Zhodani light fighter drone

[AnotherDilbert]

Also note that under Space Combat on p146 we have a paragraph "Automated Positions" that lists different ways of automating crew positions in combat. Among them is "A ship running an Intellect program and Expert Pilot can be the pilot".

I assume this is a list of examples, not an exhaustive list of all possibilities. If the Pilot can be automated, then I assume that Gunners can be automated too.

This means that the effect text of the Expert software on p92 has to be interpreted as follows:

• Expert software packages mimic skills.
• A Traveller using Expert may make a skill check as if he had the skill at the software’s Bandwidth -1. Only INT and EDU-based checks can be attempted. [Intellect software may attempt any check.]
• If a Traveller already has the skill, then Expert grants DM+1 to his check.

Note that Robots and Drone Command Units explicitly use Intellect + Expert for any check.

I allow people to get a DM+1 on any skill check provided the computer has an appropriate interface, e.g. an animated scope on an Intelligent weapon. See p93: "Having a tool or weapon with the appropriate Skill Expert program and an Intelligent Interface can grant a Traveller DM+1 to his checks."

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Another would be to simply add some anti-personnel weapon, like the fusion gun shown in the G-carrier (CB, page 103) or similar.

After all according table in MgT:HG page 61, a 10 dton fighter may have it, aside from its space sized weapon, but I guess that would need also MgT vehicle rules, that I don't have access to

TCS has some examples of added anti-personnel weapons, they are added in small remote turrets (negligible tonnage) at normal cost. E.g. a PGMP-13 would cost kCr 65.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

And, BTW, if you can give an intellect/x to your starship computer for 1-3 ratings and kCr 2-50, Why the Intellect software for starship computers in CB page 113, that needs 10 rating and costs Mcr 1?

Starship Intellect will talk to you and execute routine orders, perhaps opening doors? It will not replace crew.
Personal Intellect will perform specialised tasks for you.
They are not the same thing as far as I understand.

This is obviously silly of me.

For the rules to make any sense Intellect is Intellect...

If Personal Intellect (rating 1) replaces one person, then Ship Intellect (rating 10) has to replace a few persons, say enough to run a small starship? Ship Intellect plus a few instances of Expert still needs significant computer rating (rating 15 - 20).

 

[AnotherDilbert]

So, I don't intend to fight at such long distances you talk about, and, for fighters, I perefer to close soon and even try the straffing run. See that if they reach adjacent distance with larger ships they are at clear advantage, hafing only a -1 distance while the ship having a -2/-3 for most their weapons). This is why I always give them the maximum speed I can.

Even at 12 g it will have some trouble closing in quickly.

How about something like this:

Pouncer-class Ambush Fighter.
Like your 10 Dt drone, but 20 Dt with 10 g plus a 14 g high-burn thruster for a total of 24 g (for a short time).
A fission power plant 1 (sA) giving long-time lurking capability.
Stealth gives at least a chance of ambush.

You can seed it years in advance and let it hide in gas giants, oceans, or caves. With a 24 g burn it can close in from Long to Adjacent in a single round (and from VLong in three rounds or from Distant in six rounds) even if the prey retreats.
So the tactic is to wait until prey comes within Long range, pop out of hiding, and immediately do a Fast Strafing Run.

                                      #    Dton  Adjust    Cost  Adjust
Hull    Hull 0 Struct 1 = 1               20,00            1,20    1,50 
Configuration   Streamlined                                0,12    0,15    
Armour          Bonded         14    14    2,33    2,33    1,40    1,40   
Self-seal                             1                    0,20    0,15   
Stealth                               1                    2,00    1,70
Repair Drones   +Expert&Intellect     1    0,20    0,20    0,19    0,19  
                                
Manoeuvre D     M  = 10   sK          1    5,00    4,50   11,00   13,75
Power Plant     PP = 10   sK          1    3,90    3,90    7,50    7,50   
Fuel, Power     5 days                0,7  0,70    0,70            
Fission Plant   PP =  1   sA          1    2,40    2,40    1,20    1,20   

High-Burn Truster M = 14  sP          1    1,80    1,62    3,60    4,50
Fuel            8 turns               0,8  1,80    1,80    0,02    0,02
                                
Drone Brain                           1    1,50    1,50   10,00   10,00 
Computer        m/2      rat: 10      1                    0,32    0,01 
Fire Control/2           rat: 10      1                    4,00    3,20  

Fixed Mount, Triple                   1    1,00    1,00    0,50    0,50
Particle Beam   VHiYield              1                    4,00    5,00

Anti-personnel  FGMP-14               2                    0,20    0,20 

Sum  (w/o software)                               20,0        MCr 47,8
Sum  (with software)                                          MCr 51,0

 

[Meteoric Assault]

Known by the Imperium as X-310, this drone is the Zhodani space equivalent to their warbots in ground forces:

Item	Description	notes	dton	MCr
Hull S1 streamlined	10 dtons	Hull: 0 Superstructure:1	10	1.1
Armor	Bonded Superdense	9 points	0.75	0.825
Maneuver sF	Gravitic	Thrust 12	3	6
PP sG	Fusion	Rating 12	3	6
Computer	Model 2	rating 10	-	0.16
Electronics	Standard	DM -4	0	-
Drone Core	TL 14	Int: 9 (+1), Edu: 11 (+1)	1.5	10
Weapons	Fixed PB	Accurate, very high yeld, variable range	1	4.5
Fuel	1 week endurance	-	.75	0
Software	Maneuver	Rating 0	-	0
.	Fire control/2	Rating 10	-	4
Totals	-	-	0	28.585

Skills software (as per HG page 60) are: Intellect/4, Expert pilot/3, expert gunnery/3, Expert sensors/3, expert astrogation/2.

While more expensive than human piloted fighters, the Zhodani use them in quite high numbers (as happens with their warbots). The advantages they see are:

• Off course: not risking manpower
• The fact they are not affected by fatigue allows them to keep in patrol for the full endurance of their PP (in this case up to a week)
• They save the crew's stateroom space (and life support costs) in their carriers, allowing for them to be carried in higher numbers (about 10-20% more)

Unlike the warbots used by ground troops, though, and due to the higher distances involved in space combat, the psionic flicking possibilities are limited, needing for a more autonomous (and quite more expensive) core.

When the fleet is not actively in combat, those fighters (as said above, not affected by fatigue as human pilots do) are usually kept out of the carriers as ready patrol, supported by the sensors of larger ships, so that they don't need to be scrambled in case of a suddeen attack. Most maintenance is done when the carrier is in jumpspace to have them ready for the next stop.

In combat Zhodani use to throw them in large flights (the offensive modifier is +2 due to skill, +2 per fire control, +1 per accurate, +2 per very high yeld, +3 due to dice/weapon, for a total of +10), usually trying to close for a Fast Straffing Run (HG, page 81, last paragraph). If the fleet needs to withdraw, they are usually sent in a massive attack to cover it (again, akin their tactics with warbots in ground forces), being considered expandable if needed (while any human piloted figher is recovered if at all posible).

This would really work with that Shvia “Corvette” Design from one of the Ct adventures