Saucer Ships

Saucer Ships by Stone Gargoyle and NMI

General Descriptions:

• Ships, regardless of size, are disc-like in shape and relatively "short" in height (from top to bottom). When looking at the ships from either below or from on above, they are octagonal in shape. The smaller ships have domed tops to allow for pilot headroom. Larger ships will stack to dock, with an entrance at the top and bottom center of the ship. Each ship has the ability to carry eight of the next smaller size ship as a carrier/dropship.
• Flight systems are be along the lines of Anti-Gravity powered by "weird science" quantum flux engines and also power the inertia dampeners. This allows the vessels to make stop-on-a-dime maneuvers, the erratic flight patterns often seen and the seemingly impossible tight turns, etc... These would be one of the few types of vessels in the galaxy with an auto-dodge (+4).
• There is no true "front/back/port/starboard/etc..." for the ship. Any of the facets/sides can become transparent (1 way via holo-emitters) to allow for viewing all around the ship.
• The materials of the ship(s) are a combination of ceramics/certain heat (and cold) resistant metals and special crystals. The reasoning for the crystals is to power and enhance the ships psionic based weaponry and defenses, which are linked to the on-board gestalt mind computer intelligence, with every ship having at least one transferred intelligence as its drive computer.
• Weaponry includes TK Force projectors for pure damage (or creating crop circles), and Plasma bolts (aka "Fireballs") ala Pyrokinesis which fire from anywhere along the TK Force Fields. For boarding actions and take ships/towns intact with out destroying structures Mind Bolts (for damage straight to HP).
• The hull of a ship is also energy resistant/absorbing, pulling energy into the flux drive from the TK field. Fire and heat do no damage. This ability also allows the ships to absorb "radar energy" and not reflect it back, making the ship extremely hard to detect via conventional systems. Radio transmissions and other electrical output is also absorbed, shutting off all cars and electrical equipment within a short range from the ship.

Ship Layouts and Controls:

• Ship controls resemble 8-directional pads, with computer interface panels being designed in the same way. Each eight-option menu opens to a sub-menu of eight options, and so forth.
• Motherships are designed in a similar layout, with each carrying eight explorer style vessels. Motherships typically are for use in interplanetary travel, with the explorer vessels used in atmosphere to scout around. Similarly, motherships travel in battle groups of eight, serving as flagships. As jumpships, motherships use matter/anti-matter drives. Other ships in the fleet are dependent on the mothership for services such as refueling and pilot rotation. Since motherships are essentially the Grey equivalent to modern flagships, a mothership will take up station in an area and remain there for long periods, while smaller explorer ships sortie to interesting destinations. Sometimes a mothership is large enough to operate alone, or is so huge that it contains a battel group of smaller motherships in its body.
• Explorer saucers are used in atmosphere and under water to travel for short-range missions. They are typically piloted by 4-8 crew members, though smaller two-man vessels are used for tourism. Since explorer ships rely on the motherships for support, fuel and crew areas are minimal.