Lazerus wrote:Stofsk wrote:Lazerus wrote:Ok, but what about ships? And can we get some pricing info?
Yep, ships/vehicles are next. Were you looking for prices on equipment or the ships?
Both. And have you told us what our starting credits are? (sry if you have)
As you can see, vehicles and starships have been done. For equipment prices, tell me which piece of equipment you fancy and I'll tell you the price - or, if you really want me to, I'll go back and edit it. As for ships/vehicles etc I've included AC information and pricing. If you want me to expand on a particular ship/vehicle etc tell me which one and I'll go into greater detail - some of the vehicles have sparse descriptions. Why? 'Coz I'm knackered.
As for starting credits, that will be handled through character generation and prior history. Anyway, onto the vehicles!
VEHICLES and STARSHIPS: Once again, I'll be listing descriptions, pricing, and any other relevant information. To drive/ride/pilot a particular vehicle you need the subsequent skills (such as Ride for horses and bikes, Drive for cars, trucks and tanks, and Pilot for an aerospace fighter, spaceplan, or starship). The Feat Vehicle Specialisation adds +2 synergy bonus to a vehicle you have specifically trained in. So if you're a pilot, and have ranks in the Pilot skill, the Feat adds to the skill rank but only applies to one type of plane. Maybe you're a combat pilot, so the Feat will be referred to as
Vehicle Specialisation: Aerospace Fighter; perhaps you're a shuttle pilot, in which case it'll be
Vehicle Specialisation: Shuttlecraft, etc.
Ground
"Ground" vehicles actually refer to a variety of machines designed to get humans around on land, sea, and air. The term "ground" is meant 'to use on the surface of a planet.' Some examples here are actually primitive machines which colonies have regressed to during the start of the Dark Age.
Land: These are vehicles designed to use on land, and most can be carried by shuttles and other spacecraft.
Horsie - or equivalent - Not really a vehicle, but instead of relying on fuel cells and machinery that can always break down, why not use a mount that only needs to be fed and looked after? Requires the Ride skill. Some examples of mounts are Horses, Raan-yay (uplifted pterodakty-likel aliens who enjoy colonising low-gee worlds, but aren't advanced as much as humans), Papalon serpents (dinosaur-like creatures that resemble a kind of sea dragon), and a 6-legged Rusal-sul (a herbivore pack creature that is common to some worlds).
Bike - A two wheeled vehicle that is ridden rather than driven, hence needing the Ride skill. The common adventuring bike can be used in the wild, but it is more common to see them in use on a colony's streets. Depending on tech level, a bike can use muscle power (the duration is as long as your stamina can be maintained), chemical fuel (which needs to be refueled after 24hrs continuous service), or electrical fuel (which can be used for 72hrs before needing to be recharged).
Cr5'000 to buy an electrical bike,
Cr2'500 for a chemical bike (assuming you can find one still being sold), and about
Cr500 for a good muscle-driven bike.
Personal Service Robot ("Percy") - The "Percy" Personal Service Robot is an example of high-tech robotics and artificial intelligence at work. It has a humanlike appearance, although for mobility the robot makes use of tracked wheels rather than legs. Percies are the most expensive civilian robot that can be used, and who's skills in protocol, etiquette, and personality interfaces allow it to interact with other human beings. Commonly seen performing a number of remedial tasks, the Percy can also be used in place of humans in hazardous environments (such as a radioactive chamber, or a planet like Mercury or Pluto), and can be programmed with a variety of tasks to undertake - or can be slaved to a remote controller. As such, Percy's equipment is modular, and can be assembled prior to being used (and yes, there is a military version - but it's illegal to operate one unless you happen to be in the military). Percy can operate for 72 hours until it's fuel cells need to be recharged. It costs
KCr174 or 174'000 credits, and has an
AC of 10. If you want to add weapons to it, you require skills in. The reason why it's a vehicle is because, in the crunch, it can act like one; you grab onto the back and you ride the robot.
