Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Engineering and Propulsion
Ship Design Philosophy
- Thread starter Condottiere
- Start date
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Fire Control and Targetting
In theory, you could dictate a fire control console and one set of sensors for one target, for a dee emm bonus.
In fairness, probably for only one type of weapon systems, though multiple examples, during the same round.
In theory, you could dictate a fire control console and one set of sensors for one target, for a dee emm bonus.
In fairness, probably for only one type of weapon systems, though multiple examples, during the same round.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Down and Out in Mos Eisley
https://vimeo.com/181856947
Sad, yet oddly relevant.
https://vimeo.com/181856947
Sad, yet oddly relevant.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Engineering, Rocket Raccoon, and Tubthumping the Night Away
A high technology model of a raccooned rocket factor fifteen would only consume one percent of vessel volume multiplied by the acceleration factor per hour.
That's thirty percent for the raccooned rocket, plus fifteen percent per hour of hydrogen.
That's still a hefty percentage, but rather irritating if it's a missile chasing you around.
A high technology model of a raccooned rocket factor fifteen would only consume one percent of vessel volume multiplied by the acceleration factor per hour.
That's thirty percent for the raccooned rocket, plus fifteen percent per hour of hydrogen.
That's still a hefty percentage, but rather irritating if it's a missile chasing you around.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Precipitation and Attraction
Since I'm now on a gravity minimum trajectory, I thought this video on, towels, always a vital piece of equipment, and dihydrogen monoxide, is rather fascinating.
https://youtu.be/O9gBPnObkHA
Since I'm now on a gravity minimum trajectory, I thought this video on, towels, always a vital piece of equipment, and dihydrogen monoxide, is rather fascinating.
https://youtu.be/O9gBPnObkHA
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Hulls and Weight Watchers
If structural integrity is the criteria for determining the minimum size of a spaceship, a reinforced hull would reach four points at nine point one tonnes.
If structural integrity is the criteria for determining the minimum size of a spaceship, a reinforced hull would reach four points at nine point one tonnes.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Hulls and Weight Watchers
The problem with putting a minimum weight limit on spaceships, is that at ten tonnes, we find there's still a lot of slack that can be tightened, and fat cut.
It's always easiest to look for historical or contemporary analogues, and ours would be the Spitfire, the Bf-109, the Fishbed and the F-5.
The reason you have light fighters, is that not everyone can or wants to pay extraordinary purchase or operating costs involved with cutting edge fightercraft, though this is probably less an issue with our primary five interstellar polities; the Aslan have more clan based military budget constraints.
Since a light fighter can't outgun a medium or heavy fighter, or in theory shouldn't be able to, it's there to mission kill them, if not actually do so.
The other roles would be short range reconnaissance (though an unmanned drone would probably be better suited), point defense interception, and ground attack (most likely in counter insurgency).
I define a heavy fighter as having three firm points, medium as two, so a light fighter could range in size between ten to thirty four tonnes, though pragmatism would limit that to twenty.
Cost benefit is also an issue, since costs can really spiral out of control in relation to their actual usefulness.
The problem with putting a minimum weight limit on spaceships, is that at ten tonnes, we find there's still a lot of slack that can be tightened, and fat cut.
It's always easiest to look for historical or contemporary analogues, and ours would be the Spitfire, the Bf-109, the Fishbed and the F-5.
The reason you have light fighters, is that not everyone can or wants to pay extraordinary purchase or operating costs involved with cutting edge fightercraft, though this is probably less an issue with our primary five interstellar polities; the Aslan have more clan based military budget constraints.
Since a light fighter can't outgun a medium or heavy fighter, or in theory shouldn't be able to, it's there to mission kill them, if not actually do so.
The other roles would be short range reconnaissance (though an unmanned drone would probably be better suited), point defense interception, and ground attack (most likely in counter insurgency).
I define a heavy fighter as having three firm points, medium as two, so a light fighter could range in size between ten to thirty four tonnes, though pragmatism would limit that to twenty.
Cost benefit is also an issue, since costs can really spiral out of control in relation to their actual usefulness.
Condottiere said:
A basic 10-ton fighter is very cheap and fairly limited in combat. Squeezing in batter drives, sensors, and advanced computer software sends the cost screaming skyward. It's insanely easy to have a fighter with advanced drives and weapons that is still cheaper than the computer and associated software crammed into the cockpit.
but adding point defense software, broad spectrum Electronic warfare, and military grade sensors on a small fighter turns it into a rather effective point defender. and Hostile salvo within long range is subject to an EW action by every fighter equipped with the Broad spectrum system within log range. and then every fighter so equipped gets to take a shot at any salvo targeting any ship within close range of the fighter. however, the cost of the fighter is nearly doubled by the extra hardware and software needed for the fighters.
In order to get missiles through the screen ,the enemy has to dedicate resources to taking out the swarm of 10 ton fighters surrounding a target.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Going by a recent example, the electronics and programming seem to eat up half the development cost, and then you have to debug them.
At some point, you want that investment protected, which means a larger craft to soak up more damage.
At some point, you want that investment protected, which means a larger craft to soak up more damage.
IanBruntlett
Emperor Mongoose
Personally I feel that regarding computers and programming, we're living in a strange time - things keep changing rapidly.Condottiere said:
I am no ship architect but, by the time of the 3rd Imperium, a lot of the ship control hardware and software will be fairly solid, reliable and tested. It is when you need to customise things or attempt previously untried things that problems can creep in.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
I disliked the alphabet soup engineering, mostly because it didn't coincide with my design parameters, but likely a lot of equipment will be off the shelf, and plug and play.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Engineering, or Power to the People!
The most cost effective power plant might be a budget tech level eight fusion plant.
It's highly likely, municipalities aren't going to bother upgrading them once they have them installed; unlike spaceships, they have relatively large volumes that they can fill with them, and presumably our homes and existing industries are going to become increasingly energy efficient, if not soaking up free energy from the sun.
Of course, naval architects aren't going to have that luxury, since every cubic metre tends to count.
Unless the rules present us the horns of a dilemma, we don't need that much space, but are required to fill it with something.
The most cost effective power plant might be a budget tech level eight fusion plant.
It's highly likely, municipalities aren't going to bother upgrading them once they have them installed; unlike spaceships, they have relatively large volumes that they can fill with them, and presumably our homes and existing industries are going to become increasingly energy efficient, if not soaking up free energy from the sun.
Of course, naval architects aren't going to have that luxury, since every cubic metre tends to count.
Unless the rules present us the horns of a dilemma, we don't need that much space, but are required to fill it with something.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Hulls and Weight Watchers
On the counter insurgency role, the examples to look at would be most prominently the Warthog, though you'll never be permitted to add on all that ordnance; the exception appears to be groundscale weaponry, which unlike firmpoints do seem to take up an excessive amount of volume, especially considering my estimate of one eighth of a tonne per fixed turret mount.
Or perhaps the Warthog goes into the medium fighter category, and we get to putter around with Super Tucanos or the Skyraider.
Simce fighters do seem to get up close and very personal in space combat, you have to wonder how effective groundscale armament is against barely armoured targets or other small spacecraft.
On the counter insurgency role, the examples to look at would be most prominently the Warthog, though you'll never be permitted to add on all that ordnance; the exception appears to be groundscale weaponry, which unlike firmpoints do seem to take up an excessive amount of volume, especially considering my estimate of one eighth of a tonne per fixed turret mount.
Or perhaps the Warthog goes into the medium fighter category, and we get to putter around with Super Tucanos or the Skyraider.
Simce fighters do seem to get up close and very personal in space combat, you have to wonder how effective groundscale armament is against barely armoured targets or other small spacecraft.
Condottiere said:
a few ground scale weapons can do a good bit of damage the limiting factor being range. a Fusion cannon, or tac missile armed pod would do damage on another small craft but unless it can stay within adjacent range it's going to be outmatched by the longer ranged starship grade weapons.
And on a side not woe unto thee who mocks the firepower of a Tucano/"sandy"....for their days will be short and full of sorrows. they are primitive, lightweight, and basically an improved WWII fighter but in the ground suppression and anti-insurgency they are perfectly suited to the role. 20mmm cannons and rockets are more than enough to ruin the day of anyone caught in the open when one rolls in on them.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Going by current trends, at least nine out of ten military operations will revolve around counter insurgency, and you don't need a presumably scratching edge hi tech fighter with a cloaking device dropping ordnance.
-Daniel-
Emperor Mongoose
I was reading this very thought the other day in a white paper about the MBT being obsolete for the most part. The largest reason they gave was the low intensity bush wars becoming the norm rather than the exception. More need for fast response and low level coverage. Quite an interesting series of ideas. :mrgreen:Condottiere said:
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Yes and no. While current ones are more than enough, they also need an update to remain relevant, and make the Putin uncertain as to the advisability of blitzkrieg.
Doesn't mean he'd do it, but the capability of doing so is useful as leverage in diplomatic blackmail; one reason the Russians developed the Armata, and are lauding it up.
The Europeans have sort of given up trying to rival the Americans in war planes, but for warships and armoured vehicles linked to their heavy industrial base, they're still game.
Unfortunately, research and development costs a fortune, and production requires a minimum number, and getting the herd of cats to agree on what they want, who pays, and where it gets manufactured makes a European solution unlikely, as witnessed by their last attempt at cooperation, the Typhoon.
Doesn't mean he'd do it, but the capability of doing so is useful as leverage in diplomatic blackmail; one reason the Russians developed the Armata, and are lauding it up.
The Europeans have sort of given up trying to rival the Americans in war planes, but for warships and armoured vehicles linked to their heavy industrial base, they're still game.
Unfortunately, research and development costs a fortune, and production requires a minimum number, and getting the herd of cats to agree on what they want, who pays, and where it gets manufactured makes a European solution unlikely, as witnessed by their last attempt at cooperation, the Typhoon.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Armaments and Free Loaders
I just realized, I don't think freetraders can afford to stock up on missiles and sand canisters.
I just realized, I don't think freetraders can afford to stock up on missiles and sand canisters.
-Daniel- said:
Te death of the MBT has been announced on a regular basis since the invention of the Atomic Bomb guided missiles, Hellicoptergunship..etc. Having the ability to smash through an army without Heavy armor is always going to be a strategic advantage. Large scale wars have gone out of style in the past few decades but the danger of one persists as log as there are two nations capable of fielding mass formations. Even if it is nt engaging other armored units an MBT is a potent artillery platform that can shrug off small arms and put precision fire in your back pocket if needed. Monsters like the M-1/Leoprard/challenger/T-90 won't be seeing any tank on tank combat any time soon but they will stay around just in case.
Condottiere said:
Lately the weapon of choice for low-intensity conflict is the Helicopter...fast, able to loiter in the area and hide behind terrain, and carry the firepower of a rifle company if needed. Even secnd and third tier military forces have at least one armed chopper they can call on. In the Traveller setting, armed small craft and fighters may take up this role. Powerful enough to smash an MBT but smal and agile enough to set down on a city street, or provide precision fire at rooftop levels.
Grav-Tanks, and G-carriers would be the iron fist of any major ground military but buzzing overhead would be a bucket load of 10 ton combat/transport craft. Even a 1gee thrust capable runabout with a beam laser or missile launcher would be bad news for any insurgent group.
