DropShips and JumpShips

Description

The DropShips and JumpShips book describes the various vessels in use during the Third and Fourth Succession Wars. It covers the main JumpShips in use at the time—Scout, Merchant, Invader, Star Lord, and Monolith—as well as the myriad DropShip designs available, from the small Fury to the monstrous Behemoth.

The book is split into two sections. The first section was almost the only early (pre-Fourth Succession War) source on BattleTech's large spacecraft (except for the three DropShips in Technical Readout: 3025), and it provided information on dozens of DropShips, several space stations, and several JumpShips.

The second section provided a great deal of information on BattleTech's history of spaceflight and extensive rules for an aerospace-intensive campaign, like crew skills, maintenance, JumpShip recharging, DropShip transit times, and more. The rules for recharging and system transit are the most extensive published in BattleTech, supporting transit times at accelerations other than 1G and detailed charts including flight distances rather than flight times. While the roleplaying rules have altered owing to the huge changes in BattleTech's roleplaying rules, the recharge and system transit rules are virtually identical to those of the latest publications (e.g., Strategic Operations).

From the back cover

“

Here is the definitive work describing mankind's method of transportation between the stars. Bound into this single volume are ComStar Intelligence Summary FB-60 and excerpts from the standard DropShips and JumpShips Operations Manual. ComStar Intelligence Summary FB-60 discusses the five major types of JumpShips and 20 major types of DropShips as well as examples of small craft and even space stations. Each entry includes an illustration of the ship as well as detailed descriptions and statistics. Also included is a short history of humanity in space, from the construction of Crippen Station, through the work of Kearny and Fuchida and mankind's exodus from Terra, to the modern Succession War era. The Operations Manual includes essays on the designs of DropShips and JumpShips, descriptions of the general components of each type of vessel, and extensive game rules covering all aspects of their operation and maintenance.

”

Contents

• Introduction

• Space Travel in the Successor States
  • History
  • Rise of the Western Alliance
  • The Magellan Program
  • Vindication of Kearny and Fuchida
  • To Reach Tau Ceti IV
  • Exodus
  • Formation of New States
  • The Modern Age

• JumpShips
  • Scout
  • Merchant
  • Invader
  • Star Lord
  • Monolith

• DropShips
  • Troop Carriers
    • Fury
    • Gazelle
    • Seeker
    • Triumph
    • Condor
  • 'Mech Carriers
    • Leopard
    • Union
    • Overlord
    • Excalibur
  • Assault Ships
    • Avenger
    • Achilles
    • Intruder
    • Fortress
  • Fighter Carriers
    • Leopard CV
    • Vengeance
  • Civilian Ships
    • Buccaneer
    • Mule
    • Monarch
    • Mammoth
    • Behemoth

• Small Craft
  • Escape Pod
  • Life Boat
  • ST-46 Shuttle
  • S-7A-class Bus
  • Mark VII Landing Craft
  • KR-61 Long-Range Shuttle
  • K-1 DropShuttle

• Space Stations
  • Olympus
  • Bastion
  • Alliance

Notes

DropShips & JumpShips is unusually arranged in that it is split into two sections, each about 64 pages long and each with their own, separate page numbering systems. The book is overall of fair length (about 120 pages) but a quick glance at the front table of contents might suggest it is only 64 pages long.