Universal Ship Profile for T20

[chrome_gnome]

In the rulebook it lists USP codes for various parts of the starships but I can't seem to find a format example. I found a few websites that had USPs listed but I'm not sure if they are T20 compatible.

The one I found had the following format:

AA-0000000-000000-00000-0 Mcr xxx.x xxx tons

In order the digits were listed as:
Ship Type (two digits)
Tonnage
Configuration
Jump
Maneuver
Power Plant
Computer
Crew
Hull Armor
Sand Casters
Meson Screens
Nuclear Dampers
Forcefields
Repulsers
Lasers
Energy Weapons
Particle Weapons
Meson Gun
Missles
Fighter Squadrons


Is this correct or from an older version? If it is wrong can someone correct it or point me to a correct breakdown.

 

[robject]

That looks like High Guard. I don't know what the T20 USP looks like, though...

 

[far-trader]

Yep that is HG, aka High Guard, aka LBB5. If I recall the plan was to incorporate it into T20 (the ship design system is almost identical) but somewhere along the way it was dropped and not all references were edited out.

 

[aramis]

What the plan was was to include USP's for those who wanted to use T20 ships for non-T20 games (specifically CT/MT). The USP explanation page never made it into the draft, and I think would have been dropped for space reasons anyway. All the systems have their USP's listed.

 

[Falkayn]

Personally, I always found USPs sucked ... far too long and people never had time enough to memorise what they meant. That's why my T20 starship design spreadsheet doesn't generate it!

 

[robject]

^ Agreed. USP takes the not-too-bad UWP theme and GOES TOO FAR. I've been playing with variants and haven't found a system I like, yet.

However, one can improve the concept quite a bit by taking a page from the UWP and using codes for various things. For example:

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;"> BgX - black globe 0-9
SpX - spinal gun 0-Z
FwX - frozen watch + "population code"</pre>[/QUOTE]Might also help to create codes for the list of data on the bottom line. Maybe.

For small ships, codes might suffice for weapons as well:
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;"> LX - laser factor
MX - missile factor
SX - sand factor</pre>[/QUOTE]For example,
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;"> L2 L2 L2 M3 S1 S2 </pre>[/QUOTE]Might work for a ship with three Factor-2 laser batteries, one Factor-3 missile battery, one Factor-1 sandcaster, and one Factor-2 sandcaster. (Note that this is pure fabrication. Would any ship have a factor 1 caster?)

 

[aramis]

RObject:

Factor 1 casters are on many of my scoutships... in that tripple turret, right between the laser and the missile rack. ;P

Seriously, though, a code per battery is going to be a problem or big-ship TU's...

 

[robject]

Originally posted by Aramis:
Seriously, though, a code per battery is going to be a problem or big-ship TU's...

Exactly. Can't use it for big ships. Might be perfect for smaller ships.

 

[aramis]

To answer Chrome Gnome's original qustion:

Yes, if you have the knwoledge of what's where, they will work just fine with the mechanics in T20.

Likewise, the HG USP's will work with MT, and MT USP's will work with HG and T20. The results vary somewhat (Even drastically), but they will work.