Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
Started working up the spreadsheet details for this variant ... and ... it just doesn't have the payload fraction.
Basically, the 240 ton form factor is simply "too tight" to manage a useful payload fraction (at all) while configured for J3/3G performance.
It has "plenty" of external load capacity while configured for J2/2G (140 tons of it!) ... but that's not the point. There's a "cheaper" version with C/C/C drives that yields J2/2G performance with a "useful" payload fraction just fine. As a J3/3G starship, it could transport 2x high passengers ... and nothing else ... which a "viable commercial merchant" does not make (especially if you're wanting to engage in speculative goods arbitrage).
Consequently, I'm thinking that any kind of J3/3G "clipper" version really NEEDS to be a larger hull form factor (and therefore drive letters set) in order to raise the payload fraction up to "sustainable" levels of ticket revenues that can defray operational expenses.
The 240 ton form factor was the best balance point between the different drive sets (C/C/C, C/F/F, D/D/D) yielding different unencumbered performance ratings (2/2/2, 2/5/5, 3/3/3 respectively). However, if the D/D/D drive set needs to "fall out of the picture" because it just can't "work" within the constraints I'm wanting to honor with this project, that then suggests that upscaling from 240 tons to 260 tons for the C/C/C=2/2/2 and C/F/F=2/4/4 variants is probably advisable (for a variety of downstream reasons that impact other metrics considerations for end users).
The C/C/C=2/2/2 @ TL=9 and 300 combined tons Far Trader then becomes the "entry level" starship in the family.
The C/F/F=2/4/4 @ TL=10 and 300 combined tons Fast Trader becomes the "next step upgrade" starship in the family.
Although a E/E/E=3/3/3 @ TL=10 and 251-333 combined tons Clipper is "doable" (probably at the 280, 300 or 320 ton breakpoints) and would have a maximum combined tonnage capacity of 1000 tons @ J1/1G ... a slightly "less optimized" setup of F/F/F=3/3/3 @ TL=10 and 320-400 combined tons Clipper would probably be a superior form factor and drive set to work with, even if still limited to a combined tonnage capacity of 1000 tons @ J1/1G (instead of 1200 tons) because of how things "change" for the accounting of small craft tonnages (at tonnage when carried by 1000 tons or less, at 130% tonnage when carried by 1001+ tons) and when accounting for crew requirements (1200 combined tons requires a crew of 12 as per LBB2.81, p16). Moving from a crew of 8 (1000 combined tons limit) to a crew of 12 (1200 combined tons limit) would be counterproductive, in a variety of ways, for increases in (useful) payload fraction.
So yet another RETHINK is happening, but I'm getting closer to freezing finalized designs for this family of "low" tech starships.
