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Originally Posted by vicky_molokh
(Post 1084982)
Maybe, but we must also account for clothes, toothpaste, and all the other needful things. 8 tons per person might be too much (that is, if we approximate population to 6k per habitat, which it of course isn't), but it might include something we didn't think of.
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You don't need huge stockpiles of those things. You're running a ship with full manufacturing capabilities. You make your own clothes and toothpaste. And current personal stocks are going to be stored in the cabins.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vicky_molokh
(Post 1084982)
Well, depends. In a cinematic universe full of pirates and hyperspace monsters, you're probably wrong. In anything more peaceful, you are right.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vicky_molokh
(Post 1084982)
Really depends on the exact mechanics of FTL. For a BSG style flagship, where jump preparation relies on computers only, and the jump itself takes seconds, it is probably affordable to never use more than two of (FTL, STL, weapon).
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The ship you've designed has no business existing in a cinematically dangerous space. The only way it's going to survive that sort of thing without extreme scriptwriter favoritism is if it's much bigger or more advanced than everyone else...and it's supposed to be TL 9 and belong to nomads, so neither of those holds up.
Putting guns on it lets it stand off pirates of the real-world 'bunch of thugs in a motorboat' model, maybe even the historical 'bunch of thugs in a light warship' model. But anything more serious is going to be able to nuke it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vicky_molokh
(Post 1084982)
Pretty many, actually. Towing damaged craft, for one thing (important if all fleet craft only have on STL and one FTL drive!). Using instead of a hangar for larger craft. Keeping a craft under construction attached externally too.
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Why would you tow anything anywhere? If a ship breaks down, you can repair it in place. Circumstances where doing so is a problem are ridiculously unlikely.
Hooking large parasites to the outside of the ship reduces acceleration, makes any sort of transfer difficult, and may make FTL impossible.
Craft under construction are not going to be much tolerant of the shipyard maneuvering or accelerating, whether or not they're clamped on. Building while drifting is much more practical.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vicky_molokh
(Post 1084982)
Not so sure about it. Probably combining mining shuttle mining and flagship mining would work too. After all, relying on shuttle mining too much tends to clutter the hangars.
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I just wouldn't want to repeatedly bring my main population centers into hull contact with assorted rocky bodies. It doesn't seem terribly safe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vicky_molokh
(Post 1084982)
Downsizing the refinery to either 1/3 (if solo-mining) or 2/3 (if using combined mining) is definitely a good choice. I'm not sure downsizing Hnd (and computer, and sensors!) is a good idea, especially if it's meant to be self-sufficient in terms of scouting too.
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If you're doing serious sensor work, you probably want a scientific array (possibly reduced-size). If you want a big computer...how much does a C9 computer weight at TL9?
Quote:
Originally Posted by vicky_molokh
(Post 1084982)
Homeworld taught me how painful it is to have a slow-moving refinery - doesn't matter if the refining ship itself is the miner, or if it just tries to get closer to the mining craft swarm. Either way, time wasted moving is time of reduced ore production.
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That depends mostly on how travel times compare to work times. Aurora taught me how it's not worth putting lots of engines on asteroid miners, because they're going to be idling in one place for half a decade at a time anyway.
For this ship, it's a major issue, because even with the economic unbreaking switch from SS7, you're able to fill your holds with ore in under a month. I think that probably means your mining system is
much bigger than you need it to be, unless by 'nomads' you mean 'all-devouring star swarm'. Which is an entirely valid approach.