My take on a CT Ship Design System.
Though I want it to also be a vehicle design system, I like the sound of 'SDS', so I'm intentionally creating a misnomer for the sake of familiarity.
Let me start with some basic observations.
Vehicles
Looking at small craft in CT, I can pull out some themes:
1. They have very small power plants and maneuver drives. Even if we assume a slightly reduced ability, and coalesce power plants and maneuver drives into one unit, these babies are still quite small -- under 5 tons (except for the Shuttle).
2. Many of them are armored. Armor is likely the reason for the gap between total volume and free space. Bridges and drive systems, fuel and cargo just don't quite total up.
3. Grav Modules replace Drives. In gravitic vehicles (i.e. the very small vehicles), the even smaller Grav Modules replace the combo drive units. Also, fuel tankage is ton-for-ton smaller, owing to shorter operational periods and gravitic opportunism.
4. Oz is King. His Small craft design system, as laid out in the Proto-Traveller thread, is excellent. I think I'll change some of my assumptions for his.
Large Spacecraft
Looking at large spacecraft, I see one major mechanic: there is an intentional economy of scale which takes off with drives starting at the 5000 "Thrust Ton" mark.
Though I want it to also be a vehicle design system, I like the sound of 'SDS', so I'm intentionally creating a misnomer for the sake of familiarity.
Let me start with some basic observations.
Vehicles
Looking at small craft in CT, I can pull out some themes:
1. They have very small power plants and maneuver drives. Even if we assume a slightly reduced ability, and coalesce power plants and maneuver drives into one unit, these babies are still quite small -- under 5 tons (except for the Shuttle).
2. Many of them are armored. Armor is likely the reason for the gap between total volume and free space. Bridges and drive systems, fuel and cargo just don't quite total up.
3. Grav Modules replace Drives. In gravitic vehicles (i.e. the very small vehicles), the even smaller Grav Modules replace the combo drive units. Also, fuel tankage is ton-for-ton smaller, owing to shorter operational periods and gravitic opportunism.
4. Oz is King. His Small craft design system, as laid out in the Proto-Traveller thread, is excellent. I think I'll change some of my assumptions for his.
Large Spacecraft
Looking at large spacecraft, I see one major mechanic: there is an intentional economy of scale which takes off with drives starting at the 5000 "Thrust Ton" mark.
