Nova Wars Baby!

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

SYNTEK UNLIMITED SUPERCORP

DISCOVERY AND ENHANCEMENT​

The Syntek Corporation was founded in the early 21st Century, just prior to the discovery of The Obelisk, specializing in electronic and robotic creations that used existing technology in more specilizaed and refined ways, rather than jumping on the "push technology further" bandwagon.

This style of business still exists today, with Syntek enhancing existing technology and using it more efficently. However, Syntek restricts itself to mainly interstellar applications and cybernetics. Syntek spacedrives are considered the best, and Syntek provides the Navy with over 75% of thier stardrives, as well as hulls, sensor systems and communication arrays. For the Terran Marines the Syntek Corporation provides thier heavy combat vehicles and air support vehicles.

While Syntek rarely, if ever, produces new technologies, Syntek equipment is considered the best available on the civilian market, and well worth the price. Syntek does not produce weapons, armor or defensive systems.

Game Mechanics
Stardrives: Syntek only produces PL 7 and lower drives, but the drives cost 10% less, are 50% faster than normal, and cost 75% of normal rates for repair due to the excellent availability of parts for Syntek Stardrives, which are built to be able to accept other companies spare parts.

Hulls: A Syntek hull gains an extra 2 hp per HD.

Sensors: The sensors are much faster at collecting/correllating data and the software is much better at categorizing the data, reducing the time needed for a sensor check by half.

Commo: The communications equipment is much better. The laser transceiver can generate encrypted messages, and can use visual light spectrums in order to allow communication through defense shields. The Drivesat Comm Array signals move at 7.5 LY/hour, and the communications officer gains a +2 equipment check to avoid losing the signal if the ship moves. The Syntek Drivesat Comm Array can be put on a light ship, unlike other companies drives. The Mass Transciver's range is extended to 1,200 AU.

Vehicles: Vehicles do not incorporate any technology higher than PL 7, but they gain a +5 hardness, +25% hit points and a 10% speed increase.

Cybernetics: Cyberentics produced by the Syntek Corporation cost as if they were created at one PL earlier, and the Syntek Corporation creates PL 8 cybernetics, as well as some limited PL 9 chassis for the Terran Confederate Marine Corps. Syntek Cybernetics are considered Restricted or Military, rather than just liscensed or unliscensed.

 

[Buddha the DM]

Sol: A small yellow star, this thing is unremarkable, except for 2 Terran made facilities. What either of them do is unknown, but what is known, is that the Terrans keep several ships of the line on station to guard them.

So will you ever tell is what the facilities are?

 

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

Sol: A small yellow star, this thing is unremarkable, except for 2 Terran made facilities. What either of them do is unknown, but what is known, is that the Terrans keep several ships of the line on station to guard them.

So will you ever tell is what the facilities are?

Not outright, I might get around to putting the modules out that my group played through that gave a hint to what they might be.

The 2 Solar Stations do need several bits of goodies though...

Cooling Lasers (Originally Developed by: David Brin)
Developed by the Gorilla "Issiac Einstien" in the early 21st Century, the cooling laser was actually based on Pre-Obelisk technology and research. The cooling laser takes the ambient thermal energy in the area and "pumps" it into a coherent laser beam. This innovation has actually allowed Terrans to enter the depth of thier stars plasms seas, and allows thier warships to to make atmospheric "skip attacks" as well as enter the photosphere of a star without being melted by the intense heat. Sadly, the laser cannot be set upon a wavelength to cause damage, and is merely a white white in the visible range.
Purchase DC: 23

Negaconductor
A little touted line of research that occurred hand in hand with the Terran drive for a superconductor material, was a nega-conductor. One that would not conduct heat nor electricity no matter how cold it got. While the scientists that were working upon Negaconductor got no help from The Obelisk, although thier opposities did, they still carried on with thier research.

In the 22nd Century, a stable negaconductor was firmly intrenched within the industrial and space sectors. A thin material that did not conduct heat or energy of any type was highly useful for space and manufacturing, especially in spaceship hulls and reactor linings.

Game Mechanics
Both superconductor and negaconductor have a SERIOUS impact on energy weapons. A grounded superconductor surface would discharge all of the power from an energy weapon into the grounding substance, resulting in little, if any, damage to the surface (Think of a lightning rod on a building). Negaconductor would do the same. This could cause complete immunity to energy, as well as heat and cold, and indeed, is one of the dual linings for most power armor systems.
Any item coated with either (or worse yet, both) of these substances gain Immunity: Energy/Heat and would provide DR: 250/ballistic in a nod toward maybe a high enough energy blast MIGHT be able to penetrate it.

