| Description Similar to terrestrial snails in appearance, the average Dran reaches a height of 1.6 meters and length of 2 meters. The shell color varies widely among the Dran, but the edge of their shells are always green and brown. Equipped with four eyestalks that can vary in length at will, a Dran also has four pseudo pods that serve as manipulators. There are four sexes, and reproduction requires participation of all four, though this can be spread out over a period of two years. At the point where a Dran has mated with a member of each of the other three sexes it fertilizes its eggs. Laying from five to twelve eggs, all young produced in the current society are raised by professional childcare companies. Possessed by a seemingly instinctual desire to make money, the Dran engage in business like some races engage in war. What form of government they do have is called the Municipal Support Service (MSS). The MSS is responsible for police, fire, general health care, and other civil duties (activities that don't generate a profit). A race-wide tax of 0.5% on all sales funds the MSS, enabling it to engage in its non-profit ventures. On top of the MSS is the Council of Investors, a coalition of the top twenty Dran businesses. This body enforces business law as well as promotes new business ventures, such as asteroid mining and colonization. The Dran were discovered by the Fendalens in the early stages of the Fendalen/CPS war. Finding the race a bit annoying but otherwise inoffensive, the Fendalens were about to propose a non-aggression pact when the Dran proposed a full trade treaty instead. King Kysjyt agreed, since one megacredit gained in trade was one more that could be used to support the war against the CPS. A year later, the treaty was upgraded to trade and military alliance. Due to the huge tech level difference, however, the Dran were purely a defensive force. A Fendalen science outpost was established on the Dran homeworld so as to enhance their technical base as well as their economy. Indeed, as the war entered the final stages the various freight transport companies gained lucrative contracts in moving supplies in Fendalen rear areas, freeing regular fleet auxiliaries for the front lines. All member races of the Fendalen Kingdom got along with the Dran, except the Y'huv and Venda. Those two races, with a fundamental belief in communism, didn't trust the Dran and their capitalist philosophy. This resulted in Dran ships not being allowed to enter systems occupied by the Y'huv and Venda. Overall the Dran were willing to follow the advice of their Fendalen partners and stayed away, but they couldn't fathom a pair of races that didn't appreciate the value of trade and free markets. In the cease-fire period the Dran established contact with the Gander Confederation, which was then a partner of the CPS. The Fendalen Security Services utilized this opportunity, as well as the CPS Office of Space Security, to insert espionage teams into their opponents territory. During this four year period it was said of the Dran that, after liquor, transporting spies was their second most profitable