Originally posted by Charles Godfrey:
I am relatively new to the Traveller scene, although I have been role-playing since 1980.
I finally picked up the Traveller T20 system and love it. I am designed a Luxury Liner
Starship, approaching it backwards, starting with how many High Society types would
travel together, and have been assembling it from there. I need to make sure that
there are enough Lifeboats in case of an attack by pirates, but I don't have any info
on how many passenger a Lifeboat can carry for how long. Are there ship designs
out there that come with dimensions, # of passengers, and supplies? Is there an
easy formula? Thanks for your help.
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Lifeboats, lifepods, survival balls(inflateable)
Hmmm. You will have to allow for these craft to be either internally or externally docked to your ship.
As a liner doing orbital C-class ports of call or better (or B & A-class only, better still, you can make your liner streamlined or not, using refined fuel only (no gas giant accidents please!). USL hulls are faster/ cheaper to make than SL ones.
Here's this idea (drawn from the canon IDP TL-15 subcraft themselves in "passenger configuration):
Gig-(20dtns)-3 crew/only, 2 lowberths.
Launch-(20dtns)-crew 2/ seats for 20 passengers, 1G accel/ agility 6, "often utilized as a lifeboat".
Ship's Boat(30dtns) crew 2/ passengers 20; 6G/3 agility; ship to ship operations.
Slow Boat (30dtns) crew 2/ passengers 30, 3G/agility 6; optimized for atmospheric travel
Pinnace (40dtns) crew 2/ passengers 30; 5G/agility3; "capable of holding passengers and /or small vehicles".
Slow pinnace (40dtns)crew 2/ seats 50 passengers 2G/agility 6 (same as above, just slower smaller engines so to carry more passengers/ vehicles).
Modular cutter (50dtns) crew 2/ passenger module holds 30 seats; 4G/agility 3.
Shuttle (95dtn)crew 2/ passengers 100 (roomy). 3Gee/agility 2.
cost of course depends on the Liner company, and level of comfort they intend to provide for the clientele.
depending on her size (adding in the displacement of subcraft/ life support and crew) the number of "lifeboats/ & type will vary.
Also, how many worlds on the route have no orbital facilities, but need passenger downside service from the mother ship.
Basically in traveller, a liner is like a Aircraft carrier, only nicer, and less warlike. hence they are targeted by pirates (so they can stock armed FTRS, subcraft in em as well!)
The ultimate angle of all this is up to you the designer & GM.