[TML] Firefly, wait no it is a Subsidized Merchant ship.

[Tom Naro]

Antony Farrell skaran at bordernet.com.au wrote:

>Since it appears that most Traveller ships will float. Land them in large
>tanks of water or other fluid. This will evenly support the hulls and also
>give Traveller starports an appearance different to starports from other
>games.
><snip>
>This would have an interesting effect on merchant ships, hatches would 
>end up on the upper surfaces for example. Normal container loading 
>techniques could be used or for bulk cargo just poured into the open 
>hatches on the top, like current bulk carriers.
 
We don't really need water cradle landings to promote top hatches.
 
Almost all the ships I design already have top loading hatches in addition
to several top mounted maintenance hatches. The air/raft for the Type S 
scout doubles as a grav-lift crane.  (It has attachment lugs at all four 
corners.)  The seeker variant is almost always shown with top 
hatches.
 
Even 1000dt freighters might be loaded in a similar way as current 
container ships.  They might have large "shuttle-type" doors that give 
access to a large portion of the cargo bay.  Gantry cranes (or gravitic 
lifters) would be used to load the ships.  (BTW: You can easily put a 
gantry crane in a dry area.  That would also make a Traveller starport 
distinctive versus other games.)
 
The real bulk goods freighters would also have bottom hatches for a gravity
assisted unloading.  (Of course any ship with contra-grav could just hover 
upside down.)
 
Most likely, starports will be of all types, matching the local conditions 
and capabilities.  Merchant ships that want to use all of the ports would 
have to be able to land at any of them.


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