Signal GK sent (sets stopwatch...)

[jawillroy]

I cannot recall ever having seen - in any adventure, or supplement - any estimation on how long it might take a Signal GK to be responded to.

Surely someone has addressed it?

I know, I know, It impinges on a whole pallet load of cans of worms: assumptions on how many ships a system can be expected to have in it, how responsive and thick on the ground the Navy might be, the presence or absence of bases, the type and meaning of starports; it has implications for rescue in all sorts of situations (not least piracy) and on and on.

I know there was a JTAS article with respect to how many ships could be expected in a system based on population vs starport type - I'm thinking it was Guatney - but I don't recall that he said anything about proposed response times.

Shrugs?

For instance did Adventure 13, Signal GK, provide any solutions?

 

[kilemall]

A lot depends on where the signal was issued. Figure at least 1-2 hours for a scramble, rescue ships have 3-4 G on average and hard burn, a microjump if 7 days or further out with normal maneuver.

So could be hours or days.

As for availability of rescue craft, I would probably scale off of the planetary/starport craft count. Starport for 10D, planet for 100D, system for beyond. Differing ships as small craft should do for most 100D rescues, system will need to be jump capable.

 

[Spinward Flow]

Well, there's light speed between transmitter and receiver ... so distance is going to be a factor.
Signals sent from Mars/Jupiter to Terra are not instantaneous.
Lunar orbit range is within 2 seconds though.

Once the signal gets received (somewhere, assuming anyone receives it) you're then looking at an OODA loop in order to dispatch a rescue.
How long THAT takes to complete is going to vary WIDELY.

Once there's a "GO" on a response to the Signal GK, it then depends upon maneuvering power to get there from wherever "here" is for the rescuers. Ideally you'd want (as the craft in distress) for a continuous 6G acceleration/deceleration burn to rendezvous with your position to save time (if not fuel/money) ... but that's not going to be instantaneous either. Interplanetary distances can take hours/days to transit depending on positioning. Transits to a local moon however, even around a gas giant, should probably be within a day, depending on positions of gravity wells and maneuvering power.

If all you're talking about is sending a response signal ... that really depends upon whether or not anyone can receive your signal (if your comms are broken, the signal doesn't get very far) and whether or not you can receive any responses directed your way. Again, light speed is going to be a serious controlling factor here that is entirely dependent upon distance.

 

[jawillroy]

Wellallrightythen! Puzzling that out, absent books in hand...

If we're talking outer system or gas giant distress calls, I suppose RECEPTION is likely going to be a matter of hours.
Anywhere in the vicinity of 100D it's going to be seconds, more or less instantaneous in terms of HG or Book 2.

"GO/NO GO" If a base is present, "go" = the turn following receipt of call. If no base present, roll 2D6 for Population or less, each turn, to initiate rescue? Maybe?

Time to Target Once "GO" is indicated, determine what sort of ship is responding, and time required for arrival at full burn.

 

[jawillroy]

So near as I can figure it, if your Mayday is in the outer system or a gas giant, you can expect hours to days of waiting.
I base the likelihood of a response occurring at all to be dependent on the type and size of the port: how big a setup, how many ships, and the presence of navy or scout bases, and so on.

Response time for those distant locations is similarly long.

If it's a 100D thing, then response time can be broken down to 20 minute high guard turns, ranging from 3 to 22 turns depending on the size of the world (how big is that 100D) and the maneuver drive capability of the responding ship.

Which leads me to the other side of the coin: how long does it take to transfer cargo from one ship's hold to another?

 

[Spinward Flow]

Which leads me to the other side of the coin: how long does it take to transfer cargo from one ship's hold to another?

CT Beltstrike has an answer for you!

According to Beltstrike p5, a single individual in zero G can load 2 tons per 6 hours.
If that sounds like a long time for not much, consider the fact that while in zero G objects still have mass, even if they're "weightless" and floaty.

It basically amounts to one person being able to move 0.5 kilograms per minute in zero G.

Need to move more stuff quicker than that?
Either get more hands out there working to move stuff or start making use of things like robotic arms to manipulate your cargo (or the equivalent).

Ironically, this is one of the reasons why it's probably a good idea to carry around an air/raft or similar grav vehicle, despite what people might think about the utility of wasting ship tonnage on a vehicle berth when you can just "rent one" anywhere you might want to go. An air/raft makes for a decent "utility crane" to assist with moving cargo around. In close proximity to a starship (say, within 10 diamaters of the hull?) you ought to be able to use an air/raft as a "cargo loader" even in zero G. Anyone operating the air/raft will need to be wearing a vacc suit ... but that's only to be expected (really). I can easily imagine use of air/rafts as cargo loaders in orbital highports, for example.

With an air/raft for use as a "cargo sled" you could transfer a lot more cargo faster than trying to do it by hand.

 

[whartung]

how long does it take to transfer cargo from one ship's hold to another?

However long the union says it does.

 

[jawillroy]

However long the union says it does.

clapclapclap

 

[jawillroy]

According to Beltstrike p5, a single individual in zero G can load 2 tons per 6 hours...

With an air/raft for use as a "cargo sled" you could transfer a lot more cargo faster than trying to do it by hand.

VERY interesting, especially if one is considering the shifting of tonnage from ship A to ship B on the float while the clock is ticking on an incoming patrol.

 

[Spinward Flow]

It basically amounts to one person being able to move 0.5 kilograms per minute in zero G.

Whoops! Looks like I got my math wrong.

It's more like 5.5kg per minute.

2000kg / 6 / 60 = 5.555555