Type R mod

[JAFARR]

I'm working on a anti-piracy campaign for some new players (I hope). I decided to use a modified Type R and modify it into a "Q" ship. The standard modification is a TL15 version of the subsidized merchant to allow J2. J2, M1, P2 with a crew of 6 assuming the steward and doctor man the extra guns (4 triple turrets - 1 missile, 2 beam lasers, and a sandcaster). Accommodations are 6 crew and 7 passenger staterooms plus 6 lowberths. I also went with the model 2 computer vs the 1bis version. There is no shuttle. Fuel tankage is 88 tons with a collapsible fuel tank for another 40 tons giving a total range of 3 parsecs. All this left me with 200 tons of cargo at a discounted cost of 120.21648 MCr.

Question: Should I give up 25 tons of cargo to add in the shuttle, an extra stateroom and 2 more low berths? What about dropping the computer to 1bis and adding 2 more lowberths?

No, I have not done any deck plans yet. That can wait until I finalize the plans.

 

[JAFARR]

The mod to the mod will be converting the sandcaster to a popup fusion gun which uses the extra 2 EPs not consumed in the standard mod. It also requires a slightly larger power plant to power the popup turret (2.25).

 

[flykiller]

Should I give up 25 tons of cargo to add in the shuttle, an extra stateroom and 2 more low berths? What about dropping the computer to 1bis and adding 2 more lowberths?

probably should give up 25 dtons of cargo and get a 7fib and associated power plant, 'long as the thing is being purpose-built at tech 15 as a q boat. personally I'd go with a beat-up refitted original, looks more natural. and keep a good amount of cargo space, natural trading activity allays suspicions.

will the ship passengers be aware that they're on a q boat? I'd want to know if I were being used as bait.

a doctor should not operate a turret, or any weapon.

 

[Drakon]

a doctor should not operate a turret, or any weapon.

Have to agree. Get a second gunner if you are a q ship. Leave doc to fixing any wounded. You'd hate to end up hurt and doc can't get away because he is under fire.

Is there a way to convert the space for a shuttle bay into cargo? If you can swap back and forth, it matters less.

 

[Matt123]

I'd masquarade as a vessel under contract to the Navy giving an excuse to visit Navy bases whilst trading en-route. The only mod I would do is to store two combat ready TL15 Rampart fighters into the cargo bay with explosive bolts blowing out the cargo bay walls, enabling a quick combat exit. The two pilots I'd put on the passenger list.

Hmmm perhaps a system that doesn't involve major hull repair work could be installed.

Pretty sure I've stolen this idea from someone else...

Cheers
Matt

 

[samuelvss]

I would go with the added computer, as much as you can afford, and adding the fighters. I wouldn't blow a hole in the hull, but fashion an "insert" which looks like a block of cargo containers, and blows out a pneumatic collar to close off the clearance space around them, allowing a launch out the rear of the cargo hold without depressurizing the rest of the hold. I would use some passengers to plant rumors. "If we can sell these computers at [system], then I can retire!" Further, poll the real passengers to see if any wants to do continue in a working passage as a gunner. "Can't keep good help."

I also agree with retrofitting an aging fat trader.

 

[JAFARR]

The refit idea is what I intended, and yes, the "passengers" are the troopers and some will have battle dress also. I was actually wanting input as to which way to build the "standardized" J2 mod, before I did the refit mod into the "Q-ship".

Also I like remote gunnery control stations near the bridge for my higher tech ships. You are not actually going to be manually controlling the turret like it was a WWII bomber turret anyway. (Forgot to specify the missile and sand turrets have autoloaders and magazines for 50 loads each so manual reloading is not required).

 

[far-trader]

My build of this kind of thing always starts with the base ship you're trying to pretend to be. In this case the J1 1G P1 version of the standard subbie Fat-Trader at TL9 or 10. With (sometimes) one caveat. That being the hull is designed for 2 hardpoints (standard), and one small (50ton) bay missile bay (an old, sometimes allowed, semi-cheat).

For the Q-version:

Drop in the missile bay (front cargo doors open, bad news for the bad guys). You just load it like a big old freight shipment, then the crew plugs things in to prep it to fire as needed.

Change the launch for an armed Q-gig with a pop turret and better gees and compy. It looks the same, even has the same passenger seating (for the Marines, natch). But the cargo space is filled with goodies.

