Multiple Starports
- Thread starter Jame Rowe
- Start date
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
In Traveller's case, extraterritoriality, which any sensible planetary government will try to limit.
You can have any number of spaceports, under any number of people's control.
You can have any number of spaceports, under any number of people's control.
Reynard
Emperor Mongoose
The MegaTraveller World Builder's Handbook had planets covered in primary and many secondary starports and spaceports depending on the number of cities (can be a huge number) generated and the tech level. Also add in Orbital Cities.
It seems, especially in Classic and the sister Mongoose Traveller, the Highport and Downport are a mated pair with Downports often existing first and Highports added with necessity. What we aren't hearing, and Condottiere mentions, are spaceports which are a starport's world wide network for transport of goods and sentients to and from the central hub. I always considered they existed and were a transparent system in the game that strives to keep things simple. Spaceports would serve major cities. They won't be in every city. That's the job of planetary land, sea and air transportation networks.
It seems, especially in Classic and the sister Mongoose Traveller, the Highport and Downport are a mated pair with Downports often existing first and Highports added with necessity. What we aren't hearing, and Condottiere mentions, are spaceports which are a starport's world wide network for transport of goods and sentients to and from the central hub. I always considered they existed and were a transparent system in the game that strives to keep things simple. Spaceports would serve major cities. They won't be in every city. That's the job of planetary land, sea and air transportation networks.
For Traveller "the starport" has always been the primary one for a planet. Typically it was also the Imperial one. However there's nothing that says the busiest and largest can't be owned by the planetary government, or that a planet won't have a multitude of starports (Class A through E) as well as orbital stations, warehouses, etc.
I think the inherent limitation has always been that you can't put more data in a UPP for a planetary system. It's like most Traveller adventures leave out the fact that there really is an entire system to exploit and settle, only the mainworld gets any print.
I think the inherent limitation has always been that you can't put more data in a UPP for a planetary system. It's like most Traveller adventures leave out the fact that there really is an entire system to exploit and settle, only the mainworld gets any print.
-Daniel-
Emperor Mongoose
I have never assumed a single port per planet unless it was very small populations. I have always assumed the port listed was the largest and highest tech one. And as someone else said, the one that was Imperial. But that didn't mean there couldn't be others. If a planet was balkanized it was even more likely to have more than one.Jame Rowe said:
Yup - never assumed it was the only startport. Just the only one you'd want to land on *most* of the time due Imperial Law being in effect, rather than whatever law the planet wants to have. Therefore, you'd have the highest chance to also finding what you want in-terms of cargo and passengers
Nerhesi said:
That actually brings up some interesting potential plot points. Are most Travellers just going to remain within the "safe" Imperial starport lines, or are they going to have to brave the potential hostile local government(s) of the planet?
I'd think that if a planet was risky to Travellers, it would get an Amber zone listing. Otherwise, while some locales may be more law-heavy than others (say landing in England vs. landing in Poland vs. landing in Russia), all will have a general level of assumed safety. A polity that is hostile to outsiders, or even actively harrassing them, will soon find their external trade links drying up because it's just easier to make credits elsewhere.
Then again, if there's money to be made, there's usually somebody willing to make it.
Plot points!!!
PsiTraveller
Cosmic Mongoose
Even in the Pirates of Drinax campaign there is a blurb about the planet Number One and the desire for a second starport. Players could arrange a floating city to create a new starport and would get a cut of the profits. (Treasure of Sindal adventure, pg 20)
Balkanized worlds offer a lot of opportunity for bringing goods in and negotiating better prices, lower tariffs etc. If the country wants the goods they may not take as big a tax bite on the sale. Players could set off a trade war, or a literal war if they were breaking an embargo, or cultural taboo or any other rule the GM can dream up.
If you are an outside corporation you would want to only build one starport and spare the expense of more. This would be based on getting the best deal in the first place. It is the later folks, and those that did NOT get the port in their backyard that want more than one.
Balkanized worlds offer a lot of opportunity for bringing goods in and negotiating better prices, lower tariffs etc. If the country wants the goods they may not take as big a tax bite on the sale. Players could set off a trade war, or a literal war if they were breaking an embargo, or cultural taboo or any other rule the GM can dream up.
If you are an outside corporation you would want to only build one starport and spare the expense of more. This would be based on getting the best deal in the first place. It is the later folks, and those that did NOT get the port in their backyard that want more than one.
Keep in mind starport is a pretty open term. It could be a landing pad wirh lights, a dirt field with a water truck for fueling, or a full blown class A facility.
I suspect every world of size and TL has hundreds of ports, much like tiny municipal airports dot the countryside, or the local lake or ocean watering hole can tie up some fishing boats.
Really just depends on what you are looking to do. Co side how many major ports and airports the US has. Each could be the equivalent of a starport (though few can build a ship, many ports have repair capabilities)
I suspect every world of size and TL has hundreds of ports, much like tiny municipal airports dot the countryside, or the local lake or ocean watering hole can tie up some fishing boats.
Really just depends on what you are looking to do. Co side how many major ports and airports the US has. Each could be the equivalent of a starport (though few can build a ship, many ports have repair capabilities)
