Cosmos 13
The third posting for a very variant system of space object and star
ship construction.
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Starship and starobject construction.
Objects governed by starship parameters would not only include starships but
in system (non FTL) defense ships, planetary craft, spacestations, stationary
defensive modules (building complexes with screens). For the non-starship
objects, they are incomplete. For example a moonbase may only have Eunits,
offensive and defensive combat values. Message torps may have Eunits and only
capabilities for ship movement.
Also there is the vague concept of ship density that must be considered.
Roughly this is the proportion of mass devoted to energy production. Rough
estimates:
merchants: 40% to 60% density to Eunits and equipment
luxury liners: 20% to 50% density to Eunits and equipment
naval vessel: 50% to 75% density to Eunits and equipment
compact scout: 75% to 90% density to Eunits and equipment
fighter: 90% to 95% density to Eunits and equipment
missile: 95% to 99% density to Eunits and equipment
Designing a starship.
The ability to construct a starship is dependent on a number of variables.
First the tech level of the construction site limits the tech level of the
ship. Second is time of construction. More ships can be constructed in
more time. Third is the availability of Technological Economic Units
(see history of the first human federation for a brief discussion of TEUs,
League Cosmos economics and culture for a more in depth discussion of TEUs).
for construction. Through social and cultural mechanisms TEUs often translate
into currency or Credits of some kind. This is all associated to starship
political economy. But ultimately these three variables determine the
upper limit to the starships characteristics.
Also these rules ar designed to allow smart ([non]player character
machine) lifeforms for those very bizzare scenarios.
- * * * -
1. Determine Emass. This is the heart of the ships power source.
It may make sense because of ship topology and modularity to have
more than one Emass that can become a Emass-net. It still counts
as a single Emass unit. High emass units don't exists below tech
level 9. Starships at TL8 are very very slow (like Voyager).
Emass will greatly determine the offensive and defensive capability
of the ship.
2. Determine INTcomp. This is the intelligence of the ships computer(s).
It is very common to have a number of computer systems in a INTcomp-net.
This is because INTcomp must be divided among a number of the starship
subfunctions. Typically a starship will have a subnet of five INTcomps:
a. hyperspace jump control
b. library and active data
c. combat and defense
d. skill simulation
e. observation, scanning and communications
Computer systems can be dedicated to any number of tasks. The number
of computer systems is limited by the economics the star ship was
constructed and the architecture of the design.
Combining INTcomps into a INTcomp-net does NOT automatically increase the
INT of the computing system. This is tied directly to the tech level
of machine intelligence.
The INT of the computer systems will directly influence the psionic
and skill level of the computer.
INTcomp is determined for each computer system on the starship.
Computers with INT greater than three are considered lifeforms and act
as player or non-player characters.
3. Determine OCVbase.
4. Determine NOW (Number of energy weapon systems the ships has).
5. Determine DCVbase.
6. Determine DSCbase.
7. Determine SCsum that the ship will optimally support.
8. Determine the SCsum that you want the cryogenics system to support.
9. Determine SCsbase.
10. Determine the FLmass (Floor mass of the ship)
When considering the floor mass of the ship a number of
attributes are determined. A cargo ship must have
ample floor mass as must a luxury liner. Unless missiles
are extremely mounted they are considered cargo.
11. Determine the HUmass, HUdv, HUpips (Hull mass, Hull defensive value
and Hull primary damage hit points; see combat).
12. Determine type of ships maneuver drive (optional depending on tech level):
MADGcurr and/or CGunits.
13. Determine DENS (ship density).
14. Next determine BSM (minus JUmass) of the ship. This is an accrual of
a. FLmass
b. ISYSmass
c. DSCmass
d. OCVmass
e. Emass
f. HUmass
g. DCVmass
h. ODVENmass
i. CRYmass
j. MADmass
h. CGmass
15. Determine type of ship jump (depending on tech level)
16. Determine JUbase from first accrual of BSM.
17. Determine basic TSM.
18. Determine the EXPL capability of the ship (for self destruct sequence
or if your are designing a missile)
19. Determine maneuver drive base.
20. Determine free Eunits.
21. Determine psionic capabilities of the computer systems (if it
exists).
22. Determine ODVen at scalars 0%, 5% 10%, 12%, 15%, 20%, 23%, 25%, 30%,
35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 90% of free Eunits.
23. Determine OCV at scalars 0%, 5% 10%, 12%, 15%, 20%, 23%, 25%, 30%,
35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 90% of free Eunits.
24. Determine short, middle and long range scans at scalars 0%, 5% 10%, 12%,
15%, 20%, 23%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 90% of free Eunits.
25. Determine DCV at scalars 0%, 5% 10%, 12%, 15%, 20%, 23%, 25%, 30%,
35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 90% of free Eunits.
26. Determine DSC at scalars 0%, 5% 10%, 12%, 15%, 20%, 23%, 25%, 30%,
35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 90% of free Eunits.
27. Determine CG at scalars 0%, 5% 10%, 12%, 15%, 20%, 23%, 25%, 30%,
35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 90% of free Eunits.
28. Determine CGrange at scalars 0%, 5% 10%, 12%, 15%, 20%, 23%, 25%, 30%,
35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 90% of free Eunits.
29. Determine JU at scalars 0%, 5% 10%, 12%, 15%, 20%, 23%, 25%, 30%,
35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 90% of free Eunits.
30. Determine MADG at scalars 0%, 5% 10%, 12%, 15%, 20%, 23%, 25%, 30%,
35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 90% of free Eunits.
31. Determine ship configurations (see starship operation) for green,
yellow, red, black, white, gray and blue modes. Round (up) results
to interger 10 values, for these are the scalars that will actually
be used in the game run.
32. If ship will be carrying massive amounts of cargo, determine amounts
in metric tonnage and their effect on movement. (Example 1 ton,
10 tons, 50 tons, 100 tons, 500 tons, 1000 tons effect on JU
and MADG). The amount of cargo possible is varies on the density
of the cargo and the ship.
33. Determine the number of enuits equivalent to 1% of ships power (for
rapid calculation of combat).
All opinions and material above is the responsibility of the originator.
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