Mechanical Catalog

Ships of the Fleet

The Jovian Chronicles universe is full of technological marvels. There are many uses for the knowledge that humanity has accumulated over the centuries and, as a space-faring people, one of the most useful of these is the construction of vehicles. The number of different vehicles used in the solar system of the 23rd century is astounding. The knowledge that the space settlements possess allows them to build any particular design in numbers if the demand for the design is great enough, whether it be from a military organization or the needs of the public. From the most advanced exo-vehicle used for war to a trading ship that plies the vast trade lanes to a simple space craft that ferries goods between stations, the machines used in space are vital to the well-being of all who live there. In an attempt to show a wide cross-section of the vehicles that exist in the solar system, the Mechanical Catalogue provides Gamemasters and Players with a wide variety of new vehicles to use in their games.

The Mechanical Catalogue was not originally planned. All of the material which is found in this book was intended to fit into the Jovian Chronicles Rulebook, but as the project grew, it became apparent that two books were necessary to include all the material that needed to be covered. Thus, while there is some overlap between the two books, there is material which has been expanded upon to provide both a richer background and more technical details.

While the Rulebook gave a useful sampling of the various exo-armors, fighters and capital ships in use in the solar system, the Mechanical Catalog provides a much broader look at the craft of the various factions. Smaller and larger craft serve alongside exo-armors like the CEGA Syreen or the JAF Vindicator and smaller exo-suits. This book also features a variety of civilian craft to supplement the Inari and Mule ships provided in the Rulebook. These vessels will be especially useful in a roleplaying campaign, where Player Characters are likely to be traipsing around the solar system in a variety of freighters or exploration ships.

1.1 Spacecraft and Vehicles

Vehicles are crucial to humanity's presence in space. Unlike the planet-bound life we all know, in space it is not possible to simply walk from one destination to another (even if the distances involved were on a smaller scale). Some kind of vehicle with life-support is required, be it a spaceship or a comparatively simple space suit with a thruster pack. As the setting for most of the action which Player Characters are likely to encounter, vehicles are important to the Jovian Chronicles as plot devices, props and backdrops. Whether the characters are trying desperately to save a doomed space ship, flying exos as part of their career, or just staying aboard a space station, space craft of one sort or another are virtually omnipresent in the game.

1.1.1 Using This Book

The Mechanical Catalog is intended to provide Jovian Chronicles players with a variety of vehicles to incorporate in their campaigns. The vehicles included are many of those which are likely to be seen or used by Player Characters in any profession or by Non-Player Characters which the PCs come in contact with.

There are a wide variety of vehicles shown in this book. Many of them, such as exo-suits (power-boosted linear frames, small enough to be used inside ships and bases), exo-armors, fighters, and space ships are most likely to be used in military-based campaigns. There are, however, also service and civilian vehicles such as repair-robots and a few commercially/publicly available space ships included for civilian campaigns and off-duty time.

Several different formats are used to present the vehicles found herein. The different ways in which the information is presented are a result of the different craft to be described. While some of the vehicles have little need for explanation or little history to describe, others are rich in detail.

The most common format is a two-page spread which includes a brief description of the machine, its role and history, as well as the vehicle sheet used for play. These vehicles are those which are likely to be seen less often by Player Characters (though the machines are not necessarily rare) for one reason or another, whether the model is an old workhorse or a cutting edge design.

In a similar vein, a four-page format is included for some of the machines which have a wider scope in the game. In addition to the information found in the two page format, these include a full frontal view of the vehicle and a number of common variants. These machines are those which are likely to be seen by the PCs at some point, but they may be prevalent in only one part of the solar system.

All the ships and exo-armors in the four page format feature a lengthy commentary by someone who has served aboard one of the vehicles described. These comments give additional flavor to the vessel, focusing on little-known foibles and strengths. Gamemasters can use these as inspiration for story ideas and to add flavor to a session featuring one of these craft.

For three civilian ships and the two commonly used exo-armors, the description is expanded to six pages and also includes a cut-away view and a detailed listing of the component parts. These machines are almost certain to be seen by the Player Characters, and are fairly common. The variants of these are also likely to be fairly common, but a custom model could hold some interesting surprises. These vehicles also feature crew comments.

For a few of the vehicles, such as the exo-suits, one page is sufficient to cover all relevant information. These vehicles are likely to be either commonly found, or specialized in their role; regardless, it is likely they will be seen by the Players at one point or another.

