The new Starship Operator's Manual is here!

[MongooseMatt]

The new Starship Operator's Manual is finally here!

You can grab your own copy right here: https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/starship-operators-manual



Travelling is about the journey, not the destination, and few things shape a voyage across Charted Space as much as a starship. However, a starship is more than a mere means of transportation; it is also a home and a companion. To captain a starship is to be the master of one’s destiny – for riches, glory, or an untimely end…

There are many books that examine about how to build and fly custom starships, but few on what it is like to work and live on one. That is where the Starship Operator’s Manual comes in.

The Starship Operator’s Manual covers all aspects of life aboard the starships of Charted Space. Learn the workings of manoeuvre and jump drives, find out how to operate advanced sensors, and discover exactly what your role on a starship entails.

Includes a complete walkthrough of the Scout/Courier, Far Trader and Safari Ship.

 

[Micky]

skimming for now as the backlog of work emails is getting to unavoidable stage but already can tell that my excitement for this did not go unrewarded. Looks to be all I hoped it would be... and really loved the IRIS diagram.

Well done!

 

[Fulcs]

Mine! No idea what I paid, I just hit the 'buy' button and downloaded it
Cheers Matt and everyone else who contributed

 

[WHULorigan]

Travelling is about the journey, not the destination . . .

Tell that to the person paying for the High Passage Tickets . . .

 

[AndrewW]

Tell that to the person paying for the High Passage Tickets . . .

Tell that to the ones in low berths.

 

[Micky]

Tell that to the ones in low berths.

tell that to the poor tyke on page 51

 

[Sigtrygg]

On the whole a really great book.
Well written, excellent artwork, the walkthroughs are fantastic.

I will wait a couple of days before I start arguing about some of its takes on physics and insetting physics.

Hats off to everyone involved.

 

[CordwainerFish]

I take it the hairy customer on the cover is a Tensher's Wolf, possibly the very one from High and Dry?

 

[G'Naakbusters]

Great sourcebook; it does what it advertises. Obviously I've not read it all yet, I've been giving it a skim, but it's all presented clearly. I'd definitely say it promises a good understanding of what it's like on board a ship and how shipboard operations work, which is what it needed to do. Engineering and technology isn't my particular passion, but what I've read so far has all been genuinely interesting. This is one of those times when a sourcebook is just as useful lore-wise as it is for practical play.

 

[The Canterbury Tail]

I take it the hairy customer on the cover is a Tensher's Wolf, possibly the very one from High and Dry?

The image in the adventure is more like an arctic fox. So I'm not sure.

But yes I'd like to know what it is.

 

[CordwainerFish]

The image in the adventure is more like an arctic fox. So I'm not sure.

But yes I'd like to know what it is.

There was an updated version last year using the 2022 style sheet and new art.

 

[The Canterbury Tail]

There was an updated version last year using the 2022 style sheet and new art.

Ah wow yes that looks completely different, and I agree that's what's on the cover.

 

[Garnfellow]

I take it the hairy customer on the cover is a Tensher's Wolf, possibly the very one from High and Dry?

I thought it was an Aslan khta myself.

 

[WingedCat]

I take it the hairy customer on the cover is a Tensher's Wolf, possibly the very one from High and Dry?

Maybe not that exact one, but yes. The crew on the cover is of Baron Stockington's Animal-class, the Finicky Platypus. Their pet is, per the art directions, what you guessed. The Baron himself (introduced in JTAS #10) is seen from behind, just to the left.

All three ships have names, and all three of their crews have stories. See if you can find the Dark Poni's ship's cat's name. It's in the book, but not in the text.

 

[torus]

Great sourcebook; it does what it advertises. Obviously I've not read it all yet, I've been giving it a skim, but it's all presented clearly. I'd definitely say it promises a good understanding of what it's like on board a ship and how shipboard operations work, which is what it needed to do. Engineering and technology isn't my particular passion, but what I've read so far has all been genuinely interesting. This is one of those times when a sourcebook is just as useful lore-wise as it is for practical play.

Can you elaborate on what things in it are useful for practical play? This is the aspect I'm most interested in; less excited about lore and invented physics. I mean that stuff is ok for reading but it never really has any relevance in games, in my experience at least.

 

[Sailbad]

I'll take a stab at answering that.
If your game is focused on a very granular level of starship operations it could be useful. For example each ship based system is described in detail and then shown on the deck plans for a Type S scout. Something like interacting with the air supply which as a referee you might hand wave and say get to engineering to interact with the life support system is shown to be diversified throughout the hull. Useful information if for example your players are trying to refill their O2 from a crashed ship. It also goes into the concepts of periodic maintenance that people who haven't owned a vehicle more complex than a bicycle could appreciate. Think of the Firefly episode where they are all going to die because they let a common engine part wear out.
Is it all useful and practical? Depends. Some lore and descriptions of tech I don't agree with and will not be a part of any game I referee.

 

[WHULorigan]

Cheers Matt and everyone else who contributed

On the whole a really great book.
Well written, excellent artwork, the walkthroughs are fantastic.

I will wait a couple of days before I start arguing about some of its takes on physics and insetting physics.

Hats off to everyone involved.

Great sourcebook; it does what it advertises. Obviously I've not read it all yet, I've been giving it a skim, but it's all presented clearly. I'd definitely say it promises a good understanding of what it's like on board a ship and how shipboard operations work, which is what it needed to do. Engineering and technology isn't my particular passion, but what I've read so far has all been genuinely interesting. This is one of those times when a sourcebook is just as useful lore-wise as it is for practical play.

I'll echo the sentiments of everybody above. I loved the original SOM by DGP. This one is just as good if not better, with much more material. Very well done.

 

[Sailbad]

Can you elaborate on what things in it are useful for practical play? This is the aspect I'm most interested in; less excited about lore and invented physics. I mean that stuff is ok for reading but it never really has any relevance in games, in my experience at least.

The most practical part about it is that it is written as an in game document. Like an owners manual with a new car. I'm thrilled that I can hand this book to a new player (one who enjoys reading game books) like I would a little one page handout when the printed version turns up. In my previous comment I mentioned parts I didn't want to use, I'll simply cover with "this page left intentionally blank" like any good government document.

 

[GabrielGABFonseca]

The most practical part about it is that it is written as an in game document. Like an owners manual with a new car. I'm thrilled that I can hand this book to a new player (one who enjoys reading game books) like I would a little one page handout when the printed version turns up. In my previous comment I mentioned parts I didn't want to use, I'll simply cover with "this page left intentionally blank" like any good government document.

Out of curiosity, what are the parts you don't wish to use at your table?

 

[Sailbad]

Out of curiosity, what are the parts you don't wish to use at your table?

The bit about the hydrogen emitters on the hull of a ship. It implies that damage to the hull or even clogging the emitters would lead to a miss jump, or preventing a ship from establishing a jump bubble. Cool in a very low conflict environment, I would use that in a game where space travel itself was a big hazard. However, my gaming group has been more combat oriented historically. Although the Jump Drive chapter lists draining fuel, punching a hole in the drive and cutting the power as the only way to prevent a jump I know at least one character will be going after someones ship with some form of "sticky" sand caster or sneaking up on a grounded ship with a canister of spray foam after reading the book. Because I'm probably too lazy to actually put a "this page left blank" over the parts I'll probably let them figure out its intended as misinformation.