Prefab Highport

[Andrew M]

With the uneven distribution of port facilities, and merchant companies' desire to get to new markets ahead of the competition, a quick to deploy hi-port facility is surely a must have.

What legal or political restrictions are there on the development of such starports in the Imperium?

What would be the requirements for such a facility?

How would warehousing be handled?

Since such a facility would aim for profitability ahead of security, how long would it take for pirates to make their move?

Below are stats for the 'Fat Controller', using High Guard. It intentionally uses the same drive as a subsidised liner, to imply that it is part cannibalised.

Ship: Fat Controller Lite
Class: Fat Controller
Type: Frontier merchant highport
Architect: A M
Tech Level: 13

USP
MN-A401122-040000-40004-0 MCr 446.604 1.4 KTons
Bat Bear 1 1 1 Crew: 49
Bat 1 1 1 TL: 13

Cargo: 15.000 Passengers: 30 Fuel: 214.000 EP: 14.000 Agility: 0 Shipboard Security Detail: 1 Pulse Lasers
Craft: 4 x 95T Shuttle, 2 x 30T Ship's Boat

Architects Fee: MCr 2.826 Cost in Quantity: MCr 390.083


Detailed Description

HULL
1,400.000 tons standard, 19,600.000 cubic meters, Close Structure Configuration

CREW
11 Officers, 38 Ratings

ENGINEERING
Jump-0, 1G Manuever, Power plant-1, 14.000 EP, Agility 0

AVIONICS
Bridge, Model/2 Computer

HARDPOINTS
6 Hardpoints

ARMAMENT
3 Triple Missile Turrets organised into 1 Battery (Factor-4), 2 Triple Pulse Laser Turrets organised into 1 Battery (Factor-4)

DEFENCES
1 Triple Sandcaster Turret organised into 1 Battery (Factor-4)

CRAFT
4 95.000 ton Shuttles (Crew of 2, Cost of MCr 33.000), 2 30.000 ton Ship's Boats (Crew of 2, Cost of MCr 16.000)

FUEL
214.000 Tons Fuel (0 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 200.000 tons of additional fuel)
No Fuel Scoops, No Fuel Purification Plant

MISCELLANEOUS
79.0 Staterooms, 20 High Passengers, 10 Middle Passengers, 15.000 Tons Cargo

USER DEFINED COMPONENTS
3 Docking for 600 dTon vessels (60.000 tons, Crew 1, Cost MCr 1.320, requires 1 Hardpoint), 1 Medical Facility (8.000 tons, Crew 2, Cost MCr 1.500), 1 Multiband radio transmitter (3.000 tons, Crew 2, 5.000 Energy Points, Cost MCr 0.000, requires 1 Hardpoint)

COST
MCr 285.430 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 2.826), MCr 226.083 in Quantity, plus MCr 164.000 of Carried Craft

CONSTRUCTION TIME
126 Weeks Singly, 101 Weeks in Quantity

COMMENTS
Intended as a temporary miniature-highport, for frontier worlds and colonies. It
has docking facilities for up to four 600 dTon ships at any one time.

On paper there appears to be minimal warehousing capacity to serve this many
ships. In operations at least two of the large transporter holds can be assumed
to be free, releasing another 300 dTons for cargo. The four transporters make
the transfer of stock from dirtside to orbit smooth and easy.

It has more than adequate accomodation for waiting passengers. Depending
on circumstances much of this may be converted to office or retail space.

It boasts state of the art medical facilities. This can be invaluable to those
operating many parsecs from civilization.

It has a powerul radio transmitter potentially making it an invaluable hub in a
fledgeling world's communication network. This can alone makes the Fat
Controller a significant commercial asset.​

 

[Zutroi]

So, you also need a really big Jump-tug to haul this thing around... Maybe break it down into a number of smaller modules and assemble them on-site? Use the same profile for the vessel when assembled, of course! Maybe size the modules to fit into a (surplus, of course!) X-boat tender...

I'd install capacity for a refinery, and replace 1 shuttle with a fuel-skimmer... (hmmm or maybe put the refining capacity ON the shuttle, so that the fuel is refined by the time the shuttle reaches home!) so that the 'port' can sell refined fuel to the vessels requiring it, as well as refuel itself.

I'm also less than worried about the minimal cargo capacity - anything that can be stowed in vacuum can simply be put into a parking orbit nearby. The ports capacity would only be in use for delicate cargoes and for actual loading/unloading operations.

That missile turret is also ideal for deploying communications/weather/resource sats to aid in the colonization process and traffic control.

A very logical 'next step' for the small planet graduating from a 'patch of ground with a solar landing beacon' starport!

 

[samuelvss]

I would think dispersed structure would allow better docking possibilities, plus the ability to grow modularly.

