Players wanting to start as part of Captain Samuel West's crew (he ideally needs 6 others to run the ship) will get-

Subspace communicator

Good for 1 ly with an energy source for 10 years.

Players not wanting to be crew will need to be recruited, or become passengers - or even convince West to stay planet/stationside...

Translator

Common equipment for all will be some form of translation device (if people want). The options for your universe are-

1. Realistic language (the Firefly and Babylon 5 universes). You learn languages. Alien physiologies are harder to learn the language of.

   AG: I think that this option is best, but likely the biggest headache. Unless one crewmember has an uncanny ability with languages (Enterprise, anyone?)

2. Hidden subtitles (the Starwars universe). Everyone knows most languages, so you never need to speak anything but your native language - others intuitively know what you mean. Except for electronic languages that need translators.
3. Ubiquitous Translators (the Startrek universe). There are automatic translation devices available commonly - but they aren't needed and still function even if lost/left behind. New alien encounters require up to 2 minutes or an ad break to learn fluent english.
4. Universal Translators (some scifi games). A device that requires time to learn new languages and will occasionally malfunction.

   AG: This would be a perfect adjunct to option 1.

5. Translator Microbes (the Farscape universe). Most races injected at birth. Swear words and uncommon languages are not translated.

   AG: Why not just give us all a Babel fish?

6. Other

So let me know what you guys want (and please 'reply all')

TV: Vote 1 translator Microbes! I favour either immediate translation (such as mircrobes) so we can just get on with the plot, or translators that take some time to function with new/uncommonly met languages, have a few problems and mean we are stuffed if left behind. The second is more realistic, first will cause us all less grief.

BC: Swear words would be translated if it was an R rated show. Of course, it could lead to some interesting physiological translation problems.

BC: Go stick your shortest eating appendage in your" brood parent's duct serving a purpose which cannot easily be explained possibly lacks punch.

BC: I like the idea of actually having to learn langages, or use a phrase book, or a translator machine which requires considerable time to program, and can still make glaring mistakes.

BC: I think most people would have basic equipment suited to their wealth and their job. An engineer (which I think we'll need) would have a tool kit, some diagnostic tools, etc.. A mercinary would have weapons and maybe armour.

BC: Incidentally, the Samuel West uniform, as recognised by adoring fans across the galaxy, also has a combat version, which is more like armour stylised to look like the soft uniform (don't know how strong, that's up to the GM).

BC: With both, the energy pistol is prominently displayed.

BC: People who decide to sign up on my crew (either to start with or later on) will get to decide whether they adopt a similar uniform, but if they do, I'll supply it.

BC: I'm starting to get some Buckaroo Banzia flashbacks now. Anyone want to take some musical skills?

Sidearms and boarding

AG: I'm interested in the opinions on personal sidearms (not that they'd be terribly important to my character). Is it personal beam weapons (Star Trek), pulse blasters (Star Wars), projectile (don't use on board ship)?

AG: Actually I like the idea of projectile/explosive weapons only - this would tend to favour the use of cutlasses and boarding pikes aboard ship.

TV: I kinda like that idea. It makes sense.

BC: I quite like Andrew's idea of encouraging the use of HTH weapons in combat somehow. Not sure how to go about it. Frank Herbert use shields. Perhaps some kind of deulist code of honour or something

PC: On ships, you could use anything you want - on planets and stations you would more likely be restricted. There would be more chance of melee weapons outside of spaceships.

PC: What do you guys want? We could have most handguns having a chance of penetrating the hull - that way people would prefer not to use them. Or something else?

BC: To steal something from cyberpunk, each die of damage could give a chance of penetrating the hull. Not sure how you'd figure the thickness of the hull into this.

BC: Considering the stats you've given me for the Icarus Class Scout give a 60cm (yeah, .6m) thick hull, and presumably the bulkheads will be at least half that (interior walls don't really matter), putting a slug through the hull would be pretty difficult.

TV: All projectile weaponry (Well, maybe not shuriken et cetera) should have a chance of penetrating the hull. What's the point of being brave and heroic in space if it isn't dangerous?

AG: And I'd like to see a culture where hand weapons such as cutlasses are encouraged on ship. I think it makes a nice twist to a standard hi-tech universe.

NC: Combat on-board ship where you are worried about penetrating the hull? Two words: Flame throwers. Swords are for the weak.

BC: Against someone in a decent spacesuit, a flame thrower would be useless. They're designed to keep heat out as well as in. Of course, against unsuspecting redshirts...