I noticed that what works in the Imperium, and Spinward Marches, will not necessarily work in other areas which need J-3/J-4 ships to get around. Example the rimward areas of the Solomani Confederation, Reavers Deep, Dark Nebula, etc. Which under Traveller rules will go broke super fast since you cannot move enough cargos to pay the bills, and the costs of the consumer are ultra high to pay for ship costs.
Perfect Adventuring starship?
- Thread starter Murph
- Start date
I noticed the same. I've figured out (by retention of peak performance profit margin for J1) a set of "reasonable" prices for CT Bk5 and for MGT. (MGT's are flat broken - at book rate, they ALL lose money except pure cargo.)
Here... have some fresh Bk2 numbers for those longer jumps
These are based upon an 800Td hull - the optimal Bk2 Cargo Hull.
Costs cheapest Jn
Doing_ __J1_ __J2_ __J3_ __J4_ __J5__ __J6__ _X_
Cargo_ __627 __581 __712 1,022 _2,005 _4,563 1.6
LowPsg __628 __605 __670 __825 _1,317 _2,596 1.6
MidPsg 5,634 5,450 5,974 7,214 11,146 21,378 1.42
HiPsg_ 6,965 6,945 7,432 9,137 14,543 28,612 1.43
This table above shows the cost to a ship of Jx to make a run of Jx
Applying the listed profit multiplier, with a minimum price equal to J1 price, and Rounding to next 50 Cr...
Price for Cargo per Ton per jump
Ship__ Jump Done
Doing_ __J1__ __J2__ __J3__ __J4__ __J5__ __J6__
Cargo_ _1,000 _1,000 _1,350 _1,650 _3,200 _7,300
LowPsg _1,000 _1,000 _1,100 _1,320 _2,150 _4,150 1.6
MidPsg _8,000 _7,750 _8,500 10,250 15,850 30,400
HiPsg_ 10,000 10,000 10,650 13,100 20,800 40,950
Book 5 numbers are far uglier.
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Riik O'Shae
SOC-11
My latest group is about to embark on a journey about District 268 onboard a 100tn, J1(2), 1(2)G, Asylum Class Packet Trader, bound for the stars and a little commerce and adventure.
This class of ship started out as a standard Sulemein Scout/Courier, then was later converted to a Seeker, Type J and lastly to its current reincarnation.
Accomodations for 3-4 crew, 4 Mid-passengers, 3 Steerage, 4 Low and 15 tons of cargo.
Crew may include a 'Cabin's Boy' who is the Steward.
Space for a single turret.
15 tn cargo hold (just right for small packets)
Grav bike.
Deckplans in developemental stage.
Riik
This class of ship started out as a standard Sulemein Scout/Courier, then was later converted to a Seeker, Type J and lastly to its current reincarnation.
Accomodations for 3-4 crew, 4 Mid-passengers, 3 Steerage, 4 Low and 15 tons of cargo.
Crew may include a 'Cabin's Boy' who is the Steward.
Space for a single turret.
15 tn cargo hold (just right for small packets)
Grav bike.
Deckplans in developemental stage.
Riik
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Usually the ubiquitous 250ton commerce raider/merchant escorts that are regularly decommissioned by the mega-corps and merchant houses along the frontier IMTU are the preferred adventurer ship. They are fairly sturdy, have good legs, a decent cargo capacity, and at TL-12 the parts for them are pretty easy to find. They can be operated by a minimum of four crewmen, but six is the optimal size so I can slip in an NPC or two to lighten the players' load and help stir things up if they slack off.
I tend to give players ships as NPC anyway as part of the campaign arc, so they are often purpose-built and come with a patron who may or may not tag along. The players don't own the ships, but sometimes they have earned them as a reward depending on what happens in the adventure. And sometimes they have just stayed with the patron and acted as crew for adventures.
The current group is heading out on the HMS Challenger. This mission will be three years long and is the first one to make the jumps across the rift into unknown space IMTU. It is very Voyage Of The Space Beagle in a way.