cargo. When the war with the Pulurtan Monarchy started the Dran found that even in rear areas their shipping was vulnerable to gunboat strikes launched by Pulurtan commerce raiders. Even though their technology hadn't caught up to the same level as the Fendalens the Dran decided to produced ships specifically designed to counter gunboats and fighters. With what aid the Fendalens were able to give in the early part of the war, and at some considerable expense, the Dran were able to produce their own copies of the first generation anti-fighter missile. It wasn't much later that their first carriers were built and fielded, carrying prototype strikefighters. Though little better than anti-fighter small craft, these primitive fighters had one advantage - they could carry fighter missiles and laser packs (both again developed at much expense). What few Pulurtan gunboats raids that were still able to strike behind the lines found that Dran convoys were now tougher targets. The situation improved when Fendalen assistance increased, permitting the development of first and then second generation fighters. By the time the Pulurtan War came to its closing stages the Dran were able to send two complete carrier groups, equipped with third generation fighters, to the front lines to serve as escorts for allied fleet auxiliary forces. It was also noted that during the final battles both Dran and Y'huv ships served side-by-side in fending off mass gunboat attacks. Though they still didn't like each others politics both understood the commitment they had in bringing down a common foe. Space Security Services Ltd. (S3) The Dran had no armed service as such. What few armed ships it did had were operated by the MSS. That changed once the trade treaty with the Fendalens was upgraded to that of trade and military alliance. A new company, called Space Security Services Ltd (S3), was formed by a coalition of asteroid colonies in the home system. S3 built ships to escort freighters that serviced Fendalen ships just behind the front lines. S3 also built some large OWPs in the home system and charged a nominal fee to the MSS each month to keep the OWPs operating at a stand-by status. Later in the CPS/Fendalen War the company started to charge the Fendalen Royal Navy a 'combat hazard fee' when S3-escorted freighters had to enter actual contested systems. Considering their needs, the RN went ahead and paid the fees mainly due to the convenience. What freighters the RN could build weren't enough to meet all their needs. Having the Dran taking care more of the rear-area transportation needs freed RN ships for actual combat. After the Fendalen War everything was looking good for the Dran. A partnership treaty was signed, and the various freight transport companies still held lucrative service contracts with the Fendalen Kingdom in general and the Royal Navy in particular. Dran territory had grown to eight system, the last warp point of which ended up in the Gander Confederacy system of Warshal. A trade treaty was a natural outcome of first contact, but something more that processed metals and exotic foodstuffs was traded