Viridian Ship Catalog · Chapter 8

Survey Ships and Frigates

The long-endurance hulls. One reads a system; the other keeps a hospital, a laboratory or a vault running for most of a year.

The VN-54 Line

Ring-and-Core hull in two revisions, VN-54C1 to VN-54C2. Scale 5, Civilian grade.

The VN-54 is a long-endurance survey ship: a ring of instruments around a protected archive core, with the sensors and the AI to read a system and to know what it is not telling. It carries the labs, the probes and the Deep Archive that let a record file at Surveyed tier.

Revision notes. VN-54C1. Survey Module, two labs, a Probe Bay, an Astrogation Lab, a Sensor Drone Bay, a Deep Archive, a Seam Survey Package, a Medical Bay, a Workshop and a Sample Containment Module. Two slots are open. VN-54C2. Two more instrument pods on the ring, a larger power housing at the core and two more Module Slots. The extra slots are open for a second lab or a drone bay.

Common Variants. Survey ship, Expedition flagship, Corridor tracer, Archive carrier, Planetary survey platform.

VN-54C1 Survey Ship

Viridian Lattice Yards · VN-54 familyScale 5
Role Price Acquisition
Long-range survey, research expedition 2,081,000cr Licensed
Speed Cruise Handling Sensors Armor Deflection F/A Hull Points System Points
2 2 −1 Extended 1 0 / 0 32 24
Power Heat Threshold Heat Dissipation Module Slots (open) Crew Passengers Cargo Units Consumables
11 13 3 14 (2) 10 / 24 12 200 12 months
Typical Loadout
Weapon Range Hull Sys Crit Heat Pwr
Point-Defense Laser ×2Light · Turret · Point Defense 1, Accurate 1, Cooldown Short 2 — 5 2 1

Rated Slipstream · No atmosphere · No landing

AI Core Advanced Directive AI

Mounts 2 Light · 2 points

Modules Survey Module, Science Lab, Specialized Research Lab, Probe Bay, Astrogation Lab, Sensor Drone Bay, Deep Archive, Seam Survey Package (2), Medical Bay, Workshop, Sample Containment Module · 2 open

Hangar Probe Bay and Sensor Drone Bay; no hangar

Builder Viridian signature benefits and weak drawbacks; Integrated Architecture (Chapter 4). Extended sensors detect to Extreme.

Trait Patient Instruments: When the ship has held station for a full day, Arrival Survey and Body Survey checks made aboard add 1 Boon Die (does not stack with the Survey Module's die).

VN-54C2 Survey Ship

Viridian Lattice Yards · VN-54 familyScale 5
Role Price Acquisition
Long-range survey, research expedition 2,231,000cr Licensed
Speed Cruise Handling Sensors Armor Deflection F/A Hull Points System Points
2 2 −1 Extended 1 0 / 0 32 24
Power Heat Threshold Heat Dissipation Module Slots (open) Crew Passengers Cargo Units Consumables
12 13 3 16 (4) 10 / 24 12 200 12 months
Typical Loadout
Weapon Range Hull Sys Crit Heat Pwr
Point-Defense Laser ×2Light · Turret · Point Defense 1, Accurate 1, Cooldown Short 2 — 5 2 1

Rated Slipstream · No atmosphere · No landing

AI Core Advanced Directive AI

Mounts 2 Light · 2 points

Modules Survey Module, Science Lab, Specialized Research Lab, Probe Bay, Astrogation Lab, Sensor Drone Bay, Deep Archive, Seam Survey Package (2), Medical Bay, Workshop, Sample Containment Module · 4 open

Hangar Probe Bay and Sensor Drone Bay; no hangar

Builder Viridian signature benefits and weak drawbacks; Integrated Architecture (Chapter 4). Extended sensors detect to Extreme.

Trait Patient Instruments: When the ship has held station for a full day, Arrival Survey and Body Survey checks made aboard add 1 Boon Die (does not stack with the Survey Module's die).

