Perfect Adventuring starship?

[McPerth]

Did CT even deal with the different detection distances of ships using active and passive detection? Or the difference transponders make?

Form CT;Bk2, page 32, under detection:

Ordinary or commercial starships can detect other ships out to a range of about one half light-second (...). Military and scout starships have detection ranges out to two light seconds (...).

I guess the diferent sensors are implied on this, but not explicited, AFAIK.

You now what happens when you 'assume' anything?

Yes I know. It's said about assuming the same thing that about volunteering.

No assumption is always true, and you can have big surprises, but we're dealing with CT and that is all I know about its references to sensors. Other versions did not assume that, forcing you to use your sensors, and also allowing for some nasty surprises if you failed its tasks (something seen as impossible for many in this thread, for what I've read).

As in other matters, I think the possibility to be stealthy makes game sense, even if makes no science sense.

 

[sayatmenace]

Wow. I'm not a regular reader on CoTI, but I suddenly realize it's just like the TML: any discussion anyone tries to have will slide into engineering debates.

In fact, I wonder if they in turn will not -- given enough time -- all develop into one single gearhead/physics debate; the Ur- and Omega-post of online Travellerdom.

 

[aramis]

Wow. I'm not a regular reader on CoTI, but I suddenly realize it's just like the TML: any discussion anyone tries to have will slide into engineering debates.

In fact, I wonder if they in turn will not -- given enough time -- all develop into one single gearhead/physics debate; the Ur- and Omega-post of online Travellerdom.

No, not every discussion, only those hotbutton issues of stealth in space, piracy in the OTU, and performance of drives.

And, unlike the TML, one can go digging through the archives easily.

But when someone gets onto the issue of stealth in space, there is no practical way to generate something stealthy in space that is also capable of supporting humans and doesn't require magic tech.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Whats your idea of the best ship for adventuring?

Mine: Type T Patrol Cruiser- good legs, enough room for the players, and decent guns. Can be operated with a minimum crew.

Broadsword: A little too big, but still good legs, and expandable.

Anything over 800 tons is too big for a regular party of players to have IMO.

Not Good: Free Trader: Slow, and piss poor jump legs. Same applies to 400 ton Subsidized Merchant.

Far Trader: Poor cargo capacity, still slow, and low jump. Unless you are running a spec trade campaign.

Wayne's Florian class Scout.

 

[madmike]

I am going to use AT Pollard's 200dT Type A free trader (modular)

With swap out components and upgraded drive specs, it will be pretty much perfect for any adventuring group.

 

[Garyius2003]

Gazelle CE, four (five) PCs as CO/pilotnav/gunner/eng, and also 3 (4) Marines and boat pilot.

 

[Khan Trav]

The Florian Scout looks cool and dare I say this? Stealthy. I remember seeing video of it somewhere. Any ideas where?

 

[rancke]

None of my regular players were ever interested in playing free traders. They had a pronounced aversion to accountancy. So my Traveller campaigns were planetbound with transportation provided by the patron or, in one case, a naval campign where the players ran three characters each, an officer, a crewman, and a marine, all part of the same ship's company. Ship paid for by the Imperial Navy. One quite successful campaign had the PCs be troubleshooters for Oberlindes Lines. Several adventures became short adventures or amber zones for JTAS Online.

I did try to set up a merchant campaign -- twice. The PCs were the officers on an old, obsolescent 400T unstreamlined Golden Gryphon Class J2 Merchant belonging to a fledgling line (Uakye Transport Partners) and used by the company to "fill in the cracks" when their regular ships couldn't deal with it. The first campaign was very enjoyable and lasted for over a year, but since it was conducted online, we didn't get very far in terms of game-time. Over the course of the campaign the Silver Sphinx managed one return trip from Regina to Ruie. I tried reviving the campaign a couple of years ago on the Traveller wiki. I gave all the former PCs food poisioning and had the new PCs recruited in haste to replace them. I had the impression that people were enjoying themselves -- I certainly was -- but for some reason it petered out fairly quickly.

So I've never had to find the ideal adventuring starship, but that doesn't prevent me form having opinions . The ideal adventuring ship is old worn and bank payments are much lower than for a new ship; 25% of new price, perhaps. In return, the crew has to save up to pay for repairs when the inevitable breakdown of a power plant or drive or life support system or whatever happens. PCs can afford to spend a few weeks on a planet doing something else without insurmountable debts piling up. Indeed, when something breaks they're forced to spend time looking for other sources of revenue than trading.

The ship has a crew of about 8 or 9. Enough for 4 or 5 player characters and enough NPCs to leave behind to hold the fort when the PCs all go gallivanting off on adventure (A henchman is one of the most useful pieces of adventuring gear there is).

The ship has at least J2; J3 is even better.

The ship has enough cabins for about a dozen high, medium, and economy passengers; it may or may not have low berths. Passengers are a rich source of drama and exitement and plot leads.


