Mica Goldstone
	There is some confusion amongst players when it comes to creating new ship blueprints. All ships are considered to be a piece of restricted tech, i.e. just like photon guns they require blueprints to build. Ships blueprints are dealt with in exactly the same manner as the standard item blueprint. Each blueprint is supported by tech, which in turn is supported by a principle. Principle > Tech > Blueprint Item Example Energetics > Photon Weaponry > Photon Guns Ship Example Small Ships > EEM Courier Ships > Surveyor Ship Techs When designing a ship blueprint for incorporation into the game, it must be based on an appropriate tech. For example, EEM Courier Ships cannot be used as an underlying tech for a 100 heavy hull Battleship! Creating New Ship Techs If you do not have an appropriate tech available you need to research one. Common Ship Techs – Anyone can start research into these techs: EEM Courier Ships – 25 (9713) EEM Microlight Ships - 50X (9714) EEM Light Freighters - 50L (9715) EEM Standard Freighters - 50S (9716) EEM Destroyers - 50H (9717) EEM Medium Freighters - 75Lm (9718) EEM Warships - 75Hm (9719) If you want a completely new ship tech, then you have to start a research project for a new item. This requires the new ship tech to be added to the game. Initiating research also covers the addition of the ship tech into the game. This is done through a special action. Example Special Action New ship tech for the AFT. 100 Standard Metal Hulls for Human use. To be named AFT Standard Ships. Start research using 65 research complexes with a conversion at 15000 points. The item will be added to the game and the restricted information regarding the restricted item will be added to the political position. Further an attempt to start research will be undertaken, i.e. the GM will actually put the order in for you using the new item number. Note that as ships get bigger they become more complicated. This is dealt with in Phoenix by increasing the number of supporting Principles for the tech. Example Small Ships > EEM Courier Ships Small Ships + Material Utilisation Metallic > EEM Standard Freighters Medium Ships + Material Utilisation Metallic + Heavy Structural Engineering > EEM Warships More details concerning the principle requirements for ship techs can be found in the research rules. Creating New Ship Blueprints As stated above, ship blueprints have to be based on an appropriate tech. Attempting to create a new ship blueprint without an underlying tech will simply fail – and cost you £1.50 special action fee to the bargain! Just like creating a new ship tech, new ship blueprints require some parameters. In order to do this, create the ship you desire using the ship editor (keeping within the appropriate limits of the tech). Once completed open the ships.cfg file and copy the appropriate entry directly into the order editor special action section along with an explanation of what you are attempting to do. Example Special Action Start research into the Firefly class of ship. 80 Normal metal hulls, based on AFT Standard Ships. Assign 50 complexes with a conversion of 7000. Ship=1,Firefly,80,70,102,460,0; ShipItem=1,100; ShipItem=15,103; ShipItem=50,131; ShipItem=8,145; ShipItem=20,160; ShipItem=1,175; ShipItem=10,215; ShipItem=10,299; ShipItem=50,134; ShipItem=8,107; The GM will then modify the data for inclusion into the game and run the order to attempt to start research into the new ship blueprint. Some important guidelines: Small Ships Principle will only support techs up to 50 Hulls. Medium Ships Principle will only support tech for 51 to 100 Hulls Techs based on Medium Ships Principles cannot support ship blueprints for ships under 51 hulls. Just because you can build big, it does not mean that you can build small! Techs based on Heavy Structural Design cannot support ship blueprints for Light Hulls etc.
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	So not all Blueprints can be researched without the underlying techs or principles, not even with the penalties. I'm very glad I was conservative!!