Silverwind Blade

Aces of the Void - Starfighter Squadron RPG

I smell some Geth-like mental connection, as we've both managed to independently write characters who lost left arms and had them replaced with prosthetics.
[snip]

@Starlance

Must be a shared memory! Can't explain it otherwise.

Astrid looks great; although the OP post does mention for humanity that Earth is a long-lost myth, and nobody really knows where humans come from - they just seem to be everywhere.
But feel free to post her in the Characters Tab as well, as she's approved.

Aces of the Void - Starfighter Squadron RPG

• Name: Asora Ebonwing
• Nickname: Ebony
• Age: 41
• Sex/Gender: Female presenting (gynomorphic hermaphrodite; i.e. she looks female but has organs for both biological genders)
• Species: Estrati (Avian-like Mammals)
• Appearance:
  
  Asora is a dark-feathered and furred Estrati with white and light-grey markings on her face, front of her body, and her wings, which are located on her back and allow her to fly and glide for short distances, like all Estrati. She has fur and feathers to her knees and elbows, which are then scaled and skinned like those of a conventional bird. Her right arm has been replaced with a black-and-white coloured polymer and composite materials cybernetic replacement that has a full range of functionality comparable to her original arm.
  She is physically fit, reasonably strong and possesses relatively good stamina, despite being somewhat (caution: NSFW image) fuller figured than others, which may suggest otherwise.
  
  Outside of piloting, she tends to wear relatively robust and pratical clothing, such as boots, combat/cargo pants in grey, tan or olive, T-shirts (usually purple) and leather or flight jackets, often coupled with a bandana or scarf around her neck and appropriate belts, holsters and webbing for her day-to-day duty gear.
• Height: 7' 5" (226.06cm)
• Personal Qualities:
  Bold, curious, intelligent, quick-witted, sharp-tongued, daring, hot-headed, playful and kind.
• Biography:
  Asora was a Commonwealth fighter pilot during the Imperial Coup. She had not long completed her training before the coup erupted, and found herself thrust into the crucible of combat abruptly, and without warning, thanks to the Empires manipulations and cover-ups.
  Once fighting erupted, she quickly gained a lot of experience in personal and bloody way, through hard lessons in the cockpit and even on the ground, fighting against people she once called allies and brothers-in-arms.
  Over the following years, her reputation grew with her experience, putting her into the position of being an experienced ace within the Resistance' ranks.
  Her major notable incident prior to taking command of Onyx squadron was during the Resistance assault on the Rivas system and the shipyards there. While carrying out a strike against the shipyards' orbital defence platforms, her fighter was engaged by four enemy craft. She managed to hold her own and down three of them with her fighter taking heavy damage. The fourth was later identified as the infamous Imperial ace, Garlan Frost. She managed to damage - but not destroy - his craft, while he inflicted heavy damage on hers, leading to the loss of her left arm, and causing serious damage and injury to her.
  She survived due to swift medical intervention, though her recovery was long and difficult. She was promoted following this, and used the rest of her recovery time working as an operations controller and ground instructor, before returning to flying.
  Despite her rank and achievements, the only open position for a squadron leader was aboard the Wandering Star, the oddball ship of the Resistance fleet. Accepting the challenge, Asora turned to recruiting pilots for the newly reformed Onyx Squadron.
• Fighter: AS-103 Excalibur
• Fighter Customisations: All over low visibility digital camouflage pattern in grey/dark grey/blue. 'Shark mouth' on nose.

Aces of the Void - Starfighter Squadron RPG

How long has the Resistance been active? Did they start immediately upon the coup's success 20 years ago, or did it take a few years to get the basics down, then some to gather men and equipment and they've only recently started actually fighting?

@Starlance

Sorry; I completely missed this. The Resistance would have been formed from forces that fought the military aspects of the Empire's coup, as it was not bloodless by any means. They have been fighting on and off over the 20 years since, but it took time to organise, and especially to do so with the Empire hunting them down the whole time.

Would playing an AI that uploads himself into his fighter be alright as a character?

@rocketrobie2

As stated in the OP post; 'Sapient' AI are relatively uncommon. There are species and races that are 'synthetic', however.
While technically it would be possible, I'm going to veto it, as I'm aiming more for a traditional pilots-in-craft (primarily for the rule of cool and the feel of it) approach, and also for the interaction with other characters outside of a fighter, and the associated vulnerabilities and inherent dramatic potential that comes with being tied to a body.

It seems I might not find the time to join after all; sorry about this.

@Letter Bee

Aces of the Void - Starfighter Squadron RPG

<Snipped quote by Silverwind Blade>

So, another question:

How brutal is the Empire towards both Nonhumans and Dissidents?

@Letter Bee

There's a bit of info about that in the OP post, but generally speaking, nonhumans are treated as second-class citizens on all Imperial controlled worlds, with few civil rights and freedoms, and are, by Imperial definitions not even considered 'citizens', as they have no right to vote or participate in civil matters.
The only kind of work they do is essentially manual labor in poor conditions with minimal safety conditions and working long, gruelling hours. Housing is limited to ghetto-like conditions with minimal comforts and their 'pay' is via a series of 'vouchers' or 'scrip' that can be exchanged for limited goods. Nonhumans are also subject to searches and seizures without provocation or due cause on the whim of any law enforcement or military personnel, and can be taken away with little provocation. Nonhumans regularly disappear, and little is done to investigate their disappearances.
And that is on 'civilized' worlds with governors who probably believe they are kind and fair. On worlds with less 'caring' governors or personnel enforcing the Imperial Decree, nonhuman citizens may be housed only in shack-like shanty towns, have no access to organised education, computer network services, healthcare and even regular employment. They may be forbidden from meeting in groups, and even subject to regular sweeps for 'dissidents' or other troublemakers that a simply excuses to brutalise people and murder them.

Political or ideological dissidents that are human are often dealt with harshly. Depending on the nature of their actions, they may be investigated and monitored and then find that a lot of their options in life start to disappear, such as their accounts frozen, career oppotunities drying up, their freedoms to travel becoming limited and other such limitations being forced upon them.
If their 'problematic' issues persist, or even alongside these measures, their life may become a terrifying, mentally and emotionally draining cycle of random capture and interrogations at any hours or provocation from the Internal Security Forces.
Those who commit more serious 'violations' of Imperial decree may be 'permanently' disappeared, or even publicly made an example of, with propaganda spinning their deaths as being the elimination of deadly or dangerous terrorists and informants against the Empire.

Aces of the Void - Starfighter Squadron RPG

<Snipped quote by Silverwind Blade>

I like it! Perhaps a smuggler?

Also, question: What's life in the Empire like?

Edit: Wait, checked the OOC OP; just saw.

@Letter Bee

A smuggler would work! After all, Han Solo was a smuggler!

Aces of the Void - Starfighter Squadron RPG

Do you have a "current year" date in mind (Unless it's stated and I'm just blind)? Not super important I guess, but I like to have a fixed point to base the character's history on.

@Starlance

Update: I've added dates at various points into the opening post, with the current date being CE 2083

<Snipped quote by Starlance>

I like it, but it's up to Silverwind if she'll accept.

@Letter Bee

*He, but thank you (I think, haha).
And yes, something like Starlance described would be perfectly acceptable. Similarly, something like having experience as a civilian pilot through a family business like a cargo ship and then joining the Resistance and doing flight training would work for a pilot of a younger age in the low 20's.

Aces of the Void - Starfighter Squadron RPG

Do you have a "current year" date in mind (Unless it's stated and I'm just blind)? Not super important I guess, but I like to have a fixed point to base the character's history on.

@Starlance

I haven't put a year specifically yet as I didn't want to 'date' the RP's setting using our calendar. However, I will come up with a calendar 'year' and update the RP with that, as well as including relevant dates - at least to the year - for other things.

Is 16 - 18 an acceptable age for a starfighter pilot?

And will this RP have a Discord Server?

@Letter Bee

16-18 is really far too young for anyone to reasonably have had any kind of training or operational and life experience that would make them trustworthy and competent enough to be trusted with piloting several million credits-worth of spacecraft, let alone all the destructive capability a Starfighter has.

I hadn't thought about a Discord server so far. I can set one up if enough people want one.

Aces of the Void - Starfighter Squadron RPG

Asora Ebonwing

• Name: Asora Ebonwing
• Nickname: Ebony
• Age: 41
• Sex/Gender: Female presenting (gynomorphic hermaphrodite; i.e. she looks female but has organs for both biological genders)
• Species: Estrati (Avian-like Mammals)
• Appearance:
  
  Asora is a dark-feathered and furred Estrati with white and light-grey markings on her face, front of her body, and her wings, which are located on her back and allow her to fly and glide for short distances, like all Estrati. She has fur and feathers to her knees and elbows, which are then scaled and skinned like those of a conventional bird. Her right arm has been replaced with a cybernetic replacement that has a full range of functionality comparable to her original arm.
  She is physically fit, reasonably strong and possesses relatively good stamina, despite being somewhat (caution: NSFW image) fuller figured than others, which may suggest otherwise.
  
  Outside of piloting, she tends to wear relatively robust and pratical clothing, such as boots, combat/cargo pants in grey, tan or olive, T-shirts (usually purple) and leather or flight jackets, often coupled with a bandana or scarf around her neck and appropriate belts, holsters and webbing for her day-to-day duty gear.
• Height: 7' 5" (226.06cm)
• Personal Qualities:
  Bold, curious, intelligent, quick-witted, sharp-tongued, daring, hot-headed, playful and kind.
• Biography:
  Asora was a Commonwealth fighter pilot during the Imperial Coup. She had not long completed her training before the coup erupted, and found herself thrust into the crucible of combat abruptly, and without warning, thanks to the Empires manipulations and cover-ups.
  Once fighting erupted, she quickly gained a lot of experience in personal and bloody way, through hard lessons in the cockpit and even on the ground, fighting against people she once called allies and brothers-in-arms.
  Over the following years, her reputation grew with her experience, putting her into the position of being an experienced ace within the Resistance' ranks.
  Her major notable incident prior to taking command of Onyx squadron was during the Resistance assault on the Rivas system and the shipyards there. While carrying out a strike against the shipyards' orbital defence platforms, her fighter was engaged by four enemy craft. She managed to hold her own and down three of them with her fighter taking heavy damage. The fourth was later identified as the infamous Imperial ace, Garlan Frost. She managed to damage - but not destroy - his craft, while he inflicted heavy damage on hers, leading to the loss of her left arm, and causing serious damage and injury to her.
  She survived due to swift medical intervention, though her recovery was long and difficult. She was promoted following this, and used the rest of her recovery time working as an operations controller and ground instructor, before returning to flying.
  Despite her rank and achievements, the only open position for a squadron leader was aboard the Wandering Star, the oddball ship of the Resistance fleet. Accepting the challenge, Asora turned to recruiting pilots for the newly reformed Onyx Squadron.
• Fighter: AS-103 Excalibur
• Fighter Customisations: All over low visibility digital camouflage pattern in grey/dark grey/blue. 'Shark mouth' on nose.

Starfighter Squadron RP (Original Setting, non-Fandom)

The OOC is now up!

