A planet is more than just a backdrop it’s a living, breathing setting with its own rules, dangers, and stories. Whether it’s a war-torn colony, a neon-drenched cyber-metropolis, or a frozen tomb hiding ancient secrets, your worlds should push players to explore, adapt, and survive.
Need inspiration? Roll on the table below for quick prompts:
| Roll | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airless Rock | No air at all—just empty silence. |
| 2 | Venusian Hell | Thick, choking CO₂ with acid clouds. |
| 3 | Dusty Desert | Thin, unbreathable CO₂ (like Mars). |
| 4 | Super-Earth | Heavy, breathable air (but high gravity). |
| 5 | Ice Moon | No surface air, but hidden oceans below. |
| 6 | Tar World | Smoggy CO atmosphere (like car exhaust). |
| 7 | Burnt Giant | No air—just a naked metal core. |
| 8 | Eyeball Planet | Thin breathable zone between ice and desert. |
| 9 | Helium Ball | Crushing hydrogen/helium (like Jupiter). |
| 10 | Methane Dwarf | Frozen natural gas with hydrogen haze. |
| 11 | Molten World | Poisonous metal vapor and rock gas. |
| 12 | Puffy Planet | Super thin hydrogen (like a vacuum). |
| 13 | Quake Moon | Whispy nitrogen geysers from quakes. |
| 14 | Shattered World | Toxic sulfur dioxide from volcanoes. |
| 15 | Rogue Planet | Frozen air, locked in ice forever. |
| 16 | Salt Hell | Dry argon and CO₂ (like a toxic desert). |
| 17 | Torn Apart | No air—just debris and radiation. |
| 18 | Seasonal Extreme | Air boils/freezes as the planet orbits. |
| 19 | Twin Planet | Shared atmosphere with a neighbor. |
| 21 | Near-Viable | protective equipment to be worn, terraforming required |
| 21 | Viable | Atmosphere, liquid water, life supporting, nil terraforming required |
Orbitals are hugely significant in Armournaut your players will like spend a lot of time in them. they are a melting pot of cultures, a strategic stronghold, or a ticking time bomb of political tension. Whether it's a corporate-owned trade hub, a derelict research outpost, or a lawless pirate haven, orbitals should feel like living ecosystems with their own rules, dangers, and opportunities.
Need inspiration? Roll on the table below for quick prompts:
| Roll | Orbital Type | Description & Purpose | Example Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Lagrange Colony (L4/L5) | Stable gravitational "parking spots." | Shipyards, generational habitats |
| 3 | Cycler Station | Permanent mass transit loop between planets | Passenger hubs, cargo relays |
| 4 | Low Orbit (LEO) | Fast, close orbit (~200–2,000 km). | Space stations, spy satellites, rotovators |
| 5 | High Orbit (HEO) | Distant orbit (e.g., geostationary). | Comms satellites, telescopes |
| 6 | Polar Orbit | Covers planetary poles on each pass. | Mapping, body facing surveillance sats |
| 7 | Graveyard Orbit | Junkyard for dead satellites. | Salvage ops, black-market hideouts |
| 8 | Sun-Sync Orbit | Always in sunlight (fixed solar angle). | Solar power arrays, recon sats |
| 9 | Halo Orbit (L1/L2) | Quasi-stable Lagrange orbit. | Deep-space observatories, system surveillance |
| 10 | Tether City | Anchored terminus of a space elevator | Shipping and transit hub on and off world |
| 11 | Kessler Belt | Chaotic debris field. | Pirate ambushes, derelict hunts |
| 12 | Corridor Station | Moored at FTL entry/exit points. | Customs checkpoint, black-market hub, refueling depot |
A starship should be a character, a tactical challenge, and a lifeline in the void. Whether it’s a rusted salvage hauler barely holding together or a cutting-edge warship with experimental tech, every vessel should feel real, with strengths that empower the crew and flaws that keep them scrambling.
