"The Terrans have made the same goddamn shuttle for the last 150 years. Our designs don't even last 150 months. Maybe the problem isn't with the shuttles, but with the goddamn engineers."
—Admiral Christia Freeland
Small craft are the workhorses of interstellar civilization, filling roles that larger starships cannot. From humble utility shuttles ferrying supplies between stations to sleek fighters protecting convoy routes from pirates, these vessels are essential to daily life in the RFI universe. Whether you're a merchant captain managing cargo pods or a military officer coordinating fighter squadrons, understanding small craft operations is crucial for any spacer.
In the 27th century, small craft technology has evolved to be remarkably standardized across factions, though each maintains its own design philosophy. The League favors elegant, multipurpose designs that maximize crew efficiency, while Terran craft prioritize durability and ease of maintenance. Freelancer vessels tend to be heavily modified civilian designs optimized for specific operations, often incorporating salvaged components from multiple manufacturers.
Small craft are vessels that are Scale 2 or smaller and are designed to operate from a mother ship or station. They typically lack the independent operational range of capital ships and require regular resupply and maintenance. Most small craft have minimal crew accommodations and are not designed for extended independent operations.
The main categories of small craft include:
As described in the main starship rules, a vessel's Small Craft Readiness determines how many small craft can be actively deployed in a scene. This represents not just physical space in launch bays, but also the crew resources needed to prep, launch, and monitor active craft.
Small Craft Readiness = Ship Scale - 1
Small craft with the Fighter trait ignore Small Craft Readiness restrictions when operated from ships with the Fighter Bay special rule.
During starship combat, small craft operations follow special timing rules:
Small craft use simplified characteristics compared to full starships and consist of the following elements:
TRAITS: All Small Craft have the trait Small Craft in addition to any others.
SYSTEMS: Small Craft have the same set of systems as a starship, though their scores tend to be somewhat lower as befits their smaller size and more limited capabilities. Unarmed Small Craft have a Weapons system of 0.
DEPARTMENTS: Small Craft have the same set of departments as a starship, but their scores are never higher than 2, and are often 0, due to limited facilities and a complete lack of support personnel. The only department a Small Craft will always have will be Conn, which will always be at least 1.
TALENTS: Small Craft do not normally have talents. Some advanced, unique, or customizable Small Craft, such as a Runabout, or the U.S.S. Voyager's Delta Flyer, may have one or two talents as befits their more advanced capabilities.
SCALE: Small Craft are normally Scale 1 or Scale 2.
RESISTANCE: Small Craft have 0 Resistance, unless granted any bonuses from talents.
SHIELDS: Small Craft have shields calculated as normal; add together Scale, Structure, and Security.
POWER: Small Craft have much smaller power plants than full-size starships and can only use the Reroute Power action to enable actions which require power.
CREW SUPPORT: Small Craft do not have Crew Support.
MAXIMUM CAPACITY: Small Craft can only carry a finite number of characters, as noted in each entry.
POSITIONS: Small Craft have two positions: Pilot (covering Helm and Navigation), and Operations (Operations and Sensors, plus Tactical if the craft has weapons). Small Craft operated by a single operator combine these into a single position.
Scale 1 Multi-Purpose Shuttle
Systems: Engines 8, Computers 7, Structure 8, Sensors 8
Departments: Engineering +1, Science +1
Traits: Atmospheric Flight, Extended Range, Reliable
Weapons: Light Grazer Array
Crew: 2 + 11 passengers
The Mercury represents the League's design philosophy: elegant, efficient, and capable. These shuttles can operate in virtually any environment and have enough range to conduct independent survey missions.
Scale 1 Military Transport
Systems: Engines 8, Computers 6, Structure 9, Sensors 7
Departments: Engineering +1, Security +1
Traits: Rugged Construction, Military Grade, Atmospheric Flight
Weapons: Grazer Turrets (4x)
Crew: 2 + 15 passengers
The TSR-97 exemplifies Terran pragmatism: it's been in service for decades because it simply works. Overbuilt and overpowered, these shuttles can take punishment and keep flying.
Scale 1 Specialized Utility Craft
Systems: Engines 7, Computers 8, Structure 8, Sensors 8
Departments: Engineering +2
Traits: Mining Equipment, Manipulator Arms, Compact Design
Weapons: R-56 Mining Cutter (can be used as weapon)
Crew: 1
Built by CNK for asteroid mining operations, these pods represent the pinnacle of specialized small craft design. The mining cutters can slice through ship armor in an emergency.
Scale 1 Space Superiority Fighter
Systems: Engines 9, Computers 8, Structure 7, Sensors 8
Departments: Conn +2, Security +1
Traits: Fighter, High Performance, Military Grade
Weapons: Energy Cannons (2x), Missile Pods (2x)
Crew: 1
Fast and deadly, the Xiphos represents the latest in League fighter design. These craft are optimized for engaging other small craft and striking at capital ship weak points.
Operating small craft requires training and skill:
Many actions aboard small craft use simplified rules:
Small craft operating away from their mother ship face additional challenges:
Military operations often involve coordinated fighter squadrons:
When multiple fighters operate as a coordinated unit:
Small craft excel at exploiting capital ship vulnerabilities:
Unique to Freelancer space, these custom racing craft push the boundaries of what's possible with small craft design. Completely unable to enter hyperspace, they achieve incredible real-space speeds for racing through asteroid fields and station superstructures.
The abundance of surplus Triumph-class hulls has led to innovative tactics where small squadrons of these technically "capital ship" sized vessels operate as oversized fighters, overwhelming larger opponents through sheer numbers.
League doctrine emphasizes using small numbers of highly capable craft for surgical strikes against specific targets, rather than mass fighter deployments.
Most small craft include:
The standard League shuttle, elegant and efficient with excellent range and versatility.
Reliable Terran military transport that's been in service for decades.
First-generation League shuttle design, still widely used.
Terran civilian shuttle design popular in frontier regions.
Modern League space superiority fighter with advanced weaponry.
Terran interceptor fighter optimized for speed and quick strikes.
Freelancer space superiority fighter known for its missile capacity.
Single-pilot mining craft with industrial cutting beams.
Custom civilian shuttle popular with independent operators.
Small craft offer excellent opportunities for focused, intimate adventures:
A single shuttle crew investigating a derelict station or mysterious signal creates tension and forces creative problem-solving.
Time-critical rescue missions where the small craft's maneuverability and access are crucial.
Infiltration missions where small craft can access areas larger ships cannot.
Track fuel, life support, and maintenance to create meaningful choices about when and how to deploy small craft.
Remember that operating multiple small craft requires crew members, creating interesting decisions about personnel allocation.
Use hazardous environments (asteroid fields, gas giant atmospheres, combat zones) to highlight the vulnerabilities and capabilities of small craft.
Remember that small craft adventures often focus on individual skill and quick thinking rather than the complex systems management of capital ships. This can provide a refreshing change of pace and allow different character types to shine.