CT Only: Vilis Tramp

[Spinward Flow]

​

Vilis Tramp
Ship Type: AP (Merchant-A, Provincial)
TL=10 (hybrid LBB5.80 design fitted with LBB2.81 standard drives, and off-the-shelf weapon systems) (LBB5.80, p18)

Tonnage (custom hull): 400 tons (MCr40) (LBB2.81, p13) (LBB5.80, p21-22)
Configuration: 1 (Needle/Wedge, streamlined, MCr8) (LBB5.80, p21-23)
Armor: 0

Jump-E (code: 2, 30 tons, MCr50, TL=10, Civilian, Capacitor storage: 5 tons = 180 EP maximum)
Maneuver-E (code: 2, 9 tons, MCr20, TL=10)
Power Plant-E (code: 2, 16 tons, MCr40, TL=10, EP: 10, Surplus EP: +1 @ Agility 1, Emergency Agility: 2)
Total Drives: 30+9+16 = 55 tons (+5 tons Vilis Pinnace = 60 combined tons) (LBB2.81, p22)

Fuel: 110 tons = 80+30 tons (LBB2.81, p14-15, 23)

• Jump Fuel = (Tonnage/10) * Parsecs
  • 80 tons = 2 parsec range @ 400 tons displacement
• Power Plant and Reactionless Maneuver Fuel = (10Pn*days/28)
  • 30 tons = 42 days @ 2G M-Drive reactionless maneuver within 1000 diameters of gravity wells for 400 tons displacement
• HEPlaR Reaction Maneuver consumption rate = (Tonnage/100) * (G*0.05*days)
  • 0.2 tons consumption per G per day beyond 1000 diameters of gravity wells (CT Beltstrike, p5, p11)

Fuel Scoops (MCr0.4) (LBB5.80, p27)
Fuel Purification Plant: 200 ton capacity (8 tons, MCr0.036, TL=10) (LBB5.80, p27, p36)
L-Hyd drop tank couplings (MCr0.01) (LBB A5, p14)

Bridge (20 tons, MCr2)
Computer: 3fib (Code: C, 6 tons, MCr27, TL=9, EP: 1)

Hardpoints: 4 (MCr0.4) (LBB2.81, p15, p23)
Dual Turrets: 4 (4 tons fire control, MCr2) (LBB2.81, p23)

1. Mixed Dual Turret: Sandcaster, Missile (MCr1, EP: 0)
2. Mixed Dual Turret: Sandcaster, Missile (MCr1, EP: 0)
3. Dual Turret: Beam Laser, Beam Laser (MCr2, EP: 2)
4. Dual Turret: Beam Laser, Beam Laser (MCr2, EP: 2)

Weapon Batteries:

• 2x Sandcaster (code: 3) (LBB5.80, p25)
• 2x Beam Laser (code: 2) (LBB5.80, p25)
• 2x Missile (code: 1) (LBB5.80, p25)

Internal Hangar Bay: 100 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (100 tons, MCr0.2) (LBB5.80, p32)

1. Armored Pinnace (40 tons, MCr31.972, TL=10)
   • Major Cargo Box (10 tons, MCr0.48, TL=9)
2. Major Cargo Box (10 tons, MCr0.48, TL=9)
3. Major Cargo Box (10 tons, MCr0.48, TL=9)
4. Major Cargo Box (10 tons, MCr0.48, TL=9)
5. Major Cargo Box (10 tons, MCr0.48, TL=9)
6. Major Cargo Box (10 tons, MCr0.48, TL=9)
7. Major Cargo Box (10 tons, MCr0.48, TL=9)

External Docking: 600 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (0 tons, MCr1.2, Vilis Tramp becomes unstreamlined while in use) (LBB5.80, p32) (LBB A5, p14)

Crew positions minimum skills required: 8 crew (Cr34,415 per 4 weeks crew salaries)

1. Pilot-1 = Cr6000
2. Ship's Boat-1 = Cr6000
3. Navigation-1 = Cr5000
4. Engineering-2/Engineering-2 = ((4000*1.1)+(4000*1.1))*0.75 = Cr6600
5. Steward-1/Steward-1 = ((3000*1)+(3000*1.1))*0.75 = Cr4950
6. Medical-3 = (2000*1.2) = Cr2400
7. Gunnery-2/Gunnery-2 (chief) = ((1000*1.1)+(1000*1.1))*0.75*1.1 = Cr1815
8. Gunnery-2/Gunnery-2 = (1000*1.1)+(1000*1.1))*0.75 = Cr1650

Crew staterooms: 8 single occupancy (32 tons, MCr4)
High Passenger staterooms: 8 single occupancy (32, MCr4)
Environmental Control Type V-c capacity: up to 16 persons

