Sundry Design Errata/Questions

[Falkayn]

I've been working on a spreadsheet to allow me to desing starships more easily, and I've come across some questions that needed answering:

1. Does any sort of Model/X custom computer work like the Model/X standard computer that a starship needs? That is, if I have a Model/6 Basic, Advanced, Master or Expert computer they should all act as Model/6 for the purposes of flying a 100,000-ton starship? If not, then how do you design a custom computer to be used within the starship design rules?

2. Are Black Globe Generators free from TL 16 onwards, or are they all meant to cost a flat 1000 MCr? If so, what's the difference between a USP 8 and USP 9 BG generator in terms of designing a starship? (if none, why have USP 8 at all?).

3. What are Repulsor bays and how do they work? They are not described in the text section that describes all other weapons. Also, why do they have no range increment?

4. The rules state on p.258 and in the table on p.262 that a smallcraft must have a minimum 4-ton bridge. Is it possible to build a really small vessel (say 5-tons) and just use a small craft couch and no bridge? If so, then at what point is a bridge mandatory?

5. Is a ship's designed Initiative always equal to it's Agility? Does any other designed element (ie. other than Ship Tactics feat) affect Initiative? (like the computer?)

6. What's the point of a FIB computer? The combat/damage rules do not make any allowance for them, so why bother having them?

Thanks to anyone who has definite answers for these, and a HUGE THANKS to Hunter and Martin for giving me a set of d20 rules that I can have fun with on my own, even when my players don't want to play it! (blasted D&Ders )

 

[Ellros]

3. What are Repulsor bays and how do they work? They are not described in the text section that describes all other weapons. Also, why do they have no range increment?

Repulsors are the opposite of tractor beams. They "push" objects away. In Traveller they are point defense weapons against missiles, there fore they have no range increment. They are not offensive weapons.

 

[Tom Schoene]

1) Gievn the degree orf brokenness peopole report with the computer rules, I suspect this can of worms would best be left unopened

2) The TL16-17 Black Globes are not free, they are priceless. As far as any known culture is concerned these are unique artifacts rather than manufactured goods available for purchase.

3) Repulsors are fairly limited gravitic projectors, able to deflect (or destroy) missiles but not do more delicate manipulations (they are not tractor beams, though those will come later on the same technology progression). They are strictly point-defense weapons, which is probably why they don't have a range increment.

4) It used to be that Small craft needed either a computer or a bridge, but not necessarily both. I'd really prefer that rule (from High Guard). However, as written in T20 it appears that a bridge (minimum 4 tons) is needed for any small craft. That means no small craft smaller than 5 tons are really possible, and even that's pushing things quite a bit.

5) I don't think there are any influences on Initiative other than Agility.

6) Fib (fiber-optic) computers should ignore electronics damage resulting from radiation hits. It doesn't look like the rules reflect this, unfortunately.

 

[Falkayn]

Originally posted by Tom Schoene:
[QB]2) The TL16-17 Black Globes are not free, they are priceless. As far as any known culture is concerned these are unique artifacts rather than manufactured goods available for purchase./QB]

As I understand it this applies for BG at ANY tech level. The difference in the USPs is meant to be the difference in the equipment used to turn the BG ON/OFF in order to produce a given flicker rate (or USP).

If the equipment at TL16 to give me a flicker rate of 8 weighs the same, costs the same and uses the same amount of EPs as the one to give me a flicker rate of 9, then why bother taking USP 8?

 

[Tom Schoene]

Checking back to High Guard, the Factor 9 Black Globe was supposed to be TL18, not 17.

Also, it says the TL15 ones are the only ones used in Imperial spacecraft; the rest are just for reference. I believe later iterations (MT, perhaps) had new-built replicas of TL15 Black Globes available, albeit still only for government use.

 

[Flynn]

As for the Black Globes, I would assume that at some TL, they become stable at the various flicker rates, as well as the technology to support it.

[As an aside: MegaTraveller also introduces White Globes at TL 21, as well as Jump Projectors at TL 21, and Disintegrators at TL 18. More fun for translating...]

Personally, I think that the Black Globe technology should be available at the lower flicker rates at TL15, because not everyone plays in the OTU, and I don't want to bring the "mysterious clutch of 1000 black globe generators" gimmick into my ATU.

Additionally, the sheer number of vessels in print that possess black globes according to canonical sources has not been monitored very well, and I would be very surprised if the number reportedly in use in the fleets across the Imperium was still under a thousand. I'd wager it's over the number of black globes Imperial scientists originally discovered, and that would indicate that Black Globes can be created at TLs as low as 15.

But truth be told, I'm not willing to take the time to research the OTU ships with black globes to see if I'm right or not, so this remains only my opinion.

