Astra Universalis

Faster-than-light (FTL) travel is one of the central mechanics of Astra Universalis. Without it, ships would be unable to travel between the stars within a reasonable timeframe, and interstellar civilization would not exist. This section covers the mechanics of FTL travel in each genre. 

Standard

Players are free to choose their form of FTL travel for RP flavor, but for the sake of simplicity, this will not affect their mechanics. FTL travel in standard game modes will not include any special mechanics, and will only be affected by speed limits which increase with each tech era. 

• 2200s - 10 studs per month (40 - 80 light years per month)

• 2400s - 20 studs per month (80 - 160 light years per month)

• 2600s - 24 studs per month (96 - 192 light years per month)

• 2800s - 32 studs per month (128 - 256 light years per month)

• 3000s - 40 studs per month (160 - 320 light years per month)

As nothing within the 2nd Millenia would be made perfectly, the further you go from “civilized” or “known” space your hull would start to deteriorate, microscopic holes piercing your integrity over time. The speed this happens depends on how armoured your hull is, how far you’re going, and your speed.

Star Wars

• FTL in Star Wars happens very quickly when the size of the galaxy is taken into consideration. However, this varies depending on the era. 

• Ships can ONLY travel in a singular direction.  This means that whenever they need to make a turn to stay on the hyperlane, the fleet must exit hyperspace, recalibrate, and then resume their journey.

• Most travel occurs along hyperlanes, safe and fast routes charted through hyperspace. Journeys outside of stable hyperlanes are slower and more dangerous due to various factors such as the risk of collision with uncharted celestial bodies, hyperspace anomalies, or the presence of predatory spaceborne creatures like starweirds or summa-verminoth.

• If a ship travels too close to a mass shadow in hyperspace, it will be pulled out of hyperspace and risk collision with the object in real space. Although this is typically only a problem in uncharted space or when traveling without using hyperlanes, it can be weaponized by players and NPCs to disrupt otherwise safe hyperlanes. This can be done either by physically towing asteroids or through interdictor technology.

• Travel in unknown or wild areas of space is only allowed to certain factions under certain circumstances in accordance with Star Wars events. Players that do travel to unknown or wild areas are faced with the possibility of consequences.

  • This is changeable by hosts and admins on their hosts. 

Warhammer 40k

• FTL travel varies depending on the technology and races of the Warhammer world. The average FTL is between 20 studs per month at 1-2 years to cross the galaxy:

  • Humans - Average

  • Eldar - Faster than average

  • Necrons - Faster than average

  • Orks - Average

  • Tau - Slower than average

  • Tyranids - Slower than average

  • Votann - Slower than average

• There are five types of FTL travel present on Warhammer 40K

  • The Warp: Used by Man, Forces of Chaos, Orks, and Squats. Warp drives are used to traverse the Warp but it’s very dangerous. Players must roll a D100 in the presence of a Warpstorm or Forces of Chaos:

    • D0-D80 Fleet is unhindered

    • D81 - D90 10% of the fleet is lost

    • D91 - D97 50% of the fleet is lost

    • D98 - D100 The entire fleet is lost

  • Gravitic Drives: Used exclusively by the T’au for FTL. There are no inherent dangers in FTL travel with Galactic Drives, but the player is significantly slower compared to other methods.

  • Webway: A much safer and faster alternative to the Warp. Used by the Eldar and (some) Necron factions, players can traverse much faster, but access is limited to these factions.

  • Narvhals: Tyranids use Narvhals to achieve FTL travel by harnessing the gravity of a targeted system to create a "corridor" for travel. There are no dangers but the player is significantly slower and exclusive to Tyranids.

  • Inertialess Drives: The primary method of FTL used by the Necrons. Players can in the FTL with no hindrance to speed, however it is exclusive to Necrons.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

• • The existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) is almost a given and can range from planet-killing super lasers or bioweapons that can wipe interstellar civilizations. 

  • However, WMDs require moderator approval in order to be used. If a weapon is at least powerful enough to destroy/devastate a planet or wipe out its population, then it will require approval. Moderators must consider the player's ideology before approving a weapon of mass destruction as well, as nations with a more aggressive ideology are more likely to be able to have WOMDs. Low-yield ship-to-ship nuclear warheads are allowed without approval. 

  • The few examples where WMDs are permitted without mod approval are limited to genre-specific historical eras (i.e. the Death Star).

  • In preset maps, any information regarding permitted superweapons will be provided in map infographics for the given era.

  • Following from II, if a xenophilic race / society has WMDs of their own, whether it be of defensive or accidental reasoning, releasing such weapons would have a moderate to severe effect on approval of the military, or government for releasing such “horrors” upon a world.

