CT space station defense

[parmasson]

Space stations can be quite large. 500,000 tons would not be unreasonable for an orbital facility. Here is the thing, at a max of 1 turret for every 100 tons you could have 5000 triple turrets. Even if you only had 100 triple turrets that would still be quite a bit of firepower. If you use High Guard you get bay weapons and meson guns that could make life uncomfortable for anyone.
I arm them generously and make them as formidable as possible.

How do others deal with this?

 

[parmasson]

Space stations can be quite large. 500,000 tons would not be unreasonable for an orbital facility. Here is the thing, at a max of 1 turret for every 100 tons you could have 5000 triple turrets. Even if you only had 100 triple turrets that would still be quite a bit of firepower. If you use High Guard you get bay weapons and meson guns that could make life uncomfortable for anyone.
I arm them generously and make them as formidable as possible.

How do others deal with this?

 

[robject]

Mostly by ignoring the implications

When that wears off, I search for handwaves.

It occurs to me that the nature of an orbital starport is in throughput. Perhaps the large number of shipping and construction facilities required consumes some number of hardpoints. But then, a starport with a weapon-rating of 7500* is just about as nasty as one with 15000.


* I just made up this metric. It's actually a shorthand for hull volume, I guess: 3 x hardpoints = weapon rating for a hull. A free trader has a rating of 6. A merc cruiser has a rating of 24. An Azhanti High Lightning has a rating of 1800.

 

[robject]

Mostly by ignoring the implications

When that wears off, I search for handwaves.

It occurs to me that the nature of an orbital starport is in throughput. Perhaps the large number of shipping and construction facilities required consumes some number of hardpoints. But then, a starport with a weapon-rating of 7500* is just about as nasty as one with 15000.


* I just made up this metric. It's actually a shorthand for hull volume, I guess: 3 x hardpoints = weapon rating for a hull. A free trader has a rating of 6. A merc cruiser has a rating of 24. An Azhanti High Lightning has a rating of 1800.

 

[mike wightman]

Formidable against which foe?

A TL14 battle rider with maximum armour can ignore all but spinal weapons and nuclear missiles.

And the space station's going to have a pretty low agility isn't it?

 

[mike wightman]

Formidable against which foe?

A TL14 battle rider with maximum armour can ignore all but spinal weapons and nuclear missiles.

And the space station's going to have a pretty low agility isn't it?

 

[Tobias]

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
A TL14 battle rider with maximum armour can ignore all but spinal weapons and nuclear missiles.

People always forget about the brave little Pulse Laser...

Regards,

Tobias

 

[Tobias]

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
A TL14 battle rider with maximum armour can ignore all but spinal weapons and nuclear missiles.

People always forget about the brave little Pulse Laser...

Regards,

Tobias

 

[daryen]

I would imagine that most large space stations are pathetically vulnerable. Their complete lack of relevant mobility is a pretty much insurmountable deficiency.

They will be armed well enough to fight off skirmishers, pirates, and commerce raiders. When attacked by an actual fleet, they will invariably surrender. The risk just isn't worth the reward.

So they will likely have many turrets and several bays. But that's about it. It will likely be significantly underarmed for its size because the maintenance and crew costs just aren't worth it.

 

[daryen]

I would imagine that most large space stations are pathetically vulnerable. Their complete lack of relevant mobility is a pretty much insurmountable deficiency.

They will be armed well enough to fight off skirmishers, pirates, and commerce raiders. When attacked by an actual fleet, they will invariably surrender. The risk just isn't worth the reward.

So they will likely have many turrets and several bays. But that's about it. It will likely be significantly underarmed for its size because the maintenance and crew costs just aren't worth it.

 

[far-trader]

Well, if built in any Traveller ship design system just make them streamlined enough to land on the world they orbit and they can go to ground.

I always build mine (Imperial standard models) with at least 1G for that purpose and station keeping/positioning. Heck, many of them are built around a removable jump drive to get them to the systems that don't have the resources for the minimums required. The Imperium has them built and then jumped in. Once there the jump drive is removed (usually) and the demountable tanks removed from the various large bays (cargo holds and hangers).

I also armor my stations, in addition to a minimal level of defensive and offensive weapons, and the SPA cutters. Levels vary with the size and placement of the station and if there are local IN or IISS bases.

Don't forget the Down Port either, with it's possible Meson Gun sites and huge Nuclear Dampers and Meson Screens to protect the Down Port, and if the High Port goes to ground it will be within the protection too.

 

[far-trader]

Well, if built in any Traveller ship design system just make them streamlined enough to land on the world they orbit and they can go to ground.

