Need help with ship building rules.
- Thread starter Thanos
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Let's build a TL14 Fleet Courier.
Td is abbreviation for "Tons Displacement" - the standard ton for the design sequence.
Start with Hull (page 106)
Hull Code is 4, Cost is MCr16
It needs armor. Let's give it a hefty 10% hull at TL14.
MCr16 (50% per 5% hull, 2 units), AV is 6 per block, so that's AV12.
On to p107...
Time to install drives. TO know what drives I need, however, I have to look on page 108. I want J5 (peak for TL14) and it's 400Td, so I come down the 400 Column until I find an entry of 5... then I look to the left, and see that that needs a drive K. So I'll need a JDrive K and PP K, and I'll want 6G's to be able to escape. I come down the 400 ton column on 108, until I find a 6, and that's on the line for M. That means MD M, PP M, and JD K.
So I look on 107 for the size and cost of JDrive K: 55Td and MCr100
MDrive M is 23Td and MCr48
PP M is 37Td MCr96.
Time to add Jump fuel. Rating 5 is 50% of hull: 200Td is 50% of 400. It's free, but filling it won't be.
And now, power plant fuel. Table, bottom of 107, shows that Drive M is 24 tons per 2 weeks. I'll start with 2 weeks. 24Td, MCr0.
Next, still on 107, is the bridge. Since the hull is 300-1000Tons, I need a 20 Td bridge. (p. 107, right col, 2nd entry on the table) MCr0.5 per 100tons of ship, so that's 4x100Tons, and thus 4xMCr0.5 = MCr2
On to computer, on 108. I need a Model 5 to support J5. Looking at the computer table (108, left), the rating is 25, and the cost is MCr10. I double check the computer programs table on p.113 to make certain I can run and jump - I can. But I can't evade and jump. Either/or. Library and Maneuver are free; the evade is MCr3, and J5 is MCr0.5. No tonnage for either.
I stop, do a quick run of the numbers, and realize I'm tapped out - 399 of 400 tons already.
I cut the armor in half, and now have 21 tons left.
I expect to need 3 staterooms, and a turret, and some cargo, so I'll stick to 3Td of sensors. Advanced Sensors. Its' well below design TL14, and costs MCr2, and has a rating of +1 (meaning sensor rolls get a +1 bonus).
Page 109 is skipped- it's all optional.
Page 110 ...
Quarters. Let's put in 3 Staterooms. 3x4Td, 3xMCr0.5 = 12Td, MCr1.5. This is a military ship, so we can have up to 6 crew...
394 tons spent so far.
I'll come back for cargo space later.
I know I don't have room for any fittings, so I skip them.
Page 111.
I want a laser turret. Let's make it a 2 Beam laser and 1 PA Beam. The Turret is 1 Ton, MCr1. Each Beam Laser is MCr1, and the PA is MCr4. Total is MCr7, 1 ton.
395 tons spent so far. I'll call it good, and throw in a 4th stateroom.
399 Tons spent. leaves 1 ton for cargo. Cargo is free.
TD_ _MCr
000 0016.0 Code 4 hull (p 106)
000 0001.6 Streamlining (p. 106)
[o]040 0016.0 Armor rating 12 Superdense (p. 106)[/o]
055 0100.0 JDrive K, Rating 5 (p. 107, 108)
023 0048.0 MDrive M, Rating 6 (p. 107, 108)
037 0096.0 PP M, Rating 6 (p. 107, 108; muse be same letter as higher letter JD or MD )
200 0000.0 Jump Fuel - 1 jump of 5 Parsecs. (p. 107)
024 0000.0 Power Plant fuel - 2 weeks for PP M. (p. 107)
020 0002.0 Bridge for 400 Ton ship. (p. 107)
000 0003.5 Programs: Maneuver, Jump Control 5, Library, Evade 3.
000 0010.0 Model 5 Computer, rating 25.
020 0008.0 Armor, Rating 6 superdense, for a 400Td hull. (p. 106)
003 0002.0 Advanced Sensors, Rating +1 (p. 108)
[o]012 0001.5 Staterooms x3. (p 111)[/o]
001 0007.0 Triple turret with 1 PA beam and 2 Beam Lasers.
016 0002.0 Staterooms x4. (p 111)
001 0000.0 Cargo, 1 Ton.
Now I check crew needs. I note the minimum is a pilot, and an engineer.
Standard crew would be
Next step would be deck plans...
Td is abbreviation for "Tons Displacement" - the standard ton for the design sequence.
Start with Hull (page 106)
Hull Code is 4, Cost is MCr16
It needs armor. Let's give it a hefty 10% hull at TL14.
