TRANSPORTS
INTRODUCTION TO TRANSPORTS
Transports are a class of vessel used to describe nearly every type of private and civilian vessel used to transport goods, materials and personnel to and from the many worlds of each government. Many Transport vessels are designed to provide primarily cargo transport, with several type used just for sentient beings, while others are used for varying combinations of both. Some support vessels can also be found in the Transport category. Transports come in a massively wide range of sizes, categories, capabilities and levels of luxury, far outweighing the variation found in military vessels. Transports are the most numerous of vessels among nearly every known space faring race, with transport production out-weighing military production by as much as a factor of 20. Hundreds of thousands of private transport vessels can be found throughout known and unknown trade routes. Many are custom built, while others are part of a production run, while still others are modified surplus vessels. Many transport vessels, especially those owned by independent captains or small companies, are highly modified from their original design, with varying degrees of upgrade and repair. Commercial transport vessels rarely have the highly sophisticated equipment found on research and military vessels. Most have only enough to get from one port to the next, with improvements and upgrade initiated when profits are high, or the cargo runs are rich. Corporate owned transports are often in better condition, but conduct operations in much the same manner. From small 1 man scouts to the massive Bulk Cargo Carriers, Transport Vessels remain the mainstay of most races, with no two transports exactly the same.
AUTOMATED TRANSPORTS
Totally computerized cargo transports, AT’s are most often used as cargo ore haulers for many governments. Automated Transports can be controlled from a Command Cruisers, Star Base or other designated vessel, and are often used within well established boarders. Most Automated Transports have both primary and secondary back up computer systems, as well as automated distress and emergency procedures for a wide range of difficulties. None the less, Automated Transports are only used with non-perishable and often non-valuable cargos. AT’s are much slower than standard Transports, and are rarely used for time sensitive transport. None the less, their automated nature does make them timely for many shipping companies.
BULK CARGO CARRIER
Massive cargo vessels, BCC’s are well known for their slow speed and excessive size, often being able to transport whole starships within their hulls. Despite being unloaded, most Bulk Cargo Carriers can manage little more than warp 5 and are not used when excessive speed is required. Most Bulk Cargo Carriers can transport entire sections of a star base or outpost, as well as entire production facilities to far flung regions of space. Many Bulk Cargo Carriers are seen operating near newly established colony worlds where massive terraforming equipment might be needed. Star ship hulls and engineers produced at one location can be loaded in-mass and transported to assembly yards by Bulk Cargo Carriers. On two known occasions, Bulk Cargo Carriers were used as Colony transports, having several Colony Containers and other systems placed inside. Although a slow trip, twice the number of colonists were transported.
COLONIAL TRANSPORT
The largest civilian personnel transports, the Colonial Transport is designed to transport thousands of civilians and their gear to new frontier planets and outposts for colonization. Colonial Transports have an extensive transporter and shuttle systems, massive cargo capacity and sophisticated medical and terraforming equipment to help settle new worlds. Most Colonial Transports are slow, compared to liners and other cargo vessels, but are capable of moving both human and non-human cargos for lengthy periods of time. Many Colonial Transports do have some pre-fabrication systems and grain/live stock storage ability, as well as light craft transport ability. During times of conflict, Colonial Transports are most often used to help transport non-front line field personnel and evacuate of endangered colonies. In their Evacuation role, Colonial Transports can move hundreds of thousands of people short distances, where they can be transferred to other transports. Most Colonial Transports have the ability to rearrange internal systems to incorporate new technologies or extend their current abilities, such as adding extra transporters or storage facilities. When unloaded, Colonial Transports can move surprisingly fast for their bulky size, but are significantly hampered when fully loaded with colonists or evacuees.
COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTS
Unlike standard transports, Commercial Transports are owned and run by large corporations to continually transport personnel and cargos on special runs. Commercial Transports are often much more luxurious than standard Transports and are known for having very specialized cargo holds that can transport even dangerous substances when necessary. Most Commercial Transports operate extensive passenger facilities, rivaling those of many Passenger Liners. Commercial Transports are also moderately armed, used as corporate defense vessels in systems with no military presence. Commercial Transports employ a higher caliber of crew, and are often used as training vessels for crew who will later run freight for the company as an independent hauler. Most Commercial Transports do not have as large a cargo capacity as other similarly sized transport vessels, and are often referred to as “yachts with holds”. None the less, most corporations use Corporate Transports for needed mission
CRUISE / LUXURY LINER
Considered the plushest and more decadent starship known to sentient life, Cruiser and Luxury liners are designed to provide short to long range “get-a-ways” for individuals from a number of worlds. Cruiser Liners are often used as vacation vessels, offering dozens of onboard recreation facilities and entertainments from diverse cultures. Luxury Liners are well known for traversing space phenomenon, such as binary star systems and nebulas. Many Cruiser Liners are associated with specific recreation destinations, and make scheduled runs, often at sub-warp speed to and from these ports of call. Only during the rarest of emergencies will Luxury Liners be called upon for military or rescue missions. Luxury Liners are often twice as large as the largest warship or freighter and are the only know vessel to out-cost a battleship. Due to their sheer size, the number of crew/passengers, and the difficulty in controlling such a large group, pirates often avoid Luxury Liners, opting to attack the transports to and from such vessels, or sneaking on board to steal cargo. Most Luxury Liners resemble small to medium starbases, rather than actual starships.
FREIGHTERS
Similar to Transports, Freighters are designed to carry pre-loaded cargo containers. Freighters are not as versatile as Transports, but are nearly as common. Freighters are used more often for raw materials, including ship building materials, grain and other large bulk cargos. Freighters do have some cargo hold differentiations, but most often ship only one of two types of cargo per run. Freighters are usually larger than Transports and considerably less maneuverable. During times of conflict, Freighters are most often used to transport raw materials for ship construction, ground fortification construction and other non-environmentally sensitive cargo.
LINER/STARLINER
Liners are specifically designed to transport large numbers of passengers on specific established transport routes. Lines come in a large variety of sizes and capabilities, from 50 passenger light transport liners to massive 5,000 passenger colonial liners. Although a number of sub-classifications exist, most Liners are known for their pleasant but basic passenger accommodations. More reputable liner companies are able to ensure safety through a number of onboard crew/passenger protection features, including passenger tracking systems, inter bulk head shield systems and numerous individual life saving features. Liners are cheaper to build and maintain than the Luxury and Cruise Liners.
MINING SHIP
Mining Ships are designed to prospect and process rare ores and minerals from a variety of hostile locations. Most mining ships have excellent short range sensors for locating ore and minerals, as well as extensive shipboard mining and processing equipment. Mining Ships are often very large, containing entire smelting plants aboard. Mining Ships also have surprisingly comfortable and extensive recreation and crew facilities, with the ability to support both shipboard and ground crews for extended periods of time. Mining Ships are well known for having unusual equipment, including laser miners, solar sails, particle transfer systems and specialized transporters.
OFFICE SHIP
An unusual classification, first coined by the Tellarites, Office Ships have become an integral part of many civilian operations, providing lavish bureaucratic capability to front line operations. Office Ships have extensive legal systems, money exchange systems and record keeping ability, often equal to Star bases and group outposts. Office Ships provide large corporations the ability to move their operations with little change in operating procedures. Very few Office Ships are found operating alone, with most part of a larger corporate fleet. Office ships are known to be operating in Star Fleet as well as the Romulan Star Navy, where they are used as mobile Star Base facilities. Office Ships are known for their above average luxury as well as their excellent communication systems. Although initially expensive, Office Ships are often less expensive than establishing ground outposts or purchasing space aboard star bases and space stations.
ORE CARRIER
Ore carriers are specifically designed to transport massive quantities of raw material and unprocessed ore to and from processing ships or plants. Most are sub-light vessels, transporting materials from dangerous asteroid fields or hostile planetary surfaces to other location for smelting and processing. Ore Carriers are very slow and maneuverable, highly automated and have few crew amenities.
