For my Traveller campaigns, the primary rules currently in use are from High Guard in Mongoose Traveller second edition. These rules are great for fleshing out a Traveller universe where gravity manipulation has been fully developed. However, what if the focus on adventure was to a lower technology boondocks where replacement and repair of high-tech items is difficult?
I wanted to develop a campaign similar in flavor to 2300AD, Hostile (see Cepheus Engine, et al.), High Colonies, Orbital, and Serenity/Firefly with a dash of Cowboy Bebop; any reliable gravitic artifacts beside basic lifter/inertial gravity compensators will be rare. The rules as written (RAW) do not much cover spacecraft design for pre-gravitic craft, so with a nod toward Traveller T5 (always mined for style, mechanics, etc., however Mark Miller is wrong on the goofy lettered drives and such...), and some consulting with the old Traveller New Era "Fire, Fusion, & Steel", I here present some rules for a more gritty, somewhat realistic play that are easy to abstract away from.
Chassis of vessel:
Configuration of the vessels chassis is the first consideration of design, and High Guard, 2ed. has expanded this somewhat, but for gravitic hulls. So, for non-gravitic hulls I am going full T5 with a nod to 2300AD on this. The vessel can be configured as follows (each category gives name followed by limitations and comment):
C Cluster [1G limit, Atm=no, Skim=no, Land=no, An accumulation of compartments.]
Cost=0.01Mcr./dt.
B Braced [3G limit, Atm=no, Skim=no, Land=no, A cluster braced for higher acceleration.]
Cost=0.02Mcr./dt.
U Unstreamlined [9G limit, Atm=no, Skim=yes, Land=no (yes if Atm=0-1), an enclosure whose protrusions produce drag.] For vessels under 100dt in size, and if the vessel is to be able to land on a surface with Atm 0-1, it will require that a landing suspension be specified.
Additional requirements=(if installed) 10% hull volume, 1.0Mcr./dt, Atm=N/A.
Cost=0.02Mcr./dt.
S Streamlined [9G limit, Atm=yes, Skim=yes, Land=yes, an enclosure with cowlings and fairings to decrease drag.] Note that Aerofins can be added to this configuration per the standard rules with the stated benefits and costs.
Additional Requirements=(if installed) 5% hull volume, 0.1Mcr./dt, Atm=DM+2.
Cost=0.03Mcr./dt.
A Airframe (winged streamlined) [9G limit, Atm=yes, Skim=yes, Land=yes, a winged enclosure with better performance in atmosphere.] This configuration is purposely designed with built-in Aerofins and control surfaces to provide lift in atmosphere.
Additional Requirements=5% hull volume, 0.1Mcr./dt, Atm=DM+2*.
Cost=0.04Mcr./dt.
L Lifting body (airframe) [9G limit, Atm=yes, Skim=yes, Land=yes, an enclosure with lifting surfaces with better
performance in atmosphere.] This configuration is purposely designed
with built-in Aerofins and control surfaces to provide lift in
atmosphere. Typically used with non-gravitic powered vessels.
Additional Requirements=10% hull volume, 0.1Mcr./dt, Atm=DM+3*.
Cost=0.04Mcr./dt.
H Hybrid Lifting body [9G limit, Atm=yes, Skim=yes, Land=yes, an enclosure where the body of the vessel is the lifting surface with highest speed
performance in atmosphere.] This configuration is a purposely designed
lifting body with variable control surfaces to provide lift in
atmosphere. Typically used with non-gravitic powered vessels.
Additional Requirements=10% hull volume, 0.1Mcr./dt, Atm=DM+4*.
Cost=0.05Mcr./dt.
*Other conditions apply in landing times and lift-off times (q.v.)
STOL depends upon the type of airframe/chassis used, but uses +2% Hull vol. and +10% hull cost.
VTOL requires more volume for thrusters and ducting etc., uses +10% Hull vol. and +50% hull cost.
Special Note on Power for Non-gravitic Hulls:
If a hull is built without gravitic lifters and inertial compensators, the basic ship system power requirements are reduced to 5% of hull volume in energy points (EP).
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