I always build mine (Imperial standard models) with at least 1G for that purpose and station keeping/positioning. Heck, many of them are built around a removable jump drive to get them to the systems that don't have the resources for the minimums required. The Imperium has them built and then jumped in. Once there the jump drive is removed (usually) and the demountable tanks removed from the various large bays (cargo holds and hangers).

I also armor my stations, in addition to a minimal level of defensive and offensive weapons, and the SPA cutters. Levels vary with the size and placement of the station and if there are local IN or IISS bases.

Don't forget the Down Port either, with it's possible Meson Gun sites and huge Nuclear Dampers and Meson Screens to protect the Down Port, and if the High Port goes to ground it will be within the protection too.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Well, Dan, I have a hard time seeing a highport streamlined enough to actually go to ground.

I would also think that putting those turrets everywhere would seriously cut down on the number of ships you could dock. Which would cut down on throughput. (Not even considering the problem of dTons vs. surface area in calculating turret capabilities....)

I would think lightly armed, but usually surrounded by defense boats on alert. You really want to fight the battle away from whatever world the highport is orbiting....

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Well, Dan, I have a hard time seeing a highport streamlined enough to actually go to ground.

I would also think that putting those turrets everywhere would seriously cut down on the number of ships you could dock. Which would cut down on throughput. (Not even considering the problem of dTons vs. surface area in calculating turret capabilities....)

I would think lightly armed, but usually surrounded by defense boats on alert. You really want to fight the battle away from whatever world the highport is orbiting....

 

[far-trader]

Yep, lightly armed and armored, for debris defense more than anything, some Repulsor Bays for wayward small craft and such. Agreed the station is not for fighting with or near.

I like mine saucer shaped or spherical. Saucers being fully streamlined in the rules I see no problem landing in an atmosphere, and the spheres can land (in a properly prepared hole) on an airless (or nearly) world. Of course a station could even be a different streamlined shape but they seem less efficient to me. I don't do many spinning wheel stations since we don't need spin gravity for most rules. My main issue is the maximum size I feel can comfortably manage atmosphere and gravity interface.

 

[far-trader]

Yep, lightly armed and armored, for debris defense more than anything, some Repulsor Bays for wayward small craft and such. Agreed the station is not for fighting with or near.

I like mine saucer shaped or spherical. Saucers being fully streamlined in the rules I see no problem landing in an atmosphere, and the spheres can land (in a properly prepared hole) on an airless (or nearly) world. Of course a station could even be a different streamlined shape but they seem less efficient to me. I don't do many spinning wheel stations since we don't need spin gravity for most rules. My main issue is the maximum size I feel can comfortably manage atmosphere and gravity interface.

 

[parmasson]

Not too lightly armed and armored especially for some players.

Hmmm I assumed that the opposite would be the case. In a universe where small trading craft are routinely armed I though that it would make sense for orbital facilities to bulk up on armor, beam lasers, sandcasters, dampers & screens and a missile launcher or two just in case. I figured that if it was worth building and maintaining it would be worth defending.

 

[parmasson]

Not too lightly armed and armored especially for some players.

Hmmm I assumed that the opposite would be the case. In a universe where small trading craft are routinely armed I though that it would make sense for orbital facilities to bulk up on armor, beam lasers, sandcasters, dampers & screens and a missile launcher or two just in case. I figured that if it was worth building and maintaining it would be worth defending.

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Tobias:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
A TL14 battle rider with maximum armour can ignore all but spinal weapons and nuclear missiles.

People always forget about the brave little Pulse Laser...

</font>[/QUOTE]That's because very few people ever include them in HG ship designs - do any in S9 have pulse lasers?

As it is, only 0.64% of the pulse laser batteries are likely to cause weapon-1 hits.
That's assuming equality in the computer department, if the space station is TL15 with a model 9 computer then it will score 1.36% damaging hits.

500 batteries get you 3 hits, or 6 to 7 for the computer advantage.

As I said, they can be ignored , but not completely ignored

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Tobias:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
A TL14 battle rider with maximum armour can ignore all but spinal weapons and nuclear missiles.

People always forget about the brave little Pulse Laser...

</font>[/QUOTE]That's because very few people ever include them in HG ship designs - do any in S9 have pulse lasers?

As it is, only 0.64% of the pulse laser batteries are likely to cause weapon-1 hits.
That's assuming equality in the computer department, if the space station is TL15 with a model 9 computer then it will score 1.36% damaging hits.

500 batteries get you 3 hits, or 6 to 7 for the computer advantage.

As I said, they can be ignored , but not completely ignored