tons |
| Pilot’s Class Bonus: +5 | Grapple Modifier: +16 |
| Pilot’s Dex Modifier: +4 | Base Purchase DC: 72 |
| Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +4 | Restriction: Military (+3) |
Attack: 4 fire-linked heavy particle beams +1 ranged (32d8) and 1 battery of 3 plasma missiles –2 ranged (18d8/18–20)
Attack of Opportunity: Point-defense +5 ranged (4d12×10)
Standard PL 7 Design Specs:
Engines: Particle impulse engine, thrusters
Armor: Cerametal
Defense Systems: 1 chaff launcher (8 chaff bundles), 1 decoy drone launcher (4 drones), improved autopilot, improved damage control (5d10), magnetic field, particle field, radiation shielding, self-destruct system
Sensors: Class IV sensor array, improved targeting system
Communications: Drivesat comm array, mass transceiver
Weapons: 4 fire-linked heavy particle beams (range incr. 5,000 ft.), 1 battery of 3 plasma missile launchers (16 missiles each), 1 minelayer (50 gravitic mines with displacers, magnetic fields, and particle fields; 10d10×10 damage)
Grappling Systems: Tractor beam emitter
LINER (PL 7)
This is a full-sized passenger ship. Although any vessel this size can’t avoid carrying some cargo, the liner specializes in moving a large number of passengers, usually in varying degrees of luxury.
| Type: Heavy | Size: Colossal (–8 size) |
| Subtype: Liner | Tactical Speed: 4,000 ft. (8 sq.) |
| Defense: 7 | Length: 1,200 feet |
| Flat-footed Defense: 5 | Weight: 84,000 tons |
| Autopilot Defense: 7 | Targeting System Bonus: |
| Hardness: 30 | Crew: 200 (trained +4) |
| Hit Dice: 250d20 (5,000 hp) | Passenger Capacity: 800 |
| Initiative Modifier: +2 | Cargo Capacity: 40,000 tons |
| Pilot’s Class Bonus: +3 | Grapple Modifier: +16 |
| Pilot’s Dex Modifier: +2 | Base Purchase DC: 68 |
| Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +2 | Restriction: Restricted (+2) |
Attack: Battery of 4 plasma cannons +2 ranged (14d8/19–20)
Attack of Opportunity: Point-defense system +5 ranged (4d12×10)
Standard PL 7 Design Specs:
Engines: Induction engine, thrusters
Armor: Cerametal
Defense Systems: Damage control (4d10), improved autopilot system, particle field, point-defense system
Sensors: Class IV sensor array, improved targeting system
Communications: Drivesat comm array, mass transceiver
Weapons: 1 battery of 4 plasma cannons (range incr. 3,000 ft.)
Grappling Systems: Tractor beam emitter
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