Got it up earlier than I expect, but I pushed myself doing it... it's late now and time to go to bed!
I'll get working on a character for myself tomorrow.

roleplayerguild.com/topics/188212-ace…

Aces of the Void - Starfighter Squadron RPG

Aces of the Void

In a far off place and time, in a future that may or may not be our own, a civilization that spans hundreds of worlds across as many solar systems is locked in a struggle of survival. The noble, enlightened and just Interstellar Commonwealth, a democratic assembly of hundreds of races, working, living and existing co-operatively and in relative peace for hundreds of years has been sundered from within. A xenophobic, totalitarian and facistic faction has risen from within their own ranks. Having formed a power base on numerous worlds through subversive manipulation of people, corporations, and political interests, they built up a massive power base and military strength, resulting in a political and military coup, ultimately concluding in the mass execution or imprisonment of the rest of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Council under emergency powers, and the ascension and crowning of the former minister for the Hegara sector, a region of space comprising several dozen star systems, with many more falling under their sway due to their manipulations, as the Emperor, and the establishment of the Hegaran Empire as the dominant ruling power for what was once Commonwealth space.
For the last two decades, the Empire has rolled across Commonwealth space, forcing those still loyal to the ideals of the Commonwealth into hiding. Free systems still remain, politically neutral or maintaining tenuous alliances or relations with the Empire, mainly due to its' need for their resources. Though the Empire has influence across space through networks of informants, spies, and bounty hunters. Though, the same can be said for the Resistance and the Free Systems Alliance, the remaining systems holding out against the empires' advances, and covertly - or even overtly - supporting the Resistance in their fight to topple the Empire.

In the midst of this turmoil, among the rag-tag fleets of the Resistance, heroes are born. Among their ranks, the ones that most capture the imaginations of the public and exemplify the struggle are the pilots of the Resistance Starfighter squadrons. While it is boots on the ground and the big guns of the fleet that provide the means to achieve goals and strike a decisive blow, the Starfighters are there, in space or in the skies above the battlefield, acting as the sharp end of the spear. A rallying symbol for the troops to get behind, they are there; punching holes in the Empires' fleet to exploit, launching daring raids behind enemy lines, striking at locations, targets, or ships thought to be impossible. There are many storied and legendary pilots and squadrons.
But this story is of a small squadron, on a oddity of a ship. Their exploits will end up changing the course of the war against the Empire...

OOC Information

Aces of the Void follows a starfighter squadron named 'Onyx Squadron', stationed aboard the escort frigate Wandering Star, the first and only ship of her class in the fleet, assigned as an attachment to main fleet duties and often tasked with unorthodox missions, and something of a home for the more... 'eclectic' members of the Resistance ranks.
Players in the RP will be taking on the role of pilot(s) in the Onyx Squadron, in the current in-game year of CE 2083 (Commonwealth Era 2083) piloting their own starfighters in missions against Imperial targets. During the course of their missions and the RP, they will begin to uncover a plot that will lead them from obscurity into the heart of the war itself, and to its' very climax, shaping the fate of the galaxy as it goes onward.

The game and its' world are inspired by science fiction featuring space fighters and fleet battles. Star Wars, Mass Effect, the Dominion War arc of Deep Space Nine, Macross, Stargate, Wing Commander and more besides.
This is a setting where high adventure, spectacle and excitement are the key. Some sense and semblance of realism has its' place, but not being weighed down or constrained by the adherence to realism and hard science. At the same time, this is not a 'space fantasy', with quasi-mystical powers and abilities, or bizarrely fantastical space-scapes or places that defy realism.

Player Characters are pilots in Onyx Squadron, a starfighter squadron of the Resistance, fighting to restore the freedom, peace and harmony of the Commonwealth against the evil of the Empire. As such, characters should be people who care about actually fighting the Empire, and have some dedication to the cause. They don't have to be ultra-nice, lacking in any kinds of flaws or negative qualities, but some kind of positive and upstanding quality would be likely, if they were to be accepted into the ranks in the first place, and more so if they are believably given a role and responsibility in operating a space fighter craft.

While technical accuracy is not needed, some acknowledgement and at least passing understanding or acknowledgement of how a military squadron or unit operates would be appreciated. Pilots - as the name suggests - fly their craft, and follow a chain of command. They do not repair and arm their own craft, and even in the case of a resistance unit - in this setting at least - they have some kind of flight experience and training as well, regardless of their original background.

While the game is 'casual' being able to write at least a decent paragraph with good spelling and grammar, and being able to actually be descriptive and get into the mind of your character and roleplay personal and character moments and situations is essential, as it won't all be constantly blowing up spaceships and shooting lasers, as that would get boring and very meaningless quite quickly.

Commonwealth Species and Political Powers

While the Hegaran Empire has dominated Commonwealth space, the races and species that lived there still remain, many of them as free populations outside of their homeworld and territories.
The Empire is comprised solely of humans, and has a human supremacist attitude, believing in the inherent racial and biological superiority of humankind, and the purity of human genetics. However, humans exist outside of the Empire as well, and inhabit and occupy numerous other systems, along with many 'human adjacent' or 'human-related' species that have been created through centuries of genetic engineering, adaptation, and interbreeding.
The original homeworld and origin of the human species is lost to legend, and no-one knows where they came from any longer, nor which world they call 'home' as such, with populations of humans wide spread across known space as a whole.

Other important species are the Antherians, a collective, umbrella term for a wide array of animal-like, mammalian species that share a significant proportion of DNA with human species, as well as a general anatomical layout and physiological and psychological similarities. They also inhabit the same range of terrains and environments, and many of the same base animals are found in the same environments as humans, pointing to a shared history at some point in the distant past. However, the Antherians and the numerous sub-species thereof, have long since formed their own political and national entities and identities and are found across virtually every world in known space in all manner of roles and walks of life.

Hundreds of other species exist as well. The towering, physically powerful and warrior-like draconic Dranfel, amphibious Cetanui, and many, many more races. Some are - or were - part of the Commonwealth, and their worlds have been enslaved by the Empire. Others exist in the Free Systems Alliance, with their members joining the Resistance to fight against the injustice of the Empire.

