What meaning is "T" of the patrol cruiser?

[magmagmag]

I have a simple question.
What meaning is "T" of the patrol cruiser's type?
Which document should I look for?

 

[robject]

I'm not sure if there's an original document pointing to it, but it probably is the "T" in PaTrol.

But, I know there are a few "taxonomies" of ship codes for Traveller...

 

[aramis]

T probably derives from the USN TB-__ hull codes, short for Torpedo Boat.

 

[Gadrin]

That's easy, look at the shape of the thing

 

[Tysis]

In one of the game editions (I forget which) there was a list of codes that denoted a ship's function. There were two codes that could be used: one was primary and one was a qualifier (I think that is what it is called).

Anyway, T was one of the items on the list. Perhaps someone can point out which book this was in?

 

[tjoneslo]

Traveller Wiki to the Rescue - Ship Type Codes

Reference from Book 5, and the MT Referee's Manual

The type T in these lists does not match what the Type T for the patrol cruiser. If using these codes, it should probably be a type F (Frigate) (it's not large enough to be a real cruiser, though if the Mercenary Cruiser is one, and the 1200 ton ship is a battleship, The 400 ton patrol cruiser can be a cruiser as well.

 

[robject]

In one of the game editions (I forget which) there was a list of codes that denoted a ship's function. There were two codes that could be used: one was primary and one was a qualifier (I think that is what it is called).

Anyway, T was one of the items on the list. Perhaps someone can point out which book this was in?

Oh alright.

There's one in High Guard, page 26. "T" there means Tanker or Tender.

MegaTraveller has the same identical table, Referee's Manual, page 84.

A T5 draft has "T" for small starships meaning "Military Cruiser", but for big starships it still means Tanker or Tender.

No help there. Military Cruiser, given the primary assumption that we're talking about small starships, is the closest thing I can find to matching the Type T. And it seems that that's generic enough of a term to include the 1200t Kinunir "battle" cruiser and the militarized 1800t Scout Cruiser...

 

[Whipsnade]

Robject,

First: The patrol cruiser was designed well before LBB:5 remember, so the codes don't apply.

Second: We also need to remember that the vessel's original designation in LBB:2 is Type T. This means that, when the design was 'ported into HG2, part of the original designation was kept; T, and added to the designator for "patrol"; P. Hence; TP.


Have fun,
Bill

 

[robject]

Interesting that the LBB "T" didn't suit High Guard.

[...]when the design was 'ported into HG2, part of the original designation was kept; T, and added to the designator for "patrol"; P. Hence; TP.

Hey Bill, I'm having trouble digging up this reference. Clues please?

 

[magmagmag]

Thank you everybody

Thank you everybody during short time.
I got some knowledge.
These information is useful in Japanese community.

 

[Bob Weaver]

Interesting that the LBB "T" didn't suit High Guard.



Hey Bill, I'm having trouble digging up this reference. Clues please?

Indeed, so am I. The Bk2 Type T does not appear in HG2, Fighting Ships or Traders and Gunboats. I have deckplans from FASA's Adventure Class ships, but there the HG description lists it as simply type T. From HG2, page 26 code T is for Tanker/Tender and code P as a qualifier stands for Provincial, not Patrol. As a small ship (and TL 12 design) in the big Imperium, it makes sense that this craft is relegated to provincial status. There is no "patrol' designation in the HG2 code lists.

Cheers,

Bob W.

 

[Antony]

IMTU it refers to the specification documents in this case T400/11 which issued the required specifications for a broad variety of classes from TL11 up that could fill what became known as the type T specifications. Similary specifications were issued over the years for the type S100/9 Scout/Courier, type L400/9 Laboratory ship etc. As technology improved the specifications were amended to incorporate some of this but the core specifications remained unchanged.

 

[Whipsnade]

Indeed, so am I.

Rob & Bob,

Let me plead cranial flatulence in this one. I'm on a biz trip and don't have the Reprint with me. I have seen a HG2 versions of the Type T, they must have been fan efforts however and I mistakenly remembered them as published. (I could have sworn there's an HG2 Type T listed in one or more adventures. Anyone care to check Expedition to Zhodane or Leviathan?)

A lack of "mental beano" means that I also conflated "provincial" with "patrol". However, as Bob wisely points out, either designator works well for the Type T.

All in all, and despite my idiocy, the problem still seems to be Yet Another LBB:2 to LBB:5 translation error.


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Ishmael]

I found it.
First published that I know of in..

FASA Adventure Class Ships Vol.2

LuruShaar Kilaalum Class type 'T' patrol cruiser

"Fuel is stored in ship's sweeping wings."

