Ship Design Philosophy

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

G. Fuel processor is one of those nice to have things.

H. It's fifty kilostarbux per tonne, and processes twenty tonnes in twenty four hours, at one power point per round.

I. We don't actually need twenty tonnes, nor within twenty four hours.

J. And, as far as I can tell, there is no minimum size (for this item) in Mongoose.

K. So, a quarter tonne fuel processor, at twelve and a half kilostarbux, for five tonnes per day, requiring a quarter power point per round.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

G. Fuel processor is one of those nice to have things.

H. It's fifty kilostarbux per tonne, and processes twenty tonnes in twenty four hours, at one power point per round.

I. We don't actually need twenty tonnes, nor within twenty four hours.

J. And, as far as I can tell, there is no minimum size (for this item) in Mongoose.

K. So, a quarter tonne fuel processor, at twelve and a half kilostarbux, for five tonnes per day, requiring a quarter power point per round.

I'm establishing the policy of having enough to process the required fuel in 5 days. Most ships the player have will only need 1. The exceptions being military (and quasi military like scouts) who should have at least 2 units in case of damage and traders dealing with worlds they can neither get fuel or repairs for the unit which will also typically have 2 (though one may be as cargo to be installed as needed (or scavenged for parts).

 

[Condottiere]

The fuel processor isn't that expensive, and you could use unrefined fuel, in an emergency.

I included it due to operating costs, being paying for unrefined fuel at three times less than refined, and it should be pretty clear this would be more a people mover, rather than constantly on the move, considering that it would park itself at the starport, be refuelled, and slowly convert the fuel.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

L. Nominally, we're at thirty three and a quarter tonnes.

M. Cheapest viable hull would be a planetoid at four kilostarbux per tonne.

N. To make up the remaining ballast, the cheapest option would be about fifty one to sixty six tonne capacity external cargo.

O. It's an interesting question, as to whether an external cargo mount actually qualifies as enclosed space, by itself.

P. Or, whether you actually have to fill it with cargo.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

Q. The next cheapest option would be the forced linkage device, technological level seven, at fifty kilostarbux.

R. Downside would be you'd need two tonnes, whereas the external cargo mount needs none.

S. The external cargo mount would be fixed in capacity when installed, but the forced linkage device can scale upto five kilotonnes.

T. However, you actually need actual ballast to attach to the forced linkage device, whereas with the external cargo mount it's unclear with it's considered enclosed space.

U. It might just be cage configured, with gaps and holes.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

V. With a forced linkage device, nominal tonnage would be thirty five and a quarter tonnes.

W. Cheapest viable hull is a planetoid.

X. That's because a primitive planetoid doesn't permit jump and manoeuvre drives to be installed in it.

Y. Though, organic gravity field more than makes up the two kilostarbux difference, per tonne.

Z. After all, maintaining the crew's health is a priceless gift.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

1. Thirty five and quarter tonnes would be 44.0625 tonne planetoid.

2. Next two speedbumps are at forty nine and fifty tonnes, respectively.

3. But that has more to do with agility, and cockpits.

4. Seventy, if you want another firmpoint.

5. One would appreciate a little more space, than the bare minimum.

6. If we up it to forty nine, you specifically need to find fifty one tonnes of ballast.

7. At fifty, you could attach something preconstructed, like a fifty tonne modular cutter, without specifically figuring out how to add another tonne.

8. Of course, you could construct it for fifty tonnes, add in a pop up turret, and when unpopped, for the loss of firepower, you gain agility.

9. But, that all adds unnecessary costs, to what's supposedly the cheapest way to jump.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

A. We'll go for convenience, and make it a fifty tonne planetoid hull, at two hundred kilostarbux.

B. That gives us forty tonnes usable, and currently, a balance of four and three quarters.

C. We take back the half stateroom, which gives us six and three quarter tonnes.

D. We can change that to a four tonne brig for a quarter megastarbux, operating cost a kilostarbux per month.

E. Designed to hold up to six prisoners, it can uncomfortably hold double that number if necessary.

F. There are no internal facilities or controls, save for a curtained fresher and six pull-down slabs that can be used as beds.

 

[Condottiere]

Starwarships: Engineering and The most important/overlooked systems on a Star Destroyer

Waste management on a flying city that's over a mile long is quite complex, today we take a look at how an Imperial Class Star Destroyer handles its sewage. Its not going to be glorious or pretty.... but it sure is necessary.

1. Reverse logistics.

2. Four fifths to two litres, daily.

3. One tenth to a quarter kilogrammes, daily.

4. Adjust by activity.

5. Suck out your intestines.

6. How far does the deck gravity fields extend?

7. Vacuum blasted.

8. Hull cleaning.

9. Dehumidifier.

A. It does not taste good.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

G. The question is, having imprisoned six people, do you have to pay another six kilostarbux, per month, for their life support?