Culture and Society/Feel of the Setting

As mentioned previously, the game and setting are heavily inspired by a lot of different sources. In terms of imagining what the setting is like to live in, it is a broad and varied place. The more heavily inhabited worlds at the core of Commonwealth - now Imperial - space, or those that are the 'capital' worlds of their regions of space and nations are heavily industrialised and urbanised, with massive cities full of towering buildings. Some are more utopian and beautiful, some more bustling and choked with people and buildings than others. Other worlds may be more frontier-like, or any combination of in-between.
The average person has access to a good level of education and information, and computers are an everyday part of life, with extensive network connections. People still work every kind of imaginable profession, and there are still things like crime, entertainment, chores, school, religion and all manner of other aspects of life that we would relate to. People still use money, in this case the universal 'credit', to pay for things.
Most people have their own personal mobile electronic devices, usually worn or carried on their person, with holographic displays being common, and these serve as many of the same functions as our everyday mobile devices, but with more capability and computing power in a smaller size.

Artificial Intelligences are common, though 'full sapience' AI with a full range of reasoning and emotion is extremely rare, and is outlawed within the Empire. Robots are common, though again; outside of those species that are part of the Commonwealth or known space that are synthetic life forms, there are no sapient robots.

Wheeled and tracked ground vehicles are the most common form of ground transportation, with rail being used frequently for mass transit or heavy cargo. Rotary wing (i.e. helicopters and ducted fan) vehicles are widely used in atmosphere for short-range transport, with powered spaceplanes being use for longer range. Boats of all kinds are still common for all manner of uses as well. And, of course, spacecraft of all sizes.

Medical technology includes 'fast-healing' medicines and medical devices that can rapidly heal most minor wounds or complaints in a matter of days or even hours, up to some simple broken bones. More serious wounds and injuries may require the use of specialist medications such as nanotechnological braces and casts that bond with the affected tissue and rebuild it over the course of longer term treatment. Cloned organs can be implanted in the case of serious wounding, and artificial cybernetic or bionic replacements can be used as well, though this is seen as comparatively crude, and those who utilise implants and cybernetics to replace their original bodies and enhance their abilities are seen as fringe or extreme, though it is often pursued by groups of mercenaries, bounty hunters, or those living in alternative, fringe lifestyles, such as criminal gangs or organizations, cults, religious sects, or other such groups.

Weapons technology is widely varied. Projectile weapons are still the most common personal scale weapons, though use caseless, hypervelocity smart rounds that react differently to different types of targets, fired from weapons that use complex computerised sighting systems, often tied in with the wearers' own electronic devices and equipment in a heads-up display. Personal explosives, such as grenades also use smart technologies for programmable effects as well, with anti-armour/vehicle weapons such as rockets utilising the technology even more so.
At vehicle scales, energy weapons start to become more practical due to increased power supplies and more stable mountings and housings, with laser and particle beam weapons primarily in use, along with some use of microwave weaponry for specialised roles in disabling electronics.
Explosive warheads and payloads often utilise plasma, but conventional explosives are also used, and thermobaric warheads are often utilised in atmosphere.
Melee weapons are still in use, though primarily as a backup to firearms. High vibration blades - often termed 'vibro blades' - are used both in combat and for utility purposes, and virtually every and any person on the frontlines will carry some kind of knife or blade.
Other exotic weapons are not unheard of, but are comparatively rare compared to the utility and convenience of conventional weaponry.
Weapons of Mass Destruction tend to come in the form of anti-matter weaponry, which has tremendous destructive power. However, the production of anti-matter takes a massive amount of energy and infrastructure, and as such is quite hard to do without being noticed, as is it's storage. As such, it is heavily regulated, and such weapons are rarely used. Planetary bombardment from orbiting forces is often carried out via the use of 'Kinetic Harpoons', non-explosive rods of Tungsten with a basic guidance package and a disposable engine that are launched in bundles of four from a Vertical Launch System missile tube and use nothing other than kinetic energy to cause area effect damage. With a VLS battery fully loaded with Kinetic Harpoons, a single warship can devastate an entire city. Larger ships or entire fleets can lay waste to continents with little in the way of fallout or lasting environmental damage.

Travel between star systems for a civilian or any everyday person is the equivalent of taking a luxury cruise in terms of price and time, and the facilities aboard the average interstellar passenger vessel. Passage can also be charted aboard other ships, such as freighters or other vessels, with the cost changing accordingly.
In Imperial space, travel is much more restricted, requiring extensive papers and subject to intensive questioning and limitations, and even more so if someone is anything other than human. Similarly, anyone who is non-human in the Empire is greatly restricted in their civil liberties and rights in everything from owning property, education, legal rights, freedom to vote, and access to services like healthcare, legal advice, housing, and other such things thought of as common and guaranteed parts of life.

Rules

• Don't be a dick
• Be enthusiastic
• Be nice to each other
• There is no turn order
• If you 'can't be bothered' or are 'too lazy' to check the thread, then I don't have any obligation to remind you to post or join in, and will assume you've dropped out.
• RL comes first, but if you can let me know if you're going to be away/can't post, it is appreciated.
• Likewise, we all have our own issues and struggles, myself included. So if a post is missed or the schedule slips, then it's fine; just make sure to let me/people know that you're still interested.
• This is a 'soft' or 'light' sci-fi game. Endless discussions of technical minutiae are not needed or wanted, and will impress no-one. That said, there is some acknowledgement or adherence to realism, so you can't just do whatever you want or make things up willy-nilly
• If you wish to have secret parts of your character's background, then please discuss this is DM's with the GM first, that way I can incorporate it into the story at a later date, rather than it just appearing out of nowhere.
• Goes under 'don't be a dick', but no godmodding, powergaming, ass-pulling etc etc.
• This is a sci-fi setting. There is no space-magic or special supernatural powers and abilities. Likewise, your character shouldn't be turning up wearing full plate armour and carrying medieval weaponry. If you want to use a sword, feel free. But don't be surprised if you get shot from across the room.
• Mild swearing is allowed - and to be expected - within the setting, but constant heavy cursing is just a bit... puerile.
• Likewise romance is allowed and encouraged, and references and allusions to sexual situations are allowed, but explicit discussions of sex and sexual acts should be left out, and any situation that leads to sex between characters should be left to 'fade to black', the implication understood.

