Alright, now that i've gotten a few games and posts under my belt, I've decided to ask a question I've had for a long time... Why on EARTH did anyone design spinal mounts or +10,000 ton ships?? I've been in several games and never ever seen a +10,000 ships, and there is no way a PC could ever effectively use one. Also, Spinal mounts are only possible on ships that are impractical for a game involving less that 100 PCs, and who is going to bother rolling all those dice? Has anyone been in a situation where either of these useless items? If so, please share.
Large Ships and Spinal Mounts: What is the Point?
- Thread starter endersig
- Start date
Military campaign
PC's serve as a marine attache to the naval invesitgation officer on a capital ship. A crossover campaign using elements from JAG and Law and Order.
Civilian campaign
PC's come into possession of a derelict cruiser. The rest of the crew is automated or NPC's. Aka Blakes7 premise. Rest of storyline involves running from the navy who don't think civi's should have that kind of vessel.
Any active military campaign will see these vessels occasionally, and they should turn up as backdrop regularily. "You suddenly pass into shadow as the IN Dreadnaught Devestator launches from its dock and blocks out the sun."
PC's serve as a marine attache to the naval invesitgation officer on a capital ship. A crossover campaign using elements from JAG and Law and Order.
Civilian campaign
PC's come into possession of a derelict cruiser. The rest of the crew is automated or NPC's. Aka Blakes7 premise. Rest of storyline involves running from the navy who don't think civi's should have that kind of vessel.
Any active military campaign will see these vessels occasionally, and they should turn up as backdrop regularily. "You suddenly pass into shadow as the IN Dreadnaught Devestator launches from its dock and blocks out the sun."
Campaigns where the PCs end up in posiitons of power at the state level where they're responsible for designing and/or controlling the Navy. TCS is a perfect example of such a campaign. Think of PCs at that level akin to PCs in a high-level D&D campaign where they're leading armies. Luckily, TCS has a method for resolving large fleet battles with a minimum number of dice rolls.
The Oz
SOC-14 1K
Large ships serve mostly as background, as has been said. Your characters will almost never directly interact with one (they'd better not ever get a dreadnought mad at them!!!) but having these big ships in the background add to the flavor of the universe.
And they make dandy cavalry to come to the rescue of PCs trapped by overwhelming foes. Especially when the Navy then proceeds to deny the PCs the full value of their adventure/discovery/theft by taking it for the Imperium!
And they make dandy cavalry to come to the rescue of PCs trapped by overwhelming foes. Especially when the Navy then proceeds to deny the PCs the full value of their adventure/discovery/theft by taking it for the Imperium!
RainOfSteel
SOC-14 1K
Background: The PCs jump in-system at Rhylanor. The GM paints extra color by mentioning the batron of eight Tigresses on station (along with four batrons of Kokkiraks, for good measure).
It always perks up the PC's ears to hear mention of, oh, 40 battleships of the line hanging around.
As for why they were designed? That one is easy to answer! Pure gearheadedness.
It always perks up the PC's ears to hear mention of, oh, 40 battleships of the line hanging around.
As for why they were designed? That one is easy to answer! Pure gearheadedness.
sure they could. a former admiral or captain (do they ever really retire?), social standing 14 (not at all impossible), imperial warrant or personal reputation, man on the scene of a situation, etc. it's quite possible and not at all difficult.
nobility, rank, and leadership are about getting other people to do things for you, not doing them yourself.
RainOfSteel
SOC-14 1K
Silly me, I almost forgot. There was this little game, called . . . there was some small monetary amount in the name, what was it?
Trillion Credit Squadron
Trillion Credit Squadron
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
TNE and T4 both allowed for much smaller spinal mounts.
Effectively the spinal mount becomes a weapon option for any size of ship.
This can be fudged into CT/T20 as follows:
small craft/ships 10 - 200 tons can carry a spinal particle accelerator (treat as a barbette)at TL10+;
ships 200 - 1999 may mount one bay weapon as a spinal mount but lose half of their turret hardpoints to do so;
ships 2000 - 5000 may mount bays as spinal, or parallel mounts
ships larger than 5000t can install true spinal mounts
Effectively the spinal mount becomes a weapon option for any size of ship.
