Utility Craft

Line Combatants (Primary - Capital)				Escort Combatants (Secondary - Subcapital)				Military Auxiliary (Tertiary)
B- Battleship	C- Cruiser	O- Ortillery	V- Carrier	D- Destroyer	E- Escort	F- Fighter	H- Defense/Security	I- Combat Transport	Q- Combat Support	S- Scout	U- Utility	X- Commo	Z- Special

Mercantile Commercial Ships (Trade & Profit)				Non-Mercantile Commercial Ships (Industry & Profit)					Non-Commercial Ships (Nonprofit)			System Craft (Intrastellar)
A- Tramp	M- Freighter	R- Liner	T- Transport	G- Industrial	J- Prospector	K- Expedition	P- Corsair	U- Utility	L- Science	N- Medical	Y- Private	WB- Barge	WA- Satellite	WO- Space Station

U-class Utility Craft or Ships, whether smallcraft, bigcraft, or otherwise... are ships used to perform routine work such as tugs, ferries, and the like.

• The category includes a variety of craft with a variety of missions including civilian, paramilitary, and military roles.
• Combatant military smallcraft are typically known as F-class Fighters. Other non-combatant military types include the I-class Combat Transports and Q-class Combat Support Ships.
• The Supraclass designation is also known as Ship Mission, Ship Mission Code, Mission, or Ship Hull Designation.
• It is a starship supraclass.

Library Data Referral Tree

Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information:
Starship:

• Starship User Types
  • Civilian Ship
  • Military Ship
  • Non-Commercial Vessel
  • Paramilitary Ship

• Advanced Ship Classifications
  • Ship Mission Code / Supraclass
  • Ship Type Code / Superclass
  • Ship Class Code / Class
  • Model (TL)
  • Bloc (Lot)

• Basic Ship Classifications
  • Adventure Class Ship
  • Battle Class Ship
  • Capital Ship
  • Fleet Class Ship
  • Size-Role Classification
  • Subcapital Ship
  • QSP
  • USP
  • World Class Ship

• Ships by Function
  • Bigcraft
  • Boat
  • Capital Ship
  • Largecraft
  • Non-starship
  • Smallcraft
  • Spaceplane
  • Spaceship
  • Starship
  • Subcapital Ship
  • Subcraft
  • System Craft
  • Warship

Speed of Travel

• Astronomical Unit (AU)
• FTL
• Light Speed (c)
• Light-week (lw)
• Light-year (ly)
• NAFAL (STL)
• Parsec (pc)

Description (Specifications)

U-class Utility Craft are among the most commonly encountered smallcraft within Charted Space. Utility bigcraft are also common, but far less so than their vastly more numerous smallcraft cousins. Utility craft can be specialized for every sort of mission possible, but multipurpose craft are ubiquitous. Militarized versions are known as UQ-class military boats.

There is a huge used market for such vessels and almost every shipyard and large starport posses a variety of Universal Manufacturing Templates (UMT's) to build these light vessels.

Image Repository

Cutters:

1. A stock Cutter or Modular Cutter image by a famous starcraft artist.
   
   1. An Apollo class Runabout.
      
   2. Two Bathysphere class Prospector's Cutters making planetfall.
      
   3. A Modular Cutter exiting the hangar of a Type C class Mercenary Cruiser.
      
   4. A Broadsword-class deploying a Modular Cutter.
      

Gigs:

1. A stock Gig image by a famous starcraft artist.
   
   1. A Goblin class Gig.
      
   2. A Darlene class Gig under spaceflight.
      

Launches:

1. A stock Launch image by a famous starcraft artist.
   
   1. A Constance class Launch.
      
   2. A small, sleek Marrel Veckor class Lifeboat.
      
   3. A Damgarrii class Passenger Launch approaching a lab ship. View from the aft.
      
   4. A Tomar class Industrial Mining Launch equipped with two 15-ton Ore Pods, a kind of Cargo Container.
      

Pinnaces:

1. A stock Pinnace image by a famous starcraft artist.
   
   1. A Narva class Pinnace.
      
   2. A Caroline class Heavy Pinnace.
      

Ship's Boats:

1. A stock Ship's Boat image by a famous starcraft artist.
   
   1. A Songbird class Ship's Boat.
      
   2. A side view image of the hardy Leo class Ship's Boat.
      

Shuttles:

1. A stock Shuttle image by a famous starcraft artist.
   
   1. A Shuttle AKA Fast Shuttle leaving orbit for a spaceport.
      
   2. Excellence class Fast Shuttle.
      

Slow Boats:

1. A Slow Boat image by a famous starcraft artist.
   

Slow Pinnaces:

1. A Slow Pinnace image by a famous starcraft artist.
   

Strategy & Tactics (Doctrine)

Utility craft are generally not built to function in more than a self defense role. Except against lightly armed pirate or marauder vessels, evasion is the general order of the day. The mission of utility craft is to perform a variety of useful roles: interface transport, light scouting, light cargo transport, passenger conveyance, and a variety of other utility roles.

Supraclass Roles

Utility Ships typically serve the following roles:

Civilian Smallcraft & Bigcraft:

A-class Tramp Supraclass Archetypes
Archetype	Type Code
Barge	(WB)
Cutter	(UM)
Drone	(UD)
Expeditionary Smallcraft	(UK)
Fast Cutter	(UM)
Ferry	(GU) (Bigcraft)
Fuel Lighter	(UF)
Fuel Pinnace	(UF)
Fuel Skimmer	(UF)
Gig	(UM)
Heavy Lander	(U)
Heavy Pinnace	(UM)
Heavy Tug	(GU) (Bigcraft)
Hunter's Launch	(UK)
Industrial Mining Launch	(UG)
Industrial Smallcraft	(UG)
Launch	(UM)
Lifeboat	(UNL)
Medical Smallcraft	(UN)
Modular Cutter	(UM)
Multipurpose Utility Craft	(UM)
Pinnace	(UM)
Private Smallcraft	(UY)
Research Smallcraft	(UL)
Runabout	(UM)
Safari Smallcraft	(UK)
Science Lander	(UL)
Ship's Boat	(UM)
Shuttle	(UM)
Slow Boat	(UM)
Slow Pinnace	(UM)
Special Mission Smallcraft	(UZ)
Towing Vessel	(UT)
Tug	(GU) (Bigcraft)
Tug	(UT) (Smallcraft)
Utility Craft	(U) (Namesake)

Military Smallcraft & Bigcraft:

A-class Tramp Supraclass Archetypes
Archetype	Type Code
Combat Barge	(WBI)
Combat Transport Smallcraft	(UI)
Excluding Escort (Bigcraft)	(E)
Excluding Fighters	(F)
Excluding Gunship (Bigcraft)	(EG)
Militarized Utility Craft	(UQ)

Most Common Standardized Smallcraft Types

Smallcraft:

1. Cutter (50-ton)
2. Fighter (10-ton)
3. Launch (20-ton)
4. Pinnace (40-ton)
5. Ship's Boat (30-ton)
6. Shuttle (95-ton)
7. Slow Boat (30-ton)
8. Slow Pinnace (40-ton)

Smallcraft Speed Regimes

• M:1-2 G = Slow
• M:3-4 G = Average
• M:5-6 G = Fast

Supraclass Archetypal Roles

These vessels typically serve the following archetypal roles:

U-class Utility Craft Supraclass Archetypes
Archetype	Type Code	Exemplar	Remarks
Utility Craft	U	Damgarrii class Passenger Launch	Utility Craft or Utility Smallcraft are an entire grouping of smallcraft displacing less than a hundred tons and only equipped with NAFAL drives. They are not equipped with FTL jump drives. These light craft perform a very wide variety of utility missions and roles. U = Utility, Multipurpose, etc.
Drone Smallcraft	UD	Zip class Courier Drone	Mesodrone. A completely automated smallcraft utility craft will generally be this type, with any other subtype of U-class added afterward. For instance, an industrial drone is typically UDG rather than UG or UGD. D = Drone
Escape Pod / Life Boat	UE	SK-3 class Lifeboat	It is one of the smallest spaceships in common use. They typically displace 20 tons or less. Although its primary function is to serve as a life craft in the event that evacuation is required, it can also be used to transport passengers. While many launches perform a utility role as well as life boat and/or escape pod duties, most Type-UE-class smallcraft are specialized to only perform escape pod and/or life boat duties. Any utility capabilities are an afterthought. E = Escape Pod, Life Boat, etc.
Fuel Shuttle	UF	Bubble class Fuel Cutter	Fuel shuttles or lighters are smallcraft that perform a variety of fuel-purposed missions although the most common act to perform wilderness refueling tasks and then ferry fuel back to a largecraft mothership. Others refine fuel, carry it around like miniature tankers, or otherwise do useful things. They also have bigcraft cousins. F = Fuel, Gas, Tanker, etc.
Industrial Smallcraft	UG	Tomar class Industrial Mining Launch	UG-class smallcraft perform a variety of industrial (G-class duties) and prospecting (J-class duties) missions and roles including belter-related duties. Many are equipped to extract, process, or transport ore across the distances of a star system. G = Great Industrial
Combat Lander / Combat Transport Smallcraft	UI	Sturmge class Assault Shuttle	Combat Transport smallcraft or combat landers are smallcraft tasked to bring fighting men, soldiers, mercenaries, marines, etc. to the surface combat environment under fire. Many also carry combat equipment, AFVs, supplies, and/or carry weapons to suppress defenders. I = Infantry Lander, Combat Transport, etc.
Expeditionary Smallcraft	UK	Denuli class Hunting Launch	Expeditionary smallcraft are specialized utility craft designed to support the operations of expedition ships. They can range from specialized colony support craft, to stealthy first contact craft designed to unobtrusively observe newly discovered sophont societies, to hunting launches for safari ships, and a variety of other craft. K = Kiswahili (Name of Terran language used in an area where many significant safari expeditions occurred. Also known as Swahili)
Research Smallcraft	UL	Boquist class Research Pinnace	Research smallcraft are specialized utility craft used to conduct scientific research, laboratory experiments, science lander missions, and a variety of missions designed to support science vessels. L = Laboratory
Multipurpose Utility Craft	UM	Damgarrii class Passenger Launch	UM-class Utility Smallcraft form the bulk of smallcraft constructed within Charted Space. They are carried by the majority of starfaring vessels and are easy to construct with Universal Manufacturing Templates (UMT's) stocked at almost every shipyard. Even the least popular designs have dozens of variants, and the most popular might have a hundred or more popular variants. They are multipurpose craft, easily adaptable to carry cargo, passengers, or other needed goods. M = Multipurpose
Ship's Boat (30-ton)	UMB	Cigiysna class Ship's Boat	The ship's boat is a small vessel ordinarily carried to perform odd jobs and minor operations for a larger ship. B = Ship's Boat