Need inspiration? Use the table below for ship classifications:
| Roll | Class | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corridor Runner | Unmanned data transfer/communication craft |
| 2 | Mass Driver Sloop | Unmanned mobile cargo catapult |
| 3 | Tanker | Fuel hauler with sunshield |
| 4 | Tender | Satellite/rotovator installation and maintenance |
| 5 | Tug | Orbital construction vehicle |
| 6 | Science Pod | Towed Modular lab, limited drives |
| 7 | Hauler | Transit and cargo transport |
| 8 | Sleeper | Long haul, hibernation transit |
| 9 | O’Neill Foundry | Mobile zero-G habitat manufacturing |
| 10 | Debris Sweeper | Cleaning and clearing orbital pathways |
| 11 | Lander | Large low grav transit and cargo transport |
| 12 | Shuttle | Assisted entry/exit craft for atmospheric gravity wells |
| 13 | Miner | Asteroid and planetoid resource extraction |
Communities and colonies are fragile ecosystem of human struggle, innovation, and survival. Whether it’s a domed city on a toxic world, a rogue asteroid mining outpost, or the last bastion of a dying generation ship, settlements should push players to engage, negotiate, and sometimes run for their lives.
Need inspiration? Use the table below to make communities and colonies:
| Roll | Community Type | Description | Key Challenges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planetary | Orbital | |||
| 2 | Slum | A listless population, marginalized or forgotten | Crime, disease, poverty | Radiation, low g, failing life support |
| 3 | Mining | Company, coop or nation owned, this population is comprised or hardy laborers | Accidents, chemical exposure, Union suppression | Isolation, micro meteorites, piracy |
| 4 | Refining | An industrial base with an industrious population, governed input an output | Sabotage, Conflict, Fires | Catastrophic failure, collision, reactor failure |
| 5 | Manufacturing | A hive of factories and assembly lines, where efficiency is law and workers are cogs. | Industrial accidents, Pollution, Union suppression | Zero-G assembly malfunctions, Supply chain piracy, Toxic coolant leaks |
| 6 | Agriculture | Vast croplands or hydroponic bays feeding populations, until they fail. | Crop blights, water wars, hostile wildlife | Hydroponic system failures, Contaminated fertilizer, Ration hoarding gangs |
| 7 | Research | Isolated labs pushing ethical boundaries, guarded by patents and paranoia. | Containment breaches, Espionage , Rogue experiments | Isolation, pillarite exposure, kidnapping |
| 8 | Waypoint | A pitstop for travellers, where everyone is transient and trust is scarce. | Vehicular accidents, crime, fraud. | Piracy, debris fields, shipwrecking |
| 9 | Military Outpost | A fortified bastion of discipline or a powder keg of suppressed dissent. | Bombardment, insurrections, repression | Defective orbital defense systems, AWOL crews turned marauders, Fleet engagements |
| 10 | Commerce | A glittering hub of trade and a den of exploitation beneath the veneer. | Fraud, Tax enforcer brutality, Organized crime | Economic unrest, megacorporation's, black market tech |
| 11 | Penal | A prison where the inmates run the show, and the guards are worse. | Riots, forced labor, brutality | Mutiny, gang rule, experimentation |
| 12 | Spiritual | A pilgrimage site were faith clashes with fanaticism. | Religious violence, Abuse, Cult vs. state warfare | Rogue prophets, extremism, religious purges |
| Roll | Colony concepts | Description | Key Challenges |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viable | Cities on earth like world that need comparatively little infrastructure and life support. Largely suited for large scale colonization. | Wildlife, pathogens, competition, war |
| 2 | Atmospheric Floaters | Cities suspended in dense, high-pressure skies using hydrogen balloons or aerostats. Corrosive chemistries and wind shear demand constant maintenance. | Storm resilience, gas harvesting, hull corrosion |
| 3 | Deep Crust Habitats | Pressurized tunnels drilled into a planet’s mantle, tapping geothermal energy. Limited surface access and seismic instability are constant threats. | Rock collapses, heat management, no sunlight |
