Civvie Ship Weapons Stations

[Garyius2003]

Where, on normal ships, are there personal weapons storage locations?

I play it as:

1. Secure passenger weapons locker

2. Main ship's locker (different location from pax locker)

3. Capt safe (most of the time, next to the secret stash of cred sticks and photo of that girl (guy) on Regina that one time)

4. Bridge storage (snubs, maybe a shotgun or ACR)

5. Eng locked storage (snubs, maybe a shotgun or ACR)

6. Ships boat (locked rack up by pilot, snub or ACR)

 

[Gadrin]

Don't forget medical too, esp if the ship has a "dedicated med bay"***.
Trav drugs can be worth a small fortune in quantity.

Typically I decide how organized the ship crew is and go from there
so that it's a bit different on each ship. I'd say there's a chance to have
a least 12 or so areas that lock & can be restricted and at least 2 are heavy-duty.

YMMV.

>

*** this could be anything from a cabin to a small nook-cranny with a fold out bed & tiny locker in it.

 

[Garyius2003]

Don't forget medical too, esp if the ship has a "dedicated med bay"***.
Trav drugs can be worth a small fortune in quantity.

Typically I decide how organized the ship crew is and go from there
so that it's a bit different on each ship. I'd say there's a chance to have
a least 12 or so areas that lock & can be restricted and at least 2 are heavy-duty.

YMMV.

>

*** this could be anything from a cabin to a small nook-cranny with a fold out bed & tiny locker in it.

Good points.

Maybe first aid locations in the same spots as guns plus one in the pax area. Then more/better drugs wherever the medical area is.

I play with emergency suits being worn as a ship's uniform, like a light weight flight suit that missile crews wear today, but if you don't then the locked storage could be combined for all three next to DC gear.

 

[Gadrin]

Small ships without defined roles, ie navigator-medic or steward-medic, may require less.

A ships locker could conceivably hold either bunch of items (one key gets you in) or could have multiple locking compartments. So everything of value as determined by your captain or the ship line's guidelines, etc, would be there.

I take it it's not too hard for an engineer to insert locking compartments just about anywhere in the ship, so that's another option.

>

 

[Icosahedron]

My system is pretty much like Garyius', except items 1,2 and 4 are collapsed together; passenger weapons are collected and stored in the ships locker which is located adjacent to the bridge. IMHO it is safer to have weapons stored in one or two strongrooms than dotted all over the ship in 'lockers'.

Most civvy ships are not expecting trouble, and just go about their business of delivering goods and passengers. Their two main fears are hijackers and pirates. The best policy is don't fight pirates and keep weapons out of the reach of hijackers.

A crew-owned ship full of ne'er-do-wells who are constantly getting themselves into trouble might be an entirely different matter though...

As for the drugs; firstly, if you've done your job right, the passengers should have no weapons with which to storm the med bay, and secondly, if they steal some drugs, where are they gonna go with them? You just take them back later. No need for weapons in the sick bay.

 

[Whipsnade]

A ships locker could conceivably hold either bunch of items (one key gets you in) or could have multiple locking compartments. So everything of value as determined by your captain or the ship line's guidelines, etc, would be there.

Gadrin,

That was my thinking too, something resembling those centralized safes found in upscale and commercial hotels. Pax had safes for valuables in their cabins resembling the safes in hotel rooms, but nearly all weapons went in the big locker.

The locker itself would be locked and the various sized compartments within it would be locked and/or sealed at varying levels of security. There would be single "key" boxes, double "key" boxes, boxes that required "keys" and/or codes entered together, and else anything you could think of as a GM.

Drugs were locked up too, but theft aboard a small vessel in either normal or jump space is an idiot's gamble so the locks were more for safety than anything else.

Aside from the arms locker, I had locked "small" weapons on the bridge, the captain's cabin, the owner's cabin, and engineering while the "big" weapons would be found in the arms locker. "Small" would be snub pistols and with maybe an extra magazine apiece, "big" would be everything along with ammo stores.


