Written and adapted by Kveldulf@aol.com and posted here with his permission.

Crawler, Military

Cost:	75,000 (tank), 65,000 (self-propelled artillery) or 70,000 (APC)(military use only - no rental available)
Top / Cruise Speed:	65 kph (110 m / turn) / 45 kph (75 m / turn) (all models)
Passengers:	3 (tanks and self-propelled artillery) or 12 (APC's)
Cargo Limit:	12,000 kg, 10 cubic meters (tank or SP artillery) or 5,000 kg, 6 cubic meters (APC)

Military crawlers are widely used among planetary militias, mercenaries and megacorporate troops; UPF forces have largely abandoned them in favor of aircars and hover vehicles. Although on the verge of being obsolete, they are still deadly vehicles and were employed by the Sathar as recently as the Second Sathar War in actions on Solar Minor and Outpost #1. Note that the prices listed for these vehicles do not include weapons or vehicle computers, both of which are added later by the military force buying the vehicle.

Standard equipment on all models includes a turret with 360 degree traverse (one fixed mount with a Gyrostabilizer (ZG) for main gun in the turret, plus one swivel mount next to the turret hatch). Other equipment includes an Auto-Extinguisher (ZG), Dis-Viz Projector (ZG), Emergency Beeper (transponder) (ZG), Emergency Beeper Receiver (ZG), 4 Level 5 Baton Locks (1 each on the driver's hatch and controls, and 1 each on the main gun and turret hatch), Radiophone and a Toxy-Rad Gauge mounted in the crew compartment. There are 10 Smoke Grenades (SF:AD) mounted on the turret exterior, which can be detonated by the crew to obscure the vehicle (NOTE: this provides the vehicle with the equivalent of "soft cover" per SF:AD, p. 43, for 10 minutes if stationary or the next turn if moving). All military crawlers will carry ammunition for at least 50 shots from the main gun and double that or more for any secondary weapons. All models are powered by a pair of Type 4 Parabatteries. Tank and SP artillery crawlers are crewed by a driver and commander / gunner, both seated in the front of the hull; weapon reloads are handled by a robotic autoloader installed in the turret. APC's are crewed by a driver (seated in the front) and gunner / commander seated in the turret; ten troopers can be seated in the back, and exit by two roof hatches (adjacent to the vehicle's extra pair of swivel mounts) or via a large hatch in the back.

Tanks have 6 layers of armor (ZG) standard at NO penalty to listed vehicle speeds. They add a second fixed, gyrostabilized weapon mount on the hull in front of the driver. Tanks also include an autoloader for the main gun (only if main gun is PGS type). The autoloader is equivalent to a Level 3 Robot (100 STA, Attack / Defense, Computer Link) which has no legs and is mounted in the gun turret; if the human crew are killed, it can jack into the gun controls and continue firing the vehicle's weapons. Tanks mount a variety of weapons as main guns -

M-1 rafflurs (ZG), heavy lasers, recoilless rifles and rocket launchers are common choices for militia vehicles; Landfleet commonly mounts superheavy ordnance-class weapons (use the statistics for the Sathar "automatic cannon" in SF2 or the vehicular weapons from Alex Curylo's DRAGON article "Tanks A Lot"). Tanks are known for their ability to cross obstacles - a tank can climb over any obstacle up to 1.5 meters high and cross a trench up to 3 meters across. With full armament a typical tank masses 50,000 kg.

Self-propelled artillery have 2 layers of armor (ZG) standard at NO penalty to listed vehicle speeds. They include an autoloader for the main gun (only if main gun is PGS type). The autoloader is equivalent to a Level 3 Robot (100 STA, Attack / Defense, Computer Link) which has no legs and is mounted in the gun turret; if the human crew are killed, it can jack into the gun controls and continue firing the vehicle's weapons. Self-propelled artillery crawlers are unique among military vehicles in that they usually mount PGS weapons only; this allows them to fire indirect shots and use different ammunition types for specific missions. Recoilless rifles, grenade mortars and rocket launchers are common main guns on militia artillery; Landfleet commonly mounts superheavy ordnance-class weapons (use the statistics for the Sathar "automatic cannon" in SF2 or the vehicular weapons from Alex Curylo's DRAGON article "Tanks A Lot"). Self-propelled artillery crawlers are capable of climbing over obstacles up to 1 meter high and crossing trenches up to 2.5 meters across without trouble. With full armament, a typical self-propelled artillery crawler masses between 20,000 and 25,000 kg.

Armored personnel carriers (APC's) have 4 layers of armor (ZG) standard at NO penalty to listed vehicle speeds. They add two swivel mounts on the roof of the vehicle (mounted to the rear of the main gun, one on each side of it), with hatches next to each for gunners to fire them; these mounts can only accept rifle-class weapons - NOT heavy weapons. The extra two swivel mounts can be bolted down so the main gun can traverse its full 360 degrees; in this position these weapons cannot be fired. There are also 5 gun ports on each side of the vehicle accessible through armored panels; troops firing out of these ports do so at a -20 penalty and any opponents attempting to shoot at the trooper through the port have a -40 penalty to hit. APC's also add three extra Level 5 Baton Locks (ZG), which lock the main rear crew hatch and the two auxiliary crew hatches. APC's mount a variety of weapons as main guns - heavy lasers, recoilless rifles, grenade mortars and rocket launchers are common choices for militia vehicles; Landfleet commonly mounts superheavy ordnance-class weapons (use the statistics for vehicular weapons from Alex Curylo's DRAGON article "Tanks A Lot"). Secondary weapon mounts are usually machine guns. APC's have excellent offroad handling, being capable of climbing over obstacles up to 1 meter high and crossing trenches up to 2.5 meters across without trouble. With full armament they mass between 22,000 and 25,000 kg.

