Bridge tonnage?

[Pagan priest]

As I read it, a starship has a minimum bridge size of 20 tons. On page 262 it refers to other areas that can be considered to be part of that 20 tons, including sickbay and ship's locker. How does this affect the cost of these things?

 

[far-trader]

By the letter of the rules you pay the full cost of any of those components you install, even if taken from the "bridge" allowance of volume. There is no cost savings. However...

...in my current somewhat simplified version of things for MTU I've tried to balance my own common sense interpretation with the spirit if not the letter of the design rules.

Ship Bridges:

Ships (vessels of 100dT or more) require 2% of hull volume (minimum 20dT) reserved as control and safety components at a cost of Cr5,000 per dT of hull volume. This breaks down as:


5.0dT - Main Command and Control - This volume is divided between 5 full crew workstations (acceleration couches and computer terminals) and the basic operational systems.

The workstations may serve any vessel control function and are fully reconfigurable. While often grouped on what is called the Bridge they do not need to be centralized. The actual size of each workstation is 0.5dT.

The basic operational systems include the CG lifters, landing skids or gear, directional thrusters and navigational aids (including external lighting). The total volume of these systems is a minimum of 2.5dT

3.0dT - Standard Personnel Airlock - As required a minimal airlock is standard and incorporates decontamination facilities and an extendable docking tube. Actual internal volume is 1.5dT and comfortably handles 3 vac-suited humans. The other 1.5dT adjacent to the airlock contains the flushing equipment, docking tube storage, fast flow pumps and atmosphere recycle tanks for the airlock as well as a small (0.5dT) sealed locker for 5 vac-suits and gear storage.

2.0dT - Standard Ship's Lockers - Typically located on the bridge and/or in the engineering compartment these secure storerooms are intended for valuables, small arms, emergency equipment, tools and spare parts. The stock of parts and tools is sufficient to perform 10 standard preventative maintenance routines or 10 emergency repair attempts (trading 1 for 1). Restock cost is as listed for maintenance but the initial stock is included in the basic cost.

The remaining 10.0dT may be put to any functions* that will fit as long as the standard prices are paid. More commonly this volume is required to provide corridor access through the ship or additional crew workstations if needed.

Ships over 1,000dT scale up each section evenly as required.

*Practically any at least. I would allow the ship's computer for example but not likely weapons systems.

 

[flykiller]

*Practically any at least. I would allow the ship's computer for example but not likely weapons systems.

why not?

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by flykiller:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />*Practically any at least. I would allow the ship's computer for example but not likely weapons systems.

why not? </font>[/QUOTE]Just the feeling of having a large explosive (either capacitors or missiles) installation close to critical command and control and safety systems

That and the idea that a hardpoint should be HARD, as in structurally reinforced. Not to say I would rule it out in every case and in fact see it fitting quite well for small craft weapons and smaller vehicle size weapons ala Solo's suprise pop-turret blaster under the bridge of the Falcon. My personal ideas for small craft bridges (I call them Helms to differentiate them) follow a similar thesis to the above for Bridges, and lets me import CT/HG small craft designs into T20 more closely.

 

[flykiller]

Originally posted by far-trader:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by flykiller:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />*Practically any at least. I would allow the ship's computer for example but not likely weapons systems.

why not? </font>[/QUOTE]Just the feeling of having a large explosive (either capacitors or missiles) installation close to critical command and control and safety systems</font>[/QUOTE]if the bridge stations themselves don't need to be centralized then why would bridge weapons need to be near the bridge stations? the landing gear and external lighting systems certainly aren't, and the airlock and ship's locker and extra corridors certainly don't have to be.

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by flykiller:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by far-trader:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by flykiller:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />*Practically any at least. I would allow the ship's computer for example but not likely weapons systems.

why not? </font>[/QUOTE]Just the feeling of having a large explosive (either capacitors or missiles) installation close to critical command and control and safety systems</font>[/QUOTE]if the bridge stations themselves don't need to be centralized then why would bridge weapons need to be near the bridge stations? the landing gear and external lighting systems certainly aren't, and the airlock and ship's locker and extra corridors certainly don't have to be. </font>[/QUOTE]Yep, that's the type of case I'd allow, like I said "not likely" but there would be exceptions. I probably could have been clearer there. It just needs to be rationalized the way you have and I'm behind it. The counter situation of putting them in proximity wouldn't get my vote of course, not to say someone else couldn't do it that way. This part is afterall a MTU interpretation.

 

[flykiller]

Yep, that's the type of case I'd allow, like I said "not likely" but there would be exceptions. I probably could have been clearer there. It just needs to be rationalized the way you have and I'm behind it.

well ... in other words, there's no bridge. there's just a few consoles.

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by flykiller:
well ... in other words, there's no bridge. there's just a few consoles.

As one option yes, it all depends on the type of ship and required crew as I see it, since this is just my view of it all.

As an example my version of the Type S Scout/Courier has 2 forward facing workstations in the nose area (typically Pilot and Astrogation) and 2 outward facing (port and star) workstations behind those (typically Sensors and Computer) with the fifth workstation (primarily Engineering) tucked away between the drives in the aft of the ship. So there is a "Bridge" and a remote workstation. Any of the 5 workstations are enough to operate the ship from but that doesn't mean a single Bridge Destroyed hit won't take them all out of the loop.

Another example I had was a Type Y Yacht with the crew "bridge" and a seperate show "bridge". Normally the crew operated the ship from the crew "bridge" but if the owner wanted to "take the helm" he would do so on the luxury appointed show "bridge" with his guests on hand to watch (while below the crew stood ready to override if required).