Hello Nershesi,
Thanks to AnotherDilbert I have been pointed to this thread.
Nerhesi said:
Can firmpoints/hardpoints be added later?
Not indicated one way or the other.
Historically, hard points were always "available" - but sometimes empty.
I cannot weigh in from a rules perspective because it was not really discussed, but probably assumed that you can add weapons later with the appropriate facilties.
History of Traveller hardpoints prior to MgT and T5 rule sets that I have source material in my collection:
1a. CT LBB 2 Starships 2e copyright 1977/1981 6th printing p. 16: "Any ship may have one hardpoint per 100 tons of ship.
Designation of a hardpoint requires no tonnage, and costs Cr100,000. Hardpoints may be left unused if desired."
1b. CT LBB 5 HG 2e copyright 1980 12th and 15th printings p. 30: "Turrets require only that a hardpoint be
designated and created during construction. One hardpoint is allowed per 100 tons of hull not otherwise allocated to weapons. For example, a 50,000-ton ship carrying a 5,000-ton type A meson gun and twenty 100-ton bays may
designate 250 hardpoints for turrets. Hardpoints require no tonnage; but the turrets themselves (when installed) do require tonnage. Hardpoints are
designated at no cost."
2. MT Referee's Manual copyright 1987 2nd printing 6 - Weapons 1 p. 71:
"1. Compute Available Hardpoints:
A hardpoint is an installation point for a weapon. Large weapons may require more than one; hardpoints may have either fixed mounts or movable mounts installed. Divide kiloliter volume of the craft by 1350 for the number of hardpoints it can have. A craft always has a minimum of one hardpoint.
Fixed Mounts: A fixed mount weapon cannot move to point at its target; the entire craft must change its orientation to point in the required direction. Large fixed weapons are spinal mounts; their structure usually forms an integral part of the craft.
Movable Mounts: A movable mount can be trained to point at its target. Because of this attribute, a large craft will often mount
many such movable mounts. If the weapon is enclosed, the mount is called a turret. A large turret (over 600 kiloliters) is called a bay. An unenclosed (open) mount is called a pintle."
3. TNE FF&S Mk I, Mod 0 (January 1994) Book 1: Major Systems Step 5. Weaponry
"Sockets
If desired, a designer may install turret and/or barbette hardpoint sockets while the ship is being built. This allows easy installation of a standard turret or barbette weapon. Turret hardpoint sockets consume 3 displacement tons (42 cubic meters) while barbette hardpoint sockets consume 6 displacement tons (84 cubic meters). Both cost MCr.005 if installed
during construction an4 as they are empty, have negligible mass."
4a. T4 Core Rule Book 1 copyright 1996 Quick Ship Design System does not appear to require hardpoints at least I have not found any reference to any. All weapon installations have a volume and cost.
4b. T4 Starships Book 2 copyright 1996 Standard Ship Design System does not appear to require hardpoints either. However, p. 98 has a table showing empty turret sockets do require volume and price. Bay and spinal mount tables all have weapons installed.
4c. T4 FF&S Book B copyright 1997 does include a hardpoint in Section II Components 4: Weapon Accessories Aircraft Mounts p. 61, there is no mention I have found that spacecraft have any hardpoints. Bays and turrets can be installed empty.
5a. GURPS Traveller Core Book 2e copyright September 1999 does not appear to require hardpoints for turrets and bays
5b. GURPS Traveller Starships 1e, First Printing copyright 2003 p. 34 External Store Mounts Hardpoints:
"Hardpoints are reinforced points on the exterior of a vessel’s hull to which external stores such as drop tanks, missiles, or equipment pods are attached and jettisoned.
Each hardpoint (which is actually a set of related fittings) is rated for the maximum weight it can carry – its load capacity. Within these weight limits, a single hardpoint can be loaded with one drop tank, weapon, or equipment pod.
If a vessel will have hardpoints, determine how many it will have and the load capacity of each. Control over all of a vessel’s hardpoints (which includes firing weapons) must be assigned to one of the vessel’s crew stations, typically the pilot’s."
6. Traveller 20 (T20) copyright 2002 3rd printing 12: Design Sequences Hardpoints pp. 270-271
"Hardpoints are external weapon fittings that can be installed upon a ship's hull. One hardpoint may be installed per 100 tons not otherwise allocated to large weapon systems (weapon bays and spinal mounts). Vessels smaller than 100 tons may install a single hardpoint. Hardpoints require not tonnage but cost Cr100,000 for each hardpoint. Hardpoints must be
designated when the ship is designed and may not be added after construction.
Turret: One turret (any type) may be installed per available hardpoint on the ship.
Weapon Bays: Subtract 10 potential hardpoints for every weapon bay (50 or 100 ton) installed.
Major Weapons (Spinal Mounts): Subtract one potential hardpoint for every 100 tones of major weapons system installed.
Traveller 20 has an optional way to determine potentially available hardpoints: (Hull tonnage - Weapon Bays tonnage - Major Weapon tonnage)/100. A caveat indicates "use of this rule will also greatly affect the suitability of starships previously designed for use with Classic Traveller, in T20."
CT, MT, and T20 require hardpoints to be designated during construction.
TNE, in my opinion, requires hardpoints to be designated for turrets during construction.
T4 Core Rule Book 1 does not, in my opinion, indicate if weapons can be installed after construction.
T4 Book 2 and Book D do indicate that empty sockets can be installed for turrets but does not indicate if the sockets, bays, or spinal mounts can be installed at a later date.
GURPS Traveller Core book does not appear to require hardpoints, while GURPS Traveller Starships requires them to be designated for externally attached systems, but they are not required for turrets, bays, spinal mounts.
MgT appears to be a mix of the earlier Traveller rule sets:
Ships >= 100 d-tons have 1 hardpoint per full 100 d-tons of hull. Hardpoints are, per this clarification, always installed and available to accept fixed mounts, turrets, barbettes, bays, and spinal mounts after construction has been completed. They require no space and are free of cost.
My apologies for the overly long post.
