Firming up a campaign ship, feedback?

[ThunderChilde]

Been thinking about a Frontier Merchant Cruiser, 500 tons, based on the X-33 in appearance. I like the clean lines and lifting body efficiencies. I would pay the coin for Heat and Radiation Shielding, and Self Sealing, all safety features for life along the both sides of the Frontier.
Say J-3, M-3 or less.
3-5 turrets
20 lowberths
10-15 state rooms
luxuries and med bay
Library
workshop
and a ships boat would prolly be needed, and perhaps an air raft.
Aiming for 100 or more tons of cargo.o:

So would the sterooms be better set up as High Passage, or expecting the trade area to be poorer, a mix of dual or quad occpancy mids and single or double highs?
EDIT: In MTU higher jump ships recive a subsidy for cargo anytime they do so at J-2-4 of an extra 250 CrImp per ton, per pasec over one traveled (250, 500, 750). This is payable at the starport office upon delivery. This subsidy also requires some tonnage dedicated to passengers, a different subsidy applies to non-passenger carrying vessels. J-5-6 ships function in a whole different economy.

 

[far-trader]

I'd have to ask, what is the stated sop of the ship?

It probably can't be commercially viable (and I suspect it's designed more for "adventure") with those stats and standard trade. So I'd guess it's more a liason/speculative trader. Opening markets, finding exotics, that kind of thing.

If so I'd skip the idea of passenger berths (high, medium, or low), make the crew more comfortable, and if they find some hitchhiker have them double bunk. Or maybe have one or two extra staterooms for guests.

Make the boat a lifeboat, small, low-g, and long duration (think a year instead of a month). Just seats for the whole complement and emergency (or regular) low berths. Allow it to be useful as a runabout (even folding seats down to beds at half capacity) but not as the primary function. Limit the cargo capacity to a couple tons, full of survival gear.

An air-raft actually makes sense too, unlike in a purely commercial ship.

Naturally (whatever rules) the ship is capable of frontier refueling right.

The rest sounds pretty good. About all I'd change is make the turrets retractable (hidden) so they can play the role of "peaceful unarmed traders" and only resort to violent defense if needed.

Oh, and of course there should be a small (1-2dtons) of secret hold space(s) for stuff they don't want found when they get boarded and searched for contraband. Where they can keep those precious goods they start with and find along the way that might get them into (or out of*) trouble...

* "...if you let us return to our ship we can reward you beyond your imagination."

 

[ThunderChilde]

Yes, it's built purpose is for speculative trade in the trans-border regions. It also had a reserve commision from Naval Intelligence*

The three players I have so far are a knockabout, couldn't stay in any carreer for more than 2 terms, in a few cases even less, a noble, who went into the army after striking out as a marine, then went noble for 2 terms, and a 5 term Space Patrolman for CB1 (became a Noble), with one term in the merchants.

The knockabbout has a 2 year old child, and the patrolman is bringing his soon to be wife on board.

The ship is old, recently rebuilt, during which the owner died in the engine room of old age, he was over 100 and was the only owner the ship had had in 75 years. The players all rolled some of the dice to set the cost for an old ship, and rolled for its oddities.

They got it cheap, 12 shipshare, which they had, so free and clear with a few shares left over, letting them use them to cover the recertifacation, stocking the ship, fuel and filling the turrets, they are empty at the moment. Oh and they wanted a couple of the engineering robots too.

What they don't know is that the ship is haunted, which why it came soooo cheap for such a jem of a ship.:smirk:

They rolled luxurious, upgraded computer*, smuggling spaces*, excellent reputation and upgraded sensors*. No one rolled a bad thing, they all rolled low on the dice for ship shares too.:nonono:

*All linked to the Naval Intelligence commision that the vessel had, they will be approached by NavInt soon......

 

[DaveChase]

Hmmm,

Ghost in the Machine (or ship)

Interesting. But the kid sees it first. BTW is the kid a NPC or player?

One interesting bit of background to use if you want to drop some hints about ghost and such.
Either insects seem to hang around the ship a lot
or
the is no sign of any vermin ever on the ship.

Dave Chase

 

[ThunderChilde]

The child is an NPC, result of Spica's expanded life events table, same for the NPC bride to be.

I like the no vermin ever Dave, and the child being the first to see it. Was going to have the motion detectors in the engineering spaces occasionally blip, and the first apparition during Jump, the Ghost is only really active in Jump Space.

Nothing harmful, just things in the old Captain's cabin re-arranged sometimes, the occasional sighting in reflective surfaces, things moved in engineering, etc.

On another tact, I am thinking of having the Bride having a Paten relationship. Its a cool idea from Stellar Reaches, that some humans and vargr develop a very, very close relationship, kind of like a deeply loved pet, but with neither being in the submissive position.