NOTE: On the Terrain Effects Table (SF:AD, p. 19), crawlers are considered track-mobiles. For combat purposes, military crawlers used as APC's or tanks are considered armored vehicles (200+d100 structural points, plus armor layers - 150 points for tanks and 100 points for APC's); military crawlers used as self-propelled artillery are considered heavy vehicles (100+d100 structural points plus 50 points for armor layers). Military crawlers cannot traverse deep bodies of water such as lakes or rivers, but can be driven indefinitely through shallow water up to 2.5 meters deep (such as streams or along a shoreline). All three models of military crawler are built from the same chassis, measuring 7 meters long, 3.5 meters wide and 3 meters high (to top of the turret).

REFEREE'S NOTE: Military crawlers are extremely deadly vehicles designed strictly for warfare. These vehicles are closely guarded and will not be found outside of a military base or facility. The Emergency Beepers mounted in these vehicles double as transponders, allowing their commanders to track them up to 1,000 km away. If one were stolen or otherwise acquired, all UPF military and law enforcement units in the area would make every effort to destroy the vehicle and its contents rather than let it be stolen. PC's should only encounter these vehicles in wartime (if civilian), or in in the context of normal military operations (if enlisted in a military unit). These vehicles are illegal and unavailable for all non-military organizations including Star Law.

Military Crawler Vehicle Data (all models):

Accel (m/turn): 50 Decel (m/turn): 40 Top Speed (m/turn): 110 Turn Speed (m/turn): 70

Crawler, Transport

Cost:	18,000 (passenger) or 20,000 (cargo) Cr (rental - both models - is 100 Cr plus 150 Cr / day)
Top / Cruise Speed:	65 kph (110 m / turn) / 50 kph (82 m / turn) (both models)
Passengers:	2 (cargo transport) or 12 (passenger transport)
Cargo Limit:	10,000 kg, 30 cubic meters (cargo model) 2,000 kg, 5 cubic meters (passenger transport)

Transport crawlers are designed to haul cargo and passengers across broken or rugged terrain. Rarely used on the Frontier's more heavily populated worlds (where crawlers have an annoying tendency to chew up road surfaces), they are common on moons and smaller colonies. Transport crawlers are designed to be interchangeable in most ways with regular ground transports and share many common parts (excepting the track assembly); the driver's instruments, cab size and cargo compartment are similar enough in size and design that any ground transport driver will feel instantly at home in a crawler.

The two most common models of transport crawlers are a cargo transport and passenger transport; these are identical except for the cargo compartment, which in the passenger transport is a comfortable area with seating and cargo stowage under the passenger area (the cargo stowage is accessible only from locked panels on the sides of the vehicle, just above the track assembly). Standard equipment on a transport crawler (either type) includes a Chronocom (mounted on the dashboard), Emergency Beeper Receiver, and Level 3 (Green) Card Locks on the cargo compartment (cargo model) or cargo stowage panels (passenger model). Cargo Transports are powered by a single Type 3 Parabattery. Both models of transport crawler mass roughly 15,000 kg, not including any passengers or cargo carried.

NOTE: On the Terrain Effects Table (SF:AD, p. 19), crawlers are considered track-mobiles. For combat purposes, transport crawlers are considered light vehicles (50+2d10 structural points). Transport crawlers (like their military cousins) have excellent offroad capabilities, being able to climb over obstacles up to 1 meter high and cross trenches up to 8 meters across. Transport crawlers cannot traverse deep bodies of water such as lakes or rivers, but can be driven indefinitely through shallow water up to 1.5 meters deep (such as streams or along a shoreline).

Transport Crawler Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 40 Decel (m/turn): 40 Top Speed (m/turn): 110 Turn Speed (m/turn): 50

Crawler, Utility ("Ute")

Cost:	30,000 Cr (rental - 75 Cr plus 150 Cr / day)
Top / Cruise Speed:	55 kph (90 m / turn) / 40 kph (65 m / turn)
Passengers:	2
Cargo Limit:	15,000 kg

Utility crawlers can be found on loading docks and construction sites on most Frontier worlds, loading and hauling heavy cargoes and building components. They do not usually carry cargo themselves, instead loading cargo onto or into transports (crawler, ground or hover) for shipment. "Utes" are also used by the militias of the Frontier to recover and repair military vehicles in the field.

The standard model includes a crane capable of lifting 15,000 kg onto the cargo bed in the rear; the crane is capable of rotating a full 360 degrees. A winch with 60 meters of cable is mounted on the front of the vehicle, capable of pulling a maximum load of 12,000 kg. The only other equipment included on a standard "ute" are Level 3 (Green) Card Locks on the dashboard / ignition and crane control panels. Utility crawlers require two operators to operate (driver and crane operator), though a Level 3 Robot is used by some companies in lieu of an organic driver; the driver sits in the front cab, while the crane operator has a seat mounted on the side of the crane's base. Military models can mount up to 2 layers of armor with the normal speed penalties, and a single swivel mount can be installed on top of the cab. For operation in hostile or thin atmospheres or in vaccuum conditions, the driver's cab and crane operator's seats can be emclosed in airtight canopies at a cost of 3,000 Cr each; the airtight canopies provide 10 hours of life support to the vehicle's occupants. Utility crawlers are powered by a single Type 4 Parabattery. Standard utility crawlers mass approximately 25,000 kg; they are roughly 8 m in length, 3.5 m wide, and 3.5 m high (including the crane).

NOTE: On the Terrain Effects Table (SF:AD, p. 19), crawlers are considered track-mobiles. For combat purposes, utility crawlers are considered heavy vehicles (100+d100 structural points). Utility crawlers are able to climb over obstacles up to 1 meter high and cross trenches up to 8 meters across.

Utility Crawler Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 30 Decel (m/turn): 40 Top Speed (m/turn): 90 Turn Speed (m/turn): 40

Launch, Assault

Cost:	112,000 Cr (base model, including armor but not weaponry) (no rental available)
Top / Cruise Speed:	600 kph (1,000 m / turn) / 150 kph (250 m / turn)
Passengers:	12 (2 crew + 10 troopers, or 2 troopers and 1 assault robot)
Cargo Limit:	250 kg, 1 cubic meter

Assault launches carry the standard fuel load of 40 bursts, but due to the weight of their armor only accelerate at 30 m / turn per burst.

Standard equipment on assault launches include a Dis-Viz Laser Projector (ZG), Help-Beam Receiver (ZG), Level 7 Baton Lock (ZG) on the cockpit hatch, and a Subspace Radio. Three Type E Scanners (1 km range) (ZG) are mounted on the vehicle, including Infrared, Radar and Radioactivity; these are enclosed in the equivalent of Computer Strongboxes (ZG) with 4 layers of armor each (see Zebulon's Guide, pp.81-82 for details on this equipment). For security reasons, a radio-detonated, 500 gram charge of TD-19 is emplaced in every gunship; all crew members have orders to destroy the craft if in danger of capture, using an encrypted Fleet signal, once they have evacuated a damaged vehicle. Vehicle computers are installed on all assault lunches but are not included in the base model so that Fleet officers can outfit them as needed.

REFEREE'S NOTE: Assault launches are extremely deadly vehicles; they are designed and used by Spacefleet for the sole purpose of boarding hostile vessels. These vehicles are as closely guarded as any vessel in the Fleet, and will not be found outside of a Spacefleet hangar or ship. If one were stolen or otherwise acquired, Spacefleet would make every effort to destroy the vehicle and its contents rather than let it be stolen. PC's should only encounter these ships in wartime (if civilian), or in in the context of normal military operations (if enlisted in Spacefleet). These vehicles are illegal and unavailable for all forces outside of Spacefleet, including planetary militias, megacorporate mercenary troops, and Star Law.

Launch, Cargo ("OTV's" or "Orbital Transfer Vehicles")

Cost:	115,000 Cr (rental - 100 Cr plus 25 Cr / hour)
Top / Cruise Speed:	1,200kph (2,000 m / turn), 120 kph (200 m / turn)
Passengers:	2
Cargo Limit:	10,000 kg, 30 cubic meters

Cargo launches are modified versions of large (10 passenger) personnel launches. When ships are unable to dock with a station or other ship, these workhorses of Frontier space are put to work shuttling cargo from one airlock to the other. A typical cargo launch is 4 meters wide, 2.5 meters high and 5 meters long. The pressurized cockpit occupies the front 2 meters of the vehicle, with the sealed cargo compartment (with its own hatch in the rear) in the back; the cargo compartment itself is thus 4 meters wide, 2.5 meters high and 3 meters long and may be pressurized or kept as a vaccuum.

Cargo launches are common on space stations, freighters and mining vessels, and are occasionally found on large passenger liners. They operate as do normal launches (see KH, pp.29-30), with the exception that if the cargo compartment is left unpressurized life support for the 2 crewman will last for two and a half days (70 hours). In hostile environments (such as zones with large numbers of micrometeoroids or debris), cargo launches are sometimes armored (up to 2 layers total); this reduces the speed imparted by each fuel burst by 10 meters / turn.

Standard equipment includes a Dis-Viz Laser Projector (ZG), pair of Floodlights (ZG), Help-Beam Receiver (ZG), Level 5 Baton Locks on the cockpit and rear hatches (ZG), Radiophone, and a Type E Radar Scanner (1 km range) (ZG). Operators of cargo launches usually add a simple vehicle computer to the vehicle, but these are not considered standard equipment. They rarely mount weaponry, but can accept a single mount (fixed or swivel) on the roof of the cab if necessary. In combat, they are considered heavy vehicles (100+d100 structural points); if damaged in combat, they follow the Vehicle Damage Table as described in KnightHawks.

Launch, Heavy Assault ("Gunship")

Cost:	181,715 (base model, including armor but not weaponry) (no rental available)
Top / Cruise Speed:	1,440 kph (2,400 m / turn) / 360 kph (600 m / turn)
Passengers:	3
Cargo Limit:	500 kg, 1 cubic meter

Heavy assault launches, or "gunships" as they are usually called, are among the toughest opponents in space short of a full-size spacecraft. Although a single shot from any full-sized ship's weapons would vaporize a gunship in a single shot, they are capable of taking a larger vessel or station to pieces in a short amount of time. Gunships were designed in the wake of the First Sathar War, when Spacefleet's planners saw a need for small vehicles capable of breaching the hulls of ships and stations without destroying their target completely. Launches had already been used to ferry boarding parties onto crippled ships, so they were the logical prototypes for the new gunships. Gunships themselves carry only 3 crewmen, although the vehicles are the size of a

10-passenger model; the remaining space is given over to weaponry and fuel. The role of gunships in a space battle is to protect the assault launches which deliver boarding troops to their target, and to "soften up" the target by destroying weapons turrets, breaching the hull in critical spots, and crippling or destroying any launches or workpods attempting to escape the target.

Gunships are designed solely with combat in mind, and outperform all other launch designs in this role. A gunship carries double the fuel of an ordinary launch (80 bursts), and can expend up to three bursts in a single turn from its high-performance thrusters; although each burst only produces 30 meters of thrust, a gunship can easily outrun a fleeing launch or pod. Gunships are considered armored vehicles for combat purposes and have 200+2d100 structural points (plus 100 points for their armor).

Gunships come with the following standard armament: 4 layers of armor, 1 swivel mount in the nose, 2 swivel mounts on the roof (1 in the front, 1 in the rear), and 1 swivel mount on each side; each weapon mount has an integral infrared Floodlight to aid in sighting targets or "highlighting" them for incoming assault troops. Typically, the nose and roof mounts are energy weapons (either heavy / KE-5000 lasers or M-1 rafflurs) and rockets or missiles are mounted on the sides of the vehicle (either a rocket launcher / missilier with Type II missiles or a 6-tube MLTC with Type II missiles). Additional armor can be added, with each added layer reducing acceleration by 5 meters / turn per fuel burst. Each energy weapon mounted is powered by its own Type 3 Parabattery (3 are included in the base vehicle cost).

