Comm Range

[Supplement Four]

Here's something I'm pondering--something that's come up in my game.

The players' ship has been in the Patinir system for just over 4 hours now. It's 57 hours, through the asteroid belt, from jump emergence to the Joyston Colony (Patinir's Station "C" - which is the only one of the three inside the belt, the other two being in orbit around Patinir's Gas Giant cluster).

Using my Traveller math from the Traveller Book, I see that the distance, from jump emergence, to the colony is 105,267,600 km.

The speed of light travels at 299,792 km per second, so that tells me that the communications delay, in speaking with the station, is something just under 6 minutes.

Now, I know that large gravitational effects (plantes) warp light beams, and magnetic fields can interfere with communications--but what other types of considerations should I ponder when governing this type of thing in my game.

What about power of the transceiver?

I guess my question is this: Should it be very easy for a ship, 2.38 days from its destination, to communicate with the colony?

What factors (besides military jamming) would make communication with the colony difficult?

 

[Supplement Four]

Here's something I'm pondering--something that's come up in my game.

The players' ship has been in the Patinir system for just over 4 hours now. It's 57 hours, through the asteroid belt, from jump emergence to the Joyston Colony (Patinir's Station "C" - which is the only one of the three inside the belt, the other two being in orbit around Patinir's Gas Giant cluster).

Using my Traveller math from the Traveller Book, I see that the distance, from jump emergence, to the colony is 105,267,600 km.

The speed of light travels at 299,792 km per second, so that tells me that the communications delay, in speaking with the station, is something just under 6 minutes.

Now, I know that large gravitational effects (plantes) warp light beams, and magnetic fields can interfere with communications--but what other types of considerations should I ponder when governing this type of thing in my game.

What about power of the transceiver?

I guess my question is this: Should it be very easy for a ship, 2.38 days from its destination, to communicate with the colony?

What factors (besides military jamming) would make communication with the colony difficult?

 

[far-trader]

Solar flares and atmospheric/magnetic conditions on the planet are probably the biggies for radio interference.

Planets won't warp light significantly by gravity. It's almost immeasurable. They will distort light through atmospherics.

But you won't be communicating by light (narrow beam) without some way to point the transceiver, usually by homing on a strong radio (broadcast) signal. And even then you'd have to be shooting very close (beam wise) to the edge of a planet for it to interfer with the signal.

The commercial ship transceivers in CT seem to be generally low power radio units with a short reliable range. Used mostly for contact once you're close. Only the military seem to have powerful long range radio and tight beam communications.

So I think it'd be very difficult to get a reliable link with the colony until you were within (in CT) the sensor range, 150,000km for civilian ships or 600,000km for military ships. Unless the colony had a strong broadcast to allow directed comms in which case I'd say the initial link could be established at 900,000km though with some interference. A little for military comms and a lot for civilian comms.

I'd probably off the cuff make it a 8+ roll beyond standard range with a doubling DM -1 for each extra range. So for commercial comms it's 8+ up to 300KK, 9+ to 450KK, 10+ to 600KK, 12+ to 750KK, 16+ to 900KK, and so on. Allow a DM +1 per level of skill.

 

[far-trader]

Solar flares and atmospheric/magnetic conditions on the planet are probably the biggies for radio interference.

Planets won't warp light significantly by gravity. It's almost immeasurable. They will distort light through atmospherics.

But you won't be communicating by light (narrow beam) without some way to point the transceiver, usually by homing on a strong radio (broadcast) signal. And even then you'd have to be shooting very close (beam wise) to the edge of a planet for it to interfer with the signal.

The commercial ship transceivers in CT seem to be generally low power radio units with a short reliable range. Used mostly for contact once you're close. Only the military seem to have powerful long range radio and tight beam communications.

So I think it'd be very difficult to get a reliable link with the colony until you were within (in CT) the sensor range, 150,000km for civilian ships or 600,000km for military ships. Unless the colony had a strong broadcast to allow directed comms in which case I'd say the initial link could be established at 900,000km though with some interference. A little for military comms and a lot for civilian comms.

I'd probably off the cuff make it a 8+ roll beyond standard range with a doubling DM -1 for each extra range. So for commercial comms it's 8+ up to 300KK, 9+ to 450KK, 10+ to 600KK, 12+ to 750KK, 16+ to 900KK, and so on. Allow a DM +1 per level of skill.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by far-trader:
The commercial ship transceivers in CT seem to be generally low power radio units with a short reliable range. Used mostly for contact once you're close. Only the military seem to have powerful long range radio and tight beam communications.

