MgT has a mechanic for that (degrees of success and failure). I incorporate it informally.
Boughene Station Blues (OOC & Etc.) Gamestory
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Hairy Jim DeGriz
SOC-12
Random: Doc Martin - I can't get the Young Ones out of my head: "Docter Marten's Boots". I'm guessing that Medic Annie Oakley also has Rifle -3. "Annie, get your gun..."
That works too. (I was thinking "laser cannon" rather than "long rifle" but hey why not?)
I'm assuming you checked the "character name in-jokes list" post I mentioned upthread? That name was an intentional reference to the Squeeze song from the '80s rather than the musical.
Commentary:
Nobody needs to know the Dame personally to fit in (it could be possible, but isn't necessary -- she's the patron, sort of, not a primary character).
I just put that there so when she shows up in my next stage-scenery-shuffling post (coming soon, since I think the predicate new character issues are getting squared away), you'll know who I'm talking about.
I'll try to do likewise for other significant characters and NPCs.
Nobody needs to know the Dame personally to fit in (it could be possible, but isn't necessary -- she's the patron, sort of, not a primary character).
I just put that there so when she shows up in my next stage-scenery-shuffling post (coming soon, since I think the predicate new character issues are getting squared away), you'll know who I'm talking about.
I'll try to do likewise for other significant characters and NPCs.
Hairy Jim DeGriz
SOC-12
I did not! Hence my Broadway / historic reference to Annie. Contacts: Bill Cody? And I keep seeing Henry Rollins instead of Roland. I was a college radio DJ and worked in a Record Store in the 80's, so I'm digging the music references. I was also an ROTC cadet. What a Long Strange Trip It's Been.I'm assuming you checked the "character name in-jokes list" post I mentioned upthread? That name was an intentional reference to the Squeeze song from the '80s rather than the musical.
Hairy Jim DeGriz
SOC-12
Collaborative story telling - I'm throwing spaghetti at walls to see what sticks and give you some more options to craft the story. Also, REALLY enjoying this exercise.
Thanks! I'm interested in seeing where this goes, and any help is appreciated.
Hairy Jim DeGriz
SOC-12
As the prospective Engineer, and Business Agent for the Albatross, might I recommend that we route through Efate to obtain survey / exploration gear. I have contacts there, my former employer is based there. It's a larger population with more available goodies, including surplus scout equipment from the way station. And a larger population usually means better prices, including speculative cargo (if we have room). Since these engines look to be MILSPEC, I don't think we have to worry about unrefined fuel.
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
That's up to the captain, as to whether or not a "pit stop" at Efate is warranted. It will make the journey to Ghandi (and on to Victoria/Ylaven take longer (more jumps), but given how badly GP imploded the drives on the Annic Nova, time isn't exactly the most pressing issue. I was simply providing the "fastest and safest" route from Boughene/Regina to Ghandi/Lanth contingent upon the starport options within range of each port of call.
That said, going to Efate to "gear up" for the expedition does sound like a good idea.
Boughene is TL=13 with government: 3 and law level: 1, but Non-industrial.
Efate is TL=13 with government: 3 and law level: 0, but Industrial.
Boughene is "pretty permissive" as far as law goes, but Efate is "everything goes" (and because it's ruled by self-perpetuating oligarchs, EVERYTHING MUST GO!).
I'm reminded of one of the old Zik Zak commercials with the tag line:
Input requested: Guns. Lots of guns.
@Hairy Jim DeGriz and @Spinward Flow :
Albatross is getting a second turret. Current armament is 1 triple turret: Missile, Beam Laser, Sandcaster.
While your PCs aren't yet (in the narrative timeline) part of the crew, I'll metagame and let you two pick which weapons are installed.
@Hairy Jim DeGriz and @Spinward Flow :
Albatross is getting a second turret. Current armament is 1 triple turret: Missile, Beam Laser, Sandcaster.
While your PCs aren't yet (in the narrative timeline) part of the crew, I'll metagame and let you two pick which weapons are installed.
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
Depends on the application/use case.
Conventional/commercial would simply be another identical triple turret (with both loading TL=13 weapons for the extra +1DM code factor). Keeps the training needed for them common and therefore simpler. Just organize 2x Missile, 2x Beam Laser and 2x Sandcaster batteries and call it a day. Note that a triple turret (MCr1) plus Missile, Beam Laser and Sandcaster will cost MCr3 in total.
