What works? How are ships and vehicles armed?

[kilemall]

An armed trader is much cheaper, with much more payload:

AG-4622231-030000-14001-0        MCr 153         400 Dton
bearing     2     11  7                            Crew=9
batteries   2     11  7                             TL=12
                        Cargo=185 Fuel=100 EP=8 Agility=1

Spoiler:

Single Occupancy                                  185       153,3
                                     USP    #     Dton       Cost
Hull, Streamlined   Custom             4          400        
Configuration       Flattened Sphe     6                     32
Scoops              Streamlined                               0,4
                                                             
Jump Drive          D                  2    1      25        40
Manoeuvre D         D                  2    1       7        16
Power Plant         D                  2    1      13        32
Fuel, #J, #weeks    J-2, 4 weeks            2      20        
Purifier                                    1       6         0,0
                                                             
Bridge                                      1      20         2
Computer            m/3                3    1       3        18
                                                             
Staterooms                                  9      36         4,5
                                                             
Cargo                                             185        
Demountable Tanks   J-2                     1      80         0,1
                                                             
Mixed Turret        Full                    1       1        
  Weapon            Missile            1    2                 1,5
  Weapon            Pulse              1    1                 0,5
Mixed Turret        Full                    2       2        
  Weapon            Missile            1    2                 3
  Weapon            Sand               3    1                 0,5
Mixed Turret        Full                    1       2        
  Weapon            Missile            1    1                 0,8
  Weapon            Fusion             4    1                 2
                                                             
Nominal Cost        MCr 153,26           Sum:     185       153,3
Class Cost          MCr  32,18          Valid      ≥0          ≥0
Ship Cost           MCr 122,61                                
                                                             
                                                             
Crew &               High     0        Crew          Bridge     2
Passengers            Mid     0           9       Engineers     2
                      Low     0                     Gunners     4
                 Extra SR     0      Frozen         Service     1
               # Frozen W     0           0          Flight     0
                  Marines     0                     Marines     0

Estimated Economy of Ship     Custom                   No subsidy      
       Ship price     Down Payment         Mortgage       Avg Filled
       MCr 153,26       kCr 32 185          kCr 639              80%
                                                             
Expenses per jump                       Revenue              
Bank                Cr 306 520          High           Cr       0
Fuel                Cr  10 000          Middle         Cr       0
Life Support        Cr  18 000          Low            Cr       0
Salaries            Cr  13 920          Cargo          Cr 148 000
Maintenance         Cr   6 130                         Cr    
Berthing            Cr     400                                
                                                             
Summa              kCr     355                        kCr     148
                                                             
     Income potential per jump     kCr -207                
  Yearly yield on down payment     -16,1%

Still unprofitable, of course...

All of which shows that having that mortgage handled by subsidy, owned outright or patron, makes such vanity wanna do type ships in the realm of possibility.

Earn your playstyle.

 

[Badenov]

Nice idea, but too expensive in CT. High acceleration is much cheaper with access to LBB2 drives, just outrun the attacker.

Clip for space

Both are astronomically uneconomical, but the fast ship is much cheaper and has more payload space.

So the same fast ship in LBB5 has 16T less cargo space than the armored ship and is about 9MCr more expensive, and is still vulnerable due to low computer rating. I guess I will have to learn the LBB2 way.

An armed trader is much cheaper, with much more payload:

Cip for space again

Still unprofitable, of course...

And with the original problem: vulnerable to everything.

The fast ship, at -7 to be hit betweeen agility and size, will at least avoid most attacks. The above-referenced Merc Cruiser would need box cars to hit, if computers were even. They're not in the designs, but the suggested designs could be bumped up, if at some additional expense.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

So the same fast ship in LBB5 has 16T less cargo space than the armored ship and is about 9MCr more expensive, and is still vulnerable due to low computer rating. I guess I will have to learn the LBB2 way.

At lower tech levels, LBB2 drives are cheaper. Small traders use them, and entire LBB2 ships for a reason.

And with the original problem: vulnerable to everything.

Quite, but can do serious damage to the pirate, making it unsustainable for the pirate to attack...
Instead of being invulnerable or unhittable, it discourages attacks.

The fast ship, at -7 to be hit betweeen agility and size, will at least avoid most attacks. The above-referenced Merc Cruiser would need box cars to hit, if computers were even. They're not in the designs, but the suggested designs could be bumped up, if at some additional expense.