MCr16 (50% per 5% hull, 2 units), AV is 6 per block, so that's AV12.
On to p107...
Time to install drives. TO know what drives I need, however, I have to look on page 108. I want J5 (peak for TL14) and it's 400Td, so I come down the 400 Column until I find an entry of 5... then I look to the left, and see that that needs a drive K. So I'll need a JDrive K and PP K, and I'll want 6G's to be able to escape. I come down the 400 ton column on 108, until I find a 6, and that's on the line for M. That means MD M, PP M, and JD K.
So I look on 107 for the size and cost of JDrive K: 55Td and MCr100
MDrive M is 23Td and MCr48
PP M is 37Td MCr96.
Time to add Jump fuel. Rating 5 is 50% of hull: 200Td is 50% of 400. It's free, but filling it won't be.
And now, power plant fuel. Table, bottom of 107, shows that Drive M is 24 tons per 2 weeks. I'll start with 2 weeks. 24Td, MCr0.
Next, still on 107, is the bridge. Since the hull is 300-1000Tons, I need a 20 Td bridge. (p. 107, right col, 2nd entry on the table) MCr0.5 per 100tons of ship, so that's 4x100Tons, and thus 4xMCr0.5 = MCr2
On to computer, on 108. I need a Model 5 to support J5. Looking at the computer table (108, left), the rating is 25, and the cost is MCr10. I double check the computer programs table on p.113 to make certain I can run and jump - I can. But I can't evade and jump. Either/or. Library and Maneuver are free; the evade is MCr3, and J5 is MCr0.5. No tonnage for either.
I stop, do a quick run of the numbers, and realize I'm tapped out - 399 of 400 tons already.
I cut the armor in half, and now have 21 tons left.
I expect to need 3 staterooms, and a turret, and some cargo, so I'll stick to 3Td of sensors. Advanced Sensors. Its' well below design TL14, and costs MCr2, and has a rating of +1 (meaning sensor rolls get a +1 bonus).
Page 109 is skipped- it's all optional.
Page 110 ...
Quarters. Let's put in 3 Staterooms. 3x4Td, 3xMCr0.5 = 12Td, MCr1.5. This is a military ship, so we can have up to 6 crew...
394 tons spent so far.
I'll come back for cargo space later.
I know I don't have room for any fittings, so I skip them.
Page 111.
I want a laser turret. Let's make it a 2 Beam laser and 1 PA Beam. The Turret is 1 Ton, MCr1. Each Beam Laser is MCr1, and the PA is MCr4. Total is MCr7, 1 ton.
395 tons spent so far. I'll call it good, and throw in a 4th stateroom.
399 Tons spent. leaves 1 ton for cargo. Cargo is free.
TD_ _MCr
000 0016.0 Code 4 hull (p 106)
000 0001.6 Streamlining (p. 106)
[o]040 0016.0 Armor rating 12 Superdense (p. 106)[/o]
055 0100.0 JDrive K, Rating 5 (p. 107, 108)
023 0048.0 MDrive M, Rating 6 (p. 107, 108)
037 0096.0 PP M, Rating 6 (p. 107, 108; muse be same letter as higher letter JD or MD )
200 0000.0 Jump Fuel - 1 jump of 5 Parsecs. (p. 107)
024 0000.0 Power Plant fuel - 2 weeks for PP M. (p. 107)
020 0002.0 Bridge for 400 Ton ship. (p. 107)
000 0003.5 Programs: Maneuver, Jump Control 5, Library, Evade 3.
000 0010.0 Model 5 Computer, rating 25.
020 0008.0 Armor, Rating 6 superdense, for a 400Td hull. (p. 106)
003 0002.0 Advanced Sensors, Rating +1 (p. 108)
[o]012 0001.5 Staterooms x3. (p 111)[/o]
001 0007.0 Triple turret with 1 PA beam and 2 Beam Lasers.
016 0002.0 Staterooms x4. (p 111)
001 0000.0 Cargo, 1 Ton.
Now I check crew needs. I note the minimum is a pilot, and an engineer.
Standard crew would be
3 pilots
1 navigator
3 engineers (105 tons of drives, 1 per 50, round up)
0 medic
1 Gunner
No command.
Military crewing is going to be too many. Standard taps it out at 2 people per stateroom. So that's what I go with.1 navigator
3 engineers (105 tons of drives, 1 per 50, round up)
0 medic
1 Gunner
No command.
Next step would be deck plans...
Thank you. Sorry it took so long to reply but my book was out on loan shortly after I posted the question.
That was very helpful but now I have a few more questions.
What size hull is an average Free Trader and what is the average cargo capacity?