The players will be the crew of the Type-S the exploration ship carries as a long-range outrider. The players will do advance scouting and probe drops as they move ahead of the Challenger to establish routes for fueling and finding likely worlds for contact.
HMS Challenger
10kt Close Structure partially streamlined and equipped with scoops and refinery
Armor – 3
Computer Model 9(fib) for main operations
Secondary Model 6(fib) for research and backup
Jump – 6
Maneuver – 1 (Emergency Agility 1 only)
Power Plant – 6 (600 EP)
Fuel = 6000 tons jump fuel / 600 power plant and maneuvering
Fire Control & Weapons =
1, 50 ton Meson Bay (Code 9)
<Also functions as high power meson beam for communications>
2, 50 ton Missile Bays (Code 9)
<Loaded with various drones for exploration and expanding commo nets>
5 Triple Pulse Laser Turrets
5 Triple Sandcaster Turrets
Vehicles =
1 95 ton Shuttle (configurable cargo/passenger space + can act as fuel barge)
3 Pinnaces
1 Type S Scout
2 Grav Carriers
2 Tracked ATV’s
2 Wheeled ATV’s
4 Air/Rafts
Staterooms – 93 (configurable to double and triple staterooms if needed)
Lab Space – 100 tons
Cargo = 266 tons
Boat Deck = 175 tons
Crew –
Command Engineering Gunnery
Captain Chief Engineer Chief Gunnery Officer
XO / 2nd Pilot 14 Engineers 4 CPO’s – Meson Bay
1st Pilot 2 Missile Bay
Navigator Lasers
Comms Sand
Computer Ops
Chief Medical
3 Midshipmen
Flight Deck Services
8 Small Craft Crew 30 Ratings
8 Small Craft Groundcrew
3 Scout Crew (Berthed on Scout)
Scientific Team
Team Leader
20 Science Specialists
Troops
Captain
Command Sergeant
2 Squad Leaders (Lt)
2 Squad Sergeants
24 Marines
I tend to give players ships as NPC anyway as part of the campaign arc, so they are often purpose-built and come with a patron who may or may not tag along. The players don't own the ships, but sometimes they have earned them as a reward depending on what happens in the adventure. And sometimes they have just stayed with the patron and acted as crew for adventures.
The current group is heading out on the HMS Challenger. This mission will be three years long and is the first one to make the jumps across the rift into unknown space IMTU. It is very Voyage Of The Space Beagle in a way.
The players will be the crew of the Type-S the exploration ship carries as a long-range outrider. The players will do advance scouting and probe drops as they move ahead of the Challenger to establish routes for fueling and finding likely worlds for contact.
HMS Challenger
10kt Close Structure partially streamlined and equipped with scoops and refinery
Armor – 3
Computer Model 9(fib) for main operations
Secondary Model 6(fib) for research and backup
Jump – 6
Maneuver – 1 (Emergency Agility 1 only)
Power Plant – 6 (600 EP)
Fuel = 6000 tons jump fuel / 600 power plant and maneuvering
Fire Control & Weapons =
1, 50 ton Meson Bay (Code 9)
<Also functions as high power meson beam for communications>
2, 50 ton Missile Bays (Code 9)
<Loaded with various drones for exploration and expanding commo nets>
5 Triple Pulse Laser Turrets
5 Triple Sandcaster Turrets
Vehicles =
1 95 ton Shuttle (configurable cargo/passenger space + can act as fuel barge)
3 Pinnaces
1 Type S Scout
2 Grav Carriers
2 Tracked ATV’s
2 Wheeled ATV’s
4 Air/Rafts
Staterooms – 93 (configurable to double and triple staterooms if needed)
Lab Space – 100 tons
Cargo = 266 tons
Boat Deck = 175 tons
Crew –
Command Engineering Gunnery
Captain Chief Engineer Chief Gunnery Officer
XO / 2nd Pilot 14 Engineers 4 CPO’s – Meson Bay
1st Pilot 2 Missile Bay
Navigator Lasers
Comms Sand
Computer Ops
Chief Medical
3 Midshipmen
Flight Deck Services
8 Small Craft Crew 30 Ratings
8 Small Craft Groundcrew
3 Scout Crew (Berthed on Scout)
Scientific Team
Team Leader
20 Science Specialists
Troops
Captain
Command Sergeant
2 Squad Leaders (Lt)
2 Squad Sergeants
24 Marines
Riik O'Shae
SOC-11
madmike
SOC-12
That ship size is 10KdT.
