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--- rules:space [2012/10/07 21:38] – [Size] sam
+++ rules:space [2019/08/29 18:11] – sam
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-[[/genres/scifi|Yags SciFi]] is a genre specifically designed to allow for space combat, in a way that is interesting for players and suitable for games modelled on science fiction TV, books and films. It is probably slightly //harder// than the sort of space combat often portrayed by Hollywood, but would be suitable for series such as //Babylon 5// or the re-imagined //Battlestar Galactica//. Ultimately, a lot of the terminology has been inspired by //Traveller//.
+[[/scifi/|YAGS SciFi]] is a genre specifically designed to allow for space combat, in a way that is interesting for players and suitable for games modelled on science fiction TV, books and films. It is probably slightly //harder// than the sort of space combat often portrayed by Hollywood, but would be suitable for series such as //Babylon 5// or the re-imagined //Battlestar Galactica//. Ultimately, a lot of the terminology has been inspired by //Traveller//.
 The full set of rules for space craft isn't yet completed, but will be part of the //SciFi Tech// equipment rules (just as //Vehicles// is part of the //High Tech// article). What follows is an overview and introduction, as well as a set of design requirements.
+> These rules cover **Yags SciFi**, not **Yags Ultra Tech**. Though there will be many shared features of both, each represents a different view of physics. Ultra Tech is grounded in much harder science fiction, where space battles are long and boring. SciFi is more interested in action orientated science fiction - softer, but not too soft.
+Some example starship designs can be found on my [[https://www.notasnark.net/traveller/resources/index|Traveller Resources]] pages.
 ===== Scale =====
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 Limited manoeuvring ability will be an important criteria of early space battles however. Travel between worlds will be slow (weeks or months, but not years).
+==== Faster Than Light ====
 The default setting has travel between stars using Jump drives which carry ships several parsecs in a single jump that lasts a week. Instant communication is not possible, leading to fractured empires which have to rely on local bureaucrats or nobles to manage when a crises occurs. This allows a setting where PCs can be out on the rim of known space, with little contact with, or support from, those back home.
+==== Repulsor Fields ====
+On the surface of planets there will be //repulsor fields// which allow a form of anti-gravity. These become available at mid to high technology levels, and push against solid matter, allowing a vehicle to float above the surface without needing some form of thruster. Many space craft which need to land on planets will use them since they have less tendency to burn the landing site than fusion thrusters do.
+Such repulsor fields have their limitations - they are not so good over water (which is less dense, and reduces the effective altitude) and almost useless over bridges. Repulsors require about ten times the altitude in solid mass (they push against actual mass, not the local gravity field) beneath them to maintain altitude. The exact amount varies according to the density of the ground, and there will be many sports which take advantage of this to build race courses.
+Most repulsor vehicles, especially at the earlier technology levels, will be limited to a few metres of altitude. Specialist vehicles at high technologies will manage tens of kilometres, but they will be slow and ungainly and often rely on another form of propulsion to actually move around.
+> Such limitations allow a split between tanks and space craft. If a space ship can fly along the surface, up in the atmosphere or out in deep space with equal capability, then everything becomes a space ship. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but **Yags SciFi** prefers to delineate such types of vehicles from each other