That 30 dton Cutter Module ...

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Hmmph!

And that is exactly why it has taken 1100 years to get back to 11,000 worlds in the Imperium, because Scouts can't get away from the entertainment center.

 

[Vile]

Forget that, fire up the console games and play all night! All 4 months of it :rofl:

You've got the makings of a fine researcher, there, FT!

I'm going to have to go back to the drawing board on the connectors. The more I tink about it, the more I'm convinced that they should be based on the module form, too. The side-connectors could be telescopic, so they can be pushed back into the module for transport. They'll need a lot of legs, though, judging from Andrew's link pic. Maybe an expanding foam-cushion (or an inflatable) would work.

 

[GypsyComet]

I mean we are talking about the big green machine...right? God, I love that ship, it is the coolest! Thanks again Andrew! Now I can feel almost reallll old.

Thunderbird 2 and the Moonbase Eagle are very much in the family tree of the Modular Cutter.

 

[coliver988]

Thunderbird 2 and the Moonbase Eagle are very much in the family tree of the Modular Cutter.

as is the runabout from ST DS9. The middle section is actually a cargo system: either 1 big one, or 4 smaller ones (2/side) with the access corridor in the middle. Although they are pretty small cargo modules.

"The runabout modularity offers a wide range of mission options. Currently there are four main sizes of available modules: mono-load, XY half load, XZ half load, and quarter load. The mono-load module is a single large unit possessing a central spine notch and ventral bay doors. ... In some cases, special laboratory modules can be shipped to orbital or surface sites and left..."

Maybe DS9 writers played Traveller as well. Either that or modular stuff just makes sense in many (not all) applications.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Ahh....

Thunderbird 2 and the Moonbase Eagle are very much in the family tree of the Modular Cutter.

Dukam! I forgot the Eagle and that is the most Modular Cutter like ship in SF as far as I have seen!

Heck that is one of the things I dig about the Eagles. And I loved them long before I even played Traveller. So has anyone converted them yet?

 

[far-trader]

Just wondering, what about connecting upwards too? Stand a module on it's end, add some folding struts to keep it from falling over and you have a nice little radar tower, guard tower, traffic control tower, whatever. Small floors at just 6m diameter (less the 1m in the center for the ladder/hatch), but you get 5 stories or so at 15m tall, plus the roof.

Or sink it into a hole a few meters for stability. Not as tall but you get basements. Make the lower levels a cistern for your fuel and or water and you add even more stability.

I'm thinking I'll be playing with this one myself a bit on a little project...

...but go ahead and run with it if it strikes your fancy

 

[Vile]

Just wondering, what about connecting upwards too? Stand a module on it's end, add some folding struts to keep it from falling over and you have a nice little radar tower, guard tower, traffic control tower, whatever. Small floors at just 6m diameter (less the 1m in the center for the ladder/hatch), but you get 5 stories or so at 15m tall, plus the roof.

If you look at one of the options on page 1, you'll see that there is one with the upright module. The advantage of these cube-connectors is that you can go 6 ways with them. I'm playing with a half-module-sized connector, as suggested by Robject, but that has more problems in working 6 ways. 4 ways is no problem, with telescopic side-connectors. But the top has the mounting rails for hanging from the cutter, and with the two side-connectors retracted there's nowhere for a bottom connector to go. I'm going to have to play with this some more, and think outside 90 degrees ... o:

I'm thinking I'll be playing with this one myself a bit on a little project...

Let me know if you want to borrow the model.

 

[far-trader]

If you look at one of the options on page 1, you'll see that there is one with the upright module.

D'oh! That's right. I'd forgotten about your space station model. Probably thinking it was not ground intended so when I started thinking ground based it wasn't in my head.

The advantage of these cube-connectors is that you can go 6 ways with them. I'm playing with a half-module-sized connector, as suggested by Robject, but that has more problems in working 6 ways. 4 ways is no problem, with telescopic side-connectors. But the top has the mounting rails for hanging from the cutter, and with the two side-connectors retracted there's nowhere for a bottom connector to go. I'm going to have to play with this some more, and think outside 90 degrees ... o:

Yep, have you tried geodesics?

Let me know if you want to borrow the model.

Thanks, will do, though our interpretations seem just a little different. Just enough to be marginally incompatible it looks like. SOP for "standards" eh

 

[ranger2261]

one of our members posted a great cutter base on "Sci Fi Meshes" forum.
before their crash.

here it was as it was posted,

 

[Vile]

one of our members posted a great cutter base on "Sci Fi Meshes" forum.
before their crash.

I see that version also goes for the dorsal spine approach. far-trader, I'd be interested to see how your cylindrical module looks in section. I'm going to have to re-do my module to account for shutter wall thickness, too ... I always intended my cutters to have shutters, but I got carried away ...

