Eric wrote: > How about an around 100-ton USL (or Dispersed*) frontier survey ship > with 2 to 4 streamlined dropships? (externally mounted, perhaps radially?)
3E Vehicles allows you to build dispersed ships subassembly by subassembly. So we're talking about a tug -- how does that differ from the freighters with containers? > The dropships might be specialized or configurable. Roles: Fuel, cargo, > passenger, sensor? > > Perhaps a torpedo launcher for sensor drones (possibly stockpiles of > real missles too). >From TL11 upwards, there is little reason for separate dropships. The mothership is easily capable of reentry. > oh, and re: the 933 fast courier mk3, Starships p. 57 notes that having > less than 2dT/person is "cramped" and all shipboard operations are at -1 > to skill (the penalty to skill is a difficult metric to weigh against > the books). That's a Traveller rule, they had to justify those large ships. The concept I take from your comments is a space-only craft with low accel and a gridwork to mount some components and cargo. From TL12+ I have to find an excuse why it can't do 1+ G and why it lacks a force screen for reentry -- unless it can. * A satellite tender and repair shop. * A little ship with a single big sensor. Spy? Science? * An open frame with a force screen instead of a hull. It would need a high TL to make that safe. What else? Johannes wrote: > > If you can jump in precisely enough to meet a waiting shuttle, > > why not build a station out there? Always assuming that there > > is some kind of 'hyper limit' to prevent FTL close to the > > planet -- which makes sense for some kind of stories. > > > > The jumps might not be precise, but predictable. Either once you jump the > target system can scan exactly where you are going to land. Or where you > enter normal space again depends on hyperspace weather. Jump point stations at each point, then. > There might also be legal reasons, such as a ship that docks needs to go > through customs procedures or medical checks, before you can start > loading. With a shuttle setup only the shuttles will be subjected to that. > > It might also be, that some countries forbid to transport certain items > into their jurisdiction, even if it's just for transit. Docking might > count as entering the jurisdiction, while jumping through not. > > In thoose cases the shuttles might come from and go to space stations. I'd rather avoid legal justifications, they're so setting- specific. Regards, Onno _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