RSV Wandering Star

Ship Name: Resistance Space Vessel (RSV) Wandering Star



Hull Number: LF-X01

Class: High Speed Light Frigate

Crew Complement:

• 120 Enlisted
• 80 Marines
• 80 Air Wing

Armament:

• 4 fixed forward heavy particle Lance
• 6 short-range defensive rotary autocannon
• 4 VLS missile battery with combination of anti-ship, anti-small craft, heavy attack, and kinetic planetary bombardment munitions and reconnaissance probes
• 5 anti-personnel machine-gun for defense while landed or docked

Defensive Systems:

• Carbon/Carbon aligned matrix Ablative hull armour
• Missile decoy launchers

Small Craft Complement:

• 6 Sparrowhawk Personnel/utility shuttles
• 4 Raptor Marine assault gunship
• 2 Condor Marine heavy landing ship
• 1 Stormcrow Medium utility shuttle
• Up to 8 tactical aerospace fighter craft

Notable Features:
The Wandering Star was originally intended to be the first in a new class of light, high-speed frigates designed for patrols of the frontier regions with neighbouring powers, or as a high-speed response to crises within Commonwealth borders. Lightly armed, but with powerful weapons and carrying a squadron of tactical fighters and her own small marine response force, the ships were designed to be 'first responders' for small incidents, and as a 'force multiplier' for traditional task forces.
The rise of the Empire and the subsequent capture of major fleet shipyards halted further development, with the Wandering Star the only completed ship of the class, and even it being in the middle of a shakedown cruise after its' first fitting out. The untested vessel quickly escaped occupied space, and has since been something of an anomaly among the resistance fleet, the only ship of its' class with no clear role.

Despite this, the ship is loved by her crew, and has a fond reputation by all who have served aboard her. Though small, she has comfortable crew accomodations with dual cabins for all crew other than officers (who have their own cabins), good crew rest facilities and messes, and modern interior fittings and fixtures.

The Wandering Star is, like most Commonwealth capital ships, capable of atmospheric entry and flight, and is also capable of landing on a planets' surface, or on a body of water and returning to space.

Squadron Roster

• Squadron Leader: Asora Ebonwing
• Astrid Weiss
• Aeorin Rothsleigh
• Silvester Way
• Hazel Tamirnyev

Available Ships

Please pick a fighter from one of the following for your character(s).
Hardpoints and/or missile racks can be loaded with a variety of ordnance, as listed separately below.
Combined Cycle engines are engines that function as jets in an atmosphere, ramjets at high altitude, and rocket engines - using fusion propulsion - in space. No, don't ask me how they work. Craft are assumed to carry 'enough' fuel for their sorties, unless dramatically appropriate to run out.
All craft are assumed to have appropriate seating and space to accomodate pilots of various different species, since the setting is one with multiple species to begin with.
All craft are capable of atmospheric flight and landing, as well as space flight, and of vertical takeoff and landing.
Sensor and targeting systems are assumed to be a combination of radar and other appropriate sensor systems appropriate to the setting and it's technological level. Targeting is also built in to pilots' helmets.

Rapier

The Rapier is a fast and light aerospace fighter. Primarily for use as a local defence craft by planetary militias, it has superior mobility in a planetary atmosphere compared to some other fighter designs, but suffers from having a lower payload and durability compared to other fighter classes in use. Despite this, it remains in wide use due to the flexibility and ease of maintenance of the Rapier, due to the modular design of its' systems and a rugged, reliable construction. The simplicity of the design also makes for an easy conversion and training for new pilots and for repairs, especially using off-the-shelf components many of which are non-proprietary or non-critical. However, this in turn goes back to its' lack of specialisation and sophistication, meaning it is often outclassed in deep-space battles and duties, due to lack of sensor and weapon range, and a limited fit of weapon systems.
The Rapier's main advantage in a battle is its' light overall weight. This gives it superior mobility when in combat, either in or out of an atmosphere. Combined with relatively powerful engines for its' size and weight class, it is an opponent not to be underestimated. However, it lacks in armour and cannot take hits as readily as other craft. It also lacks an onboard hyperdrive and must use a bolt-on hyperdrive rig for FTL operations.

Specifications:

Name: Archenar Systems AS-88 Rapier

Class: Light Aerospace Fighter

Crew: One pilot in cockpit escape module

Propulsion System:

• 2 x Oryllia systems Mark XVIII Combined Cycle Sublight engine

Weapon Systems:

• 2 x forward-facing rapid-fire caseless 35mm Autocannon
• 1 x forward-facing high-intensity laser
• 4 x underwing hardpoint for missiles, bombs or other munitions and equipment

Other Systems:

• Storage compartment for pilots' personal gear in cockpit
• defensive countermeasures (chaff/flares/decoys)

Hellcat

The Hellcat was the main frontline fighter of the Commonwealth for twenty years, until its' retirement and replacement with the Wildcat in CE 2075. Thousands of the fighters were produced, with many modified for specialist roles and duties. Many of these survive and have found their way into civilian roles, or were exported to other systems after retirement, modified as target drones, or used for other purposes.
The Hellcat was renowned for its' durability, speed and firepower. While it was not the fastest or most agile of craft, not the most reliable or the most well armed, it was dependable in a firefight and could take a lot of hits.
While it was capable of atmospheric flight, it was not especially agile within an atmosphere and responded sluggishly, often relegating it to strike duties when employed in such a manner, a role it was unsuited to due to its' relatively inflexible, if heavy hitting, weapons fit.
In space, Hellcats were often utilised as interceptors due to their high straight-line speeds and hard-hitting gun armament, and also were often used as patrol craft, a role that the C-variant as optimised for with long-range sensors and extended life-support. An enlarged, four-seat version with a tiny crew rest area and larger engines formed the basis of the Black Lion picket ship.
An Electronic Warfare version of the Hellcat was widely used, replacing most of the cannon armament with jamming and counter-jamming equipment. Reconnaissance versions replaced the majority of the weaponry with sensor pods and electronic listening and monitoring equipment.
Hellcats of several kinds are widely used by the Resistance, due to the vast number of them available on the secondary market, and many have seen extensive modifications in Resistance service. However, they are less of a 'favoured' ride, compared to the newer fighters. Despite this, it would be hugely unusual to see any fleet action, even in the current era, that did not involve Hellcats.

