Here's my attempt to dramatically abstract Traveller-style starship builds in a way that avoids almost all of the math and charts. This is, of course, a travesty to any Traveller fan who genuinely wants to know their realistic load limit and finds it exciting to plan for fuel consumption and calculate specific profits from job to job. This is a system usable for other more abstract games like Fate or Gumshoe or GURPS, for when you simply need to answer questions like, "How big is that ship, what is its crew, how many guns does it have and can it outrun us?"
SIMPLEBUILD RULES:
If you’re unfamiliar with Traveller, starships are built in 100-ton hull increments, from the lowest level 100-ton scout to bazillion-ton battlecruisers. J-drive (Jump drive) is how quickly they can move from system to system, while M-drive (maneuver drive) is how fast the ship is within a system. [In both cases, the numbers map to hexes: a J-2/M-3 ship would move up to two parsec-sized hexes on a star map when in jump mode--what you might think of as hyperspace or warp--and then move 3 hexes per turn on a tactical map in combat.]
In a non-military campaign, most players will only ever possess or interact with ships in the 100-800 ton range, so this build system might fall apart at higher tonnages.
HOW IT WORKS:
Choose a hull size. In SimpleBuild, this is in 50 ton increments. The hull will cost 10 MCr (megacredits) per 50 tons, with a minimum of 100 tons. Every 50 tons of hull has room to install 1 module worth of function, whether it be cargo room, lab equipment, weapons, or jump drives. [If you wish to avoid Traveller thinking entirely, just buy ships as modules: A 200-ton Free Trader is a 4-module hull costing 40 MCr. Minimum ship size = 2 modules.]
Determine crew size. Ships should have a crew equal to [hull tonnage/100] at the low end, to [hull tonnage/100, squared] at the high end, for something like a troop carrier or a passenger liner. 100 tons = crew 1; 200 tons = crew 2-4; 300 tons = crew 3-9, and so on.
All starships are presumed to start with a base of J-1/M-1, sufficient staterooms for all crew, and 1 ship’s vehicle (Air/Raft, ATV, pinnace, launch, etc.) for every 400 tons of starship. Now simply add modules from the list below until the ship reaches its capacity. Note that increasing drives takes up a lot of space, and that weapons can get expensive.
Now it is time to fill those modules you have.
FREE MODULES:
CARGO MODULE: 50 tons of cargo
SHIP’S VEHICLE MODULE: 2 extra ship’s vehicles; air/raft, pinnace, ATV, launch, or whatever seems appropriate
5 MCr MODULES:
STATEROOM MODULE: 5 extra staterooms
LOWER BERTHS MODULE: 10 lower berths
CAPTURE TANKS MODULE: holding space for 2-3 large animals; for safari ships
10 MCr MODULES
LAB MODULE: 10 tons of lab space; more delicate or complicated research will cost more.
WEAPONS MODULE: assumes turreted laser and/or missile rack w/ 40 missiles—or sandcasters if you prefer. Double turrets cost 20 MCr, Triple turrets cost 30 MCr. Maximum one weapons module/turret per 100 tons of hull. [NOTE #1: in Traveller, laser weapons and missile cost basically 1 MCr, but this dramatically understates the importance--to both identity and survival--of ships weapons in a space opera campaign. So while most of these prices are approximations, this module represents a radical revaluation.] [NOTE #2: In Fate terms, 10MCr buys you Weapon:0, 20MCr buys you Weapon:1, and 30 MCr buys you Weapon:2. Anything more powerful must be bought with a Stunt. See also the Note on Armor.]
MORE EXPENSIVE MODULES
JUMP AND MANEUVER MODULES +1 to J or M takes up 1 module per 100 tons of ship and costs 5 MCr per 100 tons for +1 (that is for J-2 or M-2), 10MCr per 100t for +2, 20MCr per 100t for +3, 40MCr per 100t for +4, and 80MCr per 100t for +5 (J-6 or M-6, which is the maximum in Traveller).
COURIER MODULE: A 100-ton ship may take one or even two courier modules, which allow J+2 each and cost 15MCr but remove the maneuver drive; the ship will need to be met by a tug, so it is unsuitable for use outside developed space!