How do you determine what class ships are? Is it by function or by tonnage? Both? Is this information detailed in High Guard?
That was very helpful but now I have a few more questions.
What size hull is an average Free Trader and what is the average cargo capacity?
How do you determine what class ships are? Is it by function or by tonnage? Both? Is this information detailed in High Guard?
A type A trader is 200tns. Cargo capacity varies with jump number. The A1 free trader J1 has a cargo capacity of about 80tns + some passengers. The A2 Far Trader J2 has a cargo capacity of about 55-60tns + some passengers. The Type R sub merchant is 400tns, J1 and has a cargo capacity of 120tns ish + passengers.
As for ship classes, the shipyards tend to set them. They build a ship, if they build more of the same design, then the ship class is named after the first vessel and there are discounts for follow on vessels as the yard knows what it is doing.
There are a bunch of standard imperial wide designs as per the main mongoose rulebook.
You can generate new ship classes as you see fit. The class type i.e. free trader, merc cruiser etc. is based on its function.
Third Imperium Background. The imperial government tries to promote commonn designs - makes thinsg easier for customs, shipyards,, crew etc. Designs with a proven trackk record are often designated as Imperial Design Packages, and these are readily available and don't have architects fees. Ship owners get a good proven design and the commonality of ships makes it easier to support them.
Cheers
Richard
As for ship classes, the shipyards tend to set them. They build a ship, if they build more of the same design, then the ship class is named after the first vessel and there are discounts for follow on vessels as the yard knows what it is doing.
There are a bunch of standard imperial wide designs as per the main mongoose rulebook.
You can generate new ship classes as you see fit. The class type i.e. free trader, merc cruiser etc. is based on its function.
Third Imperium Background. The imperial government tries to promote commonn designs - makes thinsg easier for customs, shipyards,, crew etc. Designs with a proven trackk record are often designated as Imperial Design Packages, and these are readily available and don't have architects fees. Ship owners get a good proven design and the commonality of ships makes it easier to support them.
Cheers
Richard
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The 200 Td Free Trader in the rulebook is the default "tramp". it has 88 Td of Cargo space (1056 cubic meters).
The 200 Td Far Trader is also in the rulebook, and is the same size. It has 62 Tons of cargo (868 cubic meters).
The 400 Ton Subsidized Merchant is in the rulebook, and has 205 Td of cargo (2870 cubic meters)
Mg HG has no concrete advice on determining class.
Some generalities from prior editions published ships... but note that hardline definitions don't exist, and they are properly quite sloppy.
There are two sets of numbers: Small Ship Universe and Big Ship Universe. They vary on military hulls.
Small Ship first:
Fighters 10-20Td
Couriers:100-500 Td, depending upon needed speed.*
Escorts, corvettes: 400-500 Td
Destroyers 500-800 Td
Cruisers: 800 to 2000 Td
Battleships: 1000-5000 Td
Carriers: 1000-5000Td and fighters. Almost all battleships are also carriers.
Big Ship Universe:
Fighters: 8-50Td
Couriers 100-500 Td
Escorts 500-10,000 Td
Destroyers 5,000-50,000. Td
Cruisers 40,000-250,000 Td
Battleships 250,000-750,000 Tons
Note that the OTU is a Big Ship Universe since about 1980, but that early CT materials show Small Ship Universe, as do a number of 3rd party supplements for CT.
The biggest issue is that the Small Ship universes generally used CT Bk 2 design. Due to this, they lacked two things which eat space on later designs: heavier weapons systems, and armor. Battleships in such universes typically carry either a company of marines or a squadron or two of fighters, and bigger BB's/CV's are slower.
*Note that under CT Bk2, A 100Td hull can only hit J3 maximum, and that by dodgy interpretations of the rules. In Mongoose, it's J4 maximum, due to the smaller bridge and the computer being inside the bridge tonnage.
As Wil et al posted, the iconic Traders are 200 tons, capable of Jump-1 or Jump-2, Maneuver 1, with somewhere between 64 and 88 tons of cargo space.
You could make a trader out of any old used ship, though. If you're not interested in shiny new hulls and production runs of prefab ships, you can take a walk down to Jake's Pre-Owned Starship Surplus and buy a gutted hull of any size. If you can afford to stick drives into it, you can make it work. Like a Firefly-class mid-bulk freighter.
Xerxeskingofking
SOC-13
"Classes", as in "free trader" or "close escort" are function based, but are fairly loosely defined, and pretty much boil down to "what the marketing people want to call it".
so, you decided what your ship is, and call it that. no one is going to complain if you make a free trader able to curb stomp most SDBs. in fact, they will probably want to steal the design.
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