ThingMaker: Longbow I

[robject]

Longbow Mark I EMS Installation. TL14*, Size 7, 4600 tons, MCr 483.

A space-deployed TL14 EM antenna installation for scanning interstellar space. Capable of scanning space 8 sectors distant (S=29).

* NOTE: being built in the 800s, it really can't be beyond TL 13. I'll have to re-do this writeup.

Process

ThingMaker augments existing equipment; therefore it is safer to first build out a valid device where possible before resorting to ThingMaker. Since this is a large version of a sensor, we start with a starship's EMS sensor, designed using ACS. From there we modify it into a quite long ranged device.

ACS Sensors (page 341). The best ACS EMS sensor emplacement is a Deep Space Main EMS emplacement. It is built by applying modifiers, one by one, starting with the type of sensor itself, then specifying a 'Main' sensor mount (to fulfill the volume requirements for ThingMaker), and extending its range.

Table A. Our sensor type is EMS, which requires at least TL12 (so that's what I'll make it).

EMS-12 S=7 MCr 1

Table B. I don't want to apply stage effects - I want something standard. So I'll pass on this table.

Table C. I want this installed in the biggest mount possible, for the biggest task bonus. That would be a 'main' mount.

Main EMS-12 S=7 MCr 21 200 tons

Table D. I could extend its range at this point, but the formula in ThingMaker is more useful to how I want to adjust the array. So I pass on this table, as well.

Now we turn to ThingMaker: in particular, to the "Installed Range Effects" table at the bottom of page 605. Note that the sensors' range has already surpassed that referenced by this table. I am forced
to do a little extrapolation. In particular, it looks like each increase in range has a predictable price and volume multiplier. So the chart can be extended, using the ranges on page 43, as follows:

S=8 2.5 mkm x2
S=9 5 mkm x3
S=10 50 mkm x4
S=11 1 AU x5
S=12 2.8 AU x6
S=13 10 AU x7
S=14 40 AU x8
S=15 77 AU x9
S=16 308 AU x10
S=17 1230 AU x11
S=18 4900 AU x12
S=19 0.5 light-year x13
S=20 One light-year x14
S=21 One parsec x15
S=22 Two parsecs x16
S=23 Four parsecs x17
S=24 One subsector x18
S=25 Two subsectors x19
S=26 One sector x20
S=27 Two sectors x21
S=28 Four sectors x22
S=29 Eight sectors x23

I want to go from S=7 to S=29; to do that, I multiply the volume and cost by 23. Result:

S29 Main EMS-14 S=29 MCr 483 4600 ton

 

[Reban]

Why cant it be beyond TL13 in the 800s?

On the TL Tables there are two references

TL13 - Imperial maximum circa 550
TL15 - Imperial maximum circa 1107

I'm not familiar enough with the OTU to know if you're using some other canon reference but just looking at the TL chart and assuming a linear progression the Imperium looks like it hits TL14 around 825.


Second question; Longbow is a distributed sensor array.... so is this just one of the longbow array elements or does the 4600tons represent all the array?

To me 4000+ tons doesn't really seem that big in engineering terms. Okay thats only the sensor and you need something to mount that Main bay in.

You could build a minimal spacecraft to mount this in as a station or satellite, or you could use an asteroid hull, you could also build it on an airless/atmosphereless moon. It makes a great spy sensor or scientific sensor, I'm just wondering how you see this version of longbow being deployed.


The real reason I'm commenting though is to say thanks for the very useful extension to the Range Effects for ThingMaker. I think, as with other versions, the omission of scientific sensors leaves a plausibility hole in T5.

We have radio telescopes and deep space telescopes today that can detect extra solar planets. At Traveller Tech levels the resolution or the speed of detection should go up. In other words I need to go build some telescopes with your extended range effects table and figure out whats possible.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

BCS Tenders.

Well, Reban I figure they are deployed and maintained by a group of dedicated BCS Tenders. Not every Big Ship has to be a sexy Fleet Dreadnaut, in fact probably more unsexy Fleet Auxilleries than anything.

Also, I figure the Tender has to have lots of internal fuel and possibly drop tanks since these Sensor Buoys work best in deep space which means between systems or empty hexes.

Just my two CrImps.

 

[robject]

I figure each sensor is installed on an asteroid base at a calibration point.

I just can't remember when TL 14 is officially reached. And even then, would TL 14 be automatically chosen for an array of remote stations without easy access to naval facilities? Or maybe there is easy access to naval facilities. Are these stations secret?

 

[whulorigan]

I just can't remember when TL 14 is officially reached.

I believe approximately year 700.

 

[robject]

I believe approximately year 700.

Well then, TL 14 is perfectly fine.

 

[Reban]

Well, Reban I figure they are deployed and maintained by a group of dedicated BCS Tenders.

SNIP

Also, I figure the Tender has to have lots of internal fuel and possibly drop tanks since these Sensor Buoys work best in deep space which means between systems or empty hexes.

SNIP

I figure each sensor is installed on an asteroid base at a calibration point.

I just can't remember when TL 14 is officially reached. And even then, would TL 14 be automatically chosen for an array of remote stations without easy access to naval facilities? Or maybe there is easy access to naval facilities. Are these stations secret?

The Traveller Wiki says the original Longbow project was concealed, which isn't exactly the same as secret. The data it collected was probably classified.

Longbow II is top secret. Both would need tenders or jump couriers for maintenance and data collection regardless off how the 4000ton bay is mounted.