as well. Both the Kingdom and the CPS now had a conduit for their espionage efforts. Not a month had gone by in the four years after the war that a Dran "technical resource agent" wasn't part of a ship's cargo. The start of the Pulurtan War still found the Dran at a considerably lower level of technical development when compared to their Kingdom counterparts. High Navy raider groups, taking advantage of systems that were along the route that the RN had to use, were causing havoc among the Dran convoys. Having just reached TL 7 two months prior to the war the Dran, with substantial assistance from the RN, were able to field their own version of the first generation anti-fighter missile. When the missiles finally reached the front line units of Space Security Services Ltd. (S3) the High Navy found that Dran convoys weren't such easy targets anymore. With the advance of the RN into Pulurtan space it was becoming quite clear to S3 that larger, more capable ships were needed. To that end the Venture Capital and Dividend Earnings classes were fielded. All the Stock Diversification cruisers, which were built on CVL hulls, were converted into carriers, thus giving S3 a good return on its investment. No other kinds of warships were built due to practical and economic reasons. At the end of the war the Dran slowed down their R&D projects to a peacetime level. They were no hurry to amalgamate with their much large neighbor, preferring instead to build upon their markets in the Kingdom so that, decades later, the merger of the two states would cause the least amount of disturbance. No longer carrying spies, Dran freighters had paying passengers instead. Traveling to the far corners of the known warp lines Dran tourists were welcomed due to their penchant of buying expensive and gaudy souvenirs. |
| CT
AC 16 Hull TL 1 (2)SSAH(I)(I)(I)(I)RRmgQs(8) 16 RCP 9 MCP Trg: 1 Cost = 140mc/21mc HTK 12 S x 2 A x 1 R x 2 mg x 1 |
| ES AC 12
Hull TL 1 (2)SAAH(I)(I)(I)LQs(8) 12 RCP 13 MCP Trg: 1 Cost = 111mc/16.7mc HTK 9 S x 1 A x 2 L x 1 |
| FT4
AC 30 Hull TL 1 (3)SA(Ic)(BbM)(Hx8)B(Hx8)(Ic)(Ic)Qs(Ic)(4) 10 RCP 15 MCP Cost = 169mc/12.7mc HTK 25 S x 1 A x 1 2 shuttles |
| FT2 Prefab Transport AC
16 Hull TL 1 (2)SH(BbS)(Ic)(Hx8)Qs(Ic)(4) 6 RCP 19 MCP Cost = 112mc/8.4mc HTK 14 S x 1 1 shuttle |
| FT1 AC 12
Hull TL 1 (2)S(BbS)(Hx6)Qs(Icic)(4) 4 RCP 21 MCP Cost = 69mc/5.2mc HTK 11 S x 1 1 shuttle |
| BS1 25 Hull
TL 1 (0)SSSSAAAH(BbS)GbLGbLmgQs(0) 25 RCP Trg: 1 Cost = 203mc/10.2mc HTK 15 S x 4 A x 3 L x 2 Gb x 2 mg x 1 2 cutters |
| BS0 15 Hull TL 1 (0)SSAAH(BbS)GbLmgQs(0) 15 RCP 10 MCP Trg: 1 Cost = 113mc/5.7mc HTK 10 S x 2 A x 2 L x 1 Gb x 1 mg x 1 2 cutters |
| FT4(T) Troopship
AC 30 Hull TL 1 (3)SAH(Ic)(Hx6)(Qx5)(Lh)(BbL)(BbL)(Ic)(Ic)Qs(Ic)(4) 10 RCP 15 MCP Cost = 228mc/17.1mc HTK 22 S x 1 A x 1 6 shuttles Can carry a maximum of 15 PCF-x or 250 personnel points. |
| FT4(T) Personnel Transport
AC 30 Hull TL 1 (3)S(Ic)(BbM)[(Qx5)(Lh)x2]HQQQQ(Lh)(Ic)(Ic)Qs(Ic)(4) 10 RCP 15 MCP Cost = 280mc/21mc HTK 25 S x 1 2 shuttles Can carry a maximum of 2 PCF-x or 700 personnel points. |
| FT4(SYM)
