Imperial Navy Refueling Operations

[Terry Mixon]

In another thread, someone said they used 2 days as the refining capacity aboard Navy ships. I've always put in enough refining to refuel in a day. I understand that there are a plethora of situations that will affect refueling beyond refining time, but that is still a big element in my mind.

I've build fuel shuttles with built in refining capacity and without. Those would be targets in a contested environment, for sure. What refining time feels right for everyone else and what aspects of refueling operations do you see and being important?

 

[MonsterX]

I also use 2 days as a standard for refining, as it is amount of time I put for trouble free refueling at a spaceport or gas giant, assuming the ship has scoops for itself, or there are big fuel shuttles. With smaller shuttles it can take a really long time. If there are complications, and there are often complications if it is at a gas giant, then it goes longer. Ocean refuelling depends a lot on the situation because it either has to be a small and streamlined ship, or have fuel shuttles; large or partially streamlined ships can't do it readily. But there are lots of different situations too; exotic atmospheres, or ice shell moons, or comets all require thinking through the price gear and manpower available. So it can often be the case that the refining capacity is not the determining factor.

 

[rinku]

I would think that Navies would plan around Gas Giant scooping and put up with dirtside options as a sometimes necessary evil. As they usually have J-3 they can typically avoid a wet refuel.

In any case, all normal fuel operations would be planned out and if an ocean refuel squadron was going to be needed, one could be despached.

Emergency refuelling would normally be possible with a fuel shuttle, and I'd expect those would be carried as a matter of course on capital ships, much like other emergency gear. Could be as simple as a fuel module on a cutter, could be a sizable ship designed for the job.

 

[rinku]

Naval Bases would also have a need for constant fuel supply. The fuel collecting ships would likely be busy most of the time just doing that. Some potential there for Adventure! as they'd be attractive targets for raiders, retreating enemies and desperados.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Naval Bases would also have a need for constant fuel supply. The fuel collecting ships would likely be busy most of the time just doing that. Some potential there for Adventure! as they'd be attractive targets for raiders, retreating enemies and desperados.

Anyone dumb enough to try and interfere with refueling operations in a system with a navy base is just doing the 57th century version of suicide by cop.

It would be like stealing gas from the pump at the police station.

 

[Arkathan]

Now I can't get the image of a screaming alpha class fire out of my head.

 

[rinku]

Anyone dumb enough to try and interfere with refueling operations in a system with a navy base is just doing the 57th century version of suicide by cop.

It would be like stealing gas from the pump at the police station.

That's why I listed those three types.

1. Raiders are trying to disrupt the supply chain, and presumably have enough fuel for a second jump after they hit.

2. Retreating enemies do it because they don't have time to frontier refuel.

3. Desperados are... desperate

 

[Condottiere]

The old classic.

Torpedo spread against slow tankers by stealthed commerce raiders.

 

[CordwainerFish]

Desperados are... desperate

Why don't they come to their senses?

 

[rinku]

Why don't they come to their senses?

They're out riding fences.

 

[MonsterX]

That's why I listed those three types.

1. Raiders are trying to disrupt the supply chain, and presumably have enough fuel for a second jump after they hit.

2. Retreating enemies do it because they don't have time to frontier refuel.

3. Desperados are... desperate

If you capture the fuel, you can jump out and get away from responding forces. Hardly suicidal. You just have to do it before larger forces can intercept. They could easily be days of travel time away. It just means that refueling forces have to consider the possibility their fuel shuttles will be intercepted, and escort them. Naval base planners will want to consider where the fuel in the system is when locating their bases so this doesn't become a problem. However, there are other factors too, and the fight might be going on elsewhere, so they might not always be able to put their base right next to a natural fuel source. Bases can also be stocked up. It might be a good idea to diverted a comet so you've got a billions of tons of fuel source in orbit right next to your base.

 

[Sageryne]

In my opinion, it would be better to have a big refinery mothership and a large number of smaller skimmer ships (drones or controlled by virtual crews). The refinery ship would stay in orbit, protected by escorts. The smaller skimmer ships would dip into the gas giant (or oceans if no gas giants were available) and bring the fuel back to the refinery. The skimmer ships would be very lightly built, with no refining capability, and explicitly expendable, say for example if there were mines or SDBs hiding in the gas giant atmosphere.

I think it would be far better to have dozens, even hundreds, of smaller skimmer ships rather than risk the larger vessel.

 

[Condottiere]

Fuel drones are mentioned.

I forget where.

 

[Geir]

Fuel drones are mentioned.

I forget where.

"scoop drones"
For space station refinery equipment HG'22 p. 67.

 

[MonsterX]

Why don't they come to their senses?

took me a while with this one, but I got there in the end

 

[ottarrus]

Certainly there are ships with large fuel refinery systems onboard that can quickly process unrefined fuel. However, those systems cost extra power to run and space that could otherwise be used for other systems or more fuel.
I think it's germane to note that most IN ships don't just hover over the system mainworld... the whole point of a patrol is to patrol a given system, visiting most large bodies and showing the flag at most inhabited stations and locations in the system. Even coming close enough for a rapid commo exchange reminds the locals that the Navy is on the job.
And while it isn't in the rules, you can bloody well bet that every single officer and most of the chiefs know to the megaliter just how much fuel is consumed by that engine in this hull per G of maneuver burn. It's not entirely out of the question that a Navy ship would refuel at the GG TWICE during a system visit... once when they arrive and once before they leave.

 

[Condottiere]

Refuelling at the local starport could also be an excuse to see what's going on.

 

[rinku]

The fuzz don't need any excuses.

 

[Condottiere]

That depends.

A lowly lieutenant in a patrol cruiser, is given oral suggestion by his regional commander to take a discrete gander at a specific section of a starport.

 

[actionman]

Anyone dumb enough

So, player characters?