Adventure: Crypt Ship

Background

The Pygptiaks are a wealthy if eccentric minor race. They are one of the few star faring races that believe in astrology and in fact use astrology in most of their business decisions. The amazing thing is that it seems to work for them.

Another curious trait of the Pygptiaks is that they believe when you die, you can take it with you. The trick is that you have to transport your wealth, and your corpse in a massive crypt ship through a complex serious of rituals performed in different star systems. Once the trip is over, the entire ship is interred in an asteroid field that is heavily guarded by Pygptiak forces.

Pygptiak Crypt ships are beautiful works of art. The corridors are lined with rare metals. The engines are hand crafted. The storage bays are filled with rare goods and exquisite statues. Even the waste facilities use rare water imported from the most exotic springs.

Understandably, these ships become targets for pirates. The Star Navy has stopped answering Pygptiak Crypt ship distress calls ever since a breakdown in treaty negotiations back in 4190.  That is why each ship is usually accompanied by Free Company ships hired for protection.

Rules

The Pygptiak Crypt ship has the same stats as a Class 4, Rep 4 Tanker with the following exceptions.

The crew of the Crypt Ship rolls 3 dice for received damage tests. This represents how fanatic the Pygyptiaks are when it comes to protecting Crypt Ships.

A captured Pygptiak ship has a CV of 300. However, every point of damage it takes to any part of the ship, results in a loss of one CV. If a cargo bay is destroyed, 30 CV is destroyed.

Generate the escorts as you would for a Patrol Contact and then add the Crypt ship the total.

Example: I have a three pirate ship fleet. I roll an 8 which means I encounter a Crypt Ship with 3 Free Company escorts.

The Pygptiak Crypt ship will be in front of the fleet, with the escort ships forming a line behind it. The crypt fleet will open fire on anyone that closes to within 36 inches, which is the other reason that no one answers their distress calls anymore. The escorts are allowed to move as normal when fighting begins but the Crypt ship cannot. It is restricted to a speed of 2 and it must continue flying in a straight line from its initial starting position. The rituals for preparing the corpse and the wealth are quite strict on this.

The Free Company escorts will break off as normal but the Crypt ship is incapable of breaking off. The fight will continue until the pirate player decides to flee or the Crypt Ship surrenders or is captured.