Space stations and orbital platforms

[IanBruntlett]

I was wondering... have the Mongoose Traveller books covered the use or design of space stations or orbital platforms?

The Free City of Greyhawk (TSR's AD&D) was the first city I ever ran. It was a trading post, like Deep Space 9 or Babylon 5.

I'd like to place a space station or orbital in MTU - set in a suitable position of the Spinward Marches - and am looking for ideas

 

[AndrewW]

Hasn't really been covered. One could use High Guard and design one without jump drive (possibly excluding manoeuvre drive as well).

 

[Fedmahn Kassad]

Ship with no J-Drive, no M-Drive, solar sail equivalent engine (as in same weight and cost, but as attitude jets, not a sail - Maneuver 0) and solar panel/battery power plant should do it.

 

[Nuclear Fridge Magnet]

I’d say a system that straddles a major x-Boat route would be the first thing to look for; the second thing is to focus on the Spinward Main. That allows for all the jump-1 ‘cargo boats’ to visit the station.

Next thing to consider is the system itself. Is the settled world a high-population one, or not? Does it have a high tech level (well, high for the Marches)? Just as Deep Space 9 had episodes taking place down on Bajor, you may want to have the planet set up for ‘shuttle hop’ flights.

An example from The Traveller Adventure: Aramanx in the Towers Cluster. It’s in a vital position for space traffic, but the inhabitants are about to go to a global war with each other (it’s UWP Government 7, of course). Imperial megacorporations didn’t want to have to handle fractious locals with howitzers shelling their costly spaceport from over the border, so they built an orbital platform.

I hope this helps a little bit. Unlike the Star Trek shows, the map of the Marches is pretty well nailed down – so we can’t start playing around with travel times and system locations.

Once you’ve picked out a likely candidate, take a look at its near neighbours. There’s bound to be plot ideas there in terms of trade, diplomatic tensions, and good old-fashioned stupidity…
:twisted:

 

[Stainless]

If someone made a supplement with example space station floorplans, plus a system for building your own from unit templates (it's been done by other companies, but not to the Traveller specifications), I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Floor plans are kind of equivalent to having to choose NPC names off the cuff. You can't have enough in reserve or systems for making believable ones.

 

[Fedmahn Kassad]

I think that FASA Adventure Class Ships volume 2 has a set of great space station deckplans

I remeber using it in many games as the 'de-facto' small station.

 

[IanBruntlett]

I’d say...

Thanks all for your replies, especially Nuclear Fridge Magnet.

 

[phavoc]

Pick up a copy of GURPS Starports. There is a design sequence in there for building stations and starports. It's very well done.

 

[Nuclear Fridge Magnet]

I’d say...

Thanks all for your replies, especially Nuclear Fridge Magnet.

You're more than welcome.
I've run Traveller off and on (mainly off!) for a long time, but I've never given thought to a space-station setting...

 

[dmccoy1693]

I believe high guard had an asteroid base in it. It used the capital ship design rules and (like others have said) had no jump drive.

 

[rust]

There is also the Turtle Class Station of the Scout Service in Mongoose
Traveller Book 3: Scout, and of course Babylon 5 in Universe of Babylon
5 for Mongoose Traveller.

 

[phavoc]

There is also the Turtle Class Station of the Scout Service in Mongoose
Traveller Book 3: Scout, and of course Babylon 5 in Universe of Babylon
5 for Mongoose Traveller.

A space station 5 miles long, located in neutral territory would certainly provide a lot of adventure threads!

 

[Dave Chase]

I have some outpost Jump capable ships that turn into a small outpost/space station using 30 t round modules.

With deckplans.

Dave Chase

 

[IanBruntlett]

I have some outpost Jump capable ships that turn into a small outpost/space station using 30 t round modules.

With deckplans.
Dave Chase

Cool . Are they available for people to use?

 

[rust]

Cool . Are they available for people to use?

Dave usually allows it, and I can very highly recommend his designs.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I have been tinkering around with the idea of detailing starbases and space stations for awhile. Would you be interested in a 10-ish page pdf of a space station complete with map, major NPCs with plot hooks, a few patrons, organizations and so forth? If so, would you be more interested in it being generic Traveller or Foreven based (aka, possess zhodani, aslans, imperium plots etc)?

 

[IanBruntlett]

I have been tinkering around with the idea of detailing starbases and space stations for awhile. Would you be interested in a 10-ish page pdf of a space station complete with map, major NPCs with plot hooks, a few patrons, organizations and so forth? If so, would you be more interested in it being generic Traveller or Foreven based (aka, possess zhodani, aslans, imperium plots etc)?

I'd prefer it if it was in the Third Imperium - which, I believe, is what "Foreven based" means

I'd happily read your space station PDF and get back to you about it.

 

[SSWarlock]

If you really want a space station that'll blow your mind, check out the "Station 419 Map" at http://anomaly.mushpark.com/transfer.html

The guy used Profantasy's Campaign Cartographer software to fully map out one of Star Trek's Federation space stations. The thing is huge.

You can get a free file viewer/printer from Profantasy at http://www.profantasy.com/library/dpv.asp

 

[Dave Chase]

I have some outpost Jump capable ships that turn into a small outpost/space station using 30 t round modules.

With deckplans.
Dave Chase

Cool . Are they available for people to use?

Yup. I don't have them all uploaded for public view yet (since the gallery page went down last year.)

But you can take a look at a few of them here

http://www.sfrpg.org.uk/gallery/index.php
(Note: This is only a SciFi gallery website, not a competitive website with any other company.)

to see if you like the deck plans.
(If you do not see any deck plans for modules on the random view, just click Memberlist and search out my name, then click on my album list or recent upload list.)

If so, let me know, I will either up load more of them to the gallery site and/or email them to you.

I only require that credit is given where credit is due.

Dave Chase

 

[DB Reborn]

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=27932&it=1&filters=500_0_0_0_0&manufacturers_id=606

Ryan at Ki Ryn Studios does good stuff usable for any system.