A question:
In classic traveller, the minimum size of a ship was 100 displacement tons.
In High guard the minimum size of a jump capable ship was 100 tons.
Why?
Well, In Book 2 (the original starship design book) the minimum size drives
would have trouble fitting into a smaller hull. High Guard modified this
making it possible for smaller ships with smaller drives, but they kept the
100 ton rule.
Now in MegaT, we have a system capable of designing things down to the size
of .0005 tons (smaller if you use Book 8 robots)
Anyway, why do we still have the 100 ton rule? I can see that there is
going to be a minimum size to a jump drive, but why 100 tons?
Now in adventure 4, they mention jump torpedoes. (no rules on how much they
cost or how far they can jump, but they are there.) So Jump drives can be
made smaller.
Ah! I hear you say, there's no one aboard a jump torpedo! Life can't be sustained in something smaller than 100 tons. Well, what if you put the same
drive from a 100 ton ship in a smaller ship? The jump field it projects
should be of the same size, allowing for a bubble in which the occupants
can live while travelling in jump space. Why 100 tons?
Ok, the reason I am asking is the Cessna Jump trainer design I put out
for your amusement. More than 60% is cargo space. (frankly I didn't
want cargo space, but the rules made it so.) That 60% is essentually
wasted volume. The whole ship would fit into a 40 ton package. So,
why do I have to use the 100 ton min?
I realize that small jump capable ships have limited utility, but I wanted
the Cessna to be CHEAP! If I didn't have to get a maneuver drive for a
100 ton ship, and the associated power plant it would be much cheaper.
How many people would scream if the rule was ammended to be such
that the minimum size jump drive is that given in the book for the 100
ton ship, but the actual ship may be smaller? To keep such things in
balance we could say that the min size drive remains the same per jump
number. thus
Jump # Min Size
1 27Kl
2 40.5Kl
3 54Kl
4 67.5Kl
5 81Kl
6 94.5Kl
What do you say folks?
Mr. Scott
Master of Horde and Sorcery