How many armed ships are there in your setting?

[DivineWrath]

Well, if we don't have rules for second hand equipment, why don't I make something up quick and dirty...

For quick and dirty, I'm aiming for a single skill check. If you want something with multiple skill checks and many tables, go write that yourself (I'm not interested at this time). Maybe a single skill check should determine how good of a deal you get. For each point of positive effect you get, you can get a 5% reduction in price (an effect of 3 should get you a 15% discount). For an effect of -1 to -3, you can't find anything. With an effect of -4 and beyond, you get something with a discount (5% per point of negative effect) but it comes with some problem you can't immediately identify (maybe its hot right now, or it suffers a serious structural defect). The type of skill you use should determine the source of the parts (Streetwise for possibly stolen weapons, Mechanic for stuff at a salvage shop) and determine how well you can spot problems.

This ad-hoc rule assumes that getting stuff new isn't much of a problem, otherwise you might be dealing with problems of higher prices due to demand (which isn't what this ad-hoc rule covers).

 

[Infojunky]

I know it seems a weird question, but even in a frontier setting armed ships are going to be kinda specialists or lunch. It seems to me that If I wanted to arme my merchantman I would purchase a few 10 dton fighters or arm my obats before refitting with turrets. Reasoning is that the smallcraft have the speed to fight and doge and worry an attacker while the merchant can seek the safety of harbor or jump...

 

[Condottiere]

1. Insurance companies aren't thrilled if the ship owners arm their ships; I think it's not so much piracy but liability and lawsuits that concern them.

2. You could chuck out some turret drones for extra firepower.

3. However, you could also double your mortgage and operating costs, which might render it economically nonviable to continue trading.

 

[AndrewW]

I know it seems a weird question, but even in a frontier setting armed ships are going to be kinda specialists or lunch. It seems to me that If I wanted to arme my merchantman I would purchase a few 10 dton fighters or arm my obats before refitting with turrets. Reasoning is that the smallcraft have the speed to fight and doge and worry an attacker while the merchant can seek the safety of harbor or jump...

The trouble with purchasing those 10 dton fighters, is you then have to transport them taking away valuable cargo space.

 

[lexx2503]

I use the Third Imperium setting with a few tweaks here and there. My general rule is. The authorities do not mind armed vessels. But you need licenses to use rare/cutting edge weapons that aren't in wider circulation for that polities tech level. Space is big and sometimes there aren't going to be naval patrols or SDBs in reach to save ships from advantageous pirates. I prefer instead of using modern day shipping analogy to this. That it is more like a wild west in space at times. People have the right to defend themselves within the laws of the local power running that sector of space.

So most ships are armed in my games. But there are unarmed vessels in more peaceful/easily patrolled areas. With convoys protecting more vulnerable cargo haulers going into less secure areas.

 

[sideranautae]

I know it seems a weird question, but even in a frontier setting armed ships are going to be kinda specialists or lunch.

How so? It wasn't thus on Earth during the period where there were armed pirate ships...

 

[DickTurpin]

I know it seems a weird question, but even in a frontier setting armed ships are going to be kinda specialists or lunch. It seems to me that If I wanted to arme my merchantman I would purchase a few 10 dton fighters or arm my obats before refitting with turrets. Reasoning is that the smallcraft have the speed to fight and doge and worry an attacker while the merchant can seek the safety of harbor or jump...

The trouble with purchasing those 10 dton fighters, is you then have to transport them taking away valuable cargo space.

Also, a triple pulse laser turret costs only a tiny fraction of to cost of a fighter, only takes up 1 ton of space, has three times the firepower of a 10 ton fighter, and always travels with you when you jump.

With a fighter you have to either sit at the jump point and wait for your fighter to return or leave them behind when you jump. You get to choose between letting the pirates get you or losing the cost and crew of the fighter.

Hiring local fighter escorts might make sense. I can see small groups of fighter pilots making a decent living hiring out as escorts to the jump limit. Canny pirates might even have this as a profitable sideline. If you hire them as an escort they leave you alone; if not, the rest of the pirate band uses you as an object lesson to the other merchant crews.

 

[Infojunky]

Also, a triple pulse laser turret costs only a tiny fraction of to cost of a fighter, only takes up 1 ton of space, has three times the firepower of a 10 ton fighter, and always travels with you when you jump.
With a fighter you have to either sit at the jump point and wait for your fighter to return or leave them behind when you jump. You get to choose between letting the pirates get you or losing the cost and crew of the fighter.

But with a Fighter you get and active maneuverable combatant while with a turret you get a slightly harder target.

Hiring local fighter escorts might make sense. I can see small groups of fighter pilots making a decent living hiring out as escorts to the jump limit. Canny pirates might even have this as a profitable sideline. If you hire them as an escort they leave you alone; if not, the rest of the pirate band uses you as an object lesson to the other merchant crews.