Specifications:

Name: Mithria Arsenal AS-94 Hellcat

Class: Tactical Aerospace Fighter

Crew: One pilot in cockpit escape module

Propulsion System:

• 2 x Gungnir Engineering Mark X Combined Cycle Sublight engine
• 1 x Mithria Arsenal Hyperspace Drive

Weapon Systems:

• 2 x forward-facing rapid-fire Pulse Laser
• 2 x forward-facing particle lance
• 2 x underwing hardpoint

Other Systems:

• Storage compartment for pilots' personal gear in cockpit
• Magnetic clamps for landing/transportation
• defensive countermeasures (chaff/flares/decoys)

Wildcat

The successor to the Hellcat, the Wildcat was introduced as the primary frontline fighter for the Commonwealth. It was introduced in CE 2073, and has since been replaced the majority of Hellcats in tactical roles. However, it has not been without its' faults and flaws, and as such other craft have been procured to fill in other roles where the Wildcat has fallen short.
The Wildcats' limitations are mainly down to its' lack of reliability, being somthing of a maintenance hog and being subject to issues with its' primary long-range sensor array, limiting the use of its' main asset and the advantage it featured over its' predecessor, it's improved missile capacity, which was intended to give it greater flexibility on the battlefield.
The Wildcat has a better level of mobility than its' predecessor due to improved engines and a refined, modernised design. While it still lacks in atmospheric mobility, it is still more agile than its' predecessor, while still keeping a high speed. This comes at a light reduction in durability, however.
The Wildcat is the main fighter in use by the Resistance, with many escaping Commonwealth space before the Empires' coup.

Specifications:

Name: Mithria Arsenal AS-96 Wildcat

Class: Tactical Aerospace Fighter

Crew: One pilot in cockpit escape module

Propulsion System:

• 2 x Gungnir Engineering Mark XI Combined Cycle Sublight engine
• 1 x Mithria Arsenal Hyperspace Drive

Weapon Systems:

• 2 x forward-facing 40mm rapid-fire caseless autocannon
• 2 x forward-facing particle lance
• 4 x underwing hardpoint

Other Systems:

• Storage compartment for pilots' personal gear in cockpit
• Magnetic clamps for landing/transportation
• defensive countermeasures (chaff/flares/decoys)

Claymore

The Claymore Tactical Bomber is a heavy attack craft used by the Resistance. Based on a Free Systems Alliance design called the Broadsword, the Claymore is a modification for Resistance purposes that increases the crafts' heavy armament and adds a long-range hyperdrive.
The Claymore is primarily used for attacks on installations such as bases, shipyards, space stations and other fixed positions, as well as attacks against capital ships. It is capable of taking on hostile aircraft, but due to its' large size and relatively slow speed and agility, it must rely on its' armour and firepower to score lucky hits, and the loss of a Claymore is often felt more keenly, due to their limited numbers. Their specialised nature means they are not used as commonly, and are often reserved for particular roles grouped into squadrons of the type, rather than mingled with other craft. It is not unheard of for a Claymore to be assigned as a heavy attack craft for a squadron, however.
The Claymore is the only current tactical craft in the Resistance fleet that has a secondary crew member, in this case a strike operator who takes control of the crafts' missile and bomb armament and operates the defensive weapons, while the pilot controls the fixed-facing armament and flying the craft.
The Claymore, due to its' large wings and general streamlined design, has some of the best atmospheric handling qualities of Resistance fighters, but its' large size and high weight mean it is not especially agile despite this.
There is an electronic warfare version of the Claymore that removes the bomb bay and the cannon armament and replaces it with two additional systems operators and electronic jamming and counter-jamming equipment.
A reconnaissance version does the same, but the guns are retained, and jamming equipment is replaced with reconnaissance systems and electronic intelligence gear.

Specifications:

Name: Batallia Engineeering BS-19 Claymore

Class: Tactical Aerospace Bomber

Crew: Two pilots in cockpit escape module

Propulsion System:

• 4 x Royce-Chambers Combined Cycle Sublight engine
• 1 x Royce-Chambers Hyperspace Drive

Weapon Systems:

• 1 x internal bomb bay for bombs, missiles, or other munitions
• 4 x underwing hardpoints for missiles, bombs, or other munitions
• 2 x pulse laser ventral turret mounting
• 2 x rear-facing 20mm autocannon

Other Systems:

• Storage compartment for crew personal gear in cockpit
• Magnetic clamps for landing/transportation
• 1 x jump seat for additional person (intended for short-range transport, no controls acccessible)
• defensive countermeasures (chaff/flares/decoys)

GM Special Note:
As the Claymore is a 'bomber' and has a bomb bay, it is subject to special weapons rules.
The bomb bay may carry one of the following loadouts on a mission:

• 4 heavy anti-ship/anti-station strike missiles
• 4 land-attack cruise missiles (with thermobaric or plasma warheads)
• 10 laser-guided bombs (only useful in atmosphere)
• 10 free-fall bombs (only useful in atmosphere)
• 10 cluster bombs (only useful in atmosphere)
• 6 heavy bombs (only useful in atmosphere)
• 6 long-range anti-fighter missiles
• 6 'beehive' multi-warhead missiles
• 6 anti-radar missiles
• 6 anti-ship space mines

