CT Ship Errata Discussion : Far-Trader

[far-trader]

Next up is Far-Trader... There's nothing wrong with... ooh, the ship, riiight



My take to kick things off again follows, weigh in with your own ideas, suggestions, questions and whatever and we'll hammer out a best solution for Don.

The idea is (as I understand it) to seek the lowest possible change with the greatest possible match to the description while ensuring it works with the 1981 set of Book 2 design rules.

No totally redesigned "better, faster, stronger..." versions of "the way it should have been done"

So, on to the Far-Trader from Supplement 7...

 

[far-trader]

Far-Trader (Supplement 7):

+200tons Hull-Custom                            MCr20.000   *1
           Streamlined                              2.000
 -15tons Jump Drive B2                             20.000
  -3tons Maneuver B2                                8.000   *2
  -7tons Power Plant B2                            16.000   *2
 -40tons Fuel x2parsecs
 -20tons Fuel x4weeks                                       *3
 -20tons Bridge                                     1.000
  -1tons Computer Model/1bis                        4.000
  -2tons Hardpoints x2                              0.200
 -40tons Staterooms x10                             5.000
  -2tons Lowberths x4                               0.200
 -46tons Cargo                                              *4
  -4tons Air/Raft                                   0.600

=200tons Total                                  MCr77.000

Cost with 10% discount is MCr69.3                           *5

*1 As the description notes it is a more expensive hull than the standard, and per the rules to fit the drives

*2 Struggled with this, note the “Acceleration: 2G. Normal operations and cruising at 1G.” which would possibly permit lower fuel consumption to fit the stated 50tons fuel and “Range: Four weeks maneuver.” Though it seems the 50tons fuel only works if it’s a first printing build with J2 M1 P1 which would allow the stated 61tons of cargo.

*3 Have to go with the change imo, and it makes the also stated 46tons cargo work out.

*4 As stated in the panel description, not the 61tons in the text that only works for the J2 M1 P1 first printing rules.

*5 I could not make the cost listed (MCr66.175 including architect’s fees and design plan costs) work out no matter what I tried, maybe someone else can figure it out. I’d just take it as wrong and move on.

As for the variant mentioned:

Free-Trader (Supplement 7):

+200tons Hull-Custom                            MCr20.000   *6
           Streamlined                              2.000
 -10tons Jump Drive A1                             10.000
  -1tons Maneuver A1                                4.000
  -4tons Power Plant A1                             8.000
 -10tons Reserved Drive Space                               *7
 -20tons Fuel x1parsecs                                     *8
 -10tons Fuel x4weeks                                       *8
 -20tons Bridge                                     1.000
  -1tons Computer Model/1                           2.000   *9
  -2tons Hardpoints x2                              0.200
 -40tons Staterooms x10                             5.000
  -2tons Lowberths x4                               0.200
 -76tons Cargo
  -4tons Air/Raft                                   0.600

=200tons Total                                  MCr53.000

Cost with 10% discount is MCr47.7

*6 Identical hull to the Far-Trader version

*7 Permits upgrade to Far-Trader version, otherwise wasted space

*8 Adds 30tons to cargo hold by doubling part of the height

*9 May be upgraded to bis

 

[aramis]

The free trader isn't the same hull as the far trader in Bk7... and the savings is considerable. Therefore, no sane merchanter will buy an upgradable hull, since he's going to be making Cr12,000,000/240=Cr50,000 per month difference in payments for additional unusable space. That's 50 tons cargo space rented out, or about 20 tons good spec, to pay for that upgradability.

So the far trader should NOT be a custom hull.

 

[far-trader]

So the far trader should NOT be a custom hull.

I agree. And in my B2 TU (scribbled right into the table ) it isn't, the 200ton standard hull is a 25/175 split (making the standard type A upgradeable with "lost" space). I think it'd be a fair change, making the far-trader a little more economically viable and the upgradeable version a little more of an entry level version. But, as I understand it this is just to correct any errors of the published designs to the Book 2 build rules as written. Nothing to stop folk from doing different in their TUs of course

 

[aramis]

I meant the free trader. Which you calculated with an MCr20 custom hull instead of the MCr8 stock.

 

[far-trader]

I meant the free trader. Which you calculated with an MCr20 custom hull instead of the MCr8 stock.

Ah, I see now. I think the A1 is the same hull as the A2 though. That is because the text says it's: 1) a more expensive hull than the Type A and: 2) the same hull as the type A2, even with the same cargo hold, but with the ceiling opened up for more cargo where fuel used to be.

 

[DonM]

The errata for the Far Trader appears to be:
Pages 23-26, Far Trader (type A2) (correction and omission): Missing notation that this design uses a custom hull. The Far Trader is capable of 2-G acceleration, the fuel tankage should be 60 tons, the standard design does not come with turrets or armament of any kind, the cargo bay is 46 tons, and the cost is MCr 77, including fees. The deckplan notes should have the jump governor, and any references to armament removed. On the A1 variant, the cargo capacity is 76 tons.

 

[DonM]

Interestingly, this design reappears in the Hivers alien module (AM7 p. 41).

In this occurrence, it has all the mistakes of the original (61 ton cargo, 50 tons fuel), but adds weaponry -- 2 triple laser beam turrets. And allots no crew for the weapons.

 

[DonM]

Ok, so here's the Hivers errata:

Page 41, Far Trader (type A2) (correction and omission): Missing notation that this design uses a custom hull. The fuel tankage should be 60 tons, and the cargo bay is 46 tons. The Monsoon requires a crew of five: pilot/navigator, engineer, medic/steward, and 2 gunners; this reduces the number of high/middle passengers carried to five. The ship costs MCr85 (including fees).

And the original errata for the Far Trader in Traders and Gunboats should be changed to note that the cost is MCr69.3 (including 10% production volume discount).