A) Run away before combat.
B) If caught in combat, run away (Breaking off by Acceleration).

The Type C, or any other typical small "pirate" at 3-4 G, has no chance to keep up...


The point is: Don't win combat, avoid combat, it just isn't profitable...

If you want to win combat, you should be fast, armoured, and armed, and we have left the realm of traders far behind...

 

[Badenov]

At lower tech levels, LBB2 drives are cheaper. Small traders use them, and entire LBB2 ships for a reason.



Quite, but can do serious damage to the pirate, making it unsustainable for the pirate to attack...
Instead of being invulnerable or unhittable, it discourages attacks.

Yes, though the pirate still is offered the chance to find out.

A) Run away before combat.

If your sensors allow you to avoid ambush, absolutely do so.

B) If caught in combat, run away (Breaking off by Acceleration).

In which case, you still take 1 round of attacks, though at Thrust 6, even if you take a Maneuver-1 hit, you can still get away because of this:

The Type C, or any other typical small "pirate" at 3-4 G, has no chance to keep up...

True

The point is: Don't win combat, avoid combat, it just isn't profitable...

If you want to win combat, you should be fast, armoured, and armed, and we have left the realm of traders far behind...

Yes, and that ^ was the original discussion in this thread.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Yes, and that ^ was the original discussion in this thread.

Ah, yes, OK.

First:

That would depend on which ruleset you're working with.

CT LBB2 is about massed laser fire, I vaguely believe.
CT LBB5 is all about nukes and spinals.
MT is basically a copy of LBB5.
TNE is about overpowered lasers at long range.
MgT1 came down to structurally reinforced fighters abusing the barrage table, IIRC.
MgT2'16 was all about fighters and battleships with missiles and spinals.
MgT2'22 seems to be all about bays, I believe.
T5, well who knows?, but perhaps linked particle barbettes?



Using LBB5 a small warship is basically a size A (1000-1999 Dt), agility-6 craft with max computer and a missile bay, or at lower TLs missile turrets and heavy armour (planetoid hulls). Might be a ship at higher TLs, or a rider at lower TLs.

With even token armour only spinals can knock ships out of combat, nukes can only cause repairable damage.

Smaller ships are speed bumps, fighters are only useful if the enemy can't hit them.

 

[Spinward Flow]

The above-referenced Merc Cruiser would need box cars to hit, if computers were even.

And therein lies the rub.
The Mercenary Cruiser has a model/5 computer installed (MCr45, 5 tons, TL=B, EP=3) in an 800 ton hull.
The LBB2.81 (published) price for a Mercenary Cruiser is (rounding off for convenience) ... MCr446.

In other words, the cost of the computer is 10% of the price for the entire starship.



Needless to say, there is not a single merchant starship design that spends as much as 10% of the class design cost on their computer.
Pretty much all merchant starship designs (published in LBBs) are extremely determined to install the absolute bare minimum computer model to let them jump ... and no more than that.

Point being, the whole "if the computers were even" point comes with an entire shaker laden with sodium chloride.

Combatant class designs invest in "more computer than you need to jump" in order to keep pace with near peer competitors (who shoot at you).

Merchant class designs invest in "the absolute bare minimum needed to jump and no more" for their computers in order to keep construction/down payment/maintenance/bank financing costs as low as possible in an effort to turn a profit on their operations.

In other words, expecting a merchant or a small craft to have a model/5 computer installed is an inherently unreasonable expectation. It CAN be done, but it basically "won't happen" with profit oriented merchant designs.

Yes, though the pirate still is offered the chance to find out.

"I can handle professionals. Unfortunately, this galaxy is full of amateurs."

The point is: Don't win combat, avoid combat, it just isn't profitable...

Funny, I thought someone had already said that and elaborated on the point ... more than once.
Probably just imagining things (again) ...

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Funny, I thought someone had already said that and elaborated on the point ...

Not surprisingly, as we (and many others) agree on that point.

 

[Badenov]

And therein lies the rub.
The Mercenary Cruiser has a model/5 computer installed (MCr45, 5 tons, TL=B, EP=3) in an 800 ton hull.
The LBB2.81 (published) price for a Mercenary Cruiser is (rounding off for convenience) ... MCr446.

In other words, the cost of the computer is 10% of the price for the entire starship.

Yes

Needless to say, there is not a single merchant starship design that spends as much as 10% of the class design cost on their computer.
Pretty much all merchant starship designs (published in LBBs) are extremely determined to install the absolute bare minimum computer model to let them jump ... and no more than that.

