Technology -- Zuul
From SOTS
Contents |
Ships
Zuul ships appear to be assembled from components that were once part of some other structure. Very often their vessels are made up of parts torn from different sources—bits and pieces of several enemy ships, colonial storage crates, even ore carriers or water pods can all be made to serve in a single Zuul destroyer. The disparate parts are crudely welded together into a serviceable whole.
Examination of derelict Ripper vessels reveals bits and pieces stolen from many species. These fragments can often be identified by nose art or serial numbers; it is somewhat disturbing to note that very often, these random chunks were taken from a vessel lost in battle with a species other than the Zuul. From this evidence it would seem that the Rippers have visited the scene of many battles after the main combatants had departed, to comb through the drifting debris looking for anything—or anyone—that they could use.
The only technology unique to the Zuul is their FTL drive, which is based on an unknown branch of gravokinetic theory. The so-called “rip drive” uses a focused energy event to create a miniature black hole. This artificial singularity creates a tiny tear in the fabric of space-time, penetrating to the subspace or “Nodespace” layer. What begins as a small puncture immediately opens into a larger “rip”, a new gravometric stress fracture which quickly forms a channel between the closest massive stellar body and that of a neighboring star system.
Any given Ripper-ship can detect and travel along these space-time tunnels, once they are opened. The “rip-lanes” eventually form a network not unlike the naturally occurring Node lines followed by human vessels. Unlike Node lines, however, a rip-lane is not a stable connection through Nodespace. These lanes have a tendency to collapse over time.
Star Drives
Rip Drive - Enables construction of basic Rip Bore ships. (Starting Technology)
Rend Drive - Enables new Rending Bore ships. (Core Technology)
Radiant Drive - Enables new Radiant Bore ships. (Core Technology)
Unique Weapons
Zuul weapon systems, like the hulls of their starships, often appear to have been torn from the ships of other races, or back-engineered and adapted for use after having salvaged from an enemy ship. Several unique weapons aren't related directly to a Technology, and are listed here.
Slave Disk - Similar to an Assault Shuttle, the disk enters the planet and brings back slaves for the Zuul.
Grappling Missile - A low tech tractor beam. Fires a missles with a grappling line attached
Disruptor Whip - Runs a disruptor charge through the harpoon, shutting down all weapon systems in the section it hits on a Destroyer. It only shuts down small and medium turrets on a Cruiser and only small turrets on a Dreadnought .
Node Cannon - Forces Cruisers or Destroyers caught in the blast down a nodeline. Only Humans and other Zuul can survive that.
Unique Sections
The Zuul have a number of unique ship sections since their society is completely different from the other races. They are not triggered by any specific technology, but rather ship size and power-type needed.
Wraith Abductor - Destroyer single section ship that completely enters atmosphere and gathers slaves
Scavenger Section - Cruiser mission section that carries one Slave Disk
Terrorizer - Cruiser single section ship that instills terror into the hearts of the enemy through non–stop transmitted psychological attacks.
Subjugator Section - Dreadnought mission section that carries four (4) Slave Disks
Devourer - Dreadnought single section ship that can build ships from wrecked enemy ships.
Zuul Ship
Zuul Fleet
Zuul Firing
