Ideas for new rules for "Construction Decks"

[Sageryne]

Hi all,

I want to build a mobile shipyard. I started a separate thread asking about the best dimensions for a construction deck.

Thread 'Most useful shape for a mobile shipyard?'

Tuesday at 4:58 PM

Hi all,

I have decided my next ship design is going to be a TL12 5000-dTon mobile shipyard (capable of repairing, overhauling and building ships up to 1000-dTons). It is intended to be an standard (boxy) hull and completely enclosed (open to change).

Here is my question, what is the best shape for a shipyard?

I am currently looking at two (box) shapes: 21m High x 21m Wide x 63m Long (good for square or cylindrical ships), or 12m x 36m x 63m (better for wider than tall designs).

Or, is there a better size or shape?

Is there a minimum dimension I should be going for (in height, width or...

• Sageryne
• Replies: 28
• Forum: Traveller

• 

The general consensus is that no two designs of the same nominal displacement will be the same length / width / height, so trying to make an enclosed shipyard to fit them is a fool's game. I have come to agree.

This leads me to what a starship space (dry) dock would look like. I don't think there are any Traveller examples (please let me know if I have missed an image somewhere). The best versions of the open frame design come from Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek: Enterprise (the TV series).




Both of these designs have enclosed structures (presumably for crews, workshops, etc) and arms that encircle the ship being constructed.

Mongoose 2e High Guard Update 2022 has two references to ship building. Under ship options, it has construction decks (page 61), and under space stations, it has shipyards (page 69).




Both of these rules require two tons for every ton of ship being built.

Proposed Rule:

A volume equal to the size of the maximum tonnage ship that can be built is devoted to internal space. This is used for fabrication hangars, workshops, lay down space, and warehouses for raw material and parts.

Plus, a volume equal to the size of the maximum tonnage of ship that can be built is devoted to an external frame. This frame can be folded up when the shipyard moves (either with manoeuvre drives or jump drives in the case of a mobile shipyard). Once it reaches the location it is going, the frame unfolds into long arms that encircle the work area.

New construction is built using "blocks" within the fabrication hangars. As each block is finished, it is floated out of the hangar and moved by work pods inside the external frame. The new ship's spine (or keel) is anchored to key points on the mobile shipyard. Successive "blocks" are attached to the keel and welded together forming the complete ship. As sections are completed, they can be pressurized and shipyard employees will continue with the fitting out of the interior of the ship.

For annual maintenance, the ship can come to the mobile shipyard. The arms of the external frame will open and the ship will dock with the shipyard. The necessary annual maintenance will be done by the specialists from the shipyard.

For repairs, the mobile shipyard can travel to the damaged vessel (via manoeuvre drives and/or jump drive). When the mobile shipyard arrives, it can unfold its external frame and envelop the damaged vessel. Depending on the damage, some pieces of the damaged ship might be cut off and moved into the fabrication hangars where they will be repaired. If the items are too badly damaged, new components can be fabricated, the old ones cut away and the new ones installed.



Since this proposed rule covers an area not previously addressed in the rules, I would welcome any input.

- Kerry

 

[Sageryne]

One addendum, I was thinking a mobile shipyard would look something like this concept art from Star Trek: The Motion Picture, with the "ship" being the part at the top, and the external frame being the two "side walls." I envision the sidewalls folding up into the belly of the mobile shipyard for travel.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I am not sure why anyone would ever build a shipyard. Construction Decks are much better.

1,000-ton Shipyard, Jump-capable
750MCr
1,200 Power
100 Crew

1,000-ton Construction Deck, Jump-capable
500MCr
1,200 Power
0 Crew

 

[rinku]

Where does it say that the default construction deck can build jump capable ships?

But a fair point about the lack of crew required on one. That makes little sense; I'd take that as an editing error.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Where does it say that the default construction deck can build jump capable ships?

But a fair point about the lack of crew required on one. That makes little sense; I'd take that as an editing error.

It doesn't specify a limit. Any ship that can fit in the deck can be built. The only stated restriction is that the max TL is equal to that of the ship or station that it is mounted on.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

It doesn't specify a limit. Any ship that can fit in the deck can be built. The only stated restriction is that the max TL is equal to that of the ship or station that it is mounted on.

But it has the same price per ton of a Shipyard that cannot build starships. Since they are essentially a Shipyard in a ship rather than a Shipyard in a station they should have the same prices and limitations.

As written the Construction Deck needs no crew/workers.

 

[Sageryne]

I agree the rule as written requires no shipyard workers, but when I write this up, I will be including the same as required by the space station shipyard (and the same higher price for building jump capable ships).

 

[rinku]

If two otherwise similar things in a publication have unexplained differences, almost always it's a cut and paste error.

You can't tell for sure unless you check with the author or editor, but it's a very fair assumption in this case.

 

[MasterGwydion]

All of the above positions are true and I agree with them, but the RAW stills says differently. So, the RAW should be changed to match up with what you guys are saying. It just isn't currently.

 

[Arkathan]

If two otherwise similar things in a publication have unexplained differences, almost always it's a cut and paste error.

You can't tell for sure unless you check with the author or editor, but it's a very fair assumption in this case.

@paltrysum made an HG thread for that in the Feedback forum.
Probably a good idea to mention it there.