Ship Design Philosophy

[Condottiere]

I'll speculate that has to do with energy showing it's potential and transcending.

However, why doesn't the Black Globe generator and/or ship implode upon activation?

 

[Reynard]

It's a hollow sphere initially generated out to a certain radius. Works best in space as a ship hangs free with the BG at a central location.

 

[Condottiere]

If it slowly expands, the globe will pass through solid objects.

This would imply that it springs into existence, and out of it, but still somehow transmits absorbed energy to the jump capacitors.

 

[Reynard]

No description of the globes include slow expansion. That's also how they have the flicker rate - on/off not pulsing like a three dimensional wave.

 

[Condottiere]

It absorbs all energy, except apparently life support and biological.

 

[Reynard]

It absorbs all energy at the impact point of the field not the volume between the field and the device.

 

[Condottiere]

All energy levelled at a Black Globe using vessel is absorbed, irrespective of its type.

Which begs the question, does a missile just explode when it hits the black globe, and the energy is absorbed, or is the solid material transformed into energy?

And then, what happens when two black globes pass through each other?

 

[Reynard]

Physical objects impart kenetic energy with its movement. This is also absorbed and renders the object dead in the water. It shall not pass. Notice though in High Guard such objects are so low in such kinetic energy as to not register as energy weapons do. Missiles most likely detonate at the moment of touching a Globe field and their explosive power is absorbed.

Two BG ships making contact with their fields on..... just don't do it. The majority of naval personnel in fleets who may be assigned to such ships get to see the holo showing the first (and only) time researchers tested the theory.

 

[Condottiere]

At which point, we're back to pushing a periscope from the ship through the Black Globe perimeter.

Or just having it pre-extended when the Black Globe is activated.

 

[Reynard]

Lord, if they can't win an argument they employ circular logic!

Since no one wants to read all the rules for Black Globes, let me point out the other rule everyone is skipping "As a ship using a Black Globe is unable to move or even see out, the devise has considerable limitations. These are offset by the capacity to flicker the Globe.... thereby giving the ship intermittent protection whilst allowing maneuvering, sensor use, and so forth...". It reads similar in three other editions that were at arms reach. When I get a chance, I browse my back issues of JoTAS for the mention of the bad test results with a BG.

At no point is there mention you can stick a boom, or by that logic extend the engine ports and weapon structures, through and beyond the field shell. If you could extend an object because it isn't energy, kinetic weapons would be Globe killers.

 

[Condottiere]

Who says I'm trying to win an argument?

As the Black Globe is activated, the bridge crew is well aware of where they are going, and the computer has calculated anything that's likely to intersect their path.

Flickering removes the stealth feature of the Black Globe, something that military sensors are going to be primed to look for.

Sticking out a periscope will give the bridge crew a view of what's happening while still cloaked.

 

[Reynard]

How do you extend a 'periscope' out beyond the shell? You read the quoted text I put in my post. Now, how do you perform that feat? I'll even wait and you can read High Guard so you're sure.

 

[Condottiere]

If you can't really manipulate the diameter of the Black Globe, you can embed it at the rear of the spacecraft, bringing the prow as far as possible to the edge.

Plain old muscle power and a handcrank should allow the periscope to be extended, if apparently the generator refuses to power up.

 

[Reynard]

Seems I need to again expand on the concept of the Black Globe. The Starship Operator's Manual states "The black globe operates by virtually cutting across the basic forces which hold space together. An operational black globe interrupts the passage of all particles. virtual or actual,....". Matter is made of particles. Also "Unlike those lesser shields, the black globe also shuts out other physical forces."

You don't physically penetrate the globe. An object in the path of the globe when it turns on has the forces holding it together taken away thus disintegrating that portion of the object.

 

[Condottiere]

Which is why I asked whether the missile just blew up or if the material just transformed into energy.

 

[Reynard]

In the words of Dr. Clayton Forrester "They're the atomic glue holding matter together. Cut across their lines of magnetic force and any object will simply cease to exist!"

 

[Condottiere]

First I thought it might be gravity related, like practically every other technological innovation in this game, and now I think the effect, though not necessarily the base technology, is the release of those bonds.

I think there must be a second field operating, protecting the ship.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Parking

The scoop includes anti–gravity baffles to minimise the impact but using a scoop with a high relative velocity is not recommended.

A larger version could act as anti-meteorite screen, or throw off missiles.

 

[Condottiere]

Space Stations: Mix and Match and Power Plants

System integration with differing design systems has always been a tricky issue.

Space stations are very attractive as the foundation of a space going vessel:

1. No limitations on volume.

2. Command modules are 0.2%.

3. Command modules can be swapped individually for standard bridges.

4. Power plants can be swapped out for higher factored ones.

5. Manoeuvre drive is 1.5%.

6. Hulls are intrinsically weaker but cheap.

There is a canonical power plant that's even smaller than mine, introduced for the Defence Station at factor three weighing twenty five tonnes, so theoretical, you can swap out the basic space station power plant factor one, with a capital grade factor one, which at a thousand tonnes would be fifteen tonnes. Could it be smaller, probably, but that's speculative, and this appears pretty definite.

Why is it important to be able to swap out a space station power plant with a capital grade, or even a small ship power plant?

The answer, the capability to enter jump space, which is implicit with an alphabet or capital power plant, not so with a space station one.

 

[Condottiere]

Space Stations: Mix and Match and Jump Drives

Having acquired a power plant that ensures that the space station will function with a jump drive, the next question is, can it transition?

That would depend on the hull holding together during this process, and nothing indicates that it won't, despite being structurally twice as weak as a comparable starship hull, whether being shuttled or being the primary transition focus.

Even if this were an issue, the space station could be built using a normal spaceship hull.