 September 14, 2017 - 3:21pm | I think this is a critical question just what equipment is on the Assault scout as standard load out. for example I think there is at least one insuit (KHs equipment for radiation exposure) for the engineer but 2 seems probable so that there is a spare. purpose in KHs is for overhaul and refuel of the atomic engines but you never know when the evil referee will trot out those leaking nuclear batteries refered to in AD. Most likely a laser power torch (KHs) and a power supply for it belt or backpack since militia or UPF Assault scouts can expect to respond to mayday's and rescue of victims from wreckage is a possibility in such situations. Med kit? seems like a minimum. Perhaps some nutrarad from Zebs guide (1 for every crew member lets say 5 total) and of course weapons and ammo- very interested in what you all have to say about this clearly its not going to be unlimmited but it seems that a military ship would have a descent supply but what is a descent supply? are they carrying any non ship safe stuff? other KHs equipment? extra LS tanks How many? patches for holes in vacuum suits? how many (more than likely a very generous supply of these I would think)? rocket packs? 1 per crew member? (call it 5 total) emergency shelters? early SFman had a tent. exploration/survival equipment from Mutiny on the E. Mores? EDIT Working on a militia series of articles and I think the community should collaborate on this question and I collate it and submit it as a community collaboration to the zine for that militia series. Anyone with naval experience out there? what might a small ship like this have for equipment? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 14, 2017 - 3:44pm | I remember seeing the NASA rescue suite back in the day when we had the space pick up truck aka the shuttle. It looked like a beach ball that a person needing to be rescued climbed inside and was sealed in while someone in a regular space suit towed one or more rescue suits from the compromised vehicle/station to the rescuing vehicle/station. Perhaps we should work up a cost and introduce this as emergency equipment stored aboard the assault scouts and other militia ships? Inventive Players might raid the internal Life support of these suits in a situation where all LS packs have been used and red neck engineer something for the PC's use. EDIT I remember seeing this as a orange beach ball suit in a National Geographic way back cant seem to locate it on the interwebs. At any rate something like this would come in handy in a rescue situation. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 14, 2017 - 4:13pm | Standard equipment would come in two types. Standard for the vessel type, repair parts and tools, life saving equipment for emergencies, personnal living items, etc. Other equipment would be standard for the type of mission the vessel is on. WoWL Assault Scouts who do alot of ship boarding would need a better airlock connection than a similar vessel which did alot of deep space patrolling. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 14, 2017 - 5:19pm | Standard equipment would come in two types. Standard for the vessel type, repair parts and tools, life saving equipment for emergencies, personnal living items, etc. Other equipment would be standard for the type of mission the vessel is on. WoWL Assault Scouts who do alot of ship boarding would need a better airlock connection than a similar vessel which did alot of deep space patrolling. So two equipment lists: one for militia and one for UPF or one heavily weighted for boarding and inspection missions and the other for deep space patrol Im guessing that the militia ship will have a lot more varied equipment as they will have a lot of boarding and inspection missions. First time they need item x and dont have it most likely they will obtain it soon. UPF deep space patrol will not be doing all these little missions that the militia do so they will not encounter some of the problems the militia crews do. and thus their list might be less robust except perhaps in the fire power aspect. EDIT: might also work up a table to roll on for random inclusion: yazirian disk grenade, spare med kit, hvy duty pry bar, tri-barrel gyro-jet rifle, survival knife with compass in hilt, package of new socks, a spork and etc. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 14, 2017 - 7:21pm | I remember seeing the NASA rescue suite back in the day when we had the space pick up truck aka the shuttle. It looked like a beach ball that a person needing to be rescued climbed inside and was sealed in while someone in a regular space suit towed one or more rescue suits from the compromised vehicle/station to the rescuing vehicle/station. ... EDIT I remember seeing this as a orange beach ball suit in a National Geographic way back cant seem to locate it on the interwebs. At any rate something like this would come in handy in a rescue situation. ISTR an article (perhaps in Challenge, for 2300AD or Traveller) that while experienced spacers would have their own custom-fitted spacesuits, passengers and visitors would get a "one size fits all" inflatable space suit (or in this case, mini-capsule). The nickname is a "glad bag", both because it looks like a sandwich baggie, but also you're REALLY GLAD to have one when you need it! |
September 15, 2017 - 4:12am | For more fun you could include local contracting on militia ships. It is pretty common practice along with law and just common sense to by locally for your military forces. During a war it can be difficult to get spare parts manufactured on a planet three jumps away. If the militia ships are expected to stay in system mostly than they would most likely have locally made items. You can take this two ways. 1) Funny quirks for items made on the local system that the PCs may not be familiar with. 2) Non local items that the part needed to make it work isn't available and a suitable replacement has to be found/made. Oh and UPF ships will most likely have Megacorp standard items, made by the lowest bidder. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 15, 2017 - 1:25pm | Rattraveller made me laugh: made by Lowest bidder. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 16, 2017 - 9:30am | Don't forget the repair crews never getting the repair manuals on new gizmos and having to wing it... happens more than it should because the company wants control over their high tech even though their contract with gov says otherwise... so just think some things work in the military because the fix it folks are figuring out repair hacks to repair them. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
September 16, 2017 - 1:03pm | When I was in the military we used to get this monthly maintenance magazine, very cartoonish and written on a third grade level that gave us the latest updates on various kinds of equipment repairs, new procedures and what not to do anymore. Wonder what the SF version would look like? Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 16, 2017 - 2:23pm | I think there should be a load out of non lethal weaponry for when the ROE require non lethal 2 sonic stunners 2 electro stunners 2 needler rifles & 4 clips 5 stunsticks Note SEU clips come from the regular load out of clips intended for the lethal stuff. 5 doze grenaded 5 tangler grenades 5 solvaway there is non lethal gyrojet ammo-tangler rounds (I believe it was in the sFman) but since its source is the SFman i'm of a mind to make this exotic and not something that is readily available. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 16, 2017 - 7:09pm | Non-Lethal would work for the WoWL and for those UPF ships mainly working inside the UPF performing Coast Guard type missions. Still need alot of lethal for the Frontier and borders with no wall patrols. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 17, 2017 - 12:47am | Non-Lethal would work for the WoWL and for those UPF ships mainly working inside the UPF performing Coast Guard type missions. Still need alot of lethal for the Frontier and borders with no wall patrols.
Alright for a UPF scout how about 4 stunners and a handful of tangler grenades? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 17, 2017 - 3:06pm | Always curious on how a tangler grenade would be for long term on a Dralasite? Couldn't they just reshape themselves so they could get away? Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 17, 2017 - 5:54pm | Always curious on how a tangler grenade would be for long term on a Dralasite? Couldn't they just reshape themselves so they could get away? There are limits to dralasite reshsping- no squeezing under doors or through key holes. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 17, 2017 - 6:04pm | Understand that part but if a Dralasite can absorb a limb and then grow another back in a different location couldn't they work their way out of a tangler grenade strands? Think of Houdini and his ability to dislocate his shoulders to get out of straight jackets. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 17, 2017 - 6:18pm | Understand that part but if a Dralasite can absorb a limb and then grow another back in a different location couldn't they work their way out of a tangler grenade strands? Think of Houdini and his ability to dislocate his shoulders to get out of straight jackets. An esploding tangler grenade throws out hundreds of strong, sticky polymer threads. These threads stick to everything within the blast radius. An entangled individual can not move until the threads decay (in 30 minutes) or until solvaway is spread over the threads. Any creature with more than 100 stamina can break out of tangler threads in one turn. I would rule that there is a adhesive quality here "sticky" and even if the dralasite absorbed the limb the strands are still sticking to the spot. In truth I would thin a dralasite would find tangler entrapment tantalizingly frustrating. Now, that I quoted the equipment description, can you tell me which creatures in SF are specifically listed as having 100 stamina? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 17, 2017 - 8:08pm | Actually a tangler grenade could be a party game for dralasites. Everyone stands in a circle and the host drops the grenade in the middle. Then everyone works to see who can get free without solvaway. First one free gets to pick the steam bath ingredients. Back on topic. Emergency survival kit for limping back to base when the engines are damaged and life support is low. This would be warm cothes, coats, heated suit, oxygen bottles, rations in tubes, etc. What you would need just short of having to fly home in a space suit. The hull is intact and there is one atmosphere of pressure around you but the oxygen recyclers may be on the blink. The environment controlls may be nonfunctional and temperatures swing from hot to cold (mostly cold) depending on solar radiation exposure. -iggy |
September 18, 2017 - 4:08am | OT: What about a life form that can produce more limbs in such a way that it can wrap around and constrict a PC... sort of the Dralasite form of a K-9 unit... animal IQ, trainable to attack on command, fast and trained to tackle, constrict and hold target. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
September 18, 2017 - 4:47am | Assault scout decks are small so 1 fire extinguisher every deck. You probably dont want to have to travel to another deck to fetch one. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 18, 2017 - 4:54am | Assault scout decks are small so 1 fire extinguisher every deck. You probably dont want to have to travel to another deck to fetch one. Good point. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
September 18, 2017 - 7:08am | Actually a tangler grenade could be a party game for dralasites. Everyone stands in a circle and the host drops the grenade in the middle. Then everyone works to see who can get free without solvaway. First one free gets to pick the steam bath ingredients. Back on topic. Emergency survival kit for limping back to base when the engines are damaged and life support is low. This would be warm cothes, coats, heated suit, oxygen bottles, rations in tubes, etc. What you would need just short of having to fly home in a space suit. The hull is intact and there is one atmosphere of pressure around you but the oxygen recyclers may be on the blink. The environment controlls may be nonfunctional and temperatures swing from hot to cold (mostly cold) depending on solar radiation exposure. I think extra clothes should come from issued parkas and such but the emergency blanket off the AD equipment list- lets say 10 each. Gas Mask (5)- for boarding actions if smoke grenades are being thrown and people are for some reason not in space suits. RE: boarding actions: UPF scout- the rotorary genade launcher and militia scout the AD grenade launcher doze, smoke, and tangler grenades seem appropriate from AD equipment list (5 ea militia, 10 each Space fleet). I dont see frag, poison or incendiary being approved for general use on the assault scouts. As for air tanks, air mix or straight O2 ? Anyone not agree with a stunstick doubling as a night stick if power is shut off? EDIT: Assault scouts dont come stocked with explosives or detonators. but is a member of the crew is demolitions qualified and or its mission appropriate then a load out of enough TD-19 plus variable timers (enough to breach a hull) seems appropriate- standard on a space fleet scout with demolitions qualified crew and only if mission appropriate on a militia scout. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 18, 2017 - 7:42am | Idea inspired by the tangler grenade. What if there is a hole plugging grenade/canister? This is a spray can that can also be put in fast release like a smoke grenade. The contents are a sticky substance that hardens when exposed to vacuum. If the crew knows where the leak is they can spray this over the hole to clog it up for a quick fix. If the hole is somewhere they can't reach or they can't find it they can put masks on and open the whole can. This will fill the whole room and the action of escaping air will pull the sticky particles into the hole(s). If the hole is big then the can can be set to explode releasing non-arisolized masses of the liquid that will be pulled to the hole or can be directed to the hole by aiming the can toward the breach. Think party popper where you aim the bottom of the can toward the breach and pull the string on the top. Just brain storming an idea as I run out the door for work. -iggy |
September 18, 2017 - 8:22am | The Survival Pack from the Serena Dawn minus the laser pistol and 20 SEU clip, tangler & doze grenade and chronocom. 1 machete 1 box of matches 1 all weather blanket 1 first aid pack (I rule this to be enough supplies to perform basic first aid or heal 1d10 STA one time) 2 packages of survival rations (each is enough for one being for 4 days) compass, life jacket, 10 vita salt pills, pocket tool, flashlight, 10m of rope toxyrad gauge, poly-vox, sun goggles, stretch coveralls and 8 liters of water. I'm of the opinion that the survival packs from the Serena Dawn were specific for that adventure due to the "en media res" beginning. that said they should be editted to delete the weapons which are stored elsewhere on the ship and the chronocom which is already worn by crewmembers. So to differentiate this from the "Survival Pack" in SF 0 I'll label this "Standard Survival Pack" work up a cost and weight for it. Any referee can use the Serena Dawn version if they like. Other items: entrenching tool (color varies: black, tan, OD green, orange?) I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 18, 2017 - 8:36am | OT: What about a life form that can produce more limbs in such a way that it can wrap around and constrict a PC... sort of the Dralasite form of a K-9 unit... animal IQ, trainable to attack on command, fast and trained to tackle, constrict and hold target. robotic K-9, specialty item only on ships with roboticist The Ro-Bo-A-K-9 RoBoAK-9 which is short for Robotic Boarding Action K-9 "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war" On the random item table: File Computer (Zebs) 1d5 quantity I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 18, 2017 - 12:22pm | On the ship spray idea I got a similiar thing in a D&D module concerning damaged area of the Beagle... Foam that is green with a hard ceramic like surface also protects against radiation... Old Star Empires ship crash landed... I will look through the notes on that stuff thought it was perfect for SF. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
September 18, 2017 - 2:45pm | On the ship spray idea I got a similiar thing in a D&D module concerning damaged area of the Beagle... Foam that is green with a hard ceramic like surface also protects against radiation... Old Star Empires ship crash landed... I will look through the notes on that stuff thought it was perfect for SF. Dosnt Zebs have a similar incompacitation foam? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 18, 2017 - 3:11pm | So far, unless I missed a suggestion, the following is a distillation of the posts so far so that we dont get a long chat string and it becomes a major chore to pull it all together. The numbers reflect the discussion on role differences between militia Assault scouts and Space Fleet and some appreciation of the difficulty of resupply Comments, suggestions, anything left out? Equipment Item Militia Space Fleet Damage Control Fire Extinguisher 1/deck 1/deck Laser Power torch and power pack 1 ea 1 ea Spare Engineer's tool kit 1 1 EVA Rocket Packs 6 6 Rocket Pack fuel 8 12 Extra suit patches 10 20 Mag Boots 6 6 500 m of rope on powered spool 1 1 "Glad Bag" emergency space suits 12 6 Suit LS 20 12 Emergency Supplies Gas Mask 6 6 Spare Med Kit 1 1 Standard Survival Packs 6 6 O2 tanks 6 10 Environmentalist Kit 0 1 Non Lethal Weapon Arsenal Sonic Stunner 2 2 Electro Stunner 2 2 Needler rifle w/2 clips 2 2 Doze Grenades 6 10 Stun Sticks 6 6 Smoke Grenades 6 10 Tangler Grenades 6 10 Solva-way capsules 6 5 Lethal Weapons Arsenal Grenade Launcher 1 0 Rotorary Grenade Launcher 0 1 Frag grenades 2 12 Grenade Bandolier 1 1 Laser Rifle 4 6 Automatic Rifle w/4 clips 2 4 Gyrojet Rifle w/4 clips 4 4 Rocket Launcher w/2 rockets 0 1 Power Supplies 20 SEU clip 20 30 Power Belts 2 6 Power Backpack 1 3 I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 18, 2017 - 3:52pm | Some other assumptions Crew of an Assault scout: 4-8 Just noticed that SFman #1 had a survival kit; I'll use that one for this Note the following table is actually 3d10 I'll renumber the numbers when I submit it Random table items 1. file computer (zebs) 1d5 2. 