Pulp Age: Space Patrol

Space Patrol is an organization of peacekeepers in outer space, and central to the security of the United Planets (planets allied with Earth). This organization got its start shortly after the second Martian Invasion of 1932 when the need for patrol craft keeping watch along the space lanes was made apparent. At that time, most Western nations contributed resources to the Patrol, hoping to prevent further invasions and to help protect and supply the colonies.
Unfortunately, even with this effort, the Sarmak did invade again in 1953, and following biological and chemical terrors left by the Invaders and subsequent economic collapse left the earth Patrol to fend for themselves. During the long years of rebuilding the Earth and her allied planets into the United Planets the Space Patrol had its hands full protecting the Lunar and Mars colonies.
Now, in the year 2753, the Space Patrol is central to space travel. Not only does the patrol watch over the space-lanes, but it has the best trained pilots, engineers and ship-builders out there. Also, as the Space Patrol and the Selenites of Luna have control of the largest Hugmetite (needed to create anti-gravity fields) processing plants in the solar system grants them considerable leverage in the politics of space.
Space Patrol agents are a combination of Cops in Space and UN Peacekeepers, answering to the United Planets government (Earth, Luna, Mars and colonies).  They have jurisdiction between planets and in high orbits above planets, and on asteroids, dwarf planets, and on Space Patrol bases. Otherwise, its up to local or corporate police. This has a feel of Wild West Marshals, with agents often having to work alone or in small groups. Agents are frequently outgunned, underfunded and severely taxed.

SHIPS OF SPACE PATROL
The Space Patrol operates rocketships of nearly every size and description, from the massive new space dreadnoughts coming out of Ceres Shipyards to the tiny, one-man insertion rocketships used by the Space Patrol Intelligence Service to infiltrate enemy worlds for information.
The most often seen vessels of the Space Patrol are small craft such as the Patrol Cruiser and Personal Rocket Flyers, who do their best to watch the spacelanes. These vessels try to maintain a communication web of linked vessels in the hopes of preventing space piracy, and to watch for Sarmak troublemakers.


Patrol Cruiser
Gargantuan Construct
HD: 51 (179 hp)
AC: 17 (DR 12)
SPD: 90 mph
MVR: +1
ATK: 4 x rocket cannons (10d8)
CP: 4/12,
CARGO: 3000 lbs., the equivalent of 15 passengers or six passengers and four personal rocket fliers
WT 500lbs
Roughly 50-feet long, rocket cruisers are fish-shaped armed and armored spacecraft typically painted bright primary colors. Despite their steel plate and rivet appearance, they weigh only a few hundred pounds because of the Cavorite used in their construction. Unlike standard aircraft, they don’t have to expend energy to remain aloft. Their performance more closely resembles that of a dirigible than of an airplane. A cruiser’s cannon are mounted in two forward-facing turrets and two rear-facing ones.
Spindizzy Drive: This specialized engine, based on the work of Nikola Tesla (after studying captured Sarmak equipment), allows spaceships to travel the vast distances between planets at great speed. Simply put, when activated outside of a gravity well (an asteroid, moon or planet), a vehicle equipped with a Spindizzy drive can travel 100 million miles per day, or 4 million mph.


Rocket Flier
Large Construct
HD: 10 (30 hp)
AC: 15 (DR 8)
SPD: 70 mph
MVR: +4
ATK: One light rocket cannon on swivel mount (4d8)
CP: 1/2
CARGO:  400 lbs., the equivalent of two passengers or one gunner and one passenger
WT: 100lbs
Rocket fliers are 12-15 foot torpedo-shaped craft used for both civilian and Space Patrol  purposes. Armed with a swivel-mounted rocket cannon, they are fighter aircraft often used to complement rocket cruisers. Unarmed they serve as flying taxis or personal vehicles. Like rocket cruisers, they can hover in place or drift with the wind without expending power because of the Cavorite used in their construction.