Revision Table

Revision Change Build points Price Upgrade from previous
VN-54C1 First revision 125.0 of 195 2,081,000cr n/a
VN-54C2 +2 Module Slots, +1 Power Capacity 134.0 of 195 2,231,000cr 18 points, 202,500cr
The VN-63 Line

Layered Shellcraft hull in three revisions, VN-63C1 to VN-63C3. Scale 6, Civilian grade.

The VN-63 is the hull most people picture when they say Viridian: a protected core wrapped in layered shells, serving as hospital ship, research vessel, continuity-vault carrier and diplomatic frigate. Its life support adjusts to each species at the boarding ramp. It has more System Points than any other commercial hull at Scale 6.

Revision notes. VN-63C1 (Classic). The older revision, with plainer shells and a few visible standard access panels. Its Serviceable Lattice lets a crew repair the hull, Life Support and the Medical Ward without the Field Repair and Improvised Upgrades Bane Die , whatever parts or facility are used. Hospital ships that work far from the Concord keep the C1. VN-63C2. The published revision. It integrates those systems into the System Point lattice, adding a System Point block and a Module Slot, and loses the standard fittings an independent yard can service. VN-63C3. Broad radiator fins across the dorsal shells and one more module housing: one more Heat Dissipation and one more Module Slot.

Common Variants. Hospital ship, Research frigate, Diplomatic vessel, Stack-preservation vault carrier, Clone-support carrier, Quarantine ship.

VN-63C1 Science and Medical Frigate

Viridian Lattice Yards · VN-63 family · ClassicScale 6
Role Price Acquisition
Hospital ship, research vessel, survey 7,299,000cr Licensed
Speed Cruise Handling Sensors Armor Deflection F/A Hull Points System Points
3 2 −2 Extended 2 0 / 0 72 58
Power Heat Threshold Heat Dissipation Module Slots (open) Crew Passengers Cargo Units Consumables
13 16 4 14 (5) 30 / 85 110 160 10 months
Typical Loadout
Weapon Range Hull Sys Crit Heat Pwr
Laser BatteryStandard · Turret · Accurate 1, Precision, Signature Bloom 1 Medium 5 — 3 3 2
Point-Defense Laser ×3Light · Turret · Point Defense 1, Accurate 1, Cooldown Short 2 — 5 2 1

Rated Slipstream · No atmosphere · No landing

AI Core Advanced Directive AI

Mounts 3 Light · 1 Standard · 5 points

Modules Expanded Medical Ward (2), Quarantine Module, Science Lab, Stack-Preservation Vault, Extended Navigation Suite, Passenger Berths, Shuttle Bay (2) · 5 open

Hangar Shuttle Bay: 2 craft of Scale 3 or smaller

Builder Viridian signature benefits and weak drawbacks; Integrated Architecture (Chapter 4). Extended sensors detect to Extreme.

Trait Protected Continuity Core: Add 1 Boon Die to Medicine checks, continuity-stack preservation checks, Life Support repairs, and emergency stabilization made aboard the VN-63. Serviceable Lattice: Craft checks to repair the hull, Life Support and the Medical Ward do not add the Field Repair and Improvised Upgrades Bane Die, whatever parts or facility are used. The C2 integrated these systems more tightly and lost this.

VN-63C2 Science and Medical Frigate

Viridian Lattice Yards · VN-63 familyScale 6
Role Price Acquisition
Hospital ship, research vessel, survey 7,500,000cr Licensed
Speed Cruise Handling Sensors Armor Deflection F/A Hull Points System Points
3 2 −2 Extended 2 0 / 0 72 62
Power Heat Threshold Heat Dissipation Module Slots (open) Crew Passengers Cargo Units Consumables
13 16 4 15 (6) 30 / 85 110 160 10 months
Typical Loadout
Weapon Range Hull Sys Crit Heat Pwr
Laser BatteryStandard · Turret · Accurate 1, Precision, Signature Bloom 1 Medium 5 — 3 3 2
Point-Defense Laser ×3Light · Turret · Point Defense 1, Accurate 1, Cooldown Short 2 — 5 2 1