Point being, the whole "if the computers were even" point comes with an entire shaker laden with sodium chloride.

Yes

Combatant class designs invest in "more computer than you need to jump" in order to keep pace with near peer competitors (who shoot at you).

Merchant class designs invest in "the absolute bare minimum needed to jump and no more" for their computers in order to keep construction/down payment/maintenance/bank financing costs as low as possible in an effort to turn a profit on their operations.

In other words, expecting a merchant or a small craft to have a model/5 computer installed is an inherently unreasonable expectation. It CAN be done, but it basically "won't happen" with profit oriented merchant designs.

So, this basically makes the agility defense ineffective. Agility 6 doesn't buy you much if your opponent has you 5 to 2 on computer level.

"I can handle professionals. Unfortunately, this galaxy is full of amateurs."

Sadly, I resemble this remark.

 

[kilemall]

I believe the idea with high agility is not avoiding shots but not taking more than 1-2 shots before break off.

So in dangerous space, a more realistic option would be convoys, or chartering a combat ship.

That would involve having shipping fees that cover the costs, or perhaps more appropriately speculation cargo with extra DMs for the hazard.

Advantage of enabling escort tickets is that then there is a business model to support the more combative play style some may prefer.

 

[Spinward Flow]

Not surprisingly, as we (and many others) agree on that point.

Actually, I was thinking that LBB S7, p23 said it first ...

Some well equipped high-G traders employed beyond the Imperial border are called fast traders.

The challenge is to work out a starship design that can legitimately be called a "fast trader" ...

 

[AnotherDilbert]

The point is: Don't win combat, avoid combat, it just isn't profitable...

Funny, I thought someone had already said that and elaborated on the point ...

Not surprisingly, as we (and many others) agree on that point.

Actually, I was thinking that LBB S7, p23 said it first ...

I think you lost the quote thread there.

 

[Spinward Flow]

So, this basically makes the agility defense ineffective. Agility 6 doesn't buy you much if your opponent has you 5 to 2 on computer level.

Agility ALONE is "not enough" by itself.
You also need a "powerful computer" IN ADDITION to high agility in order to reach the "untouchable" ideal.

It's not a SINGLE factor, it's a confluence of factors.

When tech levels are low (9-12) so are the computer model numbers.

• TL=7-8 ... model/2, EP=0, 2 tons
• TL=9 ... model/3, EP=1, 3 tons
• TL=A ... model/4, EP=2, 4 tons
• TL=B ... model/5, EP=3, 5 tons
• TL=C ... model/6, EP=5, 7 tons

This is why small craft fighters are "more viable" as combatants down around TL=9-10, but start becoming obsolete by TL=11-12 ... simply because of the amount of (uncompressable) tonnage that the computers require. Not just the tonnage (and cost!) of the computers themselves, but also the tonnage (and COST!) of the power plant+fuel that are needed to sustain them ... over and above the requirements for maximum agility.

The simple fact of the matter is that the (humble? ) model/2 computer is the last "cheap" computer that can be put into a combatant craft. That's because model/3+ computers all require EPs ... which @ TL=9-12 are NOT CHEAP by any means to construct.

In a TL=9-12 context, perhaps a better way to think about the "expense" of better computers would be to aggregate their entire cost (tonnage and MCr) for both the computer AND the power plant tonnage needed to supply the necessary EP (using LBB5.80).

• TL=7-8 ... model/2, 2+0=2 tons, MCr9
• TL=9 ... model/3, 3+3=6 tons, MCr27
• TL=A ... model/4, 4+6=10 tons, MCr48
• TL=B ... model/5, 5+9=14 tons, MCr72
• TL=C ... model/6, 7+15=22 tons, MCr100

Remember ... hull, jump+maneuver+more power plant+weaponry+Stuffs™ costs "extra" on top of the cost for "just the computer" shown in that table.

Note that this means that a J1 Free Trader (the whole starship, complete) costs LESS than the price of a model/4 computer plus 6 tons of power plant to generate the 2 EP that the computer uses @ TL=A. Likewise, a J2 Far Trader (the whole starship, complete) costs LESS than the price of a model/5 computer plus 9 tons of power plant to generate the 3 EP that the computer uses @ TL=B.

Higher tech levels (D+) bring those costs down (in tonnage and MCr) due to power plants becoming more efficient, but still ... "big" computers are EXPENSIVE, in ways that can impact "bang for buck" calculations of the budget conscious. Besides, at higher tech levels, the "computer overmatch" game moves from small craft to big craft (100+ tons) anyway.

