Drop Tanks... Back From the Dead?

[Arkathan]

Hmm that raises the question where do all the Avionics come from in that case? inconvenient rules! a Specific Drone Commsn Nexus under Bridges might be needed

Distributed network, spread throughout the hull, like the computer and basic sensors.

Haptics for robotic brains takes care of some of that, and there is an interface software package for the robotic ship's brain connecting it to the computer.

 

[boggo2300]

Distributed network, spread throughout the hull, like the computer and basic sensors.

Haptics for robotic brains takes care of some of that, and there is an interface software package for the robotic ship's brain connecting it to the computer.

ok, but then the same should be true for Bridges, and they should be much smaller to just fit the crew

 

[Arkathan]

ok, but then the same should be true for Bridges, and they should be much smaller to just fit the crew

Working with adventure class ship deck plans, I generally have room for a pilot, astrogator, sensop, a couple of engineering stations, a computer station and some or all of the gunners' remote stations (depending on ship size), so I have no problem with current bridge sizes.

 

[Terry Mixon]

The discussion came up in early December on pg 44 of the Excel Ship Designer thread.
@J. L. Brown provided the reference: High Guard Update 2022, page 75:

Thank you for the reference! Problem solved.

 

[boggo2300]

I don't see the need for several engineering stations or a computer station on the bridge myself not even 100% sure what a computer station would be. but that seems to be just me

 

[Arkathan]

I don't see the need for several engineering stations or a computer station on the bridge myself not even 100% sure what a computer station would be. but that seems to be just me

Without a physical location, a computer console on the bridge makes sense for changing programs quickly.
Engineering: I grew up watching Scotty sitting at his station on the bridge frequently.
Role playing is easier when the characters are in the same location.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Or just give computers tonnage and make wiring a % of the overall hull, same as repair drones. Then you pay for the computers and the wiring separate, but now you have computers fully integrated into the ship construction rules. (Ignoring the whole issue of Bandwidth being stupid, of course. One problem at a time. )

 

[boggo2300]

Without a physical location, a computer console on the bridge makes sense for changing programs quickly.
Engineering: I grew up watching Scotty sitting at his station on the bridge frequently.
Role playing is easier when the characters are in the same location.

Surely any workstation would be ok for quick swapping programs, 99% of the time the Astrogators station is doing nothing....

and Even in Star Trek Scotty spent most of his time off the bridge, unless they needed him to have a face to face with someone on the bridge.

But each to his own

 

[rinku]

Then why doesn't a robot missile need a bridge? It obviously has room for sensors and a computer.

It's not a ship. And its sensor suite, communications and computers are far simpler than those of a ship.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

and Even in Star Trek Scotty spent most of his time off the bridge, unless they needed him to have a face to face with someone on the bridge.

Scotty was smart enough to know that there were times that his staff shouldn't have him looking over their shoulders but be working (or slacking) independently.

 

[Terry Mixon]

It's not a ship. And its sensor suite, communications and computers are far simpler than those of a ship.

I wish they had sensor rules for small things like missiles. I wanted to build a scouting probe and gave up.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Hmm that raises the question where do all the Avionics come from in that case? inconvenient rules! a Specific Drone Commsn Nexus under Bridges might be needed

Part of the sensor suite? Basic sensors take no tonnage so neither do their avionics?

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Breakaway hulls need a bridge in each ship. That idea would be a ship with a similar sized drone carried craft.

But if one of the units is essentially a cargo barge with no more than station keeping engines and minimal power/life support etc you could treat it as a space station with reduced bridge size/cost.

 

[rinku]

Good find on the p.75 entry. That's what I was failing to find.

No bridge drones are by definition controlled by something else, and run with the stated penalties. So I guess some things are simplified.

But it only replaces Pilots, Gunners and Sensops. You can't run a Starship with that rule, even a robot one.

On the other hand, it does help with the question about tugs. Clearly you can build either a breakaway hull or small craft solution this way, although I still think the sensible option for a Tug are drones that can apply a small amount of thrust wherever you need to on the two (or more) ships so their attitude can be changed. Standard Mining Drones can do that job, but you might be able to design drones that are cheaper and more efficient using the Robot Handbook.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Good find on the p.75 entry. That's what I was failing to find.

No bridge drones are by definition controlled by something else, and run with the stated penalties. So I guess some things are simplified.

But it only replaces Pilots, Gunners and Sensops. You can't run a Starship with that rule, even a robot one.

On the other hand, it does help with the question about tugs. Clearly you can build either a breakaway hull or small craft solution this way, although I still think the sensible option for a Tug are drones that can apply a small amount of thrust wherever you need to on the two (or more) ships so their attitude can be changed. Standard Mining Drones can do that job, but you might be able to design drones that are cheaper and more efficient using the Robot Handbook.

With a Robot Brain, you could replace the engineer as well.

 

[boggo2300]

Part of the sensor suite? Basic sensors take no tonnage so neither do their avionics?

traditionally, all the way back to CT the avionics are included in the Bridge cost and Mass

 

[rinku]

MegaTraveller had them as components in its (IMHO) far too fiddly construction rules.

With a Robot Brain, you could replace the engineer as well.

Yeah, but once you do that you may be better making it a robot ship instead of a drone one. Terry's worked out that's usually cheaper. Although the virtual crew does multitask. It may not be as expensive as it first appears.

 

[boggo2300]

MegaTraveller had them as components in its (IMHO) far too fiddly construction rules.


Yeah, but once you do that you may be better making it a robot ship instead of a drone one. Terry's worked out that's usually cheaper. Although the virtual crew does multitask. It may not be as expensive as it first appears.

I have blanked out MT ship construction from my mind due to trauma, easilly the worst ship construction rules I have ever seen

 

[rinku]

Even TNE simplified that step a bit.

 

[boggo2300]

Even TNE simplified that step a bit.

FF&S is easily the best ship construction rules GDW ever had