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Spaceship/Starship Volume


Dale A. Ward

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Hi, Gang!

 

I know this has been discussed before, but I can't remember what conclusions we came to nor where the thread went... so I'm bringing it up again.

 

I'm getting ready to sit down with all of my 2D & 3D drawing software and hardware and create a starship design... complete with deckplans and a nice 3/4 view. I want the ship to be scaled properly in all three dimensions, so I need to know the third dimensional measurements of a hex in SH.

 

If a single hex holds 1 ton of cargo, how far is it from the floor to the ceiling? This one measurement will tell me all I need to know.

 

I'm betting I'll have the correct answer within 15 minutes of submitting this message... you people are just that good. :)

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Re: Spaceship/Starship Volume

 

It depends on the density of the cargo. A ton of lead takes up a lot less space than a ton of cork.

 

Of course even if I had the density of the cargo I am so helpless with math that I still couldn't give you a proper answer.

 

I have always assumed that a hex (in any Hero setting) is as tall as the hex is across.

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Re: Spaceship/Starship Volume

 

As a rule of thumb (not super precise but close enough for game terms), an area 1 hex across, one hex, deep, and 2 hexes high is one displacement ton. In statting out a ship SH advises that about half of the volume for any given ship is usable interior space, with the rest being taken up by bulkheads, cabling, and equipage. By usable space it refers to passageways, empty compartment space, and cargo space. So here is your Naval trivia question for the day. What is the difference between Equipage and Equipment, and how do you reflect this in Hero terms. I will post the answer a couple of hours (I know the answer, I am just seeing who else knows)... :eg:

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Re: Spaceship/Starship Volume

 

in Traveller, a displacement starship ton is 14 cubic meters, 1 deckplan square, this is also equal to 2 hero hexes

 

10 displacement tons of volume cargo would fill a 40' van semi trailer

Shouldn't that be 2 deckplan squares?

I thought that Snapshot rules used a displacement ton as two 1.5m squares, with 3m vertically. (1.5x1.5x3=6.75, x2=13.5).

 

JoeG

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Re: Spaceship/Starship Volume

 

As a rule of thumb (not super precise but close enough for game terms)' date=' an area 1 hex across, one hex, deep, and 2 hexes high is one displacement ton. In statting out a ship SH advises that about half of the volume for any given ship is usable interior space, with the rest being taken up by bulkheads, cabling, and equipage. By usable space it refers to passageways, empty compartment space, and cargo space. So here is your Naval trivia question for the day. What is the difference between [i']Equipage[/i] and Equipment, and how do you reflect this in Hero terms. I will post the answer a couple of hours (I know the answer, I am just seeing who else knows)... :eg:

 

I may be wrong, but isn't Equipage the expendable supplies carried aboard ship... like food and fuel? I think it's something like that.

 

Anyway, Wolfie... you and Shadowcat's answers gave me all I needed to know. My thanks to you two... and to everyone else that added their two cents.

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Re: Spaceship/Starship Volume

 

Aboard a ship equipage is anything installed in the ship that is permanently anchored (like welded or bolted down), while equipment is any thing that is moveable even if bulky. So for example engines, mainframe computers, and weapon mounts are equipage, while desks, fire extinghuisers, PC, and small arms are equipment. :D

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Re: Spaceship/Starship Volume

 

I'd base it on the density of water myself - it's how kilograms to litres are worked out (i.e. 1 litre of water = 1 kilogram = 10x10x10 cm = 1,000 cm^3)

http://www.gcse.com/maths/litre.htm

 

Are you using metric tons or imperial tons/tonnes?

Traveler tons, which is the displacement of 1000 Kg of liquid hydrogen. A convient measurement as the majority of most spaceships is fuel tank.

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Re: Spaceship/Starship Volume

 

A volumetric hex is explicitly defined

 

Where, please? I'd like to add that there fact to my notes, but I'm gonna need to citation it. :)

 

as an hexagonal prism, two meters from flat side to opposing flat side, and two meters tall. It has a volume of 7 cubic meters.

 

I hope that helps. :)

 

That there "7 cubic meters" is off by about 720 ml. About a fifth-of-booze too big, IOW. ;)

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