Further defining Starports

Anstett

Anstett

Emperor Mongoose
From the Interstellar Shipping thread discussing a desire to have better definitions for what a Starport is (https://forum.mongoosepublishing.com/threads/interstellar-shipping-question.124667/post-975702) {and killing time before my next meeting ;P } I found a few threads to collect information about previous attempts.

Starports versus Spaceports:

Starport vs spaceport...

So I’m reading in Highguard about star vs spaceports and it seems a bit unclear to me. Can someone explain the differences? Thanks.
forum.mongoosepublishing.com

Starport Facilities:

Starport facilities

Starport Facilities: Your ship is docked, but what is there to see and do at the starport or close by? This tool generates a list of businesses and services based upon the UWP of a planet: Vandeet Traveller Feedback appreciated - this is still fairly new: Support
forum.mongoosepublishing.com

A post from Freelance Traveller from 2013:

And the thread that I almost necro'd but decided to start a new one:

"Mechanical Machinations - An alternative Starport Classification idea.

Hey all! This post was actually caused by My frustration with the innate inaccuracy of the system Traveller uses for defining starports as well as how writers have entirely mangled the system worse, by having some system UWP Codes for Law Level referring to the Highport, the Downport, or both...
forum.mongoosepublishing.com

From these last two suggestions it seems there are some good thoughts to combine into one description system.
 
Anstett said:
From the Interstellar Shipping thread discussing a desire to have better definitions for what a Starport is (https://forum.mongoosepublishing.com/threads/interstellar-shipping-question.124667/post-975702) {and killing time before my next meeting ;P } I found a few threads to collect information about previous attempts.

Starports versus Spaceports:

Starport vs spaceport...

So I’m reading in Highguard about star vs spaceports and it seems a bit unclear to me. Can someone explain the differences? Thanks.
forum.mongoosepublishing.com

Starport Facilities:

Starport facilities

Starport Facilities: Your ship is docked, but what is there to see and do at the starport or close by? This tool generates a list of businesses and services based upon the UWP of a planet: Vandeet Traveller Feedback appreciated - this is still fairly new: Support
forum.mongoosepublishing.com

A post from Freelance Traveller from 2013:

And the thread that I almost necro'd but decided to start a new one:

"Mechanical Machinations - An alternative Starport Classification idea.

Hey all! This post was actually caused by My frustration with the innate inaccuracy of the system Traveller uses for defining starports as well as how writers have entirely mangled the system worse, by having some system UWP Codes for Law Level referring to the Highport, the Downport, or both...
forum.mongoosepublishing.com

From these last two suggestions it seems there are some good thoughts to combine into one description system.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this thread! :)
 
A system in the 3rd Imperium has only 1 starport and possibly 1 associated Highport by imperial law. All interstellar traffic is supposed to dock at this port first. The systems Starport/Highport is imperial territory and falls under imperial sovereignty. If there is a Navy or Scout base in the system it will be connected/a part of the systems Starport/Highport. Not every class A (6+ roll), B (8+), C (10+) or D(12+) Starport will have a Highport. The size of the port is determined by the level of traffic coming and leaving the system.

Spaceport and or stations are strictly limited to in system traffic. This does not mean a Star ship cannot land at one it simply means that they have to land at the Starport/Highport first.
 
7 stat UWP-like code for starport and spaceport quick reference. Ideas? Go!

Off of the top of My head, I'd say Size, Shipyard Capacity, System Security, Port Security, Ship Traffic, Level of Amenities, and TL. I am not totally sold on that breakdown though.

Edit: Nuts! I forgot Bases! :(
 
Sigtrygg said:
As far as the SPA is canon, yes. All Imperial worlds.
Click to expand...
Oh cool! Now I need to find a way to have that included in the USP Code. Probably under Size. Maybe the Starport is very large or maybe it has multiple subports. That could work. Then leave the details of it up to the Referee or the writers.
 
Maybe it's been mentioned in other publications.

I doubt that most world governments want an extraterritorial piece of real estate dirtside, but any number of spaceports, usually linked to important hubs, whether economic, military, or political.

Probably more nonchalant for orbital facilities or infrastructure.

In the end, it's probably a matter of capacity and efficiency.
 
You want to trade with the Imperium and its member worlds?

We are going to make you an offer you can not refuse.
 
