Ship Design Philosophy
- Thread starter Condottiere
- Start date
AndrewW said:
That's just a standard sci-fi trope. The fact that Mimas has a crater that's pretty much the same size (and position) relative to the rest of the satellite as the death star's is far more uncanny a coincidence. Though I think the original death star idea had the crater on the equator (I think you can see that when they show the plans in A New Hope).
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
ET The Extra-terrestrial is an autobiography.
-Daniel- said:
Wel that would explain why they keep absorbing one company after another..the most vile and insidious form of invasion of all.
If E.T was an autobiography we know what happened afterward. He returned to take over the world, and deal out retribution on his pursuers by forcing them to listen to "let it go" ten times a day as their kids watch the movie.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
I like saucers that gravitate.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Starships: Technology and Middle Age
For primitive and advanced spacecraft options, tech level zero point five, or late mature tech, would neither be advantaged nor disadvantaged, the cost having reached an equilibrium.
On the other hand, it could have a mid-life crisis, with both an advantage and disadvantage, applied simultaneously to the performance of the gadget.
For primitive and advanced spacecraft options, tech level zero point five, or late mature tech, would neither be advantaged nor disadvantaged, the cost having reached an equilibrium.
On the other hand, it could have a mid-life crisis, with both an advantage and disadvantage, applied simultaneously to the performance of the gadget.
I don't complain I just surf the wave...it usually gets back to the subject at hand. and after 70 or so pages some drift is bound to happen occasionally.fusor said:And people complain about thread drift...
Hmm ya know applying a disadvantage and an advantage would be a good trick..such as a reduced size energy inefficient drive..smaller but needs more power to work.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Due to overheating.
exactly.Condottiere said:
if you had a laser with the high yield or intense focus you could apply energy inefficient to offset the cost at the expense of burning more power, or make it less accurate. or to give ships with simiar weapons loads a distinct difference forcing a change in tactics.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Spaceships: Ultralite Fighter
Since we want it manned, we pick out the smallest possible bridge, or in this case, cockpit; admittingly, there's only one one and a half tonne option. Could it be more cramped for that minus one modifier? Maybe at one tonne, which is sufficient for a turret, but let's stay canonical.
The computer takes up no volume; basic sensors take up no space, the fighter would be relying on more dedicated sensor cee three eye platforms, and in any case, has to close in order to engage any target.
Rules clearly say that you need minimum one tonne manoeuvre drive, and a one tonne power plant, which brings you to three and a half tonnes. Integral life support is twenty four hours, plus vacc flight suit, so in theory, you only need sufficient fuel for forty eight hours. For a one tonne power plant, you only need a hundred kilogrammes per four weeks, though the rules say minimum one tonne; fusion plus is like watering your plants, so I'd say this is a gray area.
A firmpoint is by default a fixed mount, which takes no volume; missiles and sandcaster canisters do, but use no energy, so it's balancing off the power plant against the fighter's magazine.
For the ground attack variant, I'm not sure if it's a hard rule that a minimum of one tonne has to be dedicated to infantry and vehicle weapons, though logic seems to indicate anything upto two hundred and fifty kilogrammes can be used to fill one slot, four slots per tonne. Ironic, if the missile rack or laser take up no volume.
At this point, your basic variant ultralite fighter weigh in at three point six tonnes, though with forty eight hour endurance, closer to three point five zero seven. This would also be the size of a civilian speedster, minus the weapons.
I think even after four millenia, no one voluntarily sits for any period just in front or over a fission reactor, though presumably a drone can raise no objections, and endurance would be what, five years Traveller or twenty/thirty years for super carriers and boomers?
Performance for a three point five zero seven tonne fighter is, using a tech level eight fusion plant is ten scotts, or nine point two nine eight six scotts available after deducting basic energy requirements. one tonne manoeuvre drive generates a hundred tonnes of thrust, which translates to twenty eight point five ratio. Or twenty eight gees.
You can't use reaction drives, the fuel just takes up too much space, unless we're going for point defence interceptor designed for a one or two hour mission.
I haven't figured out how high burn thrusters work in this edition.
For nine gee thrust, you need three point one five six three scotts, which leaves us with six point one four two three scotts, more than enough to power up that energy weapon. Maybe overclock it.
Since we want it manned, we pick out the smallest possible bridge, or in this case, cockpit; admittingly, there's only one one and a half tonne option. Could it be more cramped for that minus one modifier? Maybe at one tonne, which is sufficient for a turret, but let's stay canonical.
The computer takes up no volume; basic sensors take up no space, the fighter would be relying on more dedicated sensor cee three eye platforms, and in any case, has to close in order to engage any target.
Rules clearly say that you need minimum one tonne manoeuvre drive, and a one tonne power plant, which brings you to three and a half tonnes. Integral life support is twenty four hours, plus vacc flight suit, so in theory, you only need sufficient fuel for forty eight hours. For a one tonne power plant, you only need a hundred kilogrammes per four weeks, though the rules say minimum one tonne; fusion plus is like watering your plants, so I'd say this is a gray area.
A firmpoint is by default a fixed mount, which takes no volume; missiles and sandcaster canisters do, but use no energy, so it's balancing off the power plant against the fighter's magazine.
For the ground attack variant, I'm not sure if it's a hard rule that a minimum of one tonne has to be dedicated to infantry and vehicle weapons, though logic seems to indicate anything upto two hundred and fifty kilogrammes can be used to fill one slot, four slots per tonne. Ironic, if the missile rack or laser take up no volume.
At this point, your basic variant ultralite fighter weigh in at three point six tonnes, though with forty eight hour endurance, closer to three point five zero seven. This would also be the size of a civilian speedster, minus the weapons.