This can be fudged into CT/T20 as follows:
small craft/ships 10 - 200 tons can carry a spinal particle accelerator (treat as a barbette)at TL10+;
ships 200 - 1999 may mount one bay weapon as a spinal mount but lose half of their turret hardpoints to do so;
ships 2000 - 5000 may mount bays as spinal, or parallel mounts
ships larger than 5000t can install true spinal mounts
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Oh, and the Spinward Marches Campaign for CT, and Imperial Squadrons for T4 included adventures which were set on the big ships.
Then there's Azhanti High Lightning...
Then there's Azhanti High Lightning...
Spiderfish
SOC-12
Why does everything have to be usable by the pcs?
The universe doesn't revolve around them, no matter how self-centered they are (and they are very self-centered).
The universe doesn't revolve around them, no matter how self-centered they are (and they are very self-centered).
BetterThanLife
SOC-14 1K
Hey I had a character once that did some of his best work from the Flag Bridge of a Kokirrak. It was a fun campaign. THe character I rolled, got stuck in the Navy an extra term. When all was said and done he was a retired Grand Admiral and had Soc 15. The GM decided instead of disallowing the character, confiscating the character or resorting to the silly notion of a Retired Grand Admiral with a Soc-15 hanging out on a Tramp Frieghter or Scout SHip doing typical Traveller adventures, (The pirates have boarded and are headed down this corridor. "Mi Lord wouldst thou loan me thine frag grenade!") to base a campaign around this character.
He declared that the Duke of Glisten wasn't doing his part in maintaining the Southern Border Security on the eve of the 5th Frontier War. Fired the Duke of Glisten. Created my character the Duke of Glisten and gave me several directives.
1. Build the Glisten Colonial Subsector Navy.
2. Be the Naval advisor to the Sector Duke.
3. Locate, identify and eliminate, (with discretion where neccessary) Zhodani presence in District 268, Pax Rulin and Egryn Subsectors.
He did have a budget, loosely based on TCS. (It was basically TCS but only had 2 years of funds.)
But he did deal with ships in the 60,000+ ton sizes.
It was a fun campaign, instead of being about a Tramp Freighter, Mercenary Unit, Scout Ship, or IMF type campaign it was full of Court intrigue. Dealing with the communication lags. Keeping populations happy. Dealing with Zhodani Assassins and spys, etc.
(It is a real bitch to duck an assassin that can teleport.
)
I have been considering a campaign that was active duty military. Probably based on an AHL class ship. (Just because I like the possibile range of missions that the ship was obviously designed for and I have the deck plans.) But until I get a working, balanced and well tested version of Starship combat that campaign will sit on the back burner. Though I may just wait until HH comes out and use that for my Active Duty campaign.
He declared that the Duke of Glisten wasn't doing his part in maintaining the Southern Border Security on the eve of the 5th Frontier War. Fired the Duke of Glisten. Created my character the Duke of Glisten and gave me several directives.
1. Build the Glisten Colonial Subsector Navy.
2. Be the Naval advisor to the Sector Duke.
3. Locate, identify and eliminate, (with discretion where neccessary) Zhodani presence in District 268, Pax Rulin and Egryn Subsectors.
He did have a budget, loosely based on TCS. (It was basically TCS but only had 2 years of funds.)
But he did deal with ships in the 60,000+ ton sizes.
It was a fun campaign, instead of being about a Tramp Freighter, Mercenary Unit, Scout Ship, or IMF type campaign it was full of Court intrigue. Dealing with the communication lags. Keeping populations happy. Dealing with Zhodani Assassins and spys, etc.
(It is a real bitch to duck an assassin that can teleport.
I have been considering a campaign that was active duty military. Probably based on an AHL class ship. (Just because I like the possibile range of missions that the ship was obviously designed for and I have the deck plans.) But until I get a working, balanced and well tested version of Starship combat that campaign will sit on the back burner. Though I may just wait until HH comes out and use that for my Active Duty campaign.
BetterThanLife
SOC-14 1K
Or Arrival Vengence.
Jeff M. Hopper
SOC-14 1K
A thought nobody else has posted, large ships make great bases of operation. Take a look at the tsunami relief efforts being carried out in our current time. A US carrier is being used as a staging area for relief efforts in the region (actually, I think it is an entire carrier task force with extra marine elements, but I am not sure).