Well, I tried the half-module solution, and it's pretty much limited to 4 ways. The lateral connectors retract into the module and shutters close off the hole for aerodynamic flight. I'll definitely have to go geodesic next. The problem is that the cutter module as shown in Traders and Gunboats has a horizontally offset hatch. Because of the height of the module, I also aasume it is offset vertically, so the passenger seats of the standard module are sitting on top of a secondary cargo (or fuel) area. Fuel makes sense, actually, additional radiation shielding in case of stellar flares. Anyway, here's what this version looks like:

 

[MacTrom]

...The problem is that the cutter module as shown in Traders and Gunboats has a horizontally offset hatch. Because of the height of the module, I also aasume it is offset vertically, so the passenger seats of the standard module are sitting on top of a secondary cargo (or fuel) area. ...

I wonder if you could have a wide sliding-type cargo door, with a single door inside it, that would allow you to position the single door where you needed it to match various modules. Get the picture?

 

[Vile]

Yeah, I know what you mean, MacTrom. But I think I'll stick with the present concept, because the polygonal connectors I'm working on now (thanks for the idea, far-trader) will connect 6 ways and I can get about 4 of them into a standard cargo module.

And another thing - that 30 dton cutter module isn't 30 dtons at all, if you go by HG rather than LBB2 (which is what I'm doing):

Item                    dtons     MCr  EP
-----------------------------------------
Hull (cylinder)         -50.0    5.00	
Powerplant-4              6.0   18.00   2
Manoeuvre drive-4         5.5    2.75
Fuel (scoops)             2.0    0.05
Small craft bridge       10.0    0.25

Open module              26.5    2.00

 

[far-trader]

...the polygonal connectors I'm working on now (thanks for the idea, far-trader)

Heh, thank Bucky

aka Buckminster Fuller

 

[far-trader]

...And another thing - that 30 dton cutter module isn't 30 dtons at all, if you go by HG rather than LBB2 (which is what I'm doing)

May I also share my thoughts on this here

In the spirit of making the B2 design work using HG and matching the USP in the back of S7 here's how I've tackled the same problem:

50ton Modular Cutter (TL9) Dart class                        MCr21.000

+20.0tons    Hull - configuration 1                              2.400
               Streamlined    
 -5.5tons    Maneuver drive - 4G                                 2.750
               Agility +4                  -2 EP
 -6.0tons    Power plant - P4              +2 EP                18.000
 -2.0tons      Fuel x4 weeks
 -4.0tons    Helm - crew x2                                      0.100
 -2.5tons    Custom space

+30.0tons    Module - standard                                   3.000

U S P - Y Y - 0 1 0 4 4 0 1 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 0 0 - 0    MCr26.250

I imagine it's about how the original was made to work. The price comes out very close and the features are the same.

note - the maneuver drive is rated 4G for the full 50tons, structural limits mean even without a module the ship is limited to 4G and is effectively still 50tons with an empty (but not typically open) 30ton space

note - instead of agility the excess power could be used for lasers but not computer since no more than a model/2 will fit

(and that's how the code function should work why it gave me fits over on TAS... I haven't a clue)

 

[Vile]

Aah ... I dimly remember you mentioning something like this before. That does look like it would work. With those extra 2.5 dtons, you even get to have your "1 dton allocated for fire control", with room to spare.

Mind you, I don't like it, though - it seems like GDW were cheating at their own game again. Admittedly, IMTU I've long given up on the huge bridge sizes mandated and universally ignored in canon floorplans. If you need a 10-dton bridge to control a 50-dton vessel, it seems wrong that you can clip a 30-dton module to a 20-dton vessel with no ill effects. On the other hand, they also use the same trick with their Fighting Ships jump ship design, IIRC.

I'll have to think about this some more. I'm leaning towards your retro-engineered solution, F-T. After all, I'm trying to get as close to the book as I can with this, while still making it work wihin the rules.

 

[Vile]

Eureka!

Well, here we are now: the holy grail. I've got me a 6-way, half-module connector with retractable docking rings and legs, too. :mrgreen:

Below, you can see two modules stowed and ready for the cutter. Next, just the connector with the lateral docking rings extended. Finally, for those on-world bases, the telescopic legs keep things on an even keel.

 

[Vile]

And here's a small one for the rock rats:

 

[Mithras]

Excellent! That looks and feels right, plenty of possibilities there.

Is there any chance of seeing a deckplan for the modules and the connectors? That way we can post some funky looking bases!

Well done...

 

[Vile]

Thanks for the words of praise, Mithras. Actually, the whole thing is based on the Traders and Gunboats deckplans. They're actually reasonably to scale for a change. The ones with windows in the base above are supposed to be accomodation modules - the top deck is fitted out as you please, the lower deck holds supplies and M&E. I'm still working on the interiors for the modules, I'll cut some sections when they're done.

 

[Mithras]

You'd use a two deck cutter model? There's a reference and thread around here to two decks, could even be this one! There are quite a few I'm subscribed to at the moment ...

Would those decks be of the same area then? I have Traders and Gunboats, and know the deckplan you mention, you see I am keen to draw out some station deckplans using your modules and connectors.