Ship Size, Your View?

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

On overlooking my new Holding at Venad, I have been charged with the reorganization of In-System Fleet Structure.

My View:

Dissolution of larger, specialized fleet ships, in favor of swarms of 1000 ton General Purpose Starships. The Larger ships would be junked, and regenerated (as with your terran "Airplane Graveyard" in Arizona) reconverted into a standardized hulls and raw materials.

These ships would have a removable Jump Module for Outsystem strikes, enabling them to fill a varied role. Such ships would be of such numbers to handle in system defense operation, in addition to outsystem strikes and operation.

Crews would be trained and mustered to handle much more than mere military roles, but to handle it all. Survey. Interdiction. What have you. And there would be more of them, of course.

Costs after the initial expenditures of conversion would be reduced, due to construction in mass, and standardization of ship support facilities.

Given the chance to build a system fleet from scratch, what would you do?

 

[mike wightman]

What TL are you building at?

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

11.

Here is the Preliminary Deckplan

And Stats:

Ship: VSS Sojurner
Class: Sojurner
Type: General Role Starship
Architect: Venad Production Shipyard
Tech Level: 11

USP
GRS-A4168D2-300000-60004-0 MCr 1,264.804 1 KTons
Bat Bear 1 1 Crew: 35
Bat 1 1 TL: 11

Cargo: 3.333 Fuel: 266.667 EP: 166.667 Agility: 6 Shipboard Security Detail: 1 Marines: 10
Craft: 1 x 25T Service Shuttle
Fuel Treatment: Fuel Scoops and On Board Fuel Purification

Architects Fee: MCr 12.398 Cost in Quantity: MCr 1,016.843


Detailed Description
(T20 Design)

HULL
1,000.000 tons standard, 14,000.000 cubic meters, Streamlined Close Structure Configuration, 100.000 Structure Points

CREW
11 Officers, 14 Ratings, 10 Marines

ENGINEERING
Jump-1, 6G Manuever, 250.000 Ton Power Plant, 166.667 EP, Agility 6

AVIONICS
Bridge, Model/4fib Computer, Model/4 Flight Avionics, Model/4 Sensors, Model/4 Meson Communications

HARDPOINTS
10 Hardpoints

ARMAMENT
4 Triple Missile Turrets organised into 1 Battery (Factor-4), 6 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 1 Battery (Factor-6)

DEFENCES
Armoured Hull (Factor-3)

CRAFT
1 25.000 ton Service Shuttle (Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 25.000)

FUEL
266.667 Tons Fuel (1 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance)
On Board Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant

MISCELLANEOUS
21 Staterooms, 1 Sick Bay, 1 Additional Airlock, 2 Tons of Missile Magazines (holding 40 missiles), 3.333 Tons Cargo

USER DEFINED COMPONENTS
None

COST
MCr 1,252.202 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 12.398), MCr 991.843 in Quantity, plus MCr 25.000 of Carried Craft (Hardpoints and Turrets charged)

CONSTRUCTION TIME
120 Weeks Singly, 96 Weeks in Quantity

COMMENTS

 

[mike wightman]

No meson communications at TL11

Nice ship

Have you considerd making the ship a bit bigger so that you can have a bay weapon as well as turrets.

During peace time the bay can be configured for civilian use like carrying cargo, search and rescue equipment, disaster relief equipment, a hospital module etc.

During hostilities fit it out with weapons or deadfall ordnance for planetary bombardment.

I also have a bay mounted special forces module that could be used for the insertion of specialist strike teams...

 

[far-trader]

Yep I'd go with some bay option as Sigg suggests. I've done a few T20 designs in the small ship range (1KT and less) using the optional small bay rule (pg 271). Best of both worlds for small multi-role ships. You get a 50ton bay (usually missiles, handy for planetary bombardment too) and half your hardpoints for turrets (for point defense or smacking traders and support ships). I also did one or two that traded agility for energy bay weapon use.

I toyed with the concept of allowing the bay to be used for drive upgrades in one design. Probably not kosher but it seemed interesting and could apply to your jump option idea. You'll probably be using drop tanks for that idea too I guess. Or some cargo volume used for other purposes in the usual SDB role.

3.333 tons of cargo? Seems a mite lite. Not much provision for long patrols or lurking with that little.

Back to your jump enabling SDB idea. How about a mini version of the classic Battle Carrier/Rider? Maybe a 1KT Carrier of the same configuration as the SDBs but devoted to carrying two SDBs at jump 1 or going solo at jump 3. And probably 1G with the SDBs attached and 3G solo. At a guess. Mostly be fuel and drives, could still drop in a small bay weapon/option, and/or more cargo space to allow resupply of the SDBs. Carriers allow a faster response time. If you have to recall your SDBs and take them out of action for a period to drop in a jump drive and whatever you tie up your starport and leave yourself open. If you have a couple of Carriers you can simple pick up the SDBs and jump. Use drop tanks or carry extra fuel and the Carrier can deploy the SDBs and jump right back to pick up more.

I like the look of the ship, as usual, nicely done Baron

 

[Spinward Scout]

Neat idea. Could you turn this into a Battle Rider type of config? Instead of having a Jump Module for each ship, I mean...

 

[Spinward Scout]

Dang - far-trader beat me to it by 2 minutes. That's what I get for reading New Scientist and trying to post at the same time...

 

[far-trader]

Join the great minds club Sir Toth

I'm not sure it's what the Baron is after though.

 

[far-trader]

Darn. Did a quick run through for a 1KT Carrier of 2 1KT SDBs and hit a major snag. T20's rule for external docking I think it would work in HG and CT but T20 is going to be tricky if doable. Ah well, it's a fun little problem to fill the spare minutes. Later all.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

The thing to realize is that the prupose of such ships militarily would be in protection of the Venad System, one of two Imperial Systems in the Hinterworlds during the time that I am alive (1100). I don't think the Boss would want these for militarily attacking other systems unless it HAD to happen. The Phrase "Trillion Credit Squadron" Makes the Venadians nervous. And it should!

Outsystem operations would be more "surgical' in nature, such as retreiving a captured citizen, eliminating a potential threat at its source without demolishing that source.

The advantage of having surplus funding by NOT building the usual types of ships, and only building one basic type, would mean (I think) that such things as a Light/Medium Battle Rider could be produced for specific function. Perhaps even made then unmade into other types of support ships as the needs arise.

Yes, Meson Comms at TL B. I will be a "Meson Marconi" to the Venadians I suppose. Its a good technology to have, one must admit.

The Three Tons of Cargo along the dorsal edge could be augmented by leaving out the Shuttle, a ship designed to supplant the need for auxiliary vehicles, etc. the low cargo space should also denote its "all bizness" nature...

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Ship: VSS Searcher
Class: Searcher
Type: Experimental Light Battle Tender
Architect: Venad Production Shipyard
Tech Level: 11

USP
XBT-L6212E3-000000-60308-0 MCr 21,685.665 25 KTons
Bat Bear 5 A A Crew: 623
Bat 5 A A TL: 11

Cargo: 170 Fuel: 7,000 EP: 1,000 Agility: 1 Shipboard Security Detail: 25 Marines: 100 Pulse Lasers
Craft: 10 x 1000T Sojurners
Fuel Treatment: Fuel Scoops and On Board Fuel Purification

Architects Fee: MCr 117.672 Cost in Quantity: MCr 19,332.218


Detailed Description
(T20 Design)

HULL
25,000.000 tons standard, 350,000.000 cubic meters, Flattened Sphere Configuration, 500.000 Structure Points

CREW
21 Officers, 502 Ratings, 100 Marines

ENGINEERING
Jump-2, 1G Manuever, 1,500.000 Ton Power Plant, 1,000.000 EP, Agility 1

AVIONICS
Bridge, Model/5fib Computer, Model/5 Flight Avionics, Model/5 Sensors, Model/5 Meson Communications

HARDPOINTS
10 100-ton bays, 10 50-ton bays, 50 Hardpoints

ARMAMENT
10 100-ton Missile Bays (Factor-8), 10 50-ton Particle Accelerator Bays (Factor-3), 50 Triple Pulse Laser Turrets organised into 5 Batteries (Factor-6)

DEFENCES
None

CRAFT
10 1,000.000 ton Sojurners (Crew of 35, Cost of MCr 991.843)

FUEL
7,000 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 56 days endurance)
On Board Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant

MISCELLANEOUS
350 Staterooms, 100 Low Berths, 3 Engineering Shops, 10 Laboratory, 10 Sick Bays, 30 Autodocs, 9 Additional Airlocks, 60 Tons of Missile Magazines (holding 1200 missiles), 170 Tons Cargo

USER DEFINED COMPONENTS
None

COST
MCr 11,884.907 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 117.672), MCr 9,413.788 in Quantity, plus MCr 9,918.430 of Carried Craft (Hardpoints and Turrets charged)

CONSTRUCTION TIME
176 Weeks Singly, 141 Weeks in Quantity

COMMENTS
This would be a 10 unit Squadron Carrier sort of deal. I can't think of any other real use besides an offensive one primarily, or perhaps a staging platform for entering "new" Systems or a mobile power base of some sort...

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Also, all ten unit shipboard "Marines" would have to be "special Strike forces" organized along the lines of an "Imperial Foreign Legion". I do not care where thy are from, or what they have done, as long as the right results are had, and they are disciplined and controllable. Hmm... Time for a new Character Class/Career/what have ye...

It worked well with the SHOPS agents (Sidur Haski Outsystem Patrol Service) a majority were from other systems lured to service by good gear, good pay, and plenty of action. We tended to avoid the term "Mercenary" in application to them. They are far too polite and courteous, and fight for more than just money.

 

[far-trader]

Ah well, first game of the season, CFL football that is, and I finally gave up on my team (the Riders, kinda appropriate while designing a rider

). After 3 quarters of some pretty embarrassing play I had enough. Oh well, it allowed me to play with the T20 ship design rules a bit. I was getting rusty

Managed to even make it work with one little house rule, splitting the external docking clamp volume between hulls. Hope you don't mind me playing in your sector I borrowed your format, see what you think of this proposal Baron and how it will fit your needs or simply inspires your own design...

-------
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Ship: VSS Advocate
Class: Advocate
Type: System Service Boat
Architect: Journeyman Design Bureau
Tech Level: 11

USP-SSB-A406D52-300000-00000-0 MCr804.134 1 KTons
Bat Bear Crew: 19
Bat TL: 11

Cargo: 100tons Fuel: 130tons EP: 130 Agility: 6
Fuel Treatment: Scoops and On Board Purification

Architect's fee: MCr12.0621 Cost in Quantity: MCr643.3072


Detailed Description (T20 Design)

HULL:

1,000.000 tons standard, 14,000.000 cubic meters
Fully Streamlined upgraded Close Structure
100.000 Structure Points

CREW:

1 Officer, 18 Ratings

ENGINEERING:

6G Manuever, 195ton Power Plant, 130 EP, Agility 6

ELECTRONICS:

Bridge, Model/5 Computer, Model/3 Flight Avionics,
Model/5 Sensors, Model/3 Maser Communications

HARDPOINTS:

5 Hardpoints and 5tons reserved with 7 EP
available
1 Magazine adjacent to one hardpoint
50ton Weapon Bay reserved

ARMAMENT:

None installed, customer may outfit as desired
limited to provided implacements and power

DEFENCES:

Armoured Hull (Factor-3)

FUEL:

130tons Fuel for 4 weeks endurance
Scoops and on board purification process full
tankage in 5.85hours

MISCELLANEOUS:

10 Staterooms, 1 Sick Bay, 100ton mission bay,
150ton fully streamlined docking clamp

USER DEFINED COMPONENTS:

Mission bay, this feature may be configured for
different uses as need arises. From small craft
or troop carry, to cargo or jump fuel for the
Transport using temporary tankage.

Docking clamp, this feature allows securely
grappling up to 500tons without impacting
streamlining. Normally this is used to join up
with the Transport by linking into one of it's
docking clamps. If used to carry an external load
the manuevering thrust is reduced to 4G and
agility 4.

COST:

MCr816.1961 initially (incl. Architect's fee of
MCr12.0621), MCr643.3072 in production

CONSTRUCTION TIME:

144 Weeks initially, 108 Weeks in production

NOTES:

Standard crewing for the Advocate class is 1 Pilot
officer, 11 Engineer ratings, 1 Medic rating, and
6 others. The others may be mission specialists,
gunners, troops or whatever is needed. The officer
has a private stateroom while the others share in
double occupancy.</pre>[/QUOTE]-------
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Ship: VSS Bringer
Class: Bringer
Type: SSB Transport Ship
Architect: Journeyman Design Bureau
Tech Level: 11

USP-STS-A411452-300000-00000-0 MCr468.234 1 KTons
Bat Bear Crew: 19
Bat TL: 11

Cargo: 100tons Fuel: 140tons EP: 40 Agility: 0
Fuel Treatment: Scoops and On Board Purification

Architect's fee: MCr7.02351 Cost in Quantity:
MCr374.5872


Detailed Description (T20 Design)

HULL:

1,000.000 tons standard, 14,000.000 cubic meters,
Fully Streamlined upgraded Close Structure
100.000 Structure Points

CREW:

1 Officer, 18 Ratings

ENGINEERING:

Jump 1P, 1G Manuever, 60ton Power Plant, 40 EP,
Agility 0

ELECTRONICS:

Bridge, Model/5 Computer, Model/3 Flight Avionics,
Model/5 Sensors, Model/3 Maser Communications

HARDPOINTS:

5 Hardpoints and 5tons reserved with 7 EP
available
1 Magazine adjacent to one hardpoint
50ton Weapon Bay reserved

ARMAMENT:

None installed, customer may outfit as desired
limited to provided implacements and power

DEFENCES:

Armoured Hull (Factor-3)

FUEL:

140tons Fuel for 4 weeks endurance and jump 1
Scoops and on board purification process full
tankage in 6.3hours

MISCELLANEOUS:

10 Staterooms, 1 Sick Bay, 38 lowberths, 100ton
mission bay, 2x 150ton fully streamlined docking
clamps, 1 Engineering shop

USER DEFINED COMPONENTS:

Mission bay, this feature may be configured for
different uses as need arises. From small craft
or troop carry, to cargo, or for jump purposes
as fuel using temporary tankage to allow two
consecutive jumps.

Docking clamps, each one allows securely grappling
up to 500tons without impacting streamlining.
Normally these are used to join up with two SSBs
by linking into their docking clamps. Neither jump
nor maneuver performance is impacted by carried
loads.

Engineering shop, this feature allows limited
field repair of damaged SSBs

Lowberths, the quantity is sufficient to evacuate
both carried SSBs if needed. Other uses may
include cold troops, frozen watch personnel,
or rescuees.

COST:

MCr475.25751 initially (including Architect's fee
of MCr7.02351), MCr374.5872 in production

CONSTRUCTION TIME:

144 Weeks initially, 108 Weeks in production

NOTES:

Standard crewing for the Bringer class is 1 Pilot
officer, 1 Astrogation rating, 6 Engineer ratings,
1 Medic rating, and 10 others. The others may be
mission specialists, gunners, troops or whatever
is needed. The officer has a private stateroom
while the others share in double
occupancy.</pre>[/QUOTE]-------

Hope ya like Baron

 

[Berg]

Originally posted by far-trader:
Ah well, first game of the season, CFL football that is, and I finally gave up on my team... After 3 quarters of some pretty embarrassing play I had enough

Go Lions Go

I hope we don't implode like last year

*Back to your regularly scheduled program*

 

[Straybow]

Gotta keep at least one big ship, for morale purposes.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Doesn't a swarm have the same effect? Wouldn't morale dip if said big ship takes a Meson Spinal hit, and goes kablewie?