LUXURY: 5 MCr per 100 tons of ship; module size also reflects space for amenities: larger bathrooms, a viewing lounge, etc. Like all luxury items, this can go up in price if you want to get ridiculously extravagant, but this basic level is sufficient to please nobles and other high-class passengers
FINALLY: ARMOR
It costs no space at all, but a ship may be Lightly Armored (or Heavily Armored), at a cost of 5MCr per 100 tons of ship (or 10MCr per 100 tons for Heavily Armored). Lightly Armored ships can’t travel faster than M5, and Heavily Armored ships can’t travel faster than M4. Jump drive may not be affected, depending on what the campaign tech models jump drives. For example, Jump drives represented as gates or wormholes should logically treat all ships equally, but jump drives represented as a form of hyperspace that multiplies actual ship speeds ought to face limits similar to M Drives. [NOTE: In Fate terms, Lightly Armored is Armor:1, and Heavily Armored is Armor:2. All other forms of extra-durability must be represented using Stunts.]
ASSUMPTIONS (for Traveller fans) I ignored computers entirely, because it seems easiest to assume that a starship will have functioning computers sufficient for its demands.
I also ignored fuel. This is an abstracted system (a la Star Wars or Guardians of the Galasy) where ships just work, and characters aren’t constantly counting credits to make the next gas payment. Assume that ships have fusion reactors of the appropriate size that cost almost nothing to maintain.
The biggest change is that my math makes incredibly fast 100-ton ships impossible to create. But it actually makes ALL incredibly fast ships difficult to create. This is mostly because my calculations were based on the most basic ship plans from The Traveller Book, which already heavily favor slower ships over fast ones. (And also because many settings seem to feel that jump drives should be limited anyway; many have a cap of J-2 or J-4.) I have solved the courier-ship problem by adding a Courier Module. But if you want 100-ton Courier ships doing J-6, you could simply add the rule that is implicit in Traveller already: J and M drives are always doubled for 100-ton ships. I’ve never understood why 100-ton ships--and only 100-ton ships--get this incredible speed boost, but it’s undeniably Travelleresque.
SAMPLE SHIPS FROM THE TRAVELLER BOOK COMPARED TO SIMPLEBUILD
S Scout. 100 tons. Jump-2, 2-G. 40 tons fuel. Model/1bis. 4 staterooms. 1 hardpoint (double turret). Air/raft. 3 tons cargo. Streamlined. 1 crew. MCr29.43; 9 months.
MCR 30 = 100 = J2/M2 + 0weapons + 0cargo MCr 30 1 crew
SIMPLEBUILD: 100 ton hull = 2 modules: +1J and +1G COST: 20 + 5 + 5 = 30
A Free Trader. 200 tons. Jump-1, 1-G. 30 tons fuel. Model/1. 10 staterooms, 20 low. 2 hardpoints. 82 tons cargo. Streamlined. 4 crew. MCr37.08; 11 months.
MCR 40 = 200 = J1/1G + 0weapons + 100cargo + 10 staterooms/20low MCr 30 4 crew
SIMPLEBUILD: 200 ton hull = 4 modules: 5 staterooms. 10 lower berths. 50 + 50 tons of cargo. COST: 40 + 5 + 5 + 0 +0 = 50
Y Yacht. 200 tons. Jump-1, 1-G. 50 tons fuel (allows two successive jump-1). Model/1. 14 staterooms. 1 hardpoint. ATV, air/raft, ship's boat. 11 tons cargo. Unstreamlined.4 crew. MCr51.057; 11 months.
MCR 50 = 200 = J1/M1 (can do 2 jumps in a row) + 14 staterooms + 0weapons + 0cargo + ship’s boat & ATV. 4 crew
SIMPLEBUILD: 200 ton hull = 4 modules: +5 staterooms (x2) + extra ships vehicles + luxury. COST: 40 + 5 + 5 + 0 + 10 = 60
K Safari Ship. 200 tons. Jump-2, 1-G. 60 tons fuel. Model/1bis. 11 staterooms. 1 hardpoint (double turret). Air/raft, launch. 6 tons cargo. 2 capture tanks; 1 lounge. Streamlined. 5 crew. MCr81.08; 11 months.
