The Transhuman Files are an irregular posting of material for the Transhuman Space setting.
by David Pulver and Kenneth Peters
GMs may use GURPS Vehicles, Second Edition to design vehicles or weapons with the following guidelines and special cases. (Exception: for spacecraft, use the rules from pp. TS173-190 rather than Vehicles).
TL: Vehicles are designed at either TL8 or TL9. A vehicle completely designed at TL8 is "old" and can normally be had for approximately 20% of list cost. A few TL7 vehicles may be found in backwater regions, generally at about 10% of list cost.
Hydrodynamic Lines: Supercavitation is an option for
some vessels. See Vehicles Expansion 1 (p. VXi5).
-- Supercavitating Lines: The designer may ignore
the x1.05 weight multiplier.
-- Very Fine Lines: Not normally available (at least, not for
free!).
Hull Shapes: A simplified hull shape system is to assign
a x1.2 volume multiplier for "cylindrical" hulls --
submersible hulls are already cylindrical and do not benefit from
this option. Multiply by x2 if
spherical.
Submersible Design Option: This is not required in Transhuman Space unless you wish to simplify the design process. Instead, purchase ballast tanks as storage tanks with a x2 cost multiplier to cover vents and trim ducts.
Structural Materials: All vehicle structures are Robotic (p. VE18). Use the table below for vehicular structures. Ultra-Heavy frames (p. VXi5) are not available.
Smart structures have a cost multiplier of x2 but use half of the vehicles unmodified cost when calculating Maintenance Interval.
Old Vehicles will not have nanocomposite or diamondoid structures. A few will also lack the Robotic option (halve structural cost).
| MATERIALS TABLE | ||
| Materials | Weight | Cost |
| Cheap Steel | 6 | $12.5 |
| Steel Alloy | 5 | $25 |
| Aluminum Alloy | 4 | $50 |
| Titanium Alloy | 3 | $75 |
| Foamed Alloy | 2.5 | $100 |
| Carbon Composite | 1.5 | $500 |
| Metal-Matrix Composite | 1 | $1,500 |
| Nanocomposite | 0.6 | $5,000 |
| Diamondoid | 0.4 | $25,000 |
Structural Weight and Cost: Use the higher of volume or structural area in this calculation.
Armor: Double the weight and cost modifiers of Ablative
armor (quadrupling final cost). The composite types, and diamondoid,
are considered to be laminate armor, with doubled DR against shaped-charge
warheads like HEDP and HEAT. Older vehicles will not have nanocomposite
or diamondoid armor. Minimum DR is 1 for sealed vehicles. Armor
materials need not match frame materials.
| ARMOR TABLE | ||
| Type | M | C |
| Plastic | 0.1 | $0.5 |
| Cheap Steel | 0.6 | $0.25 |
| Steel Alloy | 0.5 | $0.5 |
| Aluminum Alloy | 0.4 | $1 |
| Titanium Alloy | 0.3 | $1.5 |
| Foamed Alloy | 0.25 | $2 |
| Carbon Composite | 0.15 | $10 |
| Metal-Matrix Composite | 0.1 | $30 |
| Nanocomposite | 0.06 | $100 |
| Diamondoid | 0.04 | $500 |
M is a weight modifier, representing the weight of one
square foot of DR1 armor.
C is a cost modifier, giving the cost per pound of a given
armor type.
Plastic Armor: For every 10 points of damage it sustains (regardless of whether it protects or not) one point of DR is destroyed afterward.
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Cybershells stored as cargo require (weight / 20) cubic feet. |
Sails: Rigid sails (pp. VXii3-4) are available. For spacecraft use the plasma sails from p. TS179.
Spacecraft Sails: In addition to the lightsail (p. VE31) all of the sails described on pp. VXi14-15 are available.
Jet Engines: Fusion air-rams are unavailable. Hyperfans (p. VE35) are rarely used, instead use super turbofans (p. VXi11). All other TL9 engines are available. Fission air-rams have slightly different stats then the versions listed on p. VXi11.
| TL | Type |
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| 8+ | Fission Air-Ram |
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Rocket Engines: Fusion rockets as described in Vehicles are unavailable; Orion engines are unavailable for political reasons. Use the spaceship design rules instead. Instead of the generic liquid-fueled rocket use the chemical rockets from p. VXii9. VASIMR rockets (GURPS Mars) are available but fuel consumption in high-thrust mode is x100 (not x10)
Reactionless Thrusters: Unavailable.
Stardrives: Unavailable.
