Ship Design Philosophy

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

280. A more efficient design would be using the lowest tier towers, though that tends to close off the avenue for using larger gun turrets.

281. However, you can place an eleven inch triple turret at both ends, and squeeze the towers together to maximize their arc of fire(s).

282. Use the two gunnery platforms for five inch triple turrets, plus one aft of the funnel, along the centre line, which means you can shoot on either side.

283. Max out the six underwater torpedo tubes, managed to fit one deck tube along the centre line behind the front turret, didn't have the space to do so in the rear one; maximizing the firing arcs of the eleven inchers means we're down to a broadside of six single tubes.

284. Maxing out torpedo and gun options narrows down the torpedo spread above deck to a broadside of five fat boys either side.

285. Forth generation Krupp armour and double hull, but no other engineering and safety improvements.

286. I think for the Forties, you do have to invest somewhat in the capabilities of the secondary, and probably have to introduce a tertiary ship, if there was such an option.

287. This is starting to resemble the Deutschland class.

288. The Azhanti fleet intruders could be considered rather larger variants of the surface raider concept.

289. Acceleration factor two might be too slow.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Engineering and Why don't rocket engines melt? How engineers keep engines cool

Rocket engines need to produce heat to function, after all, their only real purpose is to convert the chemical energy in the propellant into pressure and heat so they can produce thrust.

And that brings up an obvious question! How in the heck do engines survive this heat? How did rocket scientists figure out how to keep an engine running continuously while harboring combustion inside it that’s hot enough to melt the very walls that are containing it?!

Today we’re going to talk about the tricks engineers employ to keep rocket engines from melting. We’ll go over ablative cooling, regenerative cooling, film cooling, radiative cooling, heat sinks, and fuel to oxidizer ratios and show you some awesome examples of each.

00:00 - Intro / Timestamps
01:55 - Fuel to Oxidizer Ratio
07:20 - Ablative Cooling
10:30 - Regenerative Cooling
14:20 - Film Cooling
22:15 - Radiative Cooling
23:30 - Summary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he_BL6Q5u1Y


1. Pulsing thrust.

2. Leave no hydrogen unburnt.

3. You can optimize the engines to operate as per preferred performance.

4. Ablative cooling engine chambers.

5. Regenerative cooling.

6. Expander cycle to turn the turbines.

7. Exterior ice cold.

8. Film cooling: injecting a film of substance between the wall and combustion gases.

9. Soot layer.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

290. A general purpose cruiser really does need a spinal mount in order to have some punch.

291. Since spinal mount factors aren't based on the same damage, comparisons have to be based on the number of dice involved.

292. Six dice would be just the cusp of capital ship gunnery, so about twelve inches.

293. That means the largest of the railguns, factor three meson guns, and factor six particle accelerators could be considered a battery of six plus twelve inchers.

294. Factor two meson guns, factor five railguns, and factor four plus particle accelerates would be a battery of six plus eleven inchers.

295. Factor one meson guns, factor three railguns, and factor two plus particle accelerators would be a battery of six plus nine inchers or eight plus eight inchers.

296. Factor one railguns would be a battery of six plus seven inchers, and centrally coordinated and controlled eight plus six inchers.

297. Factor one particle accelerators centrally coordinated and controlled eight plus six inchers, and six plus seven inchers.

298. Filling in the gaps, factor three particle accelerators and factor four railguns would be six plus ten inchers.

299. Factor two railguns would be six plus eight inchers.

 

[Subzero001]

Braintrust,

Where would one find a write up or possibly a deck design for the (300-ton Gushiken-Class Free Trader from Vincenzi starship designs) Thanks

 

[Condottiere]

Sorry, doesn't ring a bell.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

300. Factor ten meson guns would be a battery of six plus twenty inchers, though it makes more sense to have two quadruple turrets, in terms of tonnage, space and cost.

301. Factor nine meson guns would be a battery of six plus nineteen inchers.

302. Factor eight meson guns would be a battery of six plus eighteen inchers.

303. Factor seven meson guns would be a battery of six plus seventeen inchers.

304. Factor six meson guns would be a battery of six plus sixteen inchers.

305. Factor five meson guns would be a battery of six plus fifteen inchers.

306. Factor four meson guns or factor eight particle accelerators would be a battery of six plus thirteen and a half/fourteen inchers.