• Laboratory: regenerative life support biome (32 tons, MCr6.4, TL=10, hydroponic garden, aquaculture and carniculture) (CT Errata, p12, lab space costs MCr0.2 per ton)

Collapsible Fuel Tanks: 10x 10 tons = 100 tons capacity (1 ton, MCr0.05) (LBB A5, p13-14)
Cargo: 0 tons
Waste Space: 0 tons

Starship Only Cost (not including sub-craft): MCr211.696 (100% cost single production), MCr169.3568 (80% cost volume production) (LBB5.80, p20)

---

Armored Pinnace
Ship Type: KA (Pinnace, Armored)
TL=10 (hybrid LBB5.80 design fitted with LBB2.81 standard drives, and off-the-shelf weapon systems) (LBB5.80, p18)

Tonnage (custom hull): 40 tons
Configuration: 1 (Needle/Wedge, streamlined, integral fuel scoops, MCr4.8) (LBB5.80, p21-23, p34)
Armor (code: 8, 10.8 tons, MCr11.88, TL=10, Crystaliron)
Maneuver-A (code: 5, 1 tons, MCr4, TL=9)
Power Plant-A (code: 5, 4 tons, MCr8, TL=9, EP: 2, Surplus EP: +0 @ Agility 5, Emergency Agility: 5)
Total Drives: 1+4 = 5 tons
Fuel: 1 ton = 14 days endurance (LBB2.81, p17-18) (LBB5.80, p34) (CT Errata, p15)
Bridge (8 tons, MCr0.2, 2 acceleration couches capacity) (LBB5.80, p34)
Computer: 2 (Code: 2, 2 tons, MCr9, TL=7, EP: 0)
Hardpoints: 1 (MCr0.1) (LBB2.81, p15, p23)
Dual Turret Rigid Mount: 1 (1 ton fire control, MC0.5) (LBB2.81, p23) (LBB5.80, p34)

1. Mixed Dual Turret: Sandcaster, Missile (MCr1, EP: 0)

Weapon Batteries:

• 1x Sandcaster (code: 3) (LBB5.80, p25)
• 1x Missile (code: 1) (LBB5.80, p25)

Crew positions minimum skills required: 1 crew

1. Ship's Boat-1 or Pilot-2 (LBB5.80, p34-35)

Small Craft Staterooms: 1 (2 tons, MCr0.1)
Internal Hangar Bay: 10.5m x 4.5m x 3m = 141.75m³ = 10 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (10 tons, MCr0.02) (LBB5.80, p32)
External Docking: 160 tons capacity Ordinary Launch Facilities (0 tons, MCr0.32, Armored Pinnace becomes unstreamlined while in use) (LBB5.80, p32) (LBB A5, p14)
Collapsible Fuel Tank: 10 tons capacity (0.1 tons, MCr0.005)
Cargo Hold: 0.1 tons (1.4m³ capacity locker compartment)
Waste Space: 0 tons
Total Cost: MCr39.965 (100% cost single production), MCr31.972 (80% cost volume production)

---

Major Cargo Box
Ship Type: AU (Merchant-A, Unpowered)
TL=9 (LBB5.80 design)
Tonnage (custom hull): 10 tons
Configuration: 4 (Close Structure, partially-streamlined, integral fuel scoops, MCr0.6) (LBB5.80, p21-23, p34)
Armor (code: 0)
Maneuver-0
Power Plant-0
Total Drives: 0+0 = 0 tons
Fuel: 0 tons
Hardpoints: 0
Cargo Hold: 10.5m x 4.5m x 3m = 141.75m³ = 10 tons (multi-purpose conversion ready)
Total Cost: MCr0.6 (100% cost single production), MCr0.48 (80% cost volume production)

 

[Spinward Flow]

Vilis Tramp         AP-41222C1-030000-20001-0    MCr169.3568    400 tons
   batteries bearing            2     2   2                       TL=10.
           batteries            2     2   2                      Crew=8.
Passengers=8. Low=0. Lab=32. Hangar=100. Cargo=0. Fuel=110(+100). EP=10. Agility=1.
Jump-2, Maneuver-2, Agility-1 @ up to 500 tons total (+100 tons external)
Jump-1, Maneuver-1, Agility-0 @ up to 1000 tons total (+600 tons external)

Armored Pinnace     KA-0105521-830000-00001-0    MCr31.972       40 tons
   batteries bearing            2         2                       TL=10.
           batteries            2         2                      Crew=1.
Bridge. Staterooms=1. Low=0. Hangar=10. Cargo=0. Fuel=1(+10). EP=2. Agility=5.
Maneuver-5, Agility-5 @ up to 40 tons total (+0 tons external)
Maneuver-4, Agility-4 @ up to 50 tons total (+10 tons external)
Maneuver-3, Agility-3 @ up to 66 tons total (+26 tons external)
Maneuver-2, Agility-2 @ up to 100 tons total (+60 tons external)
Maneuver-1, Agility-1 @ up to 200 tons total (+160 tons external)

Major Cargo Box     AU-0400000-000000-00000-0    MCr0.48         10 tons
Passengers=0. Low=0. Cargo=10. Fuel=0. EP=0. Agility=0. Crew=0. TL=9.