Great idea!

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Porta-Port, by Ling Std., LLC (?)

Yoinked for MTU.

Thanx!

 

[Spinward Scout]

That would pretty much eliminate the Class X Starport classification if it could be easily transported and set up. I could see most governments wanting something like this even if it's just for strategic purposes along a frontier. Shipping companies would want them along a Main, extended X-boat/courier routes, Naval refueling and replenishment, Red Zone interdiction, etc... Opportunistic entrepreneurs (the player characters) could set these up all over.

 

[Hemdian]

That would pretty much eliminate the Class X Starport classification

Depends what you mean by a class X starport. While it is true that some people use class X to mean no starport, there was a note on the Core Route website (when it was up) from Marc Miller to the effect that class X means “not authorised for public use”. He instructed Chris to list any uninhabited world that isn’t interdicted is a class E.

There is also a file floating around for all the class X starports in the Spinward Marches that lists what their starports actually are. (This was necessary for validating the TLs of those worlds during a data cleaning exercise.)

 

[samuelvss]

That would pretty much eliminate the Class X Starport classification if it could be easily transported and set up. I could see most governments wanting something like this even if it's just for strategic purposes along a frontier. Shipping companies would want them along a Main, extended X-boat/courier routes, Naval refueling and replenishment, Red Zone interdiction, etc... Opportunistic entrepreneurs (the player characters) could set these up all over.

I think commercial viability and local governmental biases would drive that train. A lot of possibilities, I agree, but also a lot of logistical challenges if at a TL higher than the obitted world; if the world is at a higher TL and has any significant population, then it is probable that there is a reason there is not a port already. The transport would be on the order of 1.4MCr times the number of jumps from the Class A starport where it was built, presumably at a minimum.

All of these challenges make for great adventure fodder, of course!

 

[rancke]

Depends what you mean by a class X starport. While it is true that some people use class X to mean no starport, there was a note on the Core Route website (when it was up) from Marc Miller to the effect that class X means “not authorised for public use”. He instructed Chris to list any uninhabited world that isn’t interdicted is a class E.

That actually means that the canonical defintion of a class E starport is faulty, since you need a radio beacon to mark the site of it. In the region of Charted Space where the Scouts bob and stomp, you could assume that they put a beacon in every system, inhabited or not, but further away there has to be systems that fall between "there's a beacon near a flat piece of bedrock" and "you're not allowed to go there".

There is also a file floating around for all the class X starports in the Spinward Marches that lists what their starports actually are. (This was necessary for validating the TLs of those worlds during a data cleaning exercise.)

Interesting. I've never heard of that before.


Hans

 

[Andrew M]

I'm pleased to see the positive feedback, particularly that people are seeing adventure possibilities. The main reason for designing this thing (well apart from the fact that I could call it a 'Fat Controller') was to provide a way for fledgeling lines to make the next step up in size.

From what little I have read on Imperial starport policy, the powers that be like to have a say in how and when starports are expanded. The reason for making the hi-port jump capable, was to help mollify them. It is technically still a starship, docked for a limited amount of time, that is just helping out with logistics. The owners can and will move the ship on any time the authorities desire. The hope is that the case for an expanded port can be demonstrated before this happens, or at least that owners can reap some hefty short term profits.

A serious reason for the local Duke to object is that any hi-port is going to be vulnerable to piracy. Because the Fat Controller is set up by people with far more ambition than they have resources, the chances are that it will be under-defended.

Is this scenario reasonable?

BTW agreed on the fuel refinery idea. I might agree on using a dispersed hull, but it depends on how the interior is organised. I was imagining some impressive interior space for visitors to gape at.

 

[Spinward Scout]

BTW agreed on the fuel refinery idea.

For fuel transport, you can convert an old Mercenary Cruiser from a troop transport to a fuel tanker. Strip it down and convert most of staterooms to fuel tankage. Keep the armaments to protect against piracy - but pull all of the jump-related equipment. Also, knock down the maneuver drive to a 1-G. You get three or four of them to shuttle back and forth between your fuel point and the 'porta-port' - using the modular cutters as skimmers. Then you need a big tank to store the fuel in - several tanks if you want one for unrefined and another for refined. Well-armed tankers can also double for sentry duty.

At least, that's how I'd do it.

EDIT: you know, if you throw a Jump Drive on your 'Porta-Port', then you don't have to worry about towing it to a star system.

 

[BlackBat242]

Since most of the need for large cargo bays, etc are only in effect after you park it in its new home, just build them so the jump drives can be easily removed at the destination and brought back in the larger freighter you sent with it for the set-up.

Same for your ex-Broadsword tanker, the two cutters are great for the actual skimming... and the drives are very re-sellable in the overhaul/repair market.

