Hammer Class 100 ton Merchant

[Beerfume]

Hammer Class 100 ton Merchant (deck plan and images)

My latest small merchant ship can be found at my blog here: Hammer Class Merchant.

 

[kilemall]

Er, can this ship pay it's bills?

Looks to me like the sort of thing the Scouts might operate as an S variant and the only way it's viable is near end of life as surplus and cheap. Firm Seeker territory. Or a smuggler craft with shielded fuel tanks/compartments.

OR just thought about it, effectively a short jump range supergig, carrying 15 tons of critical parts and doubling up staterooms for key personnel moves, the sort of thing a big cruiser, carrier or capital ship would have on hand. Equivalent of a Greyhound.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_C-2_Greyhound

 

[atpollard]

Er, can this ship pay it's bills?

Looks to me like the sort of thing the Scouts might operate as an S variant and the only way it's viable is near end of life as surplus and cheap. Firm Seeker territory. Or a smuggler craft with shielded fuel tanks/compartments.

It can in LBB 2.

Hang out on an Industrial World until 6 dTons of Computers come up for sale at 'average' price (7-2= 5 = 80% = MCr 48 for 6 dTons of Computers). Haul them to the nearest Poor, Non-Industrial world and sell them at an 'average' price (7+3= 10 = 130% = MCr 78). That leaves MCr 30 (less fuel and crew salaries) profit. How much did that ship cost? Does it still have a mortgage?


[Obviously, few Characters starting out have the initial cash, so you will need to start with smaller cargoes, but I could see a lot of fun in the dirtside adventures to track down buyers and sellers for potentially high profit speculative cargoes of up to 15 dTons. So I think that the bills can be paid if that is the game you want to play.]

 

[kilemall]

It can in LBB 2.

Hang out on an Industrial World until 6 dTons of Computers come up for sale at 'average' price (7-2= 5 = 80% = MCr 48 for 6 dTons of Computers). Haul them to the nearest Poor, Non-Industrial world and sell them at an 'average' price (7+3= 10 = 130% = MCr 78). That leaves MCr 30 (less fuel and crew salaries) profit. How much did that ship cost? Does it still have a mortgage?


[Obviously, few Characters starting out have the initial cash, so you will need to start with smaller cargoes, but I could see a lot of fun in the dirtside adventures to track down buyers and sellers for potentially high profit speculative cargoes of up to 15 dTons. So I think that the bills can be paid if that is the game you want to play.]

Hmm indeed, I've postulated the gentleman trader version of interstellar trade before, thing is you don't need to tie yourself to a mortgage anchor, just have the capital to buy and pay cargo rates to move it (plus the passage for yourself as go-along factor).

Not to mention you effectively double the price of the ship after financing.

So maybe an item you buy AFTER the Big Score for convenience and/or vanity sake, or having a ship on tap to move radioactives out of a low-end port that doesn't see regular service.

But I'd still be thinking Far Trader for that kind of buy, just for cargo flexibility.

Hmm, try this arrangement on for size- the gentleman trader gets his Big Score, buys a ship cash, and is now the owner, but does not want to be tied down to operating it which takes him away from making another Big Score.

So he works out an arrangement with a captain and crew- they pay for expenses, pay him half of all regular passenger and cargo receipts, and they keep the rest and any speculation cargo they can score. In addition, he has rights to call on the ship to come get him and his speculative cargo, and reside in the owner's suite at ship's expense. Sweet built-in profits for all without a mortgage monkey on the back.

Gentleman trader gets a steady stream of return, ship oncall for his needs at remote ports, and can still liquidate it for speculative capital assuming it survives the rigors of operations.

 

[atpollard]

But I'd still be thinking Far Trader for that kind of buy, just for cargo flexibility.

I agree, but the 100 dTon ship offers some interesting possibilities itself. For example, it only requires a PILOT to operate (like the Scout), so the Gentleman Trader need hire only one loyal crew member to transport him where he wants, when he wants. The Owner can be a Broker and the one to arrange the profits on buying and selling and the ship still has a stateroom for Security if that proves desirable, or an engineer, or any other dual crew position. It offers flexibility of operation with a tiny minimum crew or accomodating a fair sized group of friends.

The 15 dTon cargo hold and starship hull serve their most valuable function as a mobile, maximum security warehouse for the goods. Wherever you are, there is a low probability that someone is stealing your cargo from the warehouse while you wait a week for the market to recover from a temporary crisis. As you pointed out, it is going where you want, when you want. No long waits on a D port for a ship heading your way.

 

[kilemall]

I could see taking the 30 MCr score, buying a used Hammer for 15 MCr as an interim step and preserving 15 MCr operating capital, then trading up after a few more wins.

Would also be interesting to see if some ditch the air/raft and get a bit more cargo space.

 

[Whipsnade]

We reached the end of the alphabet, but we haven't reached the end of Beerfume's generosity. I especially love the different ways you can load the hold; above or through the air lock.

Another excellent deckplan greedily squirreled away into my Black Hole of Quality!


Kilemall/ATPollard - I really like the ideas you two have been sharing about some of the possible owners of Beerfume's design. Please keep ping-ponging those ideas back and forth regarding both the Gentlemen Trader and Big Score owners.

For whatever reason, I first thought of the design as a subbie-lite of sorts. It would service a trace or scatters of relatively poor lo-pop worlds that need scheduled visits but who can't afford a full size subbie and/or the jump2 version of the same.

Look at the Gulf, Zeng, and Vestus subsectors in the corner of Deneb/Reft, especially Gulf and Vestus. The X-boats skirt the edges while the worlds in the center are mostly lo-pop and poor with little trade. A duchy could subsidize a few Hammer-class traders to move around what little needs to be moved around while also keeping a friendly eye on the "boonies". After their service life, Hammers could be had for cheap.

