A ship design question

[spank]

I'm designing a 200 ton ship and the rules say the bridge has to be at least 20 tons of that. That's a lot of wasted space. I was wondering how much of this can be "recovered" 10 tons of this has to be alocated to the "main" bridge stations, airlocks are one thig i could use the space for 3 tons, so that's 13 tons what else can i legaly spend the other 7 tons on, can I put the captains cabin in this space? how about the computers, {also can anyone tell me how to figure the size of the ships computers}

 

[Granpafishy]

I don't know about computer sizes, but part of the sensor and comunication equipment can be located there. That's been indicated in canon illistrations, although I won't vouch for size.

Granpafishy

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by spank:
I'm designing a 200 ton ship and the rules say the bridge has to be at least 20 tons of that. That's a lot of wasted space. I was wondering how much of this can be "recovered" 10 tons of this has to be alocated to the "main" bridge stations, airlocks are one thig i could use the space for 3 tons, so that's 13 tons what else can i legaly spend the other 7 tons on, can I put the captains cabin in this space? how about the computers, {also can anyone tell me how to figure the size of the ships computers}

The way you have worded the question it looks like you're talking T20 so...

First - Strictly speaking you can't reduce the minimum required bridge allocation and call it a canon design, that said, like Hunter preaches, "It's your game folks, play it however YOU want to play it."

The rules seem to allow you to put almost anything you want in that allocation (after a minimum of 10T or more on bigger ships) to fill it up as I interpret the section "The Bridge" on p 262. Its this second 10T section that I think the free airlock should fall into.

IMTU follows...

Personally I've decided to split my own personal use only designs up as:

A) 50% basic systems required to operate the ship including 1 bridge station per 200T of ship (minimum 5) This section also includes a very basic backup to the main computer and electronics, equivalent to a model 0 (zero) across the board.

B) 15% standard airlock access points (minimum 1 of 3T)

C) 10% basic ship's locker (contains minimal safety and emergency repair parts and tools)

D) 25% contragrav lifters and attitude controls

This is the minimum requirement for a commercially licensed starship. Custom built privately owned ships may be able to eliminate some of the above. For example:

A ship could be built as completely computer controlled and eliminate section A above.

A ship who's owner sees no need for such 'frills' could eliminate sections B and C, but would be in trouble if he needed rescue from another ship or wished to dock with a highport in the case of B, and in the case of C if he ever had a breakdown or fire he'd be in big trouble.

A ship that will never land on a planet could do without section D.

end of IMTU.

Second - The "Ship's Computer" lists the "size" of the computer core. To get the total for the whole computer just add the "size" of the selected "Flight Avionics", "Ship Sensors" and "Communications" from the appropriate tables. If the design is for a FIB computer double the total.

 

[Tom Schoene]

I'll assume this is in T20.

The T20 rules about bridges are (IMO) very poorly worded. They talk about 10 tons for bridge and the rest for other stuff, but there's no example to help make sense of it. If earlier versions of Traveller are any indication, that 20 tons is not supposed to be used for anything else -- it covers whatever basic systems any ship must have to operate in space. I would rule that one airlock is included at no cost or tonnage, but nothing else.

The perpetual confusion over this is why any vehicle design sequence should include a working example to show how the system is meant to work.

Now, determining the size of the ship's computer is pretty strightforward: the core has a certain tonnage (the size column of the chart), as does each of the subsystems you pick -- avionics, sensors, communications). Just add them up.

For example, if I have a Model/5 computer (Size=0.5) with Model/2 Avionics (Size=0.8), Model/4 sensors (Size=1.2) and Model/5 Communications (Size=1.0), the computer has a total tonnage of 3.5 tons (0.5 + 0.8 + 1.2 + 1.0).

The computer is in addition to the bridge displacement.

 

[spank]

My big hang-up is 20 dtons is alot of space the "bridge" of the ship would be 32.8 feet long 41 feet wide and 8.2 feet tall.

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by spank:
My big hang-up is 20 dtons is alot of space the "bridge" of the ship would be 32.8 feet long 41 feet wide and 8.2 feet tall.

That would be a problem but the "bridge" has always been a catch all term for any number of systems that "make the ship work". This would be (in general I believe and IMTU certainly) the workstaions and access to them for the crew, typically a Pilot, Astrogator, Electronics Officer (computer, sensors and comms) and Captain, in additon to one for the Chief Engineer which isn't necessarily on the "bridge" proper. Note not all those positions would be required all the time but provision would be made for them. Then there are the safety systems like fire suppresion, and the security systems to tie into the Anti-Hijack, and any number of other minor but vital systems. Next would be the Ship's Lockers with portable gear, tools and parts for when the automated systems fail or you need to repair something, along with 5 vacc-suits for the crew. There's also the primary airlock and its associated systems. There's more but I think I said it above

Same goes for every other component on a starship btw. A stateroom for example is listed as 4dT but that doesn't mean the occupant has a 6m by 3m by 3m room(s) to furnish. According to T20 the acutal room is only 62.5% of that volume with the rest being applied to common spaces and access and life support (usually in the space above and/or below the quarters and common spaces and acccess. IMTU I find 50% works better or it gets pretty hard to make a comfortable mess/galley/recreation space.

 

[mark_rotteveel]

That would be a problem but the "bridge" has always been a catch all term for any number of systems that "make the ship work". This would be (in general I believe and IMTU certainly) the workstaions and access to them for the crew, typically a Pilot, Astrogator, Electronics Officer (computer, sensors and comms)

I'd have to agree here. IMTU I also put in a position (depending on the size of the ship) for a PWO (Principal Warefare Officer) and his cronies. Also, if you're putting the comms guys in the bridge (which I do, too), you may want a small sealed section for them - to keep the physical security of sensitive material intact. All Need To Know basis, etc.

Rotters.
(Living with a Vargr gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Wassup, Dog?')

 

[vegascat]

In that 20 tons or 2%, you must include the obvious, command chairs, workstations, and the view screens. YOu must also include the repulsor plates for landing, thrusters for vacuum attitude control, flaps for atmospheric attutude control, a bay for avionic electronics, sensors, and communications equipment. Of course you can still take three tons for an airlock.

 

[mark_rotteveel]

Crikey, Vegascat! I don't think I've ever seen so meany big words in one entry

Go to the top of the class, mate And they all made sense, too (of course, I won't admit I had to look most of them up in a dictionary

)