Yep a traditional Maritime occupation there.....

 

[Anonymous]

Extending the idea of hiring local fighter pilots I can see an opportunity for independent SDBs. A ship signs up to a subscription and is given coordinates to jump to/from at each system the service is provided in. When you arrive you broadcast ID and your escort accompanies you to port. How much the service would cost and whether any money could be made doing it I haven't detailed. The SDBs would need to be owned in decent numbers so I can see this being a mega corporation or subsidiary run operation.

The rich hire bodyguards when they have reason to believe their lives are at risk (or they are vain enough to think so), why wouldn't a merchant do the same? The idea of putting your own ship, crew, cargo and passengers at risk in a fight is something I really don't think the owners of multi million credit ships would do willingly. The cost of damage, the loss of business thru down time, they all make for fun adventures in a game but in business? OK, now I'm going too far down the line of Accountants in Space (tm). :mrgreen:

Anyone care to shoot holes in the theory?

 

[Infojunky]

I know it seems a weird question, but even in a frontier setting armed ships are going to be kinda specialists or lunch.

How so? It wasn't thus on Earth during the period where there were armed pirate ships...

The difference is in the "Age of Sail" all the weapons were effectively in pintle mounts, in that all of their porations were conducted by the strength and skill of their crews. Whereas a naval mount as in the case of a Traveller Starship is a precision mounted and directed piece of equipment. Anything that need a dTon worth of fire control equipment isn't a plug and play piece of equipment. (As I say this it occurs at least one potential mount could be, which is the missile launcher as at the firing point all one needs to do is get clear of the ship.)

 

[Infojunky]

Anyone care to shoot holes in the theory?

This one case where a Like button would be nice......

 

[sideranautae]

Anything that need a dTon worth of fire control equipment isn't a plug and play piece of equipment.

Incorrect. Setting aside the hardpoint volume (along with endpoint wiring) during construction can mean that dropping in a weapon like that is VERY much a plug and play proposition. Easy peasy.

 

[dragoner]

You could also see mercenary escort ships, which could be a fun campaign.

 

[Infojunky]

Anything that need a dTon worth of fire control equipment isn't a plug and play piece of equipment.

Incorrect. Setting aside the hardpoint volume (along with endpoint wiring) during construction can mean that dropping in a weapon like that is VERY much a plug and play proposition. Easy peasy.

Actually in a weird way you are kinda right, in that theoretically something like a CIS mount wouldn't be a huge issue either.

 

[sideranautae]

Anything that need a dTon worth of fire control equipment isn't a plug and play piece of equipment.

Incorrect. Setting aside the hardpoint volume (along with endpoint wiring) during construction can mean that dropping in a weapon like that is VERY much a plug and play proposition. Easy peasy.

Actually in a weird way you are kinda right, in that theoretically something like a CIS mount wouldn't be a huge issue either.

I think that given the knife edge econ conditions of the Tramp's, the huge cost is the biggest barrier to arming after the fact. You've run the numbers for a Type A. Buying turrets & weapons on that budget is scary. If only conveying was feasible in Trav.

 

[DickTurpin]

You could also see mercenary escort ships, which could be a fun campaign.

I could easily see this as a campaign idea. Players could travel extensively without the hassle of trading (unless they really enjoy that part of the game). This game would tend to be more combat heavy which could lead to expensive ship repairs and a higher risk of character death. . . The right type of player would be able to generate a new character without getting too upset about it if they understand the risk from the beginning. Carrying a lot of spare parts and high Mechanic/Engineering skills could mitigate most of the repair expense. And of course the ship designers would have a great time coming up with ever tougher ships as they start making more money.

Income would come from escort fees; bounties on pirates captured and killed, and maybe salvage or prize money for defeated ships. Since there is no reason to limit them to merchant escort jobs there is still the chance to encounter strange alien life forms and artifacts while guarding scientific or exploration teams, both in space and on planet, as well. And of course exotic spacecraft could be discovered in deep space, that beg to be explored. As the protectors of the convoy it is their duty to investigate unusual sensor contacts, after all.

 

[Infojunky]

If only conveying was feasible in Trav.

It is. In the form of a standard Fleet level navigation plot for a coordinated jump.

 

[Condottiere]

If you look at approaches like runways, you could station an SDB at each end, since most starships would use the minimal distance in order to transit or re-enter realspace.

 

[sideranautae]

If only conveying was feasible in Trav.

It is. In the form of a standard Fleet level navigation plot for a coordinated jump.

Great if you are using Fleet as cargo ships. Otherwise useless for the group of Free Trader captains who want to get together for protection.

 

[Condottiere]

You could also resurrect the convoy system.