Ships of Gateway #7 - Tegetthoff Battleship

[AndreaV]

This is the latest in my ongoing (and unofficial) series of ships for T20. The focus is on ships that are likely to be used or encountered in adventures (yes really, even this one). All ships are designed using High Guard Shipyard software.

Ship: Potemkin
Class: Tegetthoff
Type: Battleship
Architect: Andrew Moffatt-Vallance
Tech Level: 9

USP
BB-J4116C3-060000-60B07-0 MCr 9,938.197 9.5 KTons
Bat Bear 5 1 1 2 Crew: 129
Bat 5 1 1 2 TL: 9

Cargo: 21.500 Frozen Watch Fuel: 1,520.000 EP: 570.000 Agility: 0 Ships Troops: 10
Craft: 3 x 20T Launches
Fuel Treatment: Fuel Scoops and On Board Fuel Purification

Architects Fee: MCr 99.382 Cost in Quantity: MCr 7,950.558


Detailed Description

TONNAGE
9,500.000 tons standard, 133,000.000 cubic meters, Close Structure Configeration

CREW
20 Officers, 109 Ratings

ENGINEERING
Jump-1, 1G Manuever, Power plant-6, 570.000 EP, Agility 0

AVIONICS
Bridge, Model/3fib Computer

HARDPOINTS
Spinal Mount, 2 100-ton bays, 25 Hardpoints

ARMARMENT
Particle Accelerator Spinal Mount (Factor-B), 2 100-ton Missile Bays (Factor-7), 5 Triple Beam Laser Turrets in 1 Battery (Factor-6)

DEFENCES
20 Triple Sandcaster Turrets in 5 Batteries (Factor-6)

CRAFT
3 20.000 ton Launches (Crew of 1)

FUEL
1,520.000 Tons Fuel (1 parsecs jump and 30 days endurance)
On Board Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant

MISCELLANEOUS
67.0 Staterooms, 65 Low Berths, 21.500 Tons Cargo

COST
MCr 10,037.579 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 99.382), MCr 7,950.558 in Quantity

CONSTRUCTION TIME
159 Weeks Singly, 127 Weeks in Quantity

COMMENTS
Generally agreed to be one of the least capable warships ever built. This design is little more than a massive particle accelerator with the minimal requirements of a ship bolted on. Built more for reasons of prestige than combat effectiveness, the Tegetthoff is nonetheless an interesting example of tech level 9 naval architecture.

The primary feature of the class, and its sole reason for existance is its spinal particle accelerator. Taking up some 52% of the ships displacement, this weapon constitutes its primary offensive armarment. It is supported by two 100 ton missile bays, intended mainly to ward off attacks by small craft. Its defensive capacity is limited to five sandcaster batteries and its limited agility makes it an easy target.

Still, ships such as the Tegetthoff can be found in a number of early stellar navies. The class does provide a useful vehicle for crew training and valuable construction experience before moving on to more advanced designs. Often deployed for routine patrols, the Tegetthoff can still easily defeat most pirates and paramilitary raiders and thus they can find some useful peacetime roles. However, most navies will only construct such vessels when they are convinced that they will soon be able to move on to more capable higher tech level warships.

 

[Christopher Jennings]

Gee, now you have me wondering how to do ramming attackes in HG combat. All kidding aside, you are doing a nice job demonstrating the difficulties of designing at lower tech levels. The facts are that even at a 6 level advantage you don't take big, well armed ships lightly. Add the fact that such ships are usually deployed as support for local defence fleets and you could end up on the short end of the tactical stick.

 

[AndreaV]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Christopher Jennings:
Gee, now you have me wondering how to do ramming attackes in HG combat. All kidding aside, you are doing a nice job demonstrating the difficulties of designing at lower tech levels. The facts are that even at a 6 level advantage you don't take big, well armed ships lightly. Add the fact that such ships are usually deployed as support for local defence fleets and you could end up on the short end of the tactical stick.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The Tegetthoff was the result of a challange that you couldn't build a ship with a spinal mount at TL9. Even with all its problems, if it gets in a good hit first off it can still hurt even a TL15 opponent.

 

[Gaming Glen]

What I haven't liked about all the past pictures of Traveller ships is that a TL9 ship looks like a TL15 ship. Did they use the same architect throughout the centuries? This is something one doesn't think about until you watch some TV show (i.e. Babylon 5) where ships of differing tech are vastly different in capabilities and look. We did have Aslan ships looking different, but there weren't many pictures of those. Vargr ships looked slightly different, but were still blocky looking.

 

[J]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Andrewmv:
The Tegetthoff was the result of a challange that you couldn't build a ship with a spinal mount at TL9. Even with all its problems, if it gets in a good hit first off it can still hurt even a TL15 opponent.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well it's not going to win any TCS tournaments. But for some strange reason I like this design. Probably because it has character, the background of the ship being used as a training ship makes good sense and immediately suggests some adventures/scenarios.

Nice work!

J.

 

[AndreaV]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by J:
Well it's not going to win any TCS tournaments. But for some strange reason I like this design. Probably because it has character, the background of the ship being used as a training ship makes good sense and immediately suggests some adventures/scenarios.

Nice work!

J.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The ship's a lemon. Even at its own TL its going to get done. But despite that, its one of my favourite designs. Don't know why, I guess she's the ship only a mother could love