[Proto-Traveller] Book 2 Plus (includes smallcraft)

[robject]

Remember waaay back when we discussed Book 2 Plus?

Well I've got the itch to re-open this can of worms for Mike and Paul's sakes. Most of these items are things which are very likely to exist in the LBB world but were left out of Book 2's Ship Design System, but a few are things I would change with the Book 2 Ship Design rules themselves.

BOOK 2 PLUS, Version 3.0

Bridge

1 ton per crew position, including emplacements, sensors, and the computer console. Spacious Bridge: 2 tons per crew station gets a DM+1 on tasks. Cramped Bridge: 0.5 ton per crew station, DM-1.

Pod

A Pod is a small craft hull. They are used for cutter modules, cargo lighters, demountable fuel tanks, and drop tanks, as well as small craft. For carrying pods, add two Grapples per 35 tons of pod: one goes on the pod or barge, and one goes on the carrying craft, at 1 ton and MCr1 per grapple. If used to fuel a jump drive, a 1-ton, MCr1 Transfer Pump is also required, and may be installed either on the pod or the ship.

Pod cost depends on volume. Base cost is KCr 200 for unstreamlined, and KCr 500 for streamlined pods. Construction cost adds KCr 300 per 10 tons. So, for example, a 30 ton streamlined pod costs (KCr 500 + 3 x KCr 300) MCr 1.4.

Type "1/2 A" Power Plant

This is a 2 ton power plant used by a few small craft. In relative strength it is about 45% the power of a Type A power plant. In practice this enables a 30 ton hull with 3G performance, and a 40 ton hull with 2G performance.

Barge

A Barge is an unpowered spacecraft hull. They are used for cargo lighters, demountable fuel tanks, and drop tanks. Add six Grapples per 100 tons of barge: one goes on the pod or barge, and one goes on the carrying craft, at 1 ton and MCr1 per grapple. If used to fuel a jump drive, a 1-ton, MCr1 Transfer Pump is also required, and may be installed either on the barge or the ship.

Jump Net
Cr100,000 per ton.

A flexible, uniform jump matrix for carrying loose modules within the jump bubble of a ship. Cr100,000 per ton.

Small Stateroom
2 tons, Cr 25,000.

A 1-ton stateroom and 1 ton of common space. Half the price of a full stateroom. Cramped quarters produce stress on occupants, making routine tasks difficult after 1D days.

Fixed Weapon Mount
0 tons, MCr 0.

Equivalent to a double turret in capability. DM-2 to attack. 0 tons. Uses 1 hardpoint. Control is multiplexed to an existing control station. Maximum number of fixed mounts equals the ship’s computer model number.

Lab/Workspace

Equipment which enables specific tasks, typically research or mechanics. Every 10 tons enables 1 (CT) level of a specific skill. Minimum volume 4 tons (enables level 0 of a specific skill). No cost.

Cargo Hold Bulk Liquid/Gas

Tank dedicated for transporting liquid (or gaseous) cargo and items suspended within a liquid (or gas-specific) environment. As a capture tank, provides DM+1 per 8 tons on attracting patrons (maximum DM+2). No cost.

Bulk Handler Container/Liquid/Gas
1 ton, Cr 100,000.

Loader for moving cargo of a given type. 1 ton, MCr 0.1. Standard cargo container handlers can move 12 tons per hour. Liquid handlers can move 40 tons per hour. Gas handlers can move 60 tons per hour. Handlers can be ship-based, but can also show up in good starports.

LR Sensors
TL12, 3 tons, MCr 1.

Upgrades standard sensors (communicator, EMS antenna, and scope) to long-range capability.

Survey Sensors
TL12, +6 control stations, Cr 600,000.

An orbital range sensor package: Neural Activity Sensor, Densitometer, Field Sensor, Analyzer/Sniffer, Life Detector, and Proximeter. Adds 6 control stations to the bridge.

Drive Strength Rationalization (RULES SUGGESTION)

Drive strength is rationalized based on letter code. A drive’s strength is its letter (omitting I and O) times 100. The rating of a drive is therefore [drive strength x 2 / hull volume]. This reduces the strength of W, X, Y, and Z drives, and potentially harms existing Book 2 designs. The benefit is that drive volume is now directly computable, and larger drives are possible:

Jump Drive volume: Drive Rating x 2.5% hull volume + 5.
Maneuver Drive volume: Drive Rating x 1% hull volume - 1.
Power Plant volume: Drive Rating x 1.5% hull volume + 1.

Commentary. If I were to rationalize Book 2 drives with High Guard, I would say that the Book 2 power plants are right on the edge of TL14 and TL15. Book 2 jump drives are sturdier than High Guard, hence the greater volume. Book 2 maneuver drives, on the other hand, appear to be quite fragile compared to their High Guard counterparts.