Jeep - Jeeps are ground vehicles that are designed to be used 'off the road.' They have a range of 600km at a cruising speed of 60kmh, and has a maximum speed of 120kmh. It can carry 4 people plus luggage comfortably, although you can squeese in 2 more people if necessary. The common jeep runs on electrical batteries that can be recharged from a ship's powerplant if necessary, or from a spare battery. As such a Jeep can be driven for 72hrs on the one battery, until it needs to be replaced/recharged. It can carry 2 additional batteries, assuming adequate luggage space is still necessary. Cost is
Cr10'000 for an economy model,
Cr20'000 or even as high as
Cr50'000 for a luxury model (which actually provide bonuses in their own right). It has an
AC of 10.
Ground Car - Basic vehicle to be used on roads of a colony, a car can carry 5 people plus luggage comfortably, and isn't usually capable of off-road travel. Some worlds have extensive computer traffic control, which actually takes over some driving functions if the driver desires his vehicle to be slaved away from his control; some worlds expressly forbid human drivers
at all. Cars come in a wide range of types and styles, from sports cars, limousines, vans etc. As such prices range from
Cr5'000 to
Cr75'000 for particular cars. They have an
AC of 10.
Small Cargo Truck - Basic cargo car used to ferry supplies from one colony centre to another, often traversing long stretches of road to and from. These trucks usually only have space for 1 passenger other than the driver. They cost
Cr15'000 and have an
AC of 8.
Wheeled ATV - A 10-wheeled vehicle that can be used on a variety of terrain. An ATV may be powered by an electric battery that can be recharged by a ship's powerplant, or can be replaced with spare batteries. The ATV is designed for use under many different types of worlds, with varying degrees of hazardous conditions - including vacuum. It can carry 1 driver and 1 navigator while also having enough passenger space for a maximum load of 16 people, no luggage (although the facilities are optimised for 8, with luggage). They cost
Cr66'000 and have an
AC of 8. On-road speed hits a maximum of 100kmh, while off-road speeds are generally less than 25kmh. The Wheeled ATV can float on relatively calm water, though it is by no means a seaship.
Tracked ATV - Like the wheeled ATV, only the tracks give better handling in difficult conditions (ice or snow, for instance). The only other difference is a slower speed (80kmh on the road), and the inability to float on water. Everything else is the same.
APC - Used by infantry troops in order to deposit soldiers through a warzone, while keeping them relatively safe from harm. It contains 2 weapons,
a 360 degree turret which is usually manned by one of the APC's crew, and
a fixed forward-firing cannon. It is capable of transporting a section of troops (12-15 men). It costs
Cr80'000 and is often seen in the hands of mercs. It has an
AC of 14.
Tank - A tracked vehicle which is used as an army's main mode of attack against an enemy position, using it's speed and mobility to devastating effect. The main cannon,
a coil-gun that fires explosive shells, can be used against buildings, bunkers, other tanks or even aircraft. On the sides of the tank are
2 machine guns that are operated by gunners. A crew of 4-5 are used for this purpose, although 3 men could reasonably pull it off. An assault tank is available for
Cr100'000 and has an
AC of 16. Mercs can buy them.
Self-propelled Artillery - Used to provide long-range indeterminate fire against an enemy position, usually called in by soldiers who are on the field and can provide accurate co-ordinates for the artillery crew. Weapons are mainly
coil-guns that can shoot explosive shells a great distance, although some artillery pieces use rockets or missiles, while others are used against aircraft. A crew of half-a-dozen can use this vehicle. It costs
Cr100'000 and has an
AC of 8. Mercs can buy them.
Sea: Sea ships or boats are only used by civilisations populating water worlds, where the surface of the planet is generally 75-95% covered in water.
Boat - comes in varying qualities, from a canoo that has been chiseled out of a fallen tree, to a sophisticated vehicle with it's own engine.
AC of 10 and cost of
Cr1000 for the high-tech version.
Small Steamship - A primitive seaship, this vehicle can be seen in some societies that live off river trade.
AC of 2.
Hydrofoil - A high-speed seaship that can be used for cargo hauling or playboy expeditions, or fishermen; it is commonly seen in the latter role.
AC of 8, and a cost of
Cr250'000.
