A multi-"hull" asteroid vessel

[Enoki]

This isn't exactly covered by existing design rules. What if you wanted to build a six asteroid "hull" ship such that the asteroids were connected by substantial conventional ship components?
Yes, this would be a sort of dispersed / frame hull but the combination of using asteroids and conventional ship framing isn't really covered.

Any suggestions?

 

[nobby-w]

This isn't exactly covered by existing design rules. What if you wanted to build a six asteroid "hull" ship such that the asteroids were connected by substantial conventional ship components?
Yes, this would be a sort of dispersed / frame hull but the combination of using asteroids and conventional ship framing isn't really covered.

Any suggestions?

Just build it as an asteroid hull and fill in the gaps with narrative. Treat it as an asteroid hull.

 

[Winged Cat]

It's a single asteroid hull ship. That it's made of six connected asteroids doesn't change the mechanics...unless those six asteroids were intended to break apart into six ships, in which case use breakaway hulls as well as asteroid hulls.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

With MgT2 we can use pods or breakaway hulls to combine several different hulls potentially with different configurations.

With T5 we can easily make several different sub-hulls with different configurations.

The principle seems to be that if you have a 60% asteroid hull you take 60% of the cost and properties of an asteroid hull, and so on...

I don't see any difficulty?

 

[Condottiere]

Multi hull isn't an issue, unless you accelerate, then it's a question of structural intehrity.

So space station yes, pod racer depends.

 

[whartung]

It's a single asteroid hull ship. That it's made of six connected asteroids doesn't change the mechanics...unless those six asteroids were intended to break apart into six ships, in which case use breakaway hulls as well as asteroid hulls.

It's either 6 asteroids structurally, and tightly bound together to end up more as a "single" form, or I'd consider is a Dispersed Structure type of ship with strong, rocky nodules connected by girders and plumbing.

 

[Selandia]

I have a system defense cache in the asteroid belt deployed by having a tender (dispersed hull structure) carry the sub hulls/pods to deployment spot.

T5 have no problems with multiple hulls/pod

have fun

Selandia

 

[infojunky]

Any suggestions?

Stretch the rules you do have to fit. Honestly you abe X% as asteroid hulled ship and the remaining Y% as standard hulled ship. Assign costs along those lines. Construction rules are easy. The hard part is Combat rules if your going to be all Wargamey about it...

 

[Topaz172]

Asterooid is about as variable a description as 'rock'

Granite and Sandstone are different (one doesn't turn to sand when your clothes brush the surface)

If you look at the non-metallic asteroids recently visited by space probes... they are basically piles of gravel held together by willpower. This type would be very easy to sculpt/excavate but would not be something you'd want to rely on for structural integrity.

conversely an 'Iron Condrite' (sp) is a lump of steel ..very hard to excavate, but as good as battle-rider armour.

So assuming you found an asteroid with the 'sweet-spot' composition that's not too hard to work and not utterly fragile... you still have the problem that its a naturally applying formation with no manufactured uniformity. I would suggest that a 'snake-eyes roll' might result in a hit to a naturally weak area of the asteroid that causes a fracture that puts hairline cracks all the way to the core. (Players cope with tiny cracks with an int roll to realize the ship just broke in two and is held together by tradition and plot glue)