Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Currently, overhead is five tonnes absolute, and minimum ten tonnes overall, subject to shrinkage due to increased technological difference.
Vote Your Canon #4: Jump Torpedos (consensus: NOT)
- Thread starter robject
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I did up some house-rules for mini-starships derived from jump torpedoes (search for the "the littlest starship" thread), in which I capped small jump-capable boats at 10-13Td primarily to make them nearly useless.Hard call. I haven't voted yet because I rather like and dislike the concept at the same time, and I cannot make up my mind.
They are definitely de-canonized "officially" after CT'77, but part of me still likes the idea. Sub-100 ton J-Boats were a thing in TNE, with a sigificantly increased chance of misjump and loss of the craft.
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
Begs the question of how you can fit a jump drive and fuel into something that weighs in around 50kg and can be launched from a missile turret. I mean, at that point we're talking 1/10th the mass of a sub-compact hyper alloy ground car.
The smallest jump capable message torpedoes are the Type-S Scout/Courier and the XBoat.
Anything smaller than 100 tons cannot jump.
If you're trying to be consistent with the LBB2 drive potential table formula ('77 rules), minimum possible size is in the ballpark of 5.6 tons. High Guard can do it in close to 5 tons at TL-15 if the 1Td drive and fuel (incl. powerplant) minimum sizes are kept.
I vote no. I didn't even know jump torpedoes even existed until after they were de-canonized.
when I got back into Traveller with T20, it was 'space vessels under 100 dTons can't jump'. I couldn't see why it wasn't even a little bit possible, but I went along with it for the OTUness.
but then I came across TNE 1248 and under 100 dTon vessels being jump capable, but it was possibly unsafe, as compared to 100+ dTon vessels. since this fit my view of Traveller, this made me happy.
in the end, the way Traveller rules are between the different Traveller systems, jump torpedoes are not cannon, but if you want/need them in your campaign, use them.
when I got back into Traveller with T20, it was 'space vessels under 100 dTons can't jump'. I couldn't see why it wasn't even a little bit possible, but I went along with it for the OTUness.
but then I came across TNE 1248 and under 100 dTon vessels being jump capable, but it was possibly unsafe, as compared to 100+ dTon vessels. since this fit my view of Traveller, this made me happy.
in the end, the way Traveller rules are between the different Traveller systems, jump torpedoes are not cannon, but if you want/need them in your campaign, use them.
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
How do you fit a 20 ton starship bridge into a 5 ton small craft?
Right ... Ancients ...
HG Rule: Computer plus seats replaces bridge on small craft, gets downrated by 1 mod number.How do you fit a 20 ton starship bridge into a 5 ton small craft?
...
Derived House-Rule: Computer plus seats replaces bridge on jump-capable small craft, gets downrated by 2 mod numbers. Torps are on autopilot so no seats. (This is how I pulled that off. Thread: "The Littlest Starship". )
Alternative House-Rule (for jumpable small craft or small starships): If starship bridge is replaced by 4Td small craft bridge, computer replaces the other 16Td of starship bridge but is only downrated by 1 mod number instead of 2. (Thread: "The Littlest Starship Goes a-Trading".)
Note that the Mod/3bis (and larger bis models) existed in LBB2 '77, but they're insanely expensive compared to regular computers.
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Legit.
He's de-canonized them for now. XD
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
You could surround the canon shell with a discarding sabot making up the difference from the core tonnage and minimum, that separates after exiting jumpspace.
Lanthanum-metallized 13,500m^3 mylar balloon, inflated with a puff of hydrogen from the fuel tank. Done.
I've heard this one. Also heard the "expanding bamboo frame" bit too.
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
Something that you CAN do is basically a "jump sled" kind of arrangement.
100 ton hull with jump drive, power plant, fuel, bridge and computer ... and then like a 40-50 ton small craft with 4 ton starship staterooms that (internally) docks with the jump sled and uses its maneuver drive to "tug" the jump sled around. Kind of a battle-rider(ish) arrangement with the crew living in the small craft.
100 ton hull with jump drive, power plant, fuel, bridge and computer ... and then like a 40-50 ton small craft with 4 ton starship staterooms that (internally) docks with the jump sled and uses its maneuver drive to "tug" the jump sled around. Kind of a battle-rider(ish) arrangement with the crew living in the small craft.
Slightly off-topic but related:
That idea works a little better from a rules-lawyering perspective as a 100Td jump sled with a 99Td rider.
Carry on.
That idea works a little better from a rules-lawyering perspective as a 100Td jump sled with a 99Td rider.
Carry on.
Extra credit: Reduce the size of the rider and incorporate drop tanks into the combined ship, keeping the total tonnage below 200Td and the jump sled at 100Td. Optimize that combination.Slightly off-topic but related:
That idea works a little better from a rules-lawyering perspective as a 100Td jump sled with a 99Td rider.
Carry on.
Carry on.
(That ought to keep him busy for a few minutes...)
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
I doubt I've missed any possible loopholes in getting the ballast upto hundred tonnes.
One question using the fabric or material to create an empty volume, is what happens if there is a tear or it's blown away while in jumpspace, assuming it qualifies as the necessary volume.
One question using the fabric or material to create an empty volume, is what happens if there is a tear or it's blown away while in jumpspace, assuming it qualifies as the necessary volume.
Fair point.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
My assumption has been is the volume of the starship varies by one percent while in jumpspace, the jump bubble destabilizes.
AnotherDilbert
SOC-14 1K
Sure, but that "for now" has stood unchanged and even amplified for well over forty years. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to change...
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
To jump you require a jump cassette of your chosen route or the generate program, there is no sophont involvement beyond installing and running the jump program.