Amongst the parasite craft it carries is a 100dT Type S scout.
pendragonman
Absent Friends Margrave
I see that. The question that comes to mind is why then did you begin the Challenger post by mentioning the 250 Commerce Raider, then didn't outline it?
Seen the topic title, making my post in mind that I haven't played CT. Though use T20 or mongoose. Nowadays mostly mongoose.
As a GM I prefer to either give no ship or give them a Free Trader. Though one Campaign I ran used a Yatch. All my Campaign starter ships end up being owned by someone who hires the Pc's and makes the PC's pay for everything. Most gain easy profit, but if they become lack they end up in trouble fairly quickly. Though I do mostly pick sectors with good 1 parsec jump opertunities. My current one being in the Criideu sub-sector in the Lishun Sector.
As a player, I like a challenge, but most of the time I end up in 1000-2000Dtonners. Rarely been in anything smaller then 500 Dtons. And, finally a campaign I am in has the chance of trading. Which will be my first taste of trading as a player in an actual campaign.
As a GM I prefer to either give no ship or give them a Free Trader. Though one Campaign I ran used a Yatch. All my Campaign starter ships end up being owned by someone who hires the Pc's and makes the PC's pay for everything. Most gain easy profit, but if they become lack they end up in trouble fairly quickly. Though I do mostly pick sectors with good 1 parsec jump opertunities. My current one being in the Criideu sub-sector in the Lishun Sector.
As a player, I like a challenge, but most of the time I end up in 1000-2000Dtonners. Rarely been in anything smaller then 500 Dtons. And, finally a campaign I am in has the chance of trading. Which will be my first taste of trading as a player in an actual campaign.
Riik O'Shae
SOC-11
Yah! What he said!
I was really confuoozled with all the extra datum being attributed to what I thought was a 250 tn ship named 'Challenger'...
Thanks pendragonman!
Riik
PS I see a reference to something beneath the 'Challenger' name stating 10kt. I thought it meant kilotons of explosive throw weight (Blush)...
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OK, my bad.
The 250t commerce raider/escort is here. I run a small ship/big ship game with the 'small ship' end topping out at 5kt and LBB1 - this is the gaming environment the players frequent and most ships range from 100-800 tons. So a 250t escort/raider is a sweet spot in my game if you aren't just running cargo.
The armor is minimal and useful for mainly absorbing the sort of surface damage expected from missile and laser fire, but since this is about the heaviest fire expected for this type of ship to encounter 1 point is enough. There are a couple of other variants of the same class that have lower G-ratings so they can haul a little more cargo but this is the most common kind useful for players.
Commerce Raider TL-12
250 ton streamlined wedge w/ scoops and fuel purifier
Jump Drive (2) Jump-2
Maneuver Drive (4) 4-G (Agility 4 )
Power Plant (8)
Fuel = 65 tons Cargo = 35 tons
(fittings for 50 ton drop tanks)
Computer = Model 3 (CPU-5/ Storage-9)
Vehicles = Air/Raft
Weapons = 2 Double Turrets…. 1) 2 Pulse Lasers
2) Missile Rack / Sandcaster
Armor = 1
Crew: Captain /Pilot
Navigator
2 Engineers
2 Turret Gunners
The craft is equipped with 4 staterooms.
The other most-favored adventure ship in the game when the players are a more trade-oriented bunch is the Venture-class Frontier Trader that is used for tramping up and down the farther reaches of the frontiers and where extra-long legs are needed sometimes. These ships are typically for merchant adventuring along the lines of exploring and opening new markets since their operating costs when frontier refueling may not be possible can be high. But they can get to places the rest can't get to, and usually out again.
Venture-class Frontier Trader TL-10
400 ton streamlined wedge w/ scoops and fuel purifier
Jump Drive (E) Jump-2
Maneuver Drive (F) 3 -G
Power Plant (F)
Fuel = 150 tons (J-2+J-1) Cargo = 120 tons
Computer = Model (CPU-5/ Storage-9)
Vehicles = Air/Raft
Weapons = 1 Double Beam Laser Turret
2 extra hardpoints
Staterooms= 10
Minimum Crew: Pilot
Navigator
2 Engineer
(a steward may be required for passengers if carried)
One of a long line of exploratory merchant ships, the Venture-class is the first of a highly successful design. Other than the ubiquitous 200t Free Trader and Type-S Scout this is the most common craft found in known space. The ship is capable of frontier refueling with scoops and purifiers, 3 hardpoints for turrets and has a large cargo hold for transport.
40 tons of fuel capacity is in the form of a self-inflating internal fuel cell that, when not in use, collapses and secures to provide more cargo space. 38 tons of cargo capacity is added when the cell is collapsed.
Since the Venture-class is an expanded capability long-range Frontier Trader the ship is also fitted for use of 2 40-ton jump tanks for making long jumps across regions that wouldn’t support frontier re-fueling or have facilities available. Tank rental and retrieval services are available at several ports of call along the frontier.
The 250t commerce raider/escort is here. I run a small ship/big ship game with the 'small ship' end topping out at 5kt and LBB1 - this is the gaming environment the players frequent and most ships range from 100-800 tons. So a 250t escort/raider is a sweet spot in my game if you aren't just running cargo.
The armor is minimal and useful for mainly absorbing the sort of surface damage expected from missile and laser fire, but since this is about the heaviest fire expected for this type of ship to encounter 1 point is enough. There are a couple of other variants of the same class that have lower G-ratings so they can haul a little more cargo but this is the most common kind useful for players.
Commerce Raider TL-12
250 ton streamlined wedge w/ scoops and fuel purifier
Jump Drive (2) Jump-2
Maneuver Drive (4) 4-G (Agility 4 )
Power Plant (8)
Fuel = 65 tons Cargo = 35 tons
(fittings for 50 ton drop tanks)
Computer = Model 3 (CPU-5/ Storage-9)
Vehicles = Air/Raft
Weapons = 2 Double Turrets…. 1) 2 Pulse Lasers
2) Missile Rack / Sandcaster
Armor = 1
Crew: Captain /Pilot
Navigator
2 Engineers
2 Turret Gunners
The craft is equipped with 4 staterooms.
The other most-favored adventure ship in the game when the players are a more trade-oriented bunch is the Venture-class Frontier Trader that is used for tramping up and down the farther reaches of the frontiers and where extra-long legs are needed sometimes. These ships are typically for merchant adventuring along the lines of exploring and opening new markets since their operating costs when frontier refueling may not be possible can be high. But they can get to places the rest can't get to, and usually out again.
Venture-class Frontier Trader TL-10
400 ton streamlined wedge w/ scoops and fuel purifier
Jump Drive (E) Jump-2
Maneuver Drive (F) 3 -G
Power Plant (F)
Fuel = 150 tons (J-2+J-1) Cargo = 120 tons
Computer = Model (CPU-5/ Storage-9)
Vehicles = Air/Raft
Weapons = 1 Double Beam Laser Turret
2 extra hardpoints
Staterooms= 10
Minimum Crew: Pilot
Navigator
2 Engineer
(a steward may be required for passengers if carried)
One of a long line of exploratory merchant ships, the Venture-class is the first of a highly successful design. Other than the ubiquitous 200t Free Trader and Type-S Scout this is the most common craft found in known space. The ship is capable of frontier refueling with scoops and purifiers, 3 hardpoints for turrets and has a large cargo hold for transport.
40 tons of fuel capacity is in the form of a self-inflating internal fuel cell that, when not in use, collapses and secures to provide more cargo space. 38 tons of cargo capacity is added when the cell is collapsed.
Since the Venture-class is an expanded capability long-range Frontier Trader the ship is also fitted for use of 2 40-ton jump tanks for making long jumps across regions that wouldn’t support frontier re-fueling or have facilities available. Tank rental and retrieval services are available at several ports of call along the frontier.
PlanetNiles
SOC-1
The last CT campaign I ran the players started off with a Beowulf Free Trader. Which I then took from them rather nastily. With the insurance payout and reward (loooong story; I don't want to bore you) they purchased a rather battered and enigmatic Vargr Corsair which they 'refitted' as a free trader.
Then whoops the 5th Frontier War, the Scout Leader who was their captain was recalled. One quick negotiation and the MN Lovelace was the SR Unloved Season.
As privateers they harried the Sword Worlds quite successfully from their hidden base on Mithril and 'retired' back to form a large corporation at the end of hostilities.
The players still talk fondly of the Lovelace and her captain "The Dame". Many Sword Worlders still fear the dread phrase "This ship/facility/Highport is now a wholely owned subsiduary of the Eliza Shipping Company!"
Then whoops the 5th Frontier War, the Scout Leader who was their captain was recalled. One quick negotiation and the MN Lovelace was the SR Unloved Season.
As privateers they harried the Sword Worlds quite successfully from their hidden base on Mithril and 'retired' back to form a large corporation at the end of hostilities.
The players still talk fondly of the Lovelace and her captain "The Dame". Many Sword Worlders still fear the dread phrase "This ship/facility/Highport is now a wholely owned subsiduary of the Eliza Shipping Company!"
In the upcoming game the players' ship is a diplomatic Scout ship, sort of a mashup of the Yacht and the Serpent-class Scout. Intended for dangerous, covert, missions.
200 tons. A lifting body, like the Sulie, with landers. Jump 4, but with internal fuel for 2 parsecs plus ops, and grapples for optional, additional fuel tankage. Maneuver 4. Luxury appointments -- mostly, but there's bunks for overflow. Barbettes. Long ranged sensors. Stealthed. Armor geared towards protection vs meteoric reentry.
No ship's vehicles.
200 tons. A lifting body, like the Sulie, with landers. Jump 4, but with internal fuel for 2 parsecs plus ops, and grapples for optional, additional fuel tankage. Maneuver 4. Luxury appointments -- mostly, but there's bunks for overflow. Barbettes. Long ranged sensors. Stealthed. Armor geared towards protection vs meteoric reentry.
No ship's vehicles.
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DangerousThing
SOC-13
My upcoming campaign will see the group with, if they accept it, a J-4, M-6 400t far trader Q-ship. Also good for trade pioneering.
This will be offered by one of the services in an attempt to cut down on pirates.
The setting is after a long night where technology had broken down a new interstellar nation, The Confederation of the New Dawn, was on a frontier of the empire and is on a sparse section so at least J-3 is needed to go elsewhere and trade. And the next nation over, The Kingdom of the Righteous, is looking for a war. Luckily nobody is rich enough for real navies yet.
This will be offered by one of the services in an attempt to cut down on pirates.
The setting is after a long night where technology had broken down a new interstellar nation, The Confederation of the New Dawn, was on a frontier of the empire and is on a sparse section so at least J-3 is needed to go elsewhere and trade. And the next nation over, The Kingdom of the Righteous, is looking for a war. Luckily nobody is rich enough for real navies yet.
Fritz_Brown
Super Moderator
Oooooh, that sounds like fun!
Khan Trav
SOC-12
A question of intent
I noticed the stealth question kinda fizzled and I did not fully understand 94.2 percent of it. I did see that someone said that there is no stealth implied in traveller. If this is the case then why was rock designed to look like one? I think that may have been the cause of some confusion on the part of the players who do not understand the actual facts involving hiding a ship inside a thermos bottle. :devil:
Seriously, not to insult the people on this board who are clearly intelligent and well educated in such matters. I do not have the LBB adventure (Expedetion to Zhodane) or I would read it for myself. I looked for it on amazon but they want 26 bucks for it! Now that is some serious heat!
