I am an inveterate tinkerer. About two years ago I became fascinated by the armed packet, a new type of starship introduced in Traveller5. The more I looked at it, the more I liked it: its basic mission of unscheduled passenger service really fits the kind of Traveller game I like to run: a little political intrigue, a little combat, and a little skullduggery.
So I started playing around with Mongoose Traveller ship design, doing first one iteration and then, with helpful feedback, a second. I even used a simplified ship design sequence from Traveller5 to check the basic parameters. The PCs for my Into the Interface game have even fallen into their own modified armed packet, the Starjammer.
In the last two years I’ve continued to tinker with ship design for various editions of Traveller and even had a few chances to use the armed packet in play. All of these experiences have greatly enhanced my understanding of Traveller starships in general as well as the armed packet specifically.
I’ve been particularly influenced by the work of the digital artist and modeler Ian Stead. Ian does spectacular work for Traveller and I’m a proud supporter of his Patreon. Ian has done several different renderings of the armed packet that have greatly helped me think through the layout of the ship.
All of these influences have been kicking around in my head for a few months now, and I’m finally ready to unveil the third iteration of my armed packet design. I think this latest version is much improved: simplified, with a cleaner and more logical layout. Give it a spin!
The Armed Packet is found throughout the Imperium but is particularly popular along the Imperial fringe.
Armed Packet (U-CA33): Using a 300-ton streamlined hull, the Type U Armed Packet provides unscheduled passenger service. The standard design specifies a performance of jump-3 and 3g acceleration. Fuel tankage for 91 tons supports the power plant and one jump-3. Adjacent to the bridge is a computer Model/3. There are 16 staterooms and 4 low berths. The ship has three hardpoints. Installed on the hardpoints are two triple turrets armed with missile racks and one triple turret armed with beam lasers. There is one ship's vehicle, an air/raft. Cargo capacity is 25 tons.
The ship requires a crew of five: pilot, astrogator, engineer, medic, and steward. Up to three gunners and additional personnel may be added. One of the crew will serve double duty as a pilot for the air/raft if carried aboard. The ship can carry ten passengers and four low passengers. The ship costs MCr116.595 (including 10% discount for standard design) and takes fourteen months to build.
The armed packet comes in many shapes and sizes, and under many names: the one described here is typical.
Performance: A packet lacks the armor and firepower to last long in a stand-up fight: its greatest assets are speed, agility, and range. The armed packet has a moderate jump rating of 3 with 3g acceleration capability. Its fuel tankage allows it to handle three successive one parsec jumps, and to cruise at 3g, maintain life support and environment, and generally operate with efficiency for about four weeks.
Special Features: A Type U is easily recognized due to its sesquiplane airframe configuration, designed to improve handling in atmosphere without adding substantial weight to the craft. The packet utilizes two distinctive sets of wings: a smaller pair above a larger pair.
Operations: The armed packet is an itinerant passenger ship specializing in safe passage off the main routes. Much of its business is corporate charters transporting executives to dangerous worlds and bringing them back safely.
Refueling: The armed packet has interior fuel tanks totaling 91 tons capacity. It requires 90 tons of fuel to support one jump-3, 60 tons to support one jump-2, and 30 tons to support one jump-1. One ton of fuel is sufficient to operate the power plant and maneuver drives for up to four weeks. The ship is equipped with fuel scoops and routinely refuels by skimming gas giants. The ship is also capable of refueling by processing water from local seas on the worlds it visits.
Finances: The monthly payments for a ship of this type amount to Cr485,813. Further expenses for crew salaries, life support, maintenance, and berthing fees amount to Cr93,969 per month, assuming a jump every two weeks. Fuel is free for the skimming, but could add another Cr45,000 per jump when its purchase is required. An armed packet can gross approximately Cr218,000 per month, assuming a full manifest of middle and low passengers and a full cargo bay at Cr1000 per ton of cargo.
Obviously, even with a full load, this ship would be unable to make its payments; therefore many member worlds subsidize these ships to encourage communication and commerce. The government makes the monthly payments, and also takes 50% of gross receipts. The owner pays all expenses, and thus is responsible for paying the overhead of Cr93,969 per month. The owner also receives half of the gross of up to Cr218,000 per month.
Charters of armed packets are common. The cost of such a charter is computed based on passenger staterooms (10) and on cargo tonnage (25). Total charter cost for the ship for two weeks is Cr116,100. Depending on the passengers and their destination, the price may be subject to a multiplier of anywhere from x2 to x6 to reflect associated risks.
Ship Model Variants: A common variant incorporates a 1 ton mail vault for mail delivery contracts. A much less popular variant packet (U-EA42), larger and with less range, is occasionally seen.
Manufacturers: Most shipyards can produce armed packets, and the quality of the ship varies with the manufacturer. Probably the best armed packets belong to the Iishillek-class, produced by Geschichtkreis Sternschiffbau AG for nobles and corporate executives. The worst are produced by General Products, LIC, which while serviceable exhibit only adequate workmanship and detail.
The Allied Prefabricated Ships & Vessels version of the Type U is a TL12 ship designated the Pemami-class. APS&V specializes in the construction of small to medium-size merchant vessels using standard designs, and its armed packets are fairly common along the Confederation border in Daibei, Magyar, and spinward portions of the Solomani Rim. The Pemami exemplifies APS&V builds: a blocky, utilitarian design matched with sturdy, durable construction.
Variants of the Type U are used throughout the Solomani Confederation. Transstar builds and operates an armed packet service exclusively for high level members of the Solomani Party. Iouo Interstellar Yards builds a particularly attractive armed packet, with sleek, graceful lines clearly inspired by Aslan design. This Yeao-class is very popular in Solomani-held territories in Dark Nebula sector.
Hull Points 120
Crew Pilot, Astrogator, Engineer, Steward, Medic, Gunner x3
Maintenance Cost Cr9,700 per month
Purchase Cost MCr116.595
| TL12 | Tons | Cost (MCr) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 300 tons, Streamlined | – | 18 |
| Armor | Crystaliron, Armor: 4 | 15 | 3.6 |
| M-Drive | Thrust 3 | 9 | 18 |
| J-Drive | Jump 3 | 27 | 41 |
| Power Plant | Fusion (TL12), Power 150 | 10 | 10 |
| Fuel Tanks | 4 weeks operation, J3 | 91 | – |
| Bridge | Standard | 20 | 1.5 |
| Computer | Computer 15 | – | 2 |
| Sensors | Civilian Grade | 1 | 3 |
| Weapons | Triple Turret (missile) x2 | 2 | 6.5 |
| Triple Turret (beam laser) | 1 | 2.5 | |
| Systems | Fuel Scoop | – | – |
| Fuel Processor (60 tons per day) | 3 | 0.15 | |
| Medical Bay | 4 | 2 | |
| Craft | Docking Space | 5 | 1.25 |
| Air/Raft | – | – | |
| Staterooms | Standard x16 | 64 | 8 |
| Low Berths x4 | 2 | 0.2 | |
| Software | Library | – | – |
| Maneuver/0 | – | – | |
| Jump Control/3 | – | 10 | |
| Common Areas | 21 | 2.1 | |
| Cargo | 25 | – |
This is the fourth iteration of the armed packet. Previous versions: First, Second, and Third