Nifty 100-Ton Trader

[heron61]

I recently ran across this page (http://travellerrpgblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/deck-plan-hammer-class-100-ton-merchant.html) about the Hammer Class 100 ton Merchant. So, I decided to see what could be done with this in the current edition of Traveller. The first versions are J-2 & J-3 version of this ship, while the second versions are versions which have somewhat more cargo space, largely because I replaced the Sickbay with an autodoc (which given the description in the CSC, sounds like 1 ton would be sufficient).

That's an impressive amount of cargo for a 100-ton ship - obviously, the J-3 version would be a fast courier/smuggler that would make up for having less cargo capacity with faster travel, and taking more specialized (aka less than legal) cargoes.

 

[Galadrion]

I notice a lack of price tag on these ships...

 

[baithammer]

Autodoc just replaces a medic, still need med bay to treat patients. ( Beyond first aid.)

 

[heron61]

Autodoc just replaces a medic, still need med bay to treat patients. ( Beyond first aid.)

According to the description in the CSC, an autodoc has medic 3 and the TL 14 version can even manage to revive someone from recent death, so it's hardly just first aid. OTOH, the difference between a med bay and an autodoc is that a med bay is described as being able to handle up to 5 patients at once, and provides a +1 to treatment. Just an autodoc can handle 1 patient at once, which doesn't seem unreasonable on a ship with a maximum possible crew of 6, and more likely a crew of 3.

 

[phavoc]

Small ships like this would most likely not be carrying any sort of sickbay. Crew is pretty small and aside from a first-aid kit, there wouldn't normally be much need.

 

[GamingGlen]

It's an expensive merchant ship with the tech upgrades and "Improved" sensors (especially the sensors), although the maneuver drive turned out cheaper with the size decrease. I was up to about MCr49 when nearly done (my ship design spreadsheet isn't quite finished; don't have sickbay in yet), taking most of the expensive stuff off it came down to about MCr35. Those sensors and sickbay take up valuable cargo space. And why a pop-up turret? That's an added ton that could be cargo space (or larger smuggler hidey hole), and costly at +MCr 1 for a regular turret.

For the Jump-3 version you need to up the computer model, 5/bis doesn't work for Jump 3.

Addendum: but then, the so-called pop turret space could be just a cover for another smuggling storage space, say 0.25 ton in fake machinery (the tracks and pulley system takes up how much space?) that only an engineer might spot as fake (how many custom agents will be ex-engineers?) and the other 0.75 ton of space hidden behind. Heck, the allocated smuggling space could be the diversion, that only the most inept or bored custom agents might miss, and contain some small value of contraband (e.g., specialized liquor bottles and you 'd be willing to part with a bottle or three as a bribe, or beanie aliens, or the captain's hidden shrine to some alien pop star).

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Autodoc just replaces a medic, still need med bay to treat patients. ( Beyond first aid.)

It's not just a robot, it's a self-contained treatment chamber.

An autodoc is a small self-contained diagnostic, pharmaceutical, and surgical system about the size of a low berth chamber or large coffin. Often found on spacecraft, ...

So I think it is correctly used in this ship.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

We can do it slightly cheaper:
http://forum.mongoosepublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=910187#p910187

100 Dt, J2, 2G, MCr 19,99 in quantity
1 stateroom, 70 Dt cargo, well 50 Dt cargo left after 2 × 10 Dt Demountable tanks are installed.
100 Dt external cargo covered by 100 Dt Jump Net.
Partially streamlined (Unstreamlined with external cargo), Scoops and Purifier for wilderness refuelling.

Optional 10 Dt containers with 2 staterooms (MCr 0.99 each) can be connected in the cargo hold.
For those who can recognise a bargain 10 Dt containers with barracks for 5 are available for kCr 199.

It's even profitable...

Slightly retouched:

TL_11__________Hull__36____________________________________________22,8____
_____________________________Desired____∆TL____Rat____#____dTon____Cost____Power
Hull____________________________100_______________________100,0_____________20,0
Config_________Sphere__Partial____3_____________3___________________3,0____
Hull_strength__Light______________1_____________1________________
Repair_Drones_____________________1___________________1_____1,0_____0,2____
___
JumpD__________Budget,_EneIneff___2_____-0______2_____1____10,0____11,3_____26,0
ManœuvreD______Budget,_EneIneff___2_____-0______2_____1_____2,0_____3,0_____26,0
PowerP__(TL8)__High_Technology___________3____________1_____3,5_____2,6_____50,0
___
Fuel,_Power_______________________4___________4_w_____1_____1,0________
Fuel_Purification______________25_h__________25_h_____1_____1,0_____0,0______1,0
Scoops______________________________________________________________1,0____
___
Bridge,_Small_____________________1___________________1_____6,0_____0,5____
____Holographic___________________1___________________1_____________0,1____
Comp___________m/10/bis___________2______1_____10_____1_____________0,2____
Backup_Comp____m/5/bis/fib________1______3______5_____1_____________0,1____
Sensors________Basic__________________________________1____________
___
Staterooms______________________10%_____________5_____1_____4,0_____0,5____
___
Cargo______________________________________________________70,0________
Collapsible_Tanks________________50__________________50_____0,5_____0,0____
Demountable_Tank______10_dT_______2___________________2_____________0,0____
External_Cargo__________________100_________________100_____________0,1____
Jump_Net________________________100_________________100_____1,0_____0,3____
___
___

Software____________________________________________________________0,302____
Jump_Control/2______________________________________________________0,2____
___
Expert:Astrogator/2_________________________________________________0,010____
Expert:Engineer(Jump)/2_____________________________________________0,010____
Expert:Engineer(Man)/2______________________________________________0,010____
Expert:Engineer(Power)/2____________________________________________0,010____
Expert:Engineer(Life_Supp)/2________________________________________0,010____
Expert:Electronics(Comms)/2_________________________________________0,010____
Expert:Electronics(Comp)/2__________________________________________0,010____
Expert:Electronics(Sensor)/2________________________________________0,010____
Expert:Mechanic/2___________________________________________________0,010____
Expert:Medic/2______________________________________________________0,010____
Intelligent_Interface_______________________________________________0,000____
Intellect/1_________________________________________________________0,002____

 

[Condottiere]

Autodocs are a scifi trope.

Considering the technological level of fifteen, it would be a surprise if one wasn't included.

 

[heron61]

So, I reworked it a bit and reduced the cost a lot (and included the cost), and have a fairly inexpensive jump-3 courier. It only carries 20 tons of cargo, but jump 3 will get it business that won't go to jump 2 ships.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

So, I reworked it a bit and reduced the cost a lot (and included the cost), and have a fairly inexpensive jump-3 courier.

It's certainly a nice ship for a few adventurers, but not very economical.

I'm not sure exactly what you are trying to achieve, but we can certainly make it cheaper.

Is it a light freighter? Is it a courier? Is it a utility craft like the ubiquitous type S?

With some trickery with the drives we can save well over MCr 10:

The power plant has power enough for 2G or J2 and a tiny battery makes up the difference to allow J3. The budget jump drive alone saves almost MCr 10.

You lose a few Dt, but can make up for it by skipping the hangar or using a small bridge. If the users want they can store an air/raft in the cargo hold.

If you want the extra space you could make the ship slightly larger, say 105 - 110 Dt, to get the same cargo space, but at a cheaper price.