Single production (100% cost)

• Total Cost (starship + pinnace + 7 cargo boxes): MCr211.696 + (39.965) + (0.6*7) = MCr255.861
• 20% Down Payment: MCr42.3392 + (7.993) + (0.12*7) = MCr51.1722
• Architect Fees (4 weeks): MCr2.11696 + (0.39965) + (0.006) = 2.52261
• Construction Time: 64 weeks (starship), 24 weeks (pinnace, cargo boxes) (LBB2.81, p22) (LBB A5, p33)
• Annual Overhaul: Cr211,696 + (39,965) + (600*7) = Cr255,861 (LBB2.81, p8)
• Bank Financing Monthly Mortgage Payment (Total Cost * 2.4 / 40 years / 13 months) = Cr1,180,897

Volume production (80% single production cost) (LBB5.80, p20)

• Total Cost (starship + pinnace + 7 cargo boxes): MCr169.3568 + (31.972) + (0.48*7) = MCr204.6888
• 20% Down Payment: MCr33.87136 + (6.3944) + (0.096*7) = MCr40.93776
• Construction Time: 51 weeks 2 days (starship), 19 weeks 2 days (pinnace, cargo boxes) (LBB2.81, p22) (LBB A5, p33)
• Annual Overhaul: Cr169,357 + (31,972) + (480*7) = Cr204,689 (LBB2.81, p8)
• Bank Financing Monthly Mortgage Payment (Total Cost * 2.4 / 40 years / 13 months) = Cr944,718

---

1105 era Spinward Marches star systems with type A starports that are Population: 7+

• TL=10
  • (0130) Garoo/Darrian (A2008CB-A) Non-Agricultural, Vacuum World
  • (1119) Vilis/Vilis (A593943-A) Industrial

---

Recurring costs:

• Crew Life Support: Cr0 due to regenerative life support Environmental Control Type V-c (up to 16 persons)
• Passenger Life Support: Cr0 due to regenerative life support Environmental Control Type V-c (up to 16 persons)
• Crew Salaries: Cr34,415 per 4 weeks (LBB2.81, p11, p16)
• Berthing Fees: Cr100 for 6 days, additional Cr100 per additional day after 6 days (LBB2.81, p8)
• Surface to Orbit Shuttle Costs: Cr10 per cargo ton, Cr20 to 120 per passenger (LBB2.81, p9)
• Fuel: Cr500 per ton (refined), Cr100 per ton (unrefined), Cr0 (skimmed) (LBB2.81, p7)

Revenue sources:

• Interplanetary Charters (12+ hours): Cr1 per hour per ton for pinnace (Cr40 per hour) or starship (Cr400 per hour) rate without external loading (external loads add Cr1 per hour per ton), minimum 12 hours per charter (LBB2.81, p9)
  • Interplanetary Travel (distance, acceleration, time) (link)
• Interstellar Charters (2 weeks): Cr9000 per high passage berth, Cr900 per low passage berth, Cr900 per ton of cargo, to declared destination(s) per jump (LBB2.81, p9)
• Interstellar Passenger Revenue: Cr10,000 per high passenger, Cr8000 per middle passenger, Cr1000 per low passenger, to declared destination(s) per jump (LBB2.81, p9)
• Interstellar Cargo Transport: Cr1000 per ton, to declared destination(s) per jump (LBB2.81, p8-9)
• Mail Delivery: Cr5,000 revenue per ton upon delivery (Cr25,000 max) (LBB2.81, p9)
• Imperial subsidies reduce gross revenue receipts by 50% for passengers, cargo and mail (LBB2.81, p7)

 

[Spinward Flow]

​

Vilis Tramp
Economic break even formula for annualized costs (including life support, berthing fees, crew salaries and annual overhaul costs)

Cost calculation

• CPD = (LS*25 + CS*13 + CC*(CM/40+0.001) + FC*DPY + BFE) / DPY + BFD
  • CPD = Cost Per Destination (in Cr), round up to nearest integer
  • LS = Life Support (in Cr) per 2 weeks (Cr0 for stock Vilis Tramp)
  • CS = Crew Salaries (in Cr) per 4 weeks (Cr34,415)
  • CC = Construction Cost in credits (Cr255,861,000 single production, Cr204,688,800 volume production)
  • CM = Construction Multiplier (x0 Subsidized, x1 Paid Off, x2.4 Bank Loan Financing, over 40 years)
  • FC = Fuel Cost (in Cr) to refuel per Destination (Cr500 per ton refined, Cr100 per ton unrefined, Cr0 per ton wilderness)
  • BFE = Berthing Fees Extra (additional berthing fees for warehousing the ship at idle during extra crew vacation days annually)
  • DPY = Destinations Per Year
  • BFD = Berthing Fees (in Cr) per Destination (Cr100 for 6 days, Cr100 more per +1 days)

---

Tables of profit points when allowing 14 days for annual overhaul maintenance within each year (365-14=351 days maximum)
Note: 252 / 365 = 69% (~70% minimum required time on route each year for subsidy contracts)

Single Production (break even profit point in credits)

DPY (tempo) + vacation days	Subsidized CPD (in Cr)​	Paid Off CPD (in Cr)​	Bank Financed CPD (in Cr)​
35 (2+8 days) = 350 + 0	20,639​	203,397​	459,258​
31 (3+8 days) = 341 + 9	23,302​	229,642​	518,517​
29 (4+8 days) = 348 + 2	24,892​	245,462​	554,260​
27 (5+8 days) = 351 + 0	26,725​	263,633​	595,305​
25 (6+8 days) = 350 + 0	28,855​	284,716​	642,921​
24 (6+8 days) = 350 + 14	30,090​	296,612​	669,743​
18 (6+8 days) = 252 + 98	40,554​	395,916​	893,424​
19 (2+8+8 days) = 342 + 8	37,951 + drop tank rental​	374,610 + drop tank rental​	845,933 + drop tank rental​
18 (3+8+8 days) = 342 + 8	40,054 + drop tank rental​	395,416 + drop tank rental​	892,924 + drop tank rental​
17 (4+8+8 days) = 340 + 10	42,416 + drop tank rental​	418,682 + drop tank rental​	945,454 + drop tank rental​
16 (5+8+8 days) = 336 + 14	45,085 + drop tank rental​	444,868 + drop tank rental​	1,004,564 + drop tank rental​
15 (6+8+8 days) = 330 + 20	48,124 + drop tank rental​	474,559 + drop tank rental​	1,071,568 + drop tank rental​
12 (6+8+8 days) = 264 + 86	60,6804 + drop tank rental​	593,724 + drop tank rental​	1,339,985 + drop tank rental​

Volume Production (break even profit point in credits)

DPY (tempo) + vacation days	Subsidized CPD (in Cr)​	Paid Off CPD (in Cr)​	Bank Financed CPD (in Cr)​
35 (2+8 days) = 350 + 0	19,177​	165,383​	370,072​
31 (3+8 days) = 341 + 9	21,652​	186,723​	417,823​
29 (4+8 days) = 348 + 2	23,128​	199,583​	446,622​
27 (5+8 days) = 351 + 0	24,830​	214,356​	479,694​
25 (6+8 days) = 350 + 0	26,808​	231,497​	518,061​
24 (6+8 days) = 350 + 14	27,958​	241,176​	539,680​
18 (6+8 days) = 252 + 98	37,711​	322,001​	720,007​
19 (2+8+8 days) = 342 + 8	35,258 + drop tank rental​	304,585 + drop tank rental​	681,643 + drop tank rental​
18 (3+8+8 days) = 342 + 8	37,211 + drop tank rental​	321,501 + drop tank rental​	719,507 + drop tank rental​
17 (4+8+8 days) = 340 + 10	39,405 + drop tank rental​	340,418 + drop tank rental​	761,836 + drop tank rental​
16 (5+8+8 days) = 336 + 14	41,887 + drop tank rental​	361,713 + drop tank rental​	809,470 + drop tank rental​
15 (6+8+8 days) = 330 + 20	44,713 + drop tank rental​	385,861 + drop tank rental​	863,468 + drop tank rental​
12 (6+8+8 days) = 264 + 86	56,416 + drop tank rental​	482,851 + drop tank rental​	1,079,860 + drop tank rental​

 

[Spinward Flow]

Jump-2, Maneuver-2, Agility-1 (+0 tons external, 1J2 range)

• Internal High Passengers: 8
• Internal Hangar: 1x Vilis Armored Pinnace + 7x 10 tons Vilis Major Cargo Boxes = 70 tons cargo capacity
• External Docking: 0 tons capacity

