Mimetic paint coating for starships. How much?

[Vargr]

Hi all,

I came up with an idea for a ship I am currently designing. Mimetic outer hull paint jobs.

Basicaly it's a layer of applied plebothnium/handwavium/whatever that allows the external appearance of a ship's hull ot change instantly to pre-determined patterns...sort of like a James Bond car I guess.

How much do you think this should cost? And at what TL would it become avaiable?

The cost should of course depend on the size (tons) of the ship's. Different hull structure formats might chance this price but there's no need to be that nitpicky.

What do you figure is a reasonable price per ton for something like this?

 

[BP]

IMTU:

Hull Options
Camo(TL 8.): A color changing coating allowing the visual apperance of the hull to be transformed within 1-6 seconds. Allows for false markings and colorings. When damaged, appears as a flat dull gray. Costs 0.01 Megacredits per ton.

(Had to put a period between the 8 and ) to avoid a smilie!)

 

[rust]

I would tend to make it cheaper than a self repairing hull, but since I do
not like to work with values below 0.01 MCr per dton, I would use BP's
proposal.

 

[BP]

I would tend to make it cheaper than a self repairing hull, but since I do not like to work with values below 0.01 MCr per dton, I would use BP's proposal.

Ditto - that was my same logic!

I then rationalized that addressing locations for color would be complex enough to justify the cost...

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Alternately, just assume it is part of the basic starship hull costs. All of these hulls are built at TL8+, so why bother with it as a special feature?

After all, registration is going to be by transponder code, not any hull markings.

 

[alex_greene]

Of course, the basic stealth hull coating option might well incorporate this kind of tech anyway.

 

[BP]

Alternately, just assume it is part of the basic starship hull costs. All of these hulls are built at TL8+, so why bother with it as a special feature?

After all, registration is going to be by transponder code, not any hull markings.

Ah - but to keep it as a special feature - that is the whole point!

Starships generally start at TL 7 and have numerous below TL 8 components available (Model 1; single turret; lasers; sandcasters, etc.). Its also one more thing to fake (besides the 'transponder code') and can be added on later. At higher TL the 'coating' should be nano-tech - so control matrix would be engineered by the material making control and repair a snap - but thats MTU - MGT TLs really don't seem to accomodate this well...

Also - hull markings are of some use when the transponder 'fails'!

 

[kristof65]

I always assumed it was a standard feature for starships, ever since I got my copy of the old DGP Starship Operators Guide for Megatraveller