Keep the cargo and pax capacity the same at a glance and pretend to be a merchie doing regular route business. The pax are of course Marines playing the role who will do the boarding and extra crewing. And the cargo is a missile bay and extra fuel and gear. Sure maybe even a few fighters (exit via rear and/or side hatches) if you like. Again all disguised as simple cargo shipments, all crated up, to be uncrated by the crew once aboard in prep for action.

Upgrade the compy to a model/1bis, to run the combat software. Nothing to that, a simple swap and no one the wiser.

And that's about as far as you can go imo and still be a bait type Q-ship. Anything more and you're an easy make as the law. But that 50ton TL13 missile bay and a couple TL13 double beam plus sand turrets will mess up most small ship pirates and give you some reasonable defense.

Not sure why you figure you need 50 reloads Any fight you can't finish in three turns is one you shouldn't be in

 

[Matt123]

... and one small (50ton) bay missile bay (an old, sometimes allowed, semi-cheat).

Yeah, sometimes allowed if you squint hard, overanalyse the game and offer the bay weapon to PC's on thier Free Trader. God forbid a NPC pirate gets to do this against a PC!

Lol
Matt

 

[Zowy]

Don't forget to drop in a Mili-spec sensor package and have a Signals / EWF officer. Information is power..... make sure yours is better than the ones you hunt :smirk:

 

[JAFARR]

My build of this kind of thing always starts with the base ship you're trying to pretend to be. In this case the J1 1G P1 version of the standard subbie Fat-Trader at TL9 or 10. With (sometimes) one caveat. That being the hull is designed for 2 hardpoints (standard), and one small (50ton) bay missile bay (an old, sometimes allowed, semi-cheat).

For the Q-version:

Drop in the missile bay (front cargo doors open, bad news for the bad guys). You just load it like a big old freight shipment, then the crew plugs things in to prep it to fire as needed.

Change the launch for an armed Q-gig with a pop turret and better gees and compy. It looks the same, even has the same passenger seating (for the Marines, natch). But the cargo space is filled with goodies.

Keep the cargo and pax capacity the same at a glance and pretend to be a merchie doing regular route business. The pax are of course Marines playing the role who will do the boarding and extra crewing. And the cargo is a missile bay and extra fuel and gear. Sure maybe even a few fighters (exit via rear and/or side hatches) if you like. Again all disguised as simple cargo shipments, all crated up, to be uncrated by the crew once aboard in prep for action.

Upgrade the compy to a model/1bis, to run the combat software. Nothing to that, a simple swap and no one the wiser.

And that's about as far as you can go imo and still be a bait type Q-ship. Anything more and you're an easy make as the law. But that 50ton TL13 missile bay and a couple TL13 double beam plus sand turrets will mess up most small ship pirates and give you some reasonable defense.

Not sure why you figure you need 50 reloads Any fight you can't finish in three turns is one you shouldn't be in

50 because according to my optional magazine rule .5 ton is the smallest you can make. My take on it is when you have a few extra creds, you stockpile some sand and missiles. That way if you have a battle when you are low in funds, you don't have the worry of re-supply eating up what funds you do have. Question: If the ship is small enough (say 1 or 2 decks with over and under turrets) would it be feasible to have one magazine feed 2 turrets? If so, would you need 1 or 2 autoloaders or maybe a double sized one at 150% of the cost of a standard autoloader?

My idea was to make the J2 Fat/Far Trader a standard in MTU designed to service areas off the J1 mains. But I do like the 50 ton bay idea.

 

[BillDowns]

Question: If the ship is small enough (say 1 or 2 decks with over and under turrets) would it be feasible to have one magazine feed 2 turrets? If so, would you need 1 or 2 autoloaders or maybe a double sized one at 150% of the cost of a standard autoloader?

I should think so, as long as the feed run or lift shaft (whatever you want to call it) was straight.

You could go for port/starboard side-mount turrets, too, with the magazine in the center. Might interfere with cargo loading, though. If you assume the canonical 1m x 10 cm missile, you would probably need a feed run of, what, 15 to 20 cm diameter with a cable or flex-shaft to pull the rounds along.

 

[JAFARR]

link to auto loader discussion

Due to comments in this thread, I decided to write up the auto loader in the Research Station forum. See below.
http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?p=307634#post307634

 

[JAFARR]

TL 15 vs. TL13

I just did a quick check on Excel. To change to a TL 13 version vs. TL 15 reduces cargo by about 10 tons and boosts the cost to about 141 MCr due to changes in drives between the TLs.