Standard equipment on a gunship includes a Dis-Viz Laser Projector (ZG), Help-Beam Receiver (ZG), Level 7 Baton Lock (ZG) on the cockpit hatch, and Subspace Radio. Three Type E Scanners (1 km range) (ZG) are mounted on the vehicle, including Infrared, Radar and Radioactivity; these are enclosed in the equivalent of Computer Strongboxes with 4 layers of armor each (see Zebulon's Guide, pp.81-82 for details on this equipment). For security reasons, a radio-detonated, 500 gram charge of TD-19 is emplaced in every gunship; all crew members have orders to destroy the craft if in danger of capture, using an encrypted Fleet signal, once they have evacuated a damaged vehicle. Vehicle computers are added to all gunships, but are not included in the base model so that Fleet officers can outfit them as needed.

REFEREE'S NOTE: Gunships are extremely deadly vehicles; they are designed and used by Spacefleet for the sole purpose of destroying any opposition to a boarding attack. These vehicles are as closely guarded as any vessel in the Fleet, and will not be found outside of a Spacefleet hangar or ship. If one were stolen or otherwise acquired, Spacefleet would make every effort to destroy the vehicle and its contents rather than let it be stolen. PC's should only encounter these ships in wartime (if civilian), or in in the context of normal military operations (if enlisted in Spacefleet). These vehicles are illegal and unavailable for all forces outside of Spacefleet, including planetary militias, megacorporate mercenary troops, and Star Law.

Launch, Suborbital ("Hopper"):

	Small	Large
Cost:	60,000 Cr 75,000 Cr (cargo model) or (rental - 100 Cr plus 50 Cr	90,000 Cr (passenger model) / hour) (rental - 100 Cr plus 75 Cr / hour)
Top / Cruise Speed:	(all models) 3,000 kph in Zero-Gee / variable - see below
Passengers:	4	2 (cargo model) or 10 (passenger model)
Cargo Limit:	500 kg, 2 cubic meters	5,000 kg, 20 cubic meters (cargo mod.) or 1,000 kg, 4 cubic meters (passenger mod.)

Suborbital launches are similar to the small craft used to ferry passengers and cargo between spaceships (see Launches, Knight Hawks Campaign Book pp. 29-30). However, unlike spacefaring launches, suborbital launches are designed specifically for use on very low gravity moons and asteroids. Made of superlight alloys, equipped with powerful burster engines and extra fuel tanks, suborbital launches are the "aircraft" of the Frontiers' lunar colonies. Though unable (except in near zero-gee conditions) to achieve excape velocity from a small moon , hoppers can traverse great distances and fly above all but the tallest obstacles. Small, 4-passenger hoppers are used much like personal jetcopters on larger planets; large hoppers are available in either cargo or passenger models, and fill much the same function on moons as aircars do on planets.

The single biggest difference between hoppers and all other flying craft is their use of chemical fuel rockets rather than parabatteries for propulsion. This is due to the fact that low-gee moons rarely have any but the most tenous atmosphere if they have any at all, making parabattery-driven turbofans useless. Hoppers do carry a Type 2 Parabattery to run electrical systems and maintain life support (one is included in the initial purchase price). Consult the tables below for hoppers' fuel capacities, burn rates and average ranges. All launches carry 20 hours of life support for their maximum passenger load (4 for small models and 10 for large).

A standard hopper includes the following equipment in the initial purchase price: 2 Additional (Spacesuit) Life Support Packs (KH), a Dis-Viz Laser Projector (ZG), 2 Emergency Beepers (ZG), 1 Emergency Beeper Receiver (ZG), 4 Extra Spacesuit Patches (8 Patches total), 2 Flashlights, 1 Floodlight (ZG), a Level 5 Baton Locks on the cockpit hatch (ZG), 1 Radiophone, 100 m of Rope, a Type E Radar Scanner (1 km range) (ZG),

1 Techkit and 2 Toxy-Rad Gauges. Since hoppers are built as lightweight as possible to achieve a decent travel range, they cannot be armored in any way. Hoppers are therefore rarely used except as transportation by the Frontier's militaries, who prefer to rely on armed landing shuttles and airtight military crawlers instead.

Below are tables detailing hoppers' fuel and movement characteristics:

Suborbital Launch Fuel Capacity:	Small	Large
	200 bursts	400 bursts

Fuel Burn Rate:

up to one vertical and one horizontal burst / 6-second Alpha Dawn turn

(each burst accelerates the hopper at 50 meters / AD turn)

Vertical Fuel Bursts Required to Maintain Altitude

Gravity	Per Turn	Per Hour
@ 0.0 G's	0	0
@ 0.1 G's	1 / 8 turns	75 / hour
@ 0.2 G's	1 / 4 turns	150 / hour
@ 0.3 G's (design limit for hopper use)	1 / 3 turns	200 / hour

Travel Times and Ranges on 200 Bursts of Fuel (examples)*:

@	Total Acc/Decel Time	Total Accel/Decel Dist	Max Cruise spd.	Cruise Time	Cruise Dist.	Total Trip Time	Total Trip Dist.
0.0 G's	20 min	500 km	5 km / turn	18 hrs., 40 min	56,000 km	20 hours	56,500 km
0.1G's	10 min	125 km	2,500 m / turn	69.6 min	1,740 km	79.6 min	1,865 km
0.2 G's	10 min	125 km	2,500 m / turn	30 min	750 km	40 min	825 km
0.3G's	10 min	125 km	2,500 m / turn	19.8 min	495 km	29.8 min	620 km

*All examples assume the hopper uses 100 fuel bursts to accelerate / decelerate and 100 bursts to counter gravity (except the zero-gee example, where all bursts are used to accelerate). The trip would begin by accelerating to cruise speed, cruising, then decelerating as the hopper neared its destination; the hopper would be continually firing bursts to counter gravity during the entire trip (except in zero-gee). In these examples the hopper is skimming the ground and therefore using no bursts to gain altituse per se. Also, these are idealized examples where the craft does not need to expend extra fuel bursts to evade obstacles, etc. Actual trip ranges are 20-60% shorter depending on terrain, desired altitude, and keeping fuel reserves rather than completely emptying the tanks. Note that large hoppers carry 400 bursts of fuel and have correspondingly greater ranges.

