It's been noted that the meanings of the lower classes of starport code in
the UWP has varied over time.
Based on my recollection of the generalized meaning of each code, and
taking into account at least one major change that has occurred, I propose
the following mild modification of the UWP starport codes:
I should note that given my "druthers", I would _not_ assume that a
shipyard was part of the starport. However, the standard does, so...
(This should probably be read in association with my article "Extending the
UWP: Starports", Freelance Traveller, May 2013rp, and
http://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/rules/expuwp/starports.html)
CODES FOR DESIGNATED MAIN STARPORT IN A SYSTEM:
A: Best class of starport. All facilities for both goods and passengers are
available, at the best quality. The associated shipyard is capable of
building jump-capable ships. Both orbital and ground components exist.
B: Very Good starport; all facilities for both goods and passegers are
available, but only at "good" quality, not necessarily the best (think
local 'chrome diner' rather than Chateau Nez-retroussé, for example).
The associated shipyard can build spacecraft, but not jump-capable
ships. Both orbital and ground components exist.
C: Adequate starport. Most basic facilities for goods and passengers are
available, but probably of indifferent quality (e.g., McDonald's, not
the local 'chrome diner'), and some of the more specialized services
(e.g., special environment handling) are not available. Refined fuel may
not be available. There is no associated shipyard, and an orbital
component may not exist.
D: Minimal starport. Basic facilities for goods and passengers may have
some omissions, which must be filled in by visiting ships, if they're
needed at all. There is no associated shipyard, refined fuel won't be
available, and even unrefined fuel may only be available through "raw
sourcing" (e.g., sucking it up directly from a lake in the
extraterritoriality zone, rather than from cleaned tanked water).
E: Marked Landing Area, known to be solid enough to support a starship. No
facilities. No associated shipyard. No formal availability of fuel, but
if there's a lake, river, or seashore in the extraterritoritality zone,
feel free.
X: INTERDICTED. Landing forbidden. Facilities unknown or irrelevant. Should
be accompanied by a TAS Red Zone indication.
NEW CODE:
0: No defined landing area, but world is not interdicted. No facilities.
Use this code instead of X if the UWP does not include a TAS Red Zone
indication.
NEW CODES FOR SUBORDINATE STARPORTS IN A SYSTEM:
1: Equivalent to Class A or B. May not have a shipyard, but will have
repair facilities matching those of the main starport. This replaces the
"spaceport" code of F.
2: Equivalent to Class C. This replaces the "spaceport" code of G.
3: Equivalent to Class D or E. This replaces the "spaceport" code of H.
Z: Subordinate starport known to exist, but access forbidden, regardless of
main port classification. (e.g., in systems with Naval bases, the
presence of a separate base starport is noted with this code; if the
base uses a segregated area of the main port, the main port code is
reported.) NOTE: THIS IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR THE "SPACEPORT" CODE OF
Y; I NOW CONSIDER THAT CODE TO BE MEANINGLESS - USE CODE 0 INSTEAD.
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