CT Only: SIE Clipper

[Spinward Flow]

SIE Clipper
Ship Type: AF (Merchant-A, Fast)
TL=10 (hybrid LBB5.80 design fitted with LBB2.81 commercial off the shelf standard drives) (LBB5.80, p18)

Tonnage (custom hull): 303 tons (MCr30.3) (LBB5.80, p21-22)
Configuration: 1 (Needle/Wedge, streamlined, MCr6.06) (LBB5.80, p21-23)
Armor: 0

Jump-E (code: 3, 30 tons, MCr50, TL=10, Civilian, Capacitor storage: 5 tons = 180 EP maximum)
Maneuver-E (code: 3, 9 tons, MCr20, TL=10)
Power Plant-E (code: 3, 16 tons, MCr40, TL=10, EP: 10, Surplus EP: +0 @ Agility 3, Emergency Agility: 3)
Total Drives: 30+9+16 = 55 tons (+11 tons Laser Fighter = 66 tons total)

Fuel: 121 tons = 90.9+30.1 tons (LBB2.81, p14-15, 23)

• Jump Fuel Requirement = (Tonnage/10) * Parsecs tons minimum
  • 90.9 tons = 3 parsecs @ 303 tons
• Power Plant, M-Drive and HEPlaR Fuel Requirement = 10Pn tons minimum
  • 30.1 tons
• Basic Power Fuel Consumption Rate = supported tonnage/2000 tons of fuel per 7 days (CT Beltstrike, p5, p11)
• EP Production Fuel Consumption Rate = 0.35EP tons of fuel per 7 days (CT Beltstrike, p5, p11)

Supported Tonnage	303+(8*12)=399​	303+(14*12)=471​	303+(56*12)=975​
Basic Power (tons fuel/7 days)	0.1995​	0.2355​	0.4875​
30.1 tons fuel endurance	1056d 3h 8m​	894d 16h 36m​	432d 4h 55m​
Basic Power+10EP (tons fuel/7 days)	0.1995+3.5=3.6995​	0.2355+3.5=3.7355​	0.4875+3.5=3.9875​
30.1 tons fuel endurance	56d 22h 53m​	56d 9h 42m​	52d 20h 9m​

Fuel Scoops (MCr0.303)
Fuel Purification Plant: 200 tons capacity (8 tons, MCr0.036, TL=10) (LBB5.80, p27, p36)
Collapsible Fuel Tanks: 96 tons capacity (0.96 ton, MCr0.048) (LBB A5, p13-14)

Bridge (20 tons, MCr1.515)
Computer model/2bis (Code: S, 2 tons, MCr18, TL=8, EP: 0)
Hardpoints: none

Internal Hangar Bay: 8x 12 tons = 96 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (96 tons, MCr0.192) (LBB5.80, p32)

1. Stateroom Box (12 tons, MCr1.8912, starship pilot, navigator, engineer)
2. Stateroom Box (12 tons, MCr1.8912, small craft pilot, medic, gunner)
3. Stateroom Box (12 tons, MCr1.8912, steward, 2x high passengers)
4. Stateroom Box (12 tons, MCr1.8912, 3x high passengers)

1. Laboratory Module (12 tons, MCr2.6112, life support)
   • Environmental Control Type V-c capacity: up to 6 persons (aquaculture, hydroponic gardens and carniculture)
2. Laboratory Module (12 tons, MCr2.6112, life support)
   • Environmental Control Type V-c capacity: up to 6 persons (aquaculture, hydroponic gardens and carniculture)

1. Cargo Box (12 tons, MCr0.6912)
2. Cargo Box (12 tons, MCr0.6912)

External Docking: 697 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (0 tons, MCr1.394, SIE Clipper becomes unstreamlined while in use) (LBB5.80, p32) (LBB A5, p14)

1. Laser Fighter (25 tons, MCr51.34)

Crew positions and minimum skills: 7 crew, quarters in 3x Stateroom Boxes (Cr31,950 per 4 weeks crew salaries) (LBB2.81, p16)

1. Pilot-1 = Cr6000
2. Ship’s Boat-1 = Cr6000
3. Navigator-1 = Cr5000
4. Engineering-2/Engineering-2 = ((4000*1.1)+(4000*1.1))*0.75 = Cr6600
5. Steward-1/Steward-1 = ((3000*1.1)+(3000*1.1))*0.75 = Cr4950
6. Medical-3 = (2000*1.2) = Cr2400
7. Gunnery-1 = Cr1000

Cargo Hold: 0 tons
Waste Space: 0.04 tons (0.56m³)

Total Cost (starship only, not including sub-craft)
MCr167.848 (100% cost single production)
MCr134.2784 (80% cost volume production) (LBB5.80, p20)

Main Deck length: 60m
Wingspan width: 43.5m
Hull height: 6m

 

[Spinward Flow]

Laser Fighter
Ship Type: FG (Fighter, Gunned)
TL=10 (hybrid LBB5.80 design fitted with LBB2.81 commercial off the shelf standard drives and weaponry) (LBB5.80, p18)

Tonnage (custom hull): 25 tons (MCr2.5)
Configuration: 1 (Needle/Wedge, streamlined, integral fuel scoops, MCr0.5 (LBB5.80, p21-23, p34)
Armor: 0

Maneuver-A (code: 6, 1 ton, MCr4, TL=9)
Power Plant-C (code: Q, 10 tons, MCr24, TL=9, EP: 6, Surplus EP: +0.5 @ Agility 6, Emergency Agility: 6)
Total Drives: 1+10 = 11 tons

Fuel: 2 tons

• 2 tons (minimum 1 ton, minimum 24 hours endurance) (LBB5.80, p34) (CT Errata, p15)
• Basic Power Fuel Consumption Rate = supported tonnage/2000 tons of fuel per 7 days (CT Beltstrike, p5, p11)
• EP Production Fuel Consumption Rate = 0.35EP tons of fuel per 7 days (CT Beltstrike, p5, p11)

Supported Tonnage	25+(0*12) = 25​	25+(1*12) = 37​	25+(2*12) = 49​	25+(3*12) = 61​	25+(6*12) = 97​	25+(14*12) = 193​
Basic Power+2EP (tons fuel/7 days)	0.7125​	0.7185​	0.7245​	0.7305​	0.7485​	0.7965​
2 tons fuel endurance	19d 15h 34m​	19d 11h 38m​	19d 7h 46m​	19d 3h 57m​	18d 16h 53m​	17d 13h 50m​
Basic Power+3.5EP (tons fuel/7 days)	1.2375​	1.2435​	1.2495​	1.2555​	1.2735​	1.3215​
2 tons fuel endurance	11d 7h 30m​	11d 6h 12m​	11d 4h 54m​	11d 3h 37m​	10d 23h 50m​	10d 14h 15m​
Basic Power+5.5EP (tons fuel/7 days)	1.9375​	1.9435​	1.9495​	1.9555​	1.9735​	2.0215​
2 tons fuel endurance	7d 5h 25m​	7d 4h 53m​	7d 4h 21m​	7d 3h 49m​	7d 2h 15m​	6d 22h 12m​

Bridge (5 tons, MCr0.125, includes 2 acceleration couches) (LBB5.80, p34)
Computer model/4 (Code: 4, 4 tons, MCr30, TL=10, EP: 2)

Hardpoints: 1 (MCr0.1) (LBB2.81, p23)
Dual Turrets: 1 (1 ton, MCr0.5) (LBB2.81, p23)
Weapons: Beam Laser, Beam Laser (MCr2, EP: 2) (LBB2.81, p23) (LBB5.80, p25, p29)
Weapon Batteries:

• 1x Beam Laser (code: 2) (LBB5.80, p25, p29)

External Docking: 175 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (0 tons, MCr0.35, Laser Fighter becomes unstreamlined while in use) (LBB5.80, p32) (LBB A5, p14)

Crew positions and minimum skills: 1 required, 1 optional (LBB2.81, p16) (LBB5.80, p34)