Cost is also computable, left as an exercise to the reader, but read on...

Drive Price Simplification (RULES SUGGESTION)

Drive prices are reduced to simple formula. This changes canon design prices.

Power plant and jump drive: MCr 1 per ton.
Maneuver drive: MCr 2 per ton.

Fuel Requirement Rationalization (RULES SUGGESTION)

Fuel usage is rationalized based on hull volume and power plant rating. This is the formula used by small craft in LBB2. This potentially harms canon designs. Fuel usage is:

fuel (tons per month) = 0.01 x hull volume x power plant rating

"Version 1"/Self-Processing Jump Drive

A specialized drive consisting of a power plant slaved to a jump drive. Total tonnage is the sum of the two drives minus four tons, and the price is the same as buying the two drives separately. The power plant only powers the jump drive, and does not require any fuel besides that used by the jump drive. Ships with a self-processing jump drive may not install another power plant, though they may have alternate sources of power (e.g. antimatter).

Black Globe
TL16, MCr 4.

The black globe generator converts hits to interior heat based on the ship's volume. At full strength, the globe will take hits equal to the ship's volume in tons, and the interior will become hot. At 400%, the interior becomes very hot, inflicting 2D of heat damage per minute to everything inside. At 900% the interior is 100 C, inflicting 3D per minute.

Antimatter PowerPlant
TL19 to TL27. MCr2 per ton.

These are devices which convert antimatter slugs into power. Each slug comes in a 1 ton container, and supplies enough power for a year of ship operations, or one jump. The power plant volume is 30 tons, plus 1 ton per drive 'Letter'.

Collectors
TL14 to TL22, Cr 500,000 per ton.

These are accumulators, charged from exotic particles captured by a canopy. This charge is released in one spike to power a jump drive; collectors cannot therefore be used for normal ship operations. Volume is 5 tons, plus 1% hull volume per rating. Charging time is 1 week. Each point of damage taken extends the charging time by 1 week. After 10 years of operation, each additional year adds 1 more week to the charging time. Canopy replacement, at half cost, restores charging back to 1 week.

 

[robject]

Smallcraft Design a la Book 2

Smallcraft Design. Steve Osmanski's smallcraft design draft is as good as any for designing smallcraft in a LBB2 manner. http://home.comcast.net/~steveosmanski/Book2_small_craft_design_system.htm


Here are my rules for building smallcraft using the Book 2 tables. It needs adjustment, but I'm trying to keep it complete yet simple and short.

Book 2 Smallcraft Design

Hull. Use pod hulls up to 95 tons in size. All hulls have life support with an independent power supply. All hulls have lifters and are able to reach orbit without a powerplant or maneuver drive, per grav vehicle rules. Orbit is basically 1 diameter from surface.

Drive. Use the Book 2 Type A, B, and C drives, plus the "1/2 A" power plant. Determine rating as follows:

(Round down all results)

Type "1/2 A" drive rating = 90 / hull volume
Type A drive rating = 200 / hull volume
Type B drive rating = 400 / hull volume
Type C drive rating = 600 / hull volume

To "throttle back" drive performance, use the rule of thumb that max acceleration depends on TL: TL9=1G, TL10=3G, TL11=5G, TL12=6G (and up).

Computer. Select and install a computer. Add the computer’s volume to the bridge.

Cockpit. Typically two crew stations, typically 0.5t per station. Add more consoles (if desired) for additional personnel and a computer.

Weapons. Install one turret, if desired. Turrets are powered by the power plant. Smallcraft without powerplants are Pods or Vehicles, and may mount one personal or vehicle weapon, but not a turret. If your craft has a Model/1 or better computer, you may install a fixed weapon mount instead of a turret.

Components. Install accessory components as desired. Smallcraft seats are free, and seat 4 people per ton. A half-ton of aisle access is required for each ton of seating; typically this aisle is shared between two columns of seating.

 

[BillDowns]

Self-Processing Jump Drive. A specialized drive consisting of a power plant slaved to a jump drive. Total tonnage is the sum of the two drives minus four tons, and the price is the same as buying the two drives separately. The power plant only powers the jump drive, and does not require any fuel besides that used by the jump drive. Ships with a self-processing jump drive may not install another power plant, though they may have alternate sources of power (e.g. antimatter).

Or, alternatively, use 1st edition rules where a power plant is not used by jump drives.

 

[Mithras]

Robject, thanks for posting these alternative build rules (sorry, supplemental!), I particularly like the small craft rules. One question, the bulk handlers, are they ground based? Or ship based, such as the derricks on modern bulk cargo ships?