Regards,
Bill

 

[CosmicGamer]

Pry it out of my dead hand!

weapons storage locations? What are those? My weapons are holstered, sheathed, and slung. I sleep with them. No need for storage. :smirk:

Some thoughts:
1) In areas the crew may be. Bridge, Crew Staterooms, Common Area, Engineering.
2) Passenger weapons are normally stored in a locker just inside the cargo bay.
3) Lockers in each stateroom and individual access is via a locking system controlled by ships computer/security station. (if pirates (or authorities?) are boarding, you can unlock them and let the passengers help thwart the attempt to take them hostage)
4) Crew staterooms may all have a shotgun over or somewhere near the doorway.
5) Areas that only the crew can access, such as the bridge, may have weapons stored without being locked.
6) In the fresher. Hate getting caught with no weapon and my pants down. Also useful for when you are taken hostage. "Hey dude, unless you want a puddle on the deck of this ship you just stole from me, you better let me use the fresher."

 

[Gadrin]

Drugs were locked up too, but theft aboard a small vessel in either normal or jump space is an idiot's gamble so the locks were more for safety than anything else.

Or the souvenir hunter. How many hotels/etc over the years suffer losses because of towels, ashtrays, etc. Now it's expected, probably tradition.

"Cap'n, someone took the nobs to the low-berth switches again!"

Must be that whole "I come as a thief" mentality thang :rofl:



>

 

[rancke]

Where, on normal ships, are there personal weapons storage locations?

Here's how things worked aboard the Crown of Regina in Lost in the Abyss Rift, an adventure I wrote for JTAS Online:

The Imperial noble had his ceremonial automatic and several hunting rifles locked in a trunk in his stateroom and his bodyguard carried a handgun as a matter of course.

The two Imperial Navy officers carried sidearms (They were escorting a third officer to a court-martial; maybe they, too, would have had their weapons locked in their trunks otherwise?).

The high-ranking field agent of the Ministry of Justice who was following the trail of a very successful thief carried a sidearm at all times.

The IN officer that was on his way to his court-martial, the antiques dealer, the two private agents, the planetary army colonel, the detective, and the the mercenary all had personal weapons locked up in the purser's safe.

The emissary from the 40th Squadron to the Duchy of Regina and his valet cum bodyguard had also been obliged to hand over their weapons to the Purser for safekeeping, despite his diplomatic status. No doubt he would lodge a complaint once he got to Regina.

The captain had three snub pistols locked in a safe in his cabin, there were eight shotguns in the Ship's Locker, and each survival kit in the launch contained a hunting rifle.


Hans

 

[Garyius2003]

Yep, I play that officers, knights, and nobles, and their escort get to carry on ship.

The reason for two weapons lockers is that otherwise the hijackers will time fuse their shotgun with explosive in the stock and take out the locker, while they then assemble the body pistols from their luggage.

 

[Gadrin]

I'd say anyone who was intimidated by the upper class would probably let them get away with whatever.

It's likley a ship's charter that wasn't completely fly-by-night would have an extensive "I Agree" conditions much like accepting software, which means you follow the captain's wishes. Plenty of hardcases who like putting people thru the ringer, because they can.

Most of the "I Agree" would be common practice and known by most travellers. You can probably get weapons on airplanes provided you do so via the right channels. They may not get inside the passenger compartment, but they can be transported (along with ammo) under the right conditions. If not, then it's probably known ahead of time by sophisticated passengers.

I'd say 99% of captains in the TU know they're in charge of a multi-million credit vessel and getting there alive is job #1 -- passengers be damned.

>

 

[rancke]

It's likley a ship's charter that wasn't completely fly-by-night would have an extensive "I Agree" conditions much like accepting software, which means you follow the captain's wishes. Plenty of hardcases who like putting people thru the ringer, because they can.