1. Ship's Boat-1 (or Pilot-2) (required)
2. Gunnery-1 (optional)

Small craft stateroom: 1 (2 tons, MCr0.1)
Cargo Hold: 0 tons
Waste Space: 0 tons

Total Cost (laser fighter only, not including sub-craft)
MCr64.175 (100% cost single production)
MCr51.34 (80% cost volume production) (LBB5.80, p20)

Hull length: 14.2m
Hull width: 7.5m
Hull height: 3m
Turret height: +3m

---

Stateroom Box
Ship Type: RU (Liner, Unpowered)
TL=10 (LBB5.80 design)
Tonnage (custom hull): 12 tons
Configuration: 4 (Close Structure, partially-streamlined, integral fuel scoops, MCr0.72) (LBB5.80, p21-23, p34)
Armor (code: 0)
Maneuver-none
Power Plant-none
Fuel: none
Bridge: none
Computer: none
Hardpoints: none
Crew positions: none
External Docking: 6x 12 tons = 72 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (0 tons, MCr0.144, Stateroom Box becomes unstreamlined while in use) (LBB5.80, p32) (LBB A5, p14)
Starship staterooms: 3 single occupancy (12 tons, MCr1.5)
Cargo Hold: 0 tons
Waste Space: 0 tons
Total Cost: MCr2.364 (100% cost single production), MCr1.8912 (80% cost volume production)

Hull length: 7.5m
Hull width: 7.5m
Hull height: 3m

Laboratory Module
Ship Type: LU (Lab, Unpowered)
TL=10 (LBB5.80 design)
Tonnage (custom hull): 12 tons
Configuration: 4 (Close Structure, partially-streamlined, integral fuel scoops, MCr0.72) (LBB5.80, p21-23, p34)
Armor (code: 0)
Maneuver-none
Power Plant-none
Fuel: none
Bridge: none
Computer: none
Hardpoints: none
Crew positions: none
External Docking: 6x 12 tons = 72 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (0 tons, MCr0.144, Laboratory Module becomes unstreamlined while in use) (LBB5.80, p32) (LBB A5, p14)
Laboratory (12 tons, MCr2.4) (CT Errata, p12, lab space costs MCr0.2 per ton)
Total Cost: MCr3.264 (100% cost single production), MCr2.6112 (80% cost volume production)

Hull length: 7.5m
Hull width: 7.5m
Hull height: 3m

Environment Tank
Ship Type: WU (Barge, Unpowered)
TL=10 (LBB5.80 design)
Tonnage (custom hull): 12 tons
Configuration: 4 (Close Structure, partially-streamlined, integral fuel scoops, MCr0.72) (LBB5.80, p21-23, p34)
Armor (code: 0)
Maneuver-none
Power Plant-none
Fuel: none
Bridge: none
Computer: none
Hardpoints: none
Crew positions: none
External Docking: 6x 12 tons = 72 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (0 tons, MCr0.144, Environment Tank becomes unstreamlined while in use) (LBB5.80, p32) (LBB A5, p14)
Environment Tank: 12 tons capacity (12 tons, MCr1.2) (CT Errata, p26, environment tanks cost MCr0.1 per ton)
Cargo Hold: 0 tons
Waste Space: 0 tons
Total Cost: MCr2.064 (100% cost single production), MCr1.6512 (80% cost volume production)

Hull length: 7.5m
Hull width: 7.5m
Hull height: 3m

 

[Spinward Flow]

Cargo Box
Ship Type: AU (Merchant-A, Unpowered)
TL=10 (LBB5.80 design)
Tonnage (custom hull): 12 tons
Configuration: 4 (Close Structure, partially-streamlined, integral fuel scoops, MCr0.72) (LBB5.80, p21-23, p34)
Armor (code: 0)
Maneuver-none
Power Plant-none
Fuel: none
Bridge: none
Computer: none
Hardpoints: none
Crew positions: none
External Docking: 6x 12 tons = 72 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (0 tons, MCr0.144, Cargo Box becomes unstreamlined while in use) (LBB5.80, p32) (LBB A5, p14)
Cargo Hold: 12 tons (multi-purpose conversion ready, including installation of a Mail Vault)
Waste Space: 0 tons
Total Cost: MCr0.864 (100% cost single production), MCr0.6912 (80% cost volume production)

Hull length: 7.5m
Hull width: 7.5m
Hull height: 3m

SIE Clipper         AF-31333S1-000000-00000-0    MCr134.2784     303 tons
   batteries bearing                                               TL=10.
           batteries                                              Crew=7.
Passengers=0. Low=0. Hangar=96. Cargo=0. Fuel=121(+96). EP=10. Agility=3.
Jump-3, Maneuver-3, Agility-3 @ up to 333 tons total (+30 tons external)
Jump-2, Maneuver-2, Agility-2 @ up to 500 tons total (+197 tons external)
Jump-1, Maneuver-1, Agility-0 @ up to 1000 tons total (+697 tons external)

Laser Fighter       FG-0106Q41-000000-20000-0    MCr51.34         25 tons
   batteries bearing                  1                    Bridge. TL=10.
           batteries                  1                      Crew=1 or 2.
Passengers=0 or 1. Staterooms=1. Low=0. Cargo=0. Fuel=2. EP=6. Agility=6.
Maneuver-6, Agility-6 @ up to 33 tons total (+8 tons external)
Maneuver-5, Agility-5 @ up to 40 tons total (+15 tons external)
Maneuver-4, Agility-4 @ up to 50 tons total (+25 tons external)
Maneuver-3. Agility-3 @ up to 66 tons total (+41 tons external)
Maneuver-2, Agility-2 @ up to 100 tons total (+75 tons external)
Maneuver-1, Agility-1 @ up to 200 tons total (+175 tons external)

Stateroom Box       RU-0400000-000000-00000-0    MCr1.8912        12 tons
Passengers=0 to 3. Low=0. Cargo=0. Fuel=0. EP=0. Agility=0. Crew=0 to 3. TL=10.

Laboratory Module   LU-0400000-000000-00000-0    MCr2.6112        12 tons
Passengers=0. Low=0. Lab=12. Cargo=0. Fuel=0. EP=0. Agility=0. Crew=0. TL=10.

Environment Tank    WU-0400000-000000-00000-0    MCr1.6512        12 tons
Passengers=0. Low=0. Environment=12. Fuel=0. EP=0. Agility=0. Crew=0. TL=10.

Cargo Box           AU-0400000-000000-00000-0    MCr0.6912        12 tons
Passengers=0. Low=0. Cargo=12. Fuel=0. EP=0. Agility=0. Crew=0. TL=10.

Single/Initial production (100% cost)

• Total Cost (starship + laser fighter + 4x stateroom box + 2x laboratory module (V-c) + 2x cargo box): MCr167.848 + 64.175 + (2.364+3*1.8912) + (3.264+2.6112) + (0.864+0.6912) = Cr247,491,000
• 20% Down Payment: MCr33.5696 + 12.835 + (0.4728+3*0.37824) + (0.6528+0.52224) + (0.1728+0.13824) = Cr49,498,200
• Architect Fees (4 weeks): MCr1.67848 + 0.64175 + (0.02364) + (0.03264) + (0.00864) = Cr2,385,150
• Construction Time: 64 weeks (starship), 24 weeks (laser fighter, stateroom box, laboratory module, environment tank, cargo box) (LBB2.81, p22) (LBB A5, p33)
• Annual Overhaul: Cr167,848 + 64,175 + (2364+3*1892) + (3264+2612) + (864+0692) = Cr247,495 (LBB2.81, p8)
• Bank Financing Monthly Mortgage Payment (Total Cost / 240 for 480 months) = Cr1,031,213 (LBB2.81, p23)

Volume production (80% single production cost) (LBB5.80, p20)

• Total Cost (starship + laser fighter + 4x stateroom box + 2x laboratory module (V-c) + 2x cargo box): MCr134.2784 + 51.34 + (4*1.8912) + (2*2.6112) + (2*0.6912) = Cr199,788,000
• 20% Down Payment: MCr26.85568 + 10.268 + (4*0.37824) + (2*0.52224) + (2*0.13824) = Cr39,957,600
• Construction Time: 51 weeks 2 days (starship), 19 weeks 2 days (laser fighter, stateroom box, laboratory module, environment tank, cargo box) (LBB2.81, p22) (LBB A5, p33)
• Annual Overhaul: Cr134,279 + 51,340 + (4*1892) + (2*2612) + (2*692) = Cr199,795 (LBB2.81, p8)
• Bank Financing Monthly Mortgage Payment (Total Cost / 240 for 480 months) = Cr832,450 (LBB2.81, p23)

---

Recurring costs:

• Crew Life Support: Cr0 due to regenerative life support Environmental Control Type V-c (up to 7 persons)
• Passenger Life Support (middle/high): Cr0 due to regenerative life support Environmental Control Type V-c (up to 5 persons)
• Passenger Life Support (low): Cr100 per usage of low berth (potentially indefinite duration) (LBB2.81, p8)
• Crew Salaries: Cr31,950 per 4 weeks (LBB2.81, p11, p16)
• Berthing Fees: Cr100 for 6 days, additional Cr100 per additional day after 6 days (LBB2.81, p8)
• Surface to Orbit Shuttle Costs: Cr10 per cargo ton, Cr20 to 120 per passenger (LBB2.81, p9)
• Fuel: Cr500 per ton (refined), Cr100 per ton (unrefined), Cr0 (skimmed) (LBB2.81, p7)

Revenue sources:

• Interplanetary Charters (12+ hours): Cr1 per hour per ton. Laser Fighter (Cr25 per hour) and SIE Clipper (Cr303 per hour) rate, additional external loading adds Cr1 per hour per ton, minimum 12 hours per charter (LBB2.81, p9)
  • Interplanetary Travel (distance, acceleration, time) (link)
  • Travel Time Calculator (link)
• Interstellar Non-charter Tickets: Cr10,000 per high passenger, Cr8000 per middle passenger, Cr1000 per low passenger, Cr1000 per cargo freight ton, to declared destination(s) per jump (LBB2.81, p8-9)
• Interstellar Charters (2 week blocks): Cr9000 per high passage berth, Cr900 per low passage berth, Cr900 per ton of cargo, to declared destination(s) per jump (LBB2.81, p9)
• Mail Delivery: Cr5,000 revenue per ton upon delivery (Cr25,000 max) (LBB2.81, p9)
• Imperial subsidies reduce gross revenue receipts by 50% for passengers, cargo and mail (LBB2.81, p7)

 

[Spinward Flow]

SIE Clipper
Economic break even formula for annualized costs (including life support, berthing fees, crew salaries and annual overhaul costs)

Cost calculation

• CPD = (LS + CS*13 + CC*(CM/40+0.001) + FC*DPY + BFE) / DPY + BFD
  • CPD = Cost Per Destination (in Cr), round up to nearest integer
  • LS = Life Support (in Cr) per 2 weeks/14 days (Cr0 crew plus Cr0 high passengers) over Days Deployed per year (tempo * DPY)
  • CS = Crew Salaries (in Cr) per 4 weeks/28 days (Cr31,950)
  • CC = Construction Cost in credits (Cr247,491,000 single production, Cr199,788,000 volume production)
  • CM = Construction Multiplier (x0 Subsidized, x1 Paid Off or x2 Bank Loan Financing over 480 months)
  • FC = Fuel Cost (in Cr) to refuel per Destination (Cr500 per ton refined, Cr100 per ton unrefined, Cr0 per ton wilderness)
  • BFE = Berthing Fees Extra (additional berthing fees for warehousing the ship at idle during extra crew vacation days annually)
  • DPY = Destinations Per Year
  • BFD = Berthing Fees (in Cr) per Destination (Cr100 for 6 days, Cr100 more per +1 days)

Tables of profit points when allowing 14 days for annual overhaul maintenance within each year (365-14=351 days maximum)
Note: 252 / 365 = 69% (~70% minimum required time on route each year for subsidy contracts)

Single Production break even profit points per port of call when returning to home port each year for annual overhaul maintenance and using wilderness refueling

DPY (tempo) + vacation days	Subsidized CPD (in Cr)​	Paid Off CPD (in Cr)​	Bank Financed CPD (in Cr)​
24 (6+8 days) = 336 + 15	27,760​	285,548​	543,337​
18 (6+8 days) = 252 + 99	37,446​	381,164​	724,883​
14 (6+8+8 days) = 308 + 43	47,717​	489,640​	931,563​
12 (6+8+8 days) = 264 + 87	56,019​	571,596​	1,087,174​

Volume Production break even profit points in credits per port of call when returning to home port each year for annual overhaul maintenance and using wilderness refueling

DPY (tempo) + vacation days	Subsidized CPD (in Cr)​	Paid Off CPD (in Cr)​	Bank Financed CPD (in Cr)​
24 (6+8 days) = 336 + 15	25,772​	233,873​	441,974​
18 (6+8 days) = 252 + 99	34,796​	312,264​	589,732​
14 (6+8+8 days) = 308 + 43	44,310​	401,054​	757,798​
12 (6+8+8 days) = 264 + 87	52,044​	468,246​	884,448​

---

100% manifest maximum revenue yields

Tickets

1. (J3/3G/A3, laser fighter external, +25 tons external) = 3 parsecs @ 328 tons combined

Fuel consumption

• 121 tons internal fuel (starship) + 2 tons (laser fighter) reserves at launch
• 98.4 tons jump-3 @ 328 tons combined displacement
• 0.831 tons for 1 day to jump point plus ~2 days (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout) from jump point @ 6G / 5.5EP (laser fighter)
• 1.057 tons for 1 day to jump point plus 1 day from jump point @ 3G / 10EP (starship)
• 0.228 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before maneuvering)
• = ~21.3 tons of fuel (starship) + ~1.1 tons of fuel (laser fighter) reserves remaining upon arrival at destination

Revenue	Paid Off or Bank Financed Non-charter (in Cr)​	Paid Off or Bank Financed Charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Non-charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Charter (in Cr)​
High Passengers: 5 x1	50,000​	45,000​	25,000​	22,500​
Owned Cargo: (2*12 internal)=24 tons x1	24,000​	21,600​	12,000​	10,800​
Third Party Cargo Boxes (external): (0*12)=0 tons x1	0​	0​	0​	0​
Total​	74,000​	66,600​	37,000​	33,300​

Tickets

1. (J2/2G/A2, laser fighter external, +193 tons external) = 2 parsecs @ 496 tons combined

Fuel consumption

• 121 tons internal fuel (starship) + 2 tons (laser fighter) reserves at launch
• 99.2 tons jump-2 @ 496 tons combined displacement
• 0.831 tons for 1 day to jump point plus ~2 days (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout) from jump point @ 6G / 5.5EP (laser fighter)
• 1.068 tons for 1 day to jump point plus 1 day from jump point @ 2G / 10EP (starship)
• 0.27 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before maneuvering)
• = ~20.4 tons of fuel (starship) + ~1.1 tons of fuel (laser fighter) reserves remaining upon arrival at destination

Revenue	Paid Off or Bank Financed Non-charter (in Cr)​	Paid Off or Bank Financed Charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Non-charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Charter (in Cr)​
High Passengers: 5 x1	50,000​	45,000​	25,000​	22,500​
Owned Cargo: (96 hangar)+(2*12 external)=120 tons x1	120,000​	108,000​	60,000​	54,000​
Third Party Cargo Boxes (external): (6*12)=72 tons x1	64,800​	64,800​	32,400​	32,400​
Total​	234,800​	217,800​	117,400​	108,900​

Tickets

1. (J1/1G/A1, laser fighter external, +697 tons external) = 1 parsec @ 1000 tons combined

Fuel consumption

• 121 tons internal fuel (starship) + 2 tons (laser fighter) reserves at launch
• 100 tons jump-1 @ 1000 tons combined displacement
• 0.831 tons for 1 day to jump point plus ~3 days (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout) from jump point @ 6G / 5.5EP (laser fighter)
• 1.057 tons for 1 day to jump point plus 1 day from jump point @ 3G / 10EP (starship)
• 0.558 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before maneuvering)
• = ~19.3 tons of fuel (starship) + ~1.1 tons of fuel (laser fighter) reserves remaining upon arrival at destination