307. Factor seven particle accelerators would be a battery of six plus thirteen inchers.

308. Maxed out particle accelerators are still viable for light battleships.

309. Maxed out railgun spinal mounts would be used in older battleships, which by technological level thirteen is at optimal tonnage, but already considered obsolete by technological level twelve.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

310. Uncoordinated six inchers would be large bays.

311. Five inchers would be medium bays.

312. Four inchers would be small bays.

313. Three inchers would be barbettes.

314. Two inch pop guns would be turret based weapon systems.

315. Assuming there is such a thing as torpedo fixed mountings, and going by the Harrier the answer would be yes, those would be underwater torpedo tubes.

316. Hard pointed barbettes and small bays would be triple torpedo tubes.

317. Firm pointed barbettes would be double torpedo tubes.

318. Medium bays would be sextuple torpedo tubes.

319. Large bays would be torpedo farms.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

320. Torpedoes by default have longer viable ranges than missiles.

321. In theory, missiles would be eighteen inch torpedoes, fast.

322. Torpedoes, oxygen, twenty four inches, would be long lances.

323. Missiles could also be considered depth charges.

324. Torpedoes, electric, are stealthed, which surprisingly we don't have.

325. Increase the size of the torpedoes, you need to increase the size of the launchers, to the point they may need more than one hardpoint.

326. The missile/torpedo combination option for the Confederation navy does need an extra tonne per launcher.

327. That would allow you to use a firmpointed single turret with such a launcher, at plus one tonne, therefore two tonnes, which can launch either type of ordnance.

328. Mounted fixture variant would be one tonne, since design rules spcifically do not account for the tonnage of turret based weapon systems.

329. Surprised they didn't try to fit in a sand canister, since the canisters are by default smaller, and I assume in both cases there's a cold launch that magnetically pushes out the ordnance, before the rocket motor ignites.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

330. Early ironclad warships did have a supplementary sail alternative as a means of propulsion, though by the eighteen nineties it's been discarded.

331. Solar sails are useless within Traveller, considering the alternatives.

332. Even strategically, very long term transportation, it doesn't compare to alternatives.

333. Solar panelling implied sails.

334. It isn't easy being green, but I bit the bullet, and despite the vague language in the text, came to the conclusion that tying the solar panelling directly to the basic systems and the manoeuvre drive, I could generate enough energy to cover both requirements, keeping the basic ship systems running, basically internal communications, ship's computer, life support, automated doors, elevators, galley, water heater, zero energy systems, and a factor one manoeuvre drive.

335. This is the part where the vagueness of the text doesn't explain what ... Minimal manoeuvring does not include long periods at full thrust ... actually means, since I don't think that energy comes in various qualities which restricts it in specific utilization, though generation does.

336. So anyway, you can unfurl the solar panelling, and with light being converted to energy and directed to the manoeuvre drive, you have factor one propulsion.

337. In theory, you could unfurl more solar panelling, and thus power more propulsion.

338. In practice, it's redundancy, and there are probably practical and game breaking reasons to prevent this.

339. However, you don't use up your fuel supply using this option.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

340. It's sort of interesting to try and classify starwarships by era and construction method.

341. Which are basically totally (science) fictional.

342. I wanted to classify the early starwarships as ironclad.

343. This is sort of tough, since we're probably looking at aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and what seems a sort of mix(ture) of the aforementioned.

344. With that sort of mindset, we end up with crystalironclad.

345. With the span of technological levels utilizing this form of hull armour ranging from ten to thirteen, it's a little too close to modern bonded superdense.

346. Also, I'm rather enamoured with nickel ironclad.

347. You could easily end up with nickel crystal ironclad.

348. Or, shortened to crystal ironickclad.

349. In the Confederation, it might be known as Kristahl.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

350. Technological level twelve would be sort of the equivalent of the introduction of the Dreadnought.

351. While the Dreadnought uses existing technologies and considered doctrine, what we have in technological level twelve is the introduction of factor three jump drives (turbines), factor seven manoeuvre drives, meson spinal mounts (all big gun homogenous main battery) and standard fusion reactors.