Just for the record, for "Lost in the Abyss Rift" I was trying to spread the weapons around in the ship. I very carefully did not specify what rules governed the carrying of weapons aboard ships in general, just stated how things were aboard the Crown of Regina on that particular trip. The only rule I hinted at was that diplomatic immunity allowed you to carry weapons, but I also noted that this rule (custom?) was not being followed (Obviously the captain didn't think he'd get in a ny trouble over that).

That said, you can't run an interstellar company without an Imperial charter. And my take is that one of the provisions of such a charter is to comply with various Imperial regulations. If Imperial nobles routinely carry their ceremonial weapons into the presence of the Emperor himself, a captain that works for a company that will go bust if it loses its charter may have to accept having Imperial nobles and officers carrying weapons aboard 'his' (i.e. the company's) ship. Anything else would be an insult, eh what?

Most of the "I Agree" would be common practice and known by most travellers. You can probably get weapons on airplanes provided you do so via the right channels. They may not get inside the passenger compartment, but they can be transported (along with ammo) under the right conditions. If not, then it's probably known ahead of time by sophisticated passengers.

For my short-lived on-line merchant campaign (short in game time, years in real-time), I presented the players with a small problem in the form of three Aslan passengers, one of whom had only ever traveled by Aslan passenger ships until then and would take a request to hand over his weapons as an insult (the other two were a weaponless female "guide" from Regina and a venerable old Aslan with only a staff to lean on ()). And they needed those three passenger fares.

I'd say 99% of captains in the TU know they're in charge of a multi-million credit vessel and getting there alive is job #1 -- passengers be damned.

Maybe, but where's the fun in that?


Hans

 

[Gadrin]

Well it's a game after all. Half the stuff that goes on wouldn't be happening if life and limb depended on it, and most television shows will back me up on this.

As for the tramper captain who's up on what nobles do and don't in the presence of the emperor, sounds hinky. Also sounds like a p-l-o-t. Sounds like a justification defense because it exists -- therefore it's right. Common enough happening in RPGs.

"There's Fusion guns in the presence of the emperor" and those of course are his elite marine bodyguards, or whatever.

So spin it whatever, it's pretty d-u-m-b. It's like the "I'll get killed, save the day and you guys resurrect me. We'll all have a big laugh tomorrow!" That's probably happening in some RPG being played somewhere as I type this.

What was that logic a few posts back about the idiot in a confined space and all that. Once you're on the ship what do you need a weapon for ?
If you don't trust me, why are you getting on my ship, your All-Knowing-ness, super-majesty ? Oh that's right the rules don't apply. I have to risk my own life for your happiness. < buzzer >

That's why I liked Dune. The biggies didn't bother with all sorts of common weapons and those that travelled on ships were highly insulated and cared for with special service on those massive guild heighliners. The picture fit the story.

So as for the Sector Duke travelling on some slovenly Marava, he might be forced to take it as it comes.

I'd say there's more of a chance the Noble getting his way thanks to a talking-to, a negotiation, rather than "Duh, sure, anything you want!"

I think nobles understand that life involves risk no matter how big you are. They just know how to adjust the odds in their favor more than those "beneath" them.

>

 

[rancke]

As for the tramper captain who's up on what nobles do and don't in the presence of the emperor, sounds hinky. Also sounds like a p-l-o-t. Sounds like a justification defense because it exists -- therefore it's right. Common enough happening in RPGs.

That wasn't what I meant. I meant that if the rules allow an Imperial archduke to carry his ceremonial automatic in the Emperor's presence, they may very well allow him to carry it aboard any ship licensed by the Imperium. I don't think you can reasonably claim that something like that is inconceivable.

"There's Fusion guns in the presence of the emperor" and those of course are his elite marine bodyguards, or whatever.