Submersible - used by high-tech underwater civilisations (those that live in pressure-domes at the surface bed) for exploration and surveying, and sometimes defence.
AC of 12, and a cost of
MCr2.25 or 2'250'000 credits.
Air: Aerial vehicles are technology unsophisticated in comparison to aerospace vehicles, although some examples continue to maintain their supremacy.
Glider - A vehicle mainly used for recreation, and as such usually available at most worlds regardless of technology,
no AC and a cost of
Cr1'000. (though societies that have regressed to such a point where flight of any kind has been forgotten - and there are places like this - won't have any of the following).
Primitive Biplane - An aircraft used by primitive societies only beginning to step out of the technological doldrums, biplanes (and other propeller driven aircraft) can have a max speed of 200kmh in the air, and can stay in the air for roughly 3hrs. Some biplanes can carry 2 people (1 pilot, the other a navigator or mere passenger).
AC of 8.
Cargo Plane - A larger propeller-driven aircraft which can carry 2 tons of cargo, 2 crew (1 pilot, the other a co-pilot or navigator) and 6-12 passengers, depending on the plane. Top speed is 600kmh.
AC of 8.
Cargo Jet - Used on some worlds which aren't technologically sophisticated to have spaceplanes, but are no slouchs either in the tech department. The same as a Cargo Plane but with a higher speed (1'100kmh).
Helicopter - A VTOL aircraft that is still used even on high-tech worlds for simple use of their utility, mainly in the cityscapes of the future although pioneer colonies can make use of them.
AC of 8 and cost of
Cr100'000.
Helicopter gunship - A military version of the above, and can be used for specOps insertion, or for use as a gunship against tanks and other armoured vehicles.
AC of 12 and cost of
250'000.
Aerospace
Aerospace vehicles are designed to fly inside of an atmosphere, as well as through the vacuum of space. Most starships carry, or can carry, aerospace vessels of various types in either hangar bays, or to external docking ports (which are cheaper). All aerospace vehicles are designed for short-range work, usually in low-orbit or high-orbit ranges rather than long interplanetary or even interstellar work; however there are exceptions to every rule.
Satellite - A satellite is used to make life that much easier for people living on a high-tech world, connecting people all over the world and to other planets or space habitats. These satellites are used for communication purposes. Other satellites exist, such as weather satellites (to lend prescience to the weatherman), space telescopes (for research), spy satellites (usually surreptitiously positioned in orbit of a world, and with stealth technology to hide them from most prying eyes), and defence satellites, capable of bloodying the nose of anyone who comes looking for a fight. CommSats have an
AC of 10 and cost
KCr500 or
500'000 credits; WeatherSats have an
AC of 10, and cost
KCr500; Space Telescopes have an
AC of 8 and cost
MCr1-2; SpySats have an
AC of 12 and cost
MCr5; and Planetary Defence Satellites have an
AC of 14 and cost
MCr10-20.
Escape Capsules - The escape pod of any ship, capsules are meant to survive re-entry (assuming they are jettisoned during an orbital catastrophe), or they can keep the occupants alive for a week with enough oxygen and rations to last for that long. About 6 people can be crammed into one capsule. They have an
AC of 8, and cost
MCr2.
Launch boat - A ship's launch is a small space-only vehicle that is used to ferry passengers or supplies to and from a space station and a ship, or vice versa. They are practically useless in comabt, with no weapons and no maneuvrability. Therefore, their
AC is 8, while they cost
MCr30 or 30 million credits.
Aerospace-superiority Fighter - A fighter that is designed to take the air and own it, they have weaponry that can be used against other fighters, sattelites, and gun turrets. Their quality ranges through different versions, but generally they have an
AC of 14, cost
MCr27 or 27 million credits, and can be used inside an atmosphere as well (they're delta-wings). Most fighters have a sole pilot, though some have been designed for 2 - a pilot, and an astrogator/weapons specialist. They have usually have forward firing gun arcs, though some can be installed with turrets that the 2nd pilot can use.
