Ship Hull Tonnage halved for Shell Structure?

[agorski]

In T5.10, Core Book 2, page 72, Table D Hull Structure, A footnote states:

Structure does not usually affect Hull tonnage, but Shell Hull tonnage is halved.

And a note on the Shell line of the table states:

Lighter (Half Tonnage)

These are both new with T5.10.

How would one use this? The tonnage is the volume available. Reducing the volume lets you install less stuff. Doubling the volume lets you install a crazy amount of stuff. I don't get it.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Each Shell armour layer takes half the normal tonnage, see B2p43 and B2p75 Table A. A normal armour layer takes 4 Dt on a 100 Dt hull, a Shell armour layer takes 2 Dt.

Note that this makes Shell the best Structure, since you get more armour layers and hence more anti-layers for the same tonnage. Most of the armour value is found in the anti-layers, the basic AV is rarely used as far as I understand.

 

[willtron3030]

In my head, I equate shell to unibody construction. It's cheaper, lighter, and stronger, but when it's structural integrity is damaged, the repairs can be very costly, if complete repairs are possible at all.

 

[Sebastion Russ]

Shell vs Plate

I interpret that to mean that shell armor layers take up half the tonnage as plate armor layers. Considering that shell has half the armor values as plate, this seems to match up. Each layer would be 2% of your hull instead of 4%

why would you do this?

I would think it plays more into having a 'laminate' armor, with more alternating 'anti-*blank*' layers for the same amount of tonnage as plate, even if your net AV will be lower. this will make it easier to have at least one armor layer that is resistant to whatever weapon type the ref decides to throw at you today.

Why is your armor value lower? because your initial 'armor' comes with the hull (book 2, pg. 75) with no used tonnage and will now have half the armor as a plate layer.

Edit: COTI logged me out randomly and I thought no one had replied yet. whoops. In short, I agree with those above.

 

[agorski]

Each Shell armour layer takes half the normal tonnage, see B2p43 and B2p75 Table A. A normal armour layer takes 4 Dt on a 100 Dt hull, a Shell armour layer takes 2 Dt.

Note that this makes Shell the best Structure, since you get more armour layers and hence more anti-layers for the same tonnage. Most of the armour value is found in the anti-layers, the basic AV is rarely used as far as I understand.

Good find on p43. The Murphy Class 2nd armor layer is 2 tons instead of the expected 4.

T5.10 has clarified that the anti-layer value replaces the inherent value for a layer IF it is greater. So it's possible to add anti-layers that have no benefit.

I'm assuming that on p74 at far lower right, "Rad=TLx100" for the Anti-Rad layer was missed in T5.10, and should be "Rad=TLx10" to match the others and Table C on p75.

Thanks everyone. I will assume that the Shell hull only affects the tonnage of armor.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

I'm assuming that on p74 at far lower right, "Rad=TLx100" for the Anti-Rad layer was missed in T5.10, and should be "Rad=TLx10" to match the others and Table C on p75.

The table on B2p287 is a bit too explicit, it's Rad = TL × 100.

Lots of particle barbettes grouped into a battery is needed to get through.

 

[agorski]

Thanks. There's contradiction in the values between p74 and p280. I'm going to follow the Quick Tables as "gospel" except for the Anti-EMP layer, which I'm going to keep at TL x10, otherwise there would be no benefit to use an Anti-EMP layer.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

I'm going to follow the Quick Tables as "gospel" except for the Anti-EMP layer, which I'm going to keep at TL x10, ...

Agreed, that is what I do too.

...otherwise there would be no benefit to use an Anti-EMP layer.

See B2p202. Only EMP anti-layers works against weaponised EMP attacks, not regular armour layers or other anti-layers.