Dual pourpose planetary navy. An answer to low naval budget

[McPerth]

After participing on the thread 'starship scale on campaigns' (CT forum), there is mentioned them the problems of small planets to have a planetary navy. Yet they need something to keep theyr citizenry safe (and give them this feeling) and to attract commerce with a secure port.

Bardicheart, the starter of the tread, asked too to try to imagine how a planetary navy could be, according to its budget.

It's my intent on this thread to take his challenge and try to show how a lowPop planet could have a planetary navy intended just to keep it protected from piracy (and some response and project capability if needed).

For design pourposes, I will use MT rules, for personal favoritism and because I feel they have a wide range of posibilities.

As for budget, I'll use TCS rules. I know they're not considered canon for empire scale fleets, but I think they can apply here.

Of course, any suggestion, criticism, idea or just observation or remark will be wellcome (why to start a thread if not just for that).

EDIT: allways remember that this planetary navy is not intended for major actions, just for commerce safety and antipiracy role.

 

[HG_B]

Just use real world econ. Set a % of Gross Planetary Production as the baseline depending on Core/Border.

 

[McPerth]

As a background for this imaginary planetary navy, we'll use the (non OTU) agricultural planet of Nomatterwhere, UPP A456554-F Ag,Lo,nIn; pop multiplier 2. Its space zone is currently in peace, through some piracy is active now and then. Subsector and Imperial navies presence is scarce, and cannot be counted on except for strong needs.

As nIn planet it has to import most of its machinery and military hardware, and as Ag, it trades agricultural goods for it and hard currency. As Lo planet, its high education facilities are scarce, and it sends some of its better students to a TL15 In HiPop planet just 4 parsecs away, who is also its major trade partner. Due to all that, commerce is vital for it.

According to TCS, its yearly naval budget whould be arround MCr 95 (200000 people*500 Cr/person*gov modifier 0.95). Even this quantity represents a strain in its economy.

 

[McPerth]

Just use real world econ. Set a % of Gross Planetary Production as the baseline depending on Core/Border.

My ecomonic knowledge is abysmal, so I'll keep (for now) on those figures. If you can give me more real economic figures, they'll be wellcome.

 

[HG_B]

As nIn planet it has to import most of its machinery and military hardware,

Non-Industrial TL-15 just means it isn't a big exporter of industrial goods. Its UWP indicates that it is perfectly capable building its own hardware up to TL-15.

 

[shadowcat20]

What is the tooth to tail ratio? You are going to need support, paychecks, bases, and maintenence costs. Are we looking at just the costs of ships or the whole ball of wax?

 

[McPerth]

Non-Industrial TL-15 just means it isn't a big exporter of industrial goods. Its UWP indicates that it is perfectly capable building its own hardware up to TL-15.

Sure, but with only 200000 inhabitants there's not much in a way of heavy industry.

What is the tooth to tail ratio? You are going to need support, paychecks, bases, and maintenence costs. Are we looking at just the costs of ships or the whole ball of wax?

Not sure what 'tooth to tail' means.

There are no bases on the system (as far as non planetary navy).

I'm trying to give it a maintainable fkeet, so maintenace costs must be provided and accounted for.

 

[McPerth]

Being a practical and paceful people, nomatterwherers don't want to keep lots of money frozen on what they think as improductive assets (their navy is (luckly) not needed often as military force). So, they try to use double pourpose hardware for as long as they can.

They have 4 shuttles for contact with their small High Port. Through they are not tecnically part of their armed forces, they have been provided with a single pulse laser each and are considered by most people as 'reserve assets', being militarizable as needed.

As militarizing them cause some disruption to their trade, this posibility is only counted on as last solution.

 

[shadowcat20]

Tooth to tail means combat arm (Tooth) and Support Arm (Tail). Multi Purpose defense force means Defense, Law enforcement, Search and Rescue, And maybe High cost cargo to my reasoning (Sometimes it works..). SDB's can handle most of this with the exception of out of system cargo.

A small Carrier may also work as it allows them to cover more area with recon and CAP missions.

