u/_SummoningDark_

When ordered the ship would be very basic with the intention that the orderer would dictate what modules and ancillaries were to be fitted, up to a set fee. Naturally the customer could order higher spec’ items and pay the difference.

Due to this very few ships would be alike. They were fitted out as anything from emergency response and patrol ships to pleasure craft and prisoner transport.

This did, of course, play havoc with their second hand value.

Does the small jobs other ships turn down.

If you’re a small group or the company doesn’t want a lot of material shipped, it’s ships like this that drop you off and deliver those items.

Reasonably armed, pretty well shielded and most probably fast enough these donkeys of the space lanes keep the Settled Systems going.

[No Mods used, entirely Vanilla with Flip-Merges.]

They are built with a purpose, to attack capital ships.

These ships have an impressive amount of fire power, within the large encasement. Shielded, fortified and armoured these ships would tend to act in pairs to overwhelm a targets shields and cause significant damage to systems and structure.

(This is my first Merged build and inspired entirely by a post from u/cardinal151515 of SSC-12 Starwarden. I really liked its design and wondered how close I could get with just vanilla flip-merges.

The answer is not very but I’m happy with the result anyway.)

Developed by NG as a short-medium range interceptor they were designed for survivability. They have a small crew and an extensive workshop, allowing the ships to produce and install almost everything they could need.

One of the most notable aspects of these ships in their ability to operate within a planets atmosphere giving them the ability to pursue and engage targets when at their most vulnerable.

…. Then wouldn’t let me leave.
I dunno, you travel through time and space and decide to pop into The Lodge…

I can remember seeing a few people asking about some ideas for ‘simple’ interiors but I can’t remember any other details so maybe it’ll help someone if I pop my simple ones here.

Anyway, here’s a Taiyo cockpit (you can still get to captains’ locker by standing on the desk🤷) and a Deimos All-in-One.

The aft section is a Deimos Workshop with just a few cups and tools spread around so no pic’ of that.

Last pic’ is exterior.

Manufactured by a Systems company these ships gained some popularity as limited exploration craft. Mostly used to explore local systems within 1 or 2 jumps from settlements.

Fast and well equipped these ships can also sometimes be found doing ‘Camping Trips’.

Built for and used by the UC, these ships have a singular purpose, to jump into hostile systems, gather as much information as possible in a short time and to get back in a state fit to report.

As such these are fast, shielded, armed and equipped with the latest sensors.

Also, due to the nature of their role, they’re crewed by volunteers.

A variation of the Nova Galactic Norden Class, these ships were re-modelled to carry more passengers than freight to inhabited systems.

Rather unkindly, but possibly accurately, they were once compared by a rival companies CEO as being “the space equivalent of a Greyhound bus”.

Intended to operate from planets in flights to overwhelm the defences of an opposing force, Pirates and Spacers in particular.

Designed and built by a systems manufacturer using parts from several shipyards the ships are manoeuvrable, fast, well shielded and pack a punch.

They are particularly popular in independent systems where several settlements purchase these as part of a mutual defence pact.

NG diversified in their final years with a series of craft predominantly made from what they had left.

There were of course some gems, the Resonator Class was one of them. Built as an interceptor with a small (if any) crew it found popularity with bounty hunters and ‘independent traders’.

These are my three builds covering the expansion into the galaxy and the early years of system settlement.

1. Compass Class Corvette.

2. Sextant Class Frigate.

3. Astrolabe Class Light Cruiser.

More pics’ and ‘lore’ on my page.

(Just a brief “thanks” to those that have commented, advised and inspired.)

After the success of the Compass Corvettes and the Sextant Frigates, Nova Galactic became more ambitious and decided to offer a purpose built warship to the fledgling factions.

The Astrolabe was the result. With Deimos Shipbuilders just starting up and no Freestar affiliated shipbuilders existing at this time, several were sold and put in operation predominantly guarding borders, escorting military convoys and securing contested space.

Built during the Colony War to ferry troops from large (M Class) ships in orbit to the planets surface.

After the war those that survived were sold off by the financially strapped Freestar Government. Though a rare sight now, some still operate as transporters around the outer systems.

Designed to deploy and extract small reconnaissance teams operating in advanced areas.

Built in answer to a tender released by the Council of Governers that wanted a patrol vessel capable of securing the furthest Freestar systems.

HopeTechs’ response was the three ships of the Cheyenne Class named Codos, Bindi & Antharum. The ships were based on the Shaundakul hull to keep costs down and varied slightly from each other.

Whilst deemed a success the Council were put off by the cost and decided to continue with the programme of adapting civilian ships.

The Codos was converted back into a Shaundakul and the Bindi and Antharum were sold on privately.

These images are of the Antharum which has remained unchanged since entering private ownership.