 

[robject]

Robject, thanks for posting these alternative build rules (sorry, supplemental!), I particularly like the small craft rules. One question, the bulk handlers, are they ground based? Or ship based, such as the derricks on modern bulk cargo ships?

The handlers are ship-based.

I see no reason not to have them in good starports as well.

I have an addition to the smallcraft rules to edit in.

 

[robject]

Black Globe

I want to add in the Black Globe generator from the Kinunir. Anyone have the stats handy, either from Adv1 or High Guard or MT or elsewhere?

 

[robject]

Added two sensor packages.

 

[bobblanchett]

anyone want to consolidate these mods into a living ocument?

really enoying this thread

 

[Major B]

really enoying this thread

Me too - and thanks for the link in the OP too!

 

[McPerth]

May I suggest to add to the rules the one for fixed weapons hardpoints found in AM6 (Solomani)?

After all the ships presented on it are Bk2 designs.

 

[far-trader]

May I suggest to add to the rules the one for fixed weapons hardpoints found in AM6 (Solomani)?

After all the ships presented on it are Bk2 designs.

I'll second that

In case the info is missing for robject:

Page 42 CT Alien Module 6 Solomani (Copyright 1986 GDW)

Fixed Weapons Mounts:

Solomani ships may have fixed weapons mounts (as opposed to turret mounted weapons).

Fixed weapons mounts allow up to two weapons to be attached per each hardpoint on the ship and do not require fire control tonnage or a turret. Weapons in fixed weapons mounts are operated by a gunner on the bridge and are subject to an attacker's DM - 2 in space combat.

A ship is allowed fixed weapons mounts equal to the model number of the computer installed on the ship (Model/2 computer allows two hardpoints to have fixed weapons mounts).

Also, did you find the info on Black Globes you were looking for robject? There's no real info in Adventure 1, and I suspect it was based on the first printing of HG (which I don't have along with me to check) anyway. The second printing of HG Black Globes aren't a great fit with your Book 2 idea imo. They deal in EPs and HG Jump Drive calculations. I think an adapted idea is required. I may dabble with it later, I'm thinking something simple, hits to jump number, or maybe jump drive letter.

EDIT: As it turns out there is data on the Kinunir's Black Globe, in the example write up in HG I'd forgotten about

"The ship carries... a factor-1 black globe generator (10 tons; MCr400; no energy points)."

 

[robject]

Version 2.0

I've updated the rules. Solomani fixed weapon mounts are there. Black globes are there. Consolidated some stuff, tweaked other stuff, the usual.

I've also rationalized the drives to suit larger ships. This is an explicit break with Book 2, as it weakens the WXYZ drives. I believe that the resulting consistency is a greater win than the loss of compatibility with the existing WXYZ drives. You'll have to judge that for yourself and your circumstances.

Still thinking about these rules.

 

[HRLMT]

Collectors in Starship building List

Greetings,
I read with interest your additions for starships and small craft. FYI, are you aware that collectors have already been mentioned in Traveller? Let me jog your memory, The Adventure Annic Nova. The Annic Nova uses a collector instead of a fusion powerplant. Are trying to imply that the Annic Nova is a Tech Level 18 vessel? The ship sure does not appear to be a TL 18 Starship, not with that dual jump drive set-up and no built-in M-drive.
That is all.
Howard Leidner
"Retired" free-lance writer for DGP.

 

[aramis]

Greetings,
I read with interest your additions for starships and small craft. FYI, are you aware that collectors have already been mentioned in Traveller? Let me jog your memory, The Adventure Annic Nova. The Annic Nova uses a collector instead of a fusion powerplant. Are trying to imply that the Annic Nova is a Tech Level 18 vessel? The ship sure does not appear to be a TL 18 Starship, not with that dual jump drive set-up and no built-in M-drive.
That is all.
Howard Leidner
"Retired" free-lance writer for DGP.

By MegaTraveller sources, Annic Nova is TL22+, because TL9-21 drives all require hydrogen jump fuel.
(TL 17 is 80%, TL 18 is 60%, TL 19 is 40%, TL20 is 20%, and TL21 is 10%)

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

I think not...

By MegaTraveller sources, Annic Nova is TL22+, because TL9-21 drives all require hydrogen jump fuel.
(TL 17 is 80%, TL 18 is 60%, TL 19 is 40%, TL20 is 20%, and TL21 is 10%)

I believe you are mistaken, the Jump Drive does not require hydrogen to function, it merely needs charged capacitors and most civilizations in OTU use fusion. This does not mean that it is required, it is just the method used by the Major Races of Charted Space.

If hydrogen were the only power source then you could not use a Black Globe to charge capacitors, which last I checked is totally legit.

 

[aramis]

I believe you are mistaken, the Jump Drive does not require hydrogen to function, it merely needs charged capacitors and most civilizations in OTU use fusion. This does not mean that it is required, it is just the method used by the Major Races of Charted Space.