 

[Badenov]

Agility ALONE is "not enough" by itself.
You also need a "powerful computer" IN ADDITION to high agility in order to reach the "untouchable" ideal.

I agree, but it sounds like you need the Model/6 computer to be cutting edge at TL12. At 55MCr, that's a big chunk of change. Not something a poor freight hauler's going to have.

Higher tech levels (D+) bring those costs down (in tonnage and MCr) due to power plants becoming more efficient, but still ... "big" computers are EXPENSIVE, in ways that can impact "bang for buck" calculations of the budget conscious. Besides, at higher tech levels, the "computer overmatch" game moves from small craft to big craft (100+ tons) anyway.

Yes.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

I agree, but it sounds like you need the Model/6 computer to be cutting edge at TL12. At 55MCr, that's a big chunk of change. Not something a poor freight hauler's going to have.

For a warship you need the best computer available to be able to hit anything.

For a low end ship it's a question of what the cheapest defence is. For a small ship Ag-6 is cheaper than a m/6 computer. Having both would be better, but even more expensive.

Both agility and computers get exponentially expensive as you increase the factor. You end up with some combination of both.

It's not as if some random pirate will have maximised military equipment either. If you end up fighting a warship, you die horribly in any low end ship.

 

[Spinward Flow]

I agree, but it sounds like you need the Model/6 computer to be cutting edge at TL12. At 55MCr, that's a big chunk of change. Not something a poor freight hauler's going to have.

My point exactly.
In a LOT of cases, even a model/4+ is going to be something of a rarity in a TL=A-C merchant starship design.
And @ TL=9, the best you can do is model/3 anyway ... so ...

This is where the "specialization of craft" becomes advantageous.
You can have a "slow" merchant with "modest" drive power and computer ... but as soon as you throw in an escorting small craft optimized for combat, you kind of get the best of both worlds.

Trying to outfit a big craft (like a starship) with powerful maneuver drive+power plant AND computer AND weapon systems AND jump drive AND lots of revenue tonnage to pay the bills ... usually won't work out that well. A "big craft" like a starship needs "lots of drives" (which are expensive) in both tonnage and MCr terms before you stack on the expenses of the computer ... all of which eat into the revenue tonnage fraction of the design (and therefore, the profit potential) which then makes it difficult to break even on operating expenses. You'll be very SAFE ... in your descent into bankruptcy as a business.

Building "concentrated" combat capabilities into a small craft though, capable of operating independently of the parent craft, makes possible "screening tactics" and maximizes the "fighting potential" needed into the smallest possible form factor (which makes those capabilities as cheap as possible). You then use the small craft fighter as a "mobile turret" that is optimized for combat, allowing your starship design to be optimized for commerce and profits.

A different way to analyze the alternatives would be to think of it like this.
A 20 ton escort fighter with a 2 man crew "organic" to a parent starship would cost all of 28 tons from the hull budget of the starship (20 tons for the small craft, 8 tons for the 2x staterooms for the pilot and gunner accommodations on the starship). The fighter is "short range" (acceleration couches on the bridge, only) and therefore "tethered" to the starship's location in both normal space and jump space.

In a 200 ton starship, 28 tons is a 14% fraction of the hull displacement.
+1 maneuver drive code factor (LBB5.80) costs +3% of the hull displacement.
+1 power plant code factor (LBB5.80) @ TL=9-12 also costs +3% of the hull displacement for the power plant itself, plus an additional +1% of the hull displacement for additional minimum fuel.

In other words, +1 maneuver and +1 agility costs ... 7% of the hull displacement.
+2 maneuver/agility will therefore cost ... a 14% fraction of the hull displacement (when using LBB5.80 custom drives, LBB2.81 "standard" letter drives scale differently).

So if you're starting with a J1/1G/PP1/Agility=1 with a model/1 computer Free Trader (using LBB5.80 custom drives), you can spend 28 29 tons on increasing your drive performance to a J1/3G/PP3/Agility=3 with a model/2 computer starship design ... OR ... you can spend those 28 tons on a 20 ton Escort Fighter capable of 6G/PP11/Agility=6 with a model/3 computer small craft design plus 2 starship staterooms on the starship for the pilot and gunner you keep on payroll so they can rest up between deployments.

