OTU Only: What Kind of Ships Does Traveller Need More of?

[aramis]

I voted "other." I think Traveller needs more low-tech ships, by which I mean ships that are only barely jump-capable. What kinds of difficulties would those types of ships have had to have overcome? How did they deal with no [fill-in-high-tech-here]? How can an SDB compensate for low tech weaponry?

I think I just like the challenges.

Well, in MT...
Deep-system capable T-plates are not TL9... they're TL11. (ones that work only within 100 diameters of a body are TL9 - "Antigravity
iikewise, inertial compensators and Gravitic Artificial Gravity art TL10...

So, no continuous-burn paths, freefall when not under acceleration, hard maneuvers make everyone strap in or bounce off the walls... Puts the GG's at jump range, not n-space.

Chem rockets for emergency maneuvers become a good idea, too - because the MT errata cuts the AG thrusters off sharply. (Too bad back in the day we had to wait for Hard Times to get the chem rockets...)

 

[mike wightman]

Not just chemical rockets - Hard Times gives us the tools to build fusion rockets.

You can build experimental fusion rockets at TL8 and regular fusion rockets at TL9.

So you can have a TL9 jump drive on a ship with a fusion rocket, keep the thrust at 1g and you have thrust based artificial gravity, for combat maneuvering it would be a good idea to strap into acceleration couches.

They are very fuel hungry though, so you will need the equivalent of jump fuel tankage for your maneuver drive...

 

[Shadow Shack]

I'm going with "other" and the explanation is "corsairs & pirate ships". Not just standard ships taken over for the purpose of criminal acts, mind you...but bona fide swift & deadly craft for use as adversaries.

 

[BRover]

If we get more Pirates and Corsairs, then we need dedicated APW ships--Pirate hunters. I'm thinking about 1500-2000 tons, give or take, with the weapons and troops to take on a pirate or two. (Assuming most pirate ships would be in the order of 400-800 tons and not designed for real combat.) I'd organize them in flotillas of 4-8 or so.

 

[Condottiere]

Pretty sure that's what they use destroyer escorts for.

If I'm not mistaken, they outgun, outrun and outrange all canonized corsairs.