Interceptor - Interceptors are solely used in space, where they are the most good against enemy aerospace fighters. They're fast, nimble, and carry a drop-tank that can give them extra speed and range to intercept targets that much quicker. Their cost is
Mcr22, and their
AC is 12. They're weapons are mainly useful against other fighters, not capital ships. Some are robotically controlled and therefore do not or cannot support a pilot. These fighters are cheap and of poor quality, but can get the job done.
Assault Fighter - A fighter that is designed to bomb targets on the ground or in space, their weaponry is therefore suited for these tasks, they are usually escorted by A/SS Fighters who clear the way for the bombers to offload their payload. They're delta wings, meaning they can enter an atmosphere and still maintain combat effectiveness. They cost
MCr30 and have an
AC of 12. A crew of 3 is required (1 pilot and 2 gunners), and weaponry includes 2 turrets and a weapons payload that can be configured with different weapons for different missions.
Assault Shuttle - Otherwise known as a Dropship - A shuttle used specifically for planetary raids or invasions, these shuttles carry marines and infantry soldiers against an enemy colony's defence forces. They carry 1 APC, which in turn can carry 1 section (12-15 men) of troops. Their
AC is 12, which is fairly vulnerable, while they cost
MCr50. A crew of 2-3 is required (1 pilot, 1 back-up pilot/weapons specialist, another gunner). The dropship carries weaponry to be used against ground targets, a variety of missiles and dumbfire rockets, and include one manned turret.
Bulk Shuttle - Otherwise known as the Spaceplane - A shuttle used specifically for transport use, the spaceplane is generally used to transport passengers and supplies to and from a world and an orbiting space station or starship. Bulk Shuttles can be used to transport armies down to a planet, usually after a "beachead" has been made on the surface (in other words, after the marines have gone in and smashed some faces). Bulk Shuttles carry no weapons, and come in a variety of sizes (small spaceplanes carry light cargo and mainly passengers, large spaceplanes can carry army regiments) and accordingly they can cost anywhere between
MCr30 to
MCr50. They have an
AC of 8.
Survey Shuttle - Otherwise known as Surveyors - A shuttle used specifically to conduct limited scientific analysis of a planet or asteroid/moon, surveyors are usually standard complement onboard Scout ships, Lab ships and dedicated prospecting ships. They are used predominantly to make flybys of a new world and make preliminary scans, which are then analysed after the mission is complete. Also, all survey shuttles carry satellites and probes, and are often used to repair and replace malfunctioning equipment. They require a crew of 3 (pilot/astrogator, 2 mission specialists). They cost
MCr33 and have an
AC of 8.
Starships - Affordable
These space vessels traverse the stars, thanks to hyperdrive jump technology. The first listing has the title of
'affordable' - the following are basically civilian ships which are well within the range of most people's credit ratings. Crew requirements list the minimal needed, though for increased efficiency backup crew are advisable (as a rule of thumb, extra crew for extra shifts will
double or
triple the listed minimal crew requirements, while also increasing the cost).
All costs are assumed to refer to a NEW SHIP, rather than a re-used ship. The latter will obviously be cheaper than the latter, but may also come with a host of problems.
In spite of this, it can sometimes be better to buy it cheap and spend on upgrades than it is to purchase a new ship.
Also note, that most of the following ships don't have artificial gravity as they're meant to bring a crew to a planet, where all the work takes place (most of these ships will have a streamlined hull). Trips between systems can last days/1 week, but end up at a starport or space station where gravity is either real or simulated; this often means a limited time in zero-gee, not long enough for the debilitating effects to kick in. Larger ships have rotating hulls.
A starship's AC can be modified through a Pilot skill check, ask me how if you want greater detail.
Scout/Courier - The Scout ship is possibly the most common starship available. It is small, light (about 100 tons), is capable of jumps to other stars and is generally small enough to be ignored by most pirates. It costs
42 million Credits (or MCr 42) and takes 5 months to build. It features a streamlined hull, and can take off or land on a planet. It has an
AC of 12, one turret that can be fitted with weapons, a small cargo bay (which mostly contains vehicles for quick planetary surveys anyway), and needs a crew of 1-2 (pilot and astrogator), though 4 additional passengers/crew can be accomodated. The Courier is a faster version of the Scout, and is used as a news ship; news travels slowly in this universe, only as fast as the fastest ship. There is no FTL communication/sensors.
