diff --git a/include/nsc.h b/include/nsc.h
index c5384b40..13511d90 100644
--- a/include/nsc.h
+++ b/include/nsc.h
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ typedef enum {
     NSC_YCOORD,			/* coord that needs y conversion */
     NSC_TIME,			/* time_t */
     NSC_FLOAT,			/* float */
+    NSC_STRINGY,		/* char[], zero-terminated string */
     /* aliases, must match typedefs */
     NSC_NATID = NSC_UCHAR	/* nation id */
 } nsc_type;
diff --git a/src/lib/global/nsc.c b/src/lib/global/nsc.c
index eb6d79fb..a019fb2c 100644
--- a/src/lib/global/nsc.c
+++ b/src/lib/global/nsc.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ struct castr ship_ca[] = {
     {NSC_TIME, 0, 0, fldoff(shpstr, shp_access), "access"},
     {NSC_TIME, 0, 0, fldoff(shpstr, shp_timestamp), "timestamp"},
     /* FIXME sail stuff missing */
-    /* FIXME name missing */
+    {NSC_STRINGY, 0, 0, fldoff(shpstr, shp_name), "name"},
     {NSC_UCHAR, 0, 0, fldoff(shpstr, shp_fuel), "fuel"},
     {NSC_UCHAR, 0, 0, fldoff(shpstr, shp_nchoppers), "nchoppers"},
     {NSC_UCHAR, 0, 0, fldoff(shpstr, shp_nxlight), "nxlight"},
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/nstr.c b/src/lib/subs/nstr.c
index b829f181..07062185 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/nstr.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/nstr.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ nstr_comp(struct nscstr *np, int len, int type, char *str)
 int
 nstr_exec(struct nscstr *np, int ncond, void *ptr)
 {
-    int i, op, optype;
+    int i, op, optype, cmp;
     struct valstr lft, rgt;
 
     for (i = 0; i < ncond; ++i) {
@@ -171,7 +171,9 @@ nstr_exec(struct nscstr *np, int ncond, void *ptr)
 		return 0;
 	    break;
 	case NSC_STRING:
-	    CANT_HAPPEN("unimplemented OPTYPE"); /* FIXME */
+	    cmp = strcmp(lft.val_as.str, rgt.val_as.str);
+	    if (!EVAL(op, cmp, 0))
+		return 0;
 	    return 0;
 	default:
 	    CANT_HAPPEN("bad OPTYPE");
@@ -297,6 +299,7 @@ nstr_comp_val(char *str, struct valstr*val, int type)
  * Promote VALTYPE.
  * If VALTYPE is an integer type, return NSC_LONG.
  * If VALTYPE is a floating-point type, return NSC_DOUBLE.
+ * If VALTYPE is NSC_STRINGY, return NSC_STRING.
  * If VALTYPE is NSC_NOTYPE, NSC_STRING or NSC_TYPEID, return VALTYPE.
  */
 static int
@@ -322,6 +325,9 @@ nstr_promote(int valtype)
     case NSC_FLOAT:
 	valtype = NSC_DOUBLE;
 	break;
+    case NSC_STRINGY:
+	valtype = NSC_STRING;
+	break;
     default:
 	CANT_HAPPEN("bad VALTYPE");
 	valtype = NSC_NOTYPE;
@@ -450,8 +456,13 @@ nstr_exec_val(struct valstr *val, natid cnum, void *ptr, nsc_type want)
 	    val->val_as.dbl = ((double *)memb_ptr)[idx];
 	    valtype = NSC_DOUBLE;
 	    break;
+	case NSC_STRINGY:
+	    CANT_HAPPEN(idx);
+	    val->val_as.str = (char *)memb_ptr;
+	    valtype = NSC_STRING;
+	    break;
 	case NSC_STRING:
-	    val->val_as.str = *(char **)memb_ptr;
+	    val->val_as.str = ((char **)memb_ptr)[idx];
 	    valtype = NSC_STRING;
 	    break;
 	case NSC_TIME: