ASTRAL EMPIRES: SHIPS OF SOLAR ECLIPTIC 02100

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 ASTRAL EMPIRES: SHIPS OF SOLAR ECLIPTIC 02100

ASTRAL EMPIRES:
AD 2100-2200
THE SHIPS OF
SOLAR ECLIPTIC
A SUPPLEMENT FOR THE ASTRAL EMPIRES GAME SYSTEM AND OTHER
SCIENCE FICTION GAMES

Based upon the ASTRAL EMPIRES universe created by Kevin Monk

CREDITS

Author/Illustrator
Kevin W. Monk

The starship art contained herein was created by the author using DOGA:
http://www.doga.co.jp/english/

Port Nova Media’s products are available from Avalon Game Company.

Copyright ©2011 Port Nova Media

All rights reserved.

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 ASTRAL EMPIRES: SHIPS OF SOLAR ECLIPTIC 02100

As always, thanks to all the greats of science fiction who have blazed such a trail
of imagination and wonder.

And to all the family and friends who indulged this author/artist's science fiction
passion, especially the K4 gang. You know how much you are appreciated.

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 ASTRAL EMPIRES: SHIPS OF SOLAR ECLIPTIC 02100

About This Book

This book is composed of numerous starship designs representing the major and
minor powers of the 2100-2200 AD era of ASTRAL EMPIRES. Included are overviews
of various fleets taken from the core rulebook along with top-view, two-dimensional
counters for use with your favorite tactical starship game. It is hoped that you will be
able to use them to “flesh out” other fleets you may have, or for use in gaming the
specific time period of Terran starship combat history covered by this resource (02100
through 02200 AD). Permission is granted to print as many copies of the counters
contained in this book as needed for personal use.

To use these ship designs in tactical combat you will need these counters, a set of
rules (ASTRAL EMPIRES: CAPTAIN, NOVA COMMAND, and BATTLESHIFT are our
proprietary systems, but Full Thrust, Starmada, Squadron Strike, A Sky Full of Ships,
GOBS or any other easily customizable game will work as well) and the ability to
generate appropriate statistics for each class you want to use in battle. Sample
statistics for some of the above systems may be available at the author's blog:
theastralempires.blogspot.com

Two Solar Navy destroyers in transit between the Jovian sub-system and Saturn.

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 ASTRAL EMPIRES: SHIPS OF SOLAR ECLIPTIC 02100

Introduction
Just as in the core sourcebook for ASTRAL EMPIRES: SOLAR ECLIPTIC 02100, this
module explores the time period of 02100 through 02200 AD and the conflicts
between the political alliances of that era. These vessels represent the earliest efforts
of human combat starship engineering and thus as stated in the core SOLAR ECLIPTIC
book are by the standards of later ASTRAL EMPIRES time periods, quite primitive and
low-tech. This makes them challenging to use in conflicts with the more advanced
vessels that were to come after 02200 AD and beyond, but they are still intriguing
examples of Terran craftsmanship.

Ships of this era were built by Terra-based construction conglomerates and, as was
often the case in prior wet-navy arms races (before mankind moved out into space),
were as powerful and combat-worthy as each faction was capable of building with
the resources available to them at the time. Each class of vessel was designed by
naval construction specialists as part of a project typically headed by a specific fleet's
Director of Naval Construction or Engineer-in-Chief. The most successful elements of
each ship design were then later incorporated into the newer classes built by the
United Earth Commonwealth of Nations fleet and the Solar Navy.

A Europan vessel escorts a UECON extra-solar exploration craft in orbit over Jupiter's moon Io.

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Starship Combat in the Solar Ecliptic Era

Life in general in the 2100s is vastly different than it was in the previous century. The
ravages of the mid- to late-2000s changed the complexion of humanity with the
effects of bioengineering, artificial intelligences, and the transition into space all leaving
definable scars. Nowhere is this more evident than in space combat. Whereas
humanity has achieved much during the move from the homeworld, the military
sciences seem to be at the forefront of the advancements, a common situation in
Terran history.

The primary weapon systems of the Solar Ecliptic era are:

1. Railcannon- Magnetically-propelled kinetic impactors that cause damage by their mass and
impact velocity.
2. Lasers- Fast-firing beams projectors.
3. Seeking missiles- Tactical warheads mounted on torch drives.
NOTE: Some particle weapons were also deployed during this time as the technology improved,
but were mostly restricted.

These weapons systems proved to be quite successful during the various human-on-
human conflicts that dominated this period. Each Solar political entity built up fleets to
provide power projection capabilities. The general characteristics of the main fleets'
armament doctrines were;

1. Pax Europa: The ships of this fleet focused on a mix of railcannon and nuclear
missiles as primary weapons backed up by lasers for defense.

2. Panasian Sphere: The Panasians typically relied on railcannon and older-styled

autocannon along with some powerful (but slow) nuclear missile delivery systems.
They also deployed a class of manned spacefighters for short-range strike missions.

3. Crown States:The first effective particle cannons were deployed by this fleet with
weaponry based on abandoned NorAm designs. They also carried limited numbers of
standard nuclear missiles during wartime.