Are they just covering one world or are there mining and research bases in the system? This will greatly affect their patrol area.

Any ship made should include yearly operating costs for crew and fuel. Consider no expense for jump fuel as that may be a strategic cost. Just PP fuel. You may also have to bring in life support and meals (Stateroom recharge cost +50%?). Then the normal monthly Maintenence cost any starship has.

Just some random ideas,

 

[aramis]

Not sure what 'tooth to tail' means.

From the fighting ship herself (the tooth) to the last bottlewasher for the last admin support unit's kitchen. (The support trail).

 

[McPerth]

Tooth to tail means combat arm (Tooth) and Support Arm (Tail).

From the fighting ship herself (the tooth) to the last bottlewasher for the last admin support unit's kitchen. (The support trail).

Thanks to both. My language is not english nor have I been ever into military (well, done my military service, but the only part of it on the true army was as...piper), so I get sometimes lost with those expressions.

Multi Purpose defense force means Defense, Law enforcement, Search and Rescue, And maybe High cost cargo to my reasoning (Sometimes it works..). SDB's can handle most of this with the exception of out of system cargo.

A small Carrier may also work as it allows them to cover more area with recon and CAP missions.

Are they just covering one world or are there mining and research bases in the system? This will greatly affect their patrol area.

Any ship made should include yearly operating costs for crew and fuel. Consider no expense for jump fuel as that may be a strategic cost. Just PP fuel. You may also have to bring in life support and meals (Stateroom recharge cost +50%?). Then the normal monthly Maintenence cost any starship has.

Just some random ideas,

As I don't think they could afford different services, yes, it's a multi pourpose space force.

About other bodys on the system, there's a planetoid belt tree orbits farther where some belters do their job, but without permanent bases. there are one small and one large GG and some rocky planets as yet nearly unexplored.

EDIT: True, SDBs are a good choice, but quite expensive for this planet.

 

[McPerth]

The first pourpose of this navy will be to deffend the planet, so the first thing they need is a close deffense weapons plataform.

To this end, and keeping on their policy as being productive also in peace times, they have designed and use those satellites:

Craft ID:	 Last Ditch defense/powersat drone, TL: 15, MCr: 18.68856

Hull:		8/18  Disp:  8 ton, Config:  7 USL, Armor: 40 G
		Unloaded: 80.3154 ton, Loaded: 85.0954 ton

Power:		5/10 Solar 502.2 Mw, Duration: infinite

Locco:		1/2 StdGrav 15 TT. 0.17G acceleration (station keeping)
		
Commo:	Maser: Planetary

Sensors:	PasEMS: System,		ActEMS: none
		Densiometer: LowPen 250m,Neutrino: 10 kw
		ActObjScan: none, 		ActObjPin: none
		PasObjScan:  routine,		PasObjPin: routine
		PasEngScan: simple,		PasEngPin: routine

Off:		Fusion		0  0  5
		Batt		        1
		Bear		        1

Deff:		DefDM: +2

Controls:	Computer:  Robot brain (see notes), Panel: computer link x 2
		Environ: none

Accom:	Crew: none

Other:	Robot brain: 	CPU: parallel x 21, synaptic x 14
				Storage: standard x 30, synaptic x 6
				Fundamental command: full command
				Fundamental logic: high autonomous
			Int: D; Ed: 4 (A)
			Skills: Grav vehicle 1, sensor ops 1, commo 2, mech 1
			Electronics 1, engineering 1, gunnery 4
Fuel: 1 kl; Cargo:  3.78 kl (usually used for spares)
		ObjSize: small, EmLevel: none

Notes:	Standard mode: sending 500 Mw by maser beam to rectennas on ground
All programs but gunnery on CPU. Gunnery on storage.
Combat mode: stops sending energy and uses it for fusion gun. Gunnery 
	on CPU. Mech, electronics and engineering on storage.

Those satellites may give the planet the energy it needs as well as a close deffense if needed, so part of them is payed from the Govern Development Department funds insted of the deffense budget. Let's say 50/50.