  • Two types of WMD’s would naturally exist for wreaking havoc on a planetary level, those being “glassing” and “cracking”. Glassing would essentially burn the surface of any remnants of civilization, life, or maybe even water. Cracking, on the otherhand would launch a cataclysmic explosion of the world it targeted. The disapproval would be much more heavy on World-crackers than glassers.

Megastructures

• • Megastructures, such as Dyson Spheres, Matrioshka Brains, Ringworlds, etc are largely left up to the host of a server (or player vote) on whether or not they want to be permitted in the server. 

  • Structures of this size shouldn’t be possible until a civilization reaches Type II status on the Kardashev scale, meaning they have the ability to harness the energy of an entire star. This level of technological advancement shouldn’t be available to players unless they’ve reached (or started at) around the 3000s. 

General Rules

• The information below is the standard for Astra. Hosts who are running their own game have the liberty to change the bonuses around. Notably in eras other than vanilla. 

• Players are limited to a maximum of 3 generals with bonuses. 

• In Astra, players are encouraged to roleplay as the same faction in large groups. Players can choose to play either as specific historical leaders, custom leaders (with the limit on the number of generals changed from 3 per faction to 1 per player), or entire subdivisions/vassal states (such as planetary or sector governments).

• Historical character bonuses for Star Wars and Warhammer 40k are still subject to additions or other changes later on. Bonuses for Generals in Star Wars and Warhammer 40k can be found here. (NOTE: not all generals have been added here yet; until then, players have full autonomy to determine bonuses of historical characters)

Community Rules

• The bonuses in the standard version of Astra remain mostly the same as Risk Universalis.

• A +1 bonus can be attained by outnumbering the enemy at least two-to-one or roleplaying specifically superior tactics to that of the opposition. 

• Standard Astra is exclusively customs-based. The maximum bonus for a custom general is +5 on a D20.

• In battles where a fleet fights alongside a military space station (equivalent of a fortress in Astra), that player receives a +1 on a D20 roll compiled with other bonuses granted in battle.

Hegemonic Customs

• Customs are virtually unrestricted, so long as they remain within reason. 

  • Exceptions involve voting to enable or disable alien species after an era vote, or when customs are hegemonic in early eras (2200-2400).

• Customs in historical, genre-specific eras, are generally restricted unless formed through roleplay. Some notable examples include:

  • • • Sith warlords and other remnants formed in the after the Great Sith War, the Jedi Civil War, and the Third Galactic War.

      • Formation of separatist holdout factions after the Clone Wars.

      • Emergence of rebel cells in the early-mid Imperial era.

      • Imperial warlords carved out rival successor states following the Battle of Endor.

• The Recommended starting sizes for Standard Astra Universalis are as follows:

  • • 2200s - 60 studs

    • 2400s - 250 studs

    • 2600s - 500 studs

    • 2800s - 1000 studs

    • 3000s - 1000 studs

Semi-Customs

• Semi-custom eras will be set in specific time periods that have limited information but can be reasonably assumed to have multiple unmentioned civilizations/states in addition to confirmed ones. This would include:

  • • (Star Wars) Dawn of the Republic: Set around the formation of the Galactic Republic, this would include known early civilizations and players would be permitted to create minor custom civilizations in unclaimed regions of space, exploring and colonizing in much the same manner as standard hosts.

    • (Star Wars) Dawn of the Republic: Set around the formation of the Galactic Republic, this would include known early civilizations and players would be permitted to create minor custom civilizations in unclaimed regions of space, exploring and colonizing in much the same manner as standard hosts.

    • (Warhammer 40K) Age of Strife: Humanity’s unchallenged dominion over the stars has been shattered. Warp Storms run rampant, leaving most human-settled space vulnerable to opportunistic Xenos, Chaos spawn, and even themselves. Players will have the opportunity to play as human rump states struggling to survive against this onslaught, or as various alien factions taking advantage at this lapse in human hegemony.

• It should be noted that customs NEED to be appropriate for the setting they are in unless the host decides otherwise-no obvious 40K ripoffs in Star Wars settings, or vice versa. 

• Players are encouraged to research about each setting to better understand the political aspect of each universe and better the roleplaying experience.

• “Rip-offs” in terms of stealing popular media to use it as your own in Astra Universalis is discouraged, it is still up to a vote, or the host to decide whether or not to allow ripoffs within a server to continue.

• Crossovers in terms of “Warhammer vs Star Wars”, in context that its under a Standard Era server, is strictly forbidden. This is to ensure that originality reigns supreme among most Standard Era servers, and placing a line on how unoriginal people can be when it comes to popular media.