352. Technological level thirteen is a further refinement of these technologies, and the introduction of the super dreadnoughts, however that would be defined in Traveller, though I suspect it's packing in more firepower on a larger platform.

353. Technological level fourteen finds itself being able to take advantage of better hull armour, usually leveraged into faster tactical speed, which the cutting edge would be considered as fast dreadnoughts.

354. Technological level fifteen has access to the best electronics, most sophisticated programmes and advanced fusion reactors, allowing them to optimize battleships in firepower, mobility and protection.

355. In theory, since spacecraft at technological level nine and below are still using (titanium) steel hulls, this could be considered the equivalent to wood.

356. Technological level nine introduces the manoeuvre drive and the jump drive, so first steamships.

357. Technological level eight and below, would be the equivalent of galleys and wind propulsion.

358. Technological level ten introduces better armour and manoeuvre drives can be boosted to factor three.

359. You also have the first spinal mount, a railgun.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

360. The Deutschland class, or specifically the Graf Spee, is supposedly the ultimate development of the armoured cruiser.

361. It essentially has pre dreadnought capital ship main gun battery, pre Great War battle cruiser speed, and heavy cruiser armour.

362. It would be a super sized fleet intruder, of which I'm only aware of the Azhantis.

363. Likely over a hundred kilotonnes, if only to take advantage of extra hull points.

364. Main armament would a technological level fourteen factor five particle accelerator spinal mount.

365. Armour would be factor ten; Ghalalk class, factor fifteen may be an anomaly, possibly the class itself misunderstands the armoured cruiser concept or the Imperium has redefined it.

366. Range would be five parsecs.

367. Manoeuvre drive should be factor five.

368. Hull configuration is likely streamlined.

369. The aerospace group is more likely larger armed smallcraft used more in scouting and utility roles, rather than a bunch of snub fighters.

 

[Condottiere]

Starwarships: How Much Do Rebel Alliance STARSHIPS Cost?

We take a look at the cost of the various medium to large size star ships utilized by the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHJpm8FRSKY


1. Stand off distance.

2. Bombing run.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

370. Coming from more or less the same era is the large light cruiser, which could be considered as somewhat battle cruiser lite.

371. While the speed of the Courageous class was about the same as the contemporary Renonwns, armour was comparatively wafer thin, and the main battery two thirds fire power.

372. It was conceptualized to operate optimally in the Baltic Sea, with the shallower keel allowing it to move freely there and provide fire support to any amphibious landing.

373. Probably better off sending in a flotilla of torpedo boats and destroyers, backed by monitors.

374. Relationship would be through the development of the dreadnought armoured cruiser (technological level twelve), then the battle cruiser (technological level thirteen), and then it branches off (light battle cruiser).

375. Considering shore bombardment, likely factor three meson gun.

376. Armour factor should be around five.

377. Range would be either two or three parsecs, and I'm inclined to think three.

378. Tonnage would be somewhere between one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty kilotonnes, which could make it a Victory class, though the Victories are technological level twelve, which makes the more dreadnought armoured cruisers, especially considering their acceleration of factor five.

379. Acceleration should be six or seven.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

380. Next up would be the Alaska class.

381. Technically, it's not a battle cruiser, or wouldn't be in the technological level fourteen definition thereof, and really is more powerful than what you'd expect a super cruiser to be.

382. So they came up with the term large cruiser, because if they actually wanted design a contemporary battle cruiser, it would be at least forty kilotonnes, so in this case, likely one hundred fifty kilotonnes.

383. It's as large as a technological level thirteen battle cruiser, but a tad less powerful main battery, so around meson gun factor three and particle accelerator factor six or seven.

384. Acceleration would be factor seven.

385. Range would probably be four parsecs.

386. Armour would be factor ten to twelve.

387. The point of the Alaska class was to hunt down what would be considered super cruisers, whose main role would be to hunt down Treaty cruisers.

388. Probably superfluous even in concept.

389. Secondary role would be to accompany fast task groups centred on fleet carriers.

 

[Condottiere]

Starwarships: The Classic Klingon D-7 Cruiser - Stupid or Genius Design?? Animated Breakdown!