No, Imperial nobles (well, archdukes anyway) are quite obviously allowed to bring an automatic with them into his presence. More than that, the fact that's Dulinor's pistol is reffered to as "his ceremonial automatic" strongly implies that he would be inappropriately dressed without it. The fact that Strephon's bodyguards didn't watch Dulinor like hawks indicate that no one thought twice about it.

So spin it whatever, it's pretty d-u-m-b. It's like the "I'll get killed, save the day and you guys resurrect me. We'll all have a big laugh tomorrow!" That's probably happening in some RPG being played somewhere as I type this.

What was that logic a few posts back about the idiot in a confined space and all that. Once you're on the ship what do you need a weapon for ?

If you don't trust me, why are you getting on my ship, your All-Knowing-ness, super-majesty ? Oh that's right the rules don't apply. I have to risk my own life for your happiness. < buzzer >

I don't get this argument at all. What are you trying to say?

So as for the Sector Duke travelling on some slovenly Marava, he might be forced to take it as it comes.

An honor baron travelling on a regular passenger liner.


Hans

 

[Gadrin]

Sorry, don't buy it, "may" sounds like a house rule or some sort of "inference favoritism".

If you choose to swallow it, be my guest. Cannonball, cannonball, comin' back at ya!

I don't expect to be in the majority, but I don't think it'd work that way.
And I often choose not to believe everything in canon, for all sorts of reasons.

>

 

[Garyius2003]

I also think the Imperium has rules. Out of the edge the rules don't always get followed, and when jumping inbetween the governments things are more loose.

However, they are rules in the 3I. Don't skip. Don't hazard your ship. Keep up on your annual. Have working life support. Have a medic. Let Officers, and Sirs and up, keep their gats. Deliver on your witten contracts.

 

[Icosahedron]

NIMTU.

A noble can carry all the weapons he wants - on his own yacht.

Aboard a passenger ship he's a passenger and he follows the rules. All weapons are handed over. They wouldn't even get to the ship with them. Weapons would be checked in to the SPA baggage handlers and would be collected from the baggage dept at the next port.

I don't think this sort of thing would even be a captain's decision, the whole thing would be handled by the SPA. Unless the arrangements were being made very unofficially.

Perhaps it's the English upbringing.

 

[rancke]

Aboard a passenger ship [a noble] is a passenger and he follows the rules.

Of course. But what are the rules? IYTU you decide, but what are the rules in the OTU? Do you know for sure?

All weapons are handed over. They wouldn't even get to the ship with them. Weapons would be checked in to the SPA baggage handlers and would be collected from the baggage dept at the next port.

Do you have any evidence that those are the rules? Is it mentioned anywhere in GT:Starports, maybe? (I'm not being sarcastic; I haven't read every page in SP, so it might be something like that. Or it might be stated in some other canon source. If so, I'd like to know it.)

I don't think this sort of thing would even be a captain's decision, the whole thing would be handled by the SPA. Unless the arrangements were being made very unofficially.

Perhaps it's the English upbringing.

The Imperium =/= 20th Century Britain. On Age of Sail ships gentlemen (like nobles and officers) kept their own weapons with them aboard a ship. Of course, the Imperium =/= 18th Century Britain either. So what does the canon have to say about the subject?


Hans

 

[aramis]

Canon permits blades on some ships; some CT adventures include passengers openly wearing blades.

 

[drnuncheon]

No, Imperial nobles (well, archdukes anyway) are quite obviously allowed to bring an automatic with them into his presence. More than that, the fact that's Dulinor's pistol is reffered to as "his ceremonial automatic" strongly implies that he would be inappropriately dressed without it. The fact that Strephon's bodyguards didn't watch Dulinor like hawks indicate that no one thought twice about it.

The fact that it's called "ceremonial" implies that it's not carried around for everyday use, too - it sounds like it's part of the archducal regalia, not a service piece.

A sword is part of the dress uniform for USMC officers, but that doesn't mean it's proper for them to carry it with them at all times.