Zodani Drone Courier

[McPerth]

Working on the X-Boat service (or equivalent for non Imperial policies) is very taxing for people's sanity. Having to live alone in such an enclosed space is very stressing, and it's advisable pilots to be rotated with other assignments to avoid breakdowns.

For the Zhodani, this stress is nearly beyond what is aceptable for people, as the risk of insanity (or at least trauma-like damage) is seen as too high. So, they've resorted to Drone courriers to avoid having to endanger people to this mental damage.

Also, as they don't need to control the information speed distribution to control its populations (psionics achieve it), they can afford to use J5 (their maximum) ships along the whole network.

Zhodani TL 14 Drone Courier:

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Item	Notes	Tons	MCr
Hull: 100 dtons	Hull:2 Structure:2	100	2
Configuration	Steamlined	0	0.2
Armor	None	0	0
Jump Drive C	Jump=6 (limited to 5 due to TL)	20	30
Maneuver Drive A (TL14 modifications)	Trust=2	1.5	8
Power Plant C	Power=6	10	24
Jump FUel	1 jump 5	50	0
Power Plant Fuel	2 weeks	6	0
Bridge	-	10	.5
Computer	Model 4 (bis). Rating 20(25)	0	7.5
TL12 Drone Core	Int:7(0);EDU:9(+1):Int/2;Exp Pilot/2;Exp Astrog/2;Exp Comm/2	1.5	5
Electronics	Standard (-4)	0	0
Weapons	None	0	0
Accomodations	None	0	0
Extras	Repair Drones	1	0.2
Software	Maneuver (rating 0)	0	0
-	Jump Control 5 (rating 25)	0	0.5
-	Auto-repair/1 (rating 10)	0	5
Cargo	-	0	0
Totals	-	100	82.8

Mass production cost: MCr 74.52

Their use is similar to X-Boats, just without tenders (as they have their own MD). They transfer electronic communication to the next one that jumps without delay once has it, but then the Drone lands to be refuelled and (if needed) serviced.

Design notes:

This is designed with MgT1 Core Book rules, only using HG for the Core Drone (HG page 60, this time stretching the rules a little, as is only given for Small Crafts) and the TL volume reduction (HG page 53) for the Maneuver Drives.

As there's no way (with CB rules) to give a 100 dton ships jump 5 capacity, I had to give it J6, limited to 5 due to TL and fuel capacity.

I kept the bridge, even with no crew, because I assume it also holds many controls and instruments (so the electronics are listed as included in the bridge).

The repair drones keep with the engineer functions as needed, not only repairing (as it is not expected to run risks of damage). They would be better called engineering drones in this case, but I made them equivalent.

I made it Zhodani for several reasons:

• Their stress on mental health and sanity (as told above)
• Their use of combat robots makes me thing they are less against its use than Imperium
• Make it as Imperial would be fully against canon, as X-Boat network is quite defined on it. As the Zhodani equivalent is not (AFAIK) described in canon, I may well assume they use those drones without challenging it.

 

[Reban]

This is a leather working drone? :rofl:

You might want to correct the spelling of currier to courier in the title

 

[McPerth]

Done, Thanks

 

[McPerth]

Afterthoughts

I made it Zhodani for several reasons:

• Their stress on mental health and sanity (as told above)
• Their use of combat robots makes me thing they are less against its use tan Imperium
• Make it as Imperial would be fully against canon, as X-Boat network is quite defined on it. As the Zhodani equivalent is not (AFAIK) described in canon, I may well assume they use those drones without challenging it.

Alternatively, either the Hivers (with their more frequent use of robots and drones) or the K'kree could also use them (or similar designs).

In the case of the K'kree it would be specially useful, as their crewed ships must be quite large due to their clustrophobia and greagariousness, making dificult for them to keep communications with crewed ships alone.

 

[wbyrd]

A comm drone makes a lot of sense. They would be cheaper to operate over the long run since you don't have to pay skilled pilots, and you won't have to install life support.

One idea I had looking over the specs...fit it with drop tanks and you can free up a lot of internal space for high priority cargos. The tender recovers the tanks refuels them and attaches them to the next drone on the circuit.

 

[McPerth]

One idea I had looking over the specs...fit it with drop tanks and you can free up a lot of internal space for high priority cargos. The tender recovers the tanks refuels them and attaches them to the next drone on the circuit.

This would need better infrastructure, as it would need the Tenders. One of the advantages of those Drones is that they need not them.

If made just J4, though (as it was my initial intent, traying to make true drone X-boats), even without the TL size modifications, it has about 19 free ton, so making them quite useful for what you tell.

 

[wbyrd]

This would need better infrastructure, as it would need the Tenders. One of the advantages of those Drones is that they need not them.

If made just J4, though (as it was my initial intent, traying to make true drone X-boats), even without the TL size modifications, it has about 19 free ton, so making them quite useful for what you tell.

A good point indeed.

19 tons is plenty of space for mail.

ISince they are supposed to operate with little infrastructure, how about adding scoops and processors... sorry interesting ideas tend to get my brain working on how to use/modify them

 

[McPerth]

Since they are supposed to operate with little infrastructure, how about adding scoops and processors... sorry interesting ideas tend to get my brain working on how to use/modify them

Well, they need some infrastructure, as their engineering capacity is limited to say the least... They need to be serviced after each jump, but they don't need Tenders, as they can go to the spaceport (be it orbital or landing on a ground one) for this service.

Of course, the J5 Courier cannot be more stuffed, as it has no spare space at all.

 

[wbyrd]

Well, they need some infrastructure, as their engineering capacity is limited to say the least... They need to be serviced after each jump, but they don't need Tenders, as tehy can go to the spaceport (be it orbital or landing on a ground one) for this service.

Of course, the J5 Courier cannot be more stuffed, as it has no spare space at all.

I feel your pain...having to squeeze in all the needed stuff leaves no room for extras...

But the J-5 is a nice build...so is the drone. both would make great drop in ships for an adventure.