United Systems Fleet
United Systems Fleet (or USF) is an Orbiter project of series of sci-fi add-ons, together creating a fictional world located in near future. In this world several powerful empires or unions fight each other. All USF add-ons represent space vehicles playing their role in this conflict. In this world it is the year 2169.
Location
This future story takes place in "Nearest Systems" - a star system add-on originally created for USF, although it can be used separately. Today it contains 71 new, mostly fictional objects in ten real star systems located within distance of 30 LY from the Sun. The distances had to be scaled down because of Orbiter limits, so the most distant star system - Gamma Leporis is actually located 300AU from the Sun. The Solar system itself had to be reduced to Earth and Moon to let more space for our nearest neighbors, such as Alpha Centauri (40AU from Sun).
Major forces of the region
There are four fictional states competing each other:
- United Systems Coalition
- A democratic alliance of star systems united to protect all it's inhabitants from outer menaces.
- Today it contains Solar system, Alpha Centauri, Epsilon Eridani and Tau Ceti. The United Systems Fleet is built by all of the members together. The coalition, including it's armed forces quite prospers, because all the technologies are shared.
- Faster-than-light travel, imported and introduced on Earth in 2071 by traders from Tau Ceti, has become the most important milestone in our history. It opened us the depths of space. As a new space force, we were soon preventively attacked by the Deneroth Empire. This attack forced the earth leaders to join the coalition initiative of neighboring systems. So the United Systems Coalition was founded in 2098.
- Deneroth Empire
- Conservative military empire led by doctrine of constant war. Its numerous army is permanently nourished by star systems occupied by the empire. The Deneroth industry is on lower level, than the USC industry, so the empire tries to capture every possible enemy ship to update it's technological level. As a result, the Deneroth starships distantly remind some of the older Earth constructions. In early 22. century, The Deneroth dramatically expanded in search for new resources. In 2102, the Neutral System of Mulciber was attacked, which caused very dramatic diplomatic conflict with the Coalition.
- Baata Nlloya (The Great Confraternity)
- A coalition of star systems recently united into military pact. The reason is obviously ability to succesfuly attack the Coalition for prey. However, The Great Confraternity is very unstable pact involved in many internal conflicts.
- Neutral System of Mulciber
- A lone civic star system in neutral status with all of the neighbours. It's small law enforcement forces are no threat, so this system exists mostly in peace. In 2102 Mulciber was attacked and shortly occupied by The Deneroth Empire. After a short time, the Deneroth forces were forced back after complicated diplomatic dialogues with the United Systems Coalition.
Travelling
All the modern interstellar ships use gliesium-hydrogene engines to reach FTL speeds. Although every system has different approach to construction of the FTL engines, the basic principles are still the same. The fuel - gliesium - is logically a very strategic material. (for FTL travel you need to install one of the warp add-ons recommended in read-me files of all USF ships)
For sub-light maneuvering, the ships are equipped with impulse engines. (impulse engines are controlled with default orbiter maneuvering controls)
A typical 100 meters long ship consists of crew compartment and engine section, eventually hangar for smaller spacecrafts or weapons-control compartments. Bigger ships like Hawking class science ships or Praeon class battleships are much more complicated machines, so they require hundreds or even thousands of crew members. Ships of this size are usually unable to enter atmosphere of a planet. However, smaller spacecrafts - transport ships, shuttles, fighters or emergency lifeboats are designed for repeated re-entry and free atmospheric flight.
Weapons
The main weapon system spread across the region is the particle cannon. A burst of highly energetic particles is shot against the enemy. The weapons are powered by special power generators onboard the ship. It is manufactured in many different sizes and calibers. There are three main categories:
- light particle cannon
- Weapons of power equal to a 40mm cannon from the end of 20th century. Mounted on fighter spacecrafts, usually in couples. Major producers on Earth are Padling Industrial Concern and Republic Weaponry Company
- medium particle cannon
- Weapons of power equal to a 120mm-150mm cannon from the end of 20th century. Mounted on larger warships as anti-fighter batteries. Major producers on Earth are Krupp AG and Narvik military industries.
- heavy particle cannon
- Most powerful category of weapons, which gradually evolved into guns up to 200 meters long. They are designed for fight between the most massive battleships used in combat. Power of one shot is equal to 100 000 kilograms of TNT.
Only one company on Earth is able to produce this kind of weapon - Krupp AG. Earth has become a leader of this technology, so even Deneroth heavy particle cannons evolved from the Earth-produced ones.
On Egga, a different type of weapon was developed. It's called AWT (anti-warship torpedo). Today only Eggan attack fighters are equipped with torpedo launchers. Explosive power of one torpedo is equal to 1000kg of TNT. One Varan-type attack fighter can carry 10 of them.
Ship classes
United Systems Coalition
- Praeon class battleship
- Hawking class research ship
- Cosfa USF-340 series fighter
- Quargin USF-409 series fighter
- Koraami II class medium freighter
- Sylfaen UST-12 series shuttle