Levitation: Unavailable.
|
The lift bags from Transhuman Space: Under Pressure
are "built" as gasbags, by multiplying their inflated |
Diving Controls: You get a free extra set if you purchase duplicate maneuver controls.
Communications: All laser communicators are "rainbow"
lasers that can operate on the blue-green spectrum (p. VXi17).
All radios have the cellular option for free.
--
Sonar Communicators divide range by 100 rather then the
10 specified in Vehicles Expansion I.
Sensors: FTL radar, multiscanners, chemscanners, bioscanners and gravscanners are unavailable. Ladars and AESA are multi-spectrum and can operate on the blue-green band (p. VXi17). All multimode radars and AESA have a low-probability intercept mode (p. VXii16).
Advancements in nano-optics allow very small imaging sensors. For LLTVs, infrared, passive radar and PESA, instead of multiplying weight, cost and volume by range/magnification, multiply by (range squared)/100.
Exception: If range is 100 + miles, only weight and volume (not cost) is affected. Radars (and ladars and AESAs) are less advanced. If range exceeds 100 miles, multiply weight, volume and power (but not cost) by (range squared)/100 instead of actual range.
-- Sonar: Sonars use conformal arrays and distributed transducer arrays for full coverage. If range is over 1 mile then square the range before multiplying by the values below. Note that sonars must be in contact with the working fluid in order to function so they are usually placed in a flooded section of the hull.
| TL | Type |
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| Old | Active Sonar |
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| New | Active Sonar |
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| Flat |
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Computers: Use the Computer Table on p. TS141 instead. Terminals are not required. Volume is weight/50.
Navigation: GPS is free with any computer.
Sonar IFF: The Vehicles Expansion model can be used, but active sonar can work as a sonar IFF out to twice its normal range (this does not impede normal function).
Software: Robot skill programs are unavailable.
Neural Interface: No +4 bonus is provided for neural interface; it simply allows hands-free operation.
Psionic Technology: Unavailable.
Robot Arms and Arm Motors: Most robot arms are built with carbon composite, extra-heavy frames.
Heavy Equipment: Super-bores are unavailable.
Emergency and Medical Equipment: Cryonic capsules are unavailable.
Bilge Pumps: You don't get free bilge pumps.
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Build these as turrets but increase rotation space by 10% for every foot of length it can extend. |
Snorkel Tubes: These are free if the vessel has submarine lines (either type).
Jet Engines And Power: Fission air-rams generate significantly more power then conventional jet engines. They have a power output in kilowatts equal to (thrust in lbs./40). Turbo-ramjets and ramjets do not produce excess power.
Fission and Fusion Reactors: Use the table below.
Fusion Reactor: Use the table below.
| Nuclear and Fusion Power Plants | ||||||
| TL | Type |
|
Cost | Core Cost | Years | |
| under 5 kW | 5 kW or more | |||||
| 8 | Old Fission Reactor | no | (4 x kW) + 4,000 | $25 | $125,000 | 2 |
| 9 | New Fission Reactor | no | (2 x kW) + 4,000 | $50 | $250,000 | 2 |
| 8 | Old Fusion Reactor | no | (2 x kW) + 200,000 | $100 | $2,500,000 | 20 |
| 9 | New Fusion Reactor | no | (1 x kW) + 22,000 | $200 | $5,000,000 | 20 |
NPUs and RTGs: NPUs are unavailable.
Exotic Power Plants: Only bioconvertors (excluding vampire) are available.
Energy Banks: See pp. TS140-141.
Fuel Cells: Every gallon of hydrogen burned produces 0.63 gallons of water.
Fuel Tanks: Collapsible Tanks (p. VXi24) are unavailable.
Types of Liquid Fuel: The most common fuels are listed below. Conventional gasoline is rarely available. Weight and cost is per gallon.
| FUEL TABLE | |||
| Type | Weight | Cost | Fire |
| Synthetic Gasoline | 6 | $5 | 10 |
| Alcohol | 5.8 | $0.5 | 10 |
| Hydrogen | 0.58 | $0.1 | 13 |
| Liquid Oxygen (LOX) | 9.6 | $0.1 | 13 |
| Jet Fuel (Kerosene) | 6.5 | $3 | 13 |
Concealment and Stealth Features: Psi Shielding is not available.
Defensive Surface Features: Radiation Shielding, Reflective Surface and Retro-Reflective Surface are not available. Use the radiation shielding rules from either p. TS189 or p. VXii6.
Acid Proofing: For vehicles that must function on Venus, acid-proofing is required. (The vehicle must also be sealed.) If the vehicle has nanocomposite or diamondoid armor, acid-proofing is free. Costs $0.1 and weighs 10 lbs. per square foot of surface area.