YMMV,
Flynn

 

[themink]

Originally posted by Falkayn:
I've been working on a spreadsheet to allow me to desing starships more easily, and I've come across some questions that needed answering:

1. Does any sort of Model/X custom computer work like the Model/X standard computer that a starship needs?

2. Are Black Globe Generators free from TL 16 onwards, or are they all meant to cost a flat 1000 MCr?

3. What are Repulsor bays and how do they work?

4. The rules state on p.258 and in the table on p.262 that a smallcraft must have a minimum 4-ton bridge. Is it possible to build a really small vessel (say 5-tons) and just use a small craft couch and no bridge? If so, then at what point is a bridge mandatory?

5. Is a ship's designed Initiative always equal to it's Agility? Does any other designed element (ie. other than Ship Tactics feat) affect Initiative? (like the computer?)

6. What's the point of a FIB computer? The combat/damage rules do not make any allowance for them, so why bother having them?

Thanks to anyone who has definite answers for these, and a HUGE THANKS to Hunter and Martin for giving me a set of d20 rules that I can have fun with on my own, even when my players don't want to play it! (blasted D&Ders )

1.
The Model/X computers in the vehilce section are not the same thing as model/X computers in the ship section - near the start of the "standard designs" section it gives you the conversions

2. Has been answered by previous posters - they are magical devices. Get the best one you can lay your mits on.

3. Rules for repulsers are given in the "ship actions" section of starship combat - basically you can use them for point defense only and they have a +6 over the equivalent laser battery used in point defence

4. Canon does not allow for "fighters" as you understand from aircraft carriers, canonical fighters have endurances measured in weeks rather than hours. If you wish you could include this sort of fighter. I would recommend a 2ton bridge which includes lifesupport etc for 6 hours plus 1 seat (3 tons gives you a dual seat). You need to include a reason to have bigger fighters, if you still want them - I recommend a -2 mod for any action by these "small" fighters

5. The only thing that effects Initiative from the ship design section is agility. I would have included a bonus for "fastest ship" but it isn;t there.

6. FIB computer aren;t well described. My reading of it is that the computer ignires all radiation damage (ie it really is a fibre optic computer) which explains the huge increase in cost/size - and also why anyone would bother

Aside - I am tempted to have radiation effect ships despite armour - still thinking it over - otherwise FIB isn;t worth the cost.

 

[druidog]

Ignoring the 4t bridge minimum is certainly one good option. Also, if you are trying to recreate smaller, short range fighters consider making grav vehicles rather than true spacecraft.

 

[snrdg082102]

Morning Tom Schoene,

Originally posted by Tom Schoene:
1) Gievn the degree orf brokenness peopole report with the computer rules, I suspect this can of worms would best be left unopened.

I have created a spreadsheet and have been able to run the Computer Design Sequence (CDS) and do not feel the steps are any more broken than the either the Vehicle Design Sequence (VDS) or the Spacecraft and Starship Design Sequence (SSDS). Of course there are still some unexplained items that need clarification.

 

[snrdg082102]

Originally posted by Falkayn:
I've been working on a spreadsheet to allow me to desing starships more easily, and I've come across some questions that needed answering:

Morning Falkayn,

Here are my comments for the 2 computer related questions.

1. Does any sort of Model/X custom computer work like the Model/X standard computer that a starship needs? That is, if I have a Model/6 Basic, Advanced, Master or Expert computer they should all act as Model/6 for the purposes of flying a 100,000-ton starship? If not, then how do you design a custom computer to be used within the starship design rules?

The Ship's Computer Table on p282 are the standard TL13 computer cores used in starships. These cores are designed the using the Computer Design Sequence (CDS) on pp. 223-233. Unfortunately they appear only to have run only the first two steps (selecting cores and type/model table on p. 224). The Spacecraft and Starship Design Sequence (SSDS) computer design table on p. 263 starts with the cores from p. 282, after converting from vl to displacement weight measurements, and adds the 3 sub-units.

Sorry about the original answer of Model/6 and Jump 6, appears I was a little confused, okay a lot confused. Using the CDS you can custom design a Type B, A, M, or E Model/6 computer to use with a starship between 50,000 - 100,000 displacement tons. However, and if I am interpreting the Processing Power (PP) rules correctly, the computer must have enough a minimum of 23 to a maximum of 52 PP to run the appropriate jump drive.
Edited 1/30/03 at approximately 1520 PST

edited disregard not pertinent The only Model/6 computer systems that, according to the CDS Compter Type and Model Table on p. 224, that can be used as a Jump 6 astrogation computer are Master or Expert systems provided the core has the minimum PP of 52. The CDS steps on pp. 223-233 can be used to design a custom computer.

6. What's the point of a FIB computer? The combat/damage rules do not make any allowance for them, so why bother having them?:

As Tom Schoene indicated FIB systems originated in CT:Book 2: Starships & Book 5 HG and depending on the copyright date and revision #, with the intent to armor/protect the core against EMP from nucs. With the watering down of the effectiveness of nuclear missiles FIB has lost much of the reason for use. OOps goota go late for work I'll get back to you later.

Thanks to anyone who has definite answers for these, and a HUGE THANKS to Hunter and Martin for giving me a set of d20 rules that I can have fun with on my own, even when my players don't want to play it! (blasted D&Ders )