 

[whartung]

Couple of points.

What's the threat? Defend the planet from what? You mention there is a little piracy in the system. A little, or a lot? Enough to bother with (considering the investment involved)? Spending 95MCr per year on a pirate that might be interdicting 1MCr per year in trade isn't really a wise investment.

Second, I see no reason why this planet should be building much of its own stuff. I would think there would be some kind of "used ship" policy from richer systems or the Imperium that these folks could buy older vessels for lower out of pocket with perhaps a bit more maintenance costs ongoing.

Many a Small country Navy has older Large country ships here on Good 'Ol Terra.

Perhaps the Imperium has a Lend/Lease program for mothballed ships, which would be even better. Park a couple surplus SDBs with new computers here.

Your example of an 18M defense satellite. With 95MCr, they can get, what, 4 of them? And they're stationary? So I guess the attacking force goes to the other side of the planet, or simply obliterates them from afar with stand off missiles.

Some old school Scouts would probably be a better investment considering the flexibility they can provide. Scrap the J-Drive for a better M-Drive perhaps.

 

[rancke]

How I would do it

As a background for this imaginary planetary navy, we'll use the (non OTU) agricultural planet of Nomatterwhere, UPP A456554-F Ag,Lo,nIn; pop multiplier 2. Its space zone is currently in peace, through some piracy is active now and then. Subsector and Imperial navies presence is scarce, and cannot be counted on except for strong needs.

I'd start with the population, 200,000, multiplied by the per capita GWP for a TL15 world, Cr22,000, multiplied by the trade classification multipliers, 1.2 (Ag) and 0.8 (NI), for a GPP of 200,000 * 22,000 * 1.2 * 0.8 = MCr4,224.

I'd then more or less arbitrarily decide on a military spending of 2-8% of GPP, depending on location, threat level, and political situation. Let's say that I decided on 6%. That would be MCr253.

30% of that goes to the Imperium, so deduct MCr76 = MCr177.

40% of that goes to the ground forces, so deduct MCr71 = MCr106.

This would support a fleet of MCr1,060.

That could be 36 Scout/Couriers
Or 10 Heavy fighters
Or 4.8 Patrol Cruisers
Or 4.1 200T SDBs
Or 3.7 Gazelles

That would give me a benchmark. I'd then look at what sort of tasks the navy would be expected to perform and what assets it would need to do so. Maybe I'd end up with a fleet that would cost MCr1,500 and decide that military spending was higher than 6% and that the army got less than 40%. Or maybe the world got an Imperial subsidy for some reason. Or perhaps the present government had been neglecting the navy and several of its ships were laid up.


Hans

 

[BardicHeart]

Taking your planet Rancke, my guess is they'd get a couple of patrol cruisers, possibly buy them second hand. Supplement that with some pinnaces with light armament to help spread the coverage out more.

But the problem is a poor system such as this just can't put out an effective patrol force. They'll have to keep what they do have close to the planet starport (which may actually be a downport rather than an orbiting facility, though they might manage to use an asteroid to make a cheap small starport). This means not only does most of the system not get patrol coverage, most of the planet doesn't.

Piracy would be a serious problem in a system like this because once you get out of orbit you probably are entirely on your own. Fuel skimming at any gas giant is more risky because there's no one protecting you. If there are any Belters, they'll arm up because they are likewise on their own.

Smuggling isn't a problem.. no problem at all... well.. not for the smugglers. Same problem, not enough patrol coverage to have a hope of stopping a smuggler from making planetside or leaving again. They probably wouldn't even bother trying. Only cargo inspections are going to happen at the actual starport.

This system would likely have a more wild west feel to it, rough place to be but on the other hand not much of anyone to tell you you can't do something so far as the law goes.

Planetary population is probably mostly concentrated in one place, one continent around the capitol and starport. Outlying settlements will have to be very self reliant... but... might be more open to smugglers and so forth who happen by.

Not sure I'd made it a tech 15 world... must be an interesting explanation behind that.