Far Trader - The Far Trader actually isn't a starship - jumpdrives are nonstandard devices for these spacecraft. The title "Far" is meant for interplanetary distances. However, through a Jumpgate Far Traders can visit other starsystems. They weigh 200 tons, and can land on planets and take off again. They cost
67 million credits (or Mcr 67) and take 9 months to build, they aren't generally armed, require a crew of 4 (pilot, astrogator, engineer, and medic/steward for any passengers) and can carry a dozen passengers. Far Traders can carry 2 cargo containers. They have an
AC of 10.
Free Trader - Free Traders have jumpdrives, and are also very common starships. The term "Free" means possessing a jumpdrive, which allows the captain to make his own hyperspace jumps rather than pay a toll by using Jumpgates. Free traders make a living off speculative trade rather than use corporate contracts. They can land and take off of a planet. They cost
MCr50 and take 9 months to build. They aren't generally armed, require a crew of 4 (same as a Far Trader), and can carry a dozen passengers. Like the Far Trader, the Free Trader can carry 2 cargo containers, and have an
AC of 10.
Safari Ship - Safari ships are uncommon, and basically amount to a private yacht (though cheaper than an
actual Space Yacht). Safari ships are meant to provide a mobile base for private exploration, surveying, hunting or safari trips to a planet. Accomodation is fairly luxurious, as most passengers will be of the rich variety who will hire a Safari ship in order to have a safe, week-long adventure somewhere. Internal cargo space can be fitted to hold captured wildlife, and separate climate control helps keep the catches alive. It can land/take-off from a planet, and can make jumps (though cheaper versions exist which have no jumpdrive). It costs
MCr72 for a new ship,
MCr60 for a non-jump ship. It takes 9 months to build, requires a crew of 3-4 (pilot/astrogator, engineer, medic/steward) and can take a dozen passengers. It has an
AC of 11.
System Defence Boat - Most Navies that rely on "coast guard" operations rather than "power projection" policies will have a lot of these ships in their service. SDBs aren't jump capable, are small ships but fast, and are excellent guards against piracy. They conduct boardings, search and rescue, and light patrols of a system. Although streamlined, SDBs can carry 2 shuttles through external docking points. It costs
MCr200 and takes 11 months to build. It requires a crew of 6 (A Captain, Pilot, 2 Engineers, 2 Medics) and can carry a squad of marines (6 marines, some of which command the turrets, others who fly the shuttles). It has an
AC of 18 and carries
2 Turrets.
Yacht - Yachts are uncommon, and for good reason: they're not a commercially viable spacecraft. They have no extensive cargo hold, no containers, and are generally too rich to be considered useful in anything other than a status symbol. Which is why only the rich and powerful traverse space in yachts. As such, internally the yachts are designed to be elaborate. They aren't generally armed, but they can be (assuming the owner wants to protect himself against piracy). They cost
Mcr80 and take 11 months to build. A crew complement of 3-4 is required (Pilot/Astrogator, Engineer, medic/steward) and can take a dozen passengers. It has an
AC of 10.
Corsair - Corsairs are basically pirate ships, though legitimate corsairs are owned by mercs who have all the appropriate licences. They have no extensive cargo space, but they can carry containers. They are fast ships, but can be defeated by a warship of the same tonnage. Even fighters can be used against them, and most are. Corsairs aren't streamlined (the container-hardpoints are typically used, assuming legitimate reasons, to dock assault shuttles full of mercs to land on a planet - only pirates use the hardpoints for captured contraband), cost anywhere between
MCr100-200, takes 14 months to build, and require a crew of 6 (Captain/Pilot, Astrogator, 2 Engineers, 2 Medics), as well as any gunnery crew or mercenaries for the shuttles. It has an
AC of 16 and carries
4 Turrets.
Laboratory/Survey Ship - Lab ships are generally run by corporate sponsors who pay for research and surveys to take place in distant systems/planets. As such, they're not viable for commercial tasks, but you can still get paid for ferrying and assisting research staff. They're streamlined, so they can land on a planet. Most come with enough cargo space to fit special scientific instruments into them, but that has to be bought separate to the ship. They can cost anywhere between
MCr150-200, and takes 11 months to build. They require a crew of 5 (Pilot, astrogator, 2 engineers, and a medic/steward), and can carry at most 30 scientists for research or surveys. They have an
AC of 11 but no turrets are installed.
Subsidised Merchant - These are larger, "bulk" freighters that carry a minimum of 6 cargo containers, but some mammoth ships can carry 12, 15 or even 20 containers. These merchantmen are owned and operated by corporations who set up trade routes between systems, ensuring regular cargo hauls and mail service. Due to being dedicated freighters, the "Subbie" is rarely armed with turrets - making them juicy targets for a squadron of corsairs. As such, corporations hire on mercenaries for particular troublesome routes, in order to discourage pirates from making a raid. These ships have no artificial gravity, nor are designed to land on a planet. All they are meant to do is get the containers from A to B. The "subbie" requires a crew of 7 (Captain, pilot, astrogator, 3 engineers, medic/steward) to operate. No passengers, other than corporate officials, are generally allowed to hire onto this ship, as it is little more than a stack of cargo containers attached to an engine. It costs
MCr100, takes 14 months to build, and has an
AC of 10.
Subsidised Liner - Liners are the largest civilian-owned and operated spacecraft, nearly totalling 1000 tons. They are designed to carry cargo as well as people, but the latter is given preferential treatment. That is why, instead of cramming the passengers into cargo containers (an unfortunate reality which takes place with refugees), the liner has a dedicated habitation deck, made up of a spinning torus wheel that provides artificial gravity. The gravity is gently shifted to increase or decrease, depending on the target destination. As such, the Liner is also designed for long, sublight travel as well, particularly between planets in the same system. Like the Sub. Merchant, the Liner carries no weaponry - though ex-marines have an alternative to mercenary work by acting as security personnel. However, this is
usually not a problem as corsairs will often concentrate on ore freighters. The biggest danger comes from hi-jacking, where security excels at deterring. The crew requirements are between 10, 12 or 18 (pilot, astrogator, 2 engineers, 2 medics, 4/6/12 stewards); security personnel usually amounts to a squad of ex-marines (about half a dozen), while passengers can range between (low passage, nicknamed an 'icebox' and spent almost entirely in suspended animation tubes, to high passage, where you're allowed to wander and enjoy recreation facilities) 50-200, depending on the size of the liner in question. Liners transport their passengers to starports in orbit of a planet; from there, the passengers either get "picked" up by relatives, ride down on bulk transport shuttles (another fee), or get a paid trip to the surface as part of their high passage ticket. The Liner costs between
MCr300-350, takes 22 months to build, and has an
AC of 10.
Patrol Corvette - The Corvette is a common navy ship, though some are in the hands of mercenaries. Corvettes patrol the systems, keeping piracy in check and responding to emergencies. An unstreamlined hull and no artificial gravity means patrol duration don't last that long, with most patrols starting and ending at a space station. Fitted to external hardpoints are 2 assault shuttles. This ship costs
MCr200, and takes 14 months to build. A crew of 12 is required (Captain, pilot, astrogator, 4 gunners, 3 engineers, 2 medics), also enough space can fit in a section of marines (12-15 soldiers) who pilot the shuttles for either boarding duties or landing raids. It has an
AC of 16 and
4 turrets.
Mercenary Frigate - The Frigate is a common navy ship, though some are in the hands of mercenaries (most navies prefer the larger Destroyer anyway). Frigates are bigger than corvettes, and perform much of the same duties - but the presence of a rotating hull greatly increases duration. Instead of external hardpoints, the Frigate makes do with 2 flight bays which contains 4 assault shuttles
OR 12 aerospace fighters, depending on the mission profile (Mercenaries will use the frigate for raids, which would require marines/merc troops, or escort, which require a squadron of fighters). This ship costs
MCr500 and takes 24 months to build. A crew of 20 is required (Captain, pilot, astrogator, weapons officer, flight officer, 8 gunners, 4 engineers, 3 medics), while a platoon of mercs/marines can be carried by the ship (30 men, approximately) or a squadron of combat pilots can be carried instead (12 pilots, 12 aerospace mechanics, technicians and flight crew, plus all the additional ordnance the fighters will need). It has an
AC of 14, 4 turrets and 2 missile tubes for orbital bombardment (each tube requires 2 gunners who act as missile technicians).
