Nuclear Dampers Vs. Hull Armor

[Rover]

I got into a discussion with a friend today regarding the relative effectiveness of hull armor vs Nuclear Dampers for protecting a ship.

We are trying to design an 800 ton armed explorer/transport vessle. Cost and TL is no object.

I want to use heavy hull armor because for a small ship it offers the best all around protection for everything but meson canons.

My friend wants to include a TL 15 nuclear damper because he doesn't want to build a military ship, yet he wants to include a 50 ton bay with a fusion canon.

I was wondering if any of you naval architects out there had weighed the difference between the two.

 

[Richard Saunders]

Originally posted by Rover:
I got into a discussion with a friend today regarding the relative effectiveness of hull armor vs Nuclear Dampers for protecting a ship.

We are trying to design an 800 ton armed explorer/transport vessle. Cost and TL is no object.

I want to use heavy hull armor because for a small ship it offers the best all around protection for everything but meson canons.

My friend wants to include a TL 15 nuclear damper because he doesn't want to build a military ship, yet he wants to include a 50 ton bay with a fusion canon.

I was wondering if any of you naval architects out there had weighed the difference between the two.

Hello Rover.
My opinion is go for armour (it adds to AR and the soak), theres nothing wrong with a bit of maneuver either, its always better to not be hit than to have to soak the damage.
Tecnical question for the other people who will answer, does a neuclear dampener stop radiation from a blast outside the field????, if not then you would want a field atleast 20k from the ship.
How does a ship know if you have a dampener up and can then tell the missiles to detonate at a range from the ship.
Why is he loading a Fusion gun, Lasers do better damage (triple mound turrets) and any military you run into isnt realy going to worry about laser armed merchants/explorers.
If i remember correctly lasers also have longer range.
BYE.

 

[Ben W Bell]

Also a nuclear dampner only works againt nuclear weapons, not against anything else.

 

[Falkayn]

Originally posted by Ben W Bell:
Also a nuclear dampner only works againt nuclear weapons, not against anything else.

Speaking from a T20 perspective, I think it does mitigate the effect of the radiation from both a meson gun and a particle accelerator too (THB p.158), but yeah, it's not as all round useful as armor.

If cost is no object then go for the best hull shape versus meson guns (needle or buffered planetoid - don't go dispersed as it can't be armored; THB p.157)

 

[Rover]

My dear Travellers,

Thanks for the advise.

 

[Richard Saunders]

Hello Rover.
Here are four 800 ton ship designs using Falkyns great ship design program.

800 ton Explorer Laser armed with Dampener Class Frigate
Designed by: Lionel Deffries
Statistics:
"800-ton Hull (Flattened Sphere) - Streamlined
AC: 23 (11 vs. Meson Guns)
AR: 10 (TL-15)
SI: 205
Initiative: 3
Starship Size: Medium
Cost: 583.284 MCr (729.105 MCr without discount)
Model/6 Fib Computer
Avionics: Less than 10,000-ton
Sensors: Extreme Range
Communications: Extreme Range
Cargo: 24.125-tons
Extra Ship's Stores: 50 person/weeks of Luxury Stores,
500 person/weeks of Standard Stores,
Annual Maintenance = 58.328 KCr (29.164 KCr if routinely maintained)
Routine Maintenance = 14.582 KCr/Month (145.821 KCr per year)"
Performance:
"Jump-3 (enough fuel for 1x Jump-3)
Acceleration: 3-G
Agility: 3
Power Plant: TL-15 Fusion (170 EP output, enough fuel for 4 weeks)
Fuel Scoops,
Fuel Purification Plant (TL-15, 5hrs per 200 tons of fuel)
Atmospheric Speeds: NOE = 1,175kph
Cruising = 3,525kph
Maximum = 4,700kph"
Active Defenses:
"Nuclear Dampers USP:9
"
Weapons:
"Hardpoints: 8
7x Triple Pulse Laser Turret TL-15, +4 To Hit, 4d10 (19/x2), Range: 45,000km
1x Triple Popup Sandcaster Turret TL-7, +3 AC, Ammo: 30 sand canisters
"
Ship's Vehicles:
"2x 5-ton vehicle hangar
1x maintenance shop (20 Mechanics)
"
Accomodations & Fittings:
"4x Single Occupancy Stateroom (4 People)
10x Double Occupancy Small Cabin (20 People)
2x Standalone Fresher
5x Laboratory (10 Scientists)
1x Sickbay (2 Patients)
2x Airlocks
"
Crew Details:
1x Pilot
1x Astrogator
3x Engineer
3x Gunner"
Description:
800 ton Explorer Laser armed Class Frigate Designed by: Lionel Deffries
Statistics:
"800-ton Hull (Flattened Sphere) - Streamlined
AC: 28 (11 vs. Meson Guns)
AR: 15 (TL-15)
SI: 205
Initiative: 3
Starship Size: Medium Cost: 462.484 MCr (578.105 MCr without discount)
Model/6 Fib Computer
Avionics: Less than 10,000-ton
Sensors: Extreme Range
Communications: Extreme Range
Cargo: 24.125-tons
Extra Ship's Stores: 50 person/weeks of Luxury Stores,
500 person/weeks of Standard Stores,
Annual Maintenance = 46.248 KCr (23.124 KCr if routinely maintained)
Routine Maintenance = 11.562 KCr/Month (115.621 KCr per year)"
Performance:
"Jump-3 (enough fuel for 1x Jump-3)
Acceleration: 3-G
Agility: 3
Power Plant: TL-15 Fusion (100 EP output, enough fuel for 8 weeks)
Fuel Scoops, Fuel Purification Plant (TL-15, 5hrs per 200 tons of fuel)
Atmospheric Speeds: NOE = 1,175kph
Cruising = 3,525kph
Maximum = 4,700kph"
Active Defenses:

