Spaceships

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Spaceship Sizes

Spaceships in the Dominion are typically categorised into size classes based on their mass.  This classification is maintained by the Mercantile Bureau and assigns ships a designator of the form SM+<size number> (SM after ‘Size (Mass)’ [GM:  It’s entirely coincidental that ‘SM ‘is an acronym for ‘Size Modifier’ in the GURPS rules…]).

The classification bands are based on the smallest possible manned ‘ship’ – a person in a spacesuit and increase in rounded multiples of three from there, as follows: 

  • A person in a spacesuit masses about 100kg and is Size 0
  • The next size, SM+1 is about 3 times bigger – about 300kg
  • Three times bigger than that is about 1000kg – Size SM+2
  • and so on…

In practice, the smallest single-seat fighters are SM+4 (10 tonne), the big bulk freighters that operate on standard routes are SM+12 (100,000 tonne) and the largest navy ships about SM+14 (1,000,000 tonne)

The Legion tends to follow the Mercantile Bureau’s number classification, but typically has names for the size classes. Although, this is not a pure classification but conflates the concept of function into a single label. 

By contrast, non-military ships are more usually referred to by their size number or mass and a label descriptive of their function.  For example, a ‘Size 9 Freighter’ or a ‘3 kilotonne freighter’ rather than a ‘frigate’.  

 

Legion Navy Typical Ship Size Class Names Table

Size Tonnage Typical Navy Ship Class Names
SM+4 10t Light Fighter, Gig, Runabout
SM+5 30t Packet, Medium Fighter, Jolly Shuttle
SM+6 100t Pinnace, Heavy Fighter, Shuttle
SM+7 300t Corvette, Heavy Shuttle
SM+8 1kt Sloop
SM+9 3kt Frigate
SM+10 10kt Destroyer
SM+11 30kt Cruiser
SM+12 100kt Heavy Cruiser/Light Carrier
SM+13 300kt Battlecruiser/Battleship/Carrier
SM+14 1Mt Supercruiser/Super Battleship/Supercarrier
 

See here for Legion Navy command rank requirements associated with different Size Classes.

 

Spaceship Build Classes

In addition to the Size Class, spaceships have a Build Class – because there’s nothing like using the same term for different things to keep people on their toes.

A ship’s Build Class refers to its design.  All the ships built according to the same design belong to the same Build Class.

In most cases the Build Class name and the name of the first ship built to that design are identical.

  

Spaceship Names

The Naming of Ships is a difficult matter, it isn’t just one of your holiday games.  You may think at first I’m a maddened Enclaver when I tell you, a ship might have different names…

(with apologies to T S Elliot)

Naming practices for individual ships vary between operators.

Traditionally, where a ship is given an individual name, that name is in some way related to the Build Class name.  For example, Clarifier Class Research Ships operated by the Vizierate are named Clarifier, Illuminator and Enlightener.   This is not always followed in practice.

In general, the larger a ship is, the more likely it is to have a distinct name instead of being referred to by some sort of sequential identifier.
 

Independents

Independent operators usually give their ships a distinct name, irrespective of its size.  Independent ships are the ones most likely to break with the ‘name relates to class’ tradition.
Examples:
  • The 3 kt (SM+9) Walrus-Class FreighterSpanial
  • The 10 kt (SM+10) Elizabeth-Class FreighterCyprinidae
 

Vizierate

The Vizierate sometimes adopts the Legion names for its ships’ Size Classes – usually the less combative descriptors – but also uses other terms, for example, the largest ships operated by the Vizierate are the SM+12 Clarifier Class Research Ships – the Legion doesn’t have ‘Research Ships’. 

In most cases individual Vizierate ships are named after their class followed by an identifying number.  The numbers are not sequential and don’t seem to obey any logic that is transparent to people outside the Vizierate.
 
