150-dTon Modular Transport

[Sageryne]

Hi all,

I have developed a new, 150-dTon Kestrel Class Modular Transport. It is suitable for 2 – 4-person crew (more if you share staterooms), perfect for a small adventuring party.

Kestrel Modular Transport.pdf

drive.google.com

I love developing starship deck plans. In a recent conversation on Reddit (r/Traveller), “If you were building a 6000dT star liner,” Geoff Stockham (username: gistockham) posted a link to some of his starship designs. He is using Robert Pearce’s Adventure Class Geomorphs like I am. I was particularly impressed with his Kestrel Class ship. He had several different variants depending on the task. I reached out to Geoff. We chatted and he gave me permission to expand upon his idea.

The result is a new modular ship. Inspired by the Eagle Transporter from Space: 1999, it has a bow section (like the command and service module) and a stern section (like the engineering module) connected by a truss or spine section. The key concept is the swappable center section. I kept with Geoff’s original class name. I made my ship 150-dTons, slightly bigger than Geoff’s (his was about 100-dTons), so it could use the standard 50-dTon quarter (or short) geomorphs for its replaceable module.

Thank you to Geoff for generously sharing his original idea. He made some great suggestions throughout the development process.

The first step was writing up the base ship. Originally, I only had four different versions based on Geoff’s designs (specific to IISS). That grew to 12 and then 24 variants. The linked PDF has a cover page with a description, perks and quirks, ships of the class (names), notable ships of the class, notes, adventure hooks, a Traveller News Service article, ship stats, deck plans, and interior descriptions. It is followed by six pages, each page with four different ship and module combinations with their own deck plans, module stats (including costs), and a brief module description. Finally, I created a large-scale map of the base model Kestrel suitable for tabletop play and another plan without a module for GMs to insert their own module into.

A big thanks to Robert Pearce, the creator of the amazing Adventure Class Starship Geomorphs. Be sure to check out his outstanding work at Yet Another Traveller Blog: https://travellerrpgblog.blogspot.com/

This PDF is intended to be printed out on 11” x 17” sized paper.

Enjoy

- Kerry

 

[tytalan]

It’s always been a question if you can use the module area as an open cargo bay if it doesn’t carry a module. According to HG the module Cutter is unstreamlined without a module and has a higher thrust. This seems to indicate that its overall tonnage drops to 20dt without a module. The rules don’t say one way or another but they do suggest that without a module you have a big hole where the module was. Of course they same can be said for docking clamps the rules don’t specify state that they include an air lock but it’s strongly implied by both the name and the original purpose of the docking clamp

 

[Sageryne]

The way I look at it, the module must be built as a vacuum-tight hull "box."

In this design, I am assuming that at very least, the ship carries an "empty box" for structural rigidity purposes. In the text, I explain that the ship CAN fly without a module, but it is not recommended and the computer's safety protocols limit you to 1G maximum when you do.

 

[Terry Mixon]

The way I look at it, the module must be built as a vacuum-tight hull "box."

In this design, I am assuming that at very least, the ship carries an "empty box" for structural rigidity purposes. In the text, I explain that the ship CAN fly without a module, but it is not recommended and the computer's safety protocols limit you to 1G maximum when you do.

Seems like a cargo box would be the default. Then there isn't a "holder" box, but something useful.

 

[Sageryne]

Seems like a cargo box would be the default. Then there isn't a "holder" box, but something useful.

That was my assumption for this ship.

 

[Condottiere]

Current Mongoose edition has the module as an internal component.

I'd say that empty, it would resemble a bomb bay.

And leaving the hatch open, would fly like a bomber with the bomb bays open.

 

[tytalan]

I seem to recall something like this done before but it was designed to carry two modular cutter modules. I also remember a scout courier design using a single modular cutter module. I think is was call the modular scout. I think the ideal was cutter modules were so versatile and a standardized design

 

[Sageryne]

Current Mongoose edition has the module as an internal component.

I'd say that empty, it would resemble a bomb bay.

And leaving the hatch open, would fly like a bomber with the bomb bays open.

That's fair, and that is one way to do it.

I have interpreted it more like the way Ian Stead (and many other artists before him) has depicted the Modular Cutter.

 

[WHULorigan]

That's fair, and that is one way to do it.

I have interpreted it more like the way Ian Stead (and many other artists before him) has depicted the Modular Cutter.

View attachment 5494

You mean the right way . . .

 

[Condottiere]

Then, the cost should default to fifty kilostarbux per tonne, rather than twenty five.