Hans

 

[sayatmenace]

No, not every discussion, only

(snip)

OK, fair enough. I do agree with you on this. I just long for a discussion that doesn't deferentially self-reduce itself to a Physics 201 exam question.

Kim

 

[Dragoner]

(snip)

OK, fair enough. I do agree with you on this. I just long for a discussion that doesn't deferentially self-reduce itself to a Physics 201 exam question.

Kim

Some people are always going to try to divide by zero, there is no stopping them, best just to ignore it.

y=f(x)

 

[Jame]

I would say either the Type T, the scout courier, a mod variant of the 400 ton trader with jump and manuever 2, or a modified version of the Yacht with streamlining, no ATV, no Ship's Boat and jump and manuever 2.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

800ton Mercenary Cruiser

Well as I get more into the history of the Spinward Marches and the FFW, I've become more intrigued by the mercenary units available and the possibilities for adventuring pre-FFW.

I decided instead of just one ship for adventuring I would think about a mercenary squadron of cruisers. Here is my preliminary roster, each is a later production Broadsword class mercenary cruiser that has been heavily modified.

Command Cruiser "Leonidas" with 2 fighters on board
Missile Bombardment Cruiser "Grond" incorporating missile bays
and two Jump Assault Troop Cruisers "Gladius" and "Kopis", each carry a module cutter.

 

[Khan Trav]

Well as I get more into the history of the Spinward Marches and the FFW, I've become more intrigued by the mercenary units available and the possibilities for adventuring pre-FFW.

I decided instead of just one ship for adventuring I would think about a mercenary squadron of cruisers. Here is my preliminary roster, each is a later production Broadsword class mercenary cruiser that has been heavily modified.

Command Cruiser "Leonidas" with 2 fighters on board
Missile Bombardment Cruiser "Grond" incorporating missile bays
and two Jump Assault Troop Cruisers "Gladius" and "Kopis", each carry a module cutter.

I utilize the 800 ton cruisers a lot in my traveller universe. I run PBEM games and it tends toward smaller groups and individuals. I like to utilize the Broadsword Class as a light cruiser role and IMTU you generally do not see vessels larger than that. (I realize some may see this as blasphemy)


I am interested in the fighter capability and also missile technology as in missile vs ships. And small craft stealth technology, thoughts?

 

[Otto Harkaman]

I have been trying to understand the missiles in the game. It looks like it would be fast and furious, because if a missile hits as per Mayday the ship is pretty much destroyed. Besides anti-laser fire, which I think its hard to hit if you don't have a lot of DMs in your favor, there is no armor for protection. Missile hits and takes out possibly three critical systems, and to top it off a proximity detonated missile isn't effected by anti-laser fire. The ECM program is the magic black box that every adventuring group should aspire to obtain.

 

[mike wightman]

Where does it say lasers using the anti-missile program can't hit proximity detonated missiles?

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Oh in Mayday, sorry

 

[Khan Trav]

Speaking of weapons and such, which adventure ship is best suited for combat? Is there a ship that is basically suicide to conduct ship to ship fighting in?

 

[Otto Harkaman]

In CT, I think player skills are actually the most important thing. Next a good computer and expensive programs. Missiles are expensive but once they hit any ship might be dead in the water. A good gunner will be able to anti-missile fire and take out missiles. I can't think of a worthy enough reason to pay the expense of a high-G acceleration unless you are trying to run away or catch someone running away. I think 2G is adequate for most things. In Mayday, only 1G is necessary for the various Maneuver/Evade programs.

I haven't read HG in awhile so someone else will have to give us the details using that system.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Maybe this is my idea of a perfect villain ship at the moment. A Zhondani modified Imperium model 800t mercenary cruiser, heavily automated with robots reducing the need for human crew and increasing secrecy. The ship has Imperium registry, video transmissions for various situations have been produced to give the illusion of a typical Imperium mercenary crew. This ship is operating around Arden to Ruie as a privateer spy craft, gathering information in the area. Imperial agents operating in the Arden area might encounter this starship. Rumor is some experimental Psi equipment is on board enhancing Psionics. Allowing such things as eavesdropping on planetary or ship communications as well as contacting Zhodani Psi spies and operatives in a solar system.

 

[Khan Trav]

Maybe this is my idea of a perfect villain ship at the moment. A Zhondani modified Imperium model 800t mercenary cruiser, heavily automated with robots reducing the need for human crew and increasing secrecy. The ship has Imperium registry, video transmissions for various situations have been produced to give the illusion of a typical Imperium mercenary crew.

This would be a tough nut to crack for a team of adventurers. One of my current campaigns has a mercenary unit that has just had its ground team wiped out but the players are on the ground and the 800 ton mercenary cruiser is still up there...

I cant wait to see how they deal with the situation.. Or if the situation deals with them..

So far it has been very interesting.