Would a cloak for a Small Freighter hull for the Orions be worth it?

I'm imagining a Small Frieghter front, a Armed Freighter Engines, and a normal "Pod" in the middle.

See where it would be used would be for the obvious that would be seen if it got inspected.

IE a freighter is carrying a Mobile Base/Operations Base and if any old Police/Fleet ship comes up and says "Hey..... That's not right."

I see the Orions having 3 shipyards to produce Bases, the WYN cluster, Orion, and probably one in the East somewhere.

To get from any of those to it's final destination, a freighter would be bloody lucky to not get inspected by 1 fleet/police ship.

The reason on a freighter instead of a slaver, is for specifically carrying Pods.

Maybe cost 3-4 power to run, with a Small Armed Freighters of 8 warp+1 imp. It would only be used in vital locations to avoid detection.

By David Kass (Dkass) on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 07:14 pm: Edit

Somewhere, it is mentioned that Orions also build "adhoc" shipyards (basically import a bunch of trained slaves and processed materials to an out of the way planet and do the assembly). These can presumably build MB pods (they're simple) so I suspect that most don't move that far before being assembled.

I'm not saying the idea itself is bad, just that the current justification may not work.

By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 07:23 pm: Edit

Well could be David.

I don't know how "easy" or "hard" it is to build a MB pods. Since in F+E you may only build 1/turn and only at the shipyard.

If it was easy, you could build as many as you want, but the EP's to buy it (10) would be the controling factor of how many you build.

By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 07:52 pm: Edit

As an afterthought, this might have more implications and uses to an "Orion" based GPD campaign, then SFB, where it would only be used once in a blue-moon.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 - 11:37 pm: Edit

Been wondering something recently about the salvage cruiser. Why couldn't it be a modular ship, in which the section aft of the "wings" be removable. Since the PFT and the carrier versions would seem like permanent conversions, what if they were actually replacable modules? There could be a module that has a third warp engine if the cartel needed a CA quickly, with option mounts that were rear firing or were 360 degree capable. Some modules could be configured for scientific work, with labs replacing some cargo. Course it would work if the cartel was able to afford several SAL.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 10:45 pm: Edit

Having a brain block. If a pirate were to go "legit", and his crew followed him into say, the escort business for a percentage of what a cargo was worth, does the ability to double engines cease?

By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Friday, December 31, 2004 - 02:23 am: Edit

Wouldn't that depend on what the downside of engine doubling is and why the various races with presumably competent engineering staffs eschew engine doubling? The rules seem to indicate that engine doubling is lost on captured pirates; temporarily legitimate ones retain engine doubling.

I have believed that permitting engine doubling will frequently take a ship out of service for an extended time to conduct repairs. Not a problem for carrying out merchant raids since that can be timed to when the ship is ready but more of a problem for convoy escorting who might not wait while the engines are refurbished. ADB has their own reasoning.

A lack of trust from merchants and the various fleets and pirates concerned about them turning state's evidence might be more dangerous to the reformed pirate than the effects of engine doubling.

By Ian Whitchurch (Ian_Whitchurch) on Saturday, January 01, 2005 - 01:24 am: Edit

Richard,

I dont think a Lyran Count would be too worried about an Orion independant in a LR who used to operate in Hydran space guarding Lyran space against Kzinti raiders.

Of course, if our Independant didnt properly lease the Lyran County off the appropriate cartel lord, then the Kzinti may not be the only people our Independant has to worry about.

Ian Whitchurch

By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 01:31 am: Edit

But I doubt that Lyran merchants would be a sanquine to operate in convoy with a pirate claiming to be the escort. Sizable difference between mercenary out there and reformed pirate right here.

By Ian Whitchurch (Ian_Whitchurch) on Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 03:45 am: Edit

If he has the appropriate authority from their Count, refusing his help is tantamount to rebellion against your Count, as you are asserting independance from your Count's protection.

Of course, this point of feudal law is less appropriate in other jurisdictions.

Ian Whitchurch

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 06:43 pm: Edit

And the independent would also have the Count's protection, I would believe, plus some pull in making sure his ship has a priority in getting necessary repairs done in as short a time as possible at a base. Using an independent would keep one of the Count's own ships available to deal with rebellion, the LDR, etc..

By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 11:05 pm: Edit

Or the Duke or higher lord puts the hammer down on a Count raising a mercenary force to overthrow another lord. Feudal systems do not run on trust.

By Robert Snook (Verdick) on Monday, January 03, 2005 - 01:31 am: Edit

Orions do plenty of legit work as well as pirating. Quite a few scenarios detail how Orion mercenaries can be used.