Examples:
  • The 100 kt (SM+12) Clarifier-Class Research Ship Illuminator
  • The 1 kt (SM+8) Maldemar-Class Sloop Maldemar 732
  • The 300t (SM+7) Snark-Class FTL Courier Snark 416

 

Mercantile Bureau

Independently registered ships of the Mercantile Bureau are given unique names, however given the small and relatively homogeneous set of designs operated by the bureau they don’t tend to follow Class name relationships, but instead tend to be named for whatever route to which they were originally assigned.  Ships tend to keep their original name even if subsequently assigned to other routes.
Auxiliary craft without an independent registration are usually named after the parent ship (sometimes in an abbreviated way) followed by an identifying number.  
Examples:
  • The 100 kt (SM+12) Conveyor-class Bulk Freighter Riches of Aden
  • The 30 t (SM+5) Yawl-class Jolly Shuttle Treasure 1(Auxiliary to Riches of Aden)

Trade Bureau

All Trade Bureau ships are given unique names.  They tend to follow thename-relates-to-class tradition.  However, larger ships tend to have the name suffixed with ‘Trader’.  
Examples:
  • The 100 kt (SM+12) Conveyor-class Bulk Freighter Porter Spielvogel’s Trader
  • The 30 t (SM+5) Yawl-class Jolly Shuttle Spirited Yawl (Auxiliary to Porter Spielvogel’s Trader)

Legion

The Legion’s larger ships are given distinct names and almost always follow the name-relates-to-class tradition in some way.
The Legion has a naming standard for it’s smaller ships as follows:
  • Every ship in the Legion is assigned to a fleet
    • Even if the ship never operates with other ships, it still has a notional fleet assignment
  • Legion fleets are numbered according to a set of logical rules
  • Each numbered fleet also has a one-word name that forms part of its fleet emblem and identity
  • Each vessel assigned to the fleet has the fleet name as the first part of its ship name
  • After the ship name, the ship is identified by a string of alpha characters that indicate
    • Size Class
    • Build Class
    • Construction Location
    • Construction Serial Number at that Location
  • The string of alphas is constructed such that it is always pronounceable as a word, even if (as it usually is) that is a nonsense word
Even ships with with their own unique name will have an alternate ‘fleet name’ of the form fleet name + alphas.
If a ship is transferred between fleets, its fleet name changes.
Examples:
  • The 10 kt (SM+10) Hand-class Destroyer Norhand
  • The 300 kt (SM+13) Bastion-class Carrier Bulwark (fleet name = Zealous ZAZEP)
  • The 100 t (SM+6) Inspector-class Pinnace Zealous PUNOUB
    • 7th Fleet (Zealous), Pinnace (P), Inspector Class (U), built at New Zargland (N), 37th built (OUB)   

   

Legion Numbered Fleets Table

Fleet Number  Assignment Area  Role  Fleet Banner Name  Fleet Prefix
 1st Octant 1 Primary  Victory Victorious
 2nd Octant 2 Primary  Protection Protector
 3rd Octant 3 Primary  Vigilant Vigilant
 4th Octant 4 Primary  Resolute Resolute
 5th Octant 5 Primary  Effective Effective
 6th Octant 6 Primary  Prosperity Prosperous
 7th Octant 7 Primary  Zealous Zealous
 8th Octant 8 Primary  Exalted Exalted
 10th Zargonia Primary  Capital Capital
 11th Octant 1 Assault  Strike Strike
 12th Octant 2 Assault/ Defense  Enforcer Enforcer
 19th   Commissariat  Morality Moral
 20th Zargonia Defense  Shield Shield
 21st Octant 1 Defense  Guardian Guardian
 29th   Expedition/ Exploration Expeditionary Expedition
 39th   Special Tasks Instrumentality Instrument
 49th   Reserve Reserve Reserve

   

Legion Size and Functional Codes Table

Size Class Functional Designation Alpha Code
SM+4 Light Fighter L
SM+4 Gig G
SM+4 Runabout R
SM+5 Medium Fighter M
SM+5 Jolly Shuttle J
SM+5 Packet T
SM+6 Heavy Fighter H
SM+6 Shuttle SH
SM+6 Pinnace P
SM+7 Corvette K
SM+7 Heavy Shuttle ZH
SM+8 Sloop S
SM+9 Frigate F
SM+10 Destroyer D
SM+11 Cruiser THo 
SM+12 Heavy Cruiser THv 
SM+12 Light Carrier N
SM+13 Battlecruiser V
SM+13 Battleship B
SM+13 Carrier Z
SM+14 Supercruiser W
SM+14 Super Battleship CH
SM+14 Supercarrier Y
Any Other NG

   

Legion Ship Build Location Codes Table

Location  Main Yard  Secondary Yard
Octant 1 W H
Octant 2 T D
Octant 3 THo THv
Octant 4 F K
Octant 5 V G
Octant 6 S SH
Octant 7 N M
Octant 8 Y J
Zargonia Z ZH

  

Legion Ship Serial Codes Table

 

