Modular Jump Package? [MT]
- Thread starter ChalkLine
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Plankowner
SOC-13
It seems like a legal design. Essentially, the X-Boat is a Jump Package, although it includes sleeping quarters, bridge etc.
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
You could use a collapsible fuel tank, but not a removable drive.
Does it need a Power Plant?
In CT, the Jump fuel is the big space stealer (a J-1 drive is 2% of the ship and the Fuel for it is 10% of the ship), so you just need a bay that can either hold cargo or Jump fuel. If it is part of a larger cargo hold, then you need a folding fuel bladder. If it is an isolated hold, it just needs a good door (and a warning light).
This is a brilliant idea.
I was thinking this, but I can't decide why.
The jump drive creates a field, so theoretically it doesn't need a port in the hull. Maybe four decent bolts in the cargo bay would do it.
Depends whether you subscribe to the "jump grid" thinking. Personally, I don't.
:devil: Go on ... leave the warning light off and let the PCs flood the ship with fuel when they forget.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Unless it's a 1st ed LBB2 design it needs a powerplant. Though you should be able to plug it into* the powerplant for the maneuver drive if it's enough.
* And a data connect to the computer, and control connect to the bridge, and so on. What I mean is it'll have to have some kind of hard connect, but depending on the rules used you can handwave it was "done" by just building it.
No problem imtu with such a concept, I've done similar. Canon has the Jump Module for SBDs that are similar in concept so it seems valid.
The way I'd do (have done) it is make the Ship a LASH Modular carrier and simply have the the Jump Drive as one Module and Fuel Tanks as other Module(s) depending on how much you need. The nice side benefit is you can get better maneuver performance when running smaller loads (or dump your modules if you just need to run away as quick as you can). And you can do a nice Q-Ship as well by grabbing a Weapon Bay Module (I typically make my modules either 30tons to be compatible with the Modular Cutter, or 50tons so I can do the small Weapon Bay Module.
It's a fun idea to play with, go for it
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Scott Martin
SOC-13
I have a design from a (very old) TCS game that started at TL-8, so building a module with a jump drive, fuel tankage, powerplant, lab space and staterooms that "plugged in" to a 200 dT modular system ship was cheaper (and more to the point faster) than building "new" scoutships.
Think of a modular cutter on steroids
There isn't anything in LBB-2 or 5 that says you *can't* do this, and IIRC LBB-2 rules say that you can dock a starship for just the tonnage of the ship so as long as your jump "module" is at least 100 dT you don't pay a space penalty to dock it. (and there's nothing that says you can't have cargo as part of that 100 dT). You'd need to bug Aramis or some other MT junkie to tell you if it's legal in that rule set.
Note that for this design I included a powerplant so that it could remain on-station, but there's nothing that says you actually need a powerplant if you're powering it form somewhere else.
Supp 7 included the jump shuttle, so there's an established, Canon "non jump grid" external jump module already out there.
Scott Martin
Think of a modular cutter on steroids
There isn't anything in LBB-2 or 5 that says you *can't* do this, and IIRC LBB-2 rules say that you can dock a starship for just the tonnage of the ship so as long as your jump "module" is at least 100 dT you don't pay a space penalty to dock it. (and there's nothing that says you can't have cargo as part of that 100 dT). You'd need to bug Aramis or some other MT junkie to tell you if it's legal in that rule set.
Note that for this design I included a powerplant so that it could remain on-station, but there's nothing that says you actually need a powerplant if you're powering it form somewhere else.
Supp 7 included the jump shuttle, so there's an established, Canon "non jump grid" external jump module already out there.
Scott Martin
Scott Martin
SOC-13
As a digression, I'd like to see rules for modular starships in T5, so that you know how much tonnage the power bus, computer bus etc. take up (even if it's just (extra Cr "N" per dT of module that can be attached) since the modular cutter opened this can of worms in LBB-2 and was *never* incorporated in the rules set (AFAIK the docking components were just "free")
We now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion
Scott Martin
We now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion
Scott Martin
I'd say no as I use 'jump-grids'.
As far as the external jump module for transporting sbd's between worlds, I assume somehow connecting the sdb's jump-grid into the jump module's grid with a series of calibrations done before jump.
I know, a sdb wouldn't have a jump-grid....unless the gov was willing to pay for it specifically to be used with the jump module, and that jump module doesn't seem to be able to be used with any other ship than the one pictured.
As far as the external jump module for transporting sbd's between worlds, I assume somehow connecting the sdb's jump-grid into the jump module's grid with a series of calibrations done before jump.
