History VideoGame / StarTradersFrontiers

** Downplayed. You can make your captain and officers into elite warriors, but it's not required.

* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: The primary two colors in [[CityOfSpies Syndicate Rychart's]] flag are black and red.
** While they're more of a maroon color, Terrox Heavy Cruisers also qualify.
* RetiredBadass: While various contacts are "retired" forms of certain professions, the two that play this trope the straightest are the Retired Duelist and Retired Xeno Hunter.

* [[AuthorityEqualsAssKicking Authority Equals Asskicking]]: Downplayed. You can make your captain and officers into elite warriors, but it's not required.
** Played straight with the Military Officer and Commander jobs: Military Officer increases Pistols skill as it's leveled up, and while Commander does not, both jobs have very effective combat talents.

* RandomEncounters: You can run into all sorts of ships while you are traveling in the void, from peaceful traders and explorers to deadly pirates and the dreaded [[HordeOfAlienLocusts Xeno]] [[StarfishAliens races]].
** Encounters when exploring, patrolling, etc. are similarly random, though you can mitigate the risk through various crew talents that allow you to reroll or outright remove risk cards.

* BigScrewedUpFamily: The Faen family from the opening story are a backstabbing mess. When Valencia is [[FrameUp framed]] for the bombing of the Highwind Orbital Station, her brother and sister scheme to turn the resulting Duel of Assassins to their own advantage, while letting her die "for the good of the family."

* ILoveNuclearPower: A starship's Void Reactor runs on tritium-oxide fuel[[note]] Tritium is an isotope of hydrogen that has two neutrons, which gives it an atomic mass of 3, hence the name[[/note]], though in-universe it's usually just referred to as "Water-Fuel". This trope comes into play when it's stated that spacers believe that ''drinking'' the fuel is what allows them to live their long lives and otherwise withstand the forces at play within the void. Though, they're careful to only drink the human-refined form, and not the naturally-occurring variety from various gas giants or asteroids, as they believe that to cause madness and illness.

** {{Word Of God}} states that a Void Engine is a downplayed version of this, where a prokaryotic xeno organism is used along with [[ILoveNuclearPower Water-Fuel]] to power the ship, in addition to supplying heat and plasma to the engines.

* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: It's stated in-game that the effects of a starship's Void Engine (and according to most spacers, [[ILoveNuclearPower drinking its fuel]]) can enable Star Trader captains to live for centuries. You can even witness your contacts die of old age, and your character will be no worse for wear.

* StraightForTheCommander: Downplayed. Killing an enemy ship's captain causes an immediate end to combat, but they'll generally be the last one to fight your {{BoardingParty}}, so you'll need to launch several attacks. However, the Assassin's final unlocked Talent (at Assassin level 15), "Gut the Leadership", enables them to deal damage directly to the enemy Captain[[note]]30 + Stealth Skill[[/note]] if there aren't any officers to take the blow.

* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: The Avengent, a Templar battle vessel, was losing to a Jyeeta carrier. So [[RammingAlwaysWorks they rammed the carrier, causing both ships to crash into the atmosphere.]] The captain of the Avengent managed to bring his ship down partly intact. His crew died, but he survived, and the ship's vital cargo remained in Templar hands until he could destroy the Jyeeta HiveQueen.]]

* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: The Avengent, a Templar battle vessel, was losing to a Jyeeta carrier. So [[RammingAlwaysWorks they rammed the carrier, causing both ships to crash into the atmosphere. The captain of the Avengent managed to bring his ship down partly intact. His crew died, but he survived, and the ship's vital cargo remained in Templar hands until he could destroy the Jyeeta HiveQueen.]]

* AIIsACrapshoot: The aforementioned Narvidians. {{Word Of God}} states that Shalun Law has a specific quote against it, as displayed on the [[https://startraders.gamepedia.com/Shalun_Law wiki page]] here:
*** However, this trope is likely downplayed: given the size and complexity of a Star Trader vessel, it would be nigh-impossible to work it with the small crews present in game without ''some'' automated systems.
*** Computers and some degree of automated electronic devices are legal, you just can't have machines that can do things without human supervision, i.e. no autonomous drones, no self running factories, no AI, etc.

* RunTheGauntlet: Some events may require you to perform two Crew Combats in a row. Notably, salvaging has a risk card involving double combat against [[SpacePirate pirates]], and one against [[HordeOfAlienLocusts Xeno]].

* AbortedArc: If you [[spoiler: rescue the incapacitated Aldo Bastiel and deliver him to Zette Faen, she says she'll contact you if she manages to save him]]. Nothing ever comes of this.

* StatusAilment / StatusBuff: Several buffing and debuffing abilities exist in crew and ship combat.

* StatusBuffDispel: Notably, buff-removing is only present in crew combat; in ship combat, you can only remove the effects of Crippling Hits with various talents.

* SnipingTheCockpit: If an enemy ship no longer has enough crew with a Pilot skill pool sufficient to man their ship, the combat instantly ends.

* ThePardon: Various contacts will offer these, which will absolve all negative rep with their faction, but usually for a very hefty price, depending on how negative the reputation is.

* TheBattlestar: Many high tier ships, including the most expensive ship in the game, the Alta Mesa Harbinger Carrier, count as this. [[spoiler: Jyeeta ships, especially the Jyeeta Juggernaut, count as well.]]
** Technically, any ship can be made into one, provided you're willing to spend the component slots on the required hangars and launch bays.

* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: The Avengent, a Templar battle vessel, was losing to a Jyeeta carrier. So [[RammingAlwaysWorks they rammed the carrier, causing both ships to crash into the atmosphere. The captain of the Avengent managed to bring his ship down partly intact. He and most of his crew died, but some survived. The bridge and the ship's black box survived so the Templars would know what happened, and the ship's cargo remained in Templar hands.]]

* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: The Avengent, a Templar battle vessel, was losing to a Jyeeta carrier. So [[RammingAlwaysWorks they rammed the carrier, causing both ships to crash into the atmosphere. The captain of the Avengent managed to bring his ship down partly intact. He and most of his crew died, but some survived, and the bridge and the ship's black box survived so the Templars would know what happened.]]

* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: The Avengent, a Templar battle vessel, was losing to a Jyeeta carrier. So [[RammingAlwaysWorks they rammed the carrier, causing both ships to crash into the atmosphere. The captain of the Avengent managed to bring his ship down partly intact; while his crew died, the bridge and the ship's black box survived so the Templars would know what happened.]]

* ImportedAlienPhlebotinum: High-Tech Industrial and Orbital[[note]] Orbital zones are also manufacturing facilities[[/note]] zones are one of the places that can have a demand for Terrox [[spoiler: and Jyeeta]] Xeno Artifacts.

* ProfessionalKiller: The Assassin and Sniper jobs. To be able to perform missions involving this, you will need at least a level one Edict with a Faction (not to be confused with Military Rank).

* AllianceMeter: One of the most critical aspects of the game is your standing with the various factions throughout the galaxy. If your standing is low with a faction, their ships will attack you on sight, contacts will not give you missions, and you won't be able to use their base facilities.
** There's also "Personal Reputation" with Contacts, gained from doing missions or [[KnowledgeBroker selling Intel]], which allows you to use their better services.

* KnowledgeBroker: You can sell Intel (earned from various methods, namely Spying), usually related to ongoing Conflicts, to various contacts; although it's more useful for gaining Personal Reputation with, and increasing the Influence of, the Contact that buys it.
** Various Contacts will also offer "Salvage Rumors" as a service. Having higher [[AllianceMeter Rep]] with the Contact, as well as them having more Influence, will allow you to learn of the Rumors earlier.