Also not sure about the 30% of the military budget going to the Imps thing... seems to me it would make more sense for them to just tax 1% of the planetary GWP and leave it at that. That's one flaw with the Striker rules I noticed.

Oh... the Navy budget could outright buy 4.8 patrol cruisers and could actually pay the maintenance on 10x that. I'd probably split it and call it 5x that or between 20 to 25 boats. Then start figuring up salaries, support personnel, and the Navy shares in the cost of planetary defenses (planetside missle batteries probably, and probably concentrated around the downport and capital).

Twenty boats... or maybe 10 boats and say 40 pinnaces would be a much better patrol force for a poor world. Still wouldn't be able to cover everything, but they could at least keep the airspace over the capital fairly secure and keep watch on the rest of planetary orbit. Might not be able to stop a smuggler coming and going, but they'd at least notice... sometimes. They also still wouldn't be able to patrol beyond planetary orbit, so Belters and so forth would still be on their own.

 

[rancke]

Taking your planet Rancke, my guess is they'd get a couple of patrol cruisers, possibly buy them second hand. Supplement that with some pinnaces with light armament to help spread the coverage out more.

Yes, but my point was that I'd use calculations to get a ballpark figure and then guesstimate the rest of the way, rather than redo the calculations over and over again.

But the problem is a poor system such as this just can't put out an effective patrol force. They'll have to keep what they do have close to the planet starport (which may actually be a downport rather than an orbiting facility, though they might manage to use an asteroid to make a cheap small starport). This means not only does most of the system not get patrol coverage, most of the planet doesn't.

Agreed on the rest of the system not getting any coverage, but I disagree about the planet. There is no convenient horizon to hide smugglers and pirates as they slip past the defenders and hide in mangrove swamps. In space, there's no place to hide. Put a handful of sensors in orbit, and you can see everyone as they approach. Four patrol ships would be plenty to provide cover. One to guard the main settlement, one to patrol the jump limit, one in reserve, and one down for repairs/maintenance. Supplement with a handful of small craft for close orbit work and a couple of laser cannon emplacements at the downport.

Piracy would be a serious problem in a system like this because once you get out of orbit you probably are entirely on your own.

Once you get out of orbit, there's almost certainly no pirate close enough to intercept you before you reach the jump limit. If there had been, they would have been intercepted and inspected by one of the patrol ships (This admittedly ignores the possibility of lazy or complicit system defenders). And, no, the pirates aren't lurking around pretending to be innocent merchants, because innocent merchants wouldn't lurk, they'd be going straight towards the starport to conduct merchant-type business.

Fuel skimming at any gas giant is more risky because there's no one protecting you.

Fuel skimming is hugely inefficient anyway. The loss of revenue due to wasting a week moving between the gas giant and the mainworld is more than you save in fuel bills. Starships are expensive and any minute they're not transporting freight or passengers, they're losing money.

If there are any Belters, they'll arm up because they are likewise on their own.

True.

Also not sure about the 30% of the military budget going to the Imps thing... seems to me it would make more sense for them to just tax 1% of the planetary GWP and leave it at that. That's one flaw with the Striker rules I noticed.

I agree that it would make more sense, but it's not inconceivable that the Imperium would do it as stated.

Oh... the Navy budget could outright buy 4.8 patrol cruisers and could actually pay the maintenance on 10x that.

No, it could buy 0.48 patrol ship outright or pay the maintenance on 10x that.


Hans

 

[robject]

I'm sure there's a megacorporation or two which may happily:

(1) lease or finance the use of defense elements to a world
(2) cut deals if said world has exploitable resources
(3) sell the world a Protection Plan, which may involve rotating patrols with nearby worlds

For that matter, a neighboring world itself may sell such services, cheaper than this world may get them on its own.

A small group of worlds may together purchase a share in patrol craft, in parallel with the rules for subsidized merchants and liners.

The Imperium itself is likely to send patrol cruisers by once in awhile (every little bit helps when you're relatively poor).