• ---

  Subsidy Financed Net Revenue
  • Non-charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr40,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr35,000 for 70 tons cargo
  • Charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr36,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr31,500 for 70 tons cargo
• Paid Off or Bank Financed Net Revenue
  • Non-charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr80,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr70,000 for 70 tons cargo
  • Charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr72,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr63,000 for 70 tons cargo

---

---

---

Jump-2, Maneuver-2, Agility-1 (+1 to +100 tons external, 1J2 range)

• Internal High Passengers: 8
• Internal Hangar: 100 tons cargo capacity
• External Docking: 1x Vilis Armored Pinnace + 7x 10 tons Vilis Major Cargo Boxes = 70 tons cargo capacity

• ---

  Subsidy Financed Net Revenue
  • Non-charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr40,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr50,000 for 100 tons cargo
    • External Cargo: Cr35,000 for 70 tons cargo
  • Charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr36,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr45,000 for 100 tons cargo
    • External Cargo: Cr31,500 for 70 tons cargo
• Paid Off or Bank Financed Net Revenue
  • Non-charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr80,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr100,000 for 100 tons cargo
    • External Cargo: Cr70,000 for 70 tons cargo
  • Charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr72,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr90,000 for 100 tons cargo
    • External Cargo: Cr63,000 for 70 tons cargo

---

---

---

Jump-2, Maneuver-2, Agility-1 (+100 tons external, 2J2 range)

• Internal High Passengers: 8
• Internal Hangar: 10x 10 tons Collapsible Fuel Tanks = +100 tons fuel capacity
• External Docking: 1x Vilis Armored Pinnace + 7x 10 tons Vilis Major Cargo Boxes = +10 tons fuel capacity + 60 tons cargo capacity

• ---

  Subsidy Financed Net Revenue
  • Non-charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr40,000
    • External Cargo: Cr30,000 for 60 tons cargo
  • Charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr36,000
    • External Cargo: Cr27,000 for 60 tons cargo
• Paid Off or Bank Financed Net Revenue
  • Non-charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr80,000
    • External Cargo: Cr60,000 for 60 tons cargo
  • Charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr72,000
    • External Cargo: Cr54,000 for 60 tons cargo

---

---

---

Jump-1, Maneuver-1, Agility-0 (+101 to +500 tons external, 1J1 range)

• Internal High Passengers: 8
• Internal Hangar: 100 tons cargo capacity
• External Docking (owned): 1x Vilis Armored Pinnace + 7x 10 tons Vilis Major Cargo Boxes = 70 tons cargo capacity
• External Docking (owned or third party): 50x 10 tons Vilis Major Cargo Boxes = 500 tons additional cargo capacity

• ---

  Subsidy Financed Net Revenue
  • Non-charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr40,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr50,000 for 100 tons cargo
    • External Cargo (owned): Cr35,000 for 70 tons cargo
    • External Cargo (owned): Cr250,000 for 500 tons cargo
  • Charter:
    • High Passengers: Cr36,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr45,000 for 100 tons cargo
    • External Cargo (owned): Cr31,500 for 70 tons cargo
    • External Cargo (third party): Cr225,000 for 500 tons cargo
• Paid Off or Bank Financed Net Revenue
  • Non-charter:
    • High Passengersr: Cr80,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr100,000 for 100 tons cargo
    • External Cargo (owned): Cr70,000 for 70 tons cargo
    • External Cargo (owned): Cr500,000 for 500 tons cargo
  • Charter:
    • High Passengersr: Cr72,000
    • Internal Cargo: Cr90,000 for 100 tons cargo
    • External Cargo (owned): Cr63,000 for 70 tons cargo
    • External Cargo (third party): Cr450,000 for 500 tons cargo

---

---

---

Link: LBB2.81 Drive Performance Formula plus External Load Towing Capacity rules for starships
Link: Regenerative Life Support Biome rules for starships

 

[Spinward Flow]

​

Vilis Tramp

During the Third Frontier War (979-986), deep penetration strikes by Zhodani cruiser squadrons into the Spinward Marches harassed and interdicted civilian interstellar shipping, disrupting world economies and trade networks throughout the sector. The Vilis subsector was under threat from the Zhodani fleets to coreward and spinward as well as the Sword Worlds to rimward during these war years. The Zhodani were even able to capture and sustain their fleet logistics through the Spinward Main all the way to bases at Porozlo/Rhylanor from which they mounted the (ultimately unsuccessful) Siege of Rhylanor before being repelled back to their own borders.

