OK, apparently I left the BIG document on the computer in WA state (I'm still not completely moved. That's the problem when you OWN a house, you feel no pressure to move everything at once) and so the document is incomplete.
Specifically, in the armor, endoskeleton, fuel, chassis, locomotion area.
So, I'll start rebuilding it. I hate doing that, since during the initial creation there are always surges of innovativeness that are destroyed during second rebuilds.
But, that's not why you're here, is it?
There is a plethora of data here, and I think it might be time to put up a new thread. Now, for those of you interested, YES, d20 Past and d20 Apacolypse will be worked into it. Think about it. In the 300 years since Humanity has left the Bag colonies have fallen on hard times, collapsed in some places, and destroyed one another in others.
See, that's the beauty of the Nova Wars Universe, it's HUGE! It doesn't fully revolve on the war between the G'Tak Empire and the Terran Confederacy, nor is it always at peace. You have exploration, raiders, mercy missions, trade routes, piracy, etc.
But for now, let us talk about how first level PC's could be granted a ship. After all, NOBODY wants to play second fiddle to some jumped up NPC while your PC scrubs the deck.
The Confederate Navy: With the gear up for war, the need for further exploration, the need for pirate interdiction, and finally, the need to show that there is a substantial stick that the 900 lb gorrilla carries, the navy not only needs Super Cruisers, Super Devestators, Heavy Carriers and the other "Ships of the Line", they also need small craft. Light Attack Craft and transports are still a valid need. So the CNF needs crews. If all the PC's take "Alliegence: Confederate Navy" the GM can put them on "Extended Duty", and a 10 year "Extended Duty" would be a 40th of a PC's lifespan. COmbine that with a Soulchip implant, guarenteed medical, then the PC's are actually good to go.
Naval Missions: Rescue, usually long range, with the PC's answerable to nobody else.
Pirate destruction, this can include boarding missions or even landing on a planet to destroy a pirate base.
Finding out what happened to a ship of the line that has disappeared.
The Confederate Navy is notoriously wooried more about results than they are how it was done. This is not the hidebound and regulation paralyzed of Ancient Terra wet-navy's, but rather a mixture.
Marine Corps Missions: Whoo boy. This is everything from Planetary Assault to guarding a ground convoy. The TMC is HUGE, roughly 3% of all Terrans are in the TMC, and roughly 20% have served in the TMC.
Explorer Corps: The Explorer Corps will give the PC's a ship if the following crew positions can be filled: Pilot, Medical, Astrogation, Weapons, Survey. That's it. The PC's ship will be held against the bonuses they will recieve for discovering new hyperspace routes, new solar systems, finding a lost colony, etc.
Medical Corps: As strange as it sounds, the Medical Corps follows the same prerequisites as the Explorer Corps, except most missions revolve around emergency response. The ship will have extensive medical refit bays, heavily armed/armorered shuttles, and the PC's will be compensated for lives saved and hazardous duty pay.
Trade Association: Most Terrans are happily "Dirt Siders" and the need for Trade is still sure. The Trade Association is willing to give a crew a ship and take only 10% of the profits from cargo until the ship is paid of, +30% of course. The Trade Association will also lend up to 90% of the cost of a cargo, placing the PC's themselves as collateral on the loan.
Bounty Hunter Guild: In return for 20% of paid bounties, the PC's can be given a light, fast ship with a prisoner bay on it, weapons, power armor, navigational programs. Once 150% of the cost is paid off, all of it is possessed by the PC's.
Property Auction: The Confederacy auctions off thousands of decommissioned ships each month, and 10% of them are not allowed to be big upon by corporations, a private citizen only auction. A TCN Frigate (Massing 340,000 MT, 3,000 feet long, 1200 feet wide, 500 feet thick, with only the weapons removed, shielding, sidewalls, sensors intact) once sold for a measly 145 credits.
Any questions?