Didn't the author intend for the design to be stealthy? If so then it is implied, if he implied it then stealth is canon.
Also, no matter what actual reality or magic says about heat and EMR and vacuum and all the rest. The referee will have some say in it during his campaign. The goal of most RPGs is for the players to enjoy the game, hopefully that idea stays on everyone's sensor screen.
I noticed the stealth question kinda fizzled and I did not fully understand 94.2 percent of it. I did see that someone said that there is no stealth implied in traveller. If this is the case then why was rock designed to look like one? I think that may have been the cause of some confusion on the part of the players who do not understand the actual facts involving hiding a ship inside a thermos bottle. :devil:
Seriously, not to insult the people on this board who are clearly intelligent and well educated in such matters. I do not have the LBB adventure (Expedetion to Zhodane) or I would read it for myself. I looked for it on amazon but they want 26 bucks for it! Now that is some serious heat!
Didn't the author intend for the design to be stealthy? If so then it is implied, if he implied it then stealth is canon.
Also, no matter what actual reality or magic says about heat and EMR and vacuum and all the rest. The referee will have some say in it during his campaign. The goal of most RPGs is for the players to enjoy the game, hopefully that idea stays on everyone's sensor screen.
Travellerspud
SOC-12
"when completely buttoned up, the entire ship appears to be an ordinary nickle-iron asteroid. Carefully sculpted shutters close the boat well openings and the turret location; even the maneuver drives are covered by camouflaged shutters. If the ship has been powered down, the only way that it can be identified as a ship is by close inspection of the exterior by individuals in vacc suits actually on the asteroid surface. Of course, clues that the asteroid is a ship can be gotten by a good Navigator based on the asteroid's course or orbit, or by the fact that the asteroid is unusual in it's current location" pg.22 Adventure 6 Expedition to Zhodane
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Hmm, how very curious. A nickle-iron asteroid radiating temperatures several magnitudes above that of ALL the other nickle-iron asteroids. Fascinating. Gunny, blow that obvious ship out of existence.
Because even powered down, to keep it at a survivable and operational ready temperature is going to be a dead giveaway. And that's IF we also ignore the "unique" vector it is likely to have, and the fact that every "asteroid" of significant size is going to be mapped and tracked in any system of strategic value. And a couple other points I'm probably forgetting
...now, IF such a ruse is expected to work it does imply a magic heat dump mechanic in Traveller that NOBODY has ever (officially) talked about. One that would also solve the "My space ship is melting!" problem that the levels of power in use suggest. So, it seems a given that there must be some magic heat dump.
Because even powered down, to keep it at a survivable and operational ready temperature is going to be a dead giveaway. And that's IF we also ignore the "unique" vector it is likely to have, and the fact that every "asteroid" of significant size is going to be mapped and tracked in any system of strategic value. And a couple other points I'm probably forgetting
...now, IF such a ruse is expected to work it does imply a magic heat dump mechanic in Traveller that NOBODY has ever (officially) talked about. One that would also solve the "My space ship is melting!" problem that the levels of power in use suggest. So, it seems a given that there must be some magic heat dump.