The difference between those 2 options is that in a LBB5.80 combat sequence, the 6G/Agility=6 Escort Fighter with computer model/3 gets put on the Line of Battle (to exchange fire) while the J1/1G/PP1/Agility=1 starship with a model/1 computer stays in the Reserve (too far away to be shot at). The starship is basically attempting to Break Off By Acceleration each combat turn, and because the starship is in the Reserve, it gets a +2 Agility bonus when trying to escape (which is exactly the same as what the drive upgrade would have given, but the starship would have needed to be in the Line of Battle and getting shot at).



And just in case you're wondering whether or not it's possible to make a 20 ton small craft Fighter with a model/3 computer @ TL=9 ... well ... it is.

---

Fighter Provincial (Type-FP, TL=9)
20 ton small craft hull, configuration: 1 (MCr2.4)
0 tons for Armor: 0 (TL=9)
3.4 tons for LBB5.80 custom Maneuver-6 (Agility=6 requires 1.2 EP) (MCr1.7)
6.6 tons for LBB5.80 custom Power Plant-B (EP=2.2) (MCr19.8)
1 ton for fuel (8d 23h 23m endurance @ 2.2 EP output continuous)
4 tons for bridge (crew: 2, pilot, gunner, acceleration couches life support endurance: 12-24 hours) (MCr0.1)
3 tons for model/3 computer (TL=9, EP: 1) (MCr18)
1 ton for fire control of LBB2.81 hardpoint+triple turret: missile, missile, missile (TL=9, batteries: 3, codes: 1/1/1, EP: 0, 3 missiles per battery, 12 reloads in turret shared between missile launchers) (MCr3.35)
* External Docking: 150 tons capacity (MCr0.3)
1 ton for cargo hold

• Demountable Fuel Tank = 1 ton (MCr0.001)

= 0+3.4+6.6+1+4+3+1+1 = 20 tons
= 2.4+0+1.7+19.8+0.1+18+3.35+0.3+0.001 = MCr45.651 (21x HE Missiles = MCr0.105, bought after completing construction)

• 1G = 3.4/0.02 = 170 - 20 = 150 tons external load
• 2G = 3.4/0.05 = 68 - 20 = 48 tons external load
• 3G = 3.4/0.08 ≈ 42 - 20 = 22 tons external load
• 4G = 3.4/0.11 ≈ 30 - 20 = 10 tons external load
• 5G = 3.4/0.14 ≈ 24 - 20 = 4 tons external load
• 6G = 3.4/0.17 = 20 - 20 = 0 tons external load

---

A tad pricey @ ~MCr46 ... but you get a very potent package deal for it.

• Hull Size = -2 DM
• Agility = -6 DM
• Computer = -3 DM

So defensively, it's got a -11 DM going for it.

Against aggressors that also have a model/3 computer, enemy weapons with a base to hit of 5 due to weapon code factor will need to roll 13+ on 2D6 to hit the Fighter Provincial. So only missiles code: 5+ (18 per battery @ TL: 7-12 or 12 per battery @ TL: 13+) or beams code: 8+ (30 beam lasers @ TL: 7-12 or 21 beam lasers @ TL: 13+) (20 fusion guns @ TL: 12 or 16 fusion guns @ TL: 14) will have a chance to hit on a roll of 12 on 2D6.

If both sides are limited to TL=9 ... that could be "game set match" right there if the opposition isn't fielding "big enough batteries" to connect (for damage) against the Fighter Provincial.

Against higher tech level (and larger displacement) opposition, capable of using higher computer models (4+), this defensive advantage "erodes" ... but will continue to be effective against "most" opponents who can be classified as "low end threats" that are more of a "policing" problem (pirates) rather than a direct military type of challenge to naval supremacy.

The reason why the design doesn't have a sandcaster is because @ TL=9 a single sandcaster would only be code: 2 and almost worthless against anything with enough weapon code factor + computer model to actually be able to hit the fighter (penetration of defense would be almost automatic, negating the value of having a sandcaster).

 

[kilemall]

I think you should look at a triple sandcaster for passive defense for merchant ships. Not so useless and usable against both lasers and missiles.

 

[Spinward Flow]

And just in case you're wondering whether or not it's possible to make a 20 ton small craft Fighter with a model/3 computer @ TL=9 ... well ... it is.