 

[BardicHeart]

You ever stop an think we write too much... say right about the time we have to quote all this? :rofl:

Yes, but my point was that I'd use calculations to get a ballpark figure and then guesstimate the rest of the way, rather than redo the calculations over and over again.

Same here, I wouldn't figure the budget too tightly, leave some leeway for "misc expenses".

Agreed on the rest of the system not getting any coverage, but I disagree about the planet. There is no convenient horizon to hide smugglers and pirates as they slip past the defenders and hide in mangrove swamps. In space, there's no place to hide. Put a handful of sensors in orbit, and you can see everyone as they approach. Four patrol ships would be plenty to provide cover. One to guard the main settlement, one to patrol the jump limit, one in reserve, and one down for repairs/maintenance. Supplement with a handful of small craft for close orbit work and a couple of laser cannon emplacements at the downport.

Maybe, maybe not. Maybe some specific examples would be in order. Your example world is size 4, a small planet of about 5,600 km diameter.

That means the minimum jump distance is 560,000 km above the planet. Looking at MT rules for sensors the max range on most is 500,000 km so without satellites the jump point is just beyond sensor range. If they put satellites at 400,000km up (borrowing from CT, B2, p11) then they'll have good coverage of the minimum jump perimeter. Doing some quick math, the orbit perimeter / circumference at that range would be pi x (2 x (400,000 + (5,600 / 2))) = Orbit

3.141593 x (2 x (400,000 + (5.600 / 2))) =
3.141593 x (2 x (400,000 + 2,800))
3.141593 x (2 x 402,800)
3.141593 x 805,600
2,530,867 km = Orbit

So assuming we allow for some overlap in sensor coverage you'd need at least 6 satellites. Course Traveller conveniently only deals in 2D along the solar plane so we don't have to worry about coverage above or below the planetary equator ;-)

This also tells us something about the ETA for patrol ships moving about. If you have just four in orbit they are spaced out over 630,000 km apart if they are patroling at the same altitude as the satellites. At a 4 G burn, back up is going to be just over an hour away. If a smuggler times it right, they should be able to lift off and make a burn for the jump point before those patrol ships can intercept which means smuggling things on or off this world isn't going to be much of a problem.

For an earth-like planet with a diameter of around 12,000 km things get more difficult. The minimum jump range is 1,200,000 km out. You'd need two layers of satellites to maintain sensor coverage and a lot more than just six. You'd also need more patrol craft, etc.

Main point to keep in mind is that planet size will affect things significantly.

Once you get out of orbit, there's almost certainly no pirate close enough to intercept you before you reach the jump limit. If there had been, they would have been intercepted and inspected by one of the patrol ships (This admittedly ignores the possibility of lazy or complicit system defenders). And, no, the pirates aren't lurking around pretending to be innocent merchants, because innocent merchants wouldn't lurk, they'd be going straight towards the starport to conduct merchant-type business.

Depends on the size of the planet, how many sensor satellites they have, etc. With an earth sized planet, if they didn't have the extra layer of satellites you very well could lurk at the jump perimeter (100D limit) and not be on planetary or regular orbit (400,000km) sat sensors. Just depends on what the system has which any good pirate or smuggler would check out first I think the important point to keep in mind is that depending on what the system can afford tells us something about where there would likely be piracy or smugglers... pirates want easier targets... if there are lots of sensor sats, patrol craft, etc. I would think they would go somewhere else.

I also think we need to design and price some sensor sats! LOL

All this also assume one inhabited planet that is the only point of interest in the system. If there are moon bases, outposts or colonies on outer planets, mining operations at asteroid belts... things get considerably more complicated for the patrols.

Fuel skimming is hugely inefficient anyway. The loss of revenue due to wasting a week moving between the gas giant and the mainworld is more than you save in fuel bills. Starships are expensive and any minute they're not transporting freight or passengers, they're losing money.