Revenue	Paid Off or Bank Financed Non-charter (in Cr)​	Paid Off or Bank Financed Charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Non-charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Charter (in Cr)​
High Passengers: 5 x1	50,000​	45,000​	25,000​	22,500​
Owned Cargo: (96 hangar)+(2*12 external)=120 tons x1	120,000​	108,000​	60,000​	54,000​
Third Party Cargo Boxes (external): (48*12)=576 tons x1	518,400​	518,400​	259,200​	259,200​
Total​	688,400​	671,400​	344,200​	335,700​

 

[Spinward Flow]

Tickets

1. (J2/2G/A2, laser fighter external, +121 tons external, +96 tons collapsible fuel) = 2 parsecs @ 424 tons combined
2. (J3/3G/A3, laser fighter external, +25 tons external, +0 tons collapsible fuel) = 3 parsecs @ 328 tons combined

Fuel consumption

• 121+96=217 tons internal fuel (starship) + 2 tons (laser fighter) reserves at launch
• 84.8 tons jump-2 @ 424 tons combined displacement
• 98.4 tons jump-3 @ 328 tons combined displacement
• 1.108 tons for 1 day to jump point plus ~3 days (including 16 hour routine maintenance after each breakout) from jump point @ 6G / 5.5EP (laser fighter)
• 1.057 tons for 1 day to jump point plus 1 day from jump point @ 2G / 10EP (starship)
• 0.228 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before jumping again)
• 0.228 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before maneuvering)
• = ~32.2 tons of fuel (starship) + ~0.9 tons of fuel (laser fighter) reserves remaining upon arrival at destination

Revenue	Paid Off or Bank Financed Non-charter (in Cr)​	Paid Off or Bank Financed Charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Non-charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Charter (in Cr)​
High Passengers: 5 x2	100,000​	90,000​	50,000​	45,000​
Owned Cargo: (2*12 external/internal)=24 tons x2	48,000​	43,200​	24,000​	21,600​
Third Party Cargo Boxes (external): (0*12)=0 tons x2	0​	0​	0​	0​
Total​	148,000​	133,200​	74,000​	66,600​

---

Tickets

1. (J2/2G/A2, laser fighter external, +193 tons external, +96 tons collapsible fuel) = 2 parsecs @ 496 tons combined
2. (J2/2G/A2, laser fighter external, +97 tons external, +0 tons collapsible fuel) = 2 parsecs @ 400 tons combined

Fuel consumption

• 121+96=217 tons internal fuel (starship) + 2 tons (laser fighter) reserves at launch
• 99.2 tons jump-2 @ 496 tons combined displacement
• 80 tons jump-2 @ 400 tons combined displacement
• 1.108 tons for 1 day to jump point plus ~3 days (including 16 hour routine maintenance after each breakout) from jump point @ 6G / 5.5EP (laser fighter)
• 1.068 tons for 1 day to jump point plus 1 day from jump point @ 2G / 10EP (starship)
• 0.27 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before jumping again)
• 0.27 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before maneuvering)
• = ~36.1 tons of fuel (starship) + ~0.9 tons of fuel (laser fighter) reserves remaining upon arrival at destination

Revenue	Paid Off or Bank Financed Non-charter (in Cr)​	Paid Off or Bank Financed Charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Non-charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Charter (in Cr)​
High Passengers: 5 x2	100,000​	90,000​	50,000​	45,000​
Owned Cargo: (2*12 external/internal)=24 tons x2	48,000​	43,200​	24,000​	21,600​
Third Party Cargo Boxes (external): (6*12)=72 tons x2	129,600​	129,600​	64,800​	64,800​
Total​	277,600​	262,800​	138,800​	131,400​

Tickets

1. (J1/1G/A1, laser fighter external, +265 tons external, +72 tons collapsible fuel) = 1 parsec @ 568 tons combined
2. (J2/2G/A2, laser fighter external, +193 tons external, +0 tons collapsible fuel) = 2 parsecs @ 496 tons combined

Fuel consumption

• 121+72=193 tons internal fuel (starship) + 2 tons (laser fighter) reserves at launch
• 55.6 tons jump-1 @ 556 tons combined displacement
• 99.2 tons jump-2 @ 496 tons combined displacement
• 1.108 tons for 1 day to jump point plus ~3 days (including 16 hour routine maintenance after each breakout) from jump point @ 6G / 5.5EP (laser fighter)
• 1.078 tons for 1 day to jump point plus 1 day from jump point @ 1-2G / 10EP (starship)
• 0.3103 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before jumping again)
• 0.3103 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before maneuvering)
• = ~36.5 tons of fuel (starship) + ~0.9 tons of fuel (laser fighter) reserves remaining upon arrival at destination

Revenue	Paid Off or Bank Financed Non-charter (in Cr)​	Paid Off or Bank Financed Charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Non-charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Charter (in Cr)​
High Passengers: 5 x2	100,000​	90,000​	50,000​	45,000​
Owned Cargo: (24 hangar)+(2*12 external/external)=48 tons x2	96,000​	86,400​	48,000​	43,200​
Third Party Cargo Boxes (external): (12*12)=144 tons x2	259,200​	259,200​	129,600​	129,600​
Total​	455.200​	435.600​	227.600​	217.800​

---

Tickets

1. (J1/1G/A1, laser fighter external, +697 tons external, +96 tons collapsible fuel) = 1 parsec @ 1000 tons combined
2. (J1/1G/A1, laser fighter external, +601 tons external, +0 tons collapsible fuel) = 1 parsec @ 904 tons combined

Fuel consumption

• 121+96=217 tons internal fuel (starship) + 2 tons (laser fighter) reserves at launch
• 100 tons jump-1 @ 1000 tons combined displacement
• 90.4 tons jump-1 @ 904 tons combined displacement
• 1.108 tons for 1 day to jump point plus ~3 days (including 16 hour routine maintenance after each breakout) from jump point @ 6G / 5.5EP (laser fighter)
• 1.1393 tons for 1 day to jump point plus 1 day from jump point @ 1-2G / 10EP (starship)
• 0.5572 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before jumping again)
• 0.5572 tons for 8 days basic power (starship) during jump (including 16 hour routine maintenance after breakout before maneuvering)
• = ~24.3 tons of fuel (starship) + ~0.9 tons of fuel (laser fighter) reserves remaining upon arrival at destination

Revenue	Paid Off or Bank Financed Non-charter (in Cr)​	Paid Off or Bank Financed Charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Non-charter (in Cr)​	Subsidized Charter (in Cr)​
High Passengers: 5 x2	100,000​	90,000​	50,000​	45,000​
Owned Cargo: (2*12 external/internal)=24 tons x2	48,000​	43,200​	24,000​	21,600​
Third Party Cargo Boxes (external): (48*12)=576 tons x2	1,036,800​	1,036,800​	518,400​	518,400​
Total​	1,184.800​	1,170.000​	592.400​	585.000​

 

[Spinward Flow]

SIE Clipper

In 941, Empress Margaret II decreed a special effort to open up District 268 in the Spinward Marches. It then took almost 2 years for that decree to be communicated to subsector administration officials at Glisten/Glisten via the Express Boat Network. The remainder of the decade saw a number of corporate and government interests attempt to cash in on and exploit the trade opportunities to be had in the newly opened frontier, which presented unique challenges to security and profitability.

Astrogation around the Bowman Arm and Collace Arm of the Spinward Main running through District 268 presented its own navigational challenges. Although 30 of the 32 worlds in the subsector lay along the Spinward Main, the distribution of stars created a tortuously long (and dangerous!) routing path between the Glisten Arm and the Sisters' Reach. A journey from Glisten/Glisten to Iderati/Five Sisters in a stock J1 Free Trader would require 22 jumps and take almost a year to complete (just in time for annual overhaul maintenance, if they arrived), while a J2 Far Trader could complete the same voyage in as little as 8 jumps. By contrast, a J3 Clipper ship capable of carrying a limited but still useful load of passengers and cargo would be able to make the same voyage in as few as 5 jumps when (not if) the need arose.

