Space Stations

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Now because it's a class A, the highport will be a nice big shiny space station.

Why?

The high port might very well be built into an asteroid towed into orbit for that precise purpose. It could also be built on an airless low g moon. Both cheaper than the station and can leave a lot of room for expansion. Not to mention mining out the asteroid or moon to build the base may well generate an income from the metals dug out. If the asteroid is in a high orbit you may well not need station keeping engines, major savings.

My current visualization of shipyards are on low g airless moons where the ship is built on the surface (perhaps in an inflatable bubble to give air for the workers but not a actual structure to contain the ship.

 

[boggo2300]

Why?

The high port might very well be built into an asteroid towed into orbit for that precise purpose. It could also be built on an airless low g moon. Both cheaper than the station and can leave a lot of room for expansion. Not to mention mining out the asteroid or moon to build the base may well generate an income from the metals dug out. If the asteroid is in a high orbit you may well not need station keeping engines, major savings.

My current visualization of shipyards are on low g airless moons where the ship is built on the surface (perhaps in an inflatable bubble to give air for the workers but not a actual structure to contain the ship.

Exactly, a type-A starport is classified as that because of the services and capabilities it has, not on how new and shiny it is... I am about to spring on my players a Type-A Highport that is run down, dingy, constantly dripping water, full of weird noises, and just plain grimy. But it meets all the requirements of a Type-A starport.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

How about the other end of the spectrum?

The Players get to the Frontier Class X "starport" and find themselves detected by sensors and hailed. Someone else got there first and negotiated a 99 year monopoly and have built warehouses and a fuel depot (refined fuel).

Legally you can only land at their "port" and can only buy and sell through them (including fuel and they only sell refined at a markup). It is all for their own use but so long as they make a hefty credit they may work with "independents" who don't try to violate their monopoly. Try and violate their monopoly and you may find that they are armed and have assault troops and can LEGALLY confiscate your smuggling vessel. Then how do you get off world (once you get out of the local prison)?

On the other hand it may be the Players doing all that and NPCs (rivals/enemies) trying to violate their monopoly. Adventures come to them.

 

[Condottiere]

If it's within the Imperium, it's defined as a spaceport.

Then, it's a question as to whether the leaser actually contracted with a party who has the authority to grant a planetary monopoly.

If so, establish a fuelling station outside of their jurisdiction.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Of course they COULD be telling lies about the monopoly or they could be totally honest. The Players have to choose which they believe. Of course it could be the players trying to run the bluff/extortion or being accused of such.

 

[boggo2300]

How about the other end of the spectrum?

The Players get to the Frontier Class X "starport" and find themselves detected by sensors and hailed. Someone else got there first and negotiated a 99 year monopoly and have built warehouses and a fuel depot (refined fuel).

Legally you can only land at their "port" and can only buy and sell through them (including fuel and they only sell refined at a markup). It is all for their own use but so long as they make a hefty credit they may work with "independents" who don't try to violate their monopoly. Try and violate their monopoly and you may find that they are armed and have assault troops and can LEGALLY confiscate your smuggling vessel. Then how do you get off world (once you get out of the local prison)?

On the other hand it may be the Players doing all that and NPCs (rivals/enemies) trying to violate their monopoly. Adventures come to them.

Considering the other UWP features that go with a X starport that may be stretching things a little, I could see it more on an E, Generally speaking an X is and X for a reason (thats usually no people, or no people that know about space...)

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Or the X is because no one had a regular trade with them. Someone finally found a way to make it profitable (like did a survey and found metals to mine profitably or talked them into growing crops that are valuable). Still listed as an X because they kept it secret as long as possible. Finally of course the update is hung up in the system waiting for a Scout to come and verify it.

 

[boggo2300]

hmm just looking in WBH a Type X starport, ie nothing, on a law level 0,1 planet has an 8+ chance of a corsair base... this is giving me ideas... corsair base providing spaceport services... OR ELSE!

Not so much Piracy, but more extortion of YOU WILL PAY OUR BERTHING FEES, AND BUY OUR FUEL, or we blow you outta the sky!

 

[MasterGwydion]

Considering the other UWP features that go with a X starport that may be stretching things a little, I could see it more on an E, Generally speaking an X is and X for a reason (thats usually no people, or no people that know about space...)

In Aslan space X doesn't mean no starport, it just means no starport that is open to non-clanmates. There could be a Class-A starport there and a huge shipyard and the system will still say Class-X. In Imperial Space, there could be a huge Class-A Starport as well, but it would be listed as a Class-G Spaceport if open to the public (since it is not Imperially-controlled) or Class-X if it is not open to the public.

 

[Condottiere]

I thought it meant watering hole only.

 

[rinku]

At some point in CT, X starport moved more from "no starport" to "Restricted System", especially within Imperial borders.

I do like the idea of an E or X planet having private facilites, though. Obviously any Corsair base will have them, but a corporate base is possible anywhere, and pretty much expected on a type 1 government world. Type 6 governments are also likely to have some kind of base that the mother world operates that may not be open to the public. And Balkanised worlds are always a Gumpian box of chocolates.

You could extend the private facilities to any level - unrefined fuel and limited repairs would be expected, but refined fuel or full repairs might be available and in some cases there might be a shipyard.

 

[rinku]

hmm just looking in WBH a Type X starport, ie nothing, on a law level 0,1 planet has an 8+ chance of a corsair base... this is giving me ideas... corsair base providing spaceport services... OR ELSE!

Not so much Piracy, but more extortion of YOU WILL PAY OUR BERTHING FEES, AND BUY OUR FUEL, or we blow you outta the sky!

Seems legit.

 

[Condottiere]

There are supposedly benefits to operating up a local aerospace port.

 

[boggo2300]

Seems legit.

pretty sure "legit" is the exact opposite of what it is...

 

[rinku]

But "seems legit" may well be a precise label

 

[Condottiere]