Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

[Alathan]

It's been a while since I posted my last set of deckplans, but hopefully these are worth the wait. I humbly present my version of the Suleiman-class 100-ton Type-S Scout/Courier deckplans for Traveller HERO. The deckplans are available in PDF format in a 1.5m square grid version (for Classic Traveller) as well as a 2m hex grid version (for Traveller Hero).

 

I also thought I'd take a moment to point out that these deckplans are my version of the original deckplans found in various Traveller supplements over the years (such as Traders & Gunboats or Vilani & Vargr). As such, I have tweaked things a little bit here and there, while keeping the overall deckplans as well as the look & feel of the ship as close to the original design as possible. These "tweaks" are more noticeable with the Scout/Courier, but while a few subtle ones are purely aesthetic, most of them are for more practical reasons.

 

For example, in the original Scout/Courier deckplans, the lower cargo bay is located far forward in the ship, but after a quick look at the external layout of the ship, there's no way that cargo bay could fit where it is placed in the deckplans... it would stick out like a massive wart on the ship's underside, or it would be about 50cm high... not much of a cargo bay. So I took the liberty of sliding the bay to the back of the ship, where there's plenty of room under the main deck. (In fact I suspect that's where it originally was meant to be, but for some reason that's not where it was finally placed in the Traveller books.)

 

Also, while the original Scout/Courier has a very sharp, flat wedge-like shape with no protrusions, my version has the cockpit extended out from the hull (giving the pilot more visibility; I did this with my version of the Free Trader too) and the upper deck is represented with a Quonset hut like structure running up the spine of the ship. This was added because, like with the cargo bay, there's no way most of the upper deck would have enough space for a person to move through it without it projecting out from the hull. I couldn't move the upper deck though, so it had to stick out, and the rounded, sloped structure atop the hull looked the best in my opinion and detracted the least from the ship's original design, while still affording enough room inside for a person to walk (or crawl in the most forward sections) through the upper deck.

 

Anyway, enough waxing about my design decisions; I'm not sure how many Traveller deckplan nuts like me will even notice these things, but I thought I'd share just in case someone was interested. I hope everyone enjoys the deckplans all the same.

 

 

Edit: I thought I'd throw in some thumbnails for anyone who's curious...

[shadowcat1313]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

I like the the tweaks, and the different views, these are the first deckplans I remember having the multiple views

[Alathan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

My final Beowulf deckplans had multiple exterior views as well, but my Ueknou didn't because I didn't have an external picture of the ship at the time to work from.

[Alathan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

For anyone who's been following my deckplans, I'm not sure which ones to work on next. I'm considering drawing up the classic "small ships" (ship's boat, launch, pinnace, modular cutter), or perhaps the Empress Marava class Far Trader, or the Gazelle class Close Escort. Would anyone like to see any of these next? Or does anyone have any special requests? Perhaps for your own TH game, or maybe just your favorite ship you'd like to see some hex-based deckplans for?

[tancred]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

LOVE these deck plans, Alathan.

My vote would go to the Far Trader; that's a ship I used a lot in various Traveller games over the years.

[Alathan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

Thanks! I was suspecting the Far Trader might be in demand... that and the small ships are currently at the top of my list to do.

 

BTW, I've added thumbnails to each of my deckplan posts so people can see what they look like before they decide to download. You can check them out in the threads linked below:

 

Gyro Cadis-class Type-R Subsidized Merchant Deckplans

Beowulf-class Type-A Free Trader Deckplans

Ueknou-class Vargr Corsair Deckplans

[Publius]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

You have done a great job at capturing the feel of the Traveller style. I have done a good number of deckplans, but I never can get it right for this style. One of the "blindspots" I have as a cartographer is that I like to have things nice and square, circles and angly bits never look right to my eye. Those angles on nearly all of the cabins along the exterior walls always make me discard these designs well before I am finished. Yours however look very good, I'm a bit envious.

[Alathan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

You have done a great job at capturing the feel of the Traveller style. I have done a good number of deckplans' date=' but I never can get it right for this style. One of the "blindspots" I have as a cartographer is that I like to have things nice and square, circles and angly bits never look right to my eye. Those angles on nearly all of the cabins along the exterior walls always make me discard these designs well before I am finished. Yours however look very good, I'm a bit envious.[/quote']

Yeah, if you're referring to the Beowulf deckplans, I know what you mean. While I don't mind the outer hull getting all curvy or diagonal, I too prefer my interiors to have nice right angles (with maybe the occasional 45-degree angle here or there)... but not all Traveller ships are built that way. I'm glad you like how I've worked with it, though.

