RCES Clipper for T20

[mike wightman]

I've finally arrived at a design for the above which bends as few rules as possible and here it is.
<edit> I noticed quite a few things wrong when I compared this to the RCES Equipment Guide Version, so I have made quite a few changes to the design.</edit>

The ship is built at TL12 using a modular method of construction, the hull is of a close structure configuration and consists of three main areas:

front section -- bridge 20t, 6fib computer/sensors/coms 7.2t, 3fib avionics 2.4t, 1 extra airlock 3t, 1 sickbays 8t, 3 staterooms 12t, 4 triple beam laser turrets as two batteries, 0.5t cargo
sub total 57.1t

note - without the carried craft or modules the ship is only 800t, hence the 20t bridge.

central section -- 800t worth of mission specific modules + grapples for a ship's boat and a cutter (30+50) 24t
standard load = 400t fuel module(contains a 12t purification plant and of 388t fuel), 100t crew module(25 staterooms),+ 300t remaining
sub total 824t

aft/engineering section -- jump2 62.4t 41.6EP, maneuver2 104t 41.6 EP, TL9pp producing 205EP 307.5t, 3 staterooms 12t, 120t docking grapple for 400t fuel skimmer, 1 extra airlock 3t, engineering shop 6t, 4 triple beam laser turrets as two batteries 4t
sub total 618.9t

note - jump 2 requires 416t of fuel

Built into the spine of the ship is a factor 3 meson gun 100t 200 EP

note - the ship cannot fire the meson gun at full power unless it doesn't use its maneuver drive. Kind referees may allow a low powered shot at factor 2 for only 150EPs and still maneuver, or a factor 1 shot for 100EPs and keep agility 2 as well.
When docked the ancillary craft may add their EPs to the ship total.

Total 2080t.
<edit> The above includes changes made to the following posts, so some of the following won't make a lot of sense </edit>

 

[shield]

Impressed, and it even has 2 more laser turrets than the original (from memory).

I note that you have put the cutter and ships boat in a module, rather than clamping them to the cutter spine.

I would be interested in any other RCES designs done in T20. Well Done

Cheers
Richard

 

[mike wightman]

Thanks

.
The reason behind the extra turrets is the extra effectiveness of TNE lasers, I wanted something to mimic their combat rating and four factor 4 batteries is my second choice( four batteries of two triple beam laser turrets, what you gain in reclaimed powerplant,fuel and tonnage you lose to extra staterooms).
Here's the fix:

front section - four triple laser turrets as two batteries, add 5.3t cargo

aft/engineering section - reduce powerplant to 162.2EP 243.3t, four triple laser turrets as two batteries, add engineering shop 6t

I think I prefer it like this

.

I put the small craft in a module in order to have an even number of modules and because docking grapples take up more space. The fuel skimmer would take up 550t in a hanger and yet takes up 650t total for jump purposes by having an external grapple. I thought this reasonable considering the way it transfers its' fuel to the mothership ( my high guard design has it transfering EP as well ). I also had to make it 100t larger to accomodate the extra fuel.

Now that I've started I intend to convert every TNE ship over the coming weeks.

 

[mike wightman]

Oh, and here's the fuel skimmer:

a 400t fully streamlined wedge shaped hull, 20t bridge, model 1fib comp etc 2t, m-3 32t 12EP, 12EP powerplant 18t, fuel 12t
total 84t the rest is fuel tank 316t

 

[Swordsage]

The only pictures I've seen of it are in a New Era Product called "Reformation Coalition Equipment Guide".

The again that's the only TNE book that I've ever purchased so it could be in other TNE products.

 

[mike wightman]

This link shows the cover of Brilliant Lances. The large ship in the forground is a Clipper.
You can only see about half of it but it may help.

 

[mike wightman]

By the way, do you have the whole miniature or just 1 of 3 parts (there were 3 RAMF blister packs with the bits necessary to build a complete Clipper, IIRC)

 

[savage]

Are you aiming for the aurora at 600dt or maggart at 2000dt? Doesn't seem to lend itself easily to T20?


Savage

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
By the way, do you have the whole miniature or just 1 of 3 parts (there were 3 RAMF blister packs with the bits necessary to build a complete Clipper, IIRC)

Quite right Sigg. There was the Clipper, a Clipper Modules, Fuel, Cargo package, and a Clipper Modules, Weapons Bays package.

I recall seeing the design in a friends TNE book but can't recall the details of how all or which bits went together for the different configurations which I think is what Gaming Glen is after.

Maybe asking in the TNE forum for a picture of the ship in the book would find someone who can help.

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Savage:
Are you aiming for the aurora at 600dt or maggart at 2000dt? Doesn't seem to lend itself easily to T20?

The RC Aurora-class Clipper is a 600t module carrier. Modules and small vaehicles are attached to make it up to a total displacement of 2080 tons.
The RC Maggart-class Clipper is often described as a stretched Aurora has an 850t frame and modules to make it up to 2750 tons.

Both are possible to build in T20, apart from that spinal mount. Why oh why did T20 not try to include some TNE compatability

 

[clementk]

/me makes notes to look into getting RCES equipment guide and follow this thread

Very interesting. GT Modular Cutter also has some modular ship designs as well as the original Modular Cutter and a general framework for designing modular ships. While I like the Modular Cutter having some other modular ships in T20 could come in very handy!

Casey

 

[mike wightman]

There is another way to include a meson bay gun instead of the spinal but it requires bending the background instead of bending the rules.
The RC could have had access to a few derelict 3I Light Carriers. Each of those carries four 50t bay meson guns. They could have been salvaged.

One other option would be if fixing a bay weapon as a spinal mount requires less tonnage. Then the Hivers could have provided Tl13 100t bay meson guns for the RC to fix mount.
<edit>p.s. I've changed the design in the original post</edit>

 

[savage]

I'd buy into the 3I light carriers. Space is different than ocean warfare.

Just debris, not going to have a large number of rusting hulks creating new sealife sanctuaries.


Savage

 

[mike wightman]

If the TL15 50t bay weapon were used I think I could squeeze an extra 100t module into the design (smaller power plant, smaller weapon) and reduce the size of the fuel module to 300t, giving 500t of configurable module space remaining.