And another way to relieve players of their credits

[phavoc]

Just the other day, the North Korean navy attempted to launch their first destroyer. Well, it didn't go well for them and the stern didn't launch along with the bow. This caused the ship to capsize and may be a total write-off due to the hull stresses of the botched launch.

We always think that Traveller ships are uber tough and can survive a century of fiery re-entries and the hazards of deep space debris impacts. But would the magical metal hulls of Traveller ships also be able to ignore such hull stresses, or would they also (potentially) buckle due to stress from twisting the wrong way?

This could translate into ships landing hard or incorrectly buckling the hull, or fracturing a rib / frame that would require drydock repairs. The new BSG series, in like the last episode or 2 that had the Galactica buckling from jump stress.

Something to consider if you want to have more die charts to roll against to give players another place to spend their ill-gotten credits!

Kim Jong Un’s fury after watching North Korea’s new navy destroyer crippled in botched launch

North Korea’s newest warship was severely damaged during a launch ceremony Wednesday, with leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the accident, saying it brought shame to the nation’s prestige and vowing to punish those found responsible, state media reported.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Geir]

Wow, I thought the Russian Navy was bad, with their defeat by a country with no navy, and an aircraft carrier without aircraft being propelled by tugs, but at least they can get their launched ships before they get wrecked.

But in Traveller you should at least have such nasty things happening as a result of some action (or lack of action) by the Travellers, and not dumb (incompetent?) luck.

 

[rinku]

I think there's definitely room for this if there's a crash landing, or a collision.

The critical hit system sort of addresses it. Assuming the hull damage wasn't total (which in the North Korean case it may well be), to fully repair a severe Hull critical hit, you need skill, lots of spares, a bit of time and some luck. The Referee might also consider ongoing issues from the damage; maybe a bit like the bad results on the used ship quirk table. Reduced maximum hull. Increased maintenance costs. Loss of armour rating in extreme cases ("That salvo fair well broke the old girl in half. Somehow we held her together and patched her up, but it left scars that went deep into her old bones...")

 

[rinku]

Wow, I thought the Russian Navy was bad, with their defeat by a country with no navy, and an aircraft carrier without aircraft being propelled by tugs, but at least they can get their launched ships before they get wrecked.

But in Traveller you should at least have such nasty things happening as a result of some action (or lack of action) by the Travellers, and not dumb (incompetent?) luck.

For sure.

But in my experience, the players will usually create the situation, one way or another...

 

[Condottiere]

Piloting and structural integrity.

Not currently reflected in the rules.

I tend to think that atmospheric reentry does cause stress on the hull, though through the magic of gravitational drives, and a sober pilot, that appears to be mitigated.

Also, I would think, tight turns.

 

[rinku]

Harry Harrison was fond of troop ship pilots who liked to come in hot and pull higher-than-regulation-G landings. There's one in a Stainless Steel Rat book, and I think also in Bill the Galactic Hero. In both cases they may not have been sober, though.

But yeah. If your ship can simply ignore days of 3G acceleration, it probably isn't going to be too fussed by a handbrake turn.

 

[Condottiere]

How many times did you plan to use that assault shuttle, in it's intended role?

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Wow, I thought the Russian Navy was bad, with their defeat by a country with no navy, and an aircraft carrier without aircraft being propelled by tugs, but at least they can get their launched ships before they get wrecked.

I recall reading about a submarine that on first launch sank because they launched in fresh water and it was calculated for sea water. They had to add flotation devices and tow it out to sea to get it operational as I recall.

 

[boggo2300]

Harry Harrison was fond of troop ship pilots who liked to come in hot and pull higher-than-regulation-G landings. There's one in a Stainless Steel Rat book, and I think also in Bill the Galactic Hero. In both cases they may not have been sober, though.

But yeah. If your ship can simply ignore days of 3G acceleration, it probably isn't going to be too fussed by a handbrake turn.

and all three Deathworld books though they did it because THE TROOPS LIKED IT THAT WAY!

 

[Condottiere]

You try to narrow the window of opportunity for anti spacecraft artillery.

It's a reason I developed an interest in assault gliders.

 

[rinku]

I do wonder if he'd had a traumatic experience from his Army Air Force days involving heavy landings.

 

[metlk]

JTAS book 6 has the prangs, dings and dents system, but I don't know of anything regarding permanent damage that may or may not be unseen.

 

[Garran]

Piloting and structural integrity.

Not currently reflected in the rules.

I tend to think that atmospheric reentry does cause stress on the hull, though through the magic of gravitational drives, and a sober pilot, that appears to be mitigated.

Also, I would think, tight turns.

Given that it's all done by the magic of gravitic drives, probably so.

Also, any inertial stress enough to cause structural failure of the ship would be enough to cause structural failure of its occupants, rendering the point moot.

 

[Condottiere]

That's why you have vaults.

Presumably, with life support.