 

[atpollard]

Patrol Cruiser (type T): Using a custom 400-ton hull, the patrol cruiser is a military vessel used for customs inspections, piracy suppression, and normal safety patrols. It has jump drive-F, maneuver drive-H, and power plant-H, giving the ship performance of jump3 and 4-G acceleration. Fuel tankage of 120 tons supports the power plant and allows one jump-3. Adjacent to the bridge is a Model/3 computer. There are twelve staterooms and four low berths. There are four triple turrets installed, with fire control; two mount lasers and two mount missile racks. A GCarrier and a ship's boat are carried. There is a 50-ton cargo bay, and the ship is streamlined.

The patrol cruiser has a crew of 18: pilot, navigator, three engineers, medic, four gunners, and eight troops for boarding parties. Double occupancy for the gunners and troops is required. The ship costs hilCr221.04 and takes 14 months to build.

... it also appears in The Traveller Book, 1982 ed., pg 59.

 

[Border Reiver]

... it also appears in The Traveller Book, 1982 ed., pg 59.

Yeah but FASA did the first High Guard iteration of it in Adventure Class Ships Vol. 2.

Expedition to Zhodane does some nice looking 600ton Patrol Corvettes but no Type T equivalent.

 

[boomslang]

Expedition to Zhodane does some nice looking 600ton Patrol Corvettes but no Type T equivalent.

Yes, but --

1) They're Zhodani designs, and therefore unlikely to be commonly-available to gung-ho PC "adventurer" types in the same manner a Type T might be.

2) As commissioned, they favor Fighters & boaters in lieu of vehicles & troops.

3) They're TL14 HG designs, and need a little work to redesign down to the B2 or ACS level (although I have a B2 Shivva conversion that I'm pretty proud of)...

 

[Gadrin]

The letter probably doesn't mean anything other than a designation, as the Type A Free Trader is probably just the first official craft they came up with and the letter isn't part of the name or the craft-type.

The Corsair was Type P -- for "Pirate" ?
The Seeker was Type J -- for ???

So they probably used the obvious letters where possible, then gravitated to what was left over.

High Guard designations came later.


>

 

[Whipsnade]

Ishmael - Thanks for calming an old man's fears of creeping senility. I had those deckplans a loooong time ago, so that's where the stray memory most likely came from.


AT - Yup, that's the LBB;2 version. I think (and I'm usually wrong!) that Robject was referring to the HG2 version however. Specifically the type codes.

Boomslang - Expedition to Zhodane also includes several Imperial and neutral ship designs. There's an encounter table for all the systems on the adventure's map. The GM uses it whenever "Rock' or "Pebble" may be spotted. IIRC, you roll up either lone ship, squadron, or fleet encounters - although the squadron/fleet encounters only involve the escorts attached to those formations. (I'd love to see your LBB:2 Shivva!)


Thanks to all,
Bill

 

[boomslang]

(I'd love to see your LBB:2 Shivva!)

Because it's the sort of thing a Type T in a B2TU might encounter (or more charitably, a flight of Type Ts might encounter), here you go:

600 dton unstreamlined hull, military drives & sensors

jump-M         65 dt (jump-4)
manuever-F     11    (2-G)
power-M        37    (level-4)
bridge         20
comp 4fib       4    (HG1)
jump fuel     240    (4 parsecs)
power fuel     40    (4 weeks [add'l storage on slow pinnace])
9 states       36    (p, n, 3e, m, 10f, 2g/f; dbl. occ.)
10 fighters   100
slow pinnace   40
fire ctrl       6    (2 x 3 laser, 2 x 3 missile, 2 x 3 sand)
hold            1    (stores, magazine, etc.)
             ----
              600


fighters

  Book 2 standard, military
  3 missile
  1 dt magazine aboard


slow pinnace

  Book 2 standard, military
  1 sand, 2 missile
  .6 dt magazine aboard (12 rnds. any type)
  30 dt cgo, w/cutter fuel skim module


with the Navigator or a Boater/Gunner serving as the Intendant Group Director.

Since she's a little light on Gunners, if you'd like to squeeze in a little more crew & cargo, you can go to 12 staterooms and 9 dtons of non-vehicle "hold" by cutting the powerplant fuel to a 20dton half load, and carrying the slow pinnace with a full load to top off the fighters and the mothership as needed. (But that's not quite within the B2 rules on required tankage; curse you, perfidious Zhodane!).

Also note that's an HG1 fibre-optic only computer as per the Darrian B2 designs: same tonnage as the regular version, 150% the base cost. Gotta love the obscure corners of obsolescent canon sometimes...

And under B2 combat, this darlin' brings 16 hardpoints to the fight, which makes her a bit of a handful; thankfully, she tends to run short on Gunnery crew in routine ops...