ObTrav - The PCs are hauling a cargo of food and medical supplies to a world that has suffered a catastrophe (asteroid strike, massive solar flare, nuclear war, etc., just insert Irwin Allen movie here). Their ship is directed to an Azhanti High Lightning cruiser in orbit, instead of the local starport, which is acting as an interim starport for relief efforts.
Also don't forget Showing the Flag. Nothing lets the citizens know what their tax credits are going for like a big warship in orbit, sometimes they even fire off their spinal mounts for target practice to allow those taxpayers to feel secure in the superior firepower of these behemoths as well. Local system bases have Open House days where astrobatic flying by special Public Relations squadrons happens to the "Ooos", "Aaahhs", and "Holy Craps!" of the crowd (The latter exclamation happens often amoung civilians during live fire demonstrations).
ObTrav - The PCs are hauling a cargo of food and medical supplies to a world that has suffered a catastrophe (asteroid strike, massive solar flare, nuclear war, etc., just insert Irwin Allen movie here). Their ship is directed to an Azhanti High Lightning cruiser in orbit, instead of the local starport, which is acting as an interim starport for relief efforts.
Also don't forget Showing the Flag. Nothing lets the citizens know what their tax credits are going for like a big warship in orbit, sometimes they even fire off their spinal mounts for target practice to allow those taxpayers to feel secure in the superior firepower of these behemoths as well. Local system bases have Open House days where astrobatic flying by special Public Relations squadrons happens to the "Ooos", "Aaahhs", and "Holy Craps!" of the crowd (The latter exclamation happens often amoung civilians during live fire demonstrations).
RainOfSteel
SOC-14 1K
T20
Imperium, Required Skills: none, Required Equipment: starship
Player's Information:
The players land at a starport of a pop 8+, starport B+ world (where, within one jump, there is a world with pop 6-, starport C- world). As soon as they are on the ground, and Imperial Official walks up the boarding ramp and meets the PCs at their airlock. He tells the PCs that a nearby world has been hit with a great disaster (GM's choice), and that the Imperium is requisitioning ships to carry food and medical supplies and deliver disaster relief personnel to the world. (The supplies and personnel are mostly paid for through large charity concerns, many of which are funded by wealthy noble contributors; but the delivery and coordination is being provided by the Imperium and its officials.) The official will allow the PCs to chose, but will try to persuade them (even guilt them) into accepting. If the PC's accept, their cargo hold will be filled to capacity with Priority Cargo, and their staterooms will be filled with relief workers, all at Double Occupancy. The ship will be refueled free of charge immediately. A group of stevedores with loading equipment is standing by to offload current cargo and reload the ship immediately. Outbound relief workers can be here in one hour and be finished boarding less than twenty minutes later. It should be a profitable trip. The PCs should be leaving in under three hours.
Referee's Information:
Because of the disaster, there might not be enough cargo and passengers available on the disaster world to guarantee a profitable trip from there to wherever they go next (the GM should apply appropriate negative modifiers to the cargo and passenger generation tables). If the PCs think to ask, the Imperial Official will provide a "guaranteed profit voucher". This will pay the starship's bank the difference between their monthly mortgage and any shortfall at the end of the current payment period, but the ship's books for the current payment period must be submitted to local Treasury Ministry officials to determine the amount to be paid out.
1. All is as represented. The PCs will make rendezvous in the target system with a giant capital ship of the Imperial Navy, and will allow their passengers and cargo to be offloaded there. They are not allowed onto the planet (hopefully, they asked for the voucher noted above).
2-3. All is as represented. The PCs will deliver passengers and cargo directly to the planet's down starport. Everything is in mass chaos. Customs is non-existant, no one checks up on their ship when it lands. The starport has been swarmed externally with people seeking refuge, and the Imperial troops and personnel on hand (many are out and about providing security against looting and aiding relief efforts) aren't enough to always keep them outside the extrality line (more forces are coming in 1d6 weeks, but they aren't here yet). Some refugees occasionally climb the ordinary fence or even rip it down in order to get to starships in the hopes of getting off-world (even though crossing the extrality line is illegal and viewed dimly by Imperial authorities). It's up to the PCs to see to it that their passengers and cargo are offloaded safely. It's also going to be an adventure to try and acquire outbound cargo and passengers in the middle of the chaos.
