General Are the ancillary vehicles standard on new ships ?

[CaptRet]

Various standardized ship types (e.g. the 200-ton Yacht, the Safari Ship) are listed as having ancillary vehicles (Launch, Ship's Boat, ATV, Air Raft, etc.). When a Traveller receives a ship through mustering-out benefits (either outright or via exercise of Ship Shares), are the listed ancillary vehicles automatically included (and their costs pro-rated into paying down the mortgage) ? Or does the neophyte Traveller have to purchase those ?

 

[AnotherDilbert]

I have always assumed they are included in the price of the ship.

Let's see, a LBB2 Mercenary Cruiser costs MCr 445.95. Recreating it we can come close, but only if the small craft are included:

Single Occupancy                                     64     466,6
                                     USP    #      Dton      Cost
Hull                Custom             8            800          
Configuration       Cylinder           3                       80
Scoops              Partial                                   0,8
Armour                                 0                         
                                                                 
Jump Drive          M                  3    1        65       120
Manoeuvre D         M                  3    1        23        48
Power Plant         M                  3    1        37        96
Fuel, #J, #weeks    J-3, 10,4 weeks         3       318          
                                                                 
Bridge                                      1        20         4
Computer            m/5                5    1         5        45
                                                                 
Staterooms                                 25       100      12,5
                                                                 
Cargo                                                64          
                                                                 
Empty hardpoint                             8         8          
                                                                 
Cutter              50 Dton                 2       100      56,2
Cutter Module       30 Dton                 2        60       4,1
                                                                 
Nominal Cost        MCr 466,62           Sum:        64     466,6
Class Cost          MCr  85,39          Valid        ≥0        ≥0
Ship Cost           MCr 385,3

 

[Condottiere]

The ordnance is usually missing; the assumption is that everything else on the inventory is included and presumed working.

 

[coliver988]

I've played it both ways. Sometimes they get an older ship and it is missing more than just the shuttle or air/raft. Other times they get it all.

I borrowed from a Mongoose adventure and 1 game the characters had to go and fetch the ship which had been basically shot down on a xenophobic planet. It was not in great shape...

Two games after that, using the Mongoose character system, one player kept rolling lab ship and ship shares. As she was a noble, I ended up using one of my deck plans and minis (far too many Kickstarters!) as he lab ship. While 20 some years old, it was a Navy/Scout lab ship, and she got it in tip-top shape, including the shuttle. It was partially political: her mother was the Imperium's Noble located there. She pulled some strings for her darling daughter.

 

[flykiller]

she pulled some strings

yet another under-appreciated and under-used aspect of social standing.

 

[kilemall]

I agree with the others- default new yes, older vessels or salvaged/won, maybe not or certainly not in pristine condition.


One option is a redo and piling on the cost of the small craft to the redo. Example, the CT default Type Y while making a certain amount of sense especially the getaway aspect of the pinnace, seems a waste of precious space on a smallish ACS like that, I would tend to streamline and jump up the M-drive of the yacht and reuse the space for more drive/plant and luxury/capability, possibly armor.

 

[sabredog]

If you want them to be.

I include them, or some similar craft if whimsy strikes.

Last time the players got a battered old cutter that had been painted with a huge wrap-around dragon breathing fire across the bow, and with a red-headed warrior amazon wielding a flaming sword and no clothing. The thing had a small remote turret on top with the controls jury-rigged to a seat behind the pilot's, and a small still in what used to be the restroom.

Once a case of hallucinogens fell out from under the pilot's control panel during some hard maneuvering in combat which led to a very thorough search of the craft when they had time. They found a small arsenal of pistols and SMG's, magazines stashed all over, and several more cases of narcotic and proscribed street drugs. They decided the cutter was some old in-system smuggler's craft that had been confiscated from or sold by the old owner.

After that they argued about repainting the ship to avoid anyone who might recognize it, but decided the artwork was just too awesome to get rid of.