Force Field Grids: Unavailable.
Solar Cells: Solar cell power output depends (obviously) on the brightness of the sun, and thus varies from planet to planet, and by weather conditions. In any environment dark enough to cause a -1 or worse vision penalty, cells provide negligible power. Under sunny skies (or in vacuum), the formula is solar cell area times P, where P is 0.5 for Mercury, 0.2 for Venus, 0.08 for Earth and Luna, 0.04 for Mars, 0.01 for most major asteroids, 0.003 for the moons of Jupiter, and 0.001 for the moons of Saturn. Further out, solar cells produce negligible power. (The formula for P is 0.08 / ( distance from Sun in AU, squared ).)
Roll Stabilizers: Replace with Fin Stabilizers, multiply surface area by 0.01 to get weight, and 0.2 to get cost.
These modifications apply to the Weaponry chapter:
Electromags: When calculating the "weight per shot" of electromag guns on p. VE108, the "P" value is 0.2 regardless of the gun's actual power.
Electrothermal: When calculating the power requirement of an electrothermal gun (on p. VE109), use this formula instead: Power = 3 kW x WPS x RoF. No other modifiers apply.
Example: Personal Defense Weapon (10mm): Short barreled,
low power, light automatic firing caseless ammunition.
KEDAM = 3
1/2D Range = 195.665 yards (rounded to 200)
Max Range = 1897.05 yards (rounded to 1,900)
Acc = 9
Weight = 3.6 lbs.
SS = 11
RoF = 12
WPS = 0.01875 (rounded to 0.019)
CPS = 0.075
Cost = $430
Ammo:
60 rounds solid: 1.14 lbs., $4.5
w/Clip: 1.596 lbs. (rounded to 1.6), $4.5
Smallarm (Shoulder Stock)
Ewt. = 4.32 lbs. (the book weight rounds to 4.3 lbs.)
SS = 11
Acc = 7
Rcl. = -1
LWt. = 5.92 lbs. (or 5.9 lbs)
ST = 8.61 (rounded to 9)
Final Cost
= $430 + $250 (HUD sight) + $4.5 (ammo) = $684.5 (rounded to $685)
On the Ammunition Statistics Table (p. VE112) and when designing missile warheads (p. VE114). MBC is treated as CHEM ammunition. Supercavitating ammo is described in Deep Beyond and Blue Shadow. Superwire, micronuke and SATNUC ammo is unavailable in this setting. All of the listed wearheads use small warheads.
Self-Forging Penetrator (SEFOP) Rounds( a.k.a SEX warheads)
A smart-fused explosive warhead that uses a stabilized metallic
hydrogen explosive. The warhead inflicts concussion damage (p.
B21). On a direct hit, it detonates a foot or so away from the
target; the detonation shapes the warhead into a high-velocity,
metallic "explosively formed penetrator" that does crushing
damage. On a miss, the warhead explodes in a burst of fragments,
depending on its safety setting. The warhead will not detonate
if friendly personnel are in the area.
To determine base concussion damage use the HE warhead statistics.
To determine the penetrator rods damage design as a HEDP round,
but add +0.5 to the value of 'H'
Fragmentation damage is the same as described on p. VE113 but
a warhead 15-19 mm will do [1d].
Cost is x5. There is no WPS modifier.
Example: 60mm SEFOP: 6d x 10 concussion, and either 6d x 20(5) crushing or 6d cutting fragmentation.
HEMP Rounds
A smart explosive warhead that uses octonitrocubane, roughly four
times as potent at TNT. HEMP inflicts concussion and fragmentation
damage (pp. B121-122). Sealed armor DR is squared vs. the concussion
damage, but not the fragmentation damage. In addition, anyone
directly hit takes shaped-charge damage.
To determine the shaped-charge damage use the value for HEAT
rounds (p. VE112) but ignore the 'H' variable.
To determine concussion damage use C x X/24,000.
Determine fragmentation damage as above.
Cost is x2. There is no WPS modifier.
Example: 30mm HEMP: 5d concussion and 2d cutting fragmentation; 6d(10) shaped charge.
MBC Rounds
The number of hexes of cyberswarms that a warhead can carry is equal to (bore size/60) cubed.
Smaller guidance systems are available as a result of nanotechnology. A missile can have guidance equivalent to a homing bullet (p. TS157) if its motor is bought as a missile rather than an unguided rocket, even if no guidance is installed. Divide weights of CG, IRH, IIRH, ARM, SARH, OH, PEH, PRH and brilliant guidance by 100, but square any weight increase due to increased skill. For example, +6 to Skill is normally 4 times weight; it would now be 16 times weight.
