Editing Liner

{{:Starship-Nav-Bar-Two-2019CE}}
[[Liner]]s are a commercial or mercantile [[spacecraft]] and [[starcraft]]. Some [[Corporation|shipping companies]] refer to themselves as "lines" and their [[ship]]s, which often operate over set routes according to established schedules, as "liners".
* They are not intended for military use and have little recourse other than to flee for their lives if confronted by [[corsair]]s, [[raider]]s, or other hostile [[vessel]]s. They are typically unarmed.
* Most, but not all, liners run to a schedule with set destinations. [[Tramp liner]]s are one of the few exceptions to set schedules and destinations. Liners typically focus on subsector business trade and ferry passengers about the control zones of just one Imperial Noble or a handful of sub-polities. 
* The typical [[Subsidized Liner]] is a [[trading vessel]] using a 600-[[ton]] hull intended to meet the commercial needs of [[cluster]]s of [[world]]s. 
* [[Cargo Liner]]s transport [[cargo]], [[Freight|general freight]], raw materials, [[resource]]s, [[Good|manufactured good]]s, merchandise, and more. Many have [[cargo hold]]s adapted to particular services, with [[refrigerator space]] for frozen [[foodstuff]]s, tanks for liquid cargos such as petrols or [[ship fuel]], [[secure locker]]s for valuables, and even [[mail vault]]s for [[interstellar mail]].
* [[Passenger Liner]]s typically carry [[passenger]]s as well, often in multiple [[Travel Passage|travel classes]].
[[File: Technical Data.jpg|right]]
 
=== Library Data Referral Tree ===
Please refer to the following [[AAB]] [[Library Data]] for more information: <br>
'''[[Starship]]:'''
{{:Referral-Tree-Starship-User-Types}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Advanced-Ship-Classifications}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Basic-Ship-Classifications}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Ships-by-Function}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Speed-of-Travel}}
 
== Description ([[Specifications]]) ==
A Liner is a [[Civilian Ship|civilian commercial ship]] designed for cargo and passenger transport. Liners are usually assigned a Hull Classification of "M". They fill the smallest possible economic niche where regular scheduled freight can regularly be found profitable. Nevertheless, many [[world-state]]s find it worthwhile to subsidize such trade to ensure its reliability and avoid the vagaries of the interstellar economy. 

=== Image Repository ===

'''[[Merchant Vessel]] - [[Subsidized Liner]]:'''
# The [[Type M class Subsidized Liner]]: One of the most common [[subsidized liner]] types. <br> [[File: Sub-Liner-WH-Keith-MT-Imp-Encyclo-Pg-36 03-July-2018a.jpg]]
# A side view of a [[Codori Prime class Luxury Liner|''Codori Prime'' class Luxury Liner]]. <br> [[File:J2 800dT Luxury Liner.jpg|400px]]
# A ''[[Tukera Longliner]]'' by a [[highport]] [[space station]]. <br> [[File: Tukera-LongLiner-The-Trav-Adventure-W-Keith 21-May-2019a.jpg|300px]]
# An image of a [[Lord Somerset class Subsidized Liner]]. <br> [[File: Type-M-Sub-Liner-Ian-Stead 83125581905920 27-Jan-2019a.jpg|300px]]

'''[[Merchant Vessel]] - [[Freighter]]:'''
# A side view of a [[Mora class Freighter]], also known as a [[Type MK class Transport]]. <br> [[File: Type-MK-RESIZED-Spinward-Marches-Campaign-Pg30 29-July-2019c.jpg|400px]]
# A side view of a sleek [[Virtue class Light Freighter|''Virtue'' class Light Freighter]]. <br> [[File:J-2 1500dT Freighter.jpg|400px]]
# A [[Borazio class Heavy Freighter]] plying the [[trade lane]]s. <br> [[file: Borazio-Hvy-Freighter-MGT-RESIZE-Core-Rulebook-pg-124 12-Oct-2019b.jpg|400px]]
# A [[Deneb class Modular Starship]] on a trade mission in [[orbit]] over a [[rich world]]. <br> [[File: Deneb-Mod-Starship-MGT-1-RESIZE-GA-Starships-LSP-Mod-pg-6 6-Nov-2019b.jpg|400px]]

=== Spectrum of Civil Shipping in Charted Space ===
{{:Referral-Table-Spectrum-of-Civil-Shipping}}

=== Strategy & Tactics (Doctrine) ===
[[Subsidized Liner]]s are commercial or mercantile [[starcraft]]. They typically cover low to medium volume [[trade route]]s with medium risk speculation. Such routes are key to [[pocket empire]]s as needed services so they are often subsidized to encourage market growth. They are not intended for military use and have little recourse other than to flee for their lives if confronted by [[corsair vessel]]s or other hostiles. {{Unpublished cite|author= [[Maksim-Smelchak]] }} 