The following would be given immunity to: Plasma, Lasers, particle beam weapons, ion beams, electron guns, and other energy weapons.

Ballistic and KINETIC energy weapons would cause damage normally.

 

[Emiricol]

Ralts, I'm compiling this for my own use, and invite you to grab it as well. If you want it taken down, let me know. You can see what I've got at http://www.menefees.net/emiricol/d20f/ I think I got it all so far...

 

[beeber]

quoth strongbad, "holy freakin' crap!!!"
dude, change "warlord" to "emperor". this stuff is incredible. d20 isn't my thing for SF but i'm dying to convert it to traveller or gurps. now if only i can convince my group to switch to science fiction for a bit. . . .
keep up the mega work! and rest lots too.

 

[Petya]

Only one sentece: 'The end is at hand'
This will be the motto of the campaign I'll start with this stuff (at least when I can finish translating it anyway)

 

[Chingerspy]

Man, you f'in rule!

Damn. Double-damn.


<runs off to buy d20 Future as fast as he can>

My thoughts exactly. Amazon have just had an order for Modern and Future with speedy postage paid for! (I checked my FLGS at the weekend and they had neither) This thread has sealed my decision, WOTC should probably hire this guy or something. Honestly.

 

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

Ralts, I'm compiling this for my own use, and invite you to grab it as well. If you want it taken down, let me know. You can see what I've got at http://www.menefees.net/emiricol/d20f/ I think I got it all so far...

It's perfectly fine to have it compiled and placed.

Just remember to update it.

The next thread update will probably be on Wed.

I'm planning about 10 starship floorplans....

Zipped and hosted by our friends at Intrepid Heroes.

I'm got 3 light scouts so far, a frieghter, a passenger liner, and a light frigate.

 

[Emiricol]

Have you done up a TO&E for the Marines?

I know a dropship can fit 20 and the transport can fit 40 of them, so a transport ship contingent is 800 including field officers, unless those 40 include the lifeboats for the ship (if any). What's the rank and equipment breakdown for a dropship? For each transport ship?

So forth and so on

 

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

Have you done up a TO&E for the Marines?

I know a dropship can fit 20

Twenty droptroops plus dropship crew, correct.

and the transport can fit 40 of them

Fourty dropships, yes.

so a transport ship contingent is 800 including field officers, unless those 40 include the lifeboats for the ship (if any).

OK, a transport ship is considered a Super-Heavy ship. So, you have a total of 800 droptroops (actually, 850 soldiers, twenty replacements to account for the 5% that get injured during transit by stupid stuff such as falling off a loading ramp, etc).

[sigh]

OK, here we go, here's a TCMC drop unit TO&E...

Element: 1 soldier
Squad: 5 soldiers + 1 NCO (6 soldiers)
Section: 2 squads (12 soldiers)
Platoon: 2 sections + Platoon Sergeant and Platoon Officer (26 soldiers)
Company: 4 platoons plus Company Commander, First Sergeant, Executive Officer. (107 soldiers total)

Now, when a company goes in, usually the NCO's and officers are NOT cradled, in, but rather standing in armor (Watch the movie Starship Troopers, thier officer was the one saying: "Remember your training, and you WILL survive!") holding onto the railings, and scattered through dropships.

TCMC Officers and NCO's are also combat soldiers, they do NOT lead from the rear, but are rather right there in the thick of things.

What's the rank and equipment breakdown for a dropship? For each transport ship?

So forth and so on

OK, I'll do the whole thing.

.-)

So the company is detailed above, the NCO's and Officers are scattered throughout the dropships to ensure that one lucky hit does not destroy the chain of command.

Now, a Transit Ship is pretty major. It has 20 bays, 8 bays holds 5 dropships (a company's worth the dropships) each, while the other 12 bays hold 6 ultralight fighters each.

The transit ship has a goodsized crew: Roughly 600 people, the majority of them (400) are mechanics for the dropships and fighters, while the 200 are ship engineers and other Naval Personell.

A transit ship is a monster, and is heavily armed, since in early Confederate history, transit ships were considered a prime target by defensive forces.