LEV (Lunar Excursion Vehicle) (from 2001: A Space Odyssey module)

Cost:	12,000 Cr (rental 75 Cr plus 100 Cr / day)
Top / Cruise Speed:	42 kph / 18 kph
Passengers:	4
Cargo Limit:	750 kg, 5 cubic meters
Power:	Type 3 Parabattery (good for 1,000 km of travel)

LEV's are similar to the "Explorer" class of vehicle found in the ALPHA DAWN game rules, but small and designed specifically for lunar use. Large windows are located front and rear , and the airlock hatch is on one side. A radiophone is included.

Treads are the primary movement power, but power struts ("legs") are also mounted, enabling the vehicle to jump. The horizontal range of a jump is 46-55 (1d10+45) meters from a stationary position, or 72-90 (2d10+70) meters when executed at maximum speed. The maximum height of a jump is 1/3 the jump range, reached at midpoint. Modification of the jump characteristics requires Level 3 Technician Skill and 3-30 hours of time.

To make a moving jump, the driver must make a Technician Skill check for Operating Machinery. A -20% penalty applies unless the driver has 3 or more months' experience at LEV operation. If failed, each passenger takes 1d10 damage, and devices carried may also be damaged.

LEV Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 40 Decel (m/turn): 30 Top Speed (m/turn): 70 Turn Speed (m/turn): 50

Magnitruks and Magni-Cargo Trailers (from SFAD6: Dark Side of the Moon)

Cost:	2,000 Cr (Magnitruck), 1,000 Cr (Trailer) (no rental - fees charged based on travel)
Top / Cruise Speed:	60 kph (100 m / turn) / 25 kph (42 m / turn)
Passengers:	2 (Magnitruk) or 4 (Cargo Trailer)
Cargo Limit:	200 kg (Magnitruk) or 1,000 kg (Cargo Trailer; reduce by 150 kg / passenger if any)

These vehicles are a common fixture of Frontier space stations, asteroid bases and lunar colonies. Magnitruks and trailers serve as a cheap transit system for large and small facilities, transporting cargo and passengers alike safely and efficiently. Magnitruks run along magnetic steel rails, using a magnetic generator in the truk to accelerate and decelerate; cargo trailers have no engine of their own and must be towed by a truk unit. Both magnitrucks and cargo trailers are 2.5 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. Since magnitruks run on electricity conducted through the guide rails, they require no parabatteries and carry none; a battery equivalent to a powerclip is built into the vehicle to power the control panel, chronocom and life support system for up to 20 hours in the event of a power failure.

Each truk and trailer includes a control panel (with an intercom, buttons for each station / destination, and an emergency stop button); a Chronocom is built in to each unit allows passengers to place calls and transmits a distress signal to the switching center if the emergency stop button is pressed. All truk shafts have handholds installed every 2 meters along the wall in case a truk needs to be evacuated. Truk cars in large installations and moons typically have automatic restraint systems installed (adds 250 Cr to cost of magnitruk, 500 to cost of cargo trailer; when active requires Strength check to free oneself), and may have a bubble canopy as well (adds 1,500 Cr to cost of either vehicle, and if necessary provides 20 hours of life support for all passengers).

NOTE: In a low- or zero-gravity environment, it is important that passengers strap themselves into their seats; any passenger not strapped in when a truk's engine kicks in risks being thrown from the car (strength check to remain in seat) rhe next time the truk whips around a turn (1d5+10 points damage, halved if the character makes a successful Reaction Speed check). Also note that magni-truks (like standard trains)are limited to travelling along track systems.

Magnitruck Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 20 Decel (m/turn): 20 Top Speed (m/turn): 100 Turn Speed (m/turn): 100

Rover, Desert ("Dune Buggy")

Cost:	7,500 (rental - 75 Cr plus 50 Cr / day)
Top / Cruise Speed:	120 kph (200 m / turn) / 75 kph (125 m / turn)
Passengers:	3
Cargo Limit:	200 kg

Desert rovers are rugged wheeled vehicles designed for offroad travel. They are common on colony planets due to their low cost, and are also popular with field scientists (biologists, geologists, etc.), security forces, and offroad racing enthusiasts. Desert rovers (like others of the vehicle class) are open vehicles and offer little protection from the elements or other hazards to their passengers. Factory models come with a compass, floodlight and radiophone installed. If using Zebulon's Guide, desert rovers can add up to 2 layers of armor (with the appropriate speed penalties) and a single swivel-weapon mount in the rear of the vehicle; if the weapon being mounted is a heavy weapon, only 2 passengers can be carried.

Desert rovers are powered by Type 2 parabatteries (one is included in the purchase price), and come with the following equipment factory-installed: a Compass, Floodlight (ZG), and Radiophone.

NOTE: Due to their offroad suspension and high ground clearance, rovers are treated as Explorers on the

Terrain Effects Table (SF:AD, p. 19). Since rovers are open-topped, passengers only receive the Soft Cover

modifier (-10) if fired on. For combat purposes, desert rovers are considered light vehicles (50+2d10 structural points).

