The coolest ship ever...

[wyrmwood]

I've been pouring over the books and I don't really see any small trader-type ships. The picture for the ANJOU-CLASS CARGO VESSEL in the original game looks to be about the closest, but the description still calls for 8 crew memebers. I'm looking for something that can be piloted by 1 (perhaps 2) and if things get dodgy, a gunner or two. (Like a classic Traveller Scout class ship).

This is probably the coolest one I could find searching around the internet,
http://www.crowstuff.co.uk/rpg/deckplans/rhino/rhino.htm
but it isn't spec'd for 2300. Any suggestions on converting this to a 2300 era/rules ship would be greatly appreciated.

Streamlining: Dropship as shuttle
Sensor Package: Navigational radar, Deep system scan, navigational radar, active and passive military sensors
Work Stations:
Off-Bridge: None
Bridge: 1-2 pilot (nav comm computer), 1 engineering, 1 gunner
Additional Crew Recommendations: None
General Information:
Warp Efficiency:
Plant:
Fuel:
Range: 7.7
Mass:
Cargo Capacity:
Comfort:
Emergency Power:
Life Support:

Ship Status Sheet Information:
Movement:
Screens:
Passive Signature:
Active Signature:
Passive Sensors:
Active Sensors:
Hull Hit Capacity:
Power Plant Hit Capacity:
Crew Complement: 2-4
Weapons:
Targeting Computer:
Remote Stations:

 

[kmsoice]

I've been pouring over the books and I don't really see any small trader-type ships. The picture for the ANJOU-CLASS CARGO VESSEL in the original game looks to be about the closest, but the description still calls for 8 crew memebers. I'm looking for something that can be piloted by 1 (perhaps 2) and if things get dodgy, a gunner or two. (Like a classic Traveller Scout class ship).

I have always imagined the PCs being shuttled about on a RebcoSar owned Thorez. Maybe not the coolest looking ship but good enough and there is no reason why one could not have been modified in its long career. See a really nice detailed writeup on the ship at http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare...mag/thorez.htm. There is also no reason why you could not use the specs for the Thorez for the Rino, a Ukrainian build knockoff of the Thorez intended by the Ukrainian govt to compete with the French in the courier ship market.

The crew size is mandated by the Star Cruiser ship design rules which I have always felt break down for small ships because it sets a minimum of 10 crew for the bridge no matter how small the ship is. If you want to declare that a small, simple, old vessel like a Thorez can be handled by less than 10 I say go for it. Maybe your ship has been specially modified to need less people, maybe your crew is very good or very busy, maybe the ship operations are not quite as efficient because it is undermanned and you are probably going have to be choosy about where you dock because you are not going to pass a French Navy safety inspection ...but I bet you someone, somewhere is crazy/cheap/arrogant/skilled enough to run a Thorez with less than a full crew.

 

[wyrmwood]

Thanks. The link didn't work, but I found the Thorez described in Challenger 34. It's listed with a crew of 13 (and room for 7 passengers), so perhaps I could allow the pilot(s) to pull all the controls to one or two stations and have the rest run by sophistocated software. I could even use that Rhino just for the artwork and make a frankenstein of the two deck plans.

The Thorez has a modified version with a "combat module", all with appropriate stats to give small scale starship combat a whirl -

Thanks again, I never would've realized Thorez <=> small starship without actuall browsing the article!

 

[kmsoice]

Thanks. The link didn't work, but I found the Thorez described in Challenger 34.

Mereep! Sorry for the messed up link, I had blindly cut and pasted. The real link is http://www.geocities.com/pentapod2300/mag/thorez.htm ---> which leads to the online version of the same Challenge #34 article that you already know about.

 

[TWILIGHT]

LOVE the Rhino and have used it but as I play 2300/2320 with the BRP rules a conversion wont be much good to ya. That pic in-situ is actually a WMV.

2300AD does kinda need its own scout courier/firefly class style ship.

 

[epicenter00]

Thanks. The link didn't work, but I found the Thorez described in Challenger 34. It's listed with a crew of 13 (and room for 7 passengers), so perhaps I could allow the pilot(s) to pull all the controls to one or two stations and have the rest run by sophistocated software.

I think a lot of ships are like this. It's similar to how a single person can sail around the world in a sailboat. Ideally, even a ship like that would be better off with more crew and if the $&@! hits the fan, that one person is going to be in serious trouble, whereas with the "recommended crew complement" the ship might just be in a "rough patch."

You could probably run a Thorez or an Anjou under routine conditions with two or three people, provided they were somehow these (honestly, a bit unrealistic) ubermensch who are suspiciously common in RPGs who are the "skilled pilots and drive engineers and electrical engineers and mechanics and ..." or simply have someone to look at the ship every so often. For instance, fighters in 2300 simply have a single person as a crew. I think that's because it's implied that the fighter's "other crewmembers" are carried on the launching ship (or ground base) so all you need are the pilot and maybe a WSO. I personally think most courier-class vessels could do the same thing (like a Thorez) - simply operate without an engineer, and hope there's a skilled one at the end of your trip who can look the ship over.

The big disadvantage of having an undercrewed ship, of course would be in "less-than-ideal" situations. Obviously this could be combat, but less obviously in a situation where components might be worn, damaged, jury-rigged, or substandard where a dedicated crewmember(s) could watch the system in question and make adjustments before they become problems.