Modular Freighters (was Re: FB - Thrust Ratings for Freighters)

>In a message dated 99-01-24 14:04:46 EST, you write:

>> i don't have the fleet book, but this still does not interfere with
my
>> point - space concerns exist for military ships, as everything has to
be
>> packed inside an armoured hull, whereas merchants do not have this
>> problem. unless FB1 refers to merchants with space problems, that is.

>> Tom
>
>I agree with the last part.  In FB1 it talks about how Merchies are
"tin cans
>with a drive unit on one end an a command moduel on the other" so I
don't
>think that they have space problems.
>-Stephen

Luckily we have a way to represent Tom's style freighter - Tugs with
cargo
modules!

Standardized Cargo module:
Mass 20
Fragile Hull (2 pts)
18 Cargo Spaces
Total Cost: 24

And now the Tugs:

Medium Cargo Tug: (can tow up to 4 cargo modules)
Mass 30
Fragile Hull (8 pts)
Thrust 4  (by itself-Th2 with 1 module, Th1 with 2-4 modules)
FTL with Mass 80 Tug ability
2 PDS
Total cost 92

Small Cargo Tug: (can tow up to 2 cargo modules)
Mass 16
Fragile Hull (2 pts)
Thrust 4 (by itself-Th2 with 1 module, Th1 with 2 modules)
FTL with Mass 40 Tug ability
1 PDS
Total Cost 49

Micro Cargo Tug: (can tow 1 cargo Module)
Mass 9
Fragile Hull (1 pt)
Thrust 3 (by itself-Th1 with 1 module)
FTL with Mass 20 Tug ability
1 PDS

So how do they rate?

Ship		       Cap.  Cost  $/cap  Hits	Thr.  Defense
---------------------  ----  ----  -----  ----	----  -------------
FB1 Free Trader 	 8    47    5.88    4	  4   1xClass-1
FB1 Light Freighter	27    67    2.48    4	  2   1xPDS
FB1 Medium Freighter	55   131    2.40    8	  2   1xPDS
FB1 Heavy Freighter	83   195    2.34   12	  2   1xPDS
Micro Tug w1 module	18    53    2.94    3	  1   1xPDS
Small Tug w1 module	18    72    4.00    4	  2   1xPDS
	   2 modules	36    97    2.69    6	  1   1xPDS
Med Tug w  1 module	18   116    6.44    5	  2   1xPDS
	   2 modules	36   140    3.89    7	  1   1xPDS
	   3 modules	56   164    2.92    9	  1   1xPDS
	   4 modules	72   188    2.61   11	  1   1xPDS

you could shave a few points by eliminating the PDS, but I decided to
keep the
same relative protection as the freighters in the FB.

The largest difficulty comes from the fact that the damage points are
distributed between the Tug and 2 per module.  Maybe an adaptation of
the MT
Supership rules could handle this.

This also necessitates some sort of hit location, but at least it is not
hit
location 'inside' the ship - just which set of damage boxes to mark to
damage
to.  How about something like this:
- Damage location is determined for each volley.
  - Even chances of hitting the Tug or each individual module
- Tug thresholds roll once for each module attached; if the test fails,
the
module is separated and remains behind.
- If a module is destroyed, the Tug makes a threshold check at it's
current
level
- If a module takes more damage in a single volley than it has
remaining, the
excess damage passes to the Tug damage track.

Tugs may voluntarily drop Modules during their orders in order to gain
additional thrust. (as noted in the tug descriptions above.)

So what do you think?

Jared