If hydrogen were the only power source then you could not use a Black Globe to charge capacitors, which last I checked is totally legit.

You can't run a JD on capacitors alone. You have to have the energy AND the fuel, and a destination. (CT HG, p.39)

Jumping: A ship which breaks off by jumping must have a destination and enough fuel to get there. It must expend energy points equal to two turns output from a power plant whose number is equal to the jump being attempted (EP required =O.OlMJn).
(CT B5:HG p.39. Emphasis mine)​

That restriction is reiterated in the Black Globe rules on page 43:

If a ship absorbs enough energy to make a jump, and is supplied with sufficient fuel, it may jump at the end of the turn.
(CT B5:HG, p 43. Emphasis mine)​

This same wording is used on page 96 of the MT Ref's Manual... (but MT jump units require no power... tho' they do have energy sinks. MORE Errata! Don's been emailed on it ...)

 

[mike wightman]

Marc's Jumpspace article makes it explicit that other methods may be used to charge the jump capacitors.

The rules for capacitors in HG are a mess, and I know that in T5 Marc has made the Annic Nova's solar collector based drive above Imperial TL.

However:

the original Annic Nova presents the ship as a curiosity to the powers that be - not some super advanced design that would be worth an Emperor's ransom

also that Annic Nova class ships can be encountered in different adventuring situations, implying a lot more than just 1 ship.

IMHO a better way to treat the Annic Nova's solar collector/capacitor based drive and the HG EP issue is:

allow for jump drive variants but make sure they are less efficient at moving merchants around (the Annic Nova's drive can take up to 6 weeks to charge) - oh, and provide LBB2 and HG design rules for them (I calculated the solar collector size and capacitor progression I would use once, it's on this site somewhere)

scrap the HG wording that fuel is required - if you have charged capacitors via a black globe you can jump, simple as that.

 

[aramis]

The implications of the fuel requirement, (which was retained in TNE and T4, BTW,) are that the fuel isn't used for fusion per se, nor for charging those capacitors, but for some other purpose.

I hate to say it, but the Jumpspace article is the serious outlier. Annic Nova is presented as a curiosity, yes, but nothing in the book says the collector based jump drive isn't some form of TL18+ drive remounted to a lower tech hull. It is clear, however, that in both CT and MT, the capacitors are charged PRIOR to burning the jump fuel, rather than by burning it.

SSOM mentions zucchai crystals as being charged by the burning process, but that wasn't the fluff used in TNE, and may or may not also be separate from the jump drive capacitors...

 

[mike wightman]

So the Imperium allows a TL18+ ship to be retained by the players for a 100kCr fee?

No way.

 

[rancke]

The original Annic Nova presents the ship as a curiosity to the powers that be - not some super advanced design that would be worth an Emperor's ransom.

That's a very good point. There really is no way to reconcile that with the rarity of forerunner artifacts in the OTU as it later developed.

But that's just it: The OTU evolved. Annic Nova takes place at a time when Capital controlled the only gap in a rift for hundreds of parsecs, The Battle of the Two Suns was fought against the barbarians, and the Outrim Frontier was unknown territory.

Capital wound up far from any rift, TBotTS was fought against the Zhodani, the Outrim Void was explored 700 years ago, and if PCs got hold of the Annic Nova they'd either sell it for enough money to buy a world of their own or have it taken away from them by the Imperium for a few million credits and a testimonial dinner.

IMHO a better way to treat the Annic Nova's solar collector/capacitor based drive and the HG EP issue is:

allow for jump drive variants but make sure they are less efficient at moving merchants around (the Annic Nova's drive can take up to 6 weeks to charge) - oh, and provide LBB2 and HG design rules for them (I calculated the solar collector size and capacitor progression I would use once, it's on this site somewhere)

The problem here is that there is no way to make the Annic Nova's solar collector powered jump drive less efficient than the standard drive without doing something supremely silly, like linking them to a solar collector instead of a power plant. There's nothing magical about solar power. It turns into good oldfashioned Mark I electricity. And there are rather specific limits to the amount of power you can collect with solar collectors of a given size. If you can power the drives in a week under optimum conditions (it takes 1-6 weeks according to the original adventure) by solar sail, you can power it a lot quicker with a fusion power plant.

So the Imperium allows a TL18+ ship to be retained by the players for a 100kCr fee?

No way.

Agreed. But the conclusion isn't that the Annic Nova isn't TL18[*], it's that the Imperium would not allow the PCs to retain it.

[*] Though my own explanation would be that the Annic Nova was built around an Ancient artifact (a fuel valve into a pocket universe with millions of tons of fuel).​

Hans