The Planets
Since the arrival of men and women in the Quadrant settlement has occurred at a breakneak pace and there are people living on nearly every single habitable world in the zone.
The types of planets in the quadrant break down into three that support human life -- Civilized Planets, Fringe Planets and Feral Planets. There are also Stars and Dead Planets which do not support life.
Civilized Planets
Civilized Planets have no wild spaces left to Explore and are covered with human life and settlement. The Captain can land on a Civilized Planet and expect to find a thriving place, rich with business and opportunity.
Civilized Planets have only an Urban Zone (see below.)
Fringe Planets
Fringe Planets have both an Urban Zone and a Wild Zone (see below.)
Planets outside of Quadrant Core, especially those flying the Independent Spacers flag are often more expensive due to there remove locations, however, the markets and spice halls are often full of goods and the governments do not require Permits or Edicts.
Feral Planets
Feral Planets only have a Wild Zone.
Dead Planets
Dead Planets have no Zones, however, they provide safe haven and hiding locations for many types of ships.
Stars
Stars cannot be navigated by starships, the Hull is not strong enough to resist the extreme temperatures and pressures of stellar travel without a Star Drive.
Urban Zones
The Palace
The Palace allows a Captain to speak with a leader of the Urban Zone and discuss faction politics and Contracts. The Palace works the same for Syndicate and Clan worlds.
Stardock
The Stardock allows a Captain to repair, upgrade and rearm his Ship. Some upgrades at the Stardock are only available to Captains with Permits or those licensed as Bounty Hunters. Stardocks operated by Independent Spacers will sell to anyone.
Trade Exchange
The Trade Exchange allows a Captain to purchase Water-Fuel for his ship, or sell merchandise. The prices at the Trade Exchange will be determined by the Captain's Reputation, Rank and Permits.
Spice Hall
The Spice Hall allows the Crew to relax and the Captain can speak to other Captains and hear Rumors or take Contracts. The Spice Hall also allows the Captain to pay for his Crew to enjoy themselves (and raise Morale) or take on new Crew members if the ship is understaffed.
Wilderness Zones
Explore
The Explore operation allows the Captain and the Crew to leave the protection of the Ship and attempt to explore ancient ruins and sites in an attempt to discover riches, fame and fortune.
The Captain may uncover Records, Artifacts, Weapons or Electronics. These can be sold for tremendeous profits. Some planets are better than others for exploration -- the best planets are Ancient Crash Sites.
Sometimes a Planet may have a new discovery of Dark Age Technology -- if you hear a Rumor about a Planet at the Spice Hall or Palace, it may make the chances of discovering items much higher.
Gather
The Gather operation allows the Captain and the Crew to use the Ship's Engines to try to Harvest resources from the planet.
The Captain may uncover Water-Fuel, Crystals, Metals, REcords, Plants, Spice and Chemicals. Some planets have better prospects for exploration -- the best planets are Rich Harvest Sites.
Sometimes a Planet will have a Very Rich Harvest -- if you hear a Rumor about a Planet at the Spice Hall or Palace, it may make the chances of finding a huge load of goods much higher.
Cache
The Cache operation allows the Captain to hide Cargo on the surface of a planet. Some Captains use this to stockpile Cargo for trade later, or to leave an emergency stash of Water-Fuel behind enemy lines.
Sometimes Treasure Hunters will attempt to steal the hidden Caches on a Planet. If the Captain hears a Rumor in the Spice Hall or Palace he might want to return to the Planet to recover his Cargo before it is stolen. To avoid betrayal by the Crew, the Captain never writes down where he hides his Cargo.
The Ship
Ownership of a starship makes a man or a woman a very special person -- beyond a merchant or a bounty hunter -- they are a Captain. A captain must know his or her ship and it's crew inside and out to be successful in the deep of space.
Hull
The Hull protects the Captain and Crew from the harsh vacuum of deep space. Should the Hull be breached or reach Rating 0 the Ship will be destroyed and the Captain and Crew killed.
The Hull can only be repaired at a Starport.
A high Hull value will make the Ship more difficult to damage.
Engines
The Engines propel the ship over short distances at low speeds and with maximum agility. The Engines also power the Guns, Torpedos and Life Support Systems.