A primary concern to any Interface Line operators breaking into markets beyond the border, was the very real security threat of piracy, which J1 Free Traders and J2 Far Traders were known to be notoriously weak against, owing to their limited maneuver drive capacity (and the impact that arming these ships had on their revenues and profit margins). Larger starship classes, such as the J1 Fat Trader and J3 Subsidized Liner, would be struggle to turn a profit on routes between so many low population worlds, making them both a poor capacity fit for routes through District 268, in addition to simply being more valuable targets for pirates to commandeer as prizes.

What was needed was a new class of starship, capable of venturing into the relative “wilderness” beyond the border and likely emerge unscathed, while simultaneously being able to make ends meet on balance sheets when trading in lower volume and less developed markets with limited demand for passenger and freight services. The SIE corporation, headquartered at Grote/Glisten (SM1731), rose to meet these challenges by designing and constructing at their own shipyard the kind of merchant starship class that they felt would meet the collective needs of entrepreneurial Interface Line operators brave enough to venture beyond the boundary of imperial controlled space and laws.

The first prototype of what would come to be known as the SIE Clipper was laid down at Grote/Glisten at the end of 945 and completed in early 947. Following a rigorous series of repeated testing, rework and shakedown voyages to verify robustness, integrity and work out any bugs in the engineering specs, shipyard personnel were able to dial in on the fit, finish, polish and manufacturability of the finalized design. SIE began accepting orders for volume production from prospective clients in 950 with deliveries off the line arriving the following year. By then, a few competing Interface Line operators had come under increasing pressure from pirate attacks (as feared) in the Bowman Arm and Collace Arm, with some of them being forced into bankruptcy after their starships were boarded, commandeered and taken as prizes.

During their first decade in service in the 950s, operators of the SIE Clippers were able to stymie, fend off or otherwise evade interception by multiple suspected pirate corsairs, deploying their Laser Fighters for “blocking and tackling” while the starship broke off by acceleration to rendezvous later with their protective small craft. Formerly successful pirates learned through repeated failures that although the new clipper ships (and their fighters especially!) were a particularly rich prize if they could be taken, trying to force a confrontation in open space in an attempt to board and capture this new class of starship was more trouble than it was worth.

The first time a Laser Fighter was able to cripple the maneuver drive of an attacking corsair, forcing them to jump away in order to escape the (now unfavorable) encounter was a surprise (to the pirates). The second time a corsair found itself in an unfavorable matchup against a Laser Fighter, rumors started circulating. When attacking pirates kept “losing” confrontations with SIE Clippers and their Laser Fighters, the grapevine "ripened" alarmingly quickly. Soon, “everyone” (merchants and pirates alike) learned that the SIE Clippers were an “approach at own risk” target not to be trifled with lightly. Then a Laser Fighter was able to completely neutralize and force the surrender of an attacking corsair, allowing the parent SIE Clipper to return, externally dock with the disabled pirate hulk and tow it through jump back to imperial space where it could be handed over to the authorities (for a “finder’s fee” along with some notoriety for their audacity!). After that incident, pirate attacks in open space on SIE Clippers dropped precipitously (rumors had it that the pirates didn’t fancy their chances against the Laser Fighters anymore).

The pirates and their support networks then switched tactics in favor of hijacking attempts and attacks aimed at compromising crews. Attempts to take control of one of an SIE Clipper while berthed at a starport or otherwise grounded (and presumably more vulnerable) became the new security threat vector for operators of the class. Not all crews were able to resist this change in tactics and some notable ships were lost to acts of entrapment, sabotage, kidnapping, murder for hire and a variety of other deplorable actions.

Unfortunately for the Pirate Kings, by the time they were able to capture their first SIE Clipper and Laser Fighter (by subterfuge while the ship was berthed at a starport rather than as a result of ship to ship combat in space), the class’s reputation as a “pirate killer” had already been firmly established in the region. Consequently, construction orders from wealthy Merchant Princes began flooding into SIE headquarters at Grote/Glisten, quickly exceeding the company’s capacity to produce hulls fast enough to meet the rapidly increasing demand for the class from (still solvent) Interface Line operators.

 

[Spinward Flow]

In 960, it was discovered that the world government of Tarkine/District 268 had been offering a safe haven to corsairs operating in the region, supplying them with personnel, technical assistance and fuel in exchange for a share of their captured goods and prizes, which were then corruptly laundered through the world economy. The Imperial Navy was dispatched against this (now known) hazard to navigation and commerce, resulting in the destruction of several known corsair ships in the star system, but the ones deployed away from Tarkine at the time were able to learn of this imperial police action. Consequently, they did not return to Tarkine (to be captured and/or destroyed themselves), instead preferring to retire elsewhere and begin rebuilding their fortunes once more.

The first naval architects and shipyard to produce an unlicensed rebranded "cousin variant” copy of the fundamentals of the SIE Clipper’s design was done at Vilis/Vilis constructed as (of all things) a Type-LP Patrol Corvette pirate hunter alternative to the (slightly more expensive) Type-T Patrol Cruiser. While the systems integration of the SIE Clipper was truly inspired in the details of its execution, the fundamental technologies that went into the class’s construction weren’t especially novel, rare or in any way exclusively unique. Worse yet, the class had been designed to be as easy to construct, service and maintain as possible, making it a relatively simple matter for competing shipyards to reverse engineer the fundamentals of the design and construct their own counterparts localized to industrial base supply chains centered elsewhere, effectively “pirating” the performance specs for the design.

From there the design specs (mysteriously) proliferated to LSP's shipyard at Lunion/Lunion where they primarily built a “cousin variant” tailored for imperial Aslan merchant families (whose carnivorous diet required alternative regenerative life support systems). Legal action against these rebranded copies failed in court because the respective shipyards had introduced enough superficial design feature changes to legitimately claim they were each constructing a "new" class of starship (that just “coincidentally happened to exactly match the performance profile specs” of the SIE Clippers and their Laser Fighters). Needless to say, the design spec sheet for the class then (somehow) leaked across the border into the Sword Worlds Confederation, resulting in yet another “bootleg” copy of the class being put into production at Gram/Sword Worlds.

SIE was actually able to negotiate a license agreement with the naval architects and shipyard at Mire/Darrian so they could produce their own variant of the class, localized to Darrian technology suppliers. The final authorized transfer of design specifications for the class was (ironically) in 1057 to the Droyne-owned Nirkuazh’t corporation shipyard at Binges/District 268, granting them permission to legally design and put into volume production a technologically localized variant of the SIE Clipper built under license to meet the Droyne aesthetic and industrial design preferences of their Tyafelm and Dreskay clients.

By 1105, over 150 years after the first ship of the class was laid down for the first commercial client, only a super minority of hulls in circulation were laid down a and constructed at Grote/Glisten. However, operators who are “in the know” about the class, keep the halo effect reputation for the starships and fighters still rolling off the SIE lines going as being of the finest craftsmanship and quality workmanship, making these select few ships highly sought after by Merchant Princes (with deep enough pockets). At present, the founding shipyard is constructing 6 completed starships per year in continuous volume production from two lines, for which they do not lack for repeat customer orders. Laser Fighters are in high demand for system defense forces in a wide variety of star systems, however there are a lot more shipyards throughout the Spinward Marches capable of constructing and maintaining Laser Fighters for local system defense forces missions. The demand for 12 ton Cargo Boxes is very nearly unlimited due to stocks aging out over time and needing replacement, with plenty of third party companies wanting to have plentiful quantities of Cargo Boxes available to hire for containerized freight shipping on a consolidated charter basis. Fortunately there are plenty of worlds with A and B starports capable of constructing 12 ton TL=10 Cargo Boxes to meet this demand.

SIE Clipper (Type AF): Constructed using a stylishly sleek streamlined 303 ton aerodynamic hull optimized for atmospheric maneuvering control authority, the starship is fitted with TL=10 standard E/E/E drives, producing jump-3 and a crisply agile (for a merchant) 3G acceleration when not encumbered by external loads. Internal fuel tankage is 121 tons, sufficient for 56 days of continuous acceleration endurance and 3 parsecs of jump range before needing to refuel. Fuel scoops are integrated into the leading edge wing roots of the airframe hull. An onboard fuel purification plant distills out refined L-H₂ fuel and processes "waste elements" from wilderness refueling for use by the unique regenerative biome life support systems. The ship's bridge features sophisticated touchscreen workstations facing a holographic trideo display tank and a uses a fly by light control system integrated through the adjacent model/2bis computer.

A dorsal docking point on the exterior of the hull mates with the ship’s Laser Fighter, a powerful defensive screening escort carried for mobile protection from and used as a deterrent against raiders, corsairs and privateers. The internal hangar is a twin deck 96 ton berth for the eight 12 ton modules (in a double stack of four) that the ship is capable of hosting internally. These eight 12 ton modules can also be docked externally to make the hangar bay's double deck height volume available for larger cargoes when necessary or to bring the Laser Fighter aboard if needed. The internal hangar bay also has a collapsible fuel tank stored forward on the upper deck, which when used enables double jumping before needing to refuel (this will require the 12 ton modules be maneuvered to external docking points on the outer hull, above and/or below the wings, for transport). The hulls and drives of both the starship and associated small craft have been engineered to facilitate external docking with other craft for towing by the maneuver and/or jump drives, enabling a remarkably wide variety of runabout service deployments both within and between star systems. While up to 697 tons of small craft and/or big craft are docked and being towed externally, the starship and small craft become unstreamlined and drive performance is correspondingly reduced while towing these external loads.

 

[Spinward Flow]

Laser Fighter (Type FG): The SIE Clipper class is designed to be (and delivered from the shipyard as) an unarmed merchant starship, but with an organic laser armed fighter escort that is capable of operating as a sleekly maneuverable mobile screening defense against threats to commerce along the fringes of civilization. The Laser Fighter’s capability to intercept and engage/harass incoming hostile craft at range, forcing them into defensive evasive maneuvering, affords the SIE Clipper parent ship the opportunity to break off by acceleration from unwanted encounters that the starship might otherwise be unable to escape from. Laser Fighters are armed with a commercial off the shelf dual turret mounting a pair of beam lasers fired as a single battery. This weaponry is backed by the best available (for the technology level) model/4 computer and is controlled from a small craft bridge with two workstations. Although the turret can be left in a fixed forward position and its weapon systems operated by the fighter's pilot, the preferred combat crewing is to have a gunner aboard who can direct laser fire independently during the fighter's agile maneuvering, reducing the pilot's workload under combat conditions. Double bunk accommodation for a crew of two and full fresher facilities are provided aboard, extending life support endurance (when/if necessary). In-system transits needing more than 2-3 days to complete are usually done in convoy with the starship rather than independently so as to rendezvous with the starship for defensive escort while the starship maneuvers towards a jump point when departing a star system.

Laser Fighter hulls are engineered to dock with a wide variety of other craft and unpowered modules (providing them with housekeeping power) so as to tow them through interplanetary space, or to perform “sky crane” logistics support duties in atmosphere at destinations with austere ground support (an unfortunately common circumstance in District 268). Laser Fighters are not capable of entering atmosphere (from space) while docked with another craft and thus rely on their parent SIE Clipper starship’s internal hangar bays for atmospheric entry transfer maneuvers of sub-craft and modules. During transfers through atmosphere between world surfaces and orbit, the Laser Fighter will typically remain on station in orbit operating in a High Guard overwatch capacity while loads are marshaled and logistics sorted. In locations that lack highport orbital or ground facilities, this kind of flexible small craft service support can be almost invaluable when making pickups and deliveries.

Stateroom Box (Type RU): A 12 ton module designed to accommodate 3 persons in single occupancy staterooms plus a common area. The most common variants feature either a computer terminal (passengers and crew) or locker space (barracks) in each of the 3 single occupancy staterooms. The common room will usually either be a combination galley/laundry/lounge with a holo table and privacy curtains lining the walls, or a medical infirmary station equipped with an autodoc where patients can be pressure isolated from other personnel. Some specialist versions of the Stateroom Box will feature a double stateroom suite for 2 persons (such as couples) to share rather than being forced to live across/down the hall from each other in separate private staterooms. The original design by SIE included the decontamination airlocks which have been replicated by other shipyards duplicating the construction.

Laboratory Module (Type LU): A 12 ton module suitable for a wide variety laboratory installations. Anything from sample processing to telescopic observatory equipment can be installed into these modules. The stock SIE Clipper design utilizes Environmental Control Type V-c regenerative biome life support laboratories to meet closed loop scrubbing and recycling of elements, mixtures and compounds necessary to support life. Life support laboratory systems can be optimized for herbivore, carnivore or omnivore dietary requirements of crew and passengers.

Environment Tank (Type WU): A 12 ton module designed to replicate environments for the transport of highly sensitive and/or specialized cargoes that require environmental maintenance. The most common commercial use for these modules is in the transportation of fresh agricultural products that begin to spoil when removed from their native habitat or which cannot survive low berth stasis freezing without adulteration of the product during transport (a concern in the specialist trade of various wines, for example). Livestock animals that require transport will usually be shipped using an Environment Tank so as to ship them live. Exploration and survey researchers will make use of these modules to preserve samples (or trophies, in the case of safari hunters) for transportation of uniquely sensitive and/or perishable items. Some Environment Tanks are ordered for what amounts to recreational purposes, or for use in environmental preparation and familiarization training programs, providing readiness instruction prior to going to an actual location. In one particularly notable case, a client simply wanted to have a place where they could pitch a tent “under the stars and go camping” while being transported between worlds using a simulation of their favorite camping site on a specific garden world.

Cargo Box (Type AU): A 12 ton module designed as a big empty box intended to be filled with a wide variety non-perishable cargoes. The module features large cargo pressure doors that can be opened on either side of the box for roll on/roll off loading and unloading of the contents. The interior can be modified for the shipment of a variety of cargoes (major, minor and incidental), including anything from speculative goods to vehicle berths to Mail Vaults to simple storage for parts and spares. The Stateroom Box, Laboratory Module and Environment Tank modules are all specialty variants of the humble Cargo Box with additional fittings and equipment (such as life support systems) installed inside them.

Costs and Revenues: Although relatively expensive to construct (and therefore finance through bank loans) in terms of up front capital expenditure, the SIE Clipper actually has markedly lower recurring operational overhead costs than is typical of merchant ships in its displacement class, primarily due to the synergies of having regenerative life support biome laboratories combined with an onboard fuel purification plant. However, that hefty investment in construction costs is relatively easy to recoup, especially as a tramp merchant occasionally dealing in speculative goods (when market conditions are favorable). Being able to flexibly shift between small volume but high arbitrage value speculative cargoes over into high volume but low value per chartered ton external loading transport for third parties opens up a tremendous wealth of options in the generation of profits for the savvy (and/or wily) operator willing and able to take advantage of shifts in supply and demand between world markets (and governments) which will ebb and flow over time.

However, where the class truly excels as a profit making powerhouse for operators is in subsidized service, enabling profits to be made even on trade routes to sparsely populated backwater star systems that competitors would prefer to avoid for reasons various and sundry. Subsidized ships of the class often tend to be operated almost as speculative tramps within their subsidy remit region to help spread the influence of the subsidizing world's government to neighboring star systems, thereby facilitating the necessary trade links to build up a diplomatic, economic and military hegemony at an interstellar scale, enhancing their importance. The class also excels as a high capacity microjumper towing external loads to distant outer system orbits, including far companion stars and any planetary systems bound to them.

