Just added a list of Quirks and Perks for Starships to my blog. Anything I should add to the list?
Starship Quirks and Perks
- Thread starter Beerfume
- Start date
AnotherDilbert
SOC-14 1K
A decades old ship should have severe problems. There is a reason it is much cheaper than a new ship.
Quirky Jump Drive: Each time you jump roll 2D, on 2 the Jump Drive breaks down. 1D weeks in a shipyard to repair at 3% of original ship cost per week. It will break down again unless completely replaced.
Quirky M-Drive: Each time you use the M-drive for more than an hour roll 2D, on 2 the M-Drive breaks down. 1D weeks in a shipyard to repair at 1% of original ship cost per week.
Quirky Power Plant: Every week you rely on the Power Plant roll 2D, on 2 the Power Plant breaks down. 1D weeks in a shipyard to repair at 1% of original cost per week.
Quirky Purifiers: Each time you jump roll 2D, on 2 the Purifiers fail, you jump with unrefined fuel. 1-2 weeks in a shipyard to repair at 0,1% of original ship cost per week.
Dead Purifiers: The Fuel Purifier is dead.
Quirky Controls: Every month roll 2D, on 2 ship's controls (bridge) fails. You have to go to manual control off bridge. 1 - 4 weeks to repair at 1% of original ship cost per week.
Quirky Computer: Every month roll 2D, on 2 ship's computer fails. You better have a backup computer. 1 week to repair at 50% original computer (or 0,5% of original ship cost) cost.
Quirky Sensors: Every month roll 2D, on 2 ship's sensors fails. The ship is blind, you need to be guided to a starport. 1 week to repair at 50% original sensor cost (or 0,5% of original ship cost).
Dead turret socket: On turret socket is hardpoint is dead, no turret can work in that hardpoint.
Badly maintained: The ship need more maintenance than normal, you need twice as many Engineers.
Quirky Life Support: Roll 2D every week you inhabit the ship, on 2 the Life Support malfunctions severely. No air, no water, all sewers back up, or food storage fails.
Quirky Cargo Hatch: Roll 2D every time you open the cargo hatch, on 2 it is stuck.
Badly Repaired Hull Damage: Roll 2D every month, on 2 the hull springs a severe leak. You lose atmosphere in 1D × 10 min.
Obviously the buyer should mostly not be informed of these quirks beforehand.
Quirky Jump Drive: Each time you jump roll 2D, on 2 the Jump Drive breaks down. 1D weeks in a shipyard to repair at 3% of original ship cost per week. It will break down again unless completely replaced.
Quirky M-Drive: Each time you use the M-drive for more than an hour roll 2D, on 2 the M-Drive breaks down. 1D weeks in a shipyard to repair at 1% of original ship cost per week.
Quirky Power Plant: Every week you rely on the Power Plant roll 2D, on 2 the Power Plant breaks down. 1D weeks in a shipyard to repair at 1% of original cost per week.
Quirky Purifiers: Each time you jump roll 2D, on 2 the Purifiers fail, you jump with unrefined fuel. 1-2 weeks in a shipyard to repair at 0,1% of original ship cost per week.
Dead Purifiers: The Fuel Purifier is dead.
Quirky Controls: Every month roll 2D, on 2 ship's controls (bridge) fails. You have to go to manual control off bridge. 1 - 4 weeks to repair at 1% of original ship cost per week.
Quirky Computer: Every month roll 2D, on 2 ship's computer fails. You better have a backup computer. 1 week to repair at 50% original computer (or 0,5% of original ship cost) cost.
Quirky Sensors: Every month roll 2D, on 2 ship's sensors fails. The ship is blind, you need to be guided to a starport. 1 week to repair at 50% original sensor cost (or 0,5% of original ship cost).
Dead turret socket: On turret socket is hardpoint is dead, no turret can work in that hardpoint.
Badly maintained: The ship need more maintenance than normal, you need twice as many Engineers.
Quirky Life Support: Roll 2D every week you inhabit the ship, on 2 the Life Support malfunctions severely. No air, no water, all sewers back up, or food storage fails.
Quirky Cargo Hatch: Roll 2D every time you open the cargo hatch, on 2 it is stuck.
Badly Repaired Hull Damage: Roll 2D every month, on 2 the hull springs a severe leak. You lose atmosphere in 1D × 10 min.
Obviously the buyer should mostly not be informed of these quirks beforehand.
Macus74Bishop
SOC-7
I wrote an article recently in Freelance Traveller #75 "Starships for Sale" (page 48) that had a list of quirks as well. Use and abuse that list if you so wish.
Irrational
SOC-3
Here's a bunch I wrote up a few years back for an unfinished project.
One bridge station eats fuses like candy.
One of the landing legs is stuck in the deployed position.
The power plant occasionally vents helium gas, and lots of it.