 

[CaptRet]

Thanks. I ask because I'm rolling up some new characters with Mongoose 2d ed. One is a retired Naval Captain (started life Soc 11; Naval Academy honors grad with wide clique of Allies), who then served one term as a Noble (Diplomat; he had also served on a diplomatic mission during his naval career). One of his life events was an inheritance from a rich relative, and one of his benefits from the Noble career was a Yacht (mulling over whether it will be a Yacht or a Safari ship), so I see that as being his inheritance from "Aunt Agatha" (really his grandfather's first cousin, but the family always called her Aunt). I like the fact that the Safari Ship comes with a turret, Jump-2, is streamlined and has fuel processors, etc. , but the cargo capacity and Launch are inferior to the Ship's Boat and cargo f the Yacht. I suppose one could always sacrifice one or both of the Safari Ship's special environment tanks to provide more cargo space/and or more staterooms.

 

[Condottiere]

I've always maintained that the ship could have a character generation of it's own.

 

[GypsyComet]

I suppose one could always sacrifice one or both of the Safari Ship's special environment tanks to provide more cargo space/and or more staterooms.

Tinkering between the two (Yacht and Safari Ship) for a final design, especially if inherited from an eccentric noble relative, is completely acceptable. Use the aging ship rules in Mongoose 1 for even more flavor.

---

(Assumes, for the sake of color, that Aunt Aggie is an Imperial era equivalent of David Attenborough.)

"Aggie's Broom" (the name SHE gave it, mind you) is an older Safari Ship/Yacht hybrid. More of a zoo collector and photographer than an outright hunter, Aunt Aggie had the aft capture tank torn out and the launch berth widened to accommodate a similarly shaped Ship's Boat fitted with specially sound-damped drives, a wild pneumatic troop drop bay she claimed was of old Terran design (think Shirow's drop ladders from Black Magic M66), a top-side retractable sentinel platform, and lots of windows. Her photo safaris were legendary. The remainder of the ship has been optimized for over occupancy (to support a one-time desire to haul around a full documentary film crew). The ship and boat both have extraordinary external "security" systems that allow high quality video capture literally anywhere on or around the ship and with detection and multi-spectral observation possible away from the hull. Both ship and boat are combination expedition craft, camera trap, and comfortable home base.

 

[CaptRet]

I plan on rechristening it The Lady Agatha and using it as an expeditionary vessel. One of the retired Captain's colleagues is a retired Marine Colonel who earlier in his career successfully completed a Black Ops - as the Captain had been on "Special Duty" as a Commander, they could have met then (perhaps the Commander's vessel had inserted or retrieved the Marine's team - this also provides a situation in which they dealt with an Agent, who rendered aid to the Marine's team).
Given both the Captain's social status and clique from his Academy days, I see a possible future of special assignments from the Navy and Imperial govt.

 

[sabredog]

You could give it a limo?

Daimler Lancer 8LS Limousine TL-9

600,000 CR

The Daimler Lancer series of town grav-cars is famous for its luxury standards and performance. The 8LS is the stretch limousine of the line and features seating in the rear for 6 passengers, a full entertainment suite, and full wet bar. The vehicle is fully enclose, but cannot fly to or from orbit. It does, however, have a full overpressure system as part of the environmental controls, along with filtration so that the passengers can ride in air conditioned comfort even on worlds with thin and tainted atmospheres.

The passengers in the rear compartment are separated from the front seats by a retractable partition and intercom system for driver. The vehicle datalink communications support all standard navigation control systems on worlds that prohibit driver-controlled flight over urban centers.

The Lancer 8LS comes in either hand-rubbed Piano Black or Ivory Cream lacquers with matching leather interiors that are trimmed with panels of hand-selected, deeply hazed, maroon Heffalump hide. Optional equipment for a sealed passenger environment is available.

Dimensions: 7.5mL x 1.6mH x 2.75mW Ship Tonnage: 6 tons

Speed: 250kph (150 kph NOE) Power Plant: Fusion

Fuel: 30 liters (10 hour range) Armor: Composite Laminates (Cloth for Classic Traveller)

Cargo Capacity: 2 cubic meters Passengers: 6 passengers/ + driver and front passenger

 

[CaptRet]

I was thinking of something a bit more practical, able to take on special jobs for those linked to the Navy and Imperial/Sector government (and perhaps sometimes earning some money via providing frontier excursions to the rich - or appearing to). One of the possible missions could be acting as a Q-Boat. Pirates could get a nasty surprise to find that what appears to be a rich man's toy is actually carrying a well-armed boarding party (Safari ships and yachts could provide double bunks in their staterooms - and the average Corsair crew is less than ten).