A more interesting use case for variety would be a dual turret with a TL=13 Fusion Gun plus something else (Missile, another Beam Laser or another Sandcaster). There should be plenty of surplus EP to power a Fusion Gun without affecting Agility. A Fusion Gun would be really useful for "demolitions work" where you don't want to have to use explosives to clear "stuff" in order to reach what you're interested in getting at. Downside to a Fusion Gun (aside from the MCr2 cost) is that the shots fired from it are undergoing actual Fusion (briefly) ... which means that they would show up on Neutrino Sensors, which according to TravellerWiki are a TL=10 item (and you'd better believe that military and paramilitary ship sensor suites would have Neutrino Sensors at TL=10+ for detection of fusion reactions). The primary use case for such sensors is the detection of fusion power plants (which most starships have) while powered up, so if their transponder is off but the power plant is running the ship will still show up on sensors. Of course, you need the fusion power plant to provide the EP needed to power the fusion gun, so ... no free lunch there as far as clandestine use goes there (can't shield neutrinos to prevent them radiating away).
Still kind of partial to my twin dual turrets idea of sandcaster/missile and laser/plasma gun, since that combination has so much roleplaying potential.
Triple Turret: Sandcaster, Beam Laser, Missile = MCr3 (including cost of triple turret), 1 ton, EP=1
Dual Turret: Sandcaster, Missile = MCr1.5 (including cost of dual turret), 1 ton, EP=0
Dual Turret: Pulse Laser, Fusion Gun = MCr3 (including cost of dual turret), 2 tons, EP=3
TL=13 Batteries: 1 Sandcaster (code: 3), 1 Pulse Laser (code: 2), 1 Fusion Gun (code: 4), 1 Missile (code: 2)
Note: According to TravellerWiki, an adaptor kit can be fitted to a Pulse Laser to turn rapidly convert it into a Mining Laser for prospecting work and would be standard equipment for Belters. Add either a Plasma Gun or a Fusion Gun for bulk demolitions work alongside the Mining Laser for controlled precision work and you've got a really good combination, while still having a missile launcher for standoff demolitions (and the laser act as a low power target designator for the launched missile's guidance system for precision shooting as a roleplaying synergy). A very useful mix of capabilities if you ask me ... but then, I'm the Navigator
... what do I know about Gunnery
and Prospecting
(let alone Exploration and Survey)? According to LBB2.81, p23:
- Hardpoint: MCr0.1
- Single Turret: MCr0.2
- Dual Turret: MCr0.5
- Triple Turret: MCr1
Triple Turret: Sandcaster, Beam Laser, Beam Laser = MCr3.25 (including cost of triple turret), 1 ton, EP=2
Dual Turret: Fusion Gun, Missile = MCr3.25 (including cost of dual turret), 2 tons, EP=2
TL=13 Batteries: 1 Sandcaster (code: 3), 1 Beam Laser (code: 3), 1 Fusion Gun (code: 4), 1 Missile (code: 2)
All things considered, if cost is an issue (and it sounds like it won't be with GP footing the bill?) it would probably be best to procure and install any new armament on the Albatross here at Boughene, rather than jumping to Efate and trying to procure the weapons there.
Anyway, that's my Cr2.
Oh and how much fire control is reserved for that extra turret?
If it's only 1 ton of fire control reserved, we're back to the Sand/Laser/Missile triple turret as the best option if we don't want to sacrifice cargo space.
Comments:
1. I'm leaning toward LBB2 space combat rather than LBB5. A lot of it (if it happens) will be partially-offstage since it would be just between NPCs (gunners and adversaries) anyhow. That is, the text description may focus on how it is experienced by the crew.
2. If you're going with the "hide the starship, land the smallcraft" plan, there's not much reason to arm the starship itself with mining equipment.
1. I'm leaning toward LBB2 space combat rather than LBB5. A lot of it (if it happens) will be partially-offstage since it would be just between NPCs (gunners and adversaries) anyhow. That is, the text description may focus on how it is experienced by the crew.
2. If you're going with the "hide the starship, land the smallcraft" plan, there's not much reason to arm the starship itself with mining equipment.
Hairy Jim DeGriz
SOC-12
Can we make it a pop-up turret? As they say in Mayberry, "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise." Or in Miami, "Say hello to my leetle friend."
They're all pop-up turrets.
Part of the ship's story is that it is a smooth egg-shape because that's as far as the engineers who designed it could safely distort the Jump field from its default spherical shape. (It's J-5 built at TL-13 instead of TL-14.*) All turrets on all variants are pop-up turrets, because the designers didn't want to risk the jump field boundary shearing off anything that stuck out from the hull.
The jump drives can get away with sticking out the back because they radiate that sweet jump-drivey goodness. [Oh all right, it was an artistic decision. Whatever.
]-----
*LBB2 lets you build it. HG won't; it needs TL-14 for J-5. T5's TL Stage Effects would make it mostly pointless if you could build it at all.
Sorry about cluttering up the other thread. I'll post stuff here from now on.
No problem.
The story that thread tells is now pretty much wrapped up. The only loose end left is what happens after they get the rebuilt solar powered starship back, and that's a separate story.
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
End Book 1.
Begin Book 2 ...
Begin Book 2 ...
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