One room's grav plates slowly cycle between .5G and 1.5G.
Something loose rattles around in the ducts whenever the ship maneuvers.
The plumbing moans and gurgles constantly.
The bridge viewports fog over if there are more than two people on the bridge.
The "luxurious" stateroom decor is 37 years out of fashion.
The ship's library is full of conspiracy documentation.
The fuel scoops howl like banshees.
The manual flight controls are loose and wobbly.
There's a well-tended mold garden in the ship's stores.
Once in a while, the ship's water tastes metallic.
Several cabinets in the ship's mess open up and spill their contents during hard maneuvers.
The ship's computer insists that you refer to it by name.
One or more of the attitude jets are badly out of alignment.
The ship's computer takes an immediate and permanent dislike to one of the crew.
The main airlock sticks, and needs to be shoved or kicked open.
The collision alarm is a soft, pleasant chime.
A colony of vermin living in the ventilation shafts have made a nest out of chewed up air filters.
The Check Engines light is on all the time.
Under acceleration, stress on the ship's superstructure causes one bulkhead door to jam shut.
Something in the air recycler smells like old track shoes.
Something in the air recycler smells dead.
The ship's computer occasionally makes up words.
Water condenses in spots on the cargo bay ceiling, and then pools on the cargo bay floor.
There's a squeaky floor panel in the hallway.
There are several squeaky floor panels, some of which only squeak while the ship is on planet.
The ship's computer often hacks into nearby networks when bored.
The sensors have a big blind spot behind and to one side of the ship. Nothing in the sensor controls indicates this.
The cargo bay doors are leaky.
The ship's drives are way, way past their overhaul date. They seem to work fine so far.
Barely audible elevator music plays constantly.
The radio is broken, it don't work anymore.
One bridge station eats fuses like candy.
One of the landing legs is stuck in the deployed position.
The power plant occasionally vents helium gas, and lots of it.
One room's grav plates slowly cycle between .5G and 1.5G.
Something loose rattles around in the ducts whenever the ship maneuvers.
The plumbing moans and gurgles constantly.
The bridge viewports fog over if there are more than two people on the bridge.
The "luxurious" stateroom decor is 37 years out of fashion.
The ship's library is full of conspiracy documentation.
The fuel scoops howl like banshees.
The manual flight controls are loose and wobbly.
There's a well-tended mold garden in the ship's stores.
Once in a while, the ship's water tastes metallic.
Several cabinets in the ship's mess open up and spill their contents during hard maneuvers.
The ship's computer insists that you refer to it by name.
One or more of the attitude jets are badly out of alignment.
The ship's computer takes an immediate and permanent dislike to one of the crew.
The main airlock sticks, and needs to be shoved or kicked open.
The collision alarm is a soft, pleasant chime.
A colony of vermin living in the ventilation shafts have made a nest out of chewed up air filters.
The Check Engines light is on all the time.
Under acceleration, stress on the ship's superstructure causes one bulkhead door to jam shut.
Something in the air recycler smells like old track shoes.
Something in the air recycler smells dead.
The ship's computer occasionally makes up words.
Water condenses in spots on the cargo bay ceiling, and then pools on the cargo bay floor.
There's a squeaky floor panel in the hallway.
There are several squeaky floor panels, some of which only squeak while the ship is on planet.
The ship's computer often hacks into nearby networks when bored.
The sensors have a big blind spot behind and to one side of the ship. Nothing in the sensor controls indicates this.
The cargo bay doors are leaky.
The ship's drives are way, way past their overhaul date. They seem to work fine so far.
Barely audible elevator music plays constantly.
The radio is broken, it don't work anymore.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Ship computer has a paranoia of a memory wipe; kills anyone who touches it's SCSI RAID enclosure.
Agreed. Perks were a nice touch.
Either of those are deadly flaws - you won't LIVE to get to shipyard.
MDrives are normally used in 2 regimes - on escape velocity or deep within a gravity well. If at or above escape, you might be able to call for help.. if still deep in gravity wells (or aimed at them), you become a smoking hole.
PP goes out, you've got a few hours until you die. No AG, no MD, no LS. Everything aboard relies upon the PP. If a merchant, 50% chance of dying within the year... as you'll be found coming out of Jump cold and dark.
AnotherDilbert
SOC-14 1K
Yes, OK, that is too harsh. I was thinking about letting them fail under load, in real space, and not during take off/landing. So basically while you are accelerating out to jump or in after jump. Hopefully you know better than to plot a course that will intersect with a planetary body.
You will either need a tow to the local starport, or you have to make a temporary repair (like for battle damage) to get you to a starport.
It is supposed to be more than a slight inconvenience, but not immediately deadly. It might strand you with a fat repair bill, forcing a bit of creativity...