Serial Code Serial Code Serial Code Serial Code Serial Code
1 IP 116 URK 231 AH THv  346 OACH 461 AH
2 EAP 117 ARRK 232 AW THv  347 OO^ CH 462 IYH
3 EP 118 EARK 233 AR THv  348 OO- CH 463 AH
4 AYP 119 IAK 234 OR THv  349 OUCH 464 UH
5 AP 120 YEWK 235 AI THv  350 OICH 465 OH
6 IYP 121 IG 236 UR THv  351 AHCH 466 OAH
7 AP 122 EAG 237 ARR THv  352 AWCH 467 OO^ H
8 UP 123 EG 238 EAR THv  353 ARCH 468 OO- H
9 OP 124 AYG 239 IA THv  354 ORCH 469 OUH
10 OAP 125 AG 240 YEW THv  355 AICH 470 OIH
11 OO^ P 126 IYG 241 IS 356 URCH 471 AHH
12 OO- P 127 AG 242 EAS 357 ARRCH 472 AWH
13 OUP 128 UG 243 ES 358 EARCH 473 ARH
14 OIP 129 OG 244 AYS 359 IACH 474 ORH
15 AHP 130 OAG 245 AS 360 YEWCH 475 AIH
16 AWP 131 OO^ G 246 IYS 361 IJ 476 URH
17 ARP 132 OO- G 247 AS 362 EAJ 477 ARRH
18 ORP 133 OUG 248 US 363 EJ 478 EARH
19 AIP 134 OIG 249 OS 364 AYJ 479 IAH
20 URP 135 AHG 250 OAS 365 AJ 480 YEWH
21 ARRP 136 AWG 251 OO^ S 366 IYJ 481 IL
22 EARP 137 ARG 252 OO- S 367 AJ 482 EAL
23 IAP 138 ORG 253 OUS 368 UJ 483 EL
24 YEWP 139 AIG 254 OIS 369 OJ 484 AYL
25 IB 140 URG 255 AHS 370 OAJ 485 AL
26 EAB 141 ARRG 256 AWS 371 OO^ J 486 IYL
27 EB 142 EARG 257 ARS 372 OO- J 487 AL
28 AYB 143 IAG 258 ORS 373 OUJ 488 UL
29 AB 144 YEWG 259 AIS 374 OIJ 489 OL
30 IYB 145 IF 260 URS 375 AHJ 490 OAL
31 AB 146 EAF 261 ARRS 376 AWJ 491 OO^ L
32 UB 147 EF 262 EARS 377 ARJ 492 OO- L
33 OB 148 AYF 263 IAS 378 ORJ 493 OUL
34 OAB 149 AF 264 YEWS 379 AIJ 494 OIL
35 OO^ B 150 IYF 265 IZ 380 URJ 495 AHL
36 OO- B 151 AF 266 EAZ 381 ARRJ 496 AWL
37 OUB 152 UF 267 EZ 382 EARJ 497 ARL
38 OIB 153 OF 268 AYZ 383 IAJ 498 ORL
39 AHB 154 OAF 269 AZ 384 YEWJ 499 AIL
40 AWB 155 OO^ F 270 IYZ 385 IY 500 URL
41 ARB 156 OO- F 271 AZ 386 EAY 501 ARRL
42 ORB 157 OUF 272 UZ 387 EY 502 EARL
43 AIB 158 OIF 273 OZ 388 AYY 503 IAL
44 URB 159 AHF 274 OAZ 389 AY 504 YEWL
45 ARRB 160 AWF 275 OO^ Z 390 IYY 505 IR
46 EARB 161 ARF 276 OO- Z 391 AY 506 EAR
47 IAB 162 ORF 277 OUZ 392 UY 507 ER
48 YEWB 163 AIF 278 OIZ 393 OY 508 AYR
49 IT 164 URF 279 AHZ 394 OAY 509 AR
50 EAT 165 ARRF 280 AWZ 395 OO^ Y 510 IYR
51 ET 166 EARF 281 ARZ 396 OO- Y 511 AR
52 AYT 167 IAF 282 ORZ 397 OUY 512 UR
53 AT 168 YEWF 283 AIZ 398 OIY 513 OR
54 IYT 169 IV 284 URZ 399 AHY 514 OAR
55 AT 170 EAV 285 ARRZ 400 AWY 515 OO^ R
56 UT 171 EV 286 EARZ 401 ARY 516 OO- R
57 OT 172 AYV 287 IAZ 402 ORY 517 OUR
58 OAT 173 AV 288 YEWZ 403 AIY 518 OIR
59 OO^ T 174 IYV 289 ISH 404 URY 519 AHR
60 OO- T 175 AV 290 EASH 405 ARRY 520 AWR
61 OUT 176 UV 291 ESH 406 EARY 521 ARR
62 OIT 177 OV 292 AYSH 407 IAY 522 ORR
63 AHT 178 OAV 293 ASH 408 YEWY 523 AIR
64 AWT 179 OO^ V 294 IYSH 409 IW 524 URR
65 ART 180 OO- V 295 ASH 410 EAW 525 ARRR
66 ORT 181 OUV 296 USH 411 EW 526 EARR
67 AIT 182 OIV 297 OSH 412 AYW 527 IAR
68 URT 183 AHV 298 OASH 413 AW 528 YEWR
69 ARRT 184 AWV 299 OO^ SH 414 IYW 529 IM
70 EART 185 ARV 300 OO- SH 415 AW 530 EAM
71 IAT 186 ORV 301 OUSH 416 UW 531 EM
72 YEWT 187 AIV 302 OISH 417 OW 532 AYM
73 ID 188 URV 303 AHSH 418 OAW 533 AM
74 EAD 189 ARRV 304 AWSH 419 OO^ W 534 IYM
75 ED 190 EARV 305 ARSH 420 OO- W 535 AM
76 AYD 191 IAV 306 ORSH 421 OUW 536 UM
77 AD 192 YEWV 307 AISH 422 OIW 537 OM
78 IYD 193 I THo  308 URSH 423 AHW 538 OAM
79 AD 194 EA THo  309 ARRSH 424 AWW 539 OO^ M
80 UD 195 E THo  310 EARSH 425 ARW 540 OO- M
81 OD 196 AY THo  311 IASH 426 ORW 541 OUM
82 OAD 197 A THo  312 YEWSH 427 AIW 542 OIM
83 OO^ D 198 IY THo  313 IZH 428 URW 543 AHM
84 OO- D 199 A THo  314 EAZH 429 ARRW 544 AWM
85 OUD 200 U THo  315 EZH 430 EARW 545 ARM
86 OID 201 O THo  316 AYZH 431 IAW 546 ORM
87 AHD 202 OA THo  317 AZH 432 YEWW 547 AIM
88 AWD 203 OO^  THo  318 IYZH 433 ING 548 URM
89 ARD 204 OO-  THo  319 AZH 434 EANG 549 ARRM
90 ORD 205 OU THo  320 UZH 435 ENG 550 EARM
91 AID 206 OI THo  321 OZH 436 AYNG 551 IAM
92 URD 207 AH THo  322 OAZH 437 ANG 552 YEWM
93 ARRD 208 AW THo  323 OO^ ZH 438 IYNG 553 IN
94 EARD 209 AR THo  324 OO- ZH 439 ANG 554 EAN
95 IAD 210 OR THo  325 OUZH 440 UNG 555 EN
96 YEWD 211 AI THo  326 OIZH 441 ONG 556 AYN
97 IK 212 UR THo  327 AHZH 442 OANG 557 AN
98 EAK 213 ARR THo  328 AWZH 443 OO^ NG 558 IYN
99 EK 214 EAR THo  329 ARZH 444 OO- NG 559 AN
100 AYK 215 IA THo  330 ORZH 445 OUNG 560 UN
101 AK 216 YEW THo  331 AIZH 446 OING 561 ON
102 IYK 217 I THv  332 URZH 447 AHNG 562 OAN
103 AK 218 EA THv  333 ARRZH 448 AWNG 563 OO^ N
104 UK 219 E THv  334 EARZH 449 ARNG 564 OO- N
105 OK 220 AY THv  335 IAZH 450 ORNG 565 OUN
106 OAK 221 A THv  336 YEWZH 451 AING 566 OIN
107 OO^ K 222 IY THv  337 ICH 452 URNG 567 AHN
108 OO- K 223 A THv  338 EACH 453 ARRNG 568 AWN
109 OUK 224 U THv  339 ECH 454 EARNG 569 ARN
110 OIK 225 O THv  340 AYCH 455 IANG 570 ORN
111 AHK 226 OA THv  341 ACH 456 YEWNG 571 AIN
112 AWK 227 OO^  THv  342 IYCH 457 IH 572 URN
113 ARK 228 OO-  THv  343 ACH 458 EAH 573 ARRN
114 ORK 229 OU THv  344 UCH 459 EH 574 EARN
115 AIK 230 OI THv  345 OCH 460 AYH 575 IAN
Note:  The orthography for contemporary English does not distinguish between the voiced and unvoiced phonemes of ‘TH’ and the short and long phonemes ‘OO’, however the Dominion’s phonetic script does.  In the tables above, these phonemes are represented as follows:
  • THo – unvoiced ‘TH’, for example as in THick and goTH
  • THv – voiced ‘TH’, for example as in THis and THus
  • OO^ – short ‘OO’, for example as in hOOk and nOOk
  • OO- – long ‘OO’, for example as in hOOp and nOOdle    
   

