OK, I'm going to post several posts in a row, dealing strictly with Spaceship Construction. ( Internal Fittings and such will come later, these are the simple basics I have come up with so far....)
Hull Sizes:
Size Class 1 : 25 to 40 Meters.
This hull size is generally used only for intrasystem flight. Due to it's small size it is generally only capable of mounting Size 1 Warp Nacelles, and is therefore limited to speeds of Warp 1. This class is limited to carrying Projectile weapons of Medium size or less. Maximum of 2 weapons hard points. Hulls of this class mounting larger Warp Nacelles are generally reserved for Courier Duty, although some models have been purchased and outfitted as fast passenger ships.
Standard outfitting:
The smaller sized Class 1 Hulls are generally fitted out as small passenger vessels, carrying between 15 and 30 passengers, and a crew of 4. Except in a few cases, they are usually limited to 2 decks, and a command module.
In several instances Weathly humans have outfitted the smaller Class 1 Hulls as personal yachts.
The larger range of Class one hulls are generally used as small Cargo vessels, with a payload of 150 Cubic Meters, and a crew of 6. In general they are limited to 4 decks and a command module.
It is not unknown for the Largest vessels in this Class to be outfitted as small slow passenger ships, usually of the luxery variety, carrying only 25 to 35 passengers, but with a crew of 10, and several small luxery services, such as Zero-Gee swimming pools, massage parlors, and in rare instances even small arboretums. In these models a second command module is usually installed at the rear of the vessel, and modified to serve as an engineering section, to allow passengers more room.
Hull points : 40 to 60.
Size Class 2 : 45 to 60 meters.
This hull size is most often used for intrasytem flight, however the largest models are capable of mounting Size 3 Warp Nacelles, and are therefore capable of Warp 2. These larger models were used extensively early on for extra-systemic travel, most often as independant Traders.
Standard outfitting:
Nearly every ship of this class comes fitted for cargo carrying, though they can be special ordered as passenger ships.
This is the smallest class of sapceship capable of mounting laser weapons. They are limited to the Marks 13 laser cannon, or any class of projectile weapon. with a maximum of 3 weapon hardpoints.
Note : The 60 meter "DY-300" class heavy haulers were the first independant trader ship class to be known as "Boomers". This was because of thier cylindrical resemblance to old earth Atomic Missile Submarines.
This size class ship usually has between 4 and 6 decks, and 2 command modules, one for flight, one for engineering. The Standard payload ranges from 200 to 400 Cubic meters, or from 50 to 100 passengers. Standard crew is between 12 and 18. Minimum working crew is 8.
Hull points : 75 to 100.
Size Class 3: 70 to 100 meters.
In the Pre-Enterprise era, this was the largest class spaceship hull available. Nearly all vessels of this Size Class were designed and outfitting for Extra-solar flight, and fitted with Class 3 Warp Nacelles.
Weapons limited only by energy usage. See below. Maximum of 5 Hardpoints.
This Size Class hull are extremely rare. There are only 1 Class 3 Hull in service for every 50 Class 1s.
Standard outfitting.
There is no standard outfitting for this class hull, as each one is custom made to order at the Mars Shipyards. General time to build is 5 to 10 months.
This size class generally ranges from 6 to 8 decks, with 2 command modules. Standard payload ranges from 500 to 800 Cubic meters, or 100 to 250 passengers. Crews often range for 20 to 45 members.
It is interesting to note that the first Size 3 Hull to be produced was "Sol-1", the ambassadorial spaceship from earth. This was the first Earth Spaceship to travel to the Alpha-Cent Worlds.
