Megaships for Traveller (loong)

Here are some more thoughts about Traveller conversions for FT. The main

problem with Traveller from an FT perspective is the HUGE ships that are

possible. There are two ways of handling this. One is to have a high 
tonnage to mass conversion ratio (eg 1 MASS = 200tons). The disadvantage
of 
this is that it makes the smallest ships insignificant in FT terms. I
don't 
like this, because players in Traveller often have quite small ships. I 
personally prefer the other alternative which is to set the tonnage to
mass 
conversion ratio at 1 MASS = 50 tons. As you will have seen from my 
previous posts this makes the small ships in Traveller 
comparable to similar small ships in FT.

What to do about those ginormous ships though? The "Superships" rules in
MT 
help to some extent, but only really work for ships upto about MASS 500.

Above that we are into a different order of magnitude. I therefore
propose 
the "MEGASHIPS" rules as outlined below:

1. A ship may be defined as a MEGASHIP. Such a ship's mass is measured
in 
mega-mass units. 1 Mega-mass is equivalent to 10 MASS. The damage lines
are 
organised in the same way as normal MASS units. 
For example, a ship of 75,000 tons would have 150 Mega-mass. This means
the 
ship has 75 mega-damage boxes in 5 lines of 15

2. MEGASHIPS may be fitted with Mega weapons and systems. A mega weapon
or 
system is equivalent in all respects to 10 normal sized ones. On the
ship 
diagram indicate the "mega" attribute by a small "10" next to the
symbol. A 
mega weapon rolls the same number of dice as a normal weapon, but each 
damage point is a mega-damage point (ie. 10 normal damage points) The
MASS 
and cost of all mega weapons and systems is 10 times that of the normal 
size.

3. Mega weapons require mega Fire Controls.

4. There are no mega-screens. All ships of what ever size can have up to
3 
levels of screen.

5. MEGASHIPS may have Fighter Squadrons. A Fighter Squadron is
equivalent 
to 10 normal Fighter Groups. A Fighter squadron is represented on the
table 
by the same model as a Fighter Group but with a small D10 under it to 
indicate the number of Fighter Groups it consists of. Fighter Squadrons 
fight other Fighter Squadrons as if they were 10 strong Fighter Groups. 
Mega PDAFS, ADAFS and C batteries fight Fighter Squadrons in a similar
way. 
Fighter Squadrons roll 1D6 per Fighter Group vs Mega ships, or squadrons
of 
normal ships.

6. When engaged in combat with MEGASHIPS, ordinary ships should be
grouped 
in squadrons of 10 similar ships and then the squadron is treated as if
it 
was one MEGASHIP.

Meson Guns

Operationally, Meson Guns are similar to the Wave Gun. The "standard"
Wave 
Gun (as described in MT p.3-4) is equivalent to a Meson Gun (factor-4).
For 
each additional factor above 4:

	add 1D6 to damage rolls at all ranges.
	add an additional 10 MASS
	add an additional 30 points

Thus the largest Meson Gun available is a factor-T:

	27D6 at 0" - 12"
	26D6 at 12" - 24"
	25D6 at 24" - 36"

	MASS = 10 + (23 *10) = 240 MASS (24 Mega mass)
	Cost = 30 + (23 * 30 ) =  720 points 

Note that a Meson Gun is not a mega-weapon (i.e. you _don't_ multiply 
damage rolls by 10)

A Meson Gun is an "Oh my, GHOD!" (Great Handfuls of Dice!) weapon!

Meson Screens

A Meson Screen has the effect of reducing the damage inflicted by a
Meson 
Gun. It has no effect against any other weapon type. The Meson Screen 
reduces the number of D6s rolled by a Meson Gun by 1D6 per Meson Screen 
factor. 

	MASS 10 /factor
	Cost 30 /factor

Thus a factor-6 Meson Screen would reduce a factor-T Meson Gun to 21D6
at 
up to 12" range.and so on, for a  MASS of 60 (6 Mega mass), and a cost
of 
180 points.

Thoughts anyone?

Mike Elliott, GZG