Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Doesn't mean that various system governments wouldn't team together on financial grounds, local assembly or technology transfers, though I suspect we're now moving into the business activities of megacorporations.
SDB's vs. Warships
- Thread starter phavoc
- Start date
Reynard
Emperor Mongoose
In the 3rd Imperium Universe, there seems to be a hierarchy of responsibility with space based security. While a subsector navy makes its presence know when necessary, they only get involved locally when its significant to the Powers That Be. It's the subsector navy that receives pooled research and production in return for mutual defense.
Local defense is the responsibility of individual systems unless there is an specific mutual pact such as a local ruling family in control of several worlds. As mentioned above, megacorps can have a stake in one or more systems that would be cost effective to defend. This would explain the variation and sophistication of system defense, if any at all. SDBs on worlds with the resource, credits and manpower will design, build and maintain their own forces shaped to local conditions.
One exception, and fitting in with larger corporations, would be worlds unable to create their own but having a need for protection. They would lease SDBs shipped in from elsewhere and maintained from tenders either long term or temporary. Excellent for colonies. You could enter a system with antiquated vehicles meant more as a minimal Rent-a-Cop show of force.
Local defense is the responsibility of individual systems unless there is an specific mutual pact such as a local ruling family in control of several worlds. As mentioned above, megacorps can have a stake in one or more systems that would be cost effective to defend. This would explain the variation and sophistication of system defense, if any at all. SDBs on worlds with the resource, credits and manpower will design, build and maintain their own forces shaped to local conditions.
One exception, and fitting in with larger corporations, would be worlds unable to create their own but having a need for protection. They would lease SDBs shipped in from elsewhere and maintained from tenders either long term or temporary. Excellent for colonies. You could enter a system with antiquated vehicles meant more as a minimal Rent-a-Cop show of force.
Reynard
Emperor Mongoose
As a bit of fun I decided to use the campaign rules in Trillion Credit Squadron to better understand how and why systems build their off-world fleets. I used the parameters of TL 12+, Population 7+ and A/B starports as candidates for stellar powers. Using Heaven & Earth, I created a standard density sector of 654 systems, a good population example. For the worlds meeting the parameters there were 16 of which 11 were class A starports. Then I calculated the budget (peaceful) and shipyard tonnage and stepped back. What I saw made me look over the sector's systems in general.
There are very few worlds that can build an interstellar force, You need an class A starport, you need a population to fund and build a significant fleet. The map showed A starports but small populations and tech levels. Some worlds have the money and shipbuilding except they have B starports and can only build spacecraft or C starports and small craft. Even worlds with high technology are limited by their starports.
All these B and C starports with the manpower and money available are going to use that money not to patrol or conquer other world but sure as heck make sure their own are well defended. On worlds with small budgets they will make due with small, bare bone patrol craft. Class B will have 100+ ton craft extending into the system while Class C will have armed small craft staying close to stations and ports around the most important locations. Worlds with great sources of wealth will field the best spacecraft to defend that wealth. This will mean the most efficient based on the available tech plus the biggest craft needed to defend a system. More money will also mean larger in-system System Defense Boat fleets.
Adventurers should be able to judge a system by the display of obvious force from system bound craft and maybe have cautious respect for the SDBs they don't see. This also goes for invading jump fleets because they will face significant defensive force that could be more powerful ton for ton from budgets equal or greater. Even worlds with Class A ports will always have a defensive force specifically designed to make invaders hesitate knowing they may defeat the primary line of SDBs but spent the occupation dealing with hit and run from other SDBs waiting for the stellar fleet to return.
SDBs should be the largest, most diverse ship design in Traveller to represent the varied needs of so many worlds. They will be based on technology ranging from entry level space travel (8) to the Imperial max (15). They will be cheap popguns, vanguard stationary weapon platforms or state-of-the-art gleaming interplanetary dreadnaughts. One thing they won't be is standard.
There are very few worlds that can build an interstellar force, You need an class A starport, you need a population to fund and build a significant fleet. The map showed A starports but small populations and tech levels. Some worlds have the money and shipbuilding except they have B starports and can only build spacecraft or C starports and small craft. Even worlds with high technology are limited by their starports.
All these B and C starports with the manpower and money available are going to use that money not to patrol or conquer other world but sure as heck make sure their own are well defended. On worlds with small budgets they will make due with small, bare bone patrol craft. Class B will have 100+ ton craft extending into the system while Class C will have armed small craft staying close to stations and ports around the most important locations. Worlds with great sources of wealth will field the best spacecraft to defend that wealth. This will mean the most efficient based on the available tech plus the biggest craft needed to defend a system. More money will also mean larger in-system System Defense Boat fleets.
Adventurers should be able to judge a system by the display of obvious force from system bound craft and maybe have cautious respect for the SDBs they don't see. This also goes for invading jump fleets because they will face significant defensive force that could be more powerful ton for ton from budgets equal or greater. Even worlds with Class A ports will always have a defensive force specifically designed to make invaders hesitate knowing they may defeat the primary line of SDBs but spent the occupation dealing with hit and run from other SDBs waiting for the stellar fleet to return.
SDBs should be the largest, most diverse ship design in Traveller to represent the varied needs of so many worlds. They will be based on technology ranging from entry level space travel (8) to the Imperial max (15). They will be cheap popguns, vanguard stationary weapon platforms or state-of-the-art gleaming interplanetary dreadnaughts. One thing they won't be is standard.
