*rubs chin* Yeeeeeeeah. *sigh*
Designing things (like, for, wild example,
ships) was a wossit sight easier under CT and MT, I have to say. *grumble*
Right. Back to the gruddam drawing board.
I take everything you guys have said on board; they're well-aimed, well-made, and make sense. I'd like to be able to design this damn thing under the earlier rules sets, but as it's *eventually* intended for use in an adventure to be used at a convention, I'm having to use the MgT rules.
So.
Let's see if we can't fix this animal a different way. Nurse: The mallet; I have to anaesthetist the patient. *bonk* *snore*
ships boat first. yes, there will be times where the starship should not, cannot, or even must not, dock in zero-gee or zero-atmo: A boat is therefore required. 20 tons is too darn big, takes up too much valuable space on the ship, and an air/raft is not the sort of thing you use for that problem - Brandon's suggestion therefore has weight (sic :rofl

to it , and will be employed (
another darn design. Oh frabjous joy).
Question: Can one be designed under MgT/HG 2e that can carry either a standard cargo container, or pax (or even both?), and still meet the ten-ton requirement? Armament and high gee thrust is not required, merely 1g thrust and zero in the way of bang-bangs. Also, crew - one preferred?
Next up, the ship.
Crew first: Ideally, I'd like to keep it down to six:
- Pilot (purser & boat pilot),
- Nav (sensors & boat pilot),
- Eng (no second hat, he has well enough to do),
- Medic (steward),
- Gunners (mechanic) and
- Gunner (steward).
The ship must be a 300-ton hull. It should be streamlined, and have integral fuel scoops, and enough processors to convert wilderness fuel to processed fuel within 24 hours. It should have enough endurance, fuel-wise, for one x jump-2, and four weeks of operations. It must also actually be
capable of Jump-2 and ideally Manoeuvre-2 (Thrust-2), and have power plant capacity to run everything at full tilt, including the *$&% computer as well!
It is
highly desirable that the computer should be able to run, in order of importance, the following:
Mandatory:
- Manoeuvre /0
- Library /0
- Intellect
- Anti Hijack /2
- Jump Control /2
- Auto repair /2
HIGHLY desirable:
- Broad Spectrum EW
- Electronic Warfare /2
- Evade /2
- Point Defence /2
- Fire Control /2
Passengers. Pax are high-earning when compared to cargo, and should be included.
Low pax x 10 is fine, any more and it gets a little expensive on medics, if I recall correctly.
Mid/High x 5 or 6 is the limit, I think. Any more and you lose too much space for cargo.
I have to say that Flykiller and Whipsnade have good points regarding subsidising the thing. However, IIRC, a subsidised trader has to stick to pre-determined routes, does it not? That tends to rule out on-the-fly adventuring, cargos off the beaten track, and ... ahem... 'missions', surely?
Finances wise, it also has to either pay for itself, or be subsidised. I'd prefer it be able to pay for itself, and add a fair profit to things.
Thoughts on the above?