Starships - Military
Starships that are owned and operated by a Space Navy, they can severely overclass any civilian ship. Due to the 250yr long Dark Age, a lot of these ships are either hideously expensive to build, or are lost pieces of technology anyway. I haven't listed ACs or cost, because you won't be able to buy any of them, nor would your characters know the defensive systems enough to get an idea of their AC (the possible exception are soldiers, but you have to have served in a Space Navy in order to get this information). The only other way to find out how tough naval ships are is to challenge them; do so at your own risk.
Destroyer - DD - Destroyers are bigger than frigates, and take much more crew to operate anyway. They're a common ship in Navies, which prefer these ships to frigates. They're designed for patrol duties and escort. Some navies prefer to build large numbers of Destroyers than small numbers of Cruisers. The Destroyer role came into being when the Dark Ages began, and the need for Battleships became unnecessary and expensive - a cheap ship was developed to perform patrol and escort roles when power projection wasn't the goal, but system defence was. A DD won't last long against a BB, but that doesn't matter because BB's are rare enough as it is.
Strike Cruiser - CS - These Cruisers are used almost entirely for orbital bombardment duties and raids with marines. The CS is a cheap alternative to the CA.
Light Cruiser - CL - The CL is a cheap alternative to the CA, not fielding any fighters, but can maintain a slightly better speed. They are useful for escort/convoy missions. They carry a marine complement.
Heavy Cruiser - CA - Heavy Cruisers are currently the capital ship of most navies that can afford them (and they are quite expensive), but combine arms and armour, speed and cost-effectiveness in the one package. Heavy cruisers can be used for independent operations or as part of a fleet/task force.
Battleship - BB - The largest ships with the heaviest and most advanced weaponry, most of these ships were lost in frequent battles during the Dark Age, and those that remain stay at their bases, being too expensive to operate. Almost none are built now, as some of the technology has been lost while the shipyards necessary to construct these behemoths aren't large enough now to satisfy the shipbuilders.
Assault Transport - AT - They carry armies to and from planets, to be used against others. At this time, only the richest of militaries can afford to use these ships.
Escort Carrier - CV - They carry aerospace fighters and gunships for use in planetary invasions, either as patrol wings (fighters, interceptors) or as bombers/air support. Like the AT, only the richest of militaries can afford to use these ships. They have rotating hulls in order to increase their endurance and range.
Supply ships, fleet tenders, tankers etc - Various fleet tenders, repair&resupply ships and fuel tankers.
Doesn't anyone like my alien ideas? 
If we really have a party full of humans then I see no reason to have the racial bonuses and penalties. From now on, humans get 4 free skill points at Clvl1, a free feat at Clvl1, and an extra skill point every level.
I wanted the character to be dextrous, so the Chel'Noirn were out, and I didn't like the Sonnergat's hit to Constitution, as well as the fact that not many are Sentinels. Plus, I found it easier to make a backstory for a character who's mindset I am familiar with, not to mention ultimately roleplaying this character. Aliens can be pretty hard to do convincingly.
As for TK, a bit would be welcome, but it's not necessary. You could go anywhere from manipulation of small, relatively light objects (like rocks, knives, keys, etc) or up to the capacity to push or knock people out with it. Your call. I'm pretty maleable. Also, what will the mechanics for the Psy be like? I hope it's more like an MP (perhaps "Talent Points") thing rather than the way DnD handles spells.
Although I must confess, my question actually had more to do with what kind of tech level the weapons (and the rest of the galaxy) will be at. Will we be shooting bullets or energy blasts? That sort of thing.
). I'll be doing some more work later today (13th Jan).