I know, a sdb wouldn't have a jump-grid....unless the gov was willing to pay for it specifically to be used with the jump module, and that jump module doesn't seem to be able to be used with any other ship than the one pictured.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
That's the problem (well one big one anyway) with the jump grid idea though Ishmael. It's not reflected in the design rules. Hulls cost the same regardless of design, Starship or Spaceship. Damage to hulls doesn't affect jump ability. Cost of jump drives don't go up for hulls with more area (due to configuration). Jump grids while an interesting idea just don't work for me.
fredofmars
SOC-12
This could mean that jump grids are part of the cost for any spaceship hull already. Some of the canon ships have externally attached small craft, so those would need to be included in the jump grid if it exists. At least several of the design systems incorporate a change in cost depending on hull configuration which could include the cost differential for the jump grid on that configuration vs. a "standard" hull. The damage to the jump grid could be lumped in with "Jump Drive" damage results.
The other issue with jump grids is you have to deal with the large Battle Rider concepts. Many of those carriers are dispersed structures and the riders just dock to a cradle, vs being enclosed in a bay.
Now may the larger carrier hull can wrap the jump field around attached craft, so you could hand wave that away that way.
Now may the larger carrier hull can wrap the jump field around attached craft, so you could hand wave that away that way.
Perhaps that is evidence that at least some hulls are produced with jump grids despite not having jump drives...
the battleriders' jump grids are jacked into a jump buss and the carrier's jump drives so the whole ship can jump. I don't know what the rules say about it ( never thought of it before ), but maybe damaged battleriders with ripped up hulls and damaged jump grids have to be left behind to keep the carrier from misjumping.
the battleriders' jump grids are jacked into a jump buss and the carrier's jump drives so the whole ship can jump. I don't know what the rules say about it ( never thought of it before ), but maybe damaged battleriders with ripped up hulls and damaged jump grids have to be left behind to keep the carrier from misjumping.
shadowdragon
SOC-12
personally- the "jump grid" is simply a power distribution grid for the ships jdrives. internal wiring already allocated in the various components. this allows the "jfield" or whatever you call it iytu to permeate the ship and protect it from jspace. space for it is part of the jdrive network for the ship, but it is "installed" throughout the hull. vague handwavium similar to staterooms and galleys and such.
Thoughts on Jump Grids:
What if the primary function of a jump drive is to tear a hole between real space and jump space (and close it up again).
What if the jump grid is simply a conductor for the field that protects the ship and occupants from the effects of jump space. The jump grid conducts the "anti-jump-space-field" the way iron conducts magnetic fields or copper conducts electricity.
What if the "jump grid" is typically a component in the alloys of space hulls. The "lanthium-handwavuim" additive costs 100,000 Cr per dTon, but only a small amount "lanthium-handwavuim" is added to the "steel" used to build the hull. If the hull requires only 1% "lanthium-handwavuim", then the cost of this additive is 1000 Cr per dTon of hull (out of the 100,000 Cr per dTon of total hull cost).
A builder wishing to eliminate this expensive additive, could build a non-jump-field compatible hull for only 99% of the cost (99,000 Cr per dTon) of a jump-field compatible hull (100,000 Cr per dTon).
If a careless Fat Trader attaches an external non-jump-field compatible small craft, then any life forms entering the small craft while in jump-space will die. It is also possible that the Fat Trader will be destroyed when it attempts to enter jump space (similar to the danger of incomplete separation of a drop tank). Is the savings worth the liability for the manufacturer?
Concerning the "jump grid cables" from Supplement 7, the cables allow the "anti-jump-space-field" to surround an object not equipped with the "jump grid" alloy hull.
Just thinking out loud.
What if the primary function of a jump drive is to tear a hole between real space and jump space (and close it up again).
What if the jump grid is simply a conductor for the field that protects the ship and occupants from the effects of jump space. The jump grid conducts the "anti-jump-space-field" the way iron conducts magnetic fields or copper conducts electricity.
What if the "jump grid" is typically a component in the alloys of space hulls. The "lanthium-handwavuim" additive costs 100,000 Cr per dTon, but only a small amount "lanthium-handwavuim" is added to the "steel" used to build the hull. If the hull requires only 1% "lanthium-handwavuim", then the cost of this additive is 1000 Cr per dTon of hull (out of the 100,000 Cr per dTon of total hull cost).
A builder wishing to eliminate this expensive additive, could build a non-jump-field compatible hull for only 99% of the cost (99,000 Cr per dTon) of a jump-field compatible hull (100,000 Cr per dTon).
If a careless Fat Trader attaches an external non-jump-field compatible small craft, then any life forms entering the small craft while in jump-space will die. It is also possible that the Fat Trader will be destroyed when it attempts to enter jump space (similar to the danger of incomplete separation of a drop tank). Is the savings worth the liability for the manufacturer?
Concerning the "jump grid cables" from Supplement 7, the cables allow the "anti-jump-space-field" to surround an object not equipped with the "jump grid" alloy hull.
Just thinking out loud.
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