AC 30 Hull TL 1 (3)HHQs(Ic)(SYM1)(1) 10 RCP 15 MCP Cost = 270mc/9mc HTK 7 |
| EX
AC 7 Hull TL 1 (2)SH(BbS)QsX(Ic)(4) 7 RCP 18 MCP Cost = 92mc/13.8mc HTK 6 S x 1 1 shuttle |
| Consignment class
FT6 AM AC 6 XO
Racks 60 Hull TL 7 (2)(S0x4)(Aix4)Z[(Hx7)Bix2](Hx7)Tf(CHS2)H(BbM)(IcIc)(IcIc)CDzDc?1Qs(IcIc)(3) 20 RCP 5 MCP Trg: 1 Bmp +2 Cost = 774mc/58.1mc HTK 47 S0 x 4 Ai x 4 Dc x 1 Dz x 1 Tf x 1 C x 1 2 shuttles TL 8 refit - Remove Z, one S0 and Ai. Add Zi after Dc. ?1 to ?2. AM to AM2. 826mc/62mc TL 9 refit - 1 Ai to S0. 2 Ai to 3 Ac. 2 Bi to 2 Bc, Ac. Remove C. BbM to BbL. 832mc/62.4mc (S0x4)(Acx4) add cargo shuttle |
| Employee Resources class
FT6(T) Transport AM AC
6 XO Racks 60 Hull TL 7 (2)(S0x4)(Aix4)Z[H(Qx5)(Lh)Bix4]H(BbL)(BbL)(IcIc)(IcIc)CDzDz?1Qs(IcIc)(3) 20 RCP 5 MCP Trg: 1 Bmp +2 Cost = 776mc/58.2mc HTK 55 S0 x 4 Ai x 4 Dz x 2 C x 1 6 shuttles 1000 personnel points Can carry 10 PCF-x or 8 PCF-xa max. TL 8 refit - Remove Z, one S0 and Ai. Add Zi after last Dz. ?1 to ?2. AM to AM2. 828mc/62.1mc TL 9 refit - 1 Ai to S0. 2 Ai to 3 Ac. 4 Bi to 4 Bc, 2 Ac. Both BbL to BbLc. C to BbS. 842mc/63.2mc (S0x4)(Acx5) add shuttle and cargo shuttle This class was used to transport Fendalen replacement personnel to bases in second-tier systems. In one rare occurance S3 troops were used to garrison five captured Pulurtan asteroid outposts. After the war Employee Resources were used as passenger liners. |
| Commission class
CL(TG) AM AC 9 XO
Racks 45 Hull TL 7 (2)(S0x4)(Aix4)ZH[(Ic)x10](BbS)TiTi(Ic)(IcIc)(Lh)QDz?1Q(Icic)(3) 45 RCP 5 MCP Trg: 1 Bmp +2 Cost = 560mc/84mc HTK 33 S0 x 4 Ai x 4 Dz x 1 Ti x 2 1 shuttle 50 personnel points TL 8 refit - Remove Z, one S0 and Ai. Add Zi after Dz. ?1 to ?2. AM to AM2. 609mc/91.4mc TL 9 refit - 1 Ai to S0. 2 Ai to 3 Ac. 618mc/92.7mc (S0x4)(Acx3) Ic refit - Remove 3 S0, H to Hs. Add Ic to tug engine room. 604mc/90.6mc S0(Acx3) 1 DN at speed 3 Class scrapped after Pulurtan War. |
| Rental class
FT8(TG) AM2 AC 10 XO
Racks 100 Hull TL 9
new construction (2)S0(Acx3)ZHs(Icx36)(IcIcIc)(IcIcIc)?2(Lh)TiDzQ(IcIcIc)(BbS)(3) 34 RCP up to 16 Personnel/MCP Trg: 1 Bmp +4 Cost = 908mc/68.1mc HTK 57 S0 x 1 Ac x 3 Dz x 1 Ti x 1 1 shuttle Can tow one ship up to JG size at speed 3 Shrewd deducer of needs, S3 had these tugs built to assist their Gyst allies in moving their LN and JG class ships to the front lines faster. In exchange for a favorable rental contract, of course. |
| Stock Diversification
class CAA AM AC 12 XO
Racks 60 Hull TL 7 (1)(S0x6)(Aix6)Z[H(II)QsRaRa(II)Ramg!1Dcx2]Xrs(BbS)(M2)!1DzDz(II)?1Qs(II)(6) 60 RCP 15 MCP Trg: 3 Bmp +2 Tem -1 Cost = 1727mc/259.1mc HTK 49 S0 x 6 Ai x 6 Dc x 2 Dz x 2 Ra x 6 mg x 2 (Ra/XO Rack ammo) 2 cutters |
| Portfolio class
CA(FT) AM2 AC 12 XO
Racks 60 Hull TL 8 new
construction (1)(S0x4)(Aix4)[(Hx7)Bix2](Hx7)(BbM)Qs(IcIc)(IcIc)CQsWaWamgDzDzDcZi?2Qs(IcIc)(3) 60 RCP 15 MCP Trg: 1 Bmp +4 Cost = 976mc/146.4mc HTK 50 S0 x 4 Ai x 4 Dc x 1 Dz x 2 Wa x 2 C x 1 mg x 1 (Wa/XO Rack ammo) 2 shuttles TL 9 refit - 4 Ai to 6 Ac. 2 Bi to 3 Bc. C to Tf. Mg now after last engine room. 987mc/148.1mc (1)(S0x4)(Acx6)HBc(Hx6)[Bc(Hx7)x2]Tf(BbM)Qs(IcIc)(IcIc)QsWaWaDzDzDcZi?2Qs(IcIc)mg(3) The Portfolio class was intended to be a more survivable version of the Consignment class. Built on military hulls, Portfolios had the advantage of being armed with missile launchers that could fire AFHAWKs. One out of three S3 freighters was a Portfolio. |