High Engines are good for Boarding, Guns
The Engines can be repaired at a Starport. The Crew and Captain are capable of making makeshift repairs to the Engines.
Solar Sail
The Sails propel the ship over long distances at high speeds with little agility. The Sail helps with accurate Torpedos, main map Ship movement and evasion in combat.
High Solar sails are good for speed, torpedos and combat at long range.
The Solar Sail can be repaired at a Starport. The Crew and Captain are capable of making makeshift repairs to the Sail.
Crew
The Crew is the men and women who operate, repair and control the Ship under the direction of the Captain.
Each Ship has an optimal Crew number and the Captain will not recruit more Crew than his or her Ship needs.
A healthy, happy Crew is critical for every operation of the Ship. If a Crew's Morale reaches 0 they will fight the Captain for control of the Ship.
A Crew's Morale is increased by relaxation time off the Ship, Luxury Supplies and by successful Ship Operations, especially those that do not result in death among the Crew.
A Crew's Morale is decreased by the Captiain's failures and mistakes, lack of Water-Fuel, Capture, Prison and Death.
Guns
The Barrage Gunners, or Guns, are the ship's primary short range offensive weapon as well as the ship's only defensive weapon.
While inaccurate and ineffective at long ranges, Barrage Gunners are capable of highly targeted strafing runs at short range -- allowing the Captain to order a Barrage fired against the Crew Decks or Ship's Engines.
Torpedos
The Hypersonic Hunter Killer Space Torpeod, or Torp, is the ship's primary long range weapon and is devastatingly effective against unarmored ships.
The Torp is very inaccurate and prone to failure at short range, however, at Long Range the Hunter Killer Shipmind provides extreme accuracy. Torps have the the additional benefit that clean misses rapidly return to the ship for rearming.
Cargo Hold
The Cargo Hold transports the Crew and Ship's Water-Fuel as well as the Captain's Cargo and any special packages or passengers.
Larger ships with larger Crews require more Water-Fuel and often have larger Cargo Holds. A ship with a small Cargo Hold will be required to make frequent stops for supplies.
The Captain
You control the Captain and he or she is your character. The Captain has a number of attributes which describe his or her physical and metal abilities, as well as a set of skills that are relevant to all space-faring professions.
As the Captain travels the quadrant and completes his or her goals they gain Experience which can be spent during Training to raise Attributes or Skills.
Higher Attributes and Skills means the Captain will have an easier time defeating enemies, controlling the ship, buying and selling merchandise and exploring remote planets.
The Factions
Permits
Trade Permits are purchased at the Palace and protect you from all Pirates of that Nation. You are also immediately able to Buy and Sell Artifacts, Electronics and Weapons.
Bounty Licenses
Death Warrants are purchased at the Palace and double the reputation bonus of any Bounty Hunter Mission undertaken. They also protect your ship from Bounty Hunters of the Nation. You are able to participate in Assassin Duals (see Conflicts.)
Reputation
Reputation reduces the costs that the Captain pays when dealing with the Faction. It also increases the Captain's payments for Contracts and the Faction will work to protect the Captain from hostile enemy Factions.
Rank
Rank - Rank 1 Protects Ship from Warships of Nation. Surrender does not require Search. Higher ranks increase bonus of Solar War, Trade War and other Conflicts. Rank reduces the cost of all things purchased with Nation, similar to Reputation, but at a much higher rate.
Faction Conflicts
Spy Battle
Doubles the Reputation bonus for Selling Records to either Nation. Chance of Reputation Lost with Opposite Nation of Sale
Dual of Assassins
Doubles the Reputation bonus for Bounty Hunter Missions (Capture and Destroy.)
Trade War
Adds a Reputation bonus for defeating Merchants belonging to enemy Faction.
Solar War
All out battle. Doubles Reputation Bonus for any action taken against Enemy Faction. Sometimes allows special missions.
Alliance
Friendship. Adds Reputation penalties for attacking either Faction.
Trade Alliance
Doubles Reputation bonus for Selling Licensed Goods to either Faction.
Star Traders RPG: Trade or Pirate to gain Galactic Riches in this simulation-style space opera RPG created by Cory Trese.