Cutter (50-ton)	UMC	Mineral class Cutter	The modular cutter is designed to carry one of many modules available Three are the ATV module, which includes an operational ATV; the fuel module, which serves as a fuel skimming vehicle and storage tank; and the open module, which can be customized for passenger couches, fuel, cargo space, cabins, or staterooms. Cutters are considered the smallest vessel associated with independent military command. As such, cutter commanders are called "captain." Cutters are used in a variety of military and civilian settings. Although they can fill similar roles to those of the pinnace, they are more likely to be found as work boats and ferrying supplies and equipment around the system. C = Cutter, Modular Cutter, etc.
Gig (20-ton)	UMG	Goblin class Gig	These vessel are normally carried on other ships. They are larger than lifeboats and have the capacity to carry passengers and freight. They have a variety of other designations including Launch, Jolly Boat, and confusingly Ship's Boat. G = Gig
Launch (20-ton)	UML	Constance class Launch	The launch is one of the smaller spacefaring craft, and is often carried by another vessel to serve as a lifeboat. Launches are typically smaller craft, but can still perform a very useful multipurpose utility role when needed. While some launches are specialized for the escape pod or life boat role, a huge percentage of commercial launches are of the multipurpose variety. Militarized UQ-class versions exist as well, typically with upgraded military electronics and light weaponry. L = Launch
Slow Pinnace (40-ton)	UMO	Slow Pinnace	The slow pinnace is similar to a pinnace but is slower because more space is allocated for passengers and cargo, so less space is available for power plant and maneuver drives. Speed= G:1-2. O = SlOw Pinnace
Pinnace (40-ton)	UMP	Ziiguysna class Pinnace	The pinnace is a larger, farther-ranging non-starship capable of holding passengers and small vehicles. Small craft or boat of interplanetary (though not interstellar) capability. Approximate displacement: 40 tons. The Pinnace is a larger version of the ship's boat, capable of 5 Gs acceleration, carrying up to 8 passengers and displacing 40 tons. It has a fuel tank capacity of 12 tons and an equal cargo capacity. Pinnaces are usually armed with one beam or pulse laser in a non-turret mount. In some cases, a missile launch rack is installed instead. This vessel is the preferred craft for customs enforcement and policing. P = Pinnace
Shuttle (95-ton)	UMS	Intruder class Shuttle	The shuttle is a larger interplanetary passenger vessel. Shuttles are normally used to access planetary surfaces, or other ships. They are often used by ships which themselves are not capable of landing on planetary services themselves. Large shuttles, up to 95 tons, are capable of 3 Gs of acceleration, and can carry up to 30 passengers and 80 tons of cargo. Fast Shuttles are generally smaller with more thrust in the 5 to 6 G range. S = Shuttle
Slow Boat (30-ton)	UMW	Slow Boat	The Slow Boat is a small vessel ordinarily carried to perform odd jobs and minor operations for a larger ship. Speed= G:1-2. W = SloW Boat
Medical Smallcraft	UN	Camel class Medical Launch	Medical smallcraft serve as utility crafts for medical ships. They haul patients back and forth, perform first aid, rescue, and a variety of other life-saving roles and missions. Some are specialized to track down pervasive alien pathogens or hunt down and destroy plagues. At any rate, they serve medical largecraft or provide some measure of medical capability for non-medical largecraft. N = mediciNe
Militarized Utility Craft	UQ	Yaeai class Recon Pinnace	Militarized smallcraft are relatively rare, but often perform important combat support functions such as communication relay points, sensory reconnaissance, logistics management, and a number of other important roles. Q = Quartermaster, Combat Support, Logistics, etc.
Special Mission Smallcraft	UZ	Xenon class Heavy Fighter	Special mission smallcraft perform a wide variety of very specialized smallcraft missions as alien technology demonstrators, prototypes, experimental craft, test ships, and a variety of very small production run craft. Z = Special (...last letter of Anglic alphabet, a catchall category)
NOTES: There is semantic overlap between many of the classes and codes. Some codes organize by mission or capability, others by size and tonnage, and yet others by other characteristics.