Rated Slipstream · No atmosphere · No landing

AI Core Advanced Directive AI

Mounts 3 Light · 1 Standard · 5 points

Modules Expanded Medical Ward (2), Quarantine Module, Science Lab, Stack-Preservation Vault, Extended Navigation Suite, Passenger Berths, Shuttle Bay (2) · 6 open

Hangar Shuttle Bay: 2 craft of Scale 3 or smaller

Builder Viridian signature benefits and weak drawbacks; Integrated Architecture (Chapter 4). Extended sensors detect to Extreme.

Trait Protected Continuity Core: Add 1 Boon Die to Medicine checks, continuity-stack preservation checks, Life Support repairs, and emergency stabilization made aboard the VN-63.

VN-63C3 Science and Medical Frigate

Viridian Lattice Yards · VN-63 familyScale 6
Role Price Acquisition
Hospital ship, research vessel, survey 7,852,000cr Licensed
Speed Cruise Handling Sensors Armor Deflection F/A Hull Points System Points
3 2 −2 Extended 2 0 / 0 72 62
Power Heat Threshold Heat Dissipation Module Slots (open) Crew Passengers Cargo Units Consumables
13 16 5 16 (7) 30 / 85 110 160 10 months
Typical Loadout
Weapon Range Hull Sys Crit Heat Pwr
Laser BatteryStandard · Turret · Accurate 1, Precision, Signature Bloom 1 Medium 5 — 3 3 2
Point-Defense Laser ×3Light · Turret · Point Defense 1, Accurate 1, Cooldown Short 2 — 5 2 1

Rated Slipstream · No atmosphere · No landing

AI Core Advanced Directive AI

Mounts 3 Light · 1 Standard · 5 points

Modules Expanded Medical Ward (2), Quarantine Module, Science Lab, Stack-Preservation Vault, Extended Navigation Suite, Passenger Berths, Shuttle Bay (2) · 7 open

Hangar Shuttle Bay: 2 craft of Scale 3 or smaller

Builder Viridian signature benefits and weak drawbacks; Integrated Architecture (Chapter 4). Extended sensors detect to Extreme.

Trait Protected Continuity Core: Add 1 Boon Die to Medicine checks, continuity-stack preservation checks, Life Support repairs, and emergency stabilization made aboard the VN-63.

Revision Table

Revision Change Build points Price Upgrade from previous
VN-63C1 Classic Older standard revision, implied by the published C2 145.0 of 200 7,299,000cr n/a
VN-63C2 Published. +1 System Point block (+4), +1 Module Slot 149.0 of 200 7,500,000cr 8 points, 300,000cr
VN-63C3 Heat Dissipation +1, +1 Module Slot 156.0 of 200 7,852,000cr 14 points, 525,000cr
At the Table: Triage in the Ward

Use this when a VN-63, VN-45 or VN-73 takes casualties aboard.

Intake. The ship's medical AI sorts patients as they arrive. It assists 1 Medicine check per round without using an Active Channel, and the Medical Bay or Expanded Medical Ward adds 1 Boon Die to Medicine checks made aboard (these dice do not stack with each other). The VN-63 adds a die of its own for stabilization (Protected Continuity Core).

Quarantine. A patient with a disease or biological hazard goes to a Quarantine Module. A breach of the seal is a Hard Craft check to contain, and a patient who spends the round loose in the ward adds 1 Bane Die to Medicine checks until the ward is cleared.

Numbers. An Expanded Medical Ward holds six beds and a Medical Bay two. When more patients arrive than there are beds, each extra patient adds 1 Bane Die to Medicine checks that round, up to 3. The Passenger Berths take the walking wounded.

What the ship says. The AI flags a patient it expects to fail before the ward staff do. It may not explain why, and the staff do not always agree with it. The GM may give the crew the flag as a hint rather than an answer.