MgT HG 2e Docking Clamps Question

[snrdg121408]

Morning PST,

According to the MgT HG 2e Docking Clamp write-up "It takes three full rounds to release or clamp a ship of less than 2,000 tons, during which time neither ship can expand any Thrust or make any attack rolls. Larger ships take D3+3 rounds."

How does the ship that will be carrying another ship using docking clamps get into position to utilize the clamps without maneuvering?

 

[Jeraa]

Morning PST,

According to the MgT HG 2e Docking Clamp write-up "It takes three full rounds to release or clamp a ship of less than 2,000 tons, during which time neither ship can expand any Thrust or make any attack rolls. Larger ships take D3+3 rounds."

How does the ship that will be carrying another ship using docking clamps get into position to utilize the clamps without maneuvering?

You maneuver into position first, then start the 3 full rounds.

I would assume the docking clamp has small arms or something extendable to grab onto the other craft to pull it into proper position (very short range, not the range of the grappling arm component). Or maneuvering thrusters are enough for the minor movements needed (but not enough to actually move the ship usefully in combat).

 

[wbnc]

Morning PST,

According to the MgT HG 2e Docking Clamp write-up "It takes three full rounds to release or clamp a ship of less than 2,000 tons, during which time neither ship can expand any Thrust or make any attack rolls. Larger ships take D3+3 rounds."

How does the ship that will be carrying another ship using docking clamps get into position to utilize the clamps without maneuvering?

I think the rule simply means that the ship can't use any thrust points, The ships can make small adjustments for docking but they can't do anything that would require them to burn their main drives or make radical changes to their course.

 

[phavoc]

This rule ignores physics. If both ships are accelerating at the same velocity then the only limit is the ship with the lowest thrust capabilities.

Under the boarding rules a ship can board another one under thrust, so you'd think that two other ships NOT trying to radically outmaneuver each other would at least be able to continue in a straight line...

 

[Condottiere]

Can't find footage online.

For Traveller, the clamp will be more static, and velocity and course has to match, otherwise it increases difficulty.

 

[snrdg121408]

Morning PST wbnc, Jeraa, Condottiere, and phavoc,

Thank you all for replying and I was lucky that my first reply post to wbnc and Jeraa went missing.

In MgT CRB 2e the available range bands, p. 151, for spacecraft does not have very close listed as an option. The closest range band is Adjacent which brings ships to within 1 km or less to each other.

Technically to get close enough to the other ship to use docking clamps one of them has to maneuver into a range close enough, I think 1,000 meters is a bit far, to extend docking clamps. There is specialized ship that was used to haul a damaged US warship between the port it was damaged in to IIRC a shipyard located in the US. The hauling ship maneuvered to the warship, flooded ballast tank, did some more delicate maneuvers, emptied the ballast tanks to a point where the damaged ship could be moored to the hauling ship's deck after which the ballast tanks were emptied of ballast re-floating both ships. I think there is an old super tanker that has be converted to haul deep sea oil drilling platforms too.

My image of the MgT procedure is similar:

Turn 0: Ship A is going to used docking clamps to attach with Ship B which is not under thrust. Ship A used its Main Maneuver Drive to close to Adjacent Range.

Turn 1: Ship A uses maneuvering jets (thrusters) to get from 1 km to meters of Ship B

Turn 2: Ship A activities the docking clamps beginning the process of linking with Ship B

Turn 3: Ship A and Ship B are now linked.

Turn 4: Ship A lights off the Main Maneuver drive heading towards the port or 100D jump limit with Ship B snugly linked into the docking clamps.

 

[AndrewW]

There is specialized ship that was used to haul a damaged US warship between the port it was damaged in to IIRC a shipyard located in the US. The hauling ship maneuvered to the warship, flooded ballast tank, did some more delicate maneuvers, emptied the ballast tanks to a point where the damaged ship could be moored to the hauling ship's deck after which the ballast tanks were emptied of ballast re-floating both ships.

The MV Blue Marlin was used to haul the USS Cole.

 

[Jeraa]

In MgT CRB 2e the available range bands, p. 151, for spacecraft does not have very close listed as an option. The closest range band is Adjacent which brings ships to within 1 km or less to each other.

Not very close as a range band. Very close to the other ship. Near it. Close by. No one said anything about range bands.

 

[wbnc]

Morning PST wbnc, Jeraa, Condottiere, and phavoc,

Thank you all for replying and I was lucky that my first reply post to wbnc and Jeraa went missing.

In MgT CRB 2e the available range bands, p. 151, for spacecraft does not have very close listed as an option. The closest range band is Adjacent which brings ships to within 1 km or less to each other.

Technically to get close enough to the other ship to use docking clamps one of them has to maneuver into a range close enough, I think 1,000 meters is a bit far, to extend docking clamps. There is specialized ship that was used to haul a damaged US warship between the port it was damaged in to IIRC a shipyard located in the US. The hauling ship maneuvered to the warship, flooded ballast tank, did some more delicate maneuvers, emptied the ballast tanks to a point where the damaged ship could be moored to the hauling ship's deck after which the ballast tanks were emptied of ballast re-floating both ships. I think there is an old super tanker that has be converted to haul deep sea oil drilling platforms too.