Weapons:
"Hardpoints: 8
7x Triple Pulse Laser Turret TL-15, +4 To Hit, 4d10 (19/x2), Range: 45,000km
1x Triple Popup Sandcaster Turret TL-7, +3 AC, Ammo: 30 sand canisters
"
Ship's Vehicles:
"2x 5-ton vehicle hangar
1x maintenance shop (20 Mechanics)
"
Accomodations & Fittings:
"4x Single Occupancy Stateroom (4 People)
10x Double Occupancy Small Cabin (20 People)
2x Standalone Fresher
5x Laboratory (10 Scientists)
1x Sickbay (2 Patients)
2x Airlocks
"
Crew Details:
"1x Pilot
1x Astrogator
3x Engineer
3x Gunner"
Description:
800 ton Explorer Fusion armed Class Frigate Designed by: Lionel Deffries
Statistics:
"800-ton Hull (Flattened Sphere) - Streamlined
AC: 23 (11 vs. Meson Guns)
AR: 10 (TL-15)
SI: 205
Initiative: 3
Starship Size: Medium Cost: 456.984 MCr (571.23 MCr without discount)
Model/6 Fib Computer
Avionics: Less than 10,000-ton
Sensors: Extreme Range
Communications: Extreme Range
Cargo: 31.225-tons Extra Ship's Stores: 50 person/weeks of Luxury Stores, 500 person/weeks of Standard Stores,
Annual Maintenance = 45.698 KCr (22.849 KCr if routinely maintained)
Routine Maintenance = 11.425 KCr/Month (114.246 KCr per year)"
Performance:
"Jump-3 (enough fuel for 1x Jump-3)
Acceleration: 3-G
Agility: 3
Power Plant: TL-15 Fusion (100 EP output, enough fuel for 4 weeks)
Fuel Scoops, Fuel Purification Plant (TL-15, 5hrs per 200 tons of fuel)
Atmospheric Speeds: NOE = 1,175kph
Cruising = 3,525kph
Maximum = 4,700kph"
Active Defenses:

Weapons:
"Hardpoints: 8
1x Triple Popup Sandcaster Turret TL-7, +3 AC, Ammo: 30 sand canisters
2x 50-ton Fusion Gun Bay TL-15, +9 To Hit, 9d20 (16/x5), Range: 15,000km
"
Ship's Vehicles:
"2x 5-ton vehicle hangar
1x maintenance shop (20 Mechanics)
"
Accomodations & Fittings:
"4x Single Occupancy Stateroom (4 People)
5x Double Occupancy Small Cabin (10 People)
2x Standalone Fresher
5x Laboratory (10 Scientists)
1x Sickbay (2 Patients)
2x Airlocks
"
Crew Details:
"1x Pilot
1x Astrogator
5x Engineer
1x Gunner"
Description:
800 ton Explorer Fusion armed with Dampener Class Frigate Designed by: Lionel Deffries
Statistics:
"800-ton Hull (Flattened Sphere) - Streamlined
AC: 20 (8 vs. Meson Guns)
AR: 10 (TL-15)
SI: 205
Initiative: 0
Starship Size: Medium Cost: 538.584 MCr (673.23 MCr without discount)
Model/6 Fib Computer
Avionics: Less than 10,000-ton
Sensors: Extreme Range
Communications: Extreme Range
Cargo: 21.225-tons Extra Ship's Stores: 50 person/weeks of Luxury Stores, 500 person/weeks of Standard Stores,
Annual Maintenance = 53.858 KCr (26.929 KCr if routinely maintained)
Routine Maintenance = 13.465 KCr/Month (134.646 KCr per year)"
Performance:
"Jump-3 (enough fuel for 1x Jump-3)
Acceleration: 3-G
Agility: 0
Power Plant: TL-15 Fusion (140 EP output, enough fuel for 4 weeks)
Fuel Scoops, Fuel Purification Plant (TL-15, 5hrs per 200 tons of fuel)
Atmospheric Speeds: NOE = 1,175kph
Cruising = 3,525kph
Maximum = 4,700kph"
Active Defenses:
"Nuclear Dampers USP:9
"
Weapons:
"Hardpoints: 8
1x Triple Popup Sandcaster Turret TL-7, +3 AC, Ammo: 30 sand canisters
1x 50-ton Fusion Gun Bay TL-15, +9 To Hit, 9d20 (16/x5), Range: 15,000km
"
Ship's Vehicles:
"2x 5-ton vehicle hangar
1x maintenance shop (20 Mechanics)
"
Accomodations & Fittings:
"4x Single Occupancy Stateroom (4 People)
5x Double Occupancy Small Cabin (10 People)
2x Standalone Fresher
5x Laboratory (10 Scientists)
1x Sickbay (2 Patients)
2x Airlocks
"
Crew Details:
"1x Pilot
1x Astrogator
5x Engineer
1x Gunner"
Description:
You will note they are equiped with lasers and fusion guns this is just to show lasers seem better (link the lasers into batterys).
Hope this helps.
BYE

 

[Rover]

My Dear Lionel,

Those are really cool.

Thanx!

 

[Richard Saunders]

Originally posted by Rover:
My Dear Lionel,

Those are really cool.

Thanx!

Hello Rover.
No problem but dont forget to thank Falkyn to it was his program afterall you can get it at his site.
BYE.