PASSENGER LINER
Passenger liners describe vessels that make very regular cruiser runs between planets and colonies. Passenger liners are designed to provide both short and long term comfort for passengers of all races. Many passenger liners are unarmed, and will only ply well established space lanes. Passenger Liners do have some cargo carrying capability, although this is limited when compared to Transports. None the less, Passenger Liners are cheaper for passengers who do not have appreciable cargo to transport. During times of conflict, passenger lines may be used (for appreciable compensation) as troop transports or hospital ships. Passenger liners do not conduct pleasure cruises, although they will stop for special areas of interest along their established routes.
SHIPWRECK SALVAGE VESSEL
Shipwreck Salvage vessels are nearly an exclusive civilian classification of vessel used to locate and secure derelict and badly damaged ships in deep space. Most Shipwreck Salvage vessels like the Death class are equipped with specialized systems that allow details close scans and securing of salvageable hulks. Shipwreck Salvage vessels often have large hangar and hold decks that allow for the removal and cataloguing of onboard systems, including personal belongings and onboard equipment. Shipwreck Salvage vessels are able to completely remove every component from a wrecked starship, including hull plating, computer equipment, control panels, consumable gasses and even lighting fixtures. Shipwreck Salvage operations are no easy operation unto themselves. Most derelict ships are so badly damaged that little or intrinsic value is left. Only a full time Salvage company is able to gain any form of profit from such operations, with many governments and large corporations realizing that repair to a badly damaged vessel can be more expensive and labor intensive than the construction or purchase of a new vessel.
TRANSPORT
The term Transport is a generic listing of any passenger and/or cargo vessel that carries its cargo internally under specified environmental conditions. With 90% of all cargo’s requiring some form of environmental control, Transports are the most common freight carrying vessels in known space. Transports are often equipped with some passenger facilities for those who wish to escort their cargo. In most space Navies, Transports are moderately armed, but their maneuverable makes them a tremendous liability in combat. Transports come in an extensive range of sizes, from one man shuttle sized craft to 100 man crewed cargo transports. Most transports do have the ability to change their hold environment for different cargos, with many having several cargo holds to allow for a large range of cargo types in a single cargo run. Light Transports are designed for speed, while heavier transports are built for longer hauls. Most transports have pre-set cargo runs, allowing for a continued operating schedule. During times of conflict, Transports are most often used to transport equipment and special supplies that require special care or maintenance, including live stock, military vehicles, sensor instillations and other specialized equipment.
TRANSPORT TUG
These specially designed tugs are designed to transport cargo containers. Capable of transferring power to cargo containers via attachment plates, Transport Tugs can manipulate their warp fields to incorporate a long train of cargo containers. Most Transport Tugs can maintain a viable speed when hauling one to two cargo containers, but very quickly lose their speed and maneuverability when hauling more than two. Transport Tugs, like Transports, do have the ability to transport passengers, with military transport tugs having the ability to conduct combat operations and exploration procedures under certain conditions. But their primary mission is moving cargo containers to and from various ports, housing special Work Bee’s and Cargo Shuttles.
YACHT
The term Yacht is used in a broad spectrum of civilian and personal star craft, designed as both living establishment, transport, pleasure cruiser and courier. Yachts come in a wide range of sizes, although most encountered are small to medium craft, often having a crew of 5 or less. Yachts are considered the most luxurious of the civilian craft, with individual state rooms often rivaling the great Luxury Lines. Yachts are also one of the hardest classifications to generalize, due to their stupendous variation. Yachts are the most modified of all know ships, with many yards specializing in personal luxuries and specialty on-board systems at exorbitant costs. Yachts are most well known for their speed, with most choosing to out run danger, rather than fight. None the less, many Yacht class vessels are armed, especially those of the more militant governments. Yachts often double as transports and light cargo vessels, as well as sigh-seeing ships for corporate heads, government officials and even military leaders.