Ship Size Visualization Help

[NoChannel]

I'm relatively new to traveller and am going to be running my first campaign fairly soon, and when I let them flip through the core book and High Guard one thing my players had a bit of trouble with is visualizing the relative sizes of different ships

Displacement tons are all well and good, but they seem to really want length/width descriptions. Telling them a vehicle is 300 meters long gives them a much better idea of how big it is than saying it displaces X tons of hydrogen.

Are there any sourcebooks or infographics anyone can point me to for that? I can always just count the squares on a deckplan to get a given ship's length, but that would be a bit too time consuming if my players happen upon a ship I didn't think to personally measure before the session.

EDIT: fixed some typos and clarified a couple things, I'm writing this late at night and didn't proofread before I posted

 

[AndrewW]

This might help:

Relative Size Chart

 

[Limpin Legin]

Help on creating Deckplans can be found in these places:

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Maps Scale: Core Rule Book pg 73
Creating Deck Plans: High Guard pg 100 - 101
Deck Plan Legend: Core Rule Book pg 289

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To answer your question, it appears length/width is not directly mentioned in the premade deckplans. That is understandable because length/width is ambiguous, as not all of the ship's surfaces are reachable or traversable.

 

[NoChannel]

Thanks, these responses both help a lot!

 

[Limpin Legin]

Actually, if you have the Print version of the books and since everything is published to scale, then you could just use a tape measure on the diagrams, then convert the millimetres to meters. An approximate number should be sufficient for most instances.
If you are using a VTT, they will likely have built-in ruler that could do the equivalent.

 

[shirgall]

The best way to visualize the size of these ships is to print 28mm scale miniatures and starships. Pictures include 2nd Dynasty's Beowulf, Grav Carrier, Imperial Space Marine, and more...

 

[Ol'Weedy]

The best way to visualize the size of these ships is to print 28mm scale miniatures and starships. Pictures include 2nd Dynasty's Beowulf, Grav Carrier, Imperial Space Marine, and more...

In that case, I think it is incumbent on 3rd Dynasty, to print up a Tigress class for comparison's sake.

 

[Terry Mixon]

In that case, I think it is incumbent on 3rd Dynasty, to print up a Tigress class for comparison's sake.

Maybe this can tide him over until then.

 

[shirgall]

View attachment 2251
Maybe this can tide him over until then.