Difference between revisions of "Ship Mission Code"
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== Description ([[Specifications]]) == | == Description ([[Specifications]]) == | ||
The ''List of Hull Designations'' comprises an alphabetical list of the starship and spacecraft hull classification types (Superclass letter designations) to identify the type of a ship. The base description for the hull designations comes from [[Ship Type Code]]s. | The ''List of Hull Designations'' comprises an alphabetical list of the starship and spacecraft hull classification types (Superclass letter designations) to identify the type of a ship. The base description for the hull designations comes from [[Ship Type Code]]s. | ||
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== History & Background ([[Dossier]]) == | == History & Background ([[Dossier]]) == | ||
If one thing can be said about [[Charted Space]], it might be that non-conformity reigns supreme. Even within the runaway [[Hyperpower|superpower]] of the [[Third Imperium]], the prototypical [[Feudal Confederation]], naval fleet organization has often been haphazard. At least three major naming and organizational schema have been used since the [[Holiday Year]]. | If one thing can be said about [[Charted Space]], it might be that non-conformity reigns supreme. Even within the runaway [[Hyperpower|superpower]] of the [[Third Imperium]], the prototypical [[Feudal Confederation]], naval fleet organization has often been haphazard. At least three major naming and organizational schema have been used since the [[Holiday Year]]. | ||
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All [[major race]] navies use similar yet significantly different systems. | All [[major race]] navies use similar yet significantly different systems. | ||
Revision as of 22:06, 16 May 2019
Ship Mission Codes are used somewhat inconsistently throughout Charted Space to identify ships.
- This code is a very generalized approximation of the primary mission of a vessel such as Free Trader.
- They generally consist of a word or phrase such as Corvette, Missile Cruiser, or Bulk Cargo Carrier.
- This hierarchical designation is also known as Ship Mission, Ship Mission Code, Mission, Ship Hull Designation, or Supraclass.
Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information:
Starship:
- Starship User Types
- Ships by Function
- Advanced Ship Classifications
- Ship Mission Code / Supraclass
- Ship Type Code / Superclass
- Ship Class Code / Class
- Model (TL)
- Bloc (Lot)
- Basic Ship Classifications
- Speed of Travel
Description (Specifications)
The List of Hull Designations comprises an alphabetical list of the starship and spacecraft hull classification types (Superclass letter designations) to identify the type of a ship. The base description for the hull designations comes from Ship Type Codes.
- The combination of a letter designation and hull number are used by the Third Imperium to identify Imperial vessels uniquely. A heavily modified or repurposed ship may receive a new designation, and either retain the hull number or receive a new one. Also, the system of letter designations has changed a number of times, so ships' alphanumerical designations sometimes change without anything being done to the physical ship. Some of the ship hull designations listed here may not be presently in use.
- The Imperial Quick Ship Profile (QSP) is an abbreviated form of this measure.
- Additionally, due to changes over the millennia, some ship hull designations may be duplicated with alternate meanings. In other words, some letter codes have multiple meanings.
Imperial Ship Classification Synopsis
The basic system of ship classification and organization for ships within Charted Space and particularly within Imperial Space works on a simple hierarchy of mission (generalized use), type (specific use), class (very specific use), model (technological level), and lot or bloc (production run):
Imperial Ship Classification | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
# | Level | Designation | Synopsis | Example/s |
1. | Ship Mission Codes | SUPRACLASS | MISSION | Free Trader AKA Merchant
|
2. | Ship Type Codes | SUPERCLASS | TYPE | Type A class Free Trader
|
3. | Ship Class Codes | CLASS | CLASS | Beowulf class Free Trader
|
4. | Ship Model Codes | MODEL | TL & Model | TL-14 Beowulf Build
|
5. | Ship Bloc Codes | LOT or BLOC | Named Ship | “The Lonesome Wolf” of ‘Bloc 312-1115d’
|
Overview of Imperial Ship Classification
Imperial Ship Classification | |||
---|---|---|---|
# | Level | Example | Remarks |
1. | Supraclass (Function) | Dreadnought | It’s the largest organizational grouping by a generalized function or mission. For instance, battleships and cruisers have different generalized missions although they can perform many of the same jobs. |
2. | Type (Superclass) | Type BB class Dreadnought | It’s a larger type grouping by a specific function or mission. Different kinds of battleships or types may perform different yet broadly similar missions. |
3. | Class (Ship) | Tigress class Dreadnought | The ship itself is synonymous with a class. The first produced version becomes the class namesake under most practices. It has an even more specific mission that the craft type code (type) or superclass. |
4. | Model (Version) | TL-15 Tigress Model 1105-Q3-9PR | This classification may include incremental improvements often as a result of TL advances. Some classes of ships can be built at several different TL’s. For instance, the ubiquitous Beowulf Free Trader has builds from TL-10 to TL-15. |
5. | Lot (Block) | Block 365-1105 Reg-A-4702-4826-9931 | This classification is also known as a Production Bloc. Blocs may have differences from lot to lot. Sometimes aftermarket or post-production modification (customization) may yield very different ships from the originally manufactured ship class. |
History & Background (Dossier)
If one thing can be said about Charted Space, it might be that non-conformity reigns supreme. Even within the runaway superpower of the Third Imperium, the prototypical Feudal Confederation, naval fleet organization has often been haphazard. At least three major naming and organizational schema have been used since the Holiday Year.
