I'd argue for the higher tech stuff to be the brains of the ship and its systems, but lower tech stuff beyond that.
So the central computer (or primary computer nodes, if a distributed system) would be TL 15. The data buses that transfer data from the computer to the equipment might be TL 14 (and induce a TL 14 limit on data transfer rates). The Jump drive might be TL 13, the fuel tankage might be TL 12, while the basic hull itself might be TL 11. A pure TL 15 ship would have much better performance, but requires a pure TL 15 construction base, and means you won't have as many ships. By having lower-tech planets build the hulls, you get some of the load transferred to their industry, and can build more TL 15 computers.
For weapons, the fire control would be TL 15, the sensors might be TL 14, the laser itself might be TL 13, the cooling system and power feeds TL 12 (and needing a lot of it), the turret mount TL 11, and the armor TL 10. The laser will have a lower firing rate, lower power efficiency, and higher mass compared to a pure TL 15 setup, but you can build more of them.
You could even argue for a case where the missile guidance system is better than the ship, but without the ship's support doesn't get its full benefit. So if a ship has TL 14 smart missiles, but the ship only has a TL 10 fire control system (due to battle damage, poor repairs, or salvage), the missiles operate as if TL 12 smart missiles (since they have to do more of the work themselves instead of receiving it from the ship's computers).
But this would require setting up a chain of components, to identify which items need to be higher TL, and which ones don't. Items at the start of the list need to be the highest TL, and impose a limit on the lower tech stuff capabilities.
Todd Kes
From: " [Traveller_TNE]" <>
Derek,
One issue with plug and play across different TL is that the data protocols and such just might not mesh well even if designed to work together. Think about the obsolescence problems we have with hardware and software across just one TL (7 to 8 or even within 8).
I would think that clever design of components built to be compatible could accommodate different TL for sure.
Still, build the hulls at the B star port and add the J drives at the A star port as the RC was starting to do makes good sense in a limited tech base.
Matt
---In , <nightrim@...> wrote :
I always felt certain components of higher tech could be dropped into a lower tech ship, specifically weapons. They're basically a prefab pod you drop in and take out. Now a TL15 laser would still hit like a TL15 laser but it would suffer from Ship TL hit modifiers.
A TL15 J-Drive would require TL15 computers to pull a J6. It might only have a TL12 FPP or a TL12 Heplar. If it's only got a TL12 Computer it can only pull J3...
This is kind of the tuner theory of starships, an old beater on the outside but completely loaded on the inside. I've never had issues with mixing and matching tech provide you keep in mind that the tech also acts as a limiting device.
Derek StanleySent from my iPad
So the central computer (or primary computer nodes, if a distributed system) would be TL 15. The data buses that transfer data from the computer to the equipment might be TL 14 (and induce a TL 14 limit on data transfer rates). The Jump drive might be TL 13, the fuel tankage might be TL 12, while the basic hull itself might be TL 11. A pure TL 15 ship would have much better performance, but requires a pure TL 15 construction base, and means you won't have as many ships. By having lower-tech planets build the hulls, you get some of the load transferred to their industry, and can build more TL 15 computers.
For weapons, the fire control would be TL 15, the sensors might be TL 14, the laser itself might be TL 13, the cooling system and power feeds TL 12 (and needing a lot of it), the turret mount TL 11, and the armor TL 10. The laser will have a lower firing rate, lower power efficiency, and higher mass compared to a pure TL 15 setup, but you can build more of them.
You could even argue for a case where the missile guidance system is better than the ship, but without the ship's support doesn't get its full benefit. So if a ship has TL 14 smart missiles, but the ship only has a TL 10 fire control system (due to battle damage, poor repairs, or salvage), the missiles operate as if TL 12 smart missiles (since they have to do more of the work themselves instead of receiving it from the ship's computers).
But this would require setting up a chain of components, to identify which items need to be higher TL, and which ones don't. Items at the start of the list need to be the highest TL, and impose a limit on the lower tech stuff capabilities.
Todd Kes
From: " [Traveller_TNE]" <>
Derek,
One issue with plug and play across different TL is that the data protocols and such just might not mesh well even if designed to work together. Think about the obsolescence problems we have with hardware and software across just one TL (7 to 8 or even within 8).
I would think that clever design of components built to be compatible could accommodate different TL for sure.
Still, build the hulls at the B star port and add the J drives at the A star port as the RC was starting to do makes good sense in a limited tech base.
Matt
---In , <nightrim@...> wrote :
I always felt certain components of higher tech could be dropped into a lower tech ship, specifically weapons. They're basically a prefab pod you drop in and take out. Now a TL15 laser would still hit like a TL15 laser but it would suffer from Ship TL hit modifiers.
A TL15 J-Drive would require TL15 computers to pull a J6. It might only have a TL12 FPP or a TL12 Heplar. If it's only got a TL12 Computer it can only pull J3...
This is kind of the tuner theory of starships, an old beater on the outside but completely loaded on the inside. I've never had issues with mixing and matching tech provide you keep in mind that the tech also acts as a limiting device.
Derek StanleySent from my iPad