 

[Spinward Flow]

Crew Manning: The SIE Clipper relies on a ‘skilled crew" manpower model in which 7 personnel fill the 9 crew positions mandated by necessity and regulations. This requires crew members who have above minimum skill levels in 3 of the 6 departments so as to allow a single crew member to fill two crew positions, reducing the demand on life support and stateroom accommodations needed in exchange for increased salaries and compensation paid to individual crew members due to their increased workloads.

• Command Department (2 persons): A qualified starship pilot (pilot-1) and a qualified navigator (navigation-1) are both required by regulations for starships in this displacement class. Either the pilot or the navigator will typically also serve as the ship's captain, with the other usually being the first officer. The starship bridge has one pilot station and one navigator station. (LBB2.81, p16)
• Flight Department (1 person): A qualified small craft pilot (ship's boat-1) is required to operate the Laser Fighter independently of the starship. The starship bridge includes a reserve pilot station. (LBB2.81, p16) (LBB5.80, p34)
• Engineering Department (1 person): Two engineering positions are required to maintain the 66 combined tons of drives between starship and small craft. These two positions can be manned and maintained by a single engineer of sufficient skill (engineering-2) who can fill both positions. The starship bridge has one engineering station for the ship's engineer. (LBB2.81, p16)
• Service Department (1 person): The laboratory modules’ Environmental Control Type V-a through V-e regenerative life support systems require a service crew, which typically is not needed on ships below 1000 tons displacement. Without any ship's troops, three service crew positions per 1000 tons is the standard requirement on larger vessels, so a smaller 303 ton ship requires one service crew position. A single skilled steward (steward-1) responsible for cargo loading/unloading, routine ship maintenance, food preparation, laundry services, entertainment and general comfort of crew support tasking, can also provide the same support services for up to 8 high passengers, even though accommodations for only 5 passengers are provided for in the stock design of the class. Aftermarket additions of alternate or additional stateroom boxes can of course change the crew requirements for this department. (LBB5.80, p33) (LBB2.81, p16)
• Medical Department (1 person): The Environmental Control Type V-c regenerative life support laboratory modules require the supervision of a medical doctor (medical-3) in order to keep the closed loop life support systems in balance while also ensuring the health and safety of the crew and passengers. Consequently, medical support aboard is extremely high compared to the bare minimum that most spacers are conditioned to expect (where even nurse level skills are considered a luxury), raising crew morale, loyalty and retention rates. (LBB2.81, p16)
• Gunnery Department (1 person): The turret weapons of the Laser Fighter do not intrinsically require a gunner (the pilot is capable of using them in a fixed firing position), but Potal Union regulations concerning the transport of X-mail mandate the inclusion of a gunner when transporting mail. However, with a gunner aboard the Laser Fighter, the small craft’s turret can be employed more effectively, directing laser fire independently of the fighter’s course. Laser weapon specialization is required and the gunner is responsible for both fire control and maintenance of the Laser Fighter’s dual beam laser turret weapon systems. (LBB2.81, p9 and p16)

Peculiarities: By FAR, the most consistently peculiar thing about the SIE Clipper (and the various clones of the class) is the Environmental Control Type V-c capacity for its 7 person crew and 5 high passengers (respectively). Recruiting seasoned crew for ships of this class is rarely an issue (if anything, turning away hopeful applicants is a more common problem).

FRESH food meals prepared and served daily by the ship's skilled cook (steward), instead of heavily preserved rations, engenders a level crew morale, loyalty and retention over the long term that other ship classes cannot compete with in terms of esprit de corps, which then spills over into the reputation of individual ships among repeat customers and clients. This self(-ish) sufficiency factor also means that crews are not at the mercy of local market prices (and quality) when visiting worlds where life support consumables are an expensive commodity (if they can even be obtained) due to scarcity of resources and/or (in)adequate technology (a potential liability in a number of remote backwater systems). In standard practice, the regenerative life support biomes are usually set up for a single world type habitat with each operating in different phases of that world’s annual cycle, offering some measure of redundancy in the event of accident or mishap while also providing a wider variety of seasonal food selections for both crew and passengers.

While closed loop life support recycling efficiency of gases, liquids and solids is quite high, it is not and cannot ever be 100%. The replacement of losses in chemical reserves necessary for sustaining the regenerative biome life support systems are routinely obtained from the waste byproducts of wilderness fuel skimming getting distilled and filtered out by the onboard fuel purification plant, which is more integrated into the ship's life support reserve systems than is typical. Additionally, the life support systems of the Laser Fighter have also been designed to integrate relatively seamlessly with their parent SIE Clipper and Laboratory Modules for waste purging and consumables reserve replenishment while hard docked, helping to keep the regenerative biome life cycles better balanced over the long duration between annual overhauls.

The habitat species of the regenerative life support biome can be changed during annual overhaul maintenance if desired, although this option is rarely exercised unless crews have allergic reactions to specific biomes beyond the skills of the medical doctor aboard to resolve adequately. Changing the regenerative life support biome to model a species habitat of a world other than that of where the construction and/or maintenance work is being done may incur additional time and cost surcharges, so owners will want to plan for and budget their operations accordingly if exercising this option.

 

[Spinward Flow]

Naming: While there are no officially recognized naming conventions for SIE Clippers and their Laser Fighters, there is a bit of a tradition among crews to name their craft for environmental phenomena such as geologic, oceanic, atmospheric and even space weather conditions and features. Types of storms tend to be popular, as do seasonal names, with some ranging from whimsical to poetic. Since crews tend to become VERY attached to their ships (as both their home and their livelihood for most of each year), name choices tend to reflect the hopes and desires of the crews who serve in those ships.

Variants: Owing to the sheer number of possible load outs with customized 12 ton modules available, it is impossible to make an exhaustive list of all variants in service. The following is but a small sampling of the myriad options.

Patrol Corvette (Type LP): First constructed by the shipyard at Vilis/Vilis as an unauthorized “cousin variant” of the SIE Clipper. It is a (slightly) cheaper option to construct, sustain and maintain than the Type-T Patrol Cruiser. The primary differences in the “new” class were superficial changes in the engineering and manufacturing processes in order to localize them to domestic industrial suppliers, followed by some adjustments in the crew requirements. The 5 staterooms previously reserved for 5 high passengers were repurposed as single occupancy stateroom barracks for a fire team of ship’s troops/marines. Without accommodations for high passengers, the Service Department requires only a single steward position of minimum skill (steward-0). The 5 ship’s troops will usually be a Corporal, two Lance Corporals and 2 Privates assigned for security and boarding party duties. The 2 Cargo Boxes of the stock design are typically reserved for seizure of contraband, the storage of specialized breaching equipment needed to penetrate hulls and/or for use as berthing space(s) for vehicles that may be needed for specific missions. Crew salaries are reduced to Cr35,900 per month for the crew of 7 plus 5 troops, while life support overhead costs remain Cr0 per 2 weeks thanks to the two Laboratory Modules: Environmental Control Type V-c capable of sustaining life support for all 12 persons aboard. Common duties for ships of this class involve customs inspection, system defense policing patrols, pirate hunting and even search & rescue in response to mayday calls and distress beacons. Patrol Corvettes make excellent maneuver and jump tugs, thanks to their external docking capacity features native to their parent class.

Safari Ship (Type KP): A few SIE Clippers (and their “cousin variants”) in private ownership have been converted into safari ships (both commercial and non-commercial). The most common means to achieve this conversion is to acquire a mix of additional 12 ton modules to be towed externally (reducing drive performance to J2/2G), such as:

• Environment Tanks to contain animals and/or preserve vegetation for retrieval and transport
• Laboratory Modules for on-site sample survey analysis, observations and (of course) life support services
• Stateroom Boxes for use as mobile base camp accommodations that can be deployed to terrestrial environments on a long term basis
• Cargo Boxes outfitted with vehicle berths for local transportation options, along with a wide variety of other expeditionary base services that can be delivered to remote and austere locations for later retrieval

Some safari conversions in private hands even include allocating one (or more) of the Environment Tanks as a trophy room to be filled with an owner's most impressive prizes taken during their adventures and travels. A number of SIE Clippers have also been donated or otherwise made available to various world universities and converted to Safari Ships for use in academic research sample return expeditions and long(er) term longitudinal surveys. Due to the modularized nature of these ships and their inherent double jump capability, they have also been used for astronomical surveys, planetary observation, long duration exploration missions and other tasks prioritized by scout services (both officially and unofficially) in addition to civilian academic research. Rumor has it that some private mercenary companies use “safari ship” conversions to provide plausible deniability cover for their covert operations, mobilization and deployments of both personnel and hardware (for a price, of course).