I agree, it really only makes sense if you had to jump in system at the outer edge of the system or the gas giant is the only potential source of hydrogen. Being able to jump in closer to your destination cuts out the practicality. There are also other sources of hydrogen that are probably safer than the risking the high winds of a gas giant... course Marc probably didn't know that back in the 70s. Ice asteroids, polar ice on moons and outer planets (turns out there is even a little on Earth's moon... probably not enough to be practical to extract for a Traveller ship, but its interesting), or just land on a world with water.

BTW, if I were running a small system, I'd hollow out an an asteroid, set up my own refinery and a fuel tanker to gather ice or hydrogen from whatever source was availble, refine it and sell it at my make-shift starport / downport. Extra income for the system.

No, it could buy 0.48 patrol ship outright or pay the maintenance on 10x that.

Ah, I misread the budget as having an extra zero... my mistake.

That said, I would think they'd have maybe two patrol boats (400 dT cruiser with jump drives and extra fuel removed, add some more guns, maybe higher G rating... guess we need to design this thing too :rofl: ). Make up the balance with armed pinnaces which would be much cheaper. If its a freighter or something, the pinnace could take care of the inspections, etc. If something else shows up you have a couple of patrol cruisers in geo-sync over the capital that make a 4-6G burn (depending on how much the engines can be "super-charged" after removing the jump drive) hoping to back up the pinnace before it gets shot to pieces by a corsair or some such. If that happens to be the other side of the planet... might be a few hours before they can get there which means its probably going to be too late.

Which takes me back towhy I said it wouldn't be much problem for smugglers to run the system. Its also why I suggested most of the population would be concentrated around the capitol. Even on a small planet, that's still a LOT of space to cover and a system this poor just can't effectively defend it. Even with sensor sats, they might see you, but that still doesn't mean they can get to you in time.

Really illustrates just how BIG space is.

 

[BardicHeart]

I'm sure there's a megacorporation or two which may happily:

(1) lease or finance the use of defense elements to a world
(2) cut deals if said world has exploitable resources

If there was sufficient economic reasons, I'm sure they would. But if its an Ag world and non industrial... hmmm.. I just realized apparently Traveller doesn't have a planetary designation for Minerals / Mining. They should add that. Meanwhile a Referee should decide if there are any minerals or other valuable resources a corp would want. If there is, then yeah, that might be an option. Course it also means a strong corp presense on the planet, probably in the government, they might even take it over and just make it a corp owned world once the world is deeply in debt to them.

Like the old song goes... you lift 15 tons and what do you get... another day older and deeper in debt. St Peter don't you call me cause I can't go... I owe my soul to the company store.

A small group of worlds may together purchase a share in patrol craft, in parallel with the rules for subsidized merchants and liners.

I'm not seeing how a "rotating" patrol would work? Do they protect one world one week and the second world on alternating weeks?

The Imperium itself is likely to send patrol cruisers by once in awhile (every little bit helps when you're relatively poor).

Yeah a strike carrier CruRon in system with 4 scout craft and 10 fighter squadrons (FSSI p9) would certainly ruin a pirate or smugglers day. Heh, takes us back to, "Mal, where'd that cho-jong-zee strike carrier come from!" "Free Trader Peaceful, this is the Imperial Carrier Zandustag, transmit your ID, manifest and destination. Maintain your current speed and heading, for your own safety Blue Squadron will escort you in." Nobody said being a pirate or smuggler was safe. :devil:

But... that would be one of those surprises that I'd throw in infrequently. IMTU the Imp Navy can't be everywhere nor can they stay there forever. If a system has been hit hard by pirates the Imp Navy may send a CruRon in to suppress it for awhile. But at some point that strike carrier will get re-deployed somewhere else and then the pirates will come back. Course for the first few pirates to jump in before word spreads... its REALLY gonna suck to be them. :rofl:

 

[rancke]

Your example world is size 4, a small planet of about 5,600 km diameter.

That means the minimum jump distance is 560,000 km above the planet. Looking at MT rules for sensors the max range on most is 500,000 km so without satellites the jump point is just beyond sensor range.

Why the MT sensor rules? Why not the HG rules or the TNE rules or the T4 rules or the GT rules or the T20 rules or the MGT rules?

