Thread: Re: Alcatraz Class Prison Transport

Very nice. My only beef would be the lack of docking facilities. With a primitive fusion rocket and no CG you're going to have to transfer passengers and cargo to and from smaller spacecraft, not just aircars, and doing them one at a time through airlocks doesn't appeal. I'd have a couple docking rings for 10 ton launches or 30 ton ship's boats to handle that- even if the ship doesn't normally carry any on her voyages, you'd want to be able to dock with them at either end.

-JTD

"Haul the sheet in as we ride on the wind
That our forefathers harnessed before us
Hear the bells ring as the tight riggin' sings-
It's a son of a gun of a chorus!"

-Jimmy Buffet

On Jul 11, 2012, at 2:09 PM, wrote:

>

Of course all that is true Jeff, forgot about docking rings - perhaps the
destinations have one of the right sort. Of course the frozen prisoners
could be considered cargo and offloaded via one of the cargo doors too. The
aircars of course were primarily for the crew. But I will look at adding
docking rings - perhaps a later version (I like variants)

Antony

From: []
On Behalf Of Jeff Dougherty
Sent: Thursday, 12 July 2012 2:17 AM
To:
Subject: [Traveller_TNE] Re: Alcatraz Class Prison Transport

Very nice. My only beef would be the lack of docking facilities. With a
primitive fusion rocket and no CG you're going to have to transfer
passengers and cargo to and from smaller spacecraft, not just aircars, and
doing them one at a time through airlocks doesn't appeal. I'd have a couple
docking rings for 10 ton launches or 30 ton ship's boats to handle that-
even if the ship doesn't normally carry any on her voyages, you'd want to be
able to dock with them at either end.

-JTD

"Haul the sheet in as we ride on the wind

That our forefathers harnessed before us

Hear the bells ring as the tight riggin' sings-

It's a son of a gun of a chorus!"

-Jimmy Buffet

On Jul 11, 2012, at 2:09 PM, wrote:

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> Of course all that is true Jeff, forgot about docking rings - perhaps the
> destinations have one of the right sort. Of course the frozen prisoners
> could be considered cargo and offloaded via one of the cargo doors too. The
> aircars of course were primarily for the crew. But I will look at adding
> docking rings - perhaps a later version (I like variants)
>
> Antony

Dunno if this is canon or not, but IMTU low berths are designed in two components: a small capsule that holds the person and basic life support equipment, and a larger frame that provides external power, computer support, and what have you. Purpose is exactly this- you can hook up a small power cell and load/unload a low berth as cargo without having to wake the occupant. So you could probably handle bulk transfers as cargo.

One idea for a variant: a ship for a more "frontier" type system, where not all places have the time or inclination to low-berth a convict before the ship arrives, so the ship sometimes has to take on conscious prisoners and low-berth them onboard. You'd definitely want a small launch for that version (access control, you don't dock until the conscious prisoners transfer and are berthed), a sickbay, and a small security detachment to make sure there's no funny business. Depending on how space-opera your setting is, you might also want some armament. If there are organized militant or paramilitary groups (including the dreaded Space Pirates), this thing could potentially be a high-value target for a boarding-and-seizure op.

-JTD

"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."

-Jimmy Buffet

> Dunno if this is canon or not, but IMTU low berths are designed in two
> components: a small capsule that holds the person and basic life support
> equipment, and a larger frame that provides external power, computer
> support, and what have you. Purpose is exactly this- you can hook up a
> small power cell and load/unload a low berth as cargo without having to
> wake the occupant. So you could probably handle bulk transfers as cargo.

I don't think it's "canon"*, but it's definitely good color, and most of
all, makes good sense.

*I hate that term. It makes it sound like designers are Archbishops and
can excommunicate you if they want. "Hopefully Consistent, In-Game BS" is
more accurate. "HCIGBS."