An idea I've always had for traveller

[Beastttt]

it was the extra batteries that acted as extra armor vs the torp that hit the Red October

I think I saw this "fuel tank - extra armor" idea in Clancey's novel, "The Hunt for Red October."

 

[MikeB]

Right...batteries! I knew it was some form of power generating storage devices.

 

[Iron Warrior.]

I think I saw this "fuel tank - extra armor" idea in Clancey's novel, "The Hunt for Red October."

Close. It was the batteries that served as emergency armor on the red october.

 

[Hopeless]

In traveller ships must devote notable portions of their internal volumes to jump fuel tankage. Many warships seem to have jump 3 as a standard, making them nearly 1/3 jump fuel tankage.

Here's an idea I had about that.

Suppose someone arranged the jump fuel tanks around the ship to in essence serve as a form of internal armor, covering vital internal systems by being between them and the outer hull?

I recall a science fiction book that involved ships having literally armour composed of ice to work not only as defence but also for its systems to draw upon.
Anyone know the title of this since I'm not so sure if I'm recalling this properly.

 

[Liam Devlin]

The 'grid' is an aspect of other versions of Traveller as far as I know - don't recall any mention in MgT.

My limited CT collection made no mention of these details either.

The idea of a grid that needs to be external to everything encompassed in a jump doesn't seem to fit with other MgT 'explanations', most notably armour...

:shock: MgT Doesn't, does it?

:idea: Then external ablative armor is doable;
:idea: And then "icing" Lhyd to the hull to save the full tanks aboard for a jump is possible (a disposable jump-tanking system, as it gets used first). I'm liking Mongoose more n more...

 

[DFW]

:idea: Then external ablative armor is doable;

Only if it doesn't increase the hull volume after you add external component.

 

[Liam Devlin]

:idea: Then external ablative armor is doable;

Only if it doesn't increase the hull volume after you add external component.

:?: So MgT doesn't allow the hullvolume +10% anymore, Mssr DFW?

 

[DFW]

:?: So MgT doesn't allow the hullvolume +10% anymore, Mssr DFW?

Nope. NEVER has in design sequence for determining Jump Drive size required for hull volume.

If you have a 100t hull and add external components (armour, etc.) that ADD tonnage, you drop your jump capability.

 

[far-trader]

:idea: Then external ablative armor is doable;

Only if it doesn't increase the hull volume after you add external component.

:?: So MgT doesn't allow the hullvolume +10% anymore, Mssr DFW?

Did any rule set ever?

CT had a +/- 10-20% rule... for deckplan application only. NOT for actual design volume. I don't recall it any different in any other design rules. I'm not even sure MgT has that.

Or have I misunderstood your reference?

 

[Liam Devlin]

:?: So MgT doesn't allow the hullvolume +10% anymore, Mssr DFW?

Nope. NEVER has in design sequence for determining Jump Drive size required for hull volume.

If you have a 100t hull and add external components (armour, etc.) that ADD tonnage, you drop your jump capability.

Ah. Thank you! I feel like the bumblebee after being told it could not fly... No worries! Thanks DFW!

 

[DFW]

Ah. Thank you! I feel like the bumblebee after being told it could not fly... No worries! Thanks DFW!

You want to know how many times I've misread the rules? I can't count that high.

 

[Rick]

Could someone with more scientific knowledge help me out on this. I was wondering - is it actually possible to freeze LHyd without lowering it's temperature down to just above absolute zero? Also - I was under the impression that LHyd needed both pressure and low temperatures to stay liquid?

 

[AndrewW]

I recall a science fiction book that involved ships having literally armour composed of ice to work not only as defence but also for its systems to draw upon.

There was the proposal for an aircraft carrier made out of ice during WWII.

 

[rust]

Also - I was under the impression that LHyd needed both pressure and low temperatures to stay liquid?

Yes, to turn hydrogen into liquid hydrogen and to store it as liquid hydro-
gen requires both pressure and low temperature (20.28 K or less).

I always wondered how this is supposed to work in the Traveller universe,
where starships have multimegawatt powerplants and no heat radiators.

 

[DFW]

I always wondered how this is supposed to work in the Traveller universe,
where starships have multimegawatt powerplants and no heat radiators.

Heat super conductors (Ring World) & the entire hull is the radiator. I think GURPS Trav has some of the data.

 

[barnest2]

There was the proposal for an aircraft carrier made out of ice during WWII.

HMS Habakkuk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Habakkuk
It wouldn't have worked... but it was still an amusing idea. It wasn't exactly Ice, the stuff was called Pykrete.

 

[BP]

...
I recall a science fiction book that involved ships having literally armour composed of ice to work not only as defence but also for its systems to draw upon.
Anyone know the title of this since I'm not so sure if I'm recalling this properly.

Of more recent works, I believe the Revelation Space series (or book by same author, Reynolds, IIRC - excellent reads BTW) had interstellar ships that utilized this.

(Sorry - Googlaphobia - fear of losing endless hours googling, inhibits me from providing direct links...)

 

[AndrewW]

There was the proposal for an aircraft carrier made out of ice during WWII.

HMS Habakkuk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Habakkuk
It wouldn't have worked... but it was still an amusing idea. It wasn't exactly Ice, the stuff was called Pykrete.

Didn't solve the problem they where trying to solve with it (building material to preserve steel).

 

[locarno24]

Then external ablative armor is doable;

Might be an interesting extra to add - effectively adding multiple layers of TL9 Ablat (straight out of the core rulebook) to conventional armour.

Still probably wouldn't let you break the "max armour is your TL" restriction but would let you achieve it (temporarily!) with less volume.

Of course lasers are far less importtant in ship-to-ship fights at TL9 and above compared to the go-go-gadget particle beam.

 

[Liam Devlin]

Then external ablative armor is doable;

Might be an interesting extra to add - effectively adding multiple layers of TL9 Ablat (straight out of the core rulebook) to conventional armour.

Still probably wouldn't let you break the "max armour is your TL" restriction but would let you achieve it (temporarily!) with less volume.

Of course lasers are far less importtant in ship-to-ship fights at TL9 and above compared to the go-go-gadget particle beam.

Yes, of course that depends on if you've a junk-fleet, and dwell in a low tech end of known space. Yeah, the Particle beam gadget guys will run ya down...but in some places, its just missiles and lasers--its what one can afford, and maintain.