| Warranty class
FT6(RS) AM2 AC 6 XO
Racks 60 Hull TL 8 new
construction (1)(S0x3)(Aix3)(Hx9)(BbS)(IcIc)(IcIc)CC(MS8)DzDcZi?2Qs(IcIc)(3) 20 RCP 5 MCP Trg: 1 Bmp +4 Cost = 706mc/45.5mc HTK 32 S0 x 3 Ai x 3 Dc x 1 Dz x 1 C x 2 1 shuttle TL 9 refit - 2 Ai to 3 Ac. Remove both C. Add Di after Dc. 1 Ai to Bi. 713mc/46mc (1)(S0x3)(Acx3)(Hx4)Bi(Hx4)(BbS)H(IcIc)(IcIc)(MS9)DzDcDiZi?2Qs(IcIc)(3) |
| Insurance class
DD(E) AM2 AC 6 XO
Racks 30 Hull TL 9 new
construction (1)(S0x6)(Acx9)HQf(BbT)(I)(I)(I)Dc(I)(I)DzDz!2DzZi(I)?2QsDi(I)(7) 30 RCP 7 MCP Trg: 1 Bmp +4 Tem -2 Cost = 825mc/123.8mc HTK 34 S0 x 6 Ac x 9 Dc x 1 Dz x 3 Di x 1 1 cutter Class served as escorts for Dran auxiliaries. |
| Investment Option class
CVL AM2 AC 12 XO
Racks 60 Hull TL 8 (Refitted
Stock Diversification
class plus new construction) (1)(S0x6)(Aix5)[H(II)QWa(II)(Vx6)mgDcx2]Hs(Lh)(XR)(BbS)!2DzDzZi(II)?2Qs(II)(6) 60 RCP 15 MCP 12 FCP Trg: 1 Bmp +4 Tem -2 Cost = 1739mc/260.9mc HTK 55 S0 x 6 Ai x 5 Dc x 2 Dz x 2 V x 12 Wa x 2 mg x 2 1 shuttle 1 mg - Fighter ammo 1 mg - Wa/XO Rack ammo TL 9 Refit - Ai, Hs to H. 4 Ai to 6 Ac. Both mg after last engine room. 1749mc/262.4mc Late War Refit - 1 mg to mgm, remove 1 S0. Add 3 Bc. 1756mc/263.4mc (1)(S0x5)(Acx6)HBcQBcHBcQ[(II)x4]H(XR)[Wa(Vx6)Dcx2](Lh)(BbS)!2DzDzZi(II)?2Qs(II)mgMgm(6) Class scrapped after Pulurtan War. |
| Venture Capital class
BC AM2 AC 14 XO
Racks 70 Hull TL 8 new
construction (2)(S0x10)(Aix9)[H(BbS)(II)QWaWa(III)Wamg!2Dcx2]Hs(Lh)Xrs(M2)!2DzDzZi(II)?2Qs(III)(6) 70 RCP 5 MCP Trg: 3 Bmp +4 Tem -2 Cost = 1970mc/295.5mc HTK 62 S0 x 10 Ai x 9 Dc x 2 Dz x 2 Wa x 6 mg x 2 (Wa/XO Rack ammo) 1 shuttle 2 cutters Can carry up to 50 personnel points. TL 9 Refit - 1 Ai, Hs to H. 8 Ai to 10 Ac, 2 Bc. Both mg after last engine room. 1994mc/299.1mc (2)(S0x10)(Acx10)[HBc(BbS)Q(II)WaWa(III)Wa!2Dcx2]H(Lh)Xrs(M2)!2DzDzZi(II)?2Qs(III)mgmg(6) |
| Dividend Earnings class
CV AM2 AC 17 XO
Racks 85 Hull TL 8 new
construction (1)(S0x16)(Aix16)[H(II)Q(III)QDzx2](Lh)(Vx30)mgmg(BbM)DzZi(CIC)(II)?2Qs(III)(6) 85 RCP 15 MCP 30 FCP Bmp +4 Cost = 2126mc/318.9mc HTK 94 S0 x 16 Ai x 16 Dz x 3 V x 30 mg x 2 (fighter ammo) 2 cutters 1 shuttle TL 9 Refit - 16 Ai to 24 Ac. Both mg after last engine room. 2182mc/327.3mc Late War Refit - 2 S0 to 3 Bc. 2185mc/327.8mc (1)(S0x14)(Acx24)HBcQBcHBcQ[(II)Q(III)x2](Vx6)(Lh)[(Vx12)Dzx2](BbM)DzZi(CIC)(II)?2Qs(III)mgmg(6) |
| Checkpoint class FT4(V) Pinnace
Tender AM2 AC 3 XO
Racks 30 Hull TL 9
new construction (1)S0S0AcAcZHsBcHHHTf(Ic)(BbSc)(BbLcx3)(Ic)(Ic)?2Dz(Ic)HQsmgm(4) 10 RCP 15 Personnel Points Trg: 1 Bmp +4 Cost = 413mc/31mc HTK 24 S0 x 2 Ac x 2 Dz x 1 Tf x 1 mgm x 1 (small craft/XO Rack ammo) 4 1st gen recon pinnaces* * due to the tech level difference 1st gen recon pinnaces cost 120 mc (instead of 60 mc) Based on the Fendalen Caboose class, Checkpoints provided organic recon pinnace support for Dran and Fendalin convoys. |