My image of the MgT procedure is similar:

Turn 0: Ship A is going to used docking clamps to attach with Ship B which is not under thrust. Ship A used its Main Maneuver Drive to close to Adjacent Range.

Turn 1: Ship A uses maneuvering jets (thrusters) to get from 1 km to meters of Ship B

Turn 2: Ship A activities the docking clamps beginning the process of linking with Ship B

Turn 3: Ship A and Ship B are now linked.

Turn 4: Ship A lights off the Main Maneuver drive heading towards the port or 100D jump limit with Ship B snugly linked into the docking clamps.

I believe that Adjacent covers from one meter to one kilometer distant from an object so the ships could maneuver to with a few meters of each other match speed and direction then dock. the clamps could very well have a cable launcher or swing arm that extends a few meters to bring the smaller ship into contact with the clamp itself.

 

[snrdg121408]

Hello AndrewW,

There is specialized ship that was used to haul a damaged US warship between the port it was damaged in to IIRC a shipyard located in the US. The hauling ship maneuvered to the warship, flooded ballast tank, did some more delicate maneuvers, emptied the ballast tanks to a point where the damaged ship could be moored to the hauling ship's deck after which the ballast tanks were emptied of ballast re-floating both ships.

The MV Blue Marlin was used to haul the USS Cole.

Thank you for the information and image which proves my memory was basically correct. My time was short since I needed to head to the Dentist for a check-up so I did not take time to look for the information. I watched a program about a converted oil tanker being used to move an oil drilling platform from some place IIRC in Texas to a position off-shore. Unfortunately, I do not recall the channel I saw the program on, I was flipping through them when I stumbled on the show.

 

[snrdg121408]

Hello Jeraa,

In MgT CRB 2e the available range bands, p. 151, for spacecraft does not have very close listed as an option. The closest range band is Adjacent which brings ships to within 1 km or less to each other.

Not very close as a range band. Very close to the other ship. Near it. Close by. No one said anything about range bands.

Oops my mistake, I was thinking in game terms of range since the two ships have to be meters away from each other as suggested.

 

[snrdg121408]

Hello wbnc,

Morning PST wbnc, Jeraa, Condottiere, and phavoc,

Thank you all for replying and I was lucky that my first reply post to wbnc and Jeraa went missing.

In MgT CRB 2e the available range bands, p. 151, for spacecraft does not have very close listed as an option. The closest range band is Adjacent which brings ships to within 1 km or less to each other.

Technically to get close enough to the other ship to use docking clamps one of them has to maneuver into a range close enough, I think 1,000 meters is a bit far, to extend docking clamps. There is specialized ship that was used to haul a damaged US warship between the port it was damaged in to IIRC a shipyard located in the US. The hauling ship maneuvered to the warship, flooded ballast tank, did some more delicate maneuvers, emptied the ballast tanks to a point where the damaged ship could be moored to the hauling ship's deck after which the ballast tanks were emptied of ballast re-floating both ships. I think there is an old super tanker that has be converted to haul deep sea oil drilling platforms too.

My image of the MgT procedure is similar:

Turn 0: Ship A is going to used docking clamps to attach with Ship B which is not under thrust. Ship A used its Main Maneuver Drive to close to Adjacent Range.

Turn 1: Ship A uses maneuvering jets (thrusters) to get from 1 km to meters of Ship B

Turn 2: Ship A activities the docking clamps beginning the process of linking with Ship B

Turn 3: Ship A and Ship B are now linked.

Turn 4: Ship A lights off the Main Maneuver drive heading towards the port or 100D jump limit with Ship B snugly linked into the docking clamps.

I believe that Adjacent covers from one meter to one kilometer distant from an object so the ships could maneuver to with a few meters of each other match speed and direction then dock. the clamps could very well have a cable launcher or swing arm that extends a few meters to bring the smaller ship into contact with the clamp itself.

Sorry about the added bit, but I was thinking more along the lines on how the MV Blue Marlin maneuvered with the USS Cole that AndrewW added to the topic. So my Turn 0 and Turn 1 are actually the same and thank you for catching another of my out to lunch bits.

 

[AndrewW]

I watched a program about a converted oil tanker being used to move an oil drilling platform from some place IIRC in Texas to a position off-shore. Unfortunately, I do not recall the channel I saw the program on, I was flipping through them when I stumbled on the show.

There's been a few covering those types of ships, might have been Discovery or History channel: (Have seen some myself)

https://press.discovery.com/asia-pacific/dsc/programs/mighty-ships/

http://css.history.com/shows/modern-marvels/videos/heavy-lift-ships

 

[snrdg121408]

Hell AndrewW,

I watched a program about a converted oil tanker being used to move an oil drilling platform from some place IIRC in Texas to a position off-shore. Unfortunately, I do not recall the channel I saw the program on, I was flipping through them when I stumbled on the show.

There's been a few covering those types of ships, might have been Discovery or History channel: (Have seen some myself)

https://press.discovery.com/asia-pacific/dsc/programs/mighty-ships/

http://css.history.com/shows/modern-marvels/videos/heavy-lift-ships

Again thank you for the reply and the show was modern marvels.

 

[AndrewW]

Again thank you for the reply and the show was modern marvels.

That works, another of those types. Have seen most of those myself.