[Ship Design] Did I do this right?

[Sylvre Phire]

I'm in need of some help with ship design in the new Traveller rules from Mongoose. The crew requirements seem rather loose compared to the old rules in the LBBs and the original High Guard. Here's what I came up with for my design. Could someone check it and make sure I did things right? One note - with regard to the computer weights, I deferred to the data in the original CT High Guard. Not having weights for computers didn't seem right to me.

Sword Worlds Durendal-class 200-dton Armed Trader

Basic Concept: A jump-2 armed trader; armor enough to give small pirates a tough time, just enough to keep the ship in one piece when fleeing the bigger corsairs. Though the Sword Worlders can be scrappers, the main concerns with this design are range and durability, not fancy flying in battle zones.

Hull: 200 tons - streamlined, self-sealing - Hull Code 2 - 10.8 MCr.
Hull / Structure Points: 4 / 4
Armor: TL10 Crystaliron - 4 pts - 10 tons - 1.6 MCr.

Drives and Power Plant
Jump Drive: B - Jump-2 - 15 tons - 20 MCr.
Maneuver Drive: B - Thrust 2 - 3 tons - 8 MCr.
Power Plant: B - 7 tons - 16 MCr.
Fuel: 60 tons - 40 tons for one 2-parsec jump plus 5 weeks’ operations.
Fuel Processors: 2 tons - 40 tons refined/day - 100,000 Cr.

Bridge: 10 tons - 1 MCr.
Main Computer: Model 5/fib - TL13 - Rating 25 - 5 tons - 15 MCr.
Software: Maneuver/0; Jump Control/2; Fire Control/1; Auto-Repair/1; Library - 7.2 MCr.
Backup Computer: Model 3/fib - TL11 - Rating 15 - 3 tons - 3 MCr.
Software: Maneuver/0; Jump Control/2; Fire Control/1; Library - 2.2 MCr.
Electronics: Basic Civilian - TL 9 - DM -2 - RADAR, LIDAR - 1 ton - 50,000 Cr.

Armament: Two hardpoints - each filled with a triple turret (two beam lasers, one sandcaster)
- Triple Turret (x2) - TL9 - 2 ton - 2 MCr.
- Beam Lasers (x4) - TL7 - Medium Range - 2D6 damage - 4 MCr.
- Sandcasters (x2) - TL7 - Special Range - Special Damage - .5 MCr.
- 40 sandcaster barrels - 2 tons - 20,000 Cr.

Crew: 1 officer/pilot, 1 medic/steward, 1 engineer
Staterooms: 7 (three Crew, three passenger, one common area) - 28 tons - 3.5 MCr.
Low Berths: 7 - 3 tons - 150,000 Cr.
Air Raft: 4 tons - .275 MCr
Cargo Space: 45 tons

Is this thing a deathtrap or did I design it right?

Thanks for any help offered!

Pax et bonum,

Dale

 

[Allensh]

One note - with regard to the computer weights, I deferred to the data in the original CT High Guard. Not having weights for computers didn't seem right to me.

This was actually a deliberate decision on the part of the designers. computer technology has advanced so quickly in the real world, who knows what it will look like in the 57th century? So it is assumed that Traveller computers are small enough to be inconsequential in terms of space. Since "computers as big as rooms" is one of the common jokes made about Traveller, I personally am ok with them not nailing down actual computer sizes; I just assume that the computers use molecular memory storage and are all about the size of laptops.

Allen

 

[shield]

Only one slight hiccup. The main computer is shown as TL13. The Swordies are generally limited to TL10/11. They have 1 TL12 world.

Cheers
Richard

 

[samuelvss]

This was actually a deliberate decision on the part of the designers. computer technology has advanced so quickly in the real world, who knows what it will look like in the 57th century? Allen

This was always a HUGE problem I had with CT, the combination of the minimum bridge size coupled with the room-sized computer being elsewhere. We do not know what computers will look like int he 57th Century, but assuming that a 140 m3 workspace that is needed to control a small ship sets out space for any computer or upgrade is highly rational.

My only "tweak," is [admitting complete ignorance of the MGT rules on the subject] I would say that if there is a "backup" computer, it should be in a different location, at least on the far side of a bulkhead from the main. Otherwise, whatever kills the main has a good chance of killing the backup. :toast:

I think .5 dton would include space for backup and workstation.

 

[ThunderChilde]

MTU of MGT posits that the "computer" is more than just a box, but the entire control system of the craft, spread throughout the vessel. Avionics, sensors, control stations, alternate control runs and flexible fault tolerant networking of the whole ship for starters. It includes the enviromental and interior sensors, everything really.

