The High Guard® ("HG") (the space navy's name for itself) uses the Universal Ship Profile ("USP") as an abbreviated identifier of all starships in headers of its communications. This format was adapted in its entirety by a very bureaucratic Travellers Aid Society. This header information is still used as the standard identifying electronic signature found in all starship communications; although it is routinely ignored or even filtered out of open ship-to-ship transmissions.
The USP does serve its primary purpose of providing an enormous amount of tactical data at a glance. This single line of text uses a fixed structured format and hexadecimal notation to minimize space. The information is structured in the following order: variable length Ship Number, variable length Ship Name, double-letter ship code, 7 single-digit maneuverability codes, 6 single-digit defensive measures codes, 5 single- digit offensive measures codes, 1 single-digit fighter squadron code, ship construction cost, and ship displacement. A USP looks something like:
0902MMIV The Leopard, Trader
FT-2300001-000002-20000-0 Mcr500.0 400 tons
Obviously the USP must be memorized in order for the details to be meaningful, but even a novice can realize that any listing for fighter squadrons means a very BIG, military ship. (Remember that a Risus USP lists the actual number of dice, which is different from the hexadecimal code as used in CT.)
HG USP Scheme (in Order):
Registration Number
Registration Name
Registration Type
–
Size (Tonnage Code)
Jump Distance (Parsecs)
Maneuver Speed (G Acceleration)
Power Plant Output (Code)
Computer Capability
Crew Size (Code)
–
Sandcasters (Code)
Meson Screen (Code)
Nuclear Dampers (Code)
Force Fields (Code)
Repulsors (Code)
–
Lasers (Code)
Energy Weapons (Code)
Particle Accelerators (Code)
Meson Guns (Code)
Missile Bays (Code)
–
Fighter Squadrons (Code)
Cost (Mega Credits)
Actual Displacement (Tons)