So I think it'd be very difficult to get a reliable link with the colony until you were within (in CT) the sensor range, 150,000km for civilian ships or 600,000km for military ships. Unless the colony had a strong broadcast to allow directed comms in which case I'd say the initial link could be established at 900,000km though with some interference. A little for military comms and a lot for civilian comms.

I'd probably off the cuff make it a 8+ roll beyond standard range with a doubling DM -1 for each extra range. So for commercial comms it's 8+ up to 300KK, 9+ to 450KK, 10+ to 600KK, 12+ to 750KK, 16+ to 900KK, and so on. Allow a DM +1 per level of skill.

Great post, Dan. Thanks. This type of thinking was exactly what I was looking for.

Anybody else got a differing opinion on this?

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by far-trader:
The commercial ship transceivers in CT seem to be generally low power radio units with a short reliable range. Used mostly for contact once you're close. Only the military seem to have powerful long range radio and tight beam communications.

So I think it'd be very difficult to get a reliable link with the colony until you were within (in CT) the sensor range, 150,000km for civilian ships or 600,000km for military ships. Unless the colony had a strong broadcast to allow directed comms in which case I'd say the initial link could be established at 900,000km though with some interference. A little for military comms and a lot for civilian comms.

I'd probably off the cuff make it a 8+ roll beyond standard range with a doubling DM -1 for each extra range. So for commercial comms it's 8+ up to 300KK, 9+ to 450KK, 10+ to 600KK, 12+ to 750KK, 16+ to 900KK, and so on. Allow a DM +1 per level of skill.

Great post, Dan. Thanks. This type of thinking was exactly what I was looking for.

Anybody else got a differing opinion on this?

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by far-trader:
I'd probably off the cuff make it a 8+ roll beyond standard range with a doubling DM -1 for each extra range. So for commercial comms it's 8+ up to 300KK, 9+ to 450KK, 10+ to 600KK, 12+ to 750KK, 16+ to 900KK, and so on. Allow a DM +1 per level of skill.

And I like your off-the-cuff thoughts. I just may use 'em verbatim in my game.

These also make for nice UGM rolls, too.

Commercial Comm to range of 1 light second: Communictions/EDU or Ship's TL/+0

Commercial Comm to range of 1.5 light seconds: Communications/EDU or Ship's TL/-1

Commercial Comm to range of 2 light seconds: Communications/EDU or Ship's TL/-2

Commercial Comm to range of 2.5 light seconds: Communications/EDU or Ship's TL/-4

Commercial Comm to range of 3 light seconds: Communications/EDU or Ship's TL/-8

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by far-trader:
I'd probably off the cuff make it a 8+ roll beyond standard range with a doubling DM -1 for each extra range. So for commercial comms it's 8+ up to 300KK, 9+ to 450KK, 10+ to 600KK, 12+ to 750KK, 16+ to 900KK, and so on. Allow a DM +1 per level of skill.

And I like your off-the-cuff thoughts. I just may use 'em verbatim in my game.

These also make for nice UGM rolls, too.

Commercial Comm to range of 1 light second: Communictions/EDU or Ship's TL/+0

Commercial Comm to range of 1.5 light seconds: Communications/EDU or Ship's TL/-1

Commercial Comm to range of 2 light seconds: Communications/EDU or Ship's TL/-2

Commercial Comm to range of 2.5 light seconds: Communications/EDU or Ship's TL/-4

Commercial Comm to range of 3 light seconds: Communications/EDU or Ship's TL/-8

 

[Supplement Four]

Here's an interesting side thought: What happens when a ship gets moving at high velocity with regard to communications?

Take my example above, for consideration. The ship pops into the system 2.38 days from its destination. The ship will accelerate for 1.19 days, flip around, and then decelerate for 1.19 days in order to reach its destination.

Now, let's say that ship accelerates for an entire day. That's somewhere around 96 combat rounds. So, a ship with a 1G M-Drive, could accelerate to around a velocity of 96 hexes per turn (Range Band movement).

96 hexes per turn is 960,000 km, which is over 3 light seconds (which is actually outside of tracking range, much less sensor range, for a CT commercial vessel).

If a ship is hauling that kind of butt, how does it rely on its sensors to pilot the ship? I won't be able to correct course in time if it detects something!

And...what if this ship passes by another vessel (let's say the other vessel is at relative rest). Do they have radio contact for something like, what, a minute, and then the fast moving vessel is out of range?

 

[Supplement Four]

Here's an interesting side thought: What happens when a ship gets moving at high velocity with regard to communications?

Take my example above, for consideration. The ship pops into the system 2.38 days from its destination. The ship will accelerate for 1.19 days, flip around, and then decelerate for 1.19 days in order to reach its destination.

Now, let's say that ship accelerates for an entire day. That's somewhere around 96 combat rounds. So, a ship with a 1G M-Drive, could accelerate to around a velocity of 96 hexes per turn (Range Band movement).

96 hexes per turn is 960,000 km, which is over 3 light seconds (which is actually outside of tracking range, much less sensor range, for a CT commercial vessel).

If a ship is hauling that kind of butt, how does it rely on its sensors to pilot the ship? I won't be able to correct course in time if it detects something!

And...what if this ship passes by another vessel (let's say the other vessel is at relative rest). Do they have radio contact for something like, what, a minute, and then the fast moving vessel is out of range?

 

[Supplement Four]

My September game is tomorrow night, and this makes me think of a neat piece of "flavor" I'm going to add to the scenario tomorrow...

My players have done well. They've defeated some impossible odds against them (I really didn't think they could do it--I was planning that they wouldn't pull it off. But, if they do, I'll "reward" them with an actual change in the circumstances of the story.)

The PC ship is neck-deep in a starship battle that has been going on for over 4 hours game-time. The ship is beat to hell. Hull breaches all over the place. They just got the pulse cannon back up and running. Some people are hurt.

All that stands between them is a shuttle--a shuttle armed with two laser cannon.

If the PCs can get past this one shuttle that's doggin' them, they'll be able to make it to the Joyston Colony at Patinir.

If the shuttle disables their ship, then the entire crew is going into low berth, captured by the bad guys (see my post Wolf at the Door for more details).

The PCs have set up an automatic Signal GK broadcast. The ship's computer updates the PC ship's position every time the automatic message goes out.

Just for "flavor", I'm going to have another vessel pick up the PC's ship's SOS. The catch is: This new ship will be moving too fast to do anything about it.

The PCs are travelling down a well used shipping corridor in the Patinir belt. There are some communications relays that have been set up on certain asteroids in the belt, placed there by the "Managers" (what the government of Patinir is called) to aid in belter communications (it's lonely out there, and the Managers want commerce in this system to flourish).

What I have in mind is a ship, travelling from Joyston Colony, down the "corridor" to a jump point close to where the PCs emerged some 4 hours ago. This ship has only picked up the PC's hail (using Dan's communication rules above) because the comm relays in this system add a +1D DM to any communications rolls.

The new ship will be distanced some 87 hexes from the PC's ship when a garbled communciation is caught on the PC bridge. There'll be time--a couple of minutes--for some communication with the ship that's picked up the hail, but, it's a large freighter, with a 1G M-Drive.

In one round, the freighter will zoom past the PC's ship (and the shuttle that firing on the PCs), from being 87 hexes in front of the PCs ship (870,000 km) to 48 hexes behind the PCs ship (480,000 km).

At that range, given Dan's communications rolls, there may be time for another few minutes of conversation with the freighter before it is out of range behind the PC vessel.

I think this is going to lend some good "atmosphere" to tomorrow's game.

The PCs sure could use some help. It will be some interesting game to see the possibility of help, only to see that the vessel cannot "stop" here in order to help the PCs. It's M-Drive just isn't capable.

I did some quick calcultions, and had the freighter left the Joyston Colony, it would have a velocity of abour 106 hexes per turn at this point in its journey.

I think this will be fun.

 

[Supplement Four]

My September game is tomorrow night, and this makes me think of a neat piece of "flavor" I'm going to add to the scenario tomorrow...

My players have done well. They've defeated some impossible odds against them (I really didn't think they could do it--I was planning that they wouldn't pull it off. But, if they do, I'll "reward" them with an actual change in the circumstances of the story.)

The PC ship is neck-deep in a starship battle that has been going on for over 4 hours game-time. The ship is beat to hell. Hull breaches all over the place. They just got the pulse cannon back up and running. Some people are hurt.

All that stands between them is a shuttle--a shuttle armed with two laser cannon.

If the PCs can get past this one shuttle that's doggin' them, they'll be able to make it to the Joyston Colony at Patinir.

If the shuttle disables their ship, then the entire crew is going into low berth, captured by the bad guys (see my post Wolf at the Door for more details).

The PCs have set up an automatic Signal GK broadcast. The ship's computer updates the PC ship's position every time the automatic message goes out.

Just for "flavor", I'm going to have another vessel pick up the PC's ship's SOS. The catch is: This new ship will be moving too fast to do anything about it.

The PCs are travelling down a well used shipping corridor in the Patinir belt. There are some communications relays that have been set up on certain asteroids in the belt, placed there by the "Managers" (what the government of Patinir is called) to aid in belter communications (it's lonely out there, and the Managers want commerce in this system to flourish).

What I have in mind is a ship, travelling from Joyston Colony, down the "corridor" to a jump point close to where the PCs emerged some 4 hours ago. This ship has only picked up the PC's hail (using Dan's communication rules above) because the comm relays in this system add a +1D DM to any communications rolls.

The new ship will be distanced some 87 hexes from the PC's ship when a garbled communciation is caught on the PC bridge. There'll be time--a couple of minutes--for some communication with the ship that's picked up the hail, but, it's a large freighter, with a 1G M-Drive.

In one round, the freighter will zoom past the PC's ship (and the shuttle that firing on the PCs), from being 87 hexes in front of the PCs ship (870,000 km) to 48 hexes behind the PCs ship (480,000 km).

At that range, given Dan's communications rolls, there may be time for another few minutes of conversation with the freighter before it is out of range behind the PC vessel.

I think this is going to lend some good "atmosphere" to tomorrow's game.

The PCs sure could use some help. It will be some interesting game to see the possibility of help, only to see that the vessel cannot "stop" here in order to help the PCs. It's M-Drive just isn't capable.

I did some quick calcultions, and had the freighter left the Joyston Colony, it would have a velocity of abour 106 hexes per turn at this point in its journey.

I think this will be fun.

 

[Supplement Four]

More thoughts:

The distance to the moon is something under 400,000 km. Let's call it a light second for easy figuring.

It seems that Traveller comms (TL 12-13) should have a longer range than that.

I like Dan's rules above. Maybe they should be adjusted a little (making the rolls easier).

Also, looking at MT, most commercial vessels have a Commo range of 1000 AU (which is, of course, a butt-load longer than what we're talking about).

Hmmm....

 

[Supplement Four]

More thoughts:

The distance to the moon is something under 400,000 km. Let's call it a light second for easy figuring.

It seems that Traveller comms (TL 12-13) should have a longer range than that.

I like Dan's rules above. Maybe they should be adjusted a little (making the rolls easier).

Also, looking at MT, most commercial vessels have a Commo range of 1000 AU (which is, of course, a butt-load longer than what we're talking about).

Hmmm....

 

[far-trader]

OK, short on time here but a brief reply (just watch it be verbose instead )...

First S4 you're very welcome.

Next point, speed, BIG speed, relative or otherwise. Yep, it's not good to exceed your sensor speed, all kinds of bad things can come at you from nowhere at very high velocity. I know the norm in Traveller is full accell half way and then decell the rest of the way. It's quick but always struck me as damned dangerous for that very reason given the listed sensor ranges. I'd advise any in-system trip should not exceed (vector wise) the ship's ability to see AND react to a potential collision. That means not overdriving your sensor range or your delta-v potential, whichever is less. Of course in some places the chances of a collision are negligible, and in some circumstances what's chasing you is a more immediate threat, so hammer down son and pray for empty space ahead.

As far as being in comms range only briefly anyone who's driven cross country can attest to the reality, albeit on a slower and shorter scale. You drive away from one radio station and the signal fades while another gets stronger and then it too fades. So yep, at those kinds of speed you better make the chat quick and to the point. You'll only have a few minutes of signal before the static drowns it out.

Commo relay stations. Smart idea that! Should be standard in the usual traffic lanes of good systems (like class A-B starports and some class C).

The thing about CT civilian sensors, and by my default, commo, is they are small, cheap and low power for a reason. It's all that's needed. Why spend more? The idea of marrying TL into the equation doesn't really fit in my opinion. The only real difference between a TL5 radio tranceiver and a TL15 one of the same power is the interface. One has a dial that turns a wire that changes a rehostat(?) to tune signals while the TL15 one probably has an AI voice interface that asks what freq you want and then tunes it digitally for you. A better fit if you have to improve range tasks and such would be to tie it into the ship's computer model number. A model/1 would be the base range while I'd probably go with each model higher would add another like range increment to the base range. Guess that means all military ships are model/4 minimum standard now

And of course most civilian ships are stuck with a model/1 for cost reasons though some may have a model/2.

Of course there are two real issues for radio range that aren't addressed at the CT level. The power of the transmitter and the size of the receiver antennae. Both of these fit computer model number pretty well though I think.

I'm not sure I'd trust MT ideas too far Sure you could pick up a 1 watt signal at that range with a dish the size of the Arecibo radio telescope (ok, I didn't look up anything, it's just an extreme example off the top of my head, it's bound to be off some ) but who's free-trader has one of those on the top? Or you could pick up a giga watt signal at that range on a headset radio (yes just another lazy outta my ass extreme example

) but I don't want to meet anyone who uses a giga watt transmitter for saying hi. I really can't recall any real data and can't go looking right now. The point? I had a point? Oh yeah, it's a game, play it fast a loose with a nod to reality. Make it about the story, like your idea for the fast fly by which I really like. I still don't like the idea of ship's zooming around at those velocities though

 

[far-trader]

OK, short on time here but a brief reply (just watch it be verbose instead )...

First S4 you're very welcome.

Next point, speed, BIG speed, relative or otherwise. Yep, it's not good to exceed your sensor speed, all kinds of bad things can come at you from nowhere at very high velocity. I know the norm in Traveller is full accell half way and then decell the rest of the way. It's quick but always struck me as damned dangerous for that very reason given the listed sensor ranges. I'd advise any in-system trip should not exceed (vector wise) the ship's ability to see AND react to a potential collision. That means not overdriving your sensor range or your delta-v potential, whichever is less. Of course in some places the chances of a collision are negligible, and in some circumstances what's chasing you is a more immediate threat, so hammer down son and pray for empty space ahead.

As far as being in comms range only briefly anyone who's driven cross country can attest to the reality, albeit on a slower and shorter scale. You drive away from one radio station and the signal fades while another gets stronger and then it too fades. So yep, at those kinds of speed you better make the chat quick and to the point. You'll only have a few minutes of signal before the static drowns it out.

Commo relay stations. Smart idea that! Should be standard in the usual traffic lanes of good systems (like class A-B starports and some class C).

The thing about CT civilian sensors, and by my default, commo, is they are small, cheap and low power for a reason. It's all that's needed. Why spend more? The idea of marrying TL into the equation doesn't really fit in my opinion. The only real difference between a TL5 radio tranceiver and a TL15 one of the same power is the interface. One has a dial that turns a wire that changes a rehostat(?) to tune signals while the TL15 one probably has an AI voice interface that asks what freq you want and then tunes it digitally for you. A better fit if you have to improve range tasks and such would be to tie it into the ship's computer model number. A model/1 would be the base range while I'd probably go with each model higher would add another like range increment to the base range. Guess that means all military ships are model/4 minimum standard now

And of course most civilian ships are stuck with a model/1 for cost reasons though some may have a model/2.

Of course there are two real issues for radio range that aren't addressed at the CT level. The power of the transmitter and the size of the receiver antennae. Both of these fit computer model number pretty well though I think.

I'm not sure I'd trust MT ideas too far Sure you could pick up a 1 watt signal at that range with a dish the size of the Arecibo radio telescope (ok, I didn't look up anything, it's just an extreme example off the top of my head, it's bound to be off some ) but who's free-trader has one of those on the top? Or you could pick up a giga watt signal at that range on a headset radio (yes just another lazy outta my ass extreme example

) but I don't want to meet anyone who uses a giga watt transmitter for saying hi. I really can't recall any real data and can't go looking right now. The point? I had a point? Oh yeah, it's a game, play it fast a loose with a nod to reality. Make it about the story, like your idea for the fast fly by which I really like. I still don't like the idea of ship's zooming around at those velocities though

 

[Hal]

Some thoughts on excessive speed...

Lets say that you're travelling at 2% the speed of light. Further suppose that you can see things out to 1 light second...

An object that is 1 light second away takes two seconds to notice, because the signal hits it, and then bounces back (active sensors that is). That's just 2 seconds for one "ping" of a signal here.

