A small fighter carrier

[Hopeless]

Was wondering what you would use if say you were running a game where the players start off with say three fighters and a ship to carry them as a sort of privateer force designed to escort a small merchant convoy?

Wasn't sure whether this is actually possible but figured I'd ask.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Provide more info.
Brand new custom built one off.
Ships already built for this, or something similar.
Old used ships re-purposed for this.

Jump range. Budget. Tech level.

 

[AndrewW]

Campaign 1: Secret of the Ancients does this with the Alahir 1,000 ton Heavy Scout, carries 3 fighters.

Supplement 10: Merchants and Cruisers has the Raider 800 ton with 4 fighters. (Also in Signs & Portents).

So certainly possible.

 

[Hopeless]

The game involves the survivors of a family mercenary outfit forced to use some out dated equipment sort of like the story from the Gray Death legion in Battletech except it would involve them making use of a secret forest world base as well as a seemingly outdated small ship built to serve as a fighter carrier and for the start access to three or so fighters.

Their business was acting as guards on merchant convoys and would currently have to take up jobs to cover their bills whilst trying to avoid the attention of whoever attacked their brethren.

Come to think about it, its almost like Battletech meets Blake Seven's later season except not so much outlaws but might be hunted if they're identified and assumed dangerous by their foes since initially they'd be considered harmless given their current limited equipment and ships.

 

[CosmicGamer]

forced to use some out dated equipment... ...outdated small ship built to serve as a fighter carrier and for the start access to three or so fighters.

"outdated" does this mean old or just "low" tech. If low tech, what tech level range are you looking for?

"small" Compared to the military carriers that are tens of thousands of tons and can carry several squadrons of fighters the 2000 ton merchant escort carrier with just 12 fighters might be small. Is this too big, too small, just right for you?

"built to serve" do you mean originally built as a carrier or a used ship with cargo space that is re-purposed and "built to serve" as a fighter carrier

"for the start access to three or so fighters" this gives a minimum, but how much room for growth should there be? What is the max size?

initially they'd be considered harmless

So the Indigo class pirate carrier is probably out since it would make people nervous.

A retired scout in a Type SX Frontiersman with a auxiliary carrier module would be respectable.

Wasn't sure whether this is actually possible but figured I'd ask.

Without more details I can't say what I'd do and just say yes, there are many possibilities.

 

[Dave Chase]

I can not remember the CT adventure name but there was one that took an old Subsidize Luxury liner and converted it into a patrol carrier.

The ship's name was Starrider and it was stolen in the adventure.

Dave Chase

 

[Captain Jonah]

Any ship with a large enough cargo bay and door can function as an add hoc carrier. If you are using one of the wingless deep space fighters they should fit through the cargo doors of a Free/Far/Fat trader. Custom designs that convert existing hulls can be any design, there is a Q ship Fat trader on page 71 of traders and gunboats, if you have access to Mega traveller stuff Assignment Vigilante has a hard times subby liner converted to a mercenary ship with 5 fighters and a troop Lander.

It depends on how desperate your group ends up. They could have a custom built design or they could end up with a cargo design and the fighters are carried on cargo clamps externally where the pilots need to go out an airlock and walk across the hull to get in. One fighter at a time can be taken into cargo for maintenance. Fitting 1Dton cargo clamps would allow up to 30Dton fighters or small craft to be carried externally as long as you don’t intend to enter atmosphere.

So do you want a basic civilian ship that is a scratch built carrier, do you want a civilian or military auxiliary that has been properly converted or do you want some sort of long range purpose built military hull which was designed for patrol and security and was intended to cover large areas of space with recon fighters and lots of small craft for security duty. The sort of thing that would be found on the frontiers and or sold old and obsolete from worlds now rich enough to have proper security.

 

[phavoc]

Depending on the size of your fighters, you could go with a subsidized merchant, or possibly a subsidized liner. There are plans for a merc-version of a subsidized liner, giving it anywhere from 80-96 tons of cargo. Enough to carry fighters at least, and the deck crews required to support them.

there's also an old FASA adventure with a carrier conversion for a subsidized liner. I'd have to look that one up to get you specs though.

 

[locarno24]

Docking clamps are another good one for a civilian carrier kitbash - expand the jump/manouvre drive (by taking up a bit of cargo space) and you can carry a few fighters externally.

Convoy escort is a nice way to do a 'fighty' campaign without being too powerful (i.e. breaking out 'proper' warships).

The defence frigate is a nice one to consider, too - it has a small fighter complement, it's a cool looking ship and has nice, easy-to-use deckplans for boarding actions/emergency situation missions.

 

[Hopeless]

The mercenary version of the subsidized liner and the defence frigate both sound interesting.

Docking clamps might work in the meantime though!

Thanks will have to chase down both of those when they get their characters ready.

 

[phavoc]

Is the convoy escort intrasystem, or extrasolar?

A carrier designed to operate/escort in-system would have much different looking statistics than a jump-capable one. Or if it was designed with just J-1 characteristics, you could do multiple jumps by using internal fuel tanks, though traveling would take longer.

 

[Hopeless]

Eventually extra-solar but for the meantime insystem might work better as a starting place.

 

[Mithras]

I'm due to work on a Type R subsidized merchant fitted out for convoy protection as a fighter carrier..

 

[kermit]

One of the modular spacecraft such the Modular Cutter and the LSP Modular spaceship might be good. They often have fighter carrying cargo containers and they won't raise suspicion. Mongoose has a Golden Age supplement for the LSP Modular Starship and the GURPS Modular Cutter book is very good as well.

Benjamin Lecrone

 

[Mithras]

That modular starship is really nice, I've had a lot of use out of that design.

One of the modular spacecraft such the Modular Cutter and the LSP Modular spaceship might be good. They often have fighter carrying cargo containers and they won't raise suspicion. Mongoose has a Golden Age supplement for the LSP Modular Starship and the GURPS Modular Cutter book is very good as well.

Benjamin Lecrone