 

[Spinward Scout]

I was thinking that you'd want to keep the J-Drives for the 'Porta-Port' on location just in case you need to abandon the star system for some reason. It's a temporary station, right? War, solar flares, pirates, etc, could give you a reason to want to leave the system. You could build the station so that the Broadswords were integrated into the superstructure for Jump purposes. They could always be the source for Jump fuel. I was looking at it from almost a 'Battle-rider' point of view.

 

[The Oz]

I'd always imagined that one use for obsolescent battle tenders would be as "ready-made" high-ports. They'd have docking facilities, huge fuel storage areas, probably lots of cargo space (originally extra magazines and spare parts/repair facilities) and were originally built to allow easy docking/undocking.

 

[BlackBat242]

That could work... and when you need to expand, but cannot build a dedicated high port right away, you can plug additional modules into the docking locations (the modules would have docking stations outboard).

If you need to bail out in hurry, you just evacuate & jettison excess modules, and you are clear to go.

 

[Seriayne]

If using pre-existing Traveller tech - A very long project, but expandable gradually as a world or corporation frees up resources I might use the following especially in linking systems or outsystem moons and planets in Foreven.

Tinker Toy Expandable Budget Station

1) Design a 'node' module, 3-5 tons, similar to what we have on the ISS, designed to connect the power/fuel/access points between modular cutter modules. One node module (5ton variant) might even contain the necessary computer and control systems to coordinate/orchestrate the modules as a single integrated system.

2) Design one more 'cutter module' as extendable hydraulic tube-dock/grappling system for visiting ships (or just their aux craft) to dock on either side of.

3) Re-purpose the little 'fighter carrier' cutter module into an EVA craft bay, or stick on an unmodified one on for system defense.

4) Optional additional expense, a cheap dispersed structure 'boom' with a central access corridor 2-3 times the length of a regular module (loaded in three sections in a standard cutter bay, assemble on site), for keeping 'dangerous' modules, or distant docking booms well away from the core 'cluster'. Or as its own docking boom for larger spacecraft than can fit comfortably against the mini-dock (2) above.

5) Fuel and habitat modules added for visiting ships, operators, stopovers. Armed modules with powerplants for laser weapons could form the core of the station's power supply and defense network. Medical, survey and other specialty modules might be added, depending on the constructor's eventual plans for area of space its in might be.

6) As the station expands/ages, a proper 'control' module might eventually be added to act as a sort of 'control tower'.

This system works best if an itinerant merchant craft has a modular cutter as part of its aux craft load-out. It simply passes through the station's target system on a trade run beyond that point, dropping off a module each outbound trip.

Orbital military bases can be assembled particularly quickly by a broadsword mercenary cruiser if it goes outbound with all of its cutters and module slots are full of station components. A couple barracks modules and space rated G-Carrier, and you can drop a platoon in any small town anywhere on the planet below in a couple of hours in an emergency. Or simply just use the base as a Zero G/Drop Troop training center.

Even Donosevs might make use of this system to make cheap monitoring, refuelling, or diplomatic base stations beyond the Imperial border.

While a megafreighter operating outside the Imperium could carry enough modules to construct a giant tinkertoy base, a station that tiny's not likely to be much use to it in the future, and corp with that much power and income usually has the resources to construct a dedicated orbital port in a frontier system if it wants to.

Its the smaller, fledgling lines that might use such a system, especially if it wants to avoid using either the mainworld's facilities (for whatever reason) or if no facilities are present at all in a system that company's ships have to traverse between markets.

--------------------

Unless the tinkertoy was particularly large (and even then), I doubt anyone would want to be assigned to man such a device, except maybe individuals who see work there as their only access to outer space (if orbiting a low tech world, for instance). In dangerous locales, assignment to one would be either punishment, a training assignment, or perhaps the whole station would be automated/robotically operated until its owners came with the right call signs to take over.

 

[DaveChase]

Shotgun class Modular Transport

Sounds like you might need (or want) one of these

(More images in the CotI Gallery)

With the appropriate Center module one can set the outpost and then use the Shotgun for supply runs.

And if that is too small for you (in capacity) BTE offers the Tumbler Express.

Dave Chase

 

[Icosahedron]

Welcome back, Dave.

 

[Gray Lensman]

What He Said

 

[robject]

Here's how I did it, oh so long ago. I assumed prebuilt components would be available.

http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/starports/StarportModuleCatalog.html

 

[Vile]

I've always assumed that most pre-fab stations would use 30-ton modules as a base. Versatile, ubiquitous, and infinitely expandable*. Ask Dave Chase.

*Okay, maybe not infinitely, at least not without additional structural reinforcement, but that's beyond the granularity of the game.