=== Supraclass Roles ===
''Liner''s typically serve the following roles: <br>
''[[Largecraft]] & [[Bigcraft]]:''
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!colspan="4"| R-class Liner Supraclass Archetypes
|-
! Archetype
! Type Code
|-
| [[Armed Liner]]
| (RF)
|-
| [[Cargo Hauler]]
| (RC)
|-
| [[Cargo Liner]]
| (RC)
|-
| [[Carrier Liner]]
| (RV) 
|-
| [[Clipper]]
| (RI)
|-
| [[Container Ship]]
| (RC)
|-
| [[Cruise Ship]]
| (RPL)
|-
| [[Fast Subsidized Merchant]]
| (RF)
|-
| [[Fat Liner]]
| (RC)
|-
| [[Freight Carrier]]
| (RC)
|-
| [[Freight Liner]]
| (RC)
|-
| [[Frontier Liner]]
| (RF)
|-
| [[Heavy Liner]]
| (RH)
|-
| [[Impromptu Troop Transport]]
| (RF)
|-
| [[Interstellar Cruise Liner]]
| (RP)
|-
| [[Interstellar Cruise Ship]]
| (RP)
|-
| [[Interstellar Liner]]
| (RP)
|-
| [[Jumpliner]]
| (R)
|-
| [[Light Liner]]
| (RL)
|-
| [[Liner]]
| (R) (Namesake) 
|-
| [[Longliner]]
| (R) 
|-
| [[Low Transport Liner]]
| (RP)
|-
| [[Luxury Liner]]
| (RPL)
|-
| [[Luxury Star Liner]]
| (RPL)
|-
| [[Medium Liner]]
| (RM)
|-
| [[Merchant Liner]]
| (R)
|-
| [[Modular Subsidized Merchant]]
| (R)
|-
| [[Modular Trader]]
| (R)
|-
| [[Nonstandard Trade Liner]]
| (RTN)
|-
| [[Passenger Liner]]
| (RP)
|-
| [[Passenger Transport]]
| (RP)
# [[Colonist]] (KC)
# [[Tourist]] (RP)
# [[VIP]] (RPL)
|-
| [[Provincial Transport]]
| (RF)
|-
| [[Space Liner]]s
| (R)
|-
| [[Starliner]]
| (R)
|-
| [[Starmerc Armed Liner]]
| (RF)
|-
| [[Subsidized Liner]]
| (R)
|-
| [[Subsidized Merchant]]
| (R)
|-
|}

=== Supraclass Archetypal Roles ===
These vessels typically serve the following archetypal roles:
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!colspan="4"| R-class Liner Supraclass Archetypes
|-
! Archetype
! Type Code/s
! Exemplar
! Remarks
|-
| [[Far Liner]]
| R2
| [[Petty class Subsidized Merchant]]
| Built to range longer endurance, farther routes.
* R2 = Regular at J-2
|-
| [[Fast Liner]]
| R3
| [[Kolomyia class Fast Liner]]
| None
* R3 = Regular at J-3 or higher
|-
| [[Cargo Liner]] / <br> [[Cargo Cruiser]]
| RC
| [[Jose Cadiz Royal Galleon class Cargo Carrier]]
| A starship primarily for transporting cargo freight subsidized by local government, often connecting developing or newly discovered areas.
* C = Cargo
|-
| [[Heavy Liner]]
| RH
| [[Vespir class Heavy Liner]]
| A ''Heavy Liner'' is a size-displacement category that includes vessels that weigh between 1,500 to 2,499 tons.
* H = Heavy
|-
| [[Clipper]]
| RI
| [[Aurora class Clipper]]
| A starship meant for speedy transport of passengers and high value goods. 
* I - cl'''I'''pper
|-
| [[Light Liner]]
| RL
| [[Lightning class Frontier Merchant]]
| A ''Light Liner'' is a size-displacement category that includes vessels that weigh between 100 to 999 tons.
* L = Light
|-
| [[Medium Liner]]
| RM
| [[Mora class Freighter]]
| A ''Medium Liner'' is a size-displacement category that includes vessels that weigh between 1,000 to 1,499 tons.
* M = Medium
|-
| [[Passenger Liner]]
| RP
| [[Bastien class Subsidized Liner]]
| A starship liner equipped for transporting passengers.
* P = Passenger
|-
| [[Luxury Liner]] / <br> [[Cruise Liner]]
| RPL
| [[King Richard class Interstellar Liner]]
| A starship liner equipped for sumptuous luxury living, primarily for transporting passengers
* P = Passenger
* L = Luxury
|-
| [[Merchant Liner]] / <br> [[Trade Liner]]
| RT
| [[Lord Somerset class Subsidized Liner]]
| Merchant Liners are general-purpose design starships, intended to carry both passengers and freight. They are larger than the Far Traders intended for cargoes over 200 tons and over a dozen passengers 
* T = Trade
|-
| [[Nonstandard Trade Liner]]
| RTN
| [[Maorin Junker class Merchant]]
| None
* N = Nonstandard
|-
| [[Carrier Liner]]
| RV
| [[Ghost Galleon class Cargo Ship]]
| A liner specialized in carrying other [[starship]]s, [[smallcraft]], and other spaceworthy cargoes, usually via hangars or external mounts. In many cases, these external mounts give them the cargo capacity of a RM or RH despite their actual tonnage classifying them as RL, which helped prompt a separate code. They often rarely need to dock at a [[higport]] save to refuel. If refined fuel and cargo for their next destination are available near their breakout point, they may swap out cargo, refuel, and jump away, with speed and efficiency comparable to an [[Express Boat]], blurring the border with the X class. The chief differences are, these vessels can also be used to rescue ships that have lost propulsion (up to their cargo capacity), and they can serve (most often for [[pirate]]s or [[pocket empire]]s) as makeshift [[carrier]]s for small [[fighter]] squadrons.
* V = [[carrier]] (see article for explanation)
|-
!colspan="4"| ''NOTES:'' There is semantic overlap between many of the classes and codes. Some codes organize by mission or capability, others by size and [[ton]]nage, and yet others by other characteristics.
|-
|}

