Controls
A starship has a lot of equipment that calls for interaction with the Crew, from maintaining the drives to weapons, airlocks, and just getting the ship from place to place. By long tradition the Pilot of a starship occupies the ship's Bridge, whether his is the only seat on a tiny Scout ship or one seat in a massive command center on a warship with thousands of crew. There are advantages (p. 327, “The Bridge”) to clustering other crew stations with the Pilot on a common Bridge, but you need not do so and T5 does not define a Bridge as being a specific size.
Most prior editions of Traveller assign a specific volume to "Bridge" functions, but even these did not require that those functions all be in the same room. In T5 ship control functions are centralized in a number of Consoles or Workstations (p. 325, “Consoles”) which may be clustered in one place, scattered about the ship, or some combination of the two. A Console is a computer, subordinate to the ship’s Master Computer, which is capable of performing tasks on any control panel in its network. When working alone, the Console uses its Tech Level as its task target number. When operated by a person, the character's Characteristic + Skill us used instead.
Our Free Trader requires many control panels, based on the number and size of the mechanisms (pp. 325 and 345) that require them. These may all be clustered into one Console (p. 345) – assuming one crew member can handle all typical starship operations – or as many Consoles as there are Control Panels, for a 100% automated starship. At TL10, a Control Panel operating autonomously has an Asset of 10, which is not quite sufficient for an Average task. This means that starship automation is not very effective at TL10. Therefore, this ship requires at least one crew member to operate it.
The Beowulf is designed for a crew of 4: Pilot/Astrogator, Engineer, Medic, and Steward. Its control stations are broken out into Bridge, Engineering, and Support.
The Bridge has two Control Consoles, for the pilot and an optional co-pilot, which allow the pilot to fly the ship as needed. The Bridge also has an Operating Console for sensors, and a second Operating Console for the ship’s Computer. Having a Bridge grants a Control Ergonomics +2 mod to the daily Mishap roll for the ship (pp. 327, 348; ref p. 196). The Consoles on the Bridge are also Spacious (p. 345), which also affects the Ship Ergonomics rating (p. 348). At two tons per spacious control station, the Bridge is therefore 8 tons. The cost for the Bridge equipment is two Control Consoles (2 x KCr 200) plus two Operating Consoles (2 x KCr 100), for a total of KCr 600.
A Model/2bis Computer is added for two tons and MCr 7.5 (p. 345), to aid crew operations, and to permit simple automation of one or two crew positions if need be. The Computer substitutes its TL to tasks being performed. Since the ship is built at TL10, the computer is also TL10. That doesn't stop you from installing a higher TL computer, however; talk to your referee about that.
The Beowulf also has three dedicated Operating Consoles in engineering, one each for the Power Plant, Maneuver Drive, and Jump Drive. As with the Bridge, these controls are Spacious (p. 345). The total tonnage for engineering controls is (3 x 2t) 6 tons, and the total cost is (3 x KCr 100) KCr 300.
Finally, the ship has two General Consoles, called Workstations, for use by the Steward and the Medic. Workstations are an affordable type of Console. These are “Typical”, rather than Spacious (p. 345). Each is 1 ton, and each costs KCr 50.
A starship has a lot of equipment that calls for interaction with the Crew, from maintaining the drives to weapons, airlocks, and just getting the ship from place to place. By long tradition the Pilot of a starship occupies the ship's Bridge, whether his is the only seat on a tiny Scout ship or one seat in a massive command center on a warship with thousands of crew. There are advantages (p. 327, “The Bridge”) to clustering other crew stations with the Pilot on a common Bridge, but you need not do so and T5 does not define a Bridge as being a specific size.
Most prior editions of Traveller assign a specific volume to "Bridge" functions, but even these did not require that those functions all be in the same room. In T5 ship control functions are centralized in a number of Consoles or Workstations (p. 325, “Consoles”) which may be clustered in one place, scattered about the ship, or some combination of the two. A Console is a computer, subordinate to the ship’s Master Computer, which is capable of performing tasks on any control panel in its network. When working alone, the Console uses its Tech Level as its task target number. When operated by a person, the character's Characteristic + Skill us used instead.
Our Free Trader requires many control panels, based on the number and size of the mechanisms (pp. 325 and 345) that require them. These may all be clustered into one Console (p. 345) – assuming one crew member can handle all typical starship operations – or as many Consoles as there are Control Panels, for a 100% automated starship. At TL10, a Control Panel operating autonomously has an Asset of 10, which is not quite sufficient for an Average task. This means that starship automation is not very effective at TL10. Therefore, this ship requires at least one crew member to operate it.
The Beowulf is designed for a crew of 4: Pilot/Astrogator, Engineer, Medic, and Steward. Its control stations are broken out into Bridge, Engineering, and Support.
The Bridge has two Control Consoles, for the pilot and an optional co-pilot, which allow the pilot to fly the ship as needed. The Bridge also has an Operating Console for sensors, and a second Operating Console for the ship’s Computer. Having a Bridge grants a Control Ergonomics +2 mod to the daily Mishap roll for the ship (pp. 327, 348; ref p. 196). The Consoles on the Bridge are also Spacious (p. 345), which also affects the Ship Ergonomics rating (p. 348). At two tons per spacious control station, the Bridge is therefore 8 tons. The cost for the Bridge equipment is two Control Consoles (2 x KCr 200) plus two Operating Consoles (2 x KCr 100), for a total of KCr 600.
A Model/2bis Computer is added for two tons and MCr 7.5 (p. 345), to aid crew operations, and to permit simple automation of one or two crew positions if need be. The Computer substitutes its TL to tasks being performed. Since the ship is built at TL10, the computer is also TL10. That doesn't stop you from installing a higher TL computer, however; talk to your referee about that.
The Beowulf also has three dedicated Operating Consoles in engineering, one each for the Power Plant, Maneuver Drive, and Jump Drive. As with the Bridge, these controls are Spacious (p. 345). The total tonnage for engineering controls is (3 x 2t) 6 tons, and the total cost is (3 x KCr 100) KCr 300.
Finally, the ship has two General Consoles, called Workstations, for use by the Steward and the Medic. Workstations are an affordable type of Console. These are “Typical”, rather than Spacious (p. 345). Each is 1 ton, and each costs KCr 50.
Code:
A-BS11 (Beowulf-class Free Trader) TL 10
Volume Component MCr Notes
200 Hull B, SL 14
- Plate structure - AV 10
- Landing Skids - Flat surfaces
10 Jump Drive A 10 Jump-1
20 Jump Fuel - 1 parsec
2 Maneuver A 4 1G accel
4 Power Plant A 4 1 month = 2t fuel
2 P-Plant Fuel - 1 month
1 Fuel Scoops 0.1 200t/hr
1 Fuel Intakes 0.1 40t/hr
- Default Sensors -
1 Life Support 1 10 people/1 month
1 Luxury LS 1 Fancy stuff
8 Bridge 0.6 Spacious Ctl x 2, Op x 2
2 Model/2bis 7.5
6 Engineering 0.3 Spacious Op x 3
1 Steward's Console 0.05 Workstation
1 Medic's Console 0.05 Workstation
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