Example: Micro-Missile (15mm)
Small warhead: 0.00675 lbs. [$0.0675 for Solid]
Guidance: Homing (motor bought as missile).
Speed: 650
Motor Weight: 0.09 [$4.5 for Guided]
Endurance: 0.78 seconds
KEDAM: 6.09375 (rounded to 6)
SEFOP/HEMP cost is rounded from $4.8375. Max range is technically about 507 yards but 500 is a cleaner number.
Launch Tubes: Missile launch tubes are (1 lbs. x WPS and $25 ¥ WPS for single mount; multiply by 1.4 for double mount or 2.2 for quad mount). Halve weight if disposable.
These are GURPS Vehicles designs, with the one exception that underwater drag was not rounded. Volume was based on the weight of standard mini missiles so they could be fired from standard launchers. The surface area calculation from p. VE18 was used.
-- 15mm: 0.002 cf body (0.1 sf) with advanced submarine lines. Structure is extra-light metal-matrix composite with the supercavitating option and is sealed. The warhead is a 15mm small warhead. It has two solid rockets, a 10 lb., 0.017 minute boost rocket to reach supercavitation speed and a 2 lb., 0.035 minute endurance sustainer rocket bought as a guided missile (x2 cost). Remember that the boost rocket has halved thrust underwater! Underwater drag is 0.0125.
-- 30mm: 0.016 cf body (0.38 sf) with advanced submarine lines.
Structure is extra-light metal-matrix composite with the supercavitating
option and is sealed. The warhead is a 30mm small warhead. It
has two solid
rockets, a 90 lb., 0.017 minute boost rocket to reach supercavitation
speed and a 35 lb., 0.05 minute endurance sustainer rocket bought
as a guided missile (x2 cost). Underwater drag is 0.0475.
Only lasers and particle beams are available. Transhuman Space does not use the laser autofire rules (p. B120).
Lasers: Instead of the rules in Vehicles, use this procedure. First, choose beam output (B) in kilojoules, a lens area (A) in square feet, and a RoF (R) from 1/10 to 20. "A" must be at least B times R/100, or at least B/1,000, whichever is higher.
Power consumption (P) is B times R times 2. Weight is
(B times 1.6) + P + 10A.
1/2D Range is 1.4
times (square root of A) times (square root of the square root
of B) miles. Space range is 20 times atmospheric range.
Max
Range is three times 1/2D range is damage is 20d or more,
otherwise, twice the 1/2D range.
Cost is
(weight times 100) + (Area times 10,000).
Damage
is twice (square root of B) dice of damage. Type is impaling.
SS and Acc are as per Vehicles.
All lasers are considered rainbow lasers (p. VE123) by default.
Options: A visible light laser is -50% to cost and is
otherwise identical to a standard laser. Per 25% increase in power
consumption: -5% to cost. Per 20% increase in weight/volume: -5%
to cost. Maximum -75% to cost.
Mounting: Laser towers are built as open mounts, but are
retractable, taking up hull space using the same mechanic as pop
turrets. Ordinary lasers are fixed mounts. By their very nature,
weapon lasers have to be fully stabilized. As a result, there
is no extra weight, volume or cost for stabilized lasers installed
in air or space vehicles. Ground or water-mounted lasers must
pay normal costs for stabilization. Hand weapons do not need to
be stabilized.
Space Combat: Lasers in space combat have had their damage
(for purposes of armor penetration) multiplied the square root
of the RoF times the turn length to represent their burning through
armor over a 100 second turn. Their damage after armor is multiplied
by half that value.
The light laser is 100 sf, 2,500 MJ, RoF 1. This should give
power 5,000, weight 10,000 (5 tons), cost $2 million.
The heavy laser is 100 sf, 10,000 MJ, RoF 1. This should give
power 20,000, weight 37,000 (18.5 tons), cost $4.7 million.
Particle Beams: These only exist as spacecraft weapons, using the Appendix A rules.
Power: When determining the number of shots in a power cell using the rules on p. VE125 P is 180 for C Power Packs, 1,800 for D power Packs, 9,000 for E Power Packs. Batteries may be used instead of Power Packs. Multiply P by 10, or by 20 if Non-Rechargable batteries, but the gun must carry enough batteries for 15 minutes of continuous fire, (P x Number of cells / Pow >= 900) due to discharge limits on batteries.
Aerial Stall Speed: Change this to 7 x Sl x Rs x square root of [(Lwt-Static Lift)/Lift Area]. Multiply it by the square root of the local gravity and divide by the square root of local air density.
Planing: Multiply Ath by ¥1.2 to see if the vessel can plane if it has a lifting body hull.
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There is normally no allowance made for smaller hydrofoils and there is no advantage to using larger foils other then the increased volume and HPs. For additional depth to the design system, any size hydrofoil may be used as long as the size does not exceed that of the main hull. Hydrofoil Variable: Divide the chosen assembly's surface area by that of the normal hydrofoil for that hull type. If the variable is less then 0.2 it is too small to function. Otherwise modify the following performance statistics. Variable Hydrofoiling hMR hSR Hydrofoiling is the multiplier to the required minimum speed to begin hydrofoiling. The hMR and hSR modifiers are how many rows you move down (negative) or up (positive) if using the extra detail option for hydrofoil maneuverability. |
Hydrodynamic Stall Speed (hStall): This is the minimum speed at which the vessel must be moving to maintain a constant depth; otherwise, it will either sink or begin to rise. If the result is negative, the vessel will sink if it moves slower than the absolute value of that speed; if the result is positive, then that is the speed needed to keep the vehicle from floating to the surface.
hStall = [(flotation rating - submerged weight) / lift area] ¥ 0.05
Submerged weight and flotation rating are in
lbs.
Lift area is 10% of the hull's surface area, 15% if it
is also a lifting body. Add the surface area of any lift planes.
Submerged Hydrodynamic Drag: Equal to (surface area x2.5)/Ls.
Crush and Test Depth: Use the rules below for Crush Pressure instead of GURPS Atlantis (p. AT73) or Vehicles Expansion 1 (p. VXi30).
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This is the maximum pressure that the submersible's watertight compartments can withstand before being crushed or caving in. Crush Pressure = Internal Pressure + [3 x (DR + 10) x Frame Modifier ¥ Shape Modifier / (Size Modifier x 34)] Internal Pressure is the pressure inside the hull,
usually 1 atmosphere. To convert pressures to depths use this formula: Depth (feet) = (Pressure - Atmosphere) x K Atmosphere and K are defined in the box Calculating
Pressure (p. UP00). Test Depth: Most submersibles operate well within safety limits, not exceeding a test depth. To find test depth, multiply the crush pressure by 0.2 for extra-light, 0.5 for light and medium, or by 0.8 for heavy and extra-heavy frames. |
Acoustic Signatures
Aquatic vehicles can calculate their acoustic signatures as determined in Transhuman Space: Under Pressure.
Ground Vehicles
Ground Car (gSpeed 120; Lwt 2,500 lbs.). Electric propulsion (4 hours). $8,000. p. TS193
Oruga Off-Road Vehicle (gSpeed 90; LWt 10,333 lbs.). Alcohol turbo ceramic engine and batteries (24 hours). $79,120. p. FW130
Civilian Smartcar (gSpeed 140; LWt 3,627 lbs.) Alcohol ceramic engine and batteries (13 hours). $23,725. p. FW131
Air Vehicles
Air Car (aSpeed 400; LWt 1,400 lbs.). Batteries (4 hours). $100,000. p. TS193
CA-11 (aSpeed 1,605; LWt 30,511 lbs.). Alcohol turbine and batteries (2.9 hours). M$5.5. p. FW132
Dumont (aSpeed 600; LWt 24,958 lbs.). Alcohol turbine and batteries (2 hours). $820,782. p. FW132
Water Vehicles
Sea Skimmer (wSpeed 150; LWt 174,488 lbs.). Alcohol turbine and batteries (24.6 hours). M$1.36. p. FW133
Spacecraft
Kagoshima OTV (LMass 825; Delta-V 1.14 mps). Fission drive (0.45 hours). M$11.61. p. TS191
Meizi PSV (LMass 12,507; Delta-V 68.75 mps). HI fusion pulse drive (125 hours). M$168.4. p. TS191
Pegasus TAV (LMass 854; Delta-V 2.11 mps). KO chemical rocket (0.059 hours). M$51.45. p. TS192
SIM-7 Predator AKV (LMass 109; Delta-V 8.25 mps). HT fusion pulse drive (2.5 hours). M$31. p. TS192
SDV-90 SDV (LMass 19,416; Delta-V 55 mps). HI fusion pulse drive (50 hours). M$810.91. p. TS192
Sudbury USV (LMass 9,461; Delta-V 34.3 mps). HI fusion pulse drive (62.5 hours). M$91.41. p. TS193