---

Fighter Provincial (Type-FP, TL=9)
20 ton small craft hull, configuration: 1 (MCr2.4)
0 tons for Armor: 0 (TL=9)
3.4 tons for LBB5.80 custom Maneuver-6 (Agility=6 requires 1.2 EP) (MCr1.7)
6.6 tons for LBB5.80 custom Power Plant-B (EP=2.2) (MCr19.8)
1 ton for fuel (8d 23h 23m endurance @ 2.2 EP output continuous)
4 tons for bridge (crew: 2, pilot, gunner, acceleration couches life support endurance: 12-24 hours) (MCr0.1)
3 tons for model/3 computer (TL=9, EP: 1) (MCr18)
1 ton for fire control of LBB2.81 hardpoint+triple turret: missile, missile, missile (TL=9, batteries: 3, codes: 1/1/1, EP: 0, 3 missiles per battery, 12 reloads in turret shared between missile launchers) (MCr3.35)
* External Docking: 150 tons capacity (MCr0.3)
1 ton for cargo hold

• Demountable Fuel Tank = 1 ton (MCr0.001)

= 0+3.4+6.6+1+4+3+1+1 = 20 tons
= 2.4+0+1.7+19.8+0.1+18+3.35+0.3+0.001 = MCr45.651 (21x HE Missiles = MCr0.105, bought after completing construction)

• 1G = 3.4/0.02 = 170 - 20 = 150 tons external load
• 2G = 3.4/0.05 = 68 - 20 = 48 tons external load
• 3G = 3.4/0.08 ≈ 42 - 20 = 22 tons external load
• 4G = 3.4/0.11 ≈ 30 - 20 = 10 tons external load
• 5G = 3.4/0.14 ≈ 24 - 20 = 4 tons external load
• 6G = 3.4/0.17 = 20 - 20 = 0 tons external load

Following up, here is what happens when you take the above small craft design mission parameters and try to shoehorn a model/4 computer into the hull.

---

Fighter Provincial (Type-FP, TL=A)
30 ton small craft hull, configuration: 1 (MCr3.24)
0 tons for Armor: 0 (TL=9)
5.1 tons for LBB5.80 custom Maneuver-6 (Agility=6 requires 1.8 EP) (MCr2.55)
11.7 tons for LBB5.80 custom Power Plant-D (EP=3.9) (MCr35.1)
1.2 tons for fuel (6d 05h 53m endurance @ 3.8 EP output continuous)
6 tons for bridge (crew: 2, pilot, gunner, acceleration couches life support endurance: 12-24 hours) (MCr0.15)
4 tons for model/4 computer (TL=A, EP: 2) (MCr30)
1 ton for triple turret: missile, missile, missile (TL=A, batteries: 3, codes: 1/1/1, EP: 0, 3 missiles per battery, 12 reloads in turret shared between missile launchers) (MCr3.35)
* External Docking: 225 tons capacity (MCr0.45)
1 ton for cargo hold

• Demountable Fuel Tank = 1 tons (MCr0.001)

= 0+5.1+11.7+1.2+6+4+1+1 = 30 tons
= 3.24+0+2.55+35.1+0.15+30+3.35+0.45+0.001 = MCr74.841 (21x HE Missiles = MCr0.105, bought after completing construction)

• 1G = 255 - 30 = 225 tons external load
• 2G = 102 - 30 = 72 tons external load
• 3G = 63 - 30 = 33 tons external load
• 4G = 46 - 30 = 16 tons external load
• 5G = 36 - 30 = 6 tons external load
• 6G = 30 - 30 = 0 tons external load

---

TL=9 ... 20 ton 6G Fighter with model/3 computer ... MCr45.651 ... = MCr2.28255 per ton
TL=A ... 30 ton 6G Fighter with model/4 computer ... MCr74.841 ... = MCr2.4947 per ton

As you can see, what amounts to a +1 TL increase, enabling a +1 computer model increase, requires:

• +50% more small craft tonnage (30 vs 20)
• +64% more construction cost per fighter (5:3 price ratio per craft)

However, that computer model increase makes a LOT of engagements "easier to survive" (without taking any battle damage) while conversely making it "easier to inflict damage" with your own missiles on adversaries, so the investment is almost certainly "worth it" ... provided you can afford the step up to TL=A.

Oh and as a side benefit of moving to TL=A ... the external towing capacity increases to 225 tons ... which is sufficient to externally tow a 200 ton big craft (accounting for the 110% tonnage equivalency of big craft) @ 1G. So such a fighter craft would be able to "rescue" Free/Far Traders that have lost maneuver authority and are in distress.