So I’m been think and X-boat tenders don’t make sense in most cases. Since the X-Boats have a set route it would make more sense to have small stations with a couple of small craft for towing the X-Boats and getting raw fuel. I can see tenders in new or temporary X-Boat stops but in general stations would make more sense.
Why X-Boat tenders
- Thread starter tytalan
- Start date
Arkathan
Emperor Mongoose
That depends on the goal. How much delay do you want in getting the X-Boat back on its way?
A station is fixed. The jump exit point can vary (more or less depending on your play era and interpretation of rules).
Having a mobile tender gets the X-Boat serviced faster, whereas towing it requires a round trip. Remember that the jump duration averages a week, but can vary greatly, so even if you KNEW exactly where it was supposed to re-enter normal space, you couldn't be sure when.
There is a lot of 100D area to cover if your station is near a gas giant for easy refueling.
A station is fixed. The jump exit point can vary (more or less depending on your play era and interpretation of rules).
Having a mobile tender gets the X-Boat serviced faster, whereas towing it requires a round trip. Remember that the jump duration averages a week, but can vary greatly, so even if you KNEW exactly where it was supposed to re-enter normal space, you couldn't be sure when.
There is a lot of 100D area to cover if your station is near a gas giant for easy refueling.
The X-Boats would probably use the same jump entry/exit point so the station would be near there. It would actually be faster since the station can be build with a mail delivery system. Remember the X-Boat doesn’t turn around and immediately jump out it passes its data to the next X-Boat than it’s recovered. A tender has to move to the X-Boat to dock it so you’re not saving any time there. You’re going to get the same or more of a delay using a tender than you would a station. If you think of it one station could easily do the job of the 2-8 tenders you would need in major X-Boat systems. You literally need 2 tenders for any system that has a X-Boat route going thru it and additional one for eack breach going out of the system.
grauenwolf
Banded Mongoose
X-Boats don't have maneuver drives. They physically can't travel to a space station, having given up that capability for more cargo space.
They also don't have a large enough power plant to jump, using a battery instead.
They also don't have a large enough power plant to jump, using a battery instead.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
On reflection, they seem like seaplane tenders.
Even if the ecks boats had manoeuvre drives, likely exit points would be some distance away from the local starport.
Even if the ecks boats had manoeuvre drives, likely exit points would be some distance away from the local starport.
Which is why such a station would have tugs and tractors/repulser bays
We are not talking a starport or Highport we are talking something much smaller that only deals with X-Boats
Sigtrygg
Emperor Mongoose
So you are going to move a tug to the x boat
the tug and x boat move to the station
refuel
the tug and x boat move to jump point
the tug moves away.
Isn't it a lot faster to have a mobile fueling station that goes to the x boat - you could call it a fueler, or oiler, or collier, or how about tender...
the tug and x boat move to the station
refuel
the tug and x boat move to jump point
the tug moves away.
Isn't it a lot faster to have a mobile fueling station that goes to the x boat - you could call it a fueler, or oiler, or collier, or how about tender...
AnotherDilbert
Emperor Mongoose
The tender is a space station, a space station that can move to pick up stray boats and jump away with damaged boats and to its own annual maintenance.
It's a space station that is not dependent on local high tech support infrastructure.
It's a space station that is not dependent on local high tech support infrastructure.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
It's a legacy design, I'm pretty sure we could update it to a more suitable one.
However, whether it's as a seaplane tender or a Pony Express outpost, the point is to ensure minimum transfer time between passing the baton.
However, whether it's as a seaplane tender or a Pony Express outpost, the point is to ensure minimum transfer time between passing the baton.
AnotherDilbert
Emperor Mongoose
Yes, of course. In any system other than LBB2 we would just put an M-drive in the X-Boat and be done with it...
Arkathan
Emperor Mongoose
Planets and moons move. That makes entry points move.
You are still using a mobile platform to tend to the ship.
An Xboat tender is cheaper than a station plus multiple tow ships, and gets the XBoat out faster.
But in YOUR game, you can do what you want. Even if it is less efficient.
ottarrus
Emperor Mongoose
In the original LBB version ship construction [both Book 2 and High Guard], there wasn't any room in a 100 dton hull for a maneuver drive after figuring in the tonnage for a 'mail distribution system'. The mail system tonnage was a complete guess-timate, as there was no reference as to how much server space terabytes of X-mail would take up. Given that the X-Boat system was originally designed in the era where home computers were flipping over cassettes and having 5 and quarter floppy drive was high-speed/low-drag, the designers opted for 'a lot' and left it at that.
So, because the X-boat itself needed to retrieved from wherever it popped in from J-space, refueled, the crew rotated, and the data-packets exchanged, the designers came up with a ship that could act as a mobile 'Pony Express station' in space. XBT's can do light repairs, refuel, bring spare crewmen, and bring spare X-boats to back to base. For an information system designed in 1977, it's worked surprisingly well.
As for making a stationary mail station, that's not a bad idea except that astrogation for J-space isn't that precise. It takes accurate charts and a VERY experience navigator to get the same jump course to arrive within hundreds of klicks of your position the last time you tried it. Since the X-boats don't have maneuver drives, the 'postal station' has to come to them.
Or they have to be brought to the station. A M-Drive tug is much cheaper than a J-Drive ship especially since you would need 2-8 tenders to cover a system
A station and a couple of tugs are much cheaper than 2-8 tenders you’d need per system
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Could be a time factor issue.
They might want a quick turnaround.
They might want a quick turnaround.
Arkathan
Emperor Mongoose
You need as many tugs as you would tenders. And those craft will need full life support, not just the 24 hours of basic life support for small craft.
And your transit time for getting the XBoats ready is still multiplied by two.
As I said, You do you. Just don't keep arguing a point proven to be a matter of opinion.
Arkathan
Emperor Mongoose
Eight Tenders is excessive. Few places will need anything more than 4-5.
Jewell/Jewell/Spinward Marches has four routes and there are five routes in Bahadur/Sabine/Deneb and Buagki/Strand/Corridor. So those are outliers.
Most others will need a pair and a spare.
Don't forget a 10% discount for the tenders.
A station will either need to be based on either the needs of that system, the worst case scenario, or have multiple stations. Most likely NOT a standardized design unless you go the multiple stations route.
Jewell/Jewell/Spinward Marches has four routes and there are five routes in Bahadur/Sabine/Deneb and Buagki/Strand/Corridor. So those are outliers.
Most others will need a pair and a spare.
Don't forget a 10% discount for the tenders.
A station will either need to be based on either the needs of that system, the worst case scenario, or have multiple stations. Most likely NOT a standardized design unless you go the multiple stations route.
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You can easily has two or three standard station designs and like the tenders would not be dependent on the system for maintenance. You would also get the 10% discount for multiple builds
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