4. NorAm/Western Alliance: These ships depended on large numbers of small

advanced missiles with fusion warheads. They typically did not have railcannon or
particle weapons (with one or two notable exceptions), but did carry laser
"goalkeepers" for protection. This fleet also constructed spacefighter carriers for

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offensive and defensive roles.

5. Yamato Corporate: Yamato built advanced warships with 3rd generation particle
beamers, A.I. spacefighters and powerful kinetic railgun armaments.

6. Northern Bloc/Medina League: Despite their nearly complete destruction during the
Armageddon War, the Bloc/League alliance did deploy a number of ships to protect
their interests on Luna and Venus. They equipped their vessels with autocannon and
salvaged nuclear warheads considered to be less sophisticated than those deployed
by other fleets.

7. African Union: The most politically-stable of the various Earthside governments

during the 2100s, the AU built a small but capable fleet in conjunction with the Western
Alliance. They followed their allies' warship doctrine by purchasing "off the shelf" from
other powers such as the Crown States and converting them to missile bombardment
ships.

8. UECON EarthFleet: (Although active towards the end of the Solar Ecliptic ear, the UECON
fleet is considered more of a 2200s power and is thus described in the "AE: 2200-2300-Bravely
Venture" sourcebook. In brief, however, they carried advanced particle weaponry and lasers,
with a few designs equipped with missiles and railcannon.)

9. Terran Solar Navy: (Although active during the second half of the 2100s, the Solar Navy is
generally thought of as a 2200s power and is documented in the information for that era. In
general as a quick overview, they carried high-thrust fission missiles and duel-role lasers that
could destroy attacking missiles and projectiles as well as strike enemy ships at close ranges.)

10. Alien Powers;

Promedians: Advanced ships with particle beamers and antimatter torpedoes
along with advanced ECM systems.
Zetans: Accurate short-range lasers and a unique hyperspace shunt that
allows their ships to make microjumps away from enemy attacks.
Kentaurans: Roughly comparable to Earth technology, the Kentaurans equip
their ships with the Gladius heavy railcannon system which was capable of launching
nuclear pellets. (No counters for this faction are included in this book)

Improvements also continue to be made during this era in the field of particle
weaponry, which will come to dominate the 2200s. But during this earlier age, most
military opt for combinations of railcannon, lasers and missiles for their primary

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armament. A few civilian designs will still use the older style autocannon, which are
essentially lower-velocity versions of railcannon with shorter ranges and lower
damage effects.

NOTE: If using other generic systems (such as Full Thrust, Starmada or Squadron Strike) to
simulate combat in the Solar Ecliptic era, the following guidelines are recommended:

1. Weapons of this time period are generally restricted to short-ranged systems like
kinetic cannon, primitive lasers, and thermal-imaging torch missiles.
2. Sensors tend to be passive and relatively short-ranged.
3. Each Solar System power has its own spaceship combat doctrine based on a
combination of their cultural psychology, technological limitations, and belief systems.
4. Most combat takes place in orbit around a planet or moon (thus, orbital mechanics, if
offered by your system, are important).
5. Using the terrain (such as hiding in a gas giant's atmosphere, maneuvering through
the rocks that make up the planetary rings, or hiding behind an asteroid) is very
important due to the fact that stealth systems were essentially non-existent at this
time in history.

The beginning of the 02100s saw the final missions of the Unitas class space battleship, the first Terran
military spaceship. An example of this class is shown here with an interstellar exploration vessel of the
Cabeza de Vaca class.

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Pax Europan Fleet

The Pax Europan military forces are a professional service equipped with the most
advanced technology humanity of the 02100s has to offer. The ships of the Enterprise
(as Pax Europa is sometimes called) are rugged, handsome vessels with solid
armament. They are neither extraordinarily fast or agile, but instead utilitarian in design.
They provide fairly long service lives as spaceframes but are not provisioned for
lengthy operations due to the widespread presence of Europan resupply vessels and
repair stations throughout the Solar System. Many of these same vessels will later be
passed on to various planetary guard fleets after the creation of the UECON
Spaceforce and will serve on into the 02200s.

A Pax Europan command cruiser with two escort craft in lower orbit.

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Panasian Sphere Fleet

Panasian vessels tend to be slightly lower-tech than other military units, which they
make up for in quantity of numbers. Their fleet is currently larger than any other, unless
the loose association of NorAm, Crown States and New Masada (sometimes called the
Western Alliance) is taken into consideration. Primary weapon systems tend to be
heavy missiles and older style railcannon, with an occasional laser projector
encountered on advanced warships.

Panasian vessels operating within Jupiter's lower orbitals.

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Crown States Royal Navy

The Royal Space Navy is the only combined force of the Crown States armed services,
as each of the three signatories to the Treaty maintain their own separate ground
forces. From the late 21sh century until well into the 22th century, it has been the third
most powerful navy in the Solar System, playing a key part in establishing the Crown
States as a dominant Meganational.
During the Fifth World War of 2150-2153 and the Third Solar War of 2165-2166, the Royal
Space Navy was transformed into primarily a small ship force due to the need to hunt
for Panasian and Northern Bloc attack ships wreaking havoc throughout the colonies.
The Crown States' ships were mostly active in the Jupiter region, especially near the
"Ganymede Gap".
With the founding of UECON in 2161 the Royal Space Navy now sees its role for the late
22nd century as focusing on expeditionary operations in the Outer Worlds as well as
gearing up to support any extra-solar missions UECON may be planning.