Travelling at 2% the speed of light, is going to give you 1/.02 seconds to react to the problem your sensor just noted. Remember that 2 second spread for sensor. Out of 50 seconds reaction time, you've spent 2, leaving you 48. Lets say for the sake of argument, that you have an automated system that is authorized to change course by as much as 30 seconds with 1 G acceleration in any direction. So the computer flashes a warning message to the navigator "Warning,immenient collision, abort course?". If nothing is done, it automatically upon reaching 18 seconds after detecting a possible collision, begins to nudge your ship slightly off course. 32.17 feet per second per second, or 9.8 meters per second per second, will be what 1 G accelleration will provide. Distance travelled is 1/2 acceleration x Time squared. So how much displacement will our ship have if it only has 30 seconds at 1 G? Roughly 14476.5 ft, or roughly 4,410 meters. That should be ample enough time to avoid hitting something. At 5 seconds, the displacement would be 400 ft or 122 meters. At 10 seconds, the displacement is 1608 ft or 490 meters. Unless the object you are responding to is moving eratically (such as a ship or missile) *AND* It is directly on a collision course, moving at high speeds is not all that bad of an issue. The problem here is that each "Turn" is roughly 1000 seconds (CT) or 1,200 (High Guard) - and people forget to look at it as a real-time issue.

All things considered - it is those pesky sand grains that give you the major headaches, but Traveller ignores them, so I shall too

 

[Hal]

Some thoughts on excessive speed...

Lets say that you're travelling at 2% the speed of light. Further suppose that you can see things out to 1 light second...

An object that is 1 light second away takes two seconds to notice, because the signal hits it, and then bounces back (active sensors that is). That's just 2 seconds for one "ping" of a signal here.

Travelling at 2% the speed of light, is going to give you 1/.02 seconds to react to the problem your sensor just noted. Remember that 2 second spread for sensor. Out of 50 seconds reaction time, you've spent 2, leaving you 48. Lets say for the sake of argument, that you have an automated system that is authorized to change course by as much as 30 seconds with 1 G acceleration in any direction. So the computer flashes a warning message to the navigator "Warning,immenient collision, abort course?". If nothing is done, it automatically upon reaching 18 seconds after detecting a possible collision, begins to nudge your ship slightly off course. 32.17 feet per second per second, or 9.8 meters per second per second, will be what 1 G accelleration will provide. Distance travelled is 1/2 acceleration x Time squared. So how much displacement will our ship have if it only has 30 seconds at 1 G? Roughly 14476.5 ft, or roughly 4,410 meters. That should be ample enough time to avoid hitting something. At 5 seconds, the displacement would be 400 ft or 122 meters. At 10 seconds, the displacement is 1608 ft or 490 meters. Unless the object you are responding to is moving eratically (such as a ship or missile) *AND* It is directly on a collision course, moving at high speeds is not all that bad of an issue. The problem here is that each "Turn" is roughly 1000 seconds (CT) or 1,200 (High Guard) - and people forget to look at it as a real-time issue.

All things considered - it is those pesky sand grains that give you the major headaches, but Traveller ignores them, so I shall too

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by far-trader:
A better fit if you have to improve range tasks and such would be to tie it into the ship's computer model number.

Oooo, I like that idea. What if we based your DMs (the doubling DM for the drop-off in comm range) on the computer's Model number.

That way, a ship's sensors would remain at what is listed in CT, but a ship's comm has a typical greater range than the ship's sensors.

We could work something up based on increments of a partial light second. Something like: Model/1 has a comm range listed as you say above, with the doubling DM. Model/2 may go out to 450K km before the DM starts. Model/3, out to 600K km before the DM starts...etc (or some version of that).

I'm not sure. Just brainstorming here. I'll need to re-read your post later.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by far-trader:
A better fit if you have to improve range tasks and such would be to tie it into the ship's computer model number.

Oooo, I like that idea. What if we based your DMs (the doubling DM for the drop-off in comm range) on the computer's Model number.

That way, a ship's sensors would remain at what is listed in CT, but a ship's comm has a typical greater range than the ship's sensors.

We could work something up based on increments of a partial light second. Something like: Model/1 has a comm range listed as you say above, with the doubling DM. Model/2 may go out to 450K km before the DM starts. Model/3, out to 600K km before the DM starts...etc (or some version of that).

I'm not sure. Just brainstorming here. I'll need to re-read your post later.