History & Background (Dossier)

Spaceflight typically begins in most sophont societies with chemically-fueled rocket programs. As new fuselages are experimented with, typically by the TL:7-9 tech epoch, reusable airframes and new engines (drives) come into use. These are the first utility craft, space shuttles, launches, spaceplanes, and the like. Eventually they culminate in SSTO (Single Stage to Orbit) craft, which are direct lineal predecessors to today's utility craft, albeit with vastly less capable hulls and drives.

Contemporary TL:13-15 utility craft are often equipped with G-drives, Heplar thrusters, and advanced fly-by-wire flight controls. They can lift mass into orbit and beyond at such low costs that TL:7-9 spacers would be aghast. Many can be used for short endurance intrasystem spaceflight to moons, mining colonies, agricultural colonies, research stations, or other planets of note with a star system. And most have standard docking clamps and airlocks to be used as subcraft to a wide variety of space and starcraft.

Selected Variant Types & Classes

Civilian Ship- Smallcraft - Utility Craft:
Type U class Utility Craft Civilian Vessel - Smallcraft - Life Boat:

1. Type UE class Life Boat
   1. Deliverance class Lifeboat
   2. Interstellar Lifesaver class Lifeboat
   3. KSbA Model A-23 class Lifeboat
   4. Longevity class Lifeboat
   5. Marrel Veckor class Lifeboat
   6. Model 292 class Life Boat
   7. Reliant class Lifeboat
   8. Reprieve class Escape Pod
   9. SK-3 class Lifeboat
2. Type UF class Fuel Shuttle
   1. Bubble class Fuel Cutter
   2. Last Armada class Fuel Shuttle
   3. Louis & Clark class Fuel Pinnace
   4. Parthenopinnace Fuel Shuttle
   5. Sternplatz class Refueling Pinnace
   6. Tadpole class Fuel Shuttle
   7. Zheug class Fueling Shuttle
3. Type UG class Industrial Smallcraft
   1. Bathysphere class Prospector's Cutter
   2. Prospector class Remote Fuel Scavenger
   3. Tomar class Industrial Mining Launch
4. Type UK class Expeditionary Smallcraft
   1. Denuli class Hunting Launch
5. Type UL class Research Smallcraft
   1. Boquist class Research Pinnace
   2. Last Armada class Survey Shuttle
6. Type UMB class Ship's Boat
   1. Cigiysna class Ship's Boat
   2. Gemcutter class Ship's Boat
   3. Generic Ship’s Boat
   4. Leo class Ship's Boat
   5. Songbird class Ship's Boat
   6. Type ZSB class Ship's Boat

1. Type UMC class Cutter
   1. Apollo class Runabout
   2. Diamond class Modular Cutter
   3. Garrag class Modular Cutter
   4. Generic Modular Cutter
   5. GX class III Modular Cutter
   6. Inthe class Modular Cutter
   7. Lushina class Fast Cutter
   8. Mineral class Cutter
   9. Mule class Modular Cutter
   10. Seragh class Cutter

1. Type UMG class Gig
   1. Darlene class Gig
   2. Generic Gig
   3. Goblin class Gig
   4. Pratt class Gig

Civilian Ship- Smallcraft - Utility Craft:

1. Type UML class Launch
   1. Constance class Launch
   2. Damgarrii class Passenger Launch
   3. Generic Launch / Lifeboat
   4. Gillow class Launch
   5. Last Armada class Launch
   6. Rodgers class Skiff
   7. Stead class Modular Launch
   8. Venters class Launch

1. Type UMM class Modular Utility Craft
   1. Generic Modular Cutter
   2. Inthe class Modular Cutter
   3. Stead class Modular Launch
2. Type UMP class Pinnace
   1. Caroline class Heavy Pinnace
   2. Ciigusna class Pinnace
   3. Generic Pinnace
   4. Narva class Pinnace
   5. Type ZSP class Pinnace
   6. Ziiguysna class Pinnace

Civilian Ship - Smallcraft - Utility Craft:

1. Type UMS class Shuttle
   1. Aanz class System Shuttle
   2. Andrew class Commercial Shuttle
   3. Carrus class Shuttle
   4. Ciigusna class Shuttle
   5. Crawm class Shuttle
   6. Deployment Shuttle
   7. Excellence class Fast Shuttle
   8. Generic Shuttle
   9. Intruder class Shuttle
   10. Olympian class Shuttle
   11. Rosendal class Shuttle
   12. Traissthurdusa class Rocket
   13. Type 423 class Cargo Shuttle
   14. Vanguard class Shuttle

Civilian Vessel - Smallcraft - Medical Craft:

1. Type UN class Medical Smallcraft
   1. Camel class Medical Launch
   2. Druse class Assault Lander
   3. Mont-PC class Patrol Cutter
   4. Olyora class Medevac Pinnace
2. Type UQ class Militarized Utility Craft
   1. Yaeai class Recon Pinnace

Ship Summary List

Some of the most commonly used vessels in this role or these roles include:

7 Representative Utility Craft (U) Classes

Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Cigiysna class Ship's Boat UM 12 30 0 2 Hive Federation Yes R-3S10 Constance class Launch UM 9 50 0 2 Distant Fringe R-5A20 Goblin class Gig UM 9 10 0 2 Distant Fringe M-1A20 Intruder class Shuttle UM 14 30 0 6 Zhodani Consulate No Mal'Gnar class Assault Skiff UIA 12 20 0 1 Mal'Gnar Primarchic No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD Mineral class Cutter UM 9 50 0 4 Third Imperium Yes Wingtruck class Interface Craft UM 12 20 6 Third Imperium UM-2A60

0 Representative Drone Smallcraft (UD) Classes
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0 Representative Lifeboat / Escape Pod (UE) Classes
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0 Representative Fuel Shuttle (UF) Classes
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0 Representative Industrial Smallcraft (UG) Classes
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1 Representative Combat Transport Smallcraft (UI) Classes
Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Mal'Gnar class Assault Skiff UIA 12 20 0 1 Mal'Gnar Primarchic No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD

0 Representative Expeditionary Smallcraft (UK) Classes
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0 Representative Research Smallcraft (UL) Classes
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6 Representative Multipurpose Utility Craft (UM) Classes

Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Cigiysna class Ship's Boat UM 12 30 0 2 Hive Federation Yes R-3S10 Constance class Launch UM 9 50 0 2 Distant Fringe R-5A20 Goblin class Gig UM 9 10 0 2 Distant Fringe M-1A20 Intruder class Shuttle UM 14 30 0 6 Zhodani Consulate No Mineral class Cutter UM 9 50 0 4 Third Imperium Yes Wingtruck class Interface Craft UM 12 20 6 Third Imperium UM-2A60

0 Representative Ship's Boat (UMB) Classes
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0 Representative Cutter / Modular Cutter / Runabout (UMC) Classes
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0 Representative Gig (UMG) Classes
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0 Representative Launch (UML) Classes
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0 Representative Slow Pinnance (UMO) Classes
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0 Representative Pinnace (UMP) Classes
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0 Representative Shuttle (UMS) Classes
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0 Representative Slow Boat (UMW) Classes
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0 Representative Medical Smallcraft (UN) Classes
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0 Representative Militarized Utility Craft (UQ) Classes
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0 Representative Special Mission Smallcraft (UZ) Classes
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References & Contributors (Sources)

This article is missing content for one or more detailed sections. Additional details are required to complete the article. You can help the Traveller Wiki by expanding it.

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• This article is an amalgamation of many different materials published since 1977.
• Marc Miller. Starships (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), 17.
• Marc Miller. Imperial Encyclopedia (Game Designers Workshop, 1987), TBD.
• Mike Jackson. "Traveller Craft." Third Imperium 10 (1988): TBD.
• Mike Jackson. "Traveller Craft." Third Imperium 11 (1988): TBD.
• S.R. Greene. SGS: Imperial Small Craft (Seeker Gaming Systems, 1992), TBD. (Deck Plans)
• S.R. Greene. SGS: Imperial Small Craft Vol. 2 (Seeker Gaming Systems, 1992), TBD. (Deck Plans)
• Frank Chadwick, Dave Nilsen. Traveller: The New Era (Game Designers Workshop, 1993), 378. Traveller: The New Era (Main Rulebook)
• Dave Nilsen. Reformation Coalition Equipment Guide (Game Designers Workshop, 1994), TBD.
• Jason Kemp. Stellar Reaches 04 (FLTGames Gaming Group, 2006), TBD.
• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science