I think even after four millenia, no one voluntarily sits for any period just in front or over a fission reactor, though presumably a drone can raise no objections, and endurance would be what, five years Traveller or twenty/thirty years for super carriers and boomers?
Performance for a three point five zero seven tonne fighter is, using a tech level eight fusion plant is ten scotts, or nine point two nine eight six scotts available after deducting basic energy requirements. one tonne manoeuvre drive generates a hundred tonnes of thrust, which translates to twenty eight point five ratio. Or twenty eight gees.
You can't use reaction drives, the fuel just takes up too much space, unless we're going for point defence interceptor designed for a one or two hour mission.
I haven't figured out how high burn thrusters work in this edition.
For nine gee thrust, you need three point one five six three scotts, which leaves us with six point one four two three scotts, more than enough to power up that energy weapon. Maybe overclock it.
AnotherDilbert
Emperor Mongoose
Just curious: Why do you obfuscate your writing like this? Don't you want us to read it?Condottiere said:
I believe the minimum size for drives has been dropped it does not appear in the last revision or the official release of the book.
However, the official release does require a ten-ton hull as a minimum size for spacecraft. I'll take partial credit/blame for that adjustment at least one of my 5-ton combat pods would eat an MBT for lunch and still be hungry. I think someone built a microdrone that could fly down a starships passageway armed with a starship grade laser.
at 5-tons you can get this little guy...
However, the official release does require a ten-ton hull as a minimum size for spacecraft. I'll take partial credit/blame for that adjustment at least one of my 5-ton combat pods would eat an MBT for lunch and still be hungry. I think someone built a microdrone that could fly down a starships passageway armed with a starship grade laser.
at 5-tons you can get this little guy...
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Nice.
Though my position is that a turret weapon still takes up one sixth of a tonne, if they install it as a fixed mount, but the purpose of the exercise was to find the smallest possible fighter with basic components.
Speaking of which, I regretfully noted that the jump drive is still a minimum of ten tonnes at default, which means I'd have to use advanced versions, which either reduce the size of the drive or shrink fuel usage.
That once again leaves the two hundred tonne hull as the most optimized small ship design for short range hopping.
As regards to my writing style, it's my form of internet calligraphy.
Though my position is that a turret weapon still takes up one sixth of a tonne, if they install it as a fixed mount, but the purpose of the exercise was to find the smallest possible fighter with basic components.
Speaking of which, I regretfully noted that the jump drive is still a minimum of ten tonnes at default, which means I'd have to use advanced versions, which either reduce the size of the drive or shrink fuel usage.
That once again leaves the two hundred tonne hull as the most optimized small ship design for short range hopping.
As regards to my writing style, it's my form of internet calligraphy.
Condottiere said:
the Personal transport descriptor is a polite way to say civilian fighter...saves on paperwork.
Lets see
cockpit 1.5 tons
M-drive .28 tons thrust 7 at TL-12
m-Drive .36 trust 9 at TL-13..
Reactor 1 ton
fuel 1 ton
fixed pulse laser 0.16 tons
Using stock standard hardware...
3.94 tons at TL-12
4.02 tons at TL-14
By applying reduced size to drives and powerplant you can get down to around 3.52 tons. if my coffee deprived math holds up
a drone version can do without the cockpit dropping it to 2.5 tons at TL-14 with maxed out M-drives, using stock standard hardware.
The Jump drive restriction seems to be one they couldn't get past higher powers...although for purely personal use any size limits could be waived.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Using the semi canonical Striker formula, you could generate at tech level eight, two and a half scotts for a half tonne power plant.
That drops the wight to a tad over three tonnes, but you can forget about a weapon payload, beyond superglueing an FGMP to the side of the hull, or rolling down windscreen, and drawing your pistol.
At which point, you install a zero factor manoeuvre drive, for let's say another half a tonne drop, which gets you to two and a half tonne. It produces a quarter thrust for half the weight, so roughly twenty five tonnes making it around nine to ten gees.
Of course, that doesn't leave enough power, since you'd need a tad over half a scott to energize a two and a half tonne hull, but leaves two scotts for twenty tonnes thrust, of about eight gees.
That drops the wight to a tad over three tonnes, but you can forget about a weapon payload, beyond superglueing an FGMP to the side of the hull, or rolling down windscreen, and drawing your pistol.
At which point, you install a zero factor manoeuvre drive, for let's say another half a tonne drop, which gets you to two and a half tonne. It produces a quarter thrust for half the weight, so roughly twenty five tonnes making it around nine to ten gees.
Of course, that doesn't leave enough power, since you'd need a tad over half a scott to energize a two and a half tonne hull, but leaves two scotts for twenty tonnes thrust, of about eight gees.
AnotherDilbert
Emperor Mongoose
A 0,1 dT drone, M-9, Armour-15
Battery powered with 40 rounds = 4 h endurance.
Since all components are percentage based we can make it as small as we want. I works just as well at 0,01 dT.
We need some minimum tonnage for small craft, 10 dT is as good a limit as any.
Battery powered with 40 rounds = 4 h endurance.
Code:
TL 15 Hull 0 1,9
Desired ∆TL Rat # dTon Cost Power
Hull 0,10 0,02
Config Standard 1 1 0,00
Hull strength Light 1 1
Armour Bonded Superdense 99 15 0,01 0,00
ManœuvreD Standard 9 9 1 0,01 0,02 0,09
Batteries, TL12 40 40 0,07 0,01 0,11
Comp m/5 1 5 1 0,03
Virtual Crew/0 5 1,00
Sensors Basic 1
Fixed Mount
Missile Missile,Standard 1 TL7 1 0,85We need some minimum tonnage for small craft, 10 dT is as good a limit as any.