== History & Background ([[Dossier]]) ==
The government may subsidize larger commercial vessels (built on type 600 hulls or larger), primarily to assure consistent service to specific worlds. These subsidized merchants are generally assigned a specific route connecting from 2 to 12 worlds of varying characteristics. The route will generally be determined before a subsidized merchant is purchased, to allow tailored design features as may be necessary. When a subsidized merchant is ordered, the ''ship captain'' must make the 20% down payment, with the [[government]] assuming responsibility for the payments upon delivery, and taking 50% of the gross receipts of the ship while in service. The ''ship captain'' is responsible for all expenses and costs of operation. {{Page cite|name= Starships |page= 7 |version=Classic Traveller}} 

Subsidized merchants are also subject to mobilization (...and use as [[auxiliaries]]) in the event of emergency or hostilities. At the end of 40 years, the vessel is completely paid off, and full title passes to the ''ship captain'', but the vessel remains subject to mobilization in case of government need. {{Page cite|name= Starships |page= 7 |version=Classic Traveller}} 
 
=== Selected Variant Types & Classes ===
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-R3-Fast-Liner}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-RC-Cargo-Liner}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-RH-Heavy-Liner}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-RI-Clipper}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-RL-Light-Liner}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-RM-Medium-Liner}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-RP-Passenger-Liner}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-RPL-Luxury-Liner}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-RT-Merchant-Liner}}
{{:Referral-Tree-Type-RTN-Nonstandard-Merchant-Liner}}

=== Ship Summary List ===
These are among the most common liners found around [[Charted Space]]:
{{Ship summary list|name= Liner|tdes=M}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Fat Liner |tdes=R1}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Far Liner |tdes=R2}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Fast Liner |tdes=R3}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Cargo Liner |tdes=RC}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Heavy Liner |tdes=RH}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Clipper |tdes=RI}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Light Liner |tdes=RL}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Medium Liner |tdes=RM}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Passenger Liner / Longliner |tdes=RP}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Luxury Liner |tdes=RPL}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Merchant Liner / Trade Liner |tdes=RT}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Nonstandard Trade Liner |tdes=RTN}}
{{Ship summary list|name= Carrier Liner |tdes=RV}}

== References & Contributors ([[Sources]]) ==
{{Intermediate}}
{{Detail}}
{{Sources
|S1= This article is an amalgamation of many different materials published since 1977.
|S2= {{Ludography cite|name= Starships |page=19 |version=Classic Traveller}}
|S3= {{Ludography cite|name= Starships and Spacecraft |page=TBD |version=Classic Traveller}} 
|S4= {{Ludography cite|name= Darthanon Queen |page= 20-26}}
|S5= {{Ludography cite|name= Starter Traveller |page= 11 }}
|S6= {{Ludography cite|name= Imperial Encyclopedia|page=82}}
|S7= {{Ludography cite|name= Challenge 75 |page= TBD }} 
|S8= {{Ludography cite|name= 600-ton Subsidized Liner Deckplans |page= 1-44}}
|S9= {{Ludography cite|name= Traveller: The New Era |page=374-376}}
|S10= {{Ludography cite|name= Brilliant Lances |page=27}}
|S11= {{Ludography cite|name= Starships |version=Marc Miller's Traveller|page=34-35}}
|S12= {{Ludography cite|name= T5 Core Rules |page= TBD}}
|S13= [[Traveller Wiki Editorial Team]]
|S14= Author & Contributor: [[Crawm Lermil]]
|S15= Author & Contributor: [[Adrian Tymes]]
}}


[[Category: Ship Organization]]
[[Category: Ship type definitions]]
[[Category: Supraclass]]
{{LEN|}}