All major race navies use similar yet significantly different systems.
Early Imperial Type Codes
The earliest Imperial Navy organizational codes were borrowed wholesale from the Sylean Federation Naval Service. They served the Imperium well until the First Civil War.
Ship Hull Designation Codes #1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Code | Primary | Secondary (M) | Secondary (C) | |
A | Military Auxiliary | Heavy | Heavy | |
B | Battleship | Battle | Battle | |
C | Cruiser | Cruiser | Construction Vessel | |
D | Destroyer | Destroyer | Transport | |
E | Escort | Escort | Tug | |
F | Frigate | Frigate | - | |
G | Commercial | Gunned | Governmental | |
H | Non-Commercial | Fuel | Fuel | |
IJ | Intruder | Interfacecraft | Interfacecraft | |
K | Safari Ship | Courier | Courier | |
L | Lab | Light | Light | |
M | Merchant | Missile | Mining Vessel | |
N | - | - | - | |
O | - | Ordinance | - | |
P | Fighter | Pursuit | Law Enforcement Vessel | |
Q | Military Specialty | Decoy | - | |
R | Liner | Rider | Residential Vessel | |
S | Military Smallcraft | Strike | Survey Vessel / Scout Vessel | |
T | Transport | Tender | Tender | |
U | Utility Craft | - | - | |
V | Carrier | Replenishment | Agricultural Vessel | |
W | Orbital Complexes | - | - | |
X | - | - | - | |
Y | Yacht | - | Private | |
Z | - | Hybrid | - | - |
Alternative Ship Type Encoding
There are a number alternative ship type encoding.
- Starship type codes are between one and four or more characters long. In order there is an optional race or empire qualifier, a required primary mission identifier, and an optional mission qualifier.
- MegaTraveller has a subtly different set of ship type codes available. Nothing taken away, but a few additions are made.
- See Military Starship Types and Civilian Starship Types for more information.
- The full list is under the MT Primary and MT Qualifier below.
Mid-Imperium Ship Type Codes
The First Civil War really shook up the Third Imperium and caused naval strategists to rethink fleet organization. By the year 700, this new schema had been implemented.
