Topic: Moth class away boat

[Skaran]

This is my first go at a SM:P design. Just a shuttle based on the Traveller FF&S design I did many years ago. How accurate my maths was in anyone's guess. I have a simple spreadsheet with my calculations on it if anyone is interested. Anyway here it is.

Moth class away boat
Base Tech Level            20
Crew               2
   18 Passengers (Seats)
Cargo               38.96 Kiloliters (7.29 Metric Tons)
Mass               175 Metric Tons
Volume                350 Kiloliters
Hits               183
CAT               XIII
Fusion Power Rating         5 (2)
   26 week endurance
DB               +15
   Armour Belt      +5
   Evade Program      +10
EW               Not standard
Cost               c636,819*
Top Speed            2 G’s, 3,000 kph airspeed
   Î”V         21,600
Translight Capability         None
Atmospheric Capability         Full
Armament            Not standard
   Provision for 2 Mk21 Torpedoes or equivalent  in 2 medium payload pallets
Features
   Microfrequency Comm Rig   Tight Beam Comm Rig
   Basic Sensor Suite      Cramped
   Solar Panels         Air Lock
   Artificial Gravity         GPS and Mapping System
   Infrared HUD         Lo-Light HUD
   TeleScopic HUD
Auxiliary Systems
   Microfrequency Comm Rig
Commentary The Moth class away boat is a standard general purpose small craft used at starports as shuttles and as a carried craft on larger vessels.
Base tech level is 20 with the following adjustments. Thrust is produced by a TL25 (available 5 levels earlier) 2nd Generation Thruster unit producing 350 tons of thrust for 3 hours. Artificial Gravity is also available 2 levels early.
This is the civilian version of the Moth, the military version is similar but has better sensors and ECM systems fitted. Sometimes the military version carries the two Mk21 Torpedoes.

* Price does not include the price of consumable such as fuel or torpedoes.

[markc]

 I like it. I have (mostly in my head) a list of what equipment that should be carried by civilian and military craft. I think the same was provided in a Traveler product but do not remember in which one. Such as all space craft should be Aux: life support, comm rig, etc.
 One thing I like from reading the T5 High Guard rules is that Emergency Back up Power Systems that weigh only 20% of the main power plant but only provide basic power for 30 min or so.
 I think I may include it and other options from the various T(X) rulebooks I have in my SM:P VM creation rules.


P.S. I am also today looking at the MK# to energy idea more closely to see if I can come up with a solution to your question that is a little better.
MDC

[Skaran]

Interestingly FF&S designed craft tend to be heavy, for example the original version of the Moth has a loaded mass of 366 tons which is used to calculate hit points would be in this case exactly double the SM versions which with a 5% armour belt had 183 hits.

[Skaran]

I am a little confused over weapon frame sizes, if you can physically put a large weapon on a small ship can you do this or do the weapon frame sizes also relate to the size of the vessel ie a large frame weapon can only go on a large or larger sized ship?

[markc]

I am a little confused over weapon frame sizes, if you can physically put a large weapon on a small ship can you do this or do the weapon frame sizes also relate to the size of the vessel ie a large frame weapon can only go on a large or larger sized ship?

No you can put any weapon size frame on any size ship.


 I at one time was thinking about a size limit for weapons like you were above. I said you could have a 1 size limit weapon above your ships "size" class and then other weapons to go with it. Sort of like the spinal mount idea or the ship designed around a gun idea. But something came up and it never got tested or really written down. I think the players wanted to go fantasy as some had trouble with future tech.
 But I do think the idea is a good one for SM:P in that frame sizes are limited in some way by ships volume and/or mass. And I also think the ships of SM:P should use the hull shapes and volumes from FF&S and the ships shape might in someway limit weapon frame sizes.
 Any ideas on the above?


MDC

[Skaran]

If there was something like hull configuration in SM then you have surface areas. Then of course everything on a hull surface needs an area this becomes its own limit. TNE did this by dividing the hull into 20 sectors. I like using surface areas it makes the designs more real to me. I also prefer added armour having volume as well as extra mass.

[Skaran]

Found an error in the Moth's cost it should be 653,794 - I used an incorrect Cost Multiplier for the armour belt.

[markc]

 After the armor belt method I always readjust my mass up by the amount of the armor.
 Well there is an option toward the back where you can design the ship with less volume and that gives you a crit reduction. I can see that as armor but it is strictly volume in nature.


 Yes I would like to come up with some rules for extra armor for ships sections, maybe something like crit absorption, extra hits or something. 



 Yes surface area would help a lot and does in FF&S fix many problems.


MDC

[Skaran]

Here is a military version of the Moth class away boat.
Moth class away boat (military version)
Base Tech Level            20
Crew               3
   15 Passengers (Seats)
Cargo               54.26 Kiloliters (10.59 Metric Tons)
Mass               175 Metric Tons
Hits               183
CAT               XIV
Fusion Power Rating         5 (0)
   26 week endurance
DB               +15
   Armour Belt      +5
   Evade Program      +10
   12 Decoys
EW               0/5
Cost               c912,321*
Top Speed            2 G’s, 3,000 kph airspeed
   Î”V         21,600
Translight Capability         None
Atmospheric Capability         Full
Armament            Not standard
   Provision for 2 Mk21 Torpedoes in 2 medium payload pallets
Features
   Microfrequency Comm Rig   Tight Beam Comm Rig
   Advanced Sensor Suite      Cramped
   Solar Panels         Air Lock
   Artificial Gravity         GPS and Mapping System
   Infrared HUD         Lo-Light HUD
   TeleScopic HUD
Auxiliary Systems
   Microfrequency Comm Rig   Tight Beam Comm Rig
Commentary The military version of the Moth class away boat is a standard general purpose small craft carried on larger vessels.
Base tech level is 20 with the following adjustments. Thrust is produced by a TL25 (available 5 levels earlier) 2nd Generation Thruster unit producing 350 tons of thrust for 3 hours. Artificial Gravity is also available 2 levels early.
The Mk21 Torpedoes are more like to be carried by this version of the Moth and have been known to be fitted with nuclear anti-ship warheads (Apocalyptic). The craft is not a warship however and if used as such can expect a rapid demise.

[Skaran]

Next I'll have to have a try at one of the warships that carry the Moth.