Sensors don't actually work the way any of the rules makes them perform. You don't bob along, safe from detection, until you hit the 500,000 km range whereupon you automatically get detected. Objects with a temperature of about 300 Kelvin are detectable at far greater distance, provided someone is looking in the right direction. Sensor range also depend on the size of the sensor, so if I was buying sensors for our sample planet, I might buy a size bigger. That the rules don't allow them to be a size bigger doesn't mean they can't be built a size bigger in "reality". So when your dodgy ship emerges at the jump limit, it has a chance of getting detected. Every [time unit] it has another chance of getting detected. The locals only have to get lucky once. I'd say that if sensors detect ships automatically at 500,000km, any ship that lurks a bit further out would be detected in tens of minutes or hours.

If they put satellites at 400,000km up (borrowing from CT, B2, p11) then they'll have good coverage of the minimum jump perimeter. Doing some quick math, the orbit perimeter / circumference at that range would be pi x (2 x (400,000 + (5,600 / 2))) = Orbit

3.141593 x (2 x (400,000 + (5.600 / 2))) =
3.141593 x (2 x (400,000 + 2,800))
3.141593 x (2 x 402,800)
3.141593 x 805,600
2,530,867 km = Orbit

So assuming we allow for some overlap in sensor coverage you'd need at least 6 satellites. Course Traveller conveniently only deals in 2D along the solar plane so we don't have to worry about coverage above or below the planetary equator ;-)

How about we put three sensor platforms in geostationary orbit. That way, we'll detect inbound ships at, say, 400,000km, early enough to give the ships in orbit three hours to intercept them.

This also tells us something about the ETA for patrol ships moving about. If you have just four in orbit they are spaced out over 630,000 km apart if they are patroling at the same altitude as the satellites. At a 4 G burn, back up is going to be just over an hour away. If a smuggler times it right, they should be able to lift off and make a burn for the jump point before those patrol ships can intercept which means smuggling things on or off this world isn't going to be much of a problem.

These are purpose-built smuggler ships with 4g acceleration, I take it? That means they need 132 minutes to get to the jump limit. Meanwhile, how close does the patrol have to get to be within weapon range? What about the patrol ship in close orbit? Is that ever going to be OUT of weapon range?

For an earth-like planet with a diameter of around 12,000 km things get more difficult. The minimum jump range is 1,200,000 km out. You'd need two layers of satellites to maintain sensor coverage and a lot more than just six. You'd also need more patrol craft, etc.

To catch smugglers, possibly. To prevent pirates from catching outbound ships, you just need a ship in orbit, one halfway to the jump limit and one at the jump limit. Pirates who manage to lurk undetected at the jump limit may get lucky, if an incoming ship emerges within range. But the pirate's sensors are no better than those of the defenders (in fact, they're a lot worse, since they can't go active), so incoming ships may simply avoid getting detected. If they are detected, we have a race on, with the pirate pursuing the merchant into the jump shadow and defenders merely having to get within weapons range while the pirate has to match vectors.

Depends on the size of the planet, how many sensor satellites they have, etc. With an earth sized planet, if they didn't have the extra layer of satellites you very well could lurk at the jump perimeter (100D limit) and not be on planetary or regular orbit (400,000km) sat sensors.

A world with a diameter of 12,000km will have a jump limit with a circumference of 7,540,000km. Incoming ships will arrive at a narrow band covering half that distance, or 3,770,000km. With a sensor platform covering 800,000km (400,000 to the left and another 400,000 to the right), you can cover that with five platforms.

Mind you, smugglers would be able to approach the planet from the other side and not get detected until they were 400,000km from the world.

I also think we need to design and price some sensor sats! LOL

Could be.

All this also assume one inhabited planet that is the only point of interest in the system. If there are moon bases, outposts or colonies on outer planets, mining operations at asteroid belts... things get considerably more complicated for the patrols.

I did agree with that at the outset. The authorities will just have to be content with allowing the belters to arm their ships.


Hans