| 4 | Tidally Locked Terminators | Settlements crammed along the narrow twilight band of a planet that doesn’t rotate. Endless balancing act between freezing and overheating. | Energy distribution, crop cycles, mobility limits |
| 5 | Glacier Outposts | Bases built on frozen volatile plains where subsurface ices vaporize into usable atmospheres. Mining requires careful thermal control to prevent explosions. | Ground instability, gas loss, cold brittleness |
| 6 | Magnetic Havens | Colonies huddled where a planet’s magnetosphere deflects radiation, creating the only survivable zone. Outside this zone, storms rage unchecked. | Power dependence, cramped space, UV shielding |
| 7 | Hypersaline Sump Cities | Settlements submerged in briny, antifreeze-laced oceans beneath thick ice sheets. High-pressure leaks and toxic chemistry loom. | Corrosion, sensory deprivation, claustrophobia |
| 8 | Regolith Dust Domes | Habitats buried under meters of fine particulate for radiation shielding. Filters clog, static charges disrupt electronics, and dust infiltrates everything. | Air quality, mechanical wear, solar obscuration |
| 9 | Tectonic Vent Farms | Communities clustered around volcanic rifts for energy and mineral access. Unpredictable eruptions and toxic outgassing demand vigilant monitoring. | Disaster readiness, air filtration, quake-proofing |
| 10 | Gravity Well Trade Hubs | Cities anchored to super-Earths where high gravity makes launches costly—forcing permanent infrastructure and space elevators. Muscle injury is inevitable for visitors. | Export bottlenecks, health decline, structural stress |
| 11 | Orbital Tether Metropolises | Towers stretching from a planet’s surface into space, with habitats perched at varying gravity levels. A single break could collapse the entire structure. | Material fatigue, terrorist targets, elevator politics |
| 12 | Fusion Settlements | Colonies planted on worlds so cold that only fusion reactors sustain life. Power loss means instant death. | Fuel dependence, thermal shock, black market wars |
Factions are powerful forces with goals, methods, and enemies. Whether it's a hypercorp privatizing war, a cult worshipping a rogue AI, or a rebel cell fighting with stolen tech, factions should shape the world and force players to pick sides (or play them against each other).
Need inspiration? Use the table below to make a faction:
| Category | Options | Implications |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Core / Frontier / Jambles / Union Territories / Temple Sphere / Venti Space |
|
| Political Alignment | Autocracy / Democracy / Oligarchy / Theocracy / Technocracy/ Communal Rule / Corporate Rule / Monarchy / Tribal Rule | Determines governance style, loyalty, and faction goals. Theocracies prioritize faith; corporations seek profit. |
| Superpower Backing | Lunar Union / Venti Republic / Temple / Neutral / Proxy War (Multiple Allegiances) | - Union: Combined arms, disciplined troops. - Republic: Mercenaries naval focus. - Temple: Drones, Hacking. |
| Number of Colonies | Small (1-10) / Medium (11-30) / Large (31+) | Affects resource output, military recruitment, and influence. Small factions may rely on guerrilla tactics. |
| Military Strength | Militia/ Professional / Elite | - Militia: Scavenged gear, irregulars. - Professional: Standardized forces. - Elite: Cutting-edge tech, rare units. |
| Force Composition |
Pick 2-3 Focus Areas:
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A strong starter location anchors your players in the world, establishes tone, and provides immediate hooks for adventure. Below is a concise guide to designing an engaging introduction point for your Armournaut campaign.
Your starter location should serve as a microcosm of the setting—a place where factions collide, resources are scarce, and danger lurks just beyond the walls. Consider its primary function: a lawless trading hub, a military outpost on the brink of revolt, or a dying colony clinging to survival. This shapes the initial conflicts players face.
The location should have three key elements:
A pressing problem (e.g., food shortages, a Pillarite mutation outbreak, or a corporate takeover).
Faction tensions (e.g., Union soldiers vs. rebel miners, smugglers vs. Temple enforcers).