I am also considering inflicting a Bwap on them as thier Naval Intelligence Liason. He would obviously be an Analyst and a Crypotographer. His cover would be as the Ships Purser.:devil:

 

[boomslang]

Aiming for 100 or more tons of cargo.o:

Nice specs, but you can probably push her a little bit for better economics.

At J-3 (and depending on which version of Trav you are designing under), if you go up to 600 dtons, you ought to be able to get about one-third of her displacement as payload (cargo + non-crew-staterooms), for only a 10% to 20% increment in costs compared to the 500-dton hull.

(If you use modular shipping, for example, 180 dtons is a tidy six Cutter Modules' worth of kit, which is a nice capability to pitch to the navy when looking for that commission as an auxiliary.)

I prefer 800 dtons minimum for frontier merchant work, just to have extra space for spec cargo that sits unsold for months on end and collapsing tanks for the occasional double-hop, but the operational costs climb fast above 600 dtons; either way, 400 dtons is too cramped, so 500 is probably as tight a squeeze as is practical.

You did not specify Tech Level; I would recommend the lowest possible, given the anticipated operating environment.

I prefer a Cutter to a Boat, because it is slower and therefore less easy to escape in, but mostly because it only displaces 20 actual dtons if it's wrapped around a Module full of freight and it lets you handle your own loading & unloading if local facilities are too primitive or pricey. Note that an empty Cutter still leaves enough free displacement for a stubby, bent-in-half Boat. If tonnage gets too tight, you could always downgrade to a custom-fit Module-capable Slow Pinnace, which only displaces 10 dtons more than the Module crammed in it. Payload tonnage, payload tonnage, payload tonnage.

Also, depending on your combat system, you might consider a 2-G drive; it lets the crew use Double Fire in a pinch (if applicable), still lets her land on world Size 8 or higher, and keeps her from outrunning most threats -- which makes for "interesting"' "role-playing opportunities". Plus, it saves another few dtons for -- payload.

Also, if using CT, I'd fit a full set of hardpoints but mount a mix of turrets and some (up to 3, I guess) dual fixed mounts, just to keep crew requirements down... lowering payroll costs, and freeing staterooms for paying passengers...

 

[flykiller]

did a quick work-up using HG2 at tech 13, model 7, j3, m2, 20dton gig, airraft, no added armor, two triple laser turrets. came up with 70 dtons available for cargo and passengers - maybe 90 if the computer is downgraded and a few small things I always toss in are tossed back out. at tech 13 j2 m2 is probably best.

I'd include four cabins for passengers - trade reps, envoys, guides, etc.

 

[ThunderChilde]

System is MongTrav, the efficiencies gained for higher tech Drives and PP are well worth considering, 25% space gained back for each at TTL 15.

Other Tech I am giving hard thought to including: Lyman Jump Drives and Densified Fuel Storage
http://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/rules/tech/lymanjd.html
http://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/shipyard/densefuel.html

I was also deeply tempted to use the A310 variant for the campaign, with the alternate tech, it has some sterling qualities.
http://kemkem-web.web.infoseek.co.jp/hukkou2/a310/a310.htm

 

[flykiller]

System is MongTrav, the efficiencies gained for higher tech Drives and PP are well worth considering ....

and in HG2 as well, maybe not as much. but imtu tech 15 yard space is overfilled with naval work and mere merchants are lucky to get tech 13 yard space. tech 12 is more realistic - imtu.

if this is an exploratory cruiser it will need a testing lab and staff section with anthropologists as well. if it's supposed to pay for itself at any level and its cargo loads are unknown when it sets out then it will need as much cargo space as can be had. using any kind of traveller rules, unless a particulary small volume / high value cargo is stumbled upon then likely j2 m2 will be the best that can be done, and j2 m1 might be necessary.

 

[boomslang]

System is MongTrav, the efficiencies gained for higher tech Drives and PP are well worth considering, 25% space gained back for each at TTL 15.

True enough, but if a TL15 vessel will be operating on the frontier, she had best fit her own repair & maintenance bays... she will be a long way from adequate shipyard facilities most of the time.

 

[ThunderChilde]

Already had a repair shop of 4-6 tons penciled in and both repair drones, and 4 full up repair robots. Tenatively 4 tons of dedicated ships stores for repair parts also penciled in.

Goona look at the 600 ton version of this too, might be a sweeter spot on the tables for this kind of ship.

Still might just break for the A-310 instead.

 

[rancke]

True enough, but if a TL15 vessel will be operating on the frontier, she had best fit her own repair & maintenance bays... she will be a long way from adequate shipyard facilities most of the time.

Not a problem as long as she visits a Class A or B starport at least once a year. All class A and B starports are able to perform annual maintenance. Repairs? Class C starports have "reasonable repair facilities available", which is open to interpretation. What is reasonable? Myself, I'd be inclined to allow minor repairs at any Class A, B, or C starport, but require a shipyard with access to the appropriate TL to perform major repairs. But that's just an opinion.



Hans