By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Monday, January 03, 2005 - 02:33 am: Edit

That is one of things I dislike about SFU Orions: there is excessive trust of them with little support.

Orion mercenaries assisting in a fleet attack in enemy territory: yes though the prudent commander expects the Orions to change sides during the battle.

Orions operating alone as escort as to vulnerable freighters: not a chance, too much risk of the Orion escort helping Orion raiders make off with a clean sweep. Trusting Orions to guard merchant shipping is as prudent as selecting random felons to collect cash with armored cars.

By Ian Whitchurch (Ian_Whitchurch) on Monday, January 03, 2005 - 07:28 pm: Edit

Richard,

There are various ways to deal with this.

The first and most obvious is a Completion Bond with the Bank of WYN (aka Cluster Cartel).

If the Orion does not stand up to it's contract, then the Completion Bond is paid to the client, and the Independant gets a powerful enemy.

The second is to have the Orion on a long-term contract. Sure, they might rip one good score off you, but that would mean they dont get a payment for little work each and every month.

The analogy is the Italian condittore bands - sure, they were theives, murderers and worse, but if you look at the actual historical evidence, as opposed to the biased rantings of a certain incompetant Florentine Secretary of War (whose civic militia had the crap beaten out of it by condittore), they did a pretty good and honest job for their clients.

Indeed, the Venetians preferred condittore who were independant of the politics of Venice, rather than allowing their own, home-grown Sulla or Marius to have his own army.

But it's your campaign, so run it the way you want. I can see your attitude and my attitude reflected in different places at different times.

Ian Whitchurch

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 08:46 pm: Edit

Got to wondering something. If the Orions managed to capture/salvage a Fed saucer and put their warp drive on it (say 2x10 box), would they be able to double their output? Would it even be useful as a raider?

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 09:39 pm: Edit

How would they get a Fed saucer? Would you maybe mean a rear hull?

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 10:26 pm: Edit

Was remembering an old TOS novel in which the saucer of the ENTERPRISE had to be abandoned, and the crew were piled into the secondary hull. Title is blanking out, but it dealt with a Romulan acting as a pirate and a race that had been studying both the Feds and Romulans, causing acts of sabotage in the process. It was a "what if" thought. Although it would be interesting to see what could be done with a rear hull. There's no guarantee that a saucer could complete a self destruct order, perhaps leaving a hulk adrift that could be salvaged by anyone who comes upon it.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 10:31 pm: Edit

Now I remember the title: Black Fire.

By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 11:44 pm: Edit

IIRC, one can not drop warp engines of a ship captured by Orions and replace with Orion engines capable of doubling. That would probably apply to a modified saucer as well.

As far as utility, how useful would an NCL be to the Orions, especially if procured prior to Y150. Even without engine doubling, the resultant unit would be popular with the Orions. Of course, the Federation would also try to hunt it down; if the Orions are suspected of killing any crew, the pursuit might be a trifle more intense than to the Orion liking.

This does depend on the damage suffered before abandonment. The saucer most likely will be so completely destroyed that rebuilding it into a operable ship would exceed its value. The best option would be to let a affialated legal salvor tow the saucer into a Fed port and collect a nice reward. (The scenario that led to the OK-6 proposal had ended with a lightly damaged rear hull and a long discussion with what the Orions could do with it. But the Orions aren't as desperate for big ships after 20 years.)

By Reid Hupach (Gwbison) on Saturday, March 09, 2013 - 03:31 pm: Edit

think of this, an orion shipyard is building a HA but near the end of construction runs short of certain parts, the only thing missing are the wings. the only parts laying around are the wings of a sal cruiser. they switch out a few parts to make room for 2 option mounts in the wings and add them on.

early war Orion DN 5 engines capable of doubling and more weapons, an even more enforceable enforcer.

Have fun with this idea.

By Mark S. Hoyle (Resartus) on Saturday, March 09, 2013 - 04:47 pm: Edit

Interesting idea, but as mentioned in Klingon section. I would hate to be the engineer that has to calibrate the warp field.

By A. David Merritt (Adm) on Saturday, March 09, 2013 - 08:11 pm: Edit

What is the Orion HA? I can't find it in G3.

By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Saturday, March 09, 2013 - 09:50 pm: Edit

I think he means CA.

SO it would have 5x10pt engines, 3FA-Opts, 2xLS-Opts, 2RS-Opts, 4xP1s, etc.

By Reid Hupach (Gwbison) on Saturday, March 09, 2013 - 11:25 pm: Edit

Ca I cant type