A hidden secret (e.g., a dormant alien artifact, a traitor in leadership, or a backdoor to a black market).
Design the location to adapt to player actions. If they side with rebels, the outpost becomes a warzone. If they exploit the black market, they gain allies (and enemies). Leave room for improvisation—your players will steer the story.
A derelict orbital station repurposed as a smuggler den, now on the brink of collapse.
| Aspect | Details | GM Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Location Type | High-orbit salvage station, half-functional, riddled with makeshift repairs. | Perfect for heists, fugitives, or faction deals. |
| Key Factions | Black Crescent smugglers, Union inspectors, GELF fugitives. | Each faction offers quests or betrayal hooks. |
| Active Problem | The station’s core is leaking radiation—fix it or flee before it melts down. | Timer for urgency (e.g., 3 days until critical). |
| Hidden Secret | People have been disappearing in the megaevents, people whisper about a beast. | |
| Starting Hook | A smuggler offers a job: steal a Union data-core… but it’s a trap. | Adjust based on player allegiances. |
if you want you faction to be central driving part of a narrative its important that you consider a few additional steps.
in armournuat we advise that you use a simple map structure that you can also apply to larger vessels and basses. vehicles are 1-6 segments in size and each segment has 6 equipment slot which on larger vehicles and basses can represent rooms, decks and facilities. on vehicles and bases segments represent broader areas of which players can move between while an equipment slot might represent a specifically location. the following examples can illustrate this:
you can also use this structure for larger environs, you might display an entire region, continent world or even system with this structure as shown below. The times to move between the segments is determined by you and you might elect to require tests of consuming of resources over the course of the traversal. below is an example of how to utilise the create a map using the segment system.
Alternatively you may use the node system on the armounaut app to map out areas adding links and notes to each node and showing those to your players.
"The Brass Doesn’t Care If We Die."
You are frontline grunts in a superpower’s army, sent to die in wars you don’t understand. Your squad is all you have. Will you follow orders blindly, desert for survival, or turn your guns on your commanders?
"A loyal Armournaut Is a Poor Armournaut."
You’re guns-for-hire in a lawless cluster. Contracts mean criptoscrip, but loyalty is fleeting. Will you build a reputation, chase the biggest score, or become the very warlords you once despised?
"Such Terrible Vistas."
You’re scientists, archaeologists, or xenobiologists studying the unknown. But the universe hates curiosity. Will you weaponize your discoveries, flee from what you unleashed, or die for the truth?
"Each day a test"
You’re priests, cultists, or pilgrims serving a dying creed. The galaxy has no miracles—only lies and dead worlds. Will you keep the faith, become martyrs, or discover something worse than heresy?
"Ashes and memories."
You’re outcasts, banished from society. The cluster hates you, but you’re free. Will you carve out a new home, take revenge, or burn the systems that cast you out?
"Together, Or Not At All."
You’re colonists, miners, or refugees bound by survival. The universe wants you dead. Will you unite against the darkness, fracture under pressure, or make a deal with the devil to live?
"The line persists."
You’re a clan, crime family, or bonded unit, tied by oath or DNA. Outsiders can’t be trusted. Will you protect your own, expand your dynasty, or tear each other apart from within?
"The game isn't the same."
You’re syndicate enforcers, smugglers, or cartel lords ruling the underworld. But power is fleeting. Will you rise to the top, die in the streets, or sell out to the corpos?
"We Are The Law. Nobody Else."
You’re cops, or corporate security in a system where justice is a commodity. Will you uphold order, take bribes, or realize the law itself is the enemy?
"Alive? That’s Extra."
You’re trackers, killers, and retrievers in a galaxy full of prey. The bounty is all that matters—until it’s personal. Will you cash the check, spare the target, or become the hunted?
"There is money in ugly deeds"
You’re assassins, saboteurs, and black-ops ghosts. Deniability is your armor. Will you complete the mission, defy your handlers, or discover you were the target all along?