After Karin/Five Sisters developed the first Five Sisters Clipper ships, which were later further developed and culminated almost a century later in the Five Sisters Clipper (Iderati evolution), various commercial interests at Vilis/Vilis were interested in the design and utility of the clipper ships, but the later iterations of the Five Sisters Clippers exceeded what could be produced and supported locally within the Vilis subsector. A lower tech, not quite so overly engineered extreme high performance variant was desired, one which could better meet the needs and astrogation challenges of nearby regions of space while having plenty of "reach" throughout the sector. The compromise that the architects at the Vilis Shipyards finally came to was for a more modest J2/2G tramp merchant capable of externally towing 1.5x the ship's own displacement, as opposed to the higher performance J4/4G clipper designs capable of externally towing 3x the ship's own displacement that were needed for the long haul trade routes between the Five Sisters, District 268 and Glisten subsectors.

First constructed in the decade before the Fourth Frontier War (1082-1084), the Vilis Tramp, as the class has become known, has proven to be a remarkably flexible and highly profitable platform for Interface Lines and wealthier Free Traders to acquire and operate. The class remains in volume production at its home shipyard at Vilis/Vilis up through 1105, with multiple newly constructed ships of the class being sold to interested parties every year.

Shipyards at Mire/Darrian (with some Darrian Confederation's technological localization and standards modifications), Jewell/Jewell, Lunion/Lunion and Strouden/Lunion have all been granted permission to produce the Vilis Tramp under license (however, architect fees are required at these shipyards).

Vilis Tramp (Type AP): Constructed using a stylishly sleek streamlined 400 ton aerodynamic hull better optimized for atmospheric maneuvering control authority, the starship class is fitted with TL=10 standard E/E/E drives, producing jump-2 and 2G acceleration with a power plant-2 performance profile in a "clean" configuration unencumbered by external loads. Internal fuel tankage is 110 tons, sufficient for 6 weeks of maneuver endurance and 2 parsecs of jump range before needing to refuel, with fuel scoops integrated into the leading edge wing roots of the airframe hull. An onboard fuel purification plant is used to refine fuel skimmed from gas giants or water oceans and distill "waste elements" for use in the ship's life support.. L-Hyd drop tank couplings are also included as standard for extended double jump (and even triple or more) range when needed (and available).

The ship's bridge features sophisticated holo displays, touchscreen controls and a fly by light system integrated through the adjacent model/3fib computer that incorporates redundant fiber optic backup systems hardened against natural high radiation environments (and unsanctioned radiation weapons). Somewhat atypically for a merchant design, armament is included as standard in the starship's foundational specifications (rather than being an aftermarket option), comprising a pair of mixed sandcaster/missile launcher dual turrets and pair of dual beam laser turrets. Accommodations aboard are 16 single occupancy staterooms and no low berths, augmented by integration with an Environmental Control Type V-c regenerative life support system with a designed capacity for 16 persons.

Internal hangar berths accommodate an armed Armored Pinnace loaded with a Major Cargo Box, plus an additional six Major Cargo Boxes. This organic load capacity can be deployed to facilitate a remarkably wide variety of runabout service deployments within star systems, including operations independent of the starship itself (up to and including multi-day interplanetary voyages, when necessary). The ship's hull and drives have been engineered to facilitate external docking with small craft and/or big craft for towing through both normal space by maneuver drive and/or through jump space by jump drive, although towing external loads necessarily reduces drive output performance until the external load can be undocked, removed or discarded. While any small craft/big craft are docked and being towed, including the Armored Pinnace and Major Cargo Boxes, the starship becomes unstreamlined. Up to 60x 10 ton Major Cargo Boxes or 540 combined tons of big craft (or a mix of the two) can be docked externally to the starship during both interplanetary and interstellar transport operations.

Costs and Revenues: Although relatively expensive to construct (and therefore finance through bank loans), the Vilis Tramp actually has a markedly lower operational overhead cost than is typical of merchant ships in its displacement class, due to the synergies of having a regenerative life support biome and onboard fuel purification plant. However, that hefty investment in construction costs is relatively easy to recoup, especially as a tramp merchant dealing in speculative goods. Being able to flexibly shift between small volume but high arbitrage value speculative cargoes over into high volume but low value per chartered ton external loading transport for third parties opens up a tremendous wealth of options in the generation of profits for the savvy (and/or wily) operator to take advantage of as the supply and demand of world markets ebb and flow over time.

 

[Spinward Flow]

L-Hyd drop tanks: The Vilis Tramp has couplings mounted on the hull plumbed for L-Hyd drop tank usage. For very long range transits without refueling, standard procedure is to use the 10x 10 tons collapsible fuel tanks to fill the internal hangar bay with 100 tons of additional fuel and load the Armored Pinnace with another 10 tons of fuel using its collapsible fuel tank to fill the loaded Major Cargo Box. The combined fuel load is then 110 tons in the internal tanks plus 100+10 tons in collapsible fuel tanks plus another 100 tons in L-Hyd drop tanks for a total of 320 tons of fuel. If the drop tanks are dropped prior to the first jump, a J2+2+2 can be performed where upon breakout from the third jump at the ultimate destination, ~5 tons (~7 days) of power plant fuel reserve should remain in the internal fuel tanks, sufficient to maneuver and refuel under most circumstances.