[bobrunnicles]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

I'll throw in another vote for the Far Trader - always got a 'Millenium Falcon - Traveller Style' vibe from that bad boy....I think it was the cockpit arrangement that did it. Any thoughts about other ships from the original books, like the Safari Ship or the Missile Defense Boat?

 

Love the exterior views, btw - those rock

[Alathan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

I'll throw in another vote for the Far Trader - always got a 'Millenium Falcon - Traveller Style' vibe from that bad boy....I think it was the cockpit arrangement that did it. Any thoughts about other ships from the original books' date=' like the Safari Ship or the Missile Defense Boat?[/quote']

Ideally, as I have time, I plan to do all of the ships in Traveller Hero Book 2 as well as those from CT Supplement 07: Traders & Gunboats... so those two will eventually be covered as well. And I agree with the Falconesque feel to the Empress Marava class... I'm sure that was intentional.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your hard work.

 

 

Thanks just does not seem to be enough.

 

 

QM

[bobrunnicles]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

Keep up the excellent work!! I'm a total sucker for maps and deckplans of all types so these things ROCK Is there any way to blow these things up so I can use them with minis or 'cardboard heroes' ?

[Alathan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

Is there any way to blow these things up so I can use them with minis or 'cardboard heroes' ?

Well, with the CT 1.5-meter square grid maps, if you print them at 444% scale, you should get close to a 1" scale grid. With the TH 2-meter hex grid maps, you'll need to print them at 333% to get roughly 1" hexes.

 

Of course, you'll need to either print them on multiple sheets, crop the edges and tape them all together, or if you have a few bucks to spare, you could take the PDFs down to your local FedEx/Kinko's or equivalent print shop and have them print them out on some large poster paper or something (at the above scales).

 

If someone tries this, please let us know how it worked out.

[bobrunnicles]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

Well, with the CT 1.5-meter square grid maps, if you print them at 444% scale, you should get close to a 1" scale grid. With the TH 2-meter hex grid maps, you'll need to print them at 333% to get roughly 1" hexes.

 

Of course, you'll need to either print them on multiple sheets, crop the edges and tape them all together, or if you have a few bucks to spare, you could take the PDFs down to your local FedEx/Kinko's or equivalent print shop and have them print them out on some large poster paper or something (at the above scales).

 

If someone tries this, please let us know how it worked out.

 

I have no problem conceptually with printing multiple sheets and trimming them/sticking them together, but I am having problems finding a way to print them at 333%.....doesn't seem to be anywhere to state on the print menus that you want to print them across multiple sheets at 333% size - am I missing something? Should I be using something other that Acrobat Reader to open the files?

[Alathan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

I have no problem conceptually with printing multiple sheets and trimming them/sticking them together' date=' but I am having problems finding a way to print them at 333%.....doesn't seem to be anywhere to state on the print menus that you want to print them across multiple sheets at 333% size - am I missing something? Should I be using something other that Acrobat Reader to open the files?[/quote']

Hmmm, I see what you mean. I think I'll try to create an enlarged multi-page version of the Scout/Courier deckplans as a test. That's the only other solution I can think of at the moment.

[bobrunnicles]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

Hmmm' date=' I see what you mean. I think I'll try to create an enlarged multi-page version of the Scout/Courier deckplans as a test. That's the only other solution I can think of at the moment.[/quote']

 

That would, in no uncertain way, ROCK :)

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

Take it to Kinko's

[bobrunnicles]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

Take it to Kinko's

 

That's one option, yes, although unless a 333% blown up piece of letter paper will fit on a sheet of A3 I don't know how they would be able to do it either - however I have access to several really good laser printers at work which I can use for free so if it's possible to figure out a way to print across multiple pages or have the plan itself blown up to use more pages in and of itself that would be the best option (for me personally, obviously - ymmv).

[Alathan]

Re: Suleiman-class Type-S Scout/Courier Deckplans

 

That's one option' date=' yes, although unless a 333% blown up piece of letter paper will fit on a sheet of A3 I don't know how they would be able to do it either...[/quote']

I'm pretty sure Kinko's can print on paper larger than A3, I know I've seen huge rolls of paper there which they can print on and crop to spec -- unless things have changed since I was there last. Might cost a pretty penny too, I don't know... I'll have to drop by my local Kinko's tonight and find out.

 

I'll still see about making a 1" scale multi-page version for standard desktop printers that you can crop & tape together (for those who can't afford the Kinko's treatment).

[TheQuestionMan]

Bump cause I care.

[Scott Baker]

Looks like all the links are dead and the OP hasn't been on since 2011.