"Blood and Revels"
You’re arena fighters, MOA jockeys, or death-sport stars. Fame is temporary; survival is eternal. Will you win your freedom, die for glory, or start a revolution?
"We Are The Wall."
You’re volunteer soldiers, partisans, or resistance fighters defending home against impossible odds. Will you hold the line, retreat to fight another day, or become the tyrants you replaced?
"I am not an animal"
You are bio-engineered soldiers, workers, or experiments, designed for a purpose but fighting for autonomy. Your creators fear you, your allies exploit you, and the galaxy sees you as property. Will you carve out a free future, sell your skills to the highest bidder, or burn the labs that made you?
"Could be worse."
You are stranded survivors on a dead station, wrecked ship, or hostile world. Resources are dwindling, trust is scarce, and something lurks in the dark. Will you work together to escape, turn on each other, or embrace the void?
"We shouldn't have come here..."
You are pioneers, terraformers, or desperate refugees trying to build a home where none should exist. The land resists, the corporations exploit, and your own people fracture under the strain. Will you tame the wilds, sell out to megacorps, or become monsters to survive?
"Liberty at any cost"
You are deniable assets, genetically enhanced and psychologically conditioned for missions too dirty for the Lunar Union’s official records. But your handlers lie, your memories are… wrong, and your last mission doesn’t add up. Will you uncover the truth, die for the cause, or defect to the enemy?
"They'll destroy us all if given a chance."
You are elite enforcers for the Temple Technocracy, tasked with securing Pillarite artifacts and silencing those who misuse them. But the artifacts whisper, your superiors grow paranoid, and the line between duty and dereliction blurs. Will you uphold the doctrine, question your orders, or fall to corruption?
"Loyalty is a Currency. Spend It Wisely."
You are elite mercenaries, privateers, or "peacekeepers" in service to the Venti Republic’s ruling elite. Officially, you protect trade. Unofficially, you extort, sabotage, and assassinate for profit. But the Senate’s favor is fickle—will you rise in the ranks, betray your patrons, or become the very pirates you were hired to crush?
"The Cluster is Vast, and No One Has Seen It All."
You are pathfinders, surveyors, or deep-range scouts, mapping uncharted corridors, derelict alien ruins, and volatile Pillar sites. Every jump is a gamble—will you return with discoveries that reshape humanity’s future, or vanish into the void like those before you?
"Let her rip."
You are asteroid drillers, deep-core excavators, or volatile gas harvesters, working the most dangerous claims in the Cluster. The pay is terrible, the corps exploit you, and the things you dig up are rarely just minerals. Will you strike it rich, die in the dark, or uncover something that should’ve stayed buried?
"Everything Has a Price."
You are smugglers, free merchants, or black-market liaisons, navigating tariffs, pirates, and shifting allegiances to turn a profit. The best deals walk the line between genius and suicide. Will you build an empire, burn your bridges, or get swallowed by the machine?
"Increasing Market Share."
You are factory overseers, arms dealers, or industrialists in a galaxy where production is power. Your blueprints are worth more than lives, and your rivals play for keeps. Will you monopolize the market, burn down the machine, or sell out before the collapse?
"Sail"
You are voidborn drifters, scavenger fleets, or rogue pilgrims, living ship-to-ship in the dead zones between empires. The settled worlds spit on you, but you know the secrets they’ve forgotten. Will you carve out a freehold, sell your knowledge, or fade into the dark?
"People before profits."
You are executives, PR enforcers, or black-ops troubleshooters for a megacorp that owns planets. The boardroom is deadlier than the battlefield, and your loyalty lasts as long as the quarterly reports. Will you climb the ladder, burn it down, or discover the company owns you in ways you never imagined?
"I can't do this evil on my own."
You are researchers, rogue scientists, or occult investigators seeking the truth behind Pillarite, corridor travel, and the vanished aliens who built it all. The superpowers hunt you, the artifacts mutate you, and the deeper you dig, the less human you become. Will you unlock the universe’s secrets, go mad trying, or be silenced?