Ship Hull Designation Codes #2 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Code | Race | Primary | Qualifier | — | MT Primary | MT Qualifier |
A | Aslan | Merchant | Armored | — | Merchant | Armored |
B | - | Battle | Battle; Boat | — | Battle | Battle; Boat |
C | - | Cruiser; Carrier | Cruiser; Close | — | Cruiser; Carrier | Cruiser; Close |
D | Droyne | Destroyer | Destroyer | — | Destroyer | Destroyer |
E | - | Escort | Escort | — | Escort | Escort |
F | - | Frigate; Fighter | Fast; Fleet | — | Frigate; Fighter | Fast; Fleet |
G | - | Gig; Refinery | Gunned | — | Gig | Gunned |
H | Hiver | - | Heavy | — | Hunter | Heavy |
I,J | Julian Protectorate | Intruder | - | — | Intruder | Imperial |
K | K'kree | Pinnace | - | — | Pinnace | Courier |
L | - | Corvette; Lab | Leader; Light | — | Lab; Corvette | Leader; Light |
M | - | Merchant | Missile | — | Merchant | Missile |
N | - | - | Non-Standard | — | Ferry | Non-Standard |
P | - | Planetoid | Provincial | — | Planetoid | Provincial |
Q | - | Auxiliary | Decoy | — | Auxiliary | Decoy |
R | - | Liner | Raider | — | Liner | Raider |
S | Solomani | Scout; Station | Strike | — | Scout; Station | Strike |
T | - | Tanker; Tender | Troop; Transport | — | Tanker; Tender | Troop; Transport |
U | - | - | Unpowered | — | Tug | Unpowered |
V | Vargr | - | Vehicle | — | Carrier | Vehicle |
W | - | Barge | - | — | Barge | Slow |
X | - | Express | - | — | Express | Alternate |
Y | - | Yacht | Shuttle; Cutter | — | Yacht | Shuttle; Cutter |
Z | Zhodani | - | Experimental | — | Special | Experimental |
Late Imperial Type Codes
Around the year 900, these codes began to predominate. The Imperial Navy adopted them wholesale before the year 1,000.
Late Imperial Ship Classification | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Code Code |
A. Mission 1. Supraclass |
B, Qualifier 2. Superclass |
C. Type 3. Class |
D. Activity 4. Model |
E. Service 5. Bloc (Lot) |
C | Cruiser | Principal | Offensive | Combat | Military |
G | Frigate | Major | Offensive | Combat | Military |
E | Corvette | Minor | Offensive | Combat | Military |
H | Ortillery Ship | Attack | Siege | Combat | Military |
T | Assault | Invasion | Siege | Combat | Military |
S | Sentinel | Defender | Siege | Combat | Military |
B | Monitor | Principal | Defensive | Combat | Military |
D | Defender (SDB) | Major | Defensive | Combat | Military |
E | Escort | Minor | Defensive | Combat | Military |
P | Corsair | Anti-Shipping | Independent | Combat | Military |
P | Marauder | Anti-Port | Independent | Combat | Military |
R | Raider | Anti-Commerce | Independent | Combat | Military |
T | Transport | Major | Supply | Auxiliary | Military |
W | Barge | Minor | Supply | Auxiliary | Military |
T | Tender, Tug | Resupply | Supply | Auxiliary | Military |
E | Corvette | Information | Supply | Auxiliary | Military |
M | Liner | Passenger | Scheduled | Merchant | Civilian |
R | Merchant Ship | Cargo | Scheduled | Merchant | Civilian |
F | Freighter Ship | Freight | Scheduled | Merchant | Civilian |
T | Transport Ship | Freighter | Unscheduled | Merchant | Civilian |
A | Trader | Cargo | Unscheduled | Merchant | Civilian |
U | Packet Ship | Passenger | Unscheduled | Merchant | Civilian |
K | Safari Ship | Recreation | Charter | Merchant | Civilian |
K | Expedition Ship | Active | Charter | Merchant | Civilian |
Y | Yacht | Luxury | Charter | Merchant | Civilian |
S | Courier Ship | Small Goods | Information | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
S | Messenger Ship | Data Files | Information | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
X | Express Ship | Goods & Files | Information | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
S | Scout Ship | First Look | Exploration | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
S | Survey Ship | Re-Look | Exploration | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
N | Beagle | Data Collection | Exploration | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
N | Hospital Ship | Medical Data | Exploration | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
L | Lab Ship | Data Analysis | Exploration | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
J | Seeker (Prospector) | Resource Search | Exploration | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
P | Picket Ship | Inspection | Bureaucratic | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
P | Patrol Ship | Enforcement | Bureaucratic | Non-combat | Paramilitary |
P | Privateer | Anti-Shipping | Privateer | Combat | Paramilitary |
Z | Unclassified | Unclassified | Unclassified | Unclassified | Unclassified |
References & contributors (Sources)
- Marc Miller. Starships (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), 17-20.
- Marc Miller, Frank Chadwick, John Harshman. High Guard (Game Designers Workshop, 1980), 20.
- MT Starship Operators
- TNE
- T4
- T20
- Citation Missing - Mongoose Traveller Main Rulebook
- Marc Miller. "A Brief History of the Universe." T5 Core Rules (2013): 330.
- Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science