One of the things that I have encouraged players to do is to come up with good backstories particularly regarding their origins and that we could brainstorm on them. So far only one have taken me up on my offer and this is was what we came up with:

Rogue Fleet:

A somewhat customized version of the Battlefleet Homeworld, this house-ruled version reflects growing up on a slightly less formal fleet but sill more militaristic then most void-born.

Ideally this would reflect more militaristic / disciplined /formal Rogue Traders or System Defense Forces or Chartist Captains.

I don't think it is more powerful then Battlefleet but it does have more options to reflect customization and different types or role among a ship.

Description:

You were born to life aboard ship and while void-born on other ship might have had it easy, you were less fortunate (or perhaps more fortunate as the case maybe). Whether your captain was a former navy officer or perhaps a hard-ass or merely desperate for competent crew, they enforced discipline and training among everyone aboard ship. Depending on how you were trained, you might have learnt how to do starship maintenance (fix the waste recycler, you bum), handle logistics & supply (I requested a large jacket, does this look large too you?) or organise others (Stand around yelling while others do the work).

Characteristic Modifiers: +5 Willpower; +3 Fellowship; –5 Perception

Starting Skills: A flotilla or rogue trader fleet that travels together speak the same language: Speak Language (Rogue Fleet),

Officer / Tech-Priest / Quartermaster on Deck: Unlike most void-born, your ship captain believed in discipline, efficiency and training. Every youth was given training or apprenticed to a senior to learn their craft. Gain +5 to one of the following skill checks when on (or regarding a space ship): Command, Tech-Use, Trade (Voidfarer).

Void-Born Ancestry: Choose between Navigation (Stellar) or Pilot (Space Craft) or Trade(Voidfarer) as a trained skill. Also gain Void-Accustomed as a Void-born.

Ill-Omened: Suffer -5 to fellowship tests against non void-born characters unless they have served alongside the Character in space for an extended amount of time (GM's Discretion) [i put in the bit extended amount of time even for normal void-born].

Starting Wounds: As Battlefleet.

Fate Points: As Battlefleet.

Please evaluate and critique.

Things I like

• Tech-Use and Trade (Voidfarer) should be definitely included, those are good skills for a Rogue Fleet trader
• Secret Tongue (Rogue Fleet) should be expanded. Likely they will have served on multiple ships, so maybe give them the ability to buy any Secret Tongue for 50XP if they find someone willing to teach it. They'd be quick at picking up the various signs used by the different ships

Things I don't like

• I don't like starting with Command. It doesn't seem like it makes a lot of sense given that the majority of people aren't going to be giving orders unless they're captain. They should have a respect for the Chain of Command, but they would also know there are times to give orders. Maybe a +10 bonus to Command Tests on any vessel where they speak the Secret Tongue?
• The Attributes are really great: Everyone benefits from Willpower, but it doesn't make sense why they would gain it over Intelligence (which governs Trades and Tech-Use). I would give them a Hive World approach of a +5 to Intelligence, and a +3 to any other non-Intelligence or Toughness characteristic. Then give them a -5 to Toughness due to living in the void and possibly the odd radiation abilities.

Things to add

• A special power named something like Highly Drilled . At Character Creation they pick one single Shipboard action (excluding straight shooting, Astropathic or Navigation powers). During Ship Combat they get a +10 to all Tests for that action, and a -5 to every other. They'll be really good at something, but never get over the feeling that's what they SHOULD be doing.

The rest all seems to make sense. Hope that helps!