Hmm..
-Id keep the first character as the baseline starport rating (A, B, etc. N means naval, S means scout, H means highport that isnt imperium controlled, D means downport that isn't imperium controlled)
-Next is freighter tonnage visiting per year (tonnage = 10 to the power of the rating) (assumption is interstellar if A-E or S, intrasystem if H or D, imperial military transports if N)
-Next is shipyard (which includes repair) capacity (capacity = 10 to the power of rating dtons, based on starport class and freighter tonnage)
-Next is system ship security/patrols available (0-A+? but im not entirely sure what each indicates. 10 times rating equals percent that an incoming ship is met by a security ship prior to reaching the starport, but somehow also needs to show tonnage available for anti piracy, and how do we differentiate between imperial and local ships? Based on starport class, freighter tonnage, shipyard capacity, and presence of naval base)
-Next is starport security rating (which will be based on government and law level of its parent world and starport class) (0-A, although it can be higher, i guess? Would combine both how lethal and how numerous 'ground' security is on the station)
-Next is cost for a weeks stay for a ship of x size (probably 1000 dtons? Maybe 500) because thats actually important to most players (0-9, want to incorporate docking fees, taxes, and anything else that can reasonably be standardized. The existence of this one is a bit iffy, but i think it would honestly be one of the most helpful if we can distill it down accurately, based on local govt type and law level, shipyard capacity, starport security)
-Next is level of ameneties available to public (0-A, but i have no idea what each level signifies. Would somehow include how high TL can be obtained beyond local planet TL. Maybe how many credits could be spent at a given merchant in a given month? Based on weekly price and starport security)

Ideally, whatever is used, should also be useable for bases (such as naval or scout) and planetary spaceports too (although planetary would swap system security for national military as you approach the spaceport) so its not exactly a USA but more a universal important-local-destination profile?
 
Last edited:
Actually, id really want to change freighter tonnage so that the rating indicates something about annual tonnage but ALSO indicates something about how many ships (or tonnage of ships) is there in a given week, as that would be far more helpful to most players. 2 = 100 tons per year, so 2% of a 100 ton freighter in a given week
3 = 1000 tons, 20% of a 100 ton freighter in a given week, 4 = 200 tons of freighters in a given week, 5 = 2,000 tons of freighters in a given week, 6 = 20,000, 7 = 200,000... how do we change that into something more intuitive?

Ideally freighter tonnage should also be based on other systems in the area, but that isnt well supported by traveller rules. So it would be based on local TL, local pop, local govt, and starport class.
 
Last edited:
Nelphine said:
-Next is shipyard (which includes repair) capacity (capacity = 10 to the power of rating dtons, based on starport class and freighter tonnage)
Click to expand...
1717879083879.png

From WBH-195
Shipyard tonnage refers to the total size of downport and highport (if any) shipyards.
Actual build capacity is at best half of this level, as some of the shipyard bays are often repurposed for repair and overhaul duties. As a rule of thumb, the largest vessel a starport shipyard can construct is 10% of its listed shipyard tonnage.
 
Nelphine said:
Actually, id really want to change freighter tonnage so that the rating indicates something about annual tonnage but ALSO indicates something about how many ships (or tonnage of ships) is there in a given week, as that would be far more helpful to most players. 2 = 100 tons per year, so 2% of a 100 ton freighter in a given week
3 = 1000 tons, 20% of a 100 ton freighter in a given week, 4 = 200 tons of freighters in a given week, 5 = 2,000 tons of freighters in a given week, 6 = 20,000, 7 = 200,000... how do we change that into something more intuitive?
Click to expand...
From WHB-197
With lots of text on Port Capacity to go with this table.
1717879307236.png
 
Nelphine said:
Actually, id really want to change freighter tonnage so that the rating indicates something about annual tonnage but ALSO indicates something about how many ships (or tonnage of ships) is there in a given week, as that would be far more helpful to most players. 2 = 100 tons per year, so 2% of a 100 ton freighter in a given week
3 = 1000 tons, 20% of a 100 ton freighter in a given week, 4 = 200 tons of freighters in a given week, 5 = 2,000 tons of freighters in a given week, 6 = 20,000, 7 = 200,000... how do we change that into something more intuitive?
Click to expand...
From WBH-198
With a lot of text on both Highport and Lowport docking capacity.
1717879497273.png
 
With World Builders we have:

Starports {from least to best}:
X
E
D
C
B
A
Spaceports {from best to least}
F (A)
F (B)
F (C)
G (D)
H (E)
Y (X)

Then also Naval/Military/Scout/Corsair bases, Private ports, and Freeports.
All apply to both Highports and Downports
 
There is an illustration in the original T5 book of Regina highport overlooking the Naval base.

The IN base has a docking spur that has a couple of Tigress BBs that look like limpets such is the size of the station.

I can't find it electronically and it is not on the pdf version that I can find. It's by Jesse De Graff if anyone can find it.
 
Last edited:
MasterGwydion said:
Oh cool! Now I need to find a way to have that included in the USP Code. Probably under Size. Maybe the Starport is very large or maybe it has multiple subports. That could work. Then leave the details of it up to the Referee or the writers.
Click to expand...
WBH-193
Within the Third Imperium, a designated starport facility is considered extraterritorial and under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Starport Authority (SPA), originally part of the IISS, but since 422 a part of the Imperial Ministry of Commerce. Regardless of whose authority the facility is under or whether any facility actually exists, a starport classification is recorded for every charted mainworld.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

actionman
Imperial Regional Cultures and Books Detailing Them: Continuation Thread
8 9 10
Replies
186
Views
3K
actionman
actionman
T
Terra Primeva: Encounters
Replies
10
Views
4K
Tom Kalbfus
T
Back
Top