For my .02cr. Radiation Shielding is the solution for need not one but 2 Fib Computers. Aside from the other generally beneficial morale effects of a shielded hull, it's of great use in combat.

 

[Sylvre Phire]

All fixed

I got bogged down in a business meeting and housework last night, so I wasn't able to post as quickly as I should have...

First off, thanks to everybody for their help and input. For the record, I went out and bought the new High Guard book. Haven't taken a look at the design rules or make use of them, but I will.

Here is the revised version of:

Sword Worlds Durendal-class 200-dton Armed Trader

Basic Concept: A jump-2 armed trader; armor enough to give small pirates a tough time, just enough to keep the ship in one piece when fleeing the bigger corsairs. Though the Sword Worlders can be scrappers, the main concerns with this design are range and durability, not fancy flying in battle zones.

Hull: 200 tons - streamlined, self-sealing - Hull Code 2 - 10.8 MCr.
Hull / Structure Points: 4 / 4
Armor: TL10 Crystaliron - 4 pts - 10 tons - 1.6 MCr.

Drives and Power Plant
Jump Drive: B - Jump-2 - 15 tons - 20 MCr.
Maneuver Drive: B - Thrust 2 - 3 tons - 8 MCr.
Power Plant: B - 7 tons - 16 MCr.
Fuel: 60 tons - 40 tons for one 2-parsec jump plus 5 weeks’ operations.
Fuel Processors: 2 tons - 40 tons refined/day - 100,000 Cr.

Bridge - 10 tons - 1 MCr.
Computer: Model 3/fib - TL11 - Rating 15 - 3 tons - 3 MCr.
Software: Maneuver/0; Jump Control/2; Fire Control/1; Auto-Repair/1; Library - 7.2 MCr.
Backup Computer: Model 2/fib - TL9 - Rating 10 - 2 tons - 240,000 Cr.
Software: Maneuver/0; Jump Control/2; Fire Control/1; Library - 2.2 MCr.
Electronics: Basic Civilian - TL 9 - DM -2 - RADAR, LIDAR - 1 ton - 50,000 Cr.

Armament: Two hardpoints - each filled with a triple turret (two beam lasers, one sandcaster)
- Triple Turret (x2) - TL9 - 2 ton - 2 MCr.
- Beam Lasers (x4) - TL7 - Medium Range - 2D6 damage - 4 MCr.
- Sandcasters (x2) - TL7 - Special Range - Special Damage - .5 MCr.
- 40 sandcaster barrels - 2 tons - 20,000 Cr.

Crew: 1 officer/pilot, 1 medic/steward, 1 engineer
Staterooms: 7 (three Crew, three passenger, one common area) - 28 tons - 3.5 MCr.
Low Berths: 7 - 3 tons - 150,000 Cr.
Cargo Space: 48 tons
Air Raft: 4 tons - .275 MCr

Total Cost: 80.635 MCr.

Now if someone could check my math on the cost, I think we're good.

Pax et bonum,

Dale

 

[travellernoob]

I love your design,
There is a lot of fuel required in Traveller, how do you decide how much you'll need?

 

[drnuncheon]

I think the minimum is 1 jump + 2 weeks. That gives you power for the week in jump plus a little bit of in-system travel. For traders you probably don't want to carry too much more - that's space you could be using for cargo, and in a trader you want as fast a turnaround as possible. Time spent hanging around in a system is time not making money.

Warships and other vessels that expect to do more than jump/land/takeoff/jump should have longer operational times, of course. A ship like this might want an extra week of fuel if it's likely to have to flee pursuit, or jump in far away from the destination world and sneak its way in, but more than that is probably too much.

The other suggestion I might make is that if this trader is designed mostly to work in and around the Sword Worlds, J-2 might not be necessary. Most of the worlds are on a J-1 chain, unless you want to jump to Enos or Gungnir (and you can get there the long way if time isn't critical). There's probably at least a J-1 variation working the sector with a higher cargo capacity, leaving this ship to try and pick up the more time-sensitive cargo.

 

[aramis]

I love your design,
There is a lot of fuel required in Traveller, how do you decide how much you'll need?

For system ships, 2 weeks is usually plenty under the gravitic drives in use in CT, MT, T4*, MGT, T20, GT, and HT

For Jump warships, 1 jump plus 4 weeks fuel is normal
For Jump merchants, 1 jump plus 2-4 weeks is normal, with later editions suggesting 2 weeks, and earlier tending to 4 weeks.

For TNE, and for T4 when not using the gravitic drives, merchant ships need about 5-10 G-hours of maneuver fuel, and 4 weeks LS (It takes 1-2 G-hours each to take-off and to make a powered landing). Combat craft need 5-15 Drive-hours of fuel at full rating, plus 5-10 G-Hours for T/O, Landing, and departure.