4-5. The PCs arrive, and receive only a cursory message about a landing pad and beacon assignment from downport control. When they land, the starport is largely a no man's land of refugees and vastly outnumbered Imperial forces who have retreated to nearly invulnerable (to personal or vehicular weapons) defense bunkers protected by bonded superdense armor. They aren't interested in gunning down unarmed civilians in defense of the minimal C- port facilities. Again, it's up to the PCs to assure their cargo and passengers are offloaded safely (if they even want to help). The passengers will not wish to return to their origin, they're here to get a job done, and if the PCs don't help them, they'll go it alone . . . only some of them will be hurt or killed getting out of the starport if the PCs don't help. While this isn't techincally a crime, it will make the PC's names dirt in certain Imperial circles. If they did ask for and receive the voucher noted above, the PCs will find completion of payment mired in red tape.
6. The Imperial official is a fraud trying to get a hot cargo and largish team of criminals and friends off planet as soon as possible. Starport news feeds have been hacked, and will report everything the fraud has said as true. The stevedores are actually part of the criminal crew, and as they finish up, they'll swap clothes and suddently "appear" as relief workers ready to get on board. If the PCs get off their ship and check any of the fraud's statements out, they'll find out the truth. The fraud and his crew will do everything in their power to prevent this from happening, from innocously finding minor defects in the ship's hull or systems which will require the PC's attention, to hijacking the ship, if necessary. If the PCs do not detect the fraud, they will get to the destination world, and there will be no disaster. The fraud will offer to check out what's going on, and he will leave to "talk to the portmaster immediately". The passengers will volunteer to offload everything (and will bowl over any objections about there being no disaster or having arrived in the wrong place). In two to four hours, they'll all be gone, having disappeared into the local criminal underground. A major investigative effort will be required to locate any of them.
BetterThanLife
SOC-14 1K
Besides something has to be able to keep players in line that think just because they have a <Insert favorite standard ship that can be over gunned and used as an ethically challanged merchant here.> Something has to be able to keep the system govenor on some planet has decided to hire the players to raid a Naval installation for a Black Globe Generator in line. After all planetary navies and armies can be quite impressive. Something out there is always bigger and better.
The Active Duty campaign is one good reason for the "Big Ships"; the fear of being chaased by one is what keeps most major systems safe from small-time priates, etc.
One of the biggest mistakes, IMO, made by the Alternity line team was NOT providing a full ship design system. (And, while I found it on the net, it was obviously too little, too late.)
Key archetypical genre: Star Trek. Big Ships (Although dwarfed by some of the HG designs) with crews in the multi-hundreds, and 5-24 PC's. (Yes, I've RUN games with 18+ PC's, amongst 12 players.)
Plus, I know a guy who ran a leviathan with all berths filled by PC's at 1-2 per player. 30 some odd players.
One of the biggest mistakes, IMO, made by the Alternity line team was NOT providing a full ship design system. (And, while I found it on the net, it was obviously too little, too late.)
Key archetypical genre: Star Trek. Big Ships (Although dwarfed by some of the HG designs) with crews in the multi-hundreds, and 5-24 PC's. (Yes, I've RUN games with 18+ PC's, amongst 12 players.)
Plus, I know a guy who ran a leviathan with all berths filled by PC's at 1-2 per player. 30 some odd players.
BetterThanLife
SOC-14 1K
Chris, Jeff,
Absolutely brilliant. Consider it stolen.
Absolutely brilliant. Consider it stolen.
RainOfSteel
SOC-14 1K
<evil villain's laugh! />Originally posted by Bhoins:
Chris, Jeff,
Absolutely brilliant. Consider it stolen.
The contagion spreads!
Oh, and thank you!
Jeff M. Hopper
SOC-14 1K
Huh? Cool!Originally posted by Bhoins:
Chris, Jeff,
Absolutely brilliant. Consider it stolen.
Chuck Anumia
SOC-14 1K
The PC's become members of a Mercenary Organization that uses older Imperial Ships, cruisers, Battle tenders and Battle Riders, or any other size ship to make up an undersized fleet under Imperial Authority. This will give the Imperial Government full deniabilty if the Mercenaries fail their interdiction contract against another government or if they decide to turn rouge and steal the fleet given them and become part of the united rebellion against the Emporer.