Desert Rover Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 80 Decel (m/turn): 40 Top Speed (m/turn): 200 Turn Speed (m/turn): 70

Rover, Lunar ("Moon Buggy")

Cost:	2,500 Cr (base model) (rental - 25 Cr plus 25 Cr / day) 6,250 Cr (excursion model) (rental - 75 Cr plus 50 Cr / day)
Top / Cruise Speed:	40 kph (65 m / turn) / 25 kph (40 m / turn)
Passengers:	2
Cargo Limit:	200 kg (350 kg if only 1 passenger)

NOTES:

Length:	3.1 meters
Vehicle Mass:	250 kg (including 25 kg Type 1 Parabattery)
Total Loaded Mass:	750 kg
Volume (packed):	0.9 m3

The lunar rover is a rugged, dependable vehicle used on the moons of the Frontier's planets. Powered by a Type 1 Parabattery, rovers can be found in the garages of nearly every lunar base and colony on the Frontier. They are cheap and easily repaired, making them especially popular with miners and science teams. Rovers function equally well in vaccuum or atmospheric environments. If using Zebulon's Guide rules, a rover can add up to 1 layer of armor (reducing max and cruise speeds by 15 kph) and 1 weapon mount (usually a swivel).

Rovers are available as base models (the basic chassis) or as excursion models which add the following to the vehicle:

Excursion Package - includes 2 Additional Life Support Packs, 2 Emergency Beepers (ZG), 1 Emergency (adds 3,750 Cr and Beeper Receiver (ZG), 4 Extra Spacesuit Patches (8 Patches total), 2 Flashlights,

75 kg to base model) Freeze Field, Floodlight (ZG), 1 [spare] Type 1 Parabattery, Radiophone, 100 m Rope, Techkit, 2 Toxy-Rad Gauges

NOTE: Rovers are open vehicles with no crew cabin or independent life support system - passengers must remain in spacesuits at all times! Due to their offroad suspension and high ground clearance, rovers are treated as Explorers on the Terrain Effects Table (SF:AD, p. 19). Since rovers are open-topped, passengers only receive the Soft Cover modifier (-10) if fired on. For combat purposes, lunar rovers are considered light vehicles (50+2d10 structural points).

Lunar Rover Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 25 Decel (m/turn): 40 Top Speed (m/turn): 65 Turn Speed (m/turn): 50

Rover, Military ("Gun Buggy")

Cost:	12,000 Cr (military use only - no rental available)
Top / Cruise Speed:	105 kph (175 m / turn) / 75 kph (125 m / turn)
Passengers:	3
Cargo Limit:	200 kg

Military rovers are common among planetary militia and coporate mercenary troops, who use them for reconaissance and hit-and-run missions. Rovers are popular in this role because they are less conspicuous than aircraft, handle rough terrain better than hover vehicles, and are faster than standard explorers. Their ability to carry heavy weapons also make them valuable infantry support vehicles in broken ground. They are roughly the same size as civilian dune and lunar rovers, and are cheap enough that they can be deployed in large numbers. Standard crew for all rovers is three - a driver (usually the vehicle's NCO), heavy weapon gunner (in rear of vehicle), and a spotter / reloader (in passenger seat).

Military rovers are powered by a Type 3 Parabattery. They come with the following equipment factory-installed (listed specs for speed, accel/deceleration, etc. already reflect this): Air Brakes (ZG), 1 layer of Armor, an infrared Floodlight (ZG), Gyrostabilizer (ZG), Radiophone, Rocket Booster with 4 extra charges, and 2 swivel mounts (1 for a rifle-sized weapon up to 5 kg in front of the passenger seat, 1 for a heavy weapon up to 25 kg in mass in the rear of the rover). Rovers can add up to 2 additional layers of armor at the usual penalties to maximum and cruise speeds, but usually operate with just the factory armor and rely on their speed to stay out of harm's way.

Common heavy weapons mounted on rovers include heavy lasers, machine guns or grenade launchers (recon and infantry support role); heavy lasers, recoilless rifles or rocket launchers (anti-armor role); if using Zebulon's Guide, recon rovers may also mount a M-1 Rafflur, and anti-armor rovers may mount a Popper (with 6 micromissiles and fastrack reloads) or 6-tube MLTC with Type I Missiles.

NOTE: Due to their offroad suspension and high ground clearance, rovers are treated as Explorers on the

Terrain Effects Table (SF:AD, p. 19). Since rovers are open-topped, passengers only receive the Soft Cover

modifier (-10) if fired on. For combat purposes, military rovers are considered heavy vehicles due to their special alloy construction (100+d100 structural points).

Military Rover Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 100 Decel (m/turn): 60 Top Speed (m/turn): 175 Turn Speed (m/turn): 70

Hypersonic Transport (Scramjet)

Cost:	350,000 Cr* (no rental available)
Top / Cruise Speed:	Mach 20 (approx. 21,200 km / hr) / Mach 12 (approx. 12,720 km / hr)
Passengers:	40 plus 6 crew (passenger airliner) or 4 crew (cargo carrier)or 40 passengers plus 5,000 kg / 30 cubic meters cargo (airliner)
Cargo Limit:	15,000 kg / 180 cubic meters (cargo carrier),

NOTES:

Length:	40 meters
Wingspan:	35 meters
Cargo / Passenger Bay:	12 meters by 5 meters
Takeoff Mass:	150,000 kg
Maximum Altitude:	50 km
Fuel:	Semi-liquid ("slush") hydrogen (equivalent to chemical rocket fuel - see Knighthawks); consumes 2,000 Cr worth of fuel per flight.
Runway required:	2,500 meters

*Price assumes purchase at a Class I Construction Center; at Class II Centers increase to 395,000 Cr and at Class III Centers increase to 625,000 Cr. Scramjets are slightly cheaper than typical shuttles of their size and type due to a standardized design by Trans-Travel which has been copied across the Frontier.

