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Aigol 09-16-2012 01:02 PM
Spaceships sensors
 
Is it possible to put multiple sensors/comms on a spaceship to increase range? If so would you be able to stack their levels or would it be a flat +1 level r something like that?

Dinadon 09-16-2012 01:11 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aigol (Post 1443960)
Is it possible to put multiple sensors/comms on a spaceship to increase range? If so would you be able to stack their levels or would it be a flat +1 level r something like that?
Multiple sensors of the same size would simply allow for more simultaneous sensor task. If you want more range on the same size ship you would need to use a sensor array from the next size up, which would take up three slots.

Anthony 09-16-2012 01:35 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
You can install a SM+1 sensor with 3 spaces and a SM+2 sensor with 10.

Dinadon 09-16-2012 03:19 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony (Post 1443973)
You can install a SM+1 sensor with 3 spaces and a SM+2 sensor with 10.
You can't put SM+2 components on a spaceship.

jacobmuller 09-16-2012 05:04 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Why not? You can have 10 cargo or 10 fuel so why not 10 something else.
The example below will be a total mess and warped by Houserules but you'll get the idea. 10 advanced sensor systems = an SM+7 ship with SM+9 advanced sensors which are about the same as SM+11 basic sensors.
Code:
300 ton Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol Ship
Craft        dST/dHP        Hnd/SR        HT        Move        Lwt        Load        SM        Occ        dDR        Cost
Lurker        35/140        -1/5                        300        15.4        +7        4ASV        0        $100m
LRRPs halo into the outer limits of target stars and slowly scrutinise the system
 for current data, eg Gate codes – you may be able to detect planets a thousand
 light years distant but your data is 1,000 years old. LRRPs find out what’s happening
 now - half the ship is an enhanced sensor suite. Equipped for extreme long missions,
 with minifacturing, medical and recreational facilities aboard, LRRP tours run three
 month rotations as standard. A gate beacon can be minifactured in 40 days but LRRPs
 always carry one. The stardrive and its capacitor can be recharged in just 2 hours,
allowing early powerplant shutdown to facilitate silent running.
FORE        Power        System Details        Cost
1-6                Multipurpose Array       
MAIN                C10 Level 10: Comm 30 AU, Sensors 3 LS        60m
0-3                Multipurpose Array        0m
4                Crew 3 C8 Level 6: Comm 7 AU, Sensors 0.7 LS        0m
5-6                Habitat (½ coffin bed unit, ½ FLS unit, 1 Automed, 1 Gym/ Rec Room)        0m
AFT                        0m
0                Factory        15m
1                Engine Room        0m
2        1        Star Drive        3m
3        ±6hrs        Star Drive Capacitor        0m
4        [5]        Fusion        1m
5                Fuel        0m
6                FVT, 1.5g/0.015g        20m
                Total cost        99m

Anthony 09-16-2012 05:06 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dinadon (Post 1444014)
You can't put SM+2 components on a spaceship.
There aren't any rules for it, and it requires figuring out a way to split a component across multiple parts of a ship, but there's no reason it should be impossible.

Peter Knutsen 09-17-2012 02:42 AM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dinadon (Post 1444014)
You can't put SM+2 components on a spaceship.
That's an absurd thing to ban.

jeff_wilson 09-17-2012 03:22 AM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen (Post 1444182)
That's an absurd thing to ban.
Yep; SPACESHIPS is definitely more guideline than rule.

Fred Brackin 09-17-2012 09:14 AM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeff_wilson (Post 1444187)
Yep; SPACESHIPS is definitely more guideline than rule.
No Spaceships is a great simplification designesd to produce basic stats for a battle game. It's not a general reality simulation.

Techncially you can't put SM+2 components on a Spaceship because the rules do not go down below SM+4 with the possibility of subdividing a SM+4 slot into 3 SM+3 components.

However, the performance of SM+2 ship systems can be extrapolated from published material and used if you want. Of course, an SM+2 "ship" only masses 1 ton and a single component for one is 5% of that or 100 lbs.

It's no wonder a simple system like Spaceships doesn't track every 100lbs of mass on a SM+15 Star Destroyer that goes 3 million tons or 30x as large as Nimitz-class aircraft carrier..

Langy 09-17-2012 12:41 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Brackin (Post 1444268)
No Spaceships is a great simplification designesd to produce basic stats for a battle game. It's not a general reality simulation.

Techncially you can't put SM+2 components on a Spaceship because the rules do not go down below SM+4 with the possibility of subdividing a SM+4 slot into 3 SM+3 components.

However, the performance of SM+2 ship systems can be extrapolated from published material and used if you want. Of course, an SM+2 "ship" only masses 1 ton and a single component for one is 5% of that or 100 lbs.

It's no wonder a simple system like Spaceships doesn't track every 100lbs of mass on a SM+15 Star Destroyer that goes 3 million tons or 30x as large as Nimitz-class aircraft carrier..
You misunderstood. He was referring to SM+(x+2) systems. As in, systems that are normally reserved for ships 2 SMs larger. For example, an SM+4 ship with an SM+6 sensor array. That SM+6 sensor array would mass 1/2 of the entire SM+4 ship, meaning it'd take up 10 slots.

Tzeentch 09-17-2012 12:44 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
A SM+2 system should probably count as a High Energy System even if it isn't already. Beyond that it seems simple enough to allow the system to spread between two hull sections. I allowed something similar to make Core/Shell mecha possible in the Pyramid article.

Ulzgoroth 09-17-2012 12:54 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tzeentch (Post 1444371)
A SM+2 system should probably count as a High Energy System even if it isn't already. Beyond that it seems simple enough to allow the system to spread between two hull sections. I allowed something similar to make Core/Shell mecha possible in the Pyramid article.
There should be just as much 'free energy' to be had for the SM+2 sensors as for a regular size. Why should it require more mass to power when it's mounted on a smaller hull?

vierasmarius 09-17-2012 03:21 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tzeentch (Post 1444371)
A SM+2 system should probably count as a High Energy System even if it isn't already. Beyond that it seems simple enough to allow the system to spread between two hull sections. I allowed something similar to make Core/Shell mecha possible in the Pyramid article.
I've done the same for designing unmanned weapons satellites, with half the slots in a single beam weapon and the rest devoted to power, sensors and controls.

Fred Brackin 09-17-2012 03:41 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Langy (Post 1444368)
You misunderstood. He was referring to SM+(x+2) systems. As in, systems that are normally reserved for ships 2 SMs larger. For example, an SM+4 ship with an SM+6 sensor array. That SM+6 sensor array would mass 1/2 of the entire SM+4 ship, meaning it'd take up 10 slots.
In detailed systems like Ve2 and the old Gurps Traveller it's already assumed that your sensors have elements dispersed all over the ship and bigger hard science systems require masts to extend the effective SM of your ship and provide greater resolution.

You might be able to have a "ship" under those rules systems that's all lens/ mirror or dish but that would only affect signal gathering power. There were physical limits about sensor resolution based on SM haerdwired into the game system in Gurps Traveller.

You shouldn't be too literal about system placement in Spaceships. The locaton on the damage chart is an abstraction for the purposes of simplified combat and might (at most) represent where the master control for that system is.

Langy 09-17-2012 04:45 PM
Re: Spaceships sensors
 
I have no idea why you are bringing that up, and Fred.


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