Spaceship Registry

The Legion maintains a registry of all non-Legion ships in the Dominion.  These are assigned a Dominion Ship Registry ID by the Legion in addition to the name selected by their operator.  The Ship Registry ID has similarities in structure to the Mer ID.  It is of the following form:

<Operator Type Code>-<Registration System Code>-<Registration Region Code>-<Registration Date>-[<Auxiliary ID>-]<Check Code>

Format:  A-AX-XXX-NNNNNN-[NNN-]-A

  

  • The Operator Type Code is determined from the table below.
  • The Registration System Codes come from the standard list of system codes.
  • In practice, the Registration Region Codes are limited to places that have a Legion Cast equipped to conduct ship inspections and registration.  Note that while ship registration is a sufficiently infrequent event that the registration date can generally be used as a unique identifier, should multiple ships be registered on the same Cycle, the Legion has a list of alternate Region Codes for each Cast to be used to make the registration unique.  
  • Registration Date is shown in Cycles.  
  • A ship may be registered as an Auxiliary Craft of another ship.  If so, it will be assigned a three-digit Auxiliary ID (usually 001 and counting up).  The Registry ID will otherwise be the same as the parent ship (though the presence of the Auxiliary ID may alter the Check Code). 
  • The Check Code will be one of the Dominion’s standard check code values, ie  {Z,W,T,TH,F,V,S,N,E,I}  

  

As noted, the Registry system does not apply to Legion ships.  In situations where a non-Legion ship would use a Registry ID, a Legion ship would use its Fleet Name. 

   

If a ship changes Operator or is re-registered for any other reason, an new Registry ID will be issued. 

Ships are required to display their Registry ID on their hull in accordance with set of regulatory specifications published by the Legion that would be capable of stunning a small creature if the hardcopy were used as a weapon.

    

Spaceship Registry Operator Type Code Table

Code Operator Group Operator Organisation
H Overlord’s Household  
U Underlord Household (a)  
V Vizierate  
W Wardenate (b)  
S Secretariat  
F Bureaucracy Mercantile Bureau
T Bureaucracy Trade Bureau
N Bureaucracy Communications Bureau (Net Packets)
K Bureaucracy Communications Bureau (Other)
A Bureaucracy Administration Bureau
R Bureaucracy Mining or Resources Bureaus
B Bureaucracy All Others
M Private Individual (Commercial Use)
Y Private Individual (Private Use)
P Private Partnership

  

(a)  Unused since Overlord Kate dismissed the Underlords.

(b)  The Vizierate, Wardenate and Legion have gone back and forth over the issue of Wardenate registry for many kiloCycles; the contentious issue for the Legion being that Wardenate ships are permitted to be armed under the Codex.    

  

Fees

Operators in the Private group are charged a fee for issuing the Registry ID, which entitles the ship to use facilities at Dominion Ports and transit the Overlord’s space (there is a notional equivalent for other operators, but that is all handled through the arcane arts of the Finance Bureau.)

The standard fee (which may be adjusted, again based on a thick sheaf of Legion regulations) is ʄ25,000 per ton of ship for M- and P-types and ʄ10,000 for Y-type registries for one kiloCycle, payable in advance.

   

Examples

  • V-ZZ-ZBL-199660-N – Vizierate-operated ship registered on 199.660 at Zebulon Station, Zargonia. 
  • V-VL-GRR-208337-Z – Vizierate-operated ship registered on 208.337 at GRAAS, Riddle.
  • M-THZ-KMO-209732-T – Privately operated commercial ship registered on 209.732 at Captree Main Orbital, Captree.

 

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