Thunderbolt

The Thunderbolt is a heavy fighter used by the Resistance, and formerly by the Commonwealth in a limited capacity.
Sitting somewhere between the role of fighter and bomber, the Thunderbolt carries a powerful payload of weapons and is heavily armoured, but lacks in maneuvrability. It was introduced shortly before the Hellcat was retired in CE 2067 as a compliment to the Hellcats' limited firepower for more strike-oriented roles, and was intended to be retired with the introduction of the Wildcat. However, the shortcomings of the wildcats' design has meant it endured longer than expected, and has been subjected to a modernisation program to keep it relevant. The newly introduced Excalibur is designed to replace the Thunderbolt in service, and would have been due for full production had the Imperial coup not occurred.
As such, Thunderbolts are still widely in use with Resistance forces, and more have been sourced from non-aligned and Free Systems sources to add to the numbers of available fighters in use by the Resistance.
The Thunderbolt is often the 'ugly child' of Resistance operations. Not the most handsome fighter, but one of the most reliable and essential to operations, and often overlooked for more glamourous, sexy-looking craft. It is often joked that Thunderbolt pilots love their ships, because no-one else will.
Despite this, the Thunderbolts' firepower and abilities are widely respected, and if a Thunderbolt shows up to offer close air support and strike, it is often a cause for celebration for marines on the ground, and most squadron leaders or aerospace commanders are happy to have a Thunderbolt or two at their disposal for dealing with key targets that are hard to crack.

Specifications:

Name: Archenar Systems AS-91 Thunderbolt

Class: Heavy Aerospace Fighter

Crew: One pilot in Cockpit Escape Module

Propulsion System:

• 4 x Tallent Aerospace Combined Cycle Sublight engine
• 1 x Morganstern Hyperspace Drive

Weapon Systems:

• 2 x forward-facing rotary 30mm caseless autocannnon
• 2 x forward-facing pulsed particle beam cannon
• 1 x forward facing high-intensity laser cannon
• 2 x 4-shot missile rack

Other Systems:

• Storage compartment for crew personal gear in cockpit
• Magnetic clamps for landing/transportation
• Magnetic harpoon with tow cable
• defensive countermeasures (chaff/flares/decoys)

Excalibur

The Excalibur was the last fighter produced by Commonwealth shipyards before the Imperial coup, entering service in CE 2080. Due to go into service as a limited production special operations fighter to replace the Thunderbolt and compliment the Wildcat, only a few squadrons' worth of the fighters were completed before the coup, and even fewer of those made it out of Imperial space to the Resistance.
As such, the few remaining have been distributed with their pilots through the fleet to act as a 'silver bullet' and something of a 'force multiplier', working with and enhancing the capability of mixed squadrons of ships using their impressive abilities.
The Excalibur is, if not the cutting edge, at least the razors' edge of fighter design. While large, it has an impressive thrust-to-weight ratio, with incredible reaction times and mobility for its' size, along with a high level of automation and a comprehensive sensor suite that gives great situational awareness and command ability. This, coupled with its' firepower, makes it a lethal presence on the battlefield.
However, these sophisticated systems have their downsides, in that their inherent complexity and sophistication as well as the proprietary parts mean that the Excalibur is slightly more sensitive to them being damaged and subject to error from damage received to the craft that does not otherwise disable it, which will then later require a higher degree of maintenance, something it already requires a lot of. This increase in sensor systems and their sophistication can also catch newer pilots unawares and may lead to sensory or task overload for relatively newly qualified Excalibur pilots.
Excaliburs also have relatively poor atmospheric flight characteristics, lacking much in the way of flight surfaces, and while capable of operating in an atmosphere, it is not recommended for extended periods of time.

Name: Idria Ironworks AS-103 Excalibur

Class: Heavy Aerospace Fighter

Crew: One pilot in Cockpit Escape Module

Propulsion System:

• 4 x Morovia Technical Systems Advanced Combined Cycle Sublight engine
• 1 x Artalia Industries Hyperspace Drive

Weapon Systems:

• 2 x forward-facing rotary pulse laser
• 2 x forward-facing charged particle lance
• 1 x forward facing 40mm heavy railgun
• 2 x 4-shot missile rack

Other Systems:

• Storage compartment for crew personal gear in cockpit
• Magnetic clamps for landing/transportation
• Magnetic harpoon with tow cable
• defensive countermeasures (chaff/flares/decoys)

Missiles, Bombs and ordnance

Weaponry and other Systems that can be loaded on hardpoints or in missile bays.
A missile rack may carry one missile per 'shot' on a rack. Types may be mixed in a rack.
Weapons or equipment marked 'H' can only be loaded on a hardpoint.
Weapons can be changed for missions, but not during a mission.

• Wasp Missile - a short-range missile used against other small spacecraft, three can be carried on a single hardpoint
• Hornet Medium Range missile - a medium-range missile used against other small spacecraft, two can be carried on a hardpoint
• 'Beehive' Multi-warhead missile - a long-range missile that ejects three smaller, very short-range smaller missiles that can then attack three individual targets for a smaller amount of damage or home in on a single large target to overwhelm its' defences. Usually used to break up formations or fired in barrages against multiple targets.
• Yellowjacket Anti-Radar missile - a missile that homes in on the emissions from radars, seeking out and destroying them to blind enemy sensors, used primarily against large ships, installations and structures, ineffective against small craft due to their lower powered radar.
• Vespid Long-Range missile - a long-range anti-spacecraft missile, used primarily against shuttles, gunships, bombers and other 'heavy' small craft
• Mantis Strike Missile - a medium-range missile with a plasma warhead designed for use against ground targets, structures, capital or surface ships or installations. They are too slow and lack maneuvrability to be used against fighters or small craft in flight.
• Scorpion Strike Missile - a medium-range ground-attack missile with a thermobaric warhead for use against ground targets, structures or installations in atmosphere, using the overpressure effects of a thermobaric warhead for massive damage.
• Tarantula Light Strike Missile - a short-range ground-attack missile that uses a blast-fragmentation warhead to cause area damage to soft targets, such as light vehicles and structures or personnel. It is not especially accurate, but is useful for close air-support, especially for less flexible fighters with missile racks instead of hardpoints.
• Anti-Ship missile (H) - A heavy anti-capital ship missile that uses a powerful plasma warhead, only one can be carried per hardpoint
• Cruise Missile (H) - A long-range missile that is primarily used in atmosphere against fixed structures, landed ships, or surface ships. Capable of mounting a plasma or thermbaric warhead as needed.
• Bombs (H) - bombs are unpowered weapons, utilising high explosives, plasma or thermbaric warheads. They can be guided - such as with lasers, either by the craft dropping them or friendly forces - or unguided, and their blast area can damage multiple targets. As they are unpowered, they rely on gravity, and are only usable in planetary gravity wells. Bombs can be carried up to three on a hardpoint.
• Cluster Bombs (H) - a variation on the above weapon that uses multiple smaller warheads that spread during the bombs' descent to cover a wider area, but cause much lower damage individually
• Heavy Bombs (H) - large bombs that are the same functionally as those above, but cause more raw destruction, often used for higher value single targets, and only carried one per hardpoint.
• ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) Jamming Pod (H) - a system of powerful trasmitting and receiving equipment specifically intended to jam and distort communications, data transmissions and other types of signals. The effects can be focused to a single target for intense effect, or a more broad-based and 'passive' form of disruption, which is somewhat easier to counter. The downside being that the jammer itself becomes a target, due to the easily tracked signals.
• ECM Blinder Pod (H) - Similar to the Jamming pod, but specifically designed with the intention of disrupting targeting, navigation, and other types of sensor systems through the use of a variety of means. Able to be used 'offensively' and target a single source, or 'defensively' over an area with a reduced effect. Similarly, it can highlight the jammer themselves as a target.
• ECCM Pod (H) - a Counter-Countermeasures pod that comprises several specifically developed and constructed powerful transmitters, receivers, and associated equipment to 'burn through' and neutralise hostile jamming, purely a defensive system.
• Reconnaissance Pod (H) - a streamlined pod containing high-resolution, high-speed camera equipment in both visual and infra-red spectrums, along with ultra high-resolution LIDAR, used to gather information about targets, areas, and otherwise gather precise information.
• Recon Probe - a self-contained probe approximately the size of a missile, but with a payload of short-range, high-resolution cameras, IR cameras and sensors and electronic listening/recording equipment and powerful transmitters. Designed to be fired into hostile space to gather information on a specific target or area, and then transmit that information to friendly forces before it is destroyed or self-destructs.
• 'Noisemaker' missile - a disposable jammer, fired from a conventional tube or rack; it replaces a warhead with a series of broad-based jammers, designed to cause generalised disruption to sensor and communications systems, either to cause general breakdown of communications or mask friendly forces or missiles incoming.

Character Sheet

Ranks aren't as important, considering it's a Resistance operation, but will be handed out once we have a few characters and things get started. Characters must be pilots in Onyx Squadron. Non-pilot characters are not within the scope of this game.
Your character will have a standard pilot suit, a sidearm, and three magazines, and a survival kit which has a rifle, with four magazines, a survival knife, an emergency medical kit, a portable shelter (i.e. a small, one-person fully-enclosing cover that's essentially a sleeping back with a bit of storage space) an emergency communicator, spare power cells, signal flares, water purification kit and 1 week of survival rations. This is stored in the escape module of the ship, which itself has several days-worth of life-supprt, a rescue beacon, and is capable of surviving re-entry and landing via a parachute. On their person, they will probably have the survival knife, sidearm, ammo, a couple of flares, and other sundry items.
When not piloting, the Resistance isn't overly picky about uniforms, but the go-to is 'practical and useful', and everyone will find somewhere on their uniform for the Resistance emblem.

If you wish to invent a species/race for your character, feel free, and to give them a background. Just make sure it's not a) hugely edgy; no demon/angel/vampire rubbish, and no super-powered omni-god nonsense, or b) something completely out there and weird; try and keep them at least relatably understandable in terms of their culture or society and biology; no starfish aliens or Nth-dimensional entities. And likewise, don't make their society hugely over-advanced or sophisticated, as it seems unlikely they'd feel threatened by the Empire otherwise, or care about the Commonwealth.

• Name: The name of your character
• Nickname: Also known as a 'callsign' a name they have earned or been given during their career as a pilot.
• Age: How old they are. Note, they must be conceivably old enough to have learned and had experience in life and piloting, to pilot and be trusted with a starfighter, and to be an adult; i.e. not a teenager. Also no gross 'they're 100 but look like they're 12' lolis.
• Sex/Gender: Male/Female/Other, whatever you choose or is appropriate to their race.
• Species: See notes above
• Appearance: Either an image you have found you'd like to use, or a verbal description, or a combination of both. Anime/cartoon-style, video game, or concept art is preferred over photo references. If you wish to use an NSFW reference pic - possibly because you can't find something else that suits - then please include a warning and link the image off-site.
• Height: How tall they are; can vary wildly dependent on their race and species, but bear in mind they must still be able to realistically fit in a starfighter cockpit and operate/interact with the world around them.
• Personal Qualities: A brief description of the characters' personality and demeanour; how they relate to others and see the world. Only a paragraph or two.
• Biography: A brief overview of their history or career until now; just a short mention of any major incidents or events in their life until now. Does not need to be extensive.
• Fighter: Which fighter you have chosen for your character to pilot from those listed.
• Fighter Customisations: Any personal customisations of the colour scheme or appearance of your characters' craft.