Travellerspud
SOC-12
here is a ship I am working on for an upcoming campaign (starts out with PC's as new employees of an eccentric old wealthy man who fancies himself a student of the Ancients)
HG2 rules
type yx yacht (tl15 Glisten Yards)
300 ton Flattened Sphere hull (usp6) streamlined
J2
M2 (agility 1.6/2)
P2
Computer 2
3 turrets
hull armor 6
15 staterooms
lifeboat (std. type) on ext. grapples
air/raft (in bay)
Cargo Bay; 12 ton
2x 30 ton modules on ext grapples (fits modules from modular cutter - I use the GURPS modular cutter book for inspiration and rough floor plans)
~118.5 mc without the Modules
he has it set-up with a hydroponics module (supplies life support and food) and a sensor module (tl12 surplus from Sword World after 4rth frontier war). IMTU a fully-staffed and fueled sensor module adds +3 to the ships computer rating (it has an integral power plant for the computer and sensors). But more importantly, a specially-tuned sensor module can be used to detect some Ancient sites due to low-level off-band emissions they sometimes give off.
the adventure is to travel from District 268/Mertactor through Egryn to Menorial subsector. In addition to the petty pocket empires, pirates, aslan, there will be a Trexalon Count who also fancies himself a student of the Ancients hot in pursuit, with a Zhodani psi and a 3000 ton asteroid "yacht" that enjoys Trexalon Naval Auxillary status (and is heavily armed, although the Count is mindful not to create an incident that would harm Trexalon). Of course, this "yacht" has (deep in it's bowels) a water tank with a hungry shark-like beast and a cell with a ground beast of some kind (to dispatch enemies with). Also a prison, and a lab (with some Ancients notes that lead to further adventures). And a Hiver Robot (a gift, actually a spy).
Collace Intelligence (perhaps assisted by ISII or INI) might be in the wings.
but the starting pay is good...and the PC's are broke on Mertactor with a need to get off-world....and the Patron seems like a nice gentle sort of boss....
ultimately, the old guy patron will die somehow, leaving the PC's the ship (at least until they return to Imperial space...unless he wills it to them)
HG2 rules
type yx yacht (tl15 Glisten Yards)
300 ton Flattened Sphere hull (usp6) streamlined
J2
M2 (agility 1.6/2)
P2
Computer 2
3 turrets
hull armor 6
15 staterooms
lifeboat (std. type) on ext. grapples
air/raft (in bay)
Cargo Bay; 12 ton
2x 30 ton modules on ext grapples (fits modules from modular cutter - I use the GURPS modular cutter book for inspiration and rough floor plans)
~118.5 mc without the Modules
he has it set-up with a hydroponics module (supplies life support and food) and a sensor module (tl12 surplus from Sword World after 4rth frontier war). IMTU a fully-staffed and fueled sensor module adds +3 to the ships computer rating (it has an integral power plant for the computer and sensors). But more importantly, a specially-tuned sensor module can be used to detect some Ancient sites due to low-level off-band emissions they sometimes give off.
the adventure is to travel from District 268/Mertactor through Egryn to Menorial subsector. In addition to the petty pocket empires, pirates, aslan, there will be a Trexalon Count who also fancies himself a student of the Ancients hot in pursuit, with a Zhodani psi and a 3000 ton asteroid "yacht" that enjoys Trexalon Naval Auxillary status (and is heavily armed, although the Count is mindful not to create an incident that would harm Trexalon). Of course, this "yacht" has (deep in it's bowels) a water tank with a hungry shark-like beast and a cell with a ground beast of some kind (to dispatch enemies with). Also a prison, and a lab (with some Ancients notes that lead to further adventures). And a Hiver Robot (a gift, actually a spy).
Collace Intelligence (perhaps assisted by ISII or INI) might be in the wings.
but the starting pay is good...and the PC's are broke on Mertactor with a need to get off-world....and the Patron seems like a nice gentle sort of boss....
ultimately, the old guy patron will die somehow, leaving the PC's the ship (at least until they return to Imperial space...unless he wills it to them)
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
The simplest way to solve it is to assume that every ship generates its own, very small, "pocket universe" to dump the heat into. However, if that is the case, then the problem of overloaded "black globe" capacitors would no longer be a problem. Also, if you can put energy into a "pocket universe", you should be able to draw energy back out of it, which would also mean that your power duration, assuming no maneuvering or jumping, could be extended enormously.
The other option is to assume that power requirements are severely overstated in the rules, and reduce them accordingly. However, that has a massive effect on your ship design sequence, so not the easiest option to put it.