 

[kilemall]

I was thinking of something a bit more practical, able to take on special jobs for those linked to the Navy and Imperial/Sector government (and perhaps sometimes earning some money via providing frontier excursions to the rich - or appearing to). One of the possible missions could be acting as a Q-Boat. Pirates could get a nasty surprise to find that what appears to be a rich man's toy is actually carrying a well-armed boarding party (Safari ships and yachts could provide double bunks in their staterooms - and the average Corsair crew is less than ten).

The original yachts WERE pirate hunters, that is what the name means.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yacht

 

[CaptRet]

Yes, from the Dutch for "hunting ship." And so it comes full-circle.

 

[sabredog]

Pop-up turrets? A bigger computer to run more combat programs? Maybe something really nasty in the cargo bay, like a missile rack or three? You can use the fixed mount rules in the Solimani book (or wherever they are nowadays) for that.

 

[CaptRet]

Pop-up turrets? A bigger computer to run more combat programs? Maybe something really nasty in the cargo bay, like a missile rack or three? You can use the fixed mount rules in the Solimani book (or wherever they are nowadays) for that.

I also was thinking along the lines of a pop-up turret for a Yacht (together with an armed Ship's Boat, that would make for a nasty surprise, Another possibility for a Q-boat would be additional "passenger" space for a Safari Ship (in place of one or both of the controlled environment tanks) as barracks for a well-armed boarding party. An additional possibility could be an after-market application of reflec to the exterior surface (enough to turn an initial laser hit).

 

[sabredog]

A Yacht or Safari ship refitted for use a Q-ship or privateer ought to be able to carry two pop-up turrets, of which one can be loaded with triple sand launchers and the other with two lasers and a missile rack. The real ship killers in the game (on the adventure ship level) are missiles, so a burst of laser fire across the bow (or hitting something not too important using a good target select program) with the threat of a missile salvo if they don't heave to ought to work. At least with the average small cargo ship.

Especially with a small craft lurking around that is well-armed as well. You could even put the missile racks on the Launch (you can get three on it since they don't draw power) and arm the yacht's second turret with triple beam lasers.

Tactically, lasers are close range and missiles are long. So I'd have the launch stand off a good ways to make it hard to detect unless someone is really looking for it. Then unmask the yacht's turrets, fire a burst over the target's bow and demand surrender. If the target tries to make a run for it (or fight) then the yacht fires off three clouds of sand to neutralize the usual laser or two a ship might carry (but I guess that also depends on how dangerous your universe is) while having the Launch fire a missile or three (again, depending on the size and attitude of the target)....keeping the triple laser turret in reserve for anti-missile defense.

It's likely to cripple, and probably even effectively kill, the target if all three missiles hit. But, you can salvage what's left and when word gets around about it there will be more captains willing to comply with your demands and let the insurance companies sort it out. Of course, enterprising pirate hunters (of assorted legal ilk depending on what they think you are) will start showing up, but that just makes things even more fun.

Anyway, that's what I'd do but your mileage will vary. IMATU small traders don't usually carry weapons anyway, or if they do then it's just a laser and sand caster more often than not. I mean, shooting it out with pirates, privateers, and commerce raiders can get you aerosoled across your bridge deck pretty quick; best to let the ship's carrier/sponsor/insurance agent worry about it and just go home in one piece.

 

[SpaceBadger]

Last time the players got a battered old cutter that had been painted with a huge wrap-around dragon breathing fire across the bow, and with a red-headed warrior amazon wielding a flaming sword and no clothing.

I recognize that ship! Wild's Ride! Although it was a launch rather than a cutter when serving as auxiliary to Fortunate Son.

 

[CaptRet]

Sabredog, very interesting discussion of applied naval tactics. I particularly liked the idea of mounting missiles vice a laser on the launch. But the overall concept seems more suitable for a privateer (attacking enemy cargo ships) (or pirate) vice a pirate-hunter. Thinking along the lines of an adventure where you dangle bait for outlaw ships (Corsair, repurposed Free Trader) in a system that is having piracy problems. A pirate that would run from a Cutter might think a Yacht or Safari ship could be a rich plum (rich passengers and owner - and the ship itself) and therefore approach it. The pirate's boarding party can be met with a nasty surprise (well-armed party aboard the target), or the armed Launch can carry a boarding party to the pirate ship (and as Corsairs typically carry ten or less, a well-armed boarding party could take their vessel).