MCR 80 = 200 = J2/M1 + 0weapons + 0cargo + 11 staterooms [+2 capture tanks] 5 crew
SIMPLEBUILD: 200 ton hull = 4 modules: +5 staterooms; +2 capture tanks; +1 Jump; + luxury COST: 40 + 5 + 5 + 10 + 10 = 70
R Subsidized Merchant. 400 tons. Jump-1, 1-G. 50 tons fuel. Model/1. 13 staterooms, 9 low. 2 hardpoints. Launch. 200 tons cargo. Streamlined. 5 crew. MCr101.03; 14 months.
MCR 100 = 400 = J1/M1 + 0weapons + 200 cargo + 13 staterooms/9 low MCr 30 5 crew
SIMPLEBUILD: 400 ton hull = 8 modules: 50 cargo (x5); +5 staterooms (x2); +10 lower berths COST: 80 + 0 (x4) + 5 + 5 + 5 = 95 [change: 250 cargo instead of 200]
T Patrol Cruiser. 400 tons. Jump-3, 4-G. 160 tons fuel. Model/3. 12 staterooms, 4 low berths. 4 hardpoints (2 triple missile turrets, 2 triple laser turrets). Ship's boat, GCarrier. 10 crew. MCr221.04; 16 months.
MCR 220 = 400 = J3/M3 + 4-6 weapons + 0cargo + 12staterooms/4low MCr 30 10 crew
SIMPLEBUILD: 400 ton hull = 8 modules: J+1 (x2), M+1 (x2), turret weapon (x4). COST: 80 + 40 + 40 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 200 [Note: M-3 instead of M-4, no lower berths]
L Laboratory Ship. 400 tons. Jump-2, 1-G. 90 tons fuel. Model/2. 20 staterooms. 2 hardpoints. 2 air/rafts, 1 pinnace. 23 tons cargo. 16.00 tons lab space. Unstreamlined. 5 crew. MCr158.98; 14 months.
MCR 160 = 400 = J2/M1 + 0weapons + 25cargo 20 staterooms, 16t lab space MCr 30 5 crew
SIMPLEBUILD: 400 ton hull = 8 modules: J+1; +5 staterooms (x3); 2 extra ships vehicles; 10 tons of lab space (x2); 50 tons cargo. COST: 80 + 5 + 15 + 0 + 20 + 0 = 120
M Subsidized Liner. 600 tons. Jump-3, 1-G. 210 tons fuel. Model/3. 30 staterooms, 20 low. 3 hardpoints. Launch. 129 tons cargo. Unstreamlined. 9 crew. MCr236.97; 22 months.
MCR 240 = 600 = J3/M1 + 0weapons + 120cargo + 30 staterooms + 20 low 9 crew
SIMPLEBUILD: 600 ton hull = 12 modules: J+1 (x2), +5 staterooms (x4), +10 low berths (x3), 50 tons of cargo (x3) COST: 120 + 60 + 20 + 15 + 0 = 215 [Note: 30 lower berths instead of 20]
C Mercenary Cruiser. 800 tons. Jump-3, 3-G. 318 tons fuel (48 tons reserve). Model/5. 25 staterooms. 8 hardpoints (8 triple turrets). Air/raft, 2 modular cutters (1 open module, 1 fuel module, 2 ATV modules), 2 ATVs. 80 tons cargo. Unstreamlined. 8 crew. MCr445.95; 25 months.
MCR 450 = 800 = J3/M3 + 8weapons + 100cargo + 25 staterooms 8 crew
SIMPLEBUILD: 800 ton hull = 16 modules: J+1 (x2); M+1 (x2); +5 staterooms (x3); weapon turrets (x8), [+1 ships vehicles, 75 tons cargo] COST: 160 + 80 + 80 + 15 + 80 + 0/0 = 415 [Note: fewer extra staterooms because original plan is off: no way does an 800-ton cruiser with 8 turrets only have 8 crew!]