1d5 semi automatic pistols w/2clips each (SFman #1) and uni-being adjustable shoulder holsters 3. dura-raft (Sfman #1) 4. 3 Envirotents (SFman #1) 5. Subspace radio and type A parabattery (Alpha Dawn) 6. MR-17 Heavy Assault Rifle plus 3 clips (SFman #2) 7. 1 clip of Tangler gyrojet ammo (SFman #3) 8. Pump Action Scatter gun and box of 10 shells (SFman #4) 9. 2 Motion Trackers (SFman #5) 10. Holo-field scrambler (SFman #6) 11. Laser Auto Rifle 2 clips of ammo (SFman #7) 12. 1d5 cans of Photo Votaic Paint (SFman #8) 13. One double barreled shotgun- pistol grip and sawed off box of 1d10 shells (SFman #9) 14. 1d5 Albedo Grenades (SFman #10) 15. Yazerian Triple Barrel Gyrojet rifle and 6 clips of ammo (SFman #12) 16. Wartech's LWS SE-9 laser with attachable stock and 3 clips (SFman #14) 17. SP-4507 Balor Gyro-Mag with box of 2 load outs of ammo (SFman #15) 18. Assault Rocket ammo is HARM munitions (SFman #17) 19. Confiscated "Smoked Astrogator's" program (SFman #18) 20. Electro Goggles (Sfman #19) 21. Case of Dralasite Ool fruit (SFman #22) 22. Heavy Revolver box of 18 rounds (SFman #23) 23. Lunar Rover- packed in shipping crate (SFman #24) 24. Confiscated pair of Doze Daggers fully loaded with doze fluid (FE #2 page 33) 25. WarTeck's MUTT mk1 robot (FE #3) referee's choice on rifle mounted 26. Pair of authentic Morgain Trekkers w/integral knife sheath and a Morgaine Knife (FE #4 page 41) 27. Replace one class of rifles on the ship with Oni-senda made rifles and double the number available see details in FE #5 page 31. 28. 1d5 parawings (Alpha Dawn) 29. 1d5 MOOSE 2 orbit to earth parachute system (FE #7 page 26) 30. 6 Each Ground Fleet surplus web belt, canteen, ammo pouches and trenching tool (FE #8 page 14) 31. 1d5 Battle Field Bracers- First Sathar War era (FE #8 page 14) 32. Pale Exploration Service Utility Belt w/non orginal replacement tools (FE#9 page 22) 33. Box of 10 Hydro-Gel (FE #11 page 8) 34. VITAL Scanner (FE #11 page 9) 35. Confiscated Walking stick/ pole arm (FE #14 page 16) 36. Pair of confiscated laser hold out pistols (FE #15 page 4) 37. Yazirian Disk Grenade bandolier plus 6 disk grenades (referee's choice) and 2 capsules of solvaway (FE #18 page 37) 38. 1d5 explorer's vambraces (FE #20 page 25) If a ship has a demolitions qualified crew (UPF) or if they have a demo expert and the mission calls for it (Militia) 3 Kg of TD-19 5 variable timers Defensive equipment? defense screens? I assume that the service issues skien suits as BDUs I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 19, 2017 - 2:57pm | i think some defense screens are in order and these list should be ready to go to print any last minute imput. Note the random table below covers generally one item from SFman #1 thru FE #20 I basically chose what caught my interest if there was something suitable in the issue. There is one "cursed" item entry- the Oni-Senda contract weapons are doubled in number but their quality is suspect. My feeling on defense screens is only albedo and inertia screens are generally equipped on Assault scouts. Milita: 2 albedo screens and 4 inertia screens Space Fleet: 3 albedo screens and 6 inertia screens I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 19, 2017 - 6:19pm | Now, that I quoted the equipment description, can you tell me which creatures in SF are specifically listed as having 100 stamina? Big ones. Cybo-dragons Quickdeaths And most if not all your equipment packs are forgetting what could be your most important tool. A basic knife. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
September 20, 2017 - 5:00am | I couldn't find the foam in Zebs... so maybe I will write up something. I like the above idea that it comes in exploding cannisters that can be deployed. I will check the magazines next, maybe it is a fan idea in one of them? If not I will see about recycling and converting and tweeking the Anti-radiation Green Foam Ship Sealent from the City of the Gods. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