The only thing, in terms of construction, would be that you don't have to pay for the hatches, but do, for the plumbing connectors.

 

[tytalan]

Current Mongoose edition has the module as an internal component.

I'd say that empty, it would resemble a bomb bay.

And leaving the hatch open, would fly like a bomber with the bomb bays open.

If that’s the case why does the cutter increase from a thrust 4 to a thrust 6 and is unstreemlined without a module?

 

[Sageryne]

Then, the cost should default to fifty kilostarbux per tonne, rather than twenty five.

The only thing, in terms of construction, would be that you don't have to pay for the hatches, but do, for the plumbing connectors.

In my design, the mothership pays a hull premium for having 33.3% of it hull being modular. The module also costs MCr0.025 per ton just for being a module. I assume that is to cover the cost of the hull.

Is there a High Guard rule for MCr0.05 per ton cost, or is that a house rule?

 

[Condottiere]

Volume counts, not mass.

Going by solar panels and sensor extensions, the chances for unsecured bay doors to be torn off seems high, during acceleration.

 

[Condottiere]

In my design, the mothership pays a hull premium for having 33.3% of it hull being modular. The module also costs MCr0.025 per ton just for being a module. I assume that is to cover the cost of the hull.

Is there a High Guard rule for MCr0.05 per ton cost, or is that a house rule?

Hull construction costs default fifty kilostarbux per tonne, and one assumes that includes a vacuum proof and certified outer skin.

Twenty five kilostarbux unlikely covers gravitational tiling, assuming that was included in the construction.

Essentially, in High Guard, what you'd be looking at is an external pod, not an internal module.

 

[Sageryne]

Hull construction costs default fifty kilostarbux per tonne, and one assumes that includes a vacuum proof and certified outer skin.

Twenty five kilostarbux unlikely covers gravitational tiling, assuming that was included in the construction.

Essentially, in High Guard, what you'd be looking at is an external pod, not an internal module.

I have included the price for each module in the PDF. If we assume the MCr0.025 already shown covers the minimum interior fittings (grav tiles, etc), then it is just a matter of adding MCr2.5 (50-dTons x MCr0.05) to each module to cover the vacuum-tight hull cost I missed.

I have to admit, that was not at all obvious from the way the High Guard section on modular hulls is written.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Essentially, in High Guard, what you'd be looking at is an external pod, not an internal module.

High Guard 2022 Page 44

Up to 75% of a ship's internal tonnage can be designated as modular.

So modules are internal currently.

 

[Terry Mixon]

I have included the price for each module in the PDF. If we assume the MCr0.025 already shown covers the minimum interior fittings (grav tiles, etc), then it is just a matter of adding MCr2.5 (50-dTons x MCr0.05) to each module to cover the vacuum-tight hull cost I missed.

I have to admit, that was not at all obvious from the way the High Guard section on modular hulls is written.

There are two separate costs, I believe. First, the cost of the main hull gets multiplied by 100%+the percentage of the part of the hull that is modular. In this case, it is 1/3, so the base hull costs for the main vessel is bumped to 133.3334% (or however far you want to take those decimal places).

Second is the cost of the modules themselves. The hulls for the modules are KCr25 per ton.

 

[Sageryne]

There are two separate costs, I believe. First, the cost of the main hull gets multiplied by 100%+the percentage of the part of the hull that is modular. In this case, it is 1/3, so the base hull costs for the main vessel is bumped to 133.3334% (or however far you want to take those decimal places).

Second is the cost of the modules themselves. The hulls for the modules are KCr25 per ton.

Yep. I accounted for the extra cost in the "mothership" design:
1) regular streamlined 150-dTon hull is MCr9
2) I added a second line entry for 33.% modular hull for another MCr3
See the stat block on page 1

I also added MCr1.25 (50-dTon x MCr0.025) to each of the modules individually. See the stat block under each module.

The only addition would be the MCr0.05 per ton for an exterior hull (since my design has exterior modules instead of the interior modules discussed in High Guard). So, it would add MCr2.5 to each module.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Second is the cost of the modules themselves. The hulls for the modules are KCr25 per ton.

Which is modified by the hull type of the module. A lot of them are streamlined (why?) and cost 20% extra. Other hull types and modifications can be used as well.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

The only addition would be the MCr0.05 per ton for an exterior hull (since my design has exterior modules instead of the interior modules discussed in High Guard). So, it would add MCr2.5 to each module.

Which should render the ship unstreamlined.