Even an oblique course is going to either escape or impact. Falling into orbit is a VERY low probability failure mode. It matters little whether you hit the surface or hit the upper atmosphere; either way uncontrolled entry is not safe.
Either way, you're going to die if it can't be field repaired before time runs out.
AnotherDilbert
SOC-14 1K
An oblique approach will not impact. As long as you do not impact you have some time to be rescued.
I assume a system with a starport has some sort of small craft that can rescue the people onboard and even tow the derelict to orbit, given enough time.
Adding to the list of quirks:
1. Part of the ship smells intensely of incense, perfume, ganja, or cigarettes.
2. Parts of the ship are furnished without gravity plating in order to maximize useful ship volume. There are chairs on the roof for instance.
3. The ship was previously used to transit large amounts of farm animals and it shows in the cargo bay.
4. Someone has accidentally kicked a number of knobs off some of the consoles. The replacement knobs are garishly coloured.
5. The flight computer sometimes blanks out, which can usually be fixed by power cycling and starting in safe mode.
6. There is a 60s style mural of Astronaut Annie in the airlock warning you to check your suit before EVA.
7. There is significant graffiti or wall art in one of the hallways on all four surfaces.
8. The ship's turrets are all named with brass plaques over their entrance ports.
9. The central maintenance computer records an unusual amount of nuisance fault codes with the coffee-maker which seems to work fine. (until ref needs a fire)
10. The ship's logbooks contains disturbing references to a supernatural entity known as The Kobold.
11. The upholstery inside the ship is the same as the hotel in the Shining.
12. The no-slip surfaces in the cargo hold need replacing, are worn through and slick.
13. There is a hidden camera that records what goes on in one crew member or passengers room.
14. Baseball cards, coins, figurines, tin soldiers, or other memorabilia turn up in odd places throughout the ship.
15. The ship's library contains a number of simulated personalities of dead historically important figures. Once one has been opened it is locked for 365 imperial standard days.
16. "Kilroy was here" is scrawled in one of the maintenance ducts along with a picture of Kilroy.
17. There is a permanent smell of burning dust in some part of the ship.
18. Some part (or all) of the ship smells permanently like sweaty gym shorts.
19. The ship's library has an expert program on it that is unusually concerned with the mental health of the crew.
20. The ship's lounge is upholstered like the smoking room in a mystery, complete with grandfather clock and old-style record player.
1. Part of the ship smells intensely of incense, perfume, ganja, or cigarettes.
2. Parts of the ship are furnished without gravity plating in order to maximize useful ship volume. There are chairs on the roof for instance.
3. The ship was previously used to transit large amounts of farm animals and it shows in the cargo bay.
4. Someone has accidentally kicked a number of knobs off some of the consoles. The replacement knobs are garishly coloured.
5. The flight computer sometimes blanks out, which can usually be fixed by power cycling and starting in safe mode.
6. There is a 60s style mural of Astronaut Annie in the airlock warning you to check your suit before EVA.
7. There is significant graffiti or wall art in one of the hallways on all four surfaces.
8. The ship's turrets are all named with brass plaques over their entrance ports.
9. The central maintenance computer records an unusual amount of nuisance fault codes with the coffee-maker which seems to work fine. (until ref needs a fire)
10. The ship's logbooks contains disturbing references to a supernatural entity known as The Kobold.
11. The upholstery inside the ship is the same as the hotel in the Shining.
12. The no-slip surfaces in the cargo hold need replacing, are worn through and slick.
13. There is a hidden camera that records what goes on in one crew member or passengers room.
14. Baseball cards, coins, figurines, tin soldiers, or other memorabilia turn up in odd places throughout the ship.
15. The ship's library contains a number of simulated personalities of dead historically important figures. Once one has been opened it is locked for 365 imperial standard days.
16. "Kilroy was here" is scrawled in one of the maintenance ducts along with a picture of Kilroy.
17. There is a permanent smell of burning dust in some part of the ship.
18. Some part (or all) of the ship smells permanently like sweaty gym shorts.
19. The ship's library has an expert program on it that is unusually concerned with the mental health of the crew.
20. The ship's lounge is upholstered like the smoking room in a mystery, complete with grandfather clock and old-style record player.
