Xerxeskingofking
SOC-13
just my take on how TL affects ship design in MGT 2e, and on what designs would be most effective at each tech level. I welcome discussion of my conclusions.
I'll start at TL7, which is the lowest level that HG goes to for ship components.
TL7 (1970s-present day):
TL8 ("Near future"):
TL9 (J1, early Vlani and pre-IW Terrans):
that's what I have so far. I will work on TL10 (early IW Terrans) and TL 11 (J2, Imperial Vlani and mid IW Terrans), and post my thoughts on them as soon as I can make something coherent about them. TL12 (J3, late IW/ROM Terrans), TL13 (J4 Civil war 3rd Imps), TL14 (J5 current Zhodani and Solomani) and TL15 (current 3rd Imps) are a long, long way off at the moment, but feel free to speculate on what you think they should go like.
I'll start at TL7, which is the lowest level that HG goes to for ship components.
TL7 (1970s-present day):
Obviously, these are the most basic ships possible under the rules. Titanium armour means most ships are not strongly armoured due the volume requirements to hit even the low TL armour limit (17.5% of hull space for armour 7). Power would be fission based. Only reaction type drives are available, with a max thrust of 3G, which puts severe limits on how manoeuvrable a ship could be due to the large fuel tanks needed (2.5% of hull, per G-hour of thrust). Only a basic computer is allowed, and theirs not much that can run on it, and the only sensor options are "prototype" versions of Basic sensors. Only single turrets are available, but this matters little as all you can put in a turret is a missile launcher. barbettes have missles and trops, but the only bays available are missile ones (torp bays are TL9 for some reason).
conclusions The weak armour, poor manoeuvrability and lack of point defensive options would, I believe, lead to a preference for multiple, small "attrition" units , armed with as many missile barbettes (best mix between tonnage and weight of fire, I feel) as possible filled with nukes. combat would be bloody, as thiers going to be a LOT of missles flying around hitting relatively soft targets. Larger ships are much too vulnerable to this missile spam. such ships might be able to "swarm" a larger ship attempting to enter orbit, but I doubt anything at this level is capable of power projection.
conclusions The weak armour, poor manoeuvrability and lack of point defensive options would, I believe, lead to a preference for multiple, small "attrition" units , armed with as many missile barbettes (best mix between tonnage and weight of fire, I feel) as possible filled with nukes. combat would be bloody, as thiers going to be a LOT of missles flying around hitting relatively soft targets. Larger ships are much too vulnerable to this missile spam. such ships might be able to "swarm" a larger ship attempting to enter orbit, but I doubt anything at this level is capable of power projection.
TL8 ("Near future"):
While their are a few advantages over TL7, the same basic limitations have not yet been overcome. Fusion power leads to a slight gain in PP performance, but its not much to write home about given the lack of power hungry systems at this level. the reaction drives can now reach 5G, but the fuel requirements are still large and this is a the major problem at this tech level, as it limits the ships range to close to its operating base. at least it can now mount basic sensors as standard without mucking about with the prototype rules, but the emissions absorption grid means detection ability still sucks. No real change in computers, but Launch Solution programs add to the already high effectiveness of missile and torp attacks. Double turrets can now be made, and you now have the option of mounting a Drill Laser in them, but this isn't really a viable energy weapon. no new barbette options, but the Mass driver bay allows for orbital fire support. The biggest change is that Frag missiles now provide a method of point defence against incoming missiles.
conclusions: while still limited by the fuel requirements to short duration trips, larger ships are now somewhat more viable as they can start defending themselves to a degree. Bays filled with Frag missles significantly reduce the threat of nuke missiles, but are unable to deal with torps, which makes those appealing as the preferred ship killer.
conclusions: while still limited by the fuel requirements to short duration trips, larger ships are now somewhat more viable as they can start defending themselves to a degree. Bays filled with Frag missles significantly reduce the threat of nuke missiles, but are unable to deal with torps, which makes those appealing as the preferred ship killer.
TL9 (J1, early Vlani and pre-IW Terrans):
This is the first level where things really change, and new technologies offer a new paradigm of ship design. While armour Is still bulky titanium, it is now easier to devote more space to it, as 1g grav drives free up lots of space on a ship for other systems. while Jump drives and fuel eat up some of that space, the net result is still a much more capable vessel, able to cruse for weeks and travel to other systems, and Metal Hydride storage allows for safer, less leaky tanks. New computers and sensors, along with Evade and Fire Control programs, make ships both more alert and more responsive. Launch tubes are available, allowing for true carriers. On top of that Core computers, with their much higher Bandwidth, coupled with programs like Point Defence and Battle System allow ships to co-ordinate properly for the first time and cover one another. Weapons wise, the new triple turrets can be filled with both Pulse lasers and Sand casters, while it is finally possible to build Torp bays.
conclusions: For the first time, it starts to make sense to move towards bigger combatants, as they can now mount enough Defences, in the form of frag missles, lasers, and armour, to be able to weather storm of nuke missles and torps enough to make them more cost effective than small "attrition" units. the PD software, in particular, lets several larger ships with core type computers, in tight formation, to "pool" PD fire and thus help shield one another. However, the very high speeds that reaction drives can get to (up to 9G), linked with true carrier equipment, leads to the possible system of large, slow carriers, backed up by PD heavy capital sized escorts, using high speed reaction drive strikecraft to put extremely large salvos of nuke downrange in an attempt to saturate the new, more effective PD systems.
conclusions: For the first time, it starts to make sense to move towards bigger combatants, as they can now mount enough Defences, in the form of frag missles, lasers, and armour, to be able to weather storm of nuke missles and torps enough to make them more cost effective than small "attrition" units. the PD software, in particular, lets several larger ships with core type computers, in tight formation, to "pool" PD fire and thus help shield one another. However, the very high speeds that reaction drives can get to (up to 9G), linked with true carrier equipment, leads to the possible system of large, slow carriers, backed up by PD heavy capital sized escorts, using high speed reaction drive strikecraft to put extremely large salvos of nuke downrange in an attempt to saturate the new, more effective PD systems.
that's what I have so far. I will work on TL10 (early IW Terrans) and TL 11 (J2, Imperial Vlani and mid IW Terrans), and post my thoughts on them as soon as I can make something coherent about them. TL12 (J3, late IW/ROM Terrans), TL13 (J4 Civil war 3rd Imps), TL14 (J5 current Zhodani and Solomani) and TL15 (current 3rd Imps) are a long, long way off at the moment, but feel free to speculate on what you think they should go like.