From Expedition to Zhodane: "His [the professor/owner of the planetoid ship] initial efforts brought him to the attention of the University of Cipango and the University of Cronor, both within the Zhodani Consulate. He developed friendships with various sociologists there, sharing findings and data with them as time and itineraries permitted. Ultimately, these acquaintances enabled him to receive permission to begin a long-term investigation of society on Zeycude."
An alternate way to interpret the ship's uncanny ability to evade detection is to declare that Rock is an anthropologist's blind, intended to hide the ship from civilian eyes but not from the security grid*, allowing the Professor to enter and exit Zhodani society (aboard Pebble, and with the tacit cooperation of the local starport authorities, while Rock drifts in stellar orbit some reasonable distance from the primary world) while appearing as a local. The Zhodani navy, system defenses, and starport authorities at a high level have been ordered to cooperate with the University program and ignore the ship, treating it as a natural (and plotted) asteroid. When they see it powered down, they assume it is in a parking orbit while the Professor is doing his bit planetside.
As the adventure notes later, "The local Zhodani have noted that he is aware of ship and troop movements and other details in the vicinity of Zeycude. Monitoring his surface thoughts, they have detected a simple curiosity about the movements, and he has been detained as a protective measure. ..." With that low level of detention, word that the ship was no longer to be ignored has either not gotten out to everyone or has gotten out as a low priority advisory, instructing them to treat the ship as they would any regular merchantman or civilian ship, so the ship only occasionally attracts attention and - if powered down - they again assume that the occupants are planetside and that no one's aboard, especially if a life scan shows no life signs.
*Exactly why a sociological researcher moving around in Zhodani society would need a disguised ship in the first place, or why a Zhodani university would entertain a sociological research proposal in which a disguised ship flitted through Zhodani space, or why the Zhodani Navy - which assuredly would have been briefed on such a plan, if only to avoid unfortunate incidents - agreed to permit this absurdity is beyond me. It was a problem in the original, it remains a problem. Best I can offer is that for all the press about them, the Zhodani strike me as frequently naive and insufficiently paranoid where Imperial matters are concerned. I suspect that is an artifact of their psionic culture - it's hard for them to think like sociopaths.
An alternate way to interpret the ship's uncanny ability to evade detection is to declare that Rock is an anthropologist's blind, intended to hide the ship from civilian eyes but not from the security grid*, allowing the Professor to enter and exit Zhodani society (aboard Pebble, and with the tacit cooperation of the local starport authorities, while Rock drifts in stellar orbit some reasonable distance from the primary world) while appearing as a local. The Zhodani navy, system defenses, and starport authorities at a high level have been ordered to cooperate with the University program and ignore the ship, treating it as a natural (and plotted) asteroid. When they see it powered down, they assume it is in a parking orbit while the Professor is doing his bit planetside.
As the adventure notes later, "The local Zhodani have noted that he is aware of ship and troop movements and other details in the vicinity of Zeycude. Monitoring his surface thoughts, they have detected a simple curiosity about the movements, and he has been detained as a protective measure. ..." With that low level of detention, word that the ship was no longer to be ignored has either not gotten out to everyone or has gotten out as a low priority advisory, instructing them to treat the ship as they would any regular merchantman or civilian ship, so the ship only occasionally attracts attention and - if powered down - they again assume that the occupants are planetside and that no one's aboard, especially if a life scan shows no life signs.
*Exactly why a sociological researcher moving around in Zhodani society would need a disguised ship in the first place, or why a Zhodani university would entertain a sociological research proposal in which a disguised ship flitted through Zhodani space, or why the Zhodani Navy - which assuredly would have been briefed on such a plan, if only to avoid unfortunate incidents - agreed to permit this absurdity is beyond me. It was a problem in the original, it remains a problem. Best I can offer is that for all the press about them, the Zhodani strike me as frequently naive and insufficiently paranoid where Imperial matters are concerned. I suspect that is an artifact of their psionic culture - it's hard for them to think like sociopaths.