Scramjets are suborbital transports intermediate between aircraft and shuttles. Designed with "air-breathing" rocket engines which oxidize hydrogen, they travel at hypersonic speeds at altitudes which graze the edge of space. These vehicles are the fastest transport available for shuttling passengers and cargo across the planets of the Frontier. Typically operated by planetside airline companies, many are also owned by governments and the megacorps for their own use. On smaller planets (Light or Outpost population code), they are sometimes owned and operated by Trans-Travel (the megacorp) or by individual entrepreneurs (usually former spacers). Although scramjet flights are usually between 2 points on a planet's surface and just graze the edge of space, they are capable of acting as normal shuttles if necessary.

Hypersonic transports are coated with a reflective heat shielding material which is equivalent in all respects to a Reflective Hull; they also include Astrogation Equipment (Shuttle) (KH), an Intercom Panel (in the cockpit) and 2 Intercom Speakers/Microphones (in the cargo / passenger compartment) (both from KH), a Life Support System (36-60 supported) (KH), a Radar Unit (KH), a Subspace Radio, and 2 Videocom Radios (1 in the cockpit and 1 in a booth in the passenger / cargo area) (KH). All hypersonic transports have 6 Portholes (forming a continuous wraparound window for the cockpit) (KH), and passenger airliners will have an additional 24 Portholes (12 to a side) lining the passenger compartment. The cockpit area hatch and each of the two computers on a scramjet are secured by Level 5 Baton Locks (ZG). Government or megacorp-owned scramjets can be equipped with up to 2 Decoys (at an extra 20,000 Cr each) (KH) and / or 2 Escape Pods (at an extra 30,000 Cr each) (KH); if either or both of these options are mounted, passenger capacity drops to 10 and cargo capacity to 1,000 kg (also reduce the craft's cargo capacity by 4 cubic meters per Decoy and 16 cubic meters per Escape Pod).

All scramjets are equipped with a main computer (Level 2, 18 FP) including a Level 2 Alarm Program (2 Function Points), Level 1 Astrogation Program (Shuttle Type, 3 Function Points), Level 3 Computer Lockout Program (2 Function Points), Level 2 Damage Control Program (4 Function Points), a Level 1 Drive Program (Chemical Type, Size A, 3 Function Points), and a Level 1 Life Support Program (4 Function Points). A secondary computer (Level 2, 11 FP) includes a Level 1 Commerce Program (3 Function Points), Level 1 Communication Program (3 Function Points), Level 1 Installation Security Program (3 Function Points) and a Level 1 Maintenance Program (2 Function Points). Both computers are individually encased in Strongboxes (ZG) with 5 layers of armor. In truly desperate circumstances, a scramjet can mount a single Assault Rocket.

KnightHawks Statistics

Shuttle	Hull Size 3
ADF: 1	MR: 4	Hatches: 1	Engines: 2	DCR: 80	Hull Points: 10

Walker, Cargo

Cost:	22,000 Cr (rental - 75 Cr plus 150 Cr / day)
Top / Cruise Speed:	50 kph (82 m / turn) / 30 kph (50 m / turn)
Passengers:	8
Cargo Limit:	2500 kg, 5 cubic meters with 8 passengers or 5,000 kg, 25 cubic meters with none

Similar in design to the smaller survey walkers, cargo walkers are large, hexapedal (6-legged) vehicles designed to transport heavy cargo loads through rough terrain. They are also used by small science expeditions as mobile base camps. The vehicle has a small cab in the front (roughly 2.5 meters high, 4 meters wide and 2 meters long), from which a small door opens into the passenger / cargo area (roughly 2.5 meters high, 2.5 meters wide and 4 meters long); the vehicle's legs keep its main body about 2.5 meters off the ground, and can walk through bodies of water up to that height with little difficulty. The rear of the passenger / cargo area has a large hatch in the rear (with a retractable ramp) and a smaller side hatch with a retractable step ladder). Cargo walkers are very rarely used by the military due to their slow speed, but they can add a single layer of armor at the usual speed penalty; they can add up to 3 weapon mounts (either fixed or swivel) - 1 under the "chin" of the cab and 1 each at the front and back of the cargo area roof.

Cargo walkers are powered by a Type 3 Parabattery (included in the purchase price) and come with the following equipment factory-installed (these are included in the initial purchase price): Compass, Chronocom, Dis-Viz Laser Projector (ZG), Emergency Beeper Receiver (ZG), Floodlight (ZG), Radiophone, a Techkit, and a Toxy-Rad Gauge (mounted on front of unit, displays status in cockpit). The standard model is not airtight, but can be modified for use in vaccuum or poisonous atmospheres at a cost of 12,000 Cr (makes cockpit airtight and includes 20 hrs life support for 8 passengers). Although it is rarely done, 2 heavy duty arms can be mounted under the cab for 2,500 Cr.

NOTE: Although these vehicles move on legs, their movement type is treated as "slithering" on the Terrain Effects Table (SF:AD, p. 19) due to their ability to pick their way through difficult terrain. For combat purposes, cargo walkers are considered heavy vehicles (100+d100 structural points). They require above average maintenance due to the complicated hydraulic systems in the legs; in game terms, the vehicle requires a successful repair roll (SF:AD Repair Machinery or SF:ZG Vehicle Repair) for every 100 km travelled, or the vehicle will automatically break down in the next 100 km of travel (roll d100 for the exact km it breaks down at).