Crown States Royal Navy ships in geosynch orbit over New Zealand, Old Terra.

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NorAm/Western Alliance Spacefleet

The Spacefleet traces its origins all the way back to the Continental Navy, a product of
a revolutionary war that took place in 01775-01783. The NorAm/Western Alliance
Constitution provides a legal basis for a spaceborne military force by giving the NorAm
Senate the power "to finance and maintain a space-going military arm similar to that
deployed on Earth".
Ships of the NorAm/Western Alliance navy are typically advanced craft with long-
ranged missile armaments. They utilize technologies from the various nations that
make up the Alliance and appear to be taking the lead in several important military
science fields.

Two Western Alliance vessels head their separate ways after a rendezvous in deep space far away
from the Solar System.

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Yamato Corporate Fleet

The Yamato spacefleet has inherited many of the traditions of their wet navy
predecessors from centuries past and their advanced A.I. fighterdrones are the envy of
all. Close connections between the Corporate Guild and their sponsored military forces
have seen the Yamato fleet become the most advanced in the Solar System with
many state-of-the-art technologies in the fields of advanced sensors and weapons.
Yamato ships are typically heavily armed with railguns, particle cannons, missile racks,
and A.I. dronefighters. In recent years, Yamato has also perfected a low-emission
spyship for operating in the territories of other powers, but little is known of this design.

Small flotilla of Yamato warships operating in the outer Solar System. These vessels are shown utilizing
a “dazzle paint” scheme.

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African Union AeroSpace Operations Arm

The AU has been the most stable of the Terran powers for most of the past century.
Their military is small, but capable and is made up of vessels built specifically to the
Union's specifications or purchased “off-the-shelf” from other nations. Cooperation
between the individual nations that constitute the African Union is not always
absolute and it is generally thought that ship commanders have a great deal of latitude
in the operations of their vessels because of this expectation. AU vessels utilize a
wide spectrum of armaments, but are usually thought of as somewhat under-armed.

African Union vessels often serve as intermediaries or arbiters between other fleets in time of war and
peace.

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Northern Bloc Fleet

The devastation of the region on Old Terra known as the Northern Bloc is a matter of
history. For this reason, the Northern Bloc can no longer afford to build up a large
space presence so they have instead begun to focus on operating a small number of
very powerful units backed up by a greater number of small, cheaply built military craft.
However backward the Northern Bloc technology might be, they still construct capable
vessels, although rumors persist that there exist fundamental flaws in such systems as
cosmic radiation protection and engine shielding.

Northern Bloc warships range from massive and over-gunned to small and barely adequate for patrol

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duties.

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Medina League Transport and Military Fleet

Operating as something of a partner/protectorate of the Northern Bloc, the League is a

shell of the Caliphate that once dominated the Middle East and parts of Europe. Their
vessels tend to follow the same design focus as the Bloc (few large but powerful
vessels backed up by small and often under-armed warships). Due to limitations on
the deuterium supplies provided by the Jovian colonies, Medina League ships are
somewhat restricted in terms of their travel throughout the Solar System but are
occasionally encountered almost anywhere Terran humanity has ventured.

This Medina League transport is just getting underway from the orbit of Venus, with a solitary frigate
providing escort protection.

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New Masada StrikeFleet

The warships of New Masada are fast and powerful, possessing advanced sensors
and defensive technologies. They also have built-in rotation units due to the long
deployments typical of New Masada units. The StrikeFleet operates two distinct sub-
classes of frigates optimized for travel between the Jovian sub-system and Earth.
They are relatively fast and maneuverable, giving them an advantage against their
Europan and Medina League opposition.

This massive New Masada vessel is shown in circumpolar orbit of Old Terra with two NorAm corvettes
providing point defense.

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Additional Factions/Ships

Although the primary focus of Solar Ecliptic is on the conflicts between the major
supranational alliances of Old Terra, there are other powers in play during this era.
Counters are provided for ships representing some of those powers including the
Zetans (defeated once before during the 02060s), the Promedians (a benefactor race
that appears to want to assist mankind's transition to the stars), along with several
individual vessels that serve commercial and exploratory interests.

Once humanity had learned how to construct starships to survive in deep space, the race was on. In
the space of a single century the inhabitants of Old Terra made the leap to the stars never to be confined
to their homeworld again.

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For free game stats for use with various existing game systems please visit the
following sites:

theastralempires.blogspot.com
www.scifirpg.com

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ASTRAL EMPIRES: SHIPS OF SOLAR ECLIPTIC 02100

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 All games available at
(Click on the name to visit their site)

RPGNow.com

e23.sjgames.com

wargamedownloads.com

wargamevault.com

Yourgamesnow.com

Drivethrustuff.com












 






 



























 


















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