Using High Efficiency Batteries for Jump Drives

[rinku]

It's still horribly vulnerable.

High Guard does not go into what happens when a Collector ship is shot at, but you'd expect a deployed canopy is going to be pretty easy to shoot up, and can't be protected by armour. And it can't use thrust while collecting.

And... are people building these ships remembering that the Collector is just the jump power source (I expect so, but we all make oversights...)? You do still need a J-Drive for it to juice up. The whole set up is more expensive than a J-Drive alone. And you still need a powerplant for other ship requirements.

 

[Terry Mixon]

It's still horribly vulnerable.

High Guard does not go into what happens when a Collector ship is shot at, but you'd expect a deployed canopy is going to be pretty easy to shoot up, and can't be protected by armour. And it can't use thrust while collecting.

And... are people building these ships remembering that the Collector is just the jump power source (I expect so, but we all make oversights...)? You do still need a J-Drive for it to juice up. The whole set up is more expensive than a J-Drive alone. And you still need a powerplant for other ship requirements.

The ones I built as examples have the jump drives and normal power plants. To be clear, I don’t use them and only built them as requested.

 

[rinku]

I expected no less from you, Terry

So... the difference for a Type-A class version is going to be 20 tons saved for fuel, less 7 tons for its collector; 13 more tons for cargo at an extra cost of MCr3.5, but either needing more than a week in system to allow for normal operations AND charging up, or using carried craft to shuttle between ship and world, which adds its own overheads and costs. Or a carrier arrangement. That bonus cargo space can easily be eaten up in hangar space overheads.

 

[Condottiere]

If it was retconned to lost Darriantech, it's probably digestible.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I expected no less from you, Terry

So... the difference for a Type-A class version is going to be 20 tons saved for fuel, less 7 tons for its collector; 13 more tons for cargo at an extra cost of MCr3.5, but either needing more than a week in system to allow for normal operations AND charging up, or using carried craft to shuttle between ship and world, which adds its own overheads and costs. Or a carrier arrangement. That bonus cargo space can easily be eaten up in hangar space overheads.

The cargo is in a Pod. Disconnect the pod, in range of the SDB patrols, a cargo tug, tows it to the starport unloads it and brings it back after the Collectors are charged. Most starports have cargo tugs since it not all ships physically dock with the starports.

Also, the higher the jump, the more profit over ships with a "standard" jump drive set-up.

 

[EccentRick]

As I recall, the Darrians had to order technological level fifteen starwarships from Imperium shipyards.

I guess someone, who's interested enough, should comb through the Darrian data, and figure out exactly what shape their current industrial base, is.

I can't cite it, the book is boxed away, but my recollection of the 1e book was the Darrians could build TL15 ships, but it was more economical to buy them from Imperium manufacturers for reasons of volume and scale efficiencies of the builders. The trade-off being the risk of someone noticing a peculiar quirk of the design.

 

[Sigtrygg]

My solution.
Increase the TL of the collector to TL16. So relic Darrian Tech.

But... they can be built at lower TLs as per usual with TL stage effects.

Disadventages:
slow charge - charging the capacitor takes 1d6 weeks
star linked - charging requires a star, inner zone 1 week, outer zone 4 weeks
increased size - increase the tonnage by 25%.

 

[Sigtrygg]

As I recall, the Darrians had to order technological level fifteen starwarships from Imperium shipyards.

I guess someone, who's interested enough, should comb through the Darrian data, and figure out exactly what shape their current industrial base, is.

TL13, but take that with a pinch of salt because:

"Modern Technology: Modern Darrian technology is generally about tech level 13 for local products with a liberal sprinkling of tech level 14-15 products that are locally produced or imported from the Imperium. Most of the merchant ships are tech level 13, and the Navy is usually about the same with two very important exceptions. Top ships of the line are now imported from the lmperium (under an Imperial military aid program), and
some technicians have come with them to maintain them. The Darrian Navy maintains two or three squadrons of tech level 16 warships of pre-Maghiz manufacture. These ships 16 warships were recovered from a stockpile of ships in the outer Darrian system in 390; they have been in service since."

We are also told that Darrian computers are TL14...

 

[Sigtrygg]

Someone proposed a breakaway hull, where the Collector installed one wanders around, collecting butterflies, while the primary hull, does it's business downstream, or locks together with an already stuffed breakaway hull, to boldly go, to infinity and beyond.

Without shore leave.

Crew it with robots...

 

[Condottiere]

I didn't think it would drop below technological level twelve.

It could be a case study of what technological level is enough for private and commercial use.

Though, I doubt floating cities conducive to an industrial park.

 

[Terry Mixon]

I expected no less from you, Terry

So... the difference for a Type-A class version is going to be 20 tons saved for fuel, less 7 tons for its collector; 13 more tons for cargo at an extra cost of MCr3.5, but either needing more than a week in system to allow for normal operations AND charging up, or using carried craft to shuttle between ship and world, which adds its own overheads and costs. Or a carrier arrangement. That bonus cargo space can easily be eaten up in hangar space overheads.

Thanks.

What @MasterGwydion said on the pods and tugs.

If the designs sound interesting, the link in my sig has a word document with my designs. The merchant tenders in it go from adventure class ships up to one million tons. The pods from 30 tons to 50,000. The pods are detailed as well. A very effective way to move cargo and people.