Cargo Walker Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 40 Decel (m/turn): 20 Top Speed (m/turn): 82 Turn Speed (m/turn): 40

Walker, Survey

Cost:	10,000 Cr (rental - 75 Cr plus 75 Cr / day) (9,000 Cr if equipped with standard arms, 7,500 Cr if no arms mounted)
Top / Cruise Speed:	65 kph (110 m / turn) / 45 kph (75 m / turn) biped
Passengers:	2
Cargo Limit:	200 kg, 1 cubic meter

Survey walkers are bipedal (2-legged) vehicles, designed for short range survey missions through extremely rough terrain. They are usually deployed in areas such as boulder fields, light woodlands, and heavily cratered zones. On such terrain the agility of the walker's legs makes up for its slow speed and small cargo capacity compared to other ground vehicles. They are rarely employed by military or security forces, except as mobile guard posts, due to their slowness and lack of armor. Survey walkers are roughly 3.5 meters in height, with a pair of 2 meter legs attached at the midpoint of a cab 2.5 meters high and 2 meters wide / deep. The cab has space for a driver and one passenger, who strap into reclined seats; a small, sealed cargo area (accessible from hatches inside and outside the cab) occupies the space below the seats. If using the Zebulon's Guide rules, survey walkers can up to 2 layers of armor at the usual speed penalty, and a single fixed or swivel mount weapon above the cab.

Survey walkers are powered by a Type 2 parabattery (included in the vehicle's purchase price). The standard model is equipped with a pair of heavy duty arms (equivalent to heavy duty robot arms in size and strength); these are used for moving cargo or heavy objects, but may be replaced by a standard pair of arms for fine manipulation (a common practice for walkers used by biologists) or by a pair of fixed weapon mounts (forward-firing, and can only mount rifle-sized weapons or smaller).

Survey walkers come with the following equipment factory-installed (these are included in the initial purchase price): Compass, Chronocom, Emergency Beeper Receiver (ZG), Floodlight (ZG), Radiophone, a Techkit,

and a Toxy-Rad Gauge (mounted on front of unit, displays status in cockpit). The standard model is not airtight, but can be modified for use in vaccuum or poisonous atmospheres at a cost of 4,000 Cr (makes cockpit airtight and includes 20 hrs life support for 2 passengers).

NOTE: Although these vehicles move on legs, their movement type is treated as "slithering" on the Terrain Effects Table (SF:AD, p. 19) due to their ability to pick their way through difficult terrain. For combat purposes, consider survey walkers to be light vehicles (50+2d10 structural points). They require above average maintenance due to the complicated hydraulic systems in the legs; in game terms, the vehicle requires a successful repair roll (SF:AD Repair Machinery or SF:ZG Vehicle Repair) for every 100 km travelled, or the vehicle will automatically break down in the next 100 km of travel (roll d100 for the exact km it breaks down at).

Survey Walker Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 50 Decel (m/turn): 30 Top Speed (m/turn): 110 Turn Speed (m/turn): 40

Zeppelin, Civilian

Cost:	30,000 Cr (rental - 100 Cr plus 75 Cr / day)
Top / Cruise Speed:	145 kph (240 m / turn) / 75 kph (125 m / turn)
Passengers:	12 (human-sized) or 4 (Vrusk-sized)
Cargo Limit:	500 kg / 2 cubic meters with full passenger load, 1500 kg / 10 cubic meters with no passengers aboard

NOTES:

Length:	243 ft (73 meters)
Total Mass:	6000 kg
Net Mass (inflated):	600 kg (propellers provide lift)

Zeppelins are semi-rigid airships supported by internal struts of composite materials, unlike blimps which are simple inflated gasbags. They are powered by 2 Type 3 Parabatteries which drive a pair of propellers; the propellers can swivel and serve as secondary steering (in addition to the rudders) for the craft. A zeppelin can take off and land either vertically (like a copter) or on an ascending angle (like an airplane), and require no runway.

Although not popular on Core planets dominated by aircars and such, zeppelins are very useful on colonies, low-tech planets, and for explorers due to their low maintenance, low cost, and good handling (a zeppelin can rotate in place and hover much like a helicopter). The zeppelin's gas bags (called "cells") are inflated with helium, making it non-flammable.

Due to their similar sizes, there have been cases where camouflaged airships have been used as decoys for landed Hull Size 4 ships by smugglers and pirates; use of a zeppelin in this way to evade pursuit by law enforcement officers is a felony on all UPF member planets and is vigorously prosecuted.

Zeppelin Vehicle Data:

Accel (m/turn): 20 Decel (m/turn): 20 Top Speed (m/turn): 240

***MOVEMENT AND COMBAT NOTES:

For aerial combat modifiers and the results table, use the jetcopter entries (SF:AD, p. 33) for zeppelins; they can increase or decrease altitude by 20 meters / turn and are capable of hovering as do aircars and jetcopters. If a zeppelin is damaged in a high-wind storm, add +5 per 50kph of the storm's wind speed to rolls made on the Flying Vehicle Damage Table (SF:AD, p.33).

In combat, a zeppelin (gasbag and gondola combined) has structural points equal to a heavy vehicle (100+d100); if only the gondola or the gasbag is targeted, treat the individual components as equivalent to a light vehicle's structural points (50+2d10). If using the vehicle armor rules from SF:ZG (p. 83), a maximum of two layers of armor can be applied to a zeppelin (any more and it could not take off); in addition to the speed penalties listed in ZG, armored zeppelins lose the capacity for 3 passengers or 500 kg of cargo per layer of armor added. In addition to regular armor layers, it is possible to add a coating of reflective paint to the gasbag and gondola; this adds 2,000 Cr to the vehicle's cost ad makes it impossible to conceal. A maximum of 3 swivel mounts can be added to the gondola (1 in the nose and 1 to each side) for weapons; see SF:ZG (p. 83) for costs and restrictions.

Zeppelin, Survey (from SFKH2: Mutiny on the Eleanor Moraes)

Cost:	10,000 Cr (rental not available)
Top / Cruise Speed:	100 kph / 50 kph
Passengers:	20
Cargo Limit:	1000 kg in 100 cubic meters
Range:	20,000 km; multi-fuel turbine engine

These semi-rigid lighter-than-air vehicles are used primarily for survey and colonization. Their economical operation, high cargo capacity, extensive range, and low-tech design make them useful and versatile. Gondolas are custom-designed for specific applications.

Survey robots act as tugboats for the assembly, inflation, mooring, and remote landing of these airships.

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