The Klingon D-7 Battlecruiser from classic Star Trek, later refit to the K'tinga - seems to be a very structurally vulnerable design, especially with the long neck section. Is this a good idea? Lets break it down!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO70LRE4oo0


1. Swan neck could be necessity due to weapon system dimensions, such as spinal mounts.

2. Swan neck could add to agility.

3. Optimizes jump bubble.

4. Radiation exposure safeguard.

5. Saucer separation.

6. Modulation.

 

[Condottiere]

Starwarships: How Much Do Imperial Navy Starfighters Cost?

We take a look at the cost of each starfighter within the Galactic Empire's Navy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQYsOcguuTs


1. TIE Fighter - minimalism.

2. TIE Bomber - seems a death trap.

3. TIE Interceptor - upgrade.

4. TIE Heavy Fighter - probably needed shields.

5. TIE Air Superiority Fighter - delta dart.

6. TIE Reaper - armoured assault lander.

7. Lambda Shuttle - captain's gig.

8. TIE Defender - tri wing.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

390. The French had a look around at their neighbourhood, and weren't too thrilled.

391. They came up with a rather innovative design, the Dunkerque class.

392. It's sort of debatable whether it's a technological level thirteen battle cruiser, or a technological level fourteen light battleship.

393. The fact that the main armament is in front, and armour is battle cruiser class, despite the all or nothing scheme, tends to argue for the former.

394. These ships were conceptualized to hunt down large surface raiders, and knock out Italian capital ships.

395. I'm not too sure of French navy infrastructure, but I understand that the final size selected was partially tempered by the capacity of their shipyards.

396. Hindsight indicates that they should have just built their larger successors, the Richelieus, instead.

397. That would have placed them more in a class to face the new Italian and German battleships.

398. It's an interesting case of not trying to counter current threats, but figuring out what the future threats would be considering the long lead time involved in building then modern capital ships.

399. Of course, we're sort of stuck innovating within our own technological levels.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

400. The Kongos certainly were technological level thirteen battle cruisers.

401. Essentially, you could class the Splendid Cats with them, if only loosely.

402. Battle cruisers are the same tonnage as concurrent battleships, but sacrifice protection for mobility.

403. Since the top speed of most Imperium Navy battleships are between five and six gravities, that could mean anywhere between seven to nine factor acceleration, assuming the Imperium Navy built any battle cruisers.

404. And/or, it could be an extra parsec in range.

405. Lack of armour would leave them vulnerable to missile and torpedo attacks, as well as railgun (obsolete) and particle accelerator spinal mounts, but not much difference to meson guns.

406. Battle cruiser doctrine would be to dictate engagement range through superior tactical mobility and probably have more point defence systems and anti smallcraft armament.

407. So the archetypical Traveller battle cruiser would be two hundred kilotonnes, factor four meson gun, and factor ten armour.

408. At technological level thirteen, that would be four parsec range.

409. At technological level fourteen and fifteen, a lot of ship systems that can be reduced in weight, probably would be, especially if they want to squeeze in that extra parsec.

 

[Condottiere]

Spaceships: Ship Design Philosophy and Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts

410. The Kongos were extensively refurbished in a midlife refit.

411. While basically they were modernized, and better protected, that doesn't make them fast battleships, maybe light ones.

412. Of course, in Traveller, you can't add additional factors to the hull armour.

413. In Traveller terms, engineering is gutted and replaced with more dense versions, electronics upgraded, hull protection is improved, while the main armament gets a range increase and better ammunition.

414. The Splendid Cats were sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.

415. By technological level fourteen, the preference would be fast dreadnoughts, such as the Prometheus class.

416. The tactical and strategic mobility of the technological level thirteen battle cruiser is retained, without compromising firepower nor protection.

417. Battle cruisers are really over powered for their projected role in any future war, and super cruisers would require fewer resources to acquire and maintain, while being able to hunt down and destroy commerce raiders, or just plain commerce.

418. Modernized battle cruisers would most likely be committed in areas you wouldn't want to send in a battleship, or as fast fleet carrier escorts.

419. As peacetime power projection they would be ideal.