Commerce Raider (Type AR): While by no means an official variant, it is regrettably true that some ships fall into the hands of pirates and privateers. The most common ways for this to happen are through temptation, opportunism and/or mutiny, but even financial fraud and other types of betrayal of trust (up to and including murder for hire) can see ships and their crews wind up on the wrong side of the law (sometimes permanently). Unfortunately, all of the capabilities that make the SIE Clipper (all variants, although the Patrol Corvette is the masquerade preference for career pirates) a relatively hard target for pirates to threaten in direct ship to ship combat manage to perversely make the class a highly desirable corsair that is capable of transporting captured prize ships between star systems due to the large external load capacity. The inclusion of a Laser Fighter (a real prize for pirates!) and Cargo Boxes (which can be outfitted for all kinds of roles) gives the sly pirate operator a plethora of ways and means to employ guile and subterfuge to their own advantage against their chosen prey. Pirates who have connections and who can pay off all the right people are able to take boarded prizes to unscrupulous shipyards where small craft and starships can be gutted for salvage and scrap, effectively liquidating their captured prizes into funding for their operations, a practice which can be exceptionally difficult for authorities to trace.

 

[Spinward Flow]

The first prototype of what would come to be known as the SIE Clipper was laid down at Grote/Glisten at the end of 945 and completed in early 947. Following a rigorous series of repeated testing, rework and shakedown voyages to verify robustness, integrity and work out any bugs in the engineering specs, shipyard personnel were able to dial in on the fit, finish, polish and manufacturability of the finalized design. SIE began accepting orders for volume production from prospective clients in 950 with deliveries off the line arriving the following year.

The deck plans included in the above posts showed the deck plan of the (single production) prototype.

Which is another way of saying that only after I posted the above did I realize that a superior layout of the forward deck and position of the dorsal docking point for the Laser Fighter would be to flip flop the location of the bridge and the computer. By simply moving the bridge aft and the model/2bis forward, I got the following deck plan results (with no change in the spreadsheet design specs at all) ... which exactly fits what I wrote about "repeated testing, rework and shakedown voyages to verify robustness, integrity and work out any bugs in the engineering specs, shipyard personnel were able to dial in on the fit, finish, polish and manufacturability of the finalized design" that I already planned into the backstory (because the first draft is almost never the best).

So I'm thinking that the updated deck plans below are the volume production version, with the Laser Fighter docking further forward than on the prototype (and offering 4x the clearance margin aft to the upper hangar deck when docking and undocking after moving 4.5m forward).

The way I envision the 4 bridge workstations (now) being assigned would be:

• Forward Port: Navigator
• Aft Port: Pilot (SIE Clipper)
• Forward Starboard: Reserve Pilot (Laser Fighter)
• Aft Starboard: Gunner or Engineer

This puts the Laser Fighter Pilot's "pre-launch" workstation on the bridge closest to the grav lift connecting into the Laser Fighter external dorsal docking point. That way, the fighter crew can get their sitrep briefing on conditions from the command crew before boarding their Laser Fighter, powering up and launching.

The holo tank between the workstations is designed to be walked through so as to provide forward/aft access.

 

[Vargas]

I like the old fashion radar dish.

 

[Spinward Flow]

I like the old fashion radar dish.

It's part of the avionics gear.

In the Geomorphs Symbols it is literally called a Sensor Dish.

 

[Vargas]

It's part of the avionics gear.

In the Geomorphs Symbols it is literally called a Sensor Dish.

 

[BlackBat242]

SIE Clipper
Ship Type: AF (Merchant-A, Fast)
TL=10 (hybrid LBB5.80 design fitted with LBB2.81 commercial off the shelf standard drives) (LBB5.80, p18)

• Power Plant, M-Drive and HEPlaR Fuel Requirement = 10Pn tons minimum
  • 30.1 tons

You tagged this with "CT only"... then you throw in a TNE maneuver drive.

Any more edition bleedover in the design?

I really like the design, but I don't even have (nor do I want) TNE rules... which is why I looked at it after seeing the "CT only" tag.

 

[Spinward Flow]

You tagged this with "CT only"... then you throw in a TNE maneuver drive.

HEPlaR ... as an engineering concept ... exceeds TNE.
Granted, TNE provided rules for it (I'll have to take your word for it, I don't have any TNE sources), but it is a very logical backup/reserve alternative means of propulsion when beyond the effective range of "conventional reactionless maneuver drive" systems (10/100/1000 diameters distant from gravity wells).

Besides, almost every single bit of ship art for CT in some form or fashion depicts rocket nozzles and/or exhaust coming out of the aft end of craft.

Scout Courier? Twin rocket nozzles on the aft bulkhead.
Kinunir? Twin rocket drives (specifically fluff texted as "2 Dupree 734 impulse maneuver drives"). (LBB A1, p10)
Leviathan? Single rocket drive ( specifically fluff texted as "one Bilstein Arg-6Y impulse manoeuvre drive (Alb-5W backup"). (LBB A4, p22)
Most of the ship art in LBB S9 depicts craft under acceleration using some kind of rocket thrust (more dramatic that way!).

CT would have fluff text describing it as an impulse maneuver drive (gee, wonder where they got that nomenclature from in the 70s!).
Today, we would call the almost exact same notional idea ... HEPlaR ... without caring all that much about provenance of the semantics.

Any more edition bleedover in the design?

Nope.
It's not even an edition bleedover.
I was appealing to the basic concept of a plasma rocket functionality built into the maneuver drive, rather than a specific set of rules.

If you pay close attention to the citations that I have littered like glitter all over everything in the design postings ... ALL of the citations refer to CT. There is not a single citation of rules or sources that refers to TNE. At most, I provide a link to Travellerwiki to define what HEPlaR actually IS, in case anyone is unfamiliar with the term and what it means ... and even then, the wiki page provides no rules or reference to TNE of any kind. The most constraining parameter given on the wiki page is that HEPlaR becomes available at TL=10 ... and I'm building a TL=10 starship using LBB2.81 standard drives ... so presumably HEPlaR functionality would be built into those standard drives.

I mean ... if LBB2.81 A/A/A standard drives in a Scout/Courier can inspire artwork like this ...

... I figure that's HEPlaR reaction thrust being visibly produced there by the impulse maneuver drive.

And if you can do that with an A/A/A set of drives ... you can probably have the same kind of thing going on using E/E/E drives in a larger ship too, no?

My point being, don't get hung up on the semantics.
It's really just a TL=10 LBB2.81 standard jump/maneuver/power plant set of drives that aren't particularly unique or special (by definition, since they're commercial standard drives).

I really like the design

Me too!

I would like to think that the SIE Clipper is *THE* most well researched and dynamically flexible/useful ACS I've ever made in my entire life for the Traveller setting ... and it's just a TL=10 merchant clipper that lands in a confluence of at least a half-dozen overlapping "sweet spots" when doing the naval architect spreadsheet stuff, followed by several more sweet spots in the economic analysis ... along with even more performance "sweet spots" when using LBB5.80 combat rules.

I really don't think I'm going to be able to top this one in the low end frontier tramp merchant market segment where the competition is "all the usual suspects" out of LBB2.81 and LBB S7. I even think the SIE Clipper is a better value for money than my own "back catalog" of starship designs that I've posted here in The Fleet forum over the past couple of years. Fun thing is that I couldn't have "found" the SIE Clipper's final design specs without having made all of those older designs I posted here first.

 

[Spinward Flow]

This starship design is being retconned out of existence and "de-canonized" (for whatever that's worth) by the author (me), in favor of a superior design that I will be posting ... Soon™.