Bridge location and drop tanks on the Scout/Courier

[Spinward Scout]

Is there any reason why the bridge is located in the front of the S/C? I would think it would make more sense on the top deck, with a sensor/scanner suite in the front.

Also, how do you hook drop tanks to the S/C? I always pictured two big propane style tanks on each "wing", but I had a brainstorm this morning of two flat tanks fitted to the shape of the area to the left and the right of the turret, so as to be streamlined. Make them stackable, and you can have more than 1 set of tanks. Would the landing gear (or anything else) be in the way of these being mounted below the "wings". Although, I'm sure they could be made to go around any openings.

Anyone have any ideas like these?

Scout

 

[flykiller]

if the pilot relies exclusively on cameras and sensors, no reason at all. but if line-of-sight seat-of-the-pants piloting is desired then the bridge will have to be in the front somewhere.

 

[kafka47]

In the Traveller is dominated by 3d screens that give the appearance of windows when in fact these are sophiscated projection devices.

Otherwise, flying close to a star would be a blinding experience or similarly space would be pitch black.

It would be up to the Referee to determine whether weather conditions would be also reflected in the screens or would other sensors compensate.

 

[flykiller]

In the Traveller is dominated by 3d screens that give the appearance of windows when in fact these are sophiscated projection devices.

no doubt, but I always operate from the premise that things go wrong, and it's nice to be able to look out a real (perhaps tinted) window and do things manually instead of just saying "oh well" if the sensor/projection system fails.

 

[kafka47]

The problem with line of sight flying would be the speed plus, windows and other portals would not be able to withstand impacts from micro-meteroites and other interstelllar material.

If you want to make life "interesting" for your players, simulate flying in a 2D environment, pull out on those 70s flight simulator programs. What could be harder than to navigate in 2D in the Far Future when even vibration is simulated.

 

[flykiller]

The problem with line of sight flying would be the speed plus, windows and other portals would not be able to withstand impacts from micro-meteroites and other interstelllar material.

imtu I assume that windows have shields that can be raised and lowered. but would metal do any better in such impacts?

as for speed, line-of-sight flying is most useful in a constricted environment where speed is limited anyway.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Most canon boats and small ships have windows.

 

[mike wightman]

At high TLs the window "glass" may well be made of artificial diamond.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Or transparent handwavium.

 

[flykiller]

Originally posted by Andrew Boulton:
Or transparent handwavium.

aren't most handwaves transparent?

 

[SanDragon]

/me starts jumping up & down.

WHAT IS THIS 'Handwave' or 'Handwavium' that is thrown about so casually?!?!?!?

 

[Andrew Boulton]

It's a bit like Bullshitium, and easier to find than Unobtanium...

 

[Jame]

In other words, stuff that's made up for the purposes of explaining something away without doing any real physics...

 

[Vargas]

Truth be told, over the years I've (almost) conceded to myself that flying even a Type S visually is pretty silly given the size of starships in Traveller. Initial take off and close to landing I might agree with, but for the most part its more efficient to let the computers do the flying.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

I think the windows are there more for psychological reasons than anything else.

 

[Scarecrow]

The windows are only on the front of the Suleiman wedgie. The Scout/Courier is really just a list of stats so there's nothing stopping you designing your own and putting the bridge anywhere you like really.

Crow

 

[SanDragon]

Yes. So sorry. We Solomani just have to have our windows.