1.1.2 Solar Factions

The ships, exos and other vehicles in the Mechanical Catalog are grouped together by faction, with CEGA vessels first, then Jovian craft and finally those belonging to the other powers of the solar system. This division reflects the most important powers in the solar system and gives Gamemasters all the vessels that operate together. The CEGA section features some unique elements in a military space station and a eight-page color section. Like the color section in the Jovian Chronicles Rulebook, these pages give Gamemasters a campaign setting and the outline of a roleplaying adventure. Whereas the Rulebook's section focused on the Jovian Armed Forces, this one puts the spotlight on a CEGA space station and its personnel. Gamemasters running different types of campaigns can still use the color section as a setting for a few scenarios

The civilian and service vessels are grouped in with the independent powers because they can often be found in the Mercurian merchant fleets. They are equally popular with Jovian and Earth civilians, however, and can find their way into almost any campaign. Roleplaying campaigns that are not military in nature might also make good use of these vessels as campaign settings or props, along with the Mule freighter and Inari liner featured in the Jovian Chronicles Rulebook.

1.1.3 Hooks and Tips

In a tactical campaign or scenario, the Mechanical Catalog gives Players a chance to add more variety to their forces. A force comprised of several different units has more flexibility when it meets its opponents, and commanders of a group of units will have the opportunity to send units which are appropriate to the mission involved.

While the Mechanical Catalog is designed to provide Gamemasters and Players with a variety of new designs for their campaign, it is important that the focus of a roleplaying game remain on the characters involved in the game. While it can be fun for characters to try out all of the different vehicles which are available, if the game becomes centered around technology then Players will eventually become bored as their characters become little more than decorations for the latest machine that rolled off the assembly line. In order for the Gamemaster to keep the Players entertained, it is suggested that at least some of the vehicles provided be used as plot devices. For example, if the Player Characters are all part of an exo-armor squadron, the arrival of a new Pathfinder ST could cause all the pilots to become more competitive, in an attempt to catch the commanding officer's eye in an attempt to be assigned the impressive vehicle. In this way, the new design will add flavor to the campaign, but will keep the Player Characters and their opponents in the spotlight where they belong.

There are a lot of details on the vehicle sheets about the manufacture, parts, typical roles and other aspects of the vehicle. Gamemasters can use this to give additional "technical" flavor to their in-game descriptions; adding a bit of jargon helps to keep Players in the mood of the game, and it can also lead to interesting plot developments. For instance, if an exo is hit and the Characters are in unfamiliar territory, the fact that they need a LK-87F power coupler that is only manufactured several hundred of thousands of kilometers away can lead to all sorts of interesting situations as the PCs attempt to procure the only part on the station. In several of the vehicle descriptions, there are detailed technical drawing focusing on one interesting feature or another. These can be used as visual reference to help immerse Players in the scenario. Showing them what the malfunctioning coupling that's causing their exo-armor to fly off course looks like can be very effective and may also prompt them to find creative solutions on how to fix it.

For those who wish to play a "hard science"-fiction campaign, the tonnage listings of structure and propellants are available to be number crunched. However, in the interests of simplicity, most of the stats have been allowed a considerably large margin of error. Thus for any who wish a completely realistic simulation, the stats provided should be used as guidelines for the GM to flesh out as needed. This can also be attributed to the significant modifications which are done to many space vehicles in order to tailor them to their operator's wishes. Again, these values can be used as jargon by the GM to add flavor to the campaign. The protests of a technician who the Player Characters want to modify their ship can be made more convincing through the use of a few statistics.

The color section in the CEGA portion of the Catalog is designed exclusively to be of help to Gamemasters in setting up campaigns and includes a full cast of characters, deck plans for the Alpha-4 space station and a beginning adventure outline. Gamemasters can also "cannibalize" the section by taking from it a few elements they want to use. Perhaps the STRIKE terrorists featured in the section could appear elsewhere, or if the PCs end up on Mars, they could encounter Jan Kurtz. Even people tied to the station, such as CEGA personnel, can simply be moved to another post for the sake of a good story. While the section is designed to be used as a whole it can also serve as a source of time-saving elements for a completely different Jovian Chronicles campaign. One very easy way to do this is to simply use the color illustrations to represent characters and locations you have created. An image is, after all, worth a thousand words.