I once had a Triumph Herald. Strange car, one of the last cars built with a chassis and separate body mounted on it. When a knowledgeable mechanic got the car over a pit and had a look, he came back and asked me “what year was she built?” when I told him late 61, he then said it made more sense, the car had a Mk1 Chassis but a Mk2 body (the Mk2 chassis used sections shared with the Spitfire Roadster as well as shared drive train mountings). He had heard that a few “hybrids” might had been made and sold but had never seen one before. This also meant that some items like engine mounts would be much harder to find. So building on that…
1) The ship was produced at the time of a switch over from a local to imperial standards, or an older to newer standard (usually the same thing). The ship therefore is a hybrid of older and newer systems. This could apply to one, some or all of the ships main systems, (life support, powerplant, M drive, J drive, Computer or just the interior fixtures and fittings). The PCs will find out when they have to service that function of the ship for the first time. Normal off-the-shelf imperial standard parts just do not fit as they should. If the players are in or near the system of construction, this could not be a huge problem, they might not even notice as the parts suppliers my habitually ask a few questions and then know to supply the correct part, but the further away they are from that system, the more it becomes apparent and a problem. The players will find that they have to either scour scrapyards for suitable parts to get them refurbished, seek out specialist suppliers (this might introduce them to a classic starship owners scene) or in some way hand fit the part of jury rig a way of using new components when they need to be fitted.
There might be advantages to this non standard tech:
Computers: the computer system being non-standard might be harder to hack, but also harder to program for (but might have an emulator built in to handle imperial standard software). The original software might still be in storage. (Real life analogy: Your ships computer is an Amiga, not a PC or Apple, so no one writes viruses for them anymore, or much in the way of any software). But you might be vulnerable to older viruses that could be infect your system when you load a compromised piece of older software.
The older technology, in its original configuration might be more durable (more time between services) or slightly more efficient (saving of up to 5% on power/fuel requirements). This should be just enough to give a slight boost to performance, but standardizing with the rest of the imperium was seen as more worthwhile. If it was significantly more efficient/durable, the imperium might have leapt on that piece of tech and adopted it. Of course, they could be thirstier, suck more power etc. to the same degree.
- we have aliens…
2) There is graffiti somewhere on or in the ship something is not visible to the naked human eye, but very visible to hivers (or insert other aliens here) that they find offensive.
3) There is a smell aboard ship that some aliens find offensive. Humans however do not notice this at all.
4) Dead/mummified hiver larve keep turning up when you open service panels.
- Tastes vary, gifts from previous owners…
5) You don’t know who did the decorations and upholstery, but you have yet to find anyone who considers it tasteful, or even bland.
6) All the swing/slide doors swing or slide the other way to what the PCs are used to.
7) No matter how much you scrub and clean, there is a lingering smell of sweet popcorn in the common area.
8) Sensors displays give non-standard names to objects that appear on it. Sensor blips are marked wierdo, Klingon or some such.
9) the ships intercom has a really annoying ring tone, it seems hard wired.
1) The ship was produced at the time of a switch over from a local to imperial standards, or an older to newer standard (usually the same thing). The ship therefore is a hybrid of older and newer systems. This could apply to one, some or all of the ships main systems, (life support, powerplant, M drive, J drive, Computer or just the interior fixtures and fittings). The PCs will find out when they have to service that function of the ship for the first time. Normal off-the-shelf imperial standard parts just do not fit as they should. If the players are in or near the system of construction, this could not be a huge problem, they might not even notice as the parts suppliers my habitually ask a few questions and then know to supply the correct part, but the further away they are from that system, the more it becomes apparent and a problem. The players will find that they have to either scour scrapyards for suitable parts to get them refurbished, seek out specialist suppliers (this might introduce them to a classic starship owners scene) or in some way hand fit the part of jury rig a way of using new components when they need to be fitted.
There might be advantages to this non standard tech:
Computers: the computer system being non-standard might be harder to hack, but also harder to program for (but might have an emulator built in to handle imperial standard software). The original software might still be in storage. (Real life analogy: Your ships computer is an Amiga, not a PC or Apple, so no one writes viruses for them anymore, or much in the way of any software). But you might be vulnerable to older viruses that could be infect your system when you load a compromised piece of older software.
The older technology, in its original configuration might be more durable (more time between services) or slightly more efficient (saving of up to 5% on power/fuel requirements). This should be just enough to give a slight boost to performance, but standardizing with the rest of the imperium was seen as more worthwhile. If it was significantly more efficient/durable, the imperium might have leapt on that piece of tech and adopted it. Of course, they could be thirstier, suck more power etc. to the same degree.
- we have aliens…
2) There is graffiti somewhere on or in the ship something is not visible to the naked human eye, but very visible to hivers (or insert other aliens here) that they find offensive.
3) There is a smell aboard ship that some aliens find offensive. Humans however do not notice this at all.
4) Dead/mummified hiver larve keep turning up when you open service panels.
- Tastes vary, gifts from previous owners…
5) You don’t know who did the decorations and upholstery, but you have yet to find anyone who considers it tasteful, or even bland.
6) All the swing/slide doors swing or slide the other way to what the PCs are used to.
7) No matter how much you scrub and clean, there is a lingering smell of sweet popcorn in the common area.
8) Sensors displays give non-standard names to objects that appear on it. Sensor blips are marked wierdo, Klingon or some such.
9) the ships intercom has a really annoying ring tone, it seems hard wired.