 

[Burocrate]

Hammer Class Merchant

I am no naval architect nor am I an economics specialist, that being said, I love this little ship. I have always gravitated towards small 'adventure class' ships and this IMvHO is a perfect example of the species. I cannot wait to scare up another game and inflict minor (or not so minor) quirks upon my players when I allow them access to one of these beauties.

And then I read in the blog that there is a backlog of old designs just waiting to be cleaned up and posted!!!

I nominate Beerfume for the SEH (Starburst for Extreme Helpfulness) in providing so much solid material for our Grand Olde Game.

 

[Leitz]

Another option is to be the owner/pilot with speculative funds and keep purchase agents on retainer. They stay on their worlds and know your schedule. With an extra week or three they can better choose speculative cargo and put enough down to hold it until you arrive. Ships jumps in, cargo is waiting, ship refuels, unloads, loads, and is gone within a day. Small cargo, large profits, and everyone gets a good cut from a rich pie.

 

[Swiftbrook]

I think this could be more profitable if:
1) Eliminate the Air/Raft.
2) Reduce crew to two: pilot/navigator and engineer/gunner.
3) Eliminate med-bay
4) Add your choice of passenger staterooms (small, not full size) and cargo.
5) Add fuel scoops and purifier.

6) Use MT rules to reduce fuel to 15 dtons for jump.

 

[flykiller]

given it's hockypuck profile I can see this transiting some hostile environment and hurtling into some minimal airlock, sort of like that scene in the vin diesel movie on crematoria.

 

[alveric]

I think this could be more profitable if:
...
3) Eliminate med-bay
...

I've never understood why more ships *don't* have med-bays. You're out there in the Black (sorry, been watching Firefly) or in jump space, for weeks at a time. I'm pretty sure you want a med-bay.

 

[kilemall]

I've never understood why more ships *don't* have med-bays. You're out there in the Black (sorry, been watching Firefly) or in jump space, for weeks at a time. I'm pretty sure you want a med-bay.

I did those brutal wound/disease rules, now I'm thinking I don't step out of the orbital hab without a medic hired and equipped! The medic is not an optional crew member, and a full surgeon is worth gold to a merc outfit.

 

[flykiller]

I've never understood why more ships *don't* have med-bays.

medbays, and the doctors to run them, are quite a hit to the profit margin.

 

[pendragonman]

medbays, and the doctors to run them, are quite a hit to the profit margin.

But a med bay and a doctor, working a circuit of low pop frontier colonies, can be a Public Service, Good Public Relations, or Just Plain Profit.

*Capitalization for emphasis

 

[aramis]

I've never understood why more ships *don't* have med-bays. You're out there in the Black (sorry, been watching Firefly) or in jump space, for weeks at a time. I'm pretty sure you want a med-bay.

If you're a merchant, no, you do NOT want a med bay.

1: it takes up profitable tonnage for non-profitable tonnage
2: it adds to maintenance costs
3: it adds to monthly payments
4: you're almost never more than 8 days from port

Merchants are NOT explorers as a rule.
The margins on CT and MGT shipping are pretty damned slim. (More so when you consider the absurdly low prices on passages in MGT 1.) Losing 4 tons of space and increasing costs by Cr8333 per month, plus Cr166/mo setaside towards annual maintenance is while losing Cr4000 in cargo income?

that's a KCr12 loss monthly.

THAT is the primary reason why few ships have them.

When you add that most merchants have a few low berths....
if someone needs a sickbay, you thaw a popsicle, and put the injured guy in instead.

 

[lostscout5]

Nice little design. But why a pop up turret? Doesn't that cost more and take up more space? Wouldn't a regular turret be more efficent?

 

[boomslang]

Nice little design. But why a pop up turret? Doesn't that cost more and take up more space? Wouldn't a regular turret be more efficent?

Yeah, that was my thinking; a regular old blister turret should free up about 2 dtons, by my count.

Then a computer upgrade (to something useful for more than just routine flight ops -- such as a Model/2) and an emergency low berth could be added.

Going beyond that, ditch the third unnecessary crewman and their stateroom (B2 says you only really need just the Pilot), then instead of an emergency low berth as above, there is room to carry 5 dtons of Mail in addition to the cargo (with the second crewman technically listed as a Gunner).

There are lots of possibilities for variants of the basic Type S; the form factor and deck plans of this Hammer-class hull are a nice alternative to the tired old Suleiman, indeed, and are (as intended) begging to be repurposed for PC use/abuse...

 

[Whipsnade]

4: you're almost never more than 8 days from port

Beat me to it, Wil.

Traveller starships are rarely "boldly going" on some "five year mission". Instead, they're darting from port to port with little need for all the extended life support, hydroponic bays, carniculture vats, med bays, and other endurance enhancing gee-gaws everyone love to pimp their ride with.

... if someone needs a sickbay, you thaw a popsicle, and put the injured guy in instead.

Beat me to it again, Wil.

I'll add Fast Drug too. Slowing down someone's metabolism at a 60:1 ratio can really help.

 

[atpollard]

Beat me to it, Wil.

Traveller starships are rarely "boldly going" on some "five year mission". Instead, they're darting from port to port with little need for all the extended life support, hydroponic bays, carniculture vats, med bays, and other endurance enhancing gee-gaws everyone love to pimp their ride with.



Beat me to it again, Wil.

I'll add Fast Drug too. Slowing down someone's metabolism at a 60:1 ratio can really help.

Definitely true for the OTU.
It actually highlights one of the things that MT: Hard Times added to the game ... you finally had places where normal regulations didn't apply and those things (extended life support, med bays) mattered. Something I ported back to Prototraveller ... the high risk, high gain frontier.