H. Obviously, you can double it without doing so.

I. Which does raise the question, if you can do that with default staterooms.

J. Stuff four people into a stateroom, and pay only three kilostarbux.

K. If only, uncomfortably so.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

L. Barracks can be scaled at one tonne per occupant.

M. Installation costs fifty kilostarbux, and life support half a kilostarbux, per tonne.

N. A barracks may only be used to carry soldiers, basic passengers or other personnel who will put up with cramped conditions.

O. In theory, you could make the bridge your living room.

P. And spend time in engineering.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

Q. Every 1.5 tons dedicated to cabin space allows the ship to carry another passenger in moderate comfort.

R. However, it does not provide comfortable living space and is generally only used in interplanetary craft where passengers are only expected to be on board for a few hours.

S. Moderate comfort is enough, at seventy five kilostarbux, with life support at three hundred seventy five starbux, per month.

T. Does not mention a limit on life support, like cockpits, nor if you need an additional kilostarbux per person, per month.

U. Does not mention a fresher.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

V. The reason we go through this little charade, every time, is because life support is such a vague concept in Traveller.

W. If you want to calculate how much water and food you need, we can draw from experience.

X. Or, go on a fast.

Y. We have an idea how much air we need.

Z. Just no idea how that's done on a spacecraft.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

1. Fifty tonne planetoid, two hundred kilostarbux, technological level nine, gravitated, organic armour class/two, self sealing.

2. Six tonne small bridge, two hundred fifty kilostarbux; computer/five, thirty kilostarbux; basic sensors; jump programme/one, hundred kilostarbux.

3. Four tonne brig, two hundred fifty kilostarbux; life support still works for one person at eight and a third percent efficiency; fresher.

4. Quarter tonne fuel processor, five tonnes per day, quarter power point, twelve and a half kilostarbux.

5. Eleven tonnes fuel tank; three and three quarters cargo hold.

6. Two tonne forced linkage device, fifty kilostarbux.

7. Venture Drive, ten tonnes, nine (eight and one tenth) megastarbux, one hundred twenty parsec tonnes.

8. Manoeuvre drive, budgetted/energy inefficient, one tonne, one and a half megastarbux.

9. Early fusion reactor, budgetted/inflated, two tonnes, seventy five kilostarbux, sixteen power points.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

A. Pretty barebones.

B. Anything that makes up fifty tonnes of ballast can be attached, so that you can jump.

C. If you have to provide your own cargo carrier, you can attach that to the forced linkage device.

D. Since you'll want something that's air tight and vacuum sealed, fifty tonne primitive planetoid.

E. Fifty tonnes, forty tonnes usable, hundred kilostarbux.

F. Power requirement two fifth power points, one fifth minimum.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

G. Total cost of primary hull: 11,467'500.00 starbux.

H. Ten percent discounted: 10,320'750.00 starbux.

I. Cargo carrier: 100'000.00 starbux.

J. Ten percent discounted: 90'000.00 starbux.

K. Well below initial Freetrader starship mustering out benefit value.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

L. Despite the attractiveness of a twenty year duration battery, that being sealed is unlikely to require maintenance, which is only one thousandth of cost, per annum.

M. A sterling fission power plant is more for a fire and forget surveillance satellite.

N. Or, powered down infiltration cruiser.

O. At the extremes, fusion reactors cost three times less than sterling fission power plants.

P. And, they can scale down to one power point, while sterlings require a minimum of two tonnes.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

Q. We could exchange the one tonne, one and half megastarbux, manoeuvre drive for a reactionary rocket equivalent.

R. The reactionary rocket is double the volume, at two tonnes, which costs one fifth as much, at two fifths megastarbux.

S. The problem is that at default, you need two and a half percent fuel per hour per thrust factor.

T. Which, at best, you could squeeze out three hours at full thrust.

U. Which would put quite a crimp in your tactical range.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

V. Demonstrably, the jump drive is three quarters of the bill of materials.

W. The formula is that it's twenty percent down, and paying off a spacecraft over forty years.

X. As a mustering out benefit, it would be free and clear of any further mortgage payments.

Y. If you purchase one, twenty percent down, 2,064,150.00 starbux.

Z. Four hundred eighty monthly mortgage payments of 34,402.50 starbux.

 

[Condottiere]

Starships: Cheapest Possible

1. This is the cheapest, legal jump drive, in accordance to High Guard design rules.

2. Which includes the minimum ten tonne requirement.

3. With one exception, you can't make them smaller.

4. And thus, you can't make them cheaper.

5. In theory, second hand should make them cheaper.

6. Based on depreciation.

7. Depreciation would be based on degradation of performance.

8. Depreciation appears to peak at two hundred fifty one years, with forty percent.

9. And, potentially, ten quirks.