Agree, or to say it another way, put the TLs wherever the best/most
important DMs apply. Plus efficient power generation, always a priority.
Your third para touches on some things I was working on, what if you build
a system not quite as big as it's supposed to be? (harder tasks, harder
maintenance) What if you use a system that has received battle-damage
repairs but not a full-up shipyard renewal? How hard is it to switch power
between systems if your PP isn't big enough to run them all at the same
time? In the later designs you'll see where I was handling that a little
at a time, FPs that take extra long to refine the full load, systems that
can't be powered simultaneously but logically never would be, so you
didn't have to worry about what tasks to switch power between phasers and
screens and transporters and life support. Basically if I could explain it
in simple terms I did it in the ship notes, if it would have required
expanded rules discussion I didn't design the ship that way.
> 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.Â
> 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. Â They're basically a prefab pod
> you drop in and take out. Â 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. Â It might only
> have a TL12 FPP or a TL12 Heplar. Â 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. Â 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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
important DMs apply. Plus efficient power generation, always a priority.
Your third para touches on some things I was working on, what if you build
a system not quite as big as it's supposed to be? (harder tasks, harder
maintenance) What if you use a system that has received battle-damage
repairs but not a full-up shipyard renewal? How hard is it to switch power
between systems if your PP isn't big enough to run them all at the same
time? In the later designs you'll see where I was handling that a little
at a time, FPs that take extra long to refine the full load, systems that
can't be powered simultaneously but logically never would be, so you
didn't have to worry about what tasks to switch power between phasers and
screens and transporters and life support. Basically if I could explain it
in simple terms I did it in the ship notes, if it would have required
expanded rules discussion I didn't design the ship that way.
> 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.Â
> 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. Â They're basically a prefab pod
> you drop in and take out. Â 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. Â It might only
> have a TL12 FPP or a TL12 Heplar. Â 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. Â 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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>