Weaponry: The Vilis Tramp class is designed to be, and delivered from the shipyard as, an armed merchant ship capable of defending against the threats to commerce along the Imperial fringes. Four optionally manned dual turrets mount a pair of sandcaster/missile launchers backed by a pair of twin beam lasers provide a flexible mix of offense and defense. The Armored Pinnace is a medium fighter small craft armed with a rigidly mounted sandcaster/missile launcher and can be operated independently of the starship as an organic fighter escort capable of intercepting hostile craft at a safe distance from the starship.

Crew Manning: The Vilis Tramp relies on a 'lean crew" manpower model in which 8 personnel fill the 12 crew positions mandated by regulations. This requires crew who have above minimum skill levels in a few departments to allow a single crew member to fill two crew positions, reducing life support demands in exchange for increased salaries and compensation paid to individual crew members due to their increased workloads.

• Bridge Crew (2 persons): A starship pilot (pilot-1) and navigator (navigation-1) are both required by regulations for starships in this displacement class. Either the pilot or the navigator will typically also serve as the ship's captain. The starship bridge has one pilot station and one navigator station. (LBB2.81, p16)
• Small Craft Crew (1 person): A small craft pilot (ship's boat-1) is required to operate the Armored Pinnace independently of the starship. An additional gunner is not required for the small craft because the Armored Pinnace has only a single rigidly mounted offensive weapon system (missiles). (LBB2.81, p16) (LBB5.80, p34)
• Engineering Department (1 person): The two engineering positions are required to maintain the 60 combined tons of drives between starship and small craft. These two positions can be manned and maintained by a single engineer of sufficient skill (engineering-2) who can fill both positions. The starship bridge has one engineering station for the ship's engineer. (LBB2.81, p16)
• Steward Department (1 person): The starship's Environmental Control Type V-c regenerative life support system requires a service crew, which typically is not needed on ships below 1000 tons displacement. Without any ship's troops, three service crew positions per 1000 tons is the standard requirement on larger vessels, so a smaller 400 ton ship requires a single service crew position. A single skilled steward (steward-1) who handles maintenance, food service and other crew support tasking, can also provide passenger support services for up to 8 high passengers. (LBB5.80, p33) (LBB2.81, p16)
• Medical Department (1 person): The starship's Environmental Control Type V-c regenerative life support system requires a skilled medical doctor (medical-3) in order to keep the closed loop cycle life support systems in balance and the crew dependent upon that life support healthy. Consequently, medical support aboard is usually higher than the bare minimum that most spacers are conditioned to expect (where even nurse level skills are considered a luxury), raising crew morale, loyalty and retention rates. (LBB2.81, p16)
• Gunnery Department (2 persons): Each turret requires a gunnery crew position for maintenance and manning purposes, so with four turrets to maintain and operate there are four gunnery crew positions. All four of these crew positions can be filled by two skilled crew members (gunnery-2) who only require specializations in lasers and missiles (sandcasters have no gunnery specialization). The starship bridge has one gunnery station for the chief gunner. (LBB2.81, p16)

Peculiarities: By FAR, the most consistently peculiar thing about the Vilis Tramp is its Environmental Control Type V-c capacity for its 8 person crew and 8 high passengers. However, the improvement this feature makes to the onboard quality of life aboard these ships is such that recruiting seasoned crew is rarely (if ever) an issue. FRESH food meals prepared and served daily by the ship's skilled cook (steward), instead of heavily preserved rations that everyone gets tired of consuming, often makes for quite a difference in crew morale, loyalty and retention over the long term. This self(-ish) sufficiency factor also means that crews are not at the mercy of local market prices (and quality) when visiting worlds where life support consumables are an expensive commodity due to scarcity of resources and/or (in)adequate technology (a potential liability in some remote backwater systems). While closed loop life support recycling efficiency of gases, liquids and solids is quite high, it is not and cannot ever be 100%. The replacement of losses in chemical reserves necessary for sustaining the regenerative biome life support systems are routinely obtained from the waste byproducts of wilderness fuel skimming getting filtered out by the onboard fuel purification plant, which is more integrated into the ship's life support reserve systems than is typical. Additionally, the life support systems of the Armored Pinnace has also been designed to integrate relatively seamlessly with their parent Vilis Tramp for waste purging and consumables reserve replenishment while docked in the internal hangar bay, helping to keep the regenerative biome life cycle better balanced over the long duration between annual overhauls.

Ships constructed at the Vilis Shipyard will almost always model their regenerative life support biome on native species habitat from nearby Saurus, although there are some notable rare exceptions. Other biome options are available (at added expense) upon request. The habitat species of the regenerative life support biome can be changed during annual overhaul maintenance if desired, although this option is rarely exercised unless crews have allergic reactions to specific biomes beyond the skills of the medical doctor aboard to resolve adequately. Changing the regenerative life support biome to model a species habitat of a world other than that of where the construction and/or maintenance work is being done may incur additional time and cost surcharges, so owners will want to plan for and budget their operations accordingly if exercising this option.

Another peculiar design factor is that the Armored Pinnace has a collapsible fuel tank installed which can be filled with fuel, with or without a Major Cargo Box loaded into the small craft's internal hangar. This gives the Armored Pinnace a power plant restart capacity in the event of a breach of the internal fuel tanks during combat or due to other mishap circumstances, while also allowing the Armored Pinnace to be operated as a fuel shuttle when necessary. This reserve fuel capacity is also very useful to have when the Armored Pinnace plus six Major Cargo Boxes are docked externally to the Vilis Tramp, freeing up the starship's internal hangar bays to be filled with collapsible fuel tanks also, enabling an unrefueled J2+2 range with 10 tons of fuel reserves remaining, sufficient for ~14 days of maneuvering at the final destination after breakout from the second jump.

 

[Spinward Flow]

Naming: While there are no officially recognized naming conventions for Vilis Tramps and their Armored Pinnaces, there is a bit of a tradition among crews to name their craft after iconic "tough girls" (tramps) who have a reputation as someone not to be trifled with. Consequently, it is extremely common for crews to refer to ships of this class as being distinctly gendered female, with some ships having developed particular "characteristic quirks" in their handling and operations which crews almost invariably describe in distinctly feminine terms (both endearing and vulgar). Popular spacer lore thus holds that Vilis Tramps tend to be "temperamental when roused" which some crews will say with pride around others but unflatteringly among themselves.

Variants: Owing to the sheer number of possible load outs with customized Major Cargo Boxes available, it is impossible to make an exhaustive list of all variants in service. The following is but a small sampling of the myriad options.

Safari Ship (Type KP): A few Vilis Tramps in private ownership have been converted into safari tour ships (both commercial and non-commercial). The most common means to achieve this conversion is to outfit the Major Cargo Boxes with a mix of capture tanks for animals, laboratory space to preserve vegetation for retrieval, vehicle berths, mobile base camp accommodations that can be deployed to terrestrial environments, along with a wide variety of other expeditionary services that can be delivered to remote and austere locations for later retrieval by the Armored Pinnace. Some safari conversions in private hands even include allocating one of the Major Cargo Boxes as a trophy room to be filled with an owner's most impressive prizes taken during their adventures and travels, where they can be put on display as a statement to be heeded by friends, rivals and enemies alike for the sake a pride and envy. Some Vilis Tramps have also been donated or otherwise made available to various world universities and converted to Safari Ships for use in academic research sample return expeditions and long(er) term surveys.

Search & Rescue (Type JT): All of the factors which make the Vilis Tramp an excellent jump and maneuver tug capable of towing up to 1.5x their own hull displacement externally also makes the class an almost ideal long endurance search & rescue platform, which can also bring in dead hulks for salvage if there are no survivors. All that is truly needed for such conversions is some customization of the Major Cargo Boxes aboard for deployment with the Armored Pinnace to better support the mission with additional rescue crew and utility services, making these variants relatively economical in terms of refurbishment. Coordinating maneuvers with the Armored Pinnace enables searches of large volumes of space to be conducted in relative safety, while also offering rapid acceleration responses to distress calls.

Commerce Raider (Type AR): While by no means an official variant, it is regrettably true that some ships fall into the hands of pirates. The most common ways for this to happen are through temptation and/or mutiny, but even financial fraud and other types of betrayal of trust can see ships wind up on the wrong side of the law (sometimes permanently). Unfortunately, all of the capabilities that make the Vilis Tramp a relatively hard target for pirates to threaten in direct ship to ship combat perversely make these them a highly desirable corsair that is capable of transporting captured prize ships between star systems due to the large external load capacity. The inclusion of an Armored Pinnace (a real prize for pirates!) and Major Cargo Boxes (which can be outfitted for all kinds of roles) gives the sly pirate operator a plethora of ways and means to employ guile and subterfuge to their own advantage against their chosen prey. Pirates who have connections and who can pay off all the right people are able to take boarded prizes to unscrupulous shipyards where those prizes can be gutted for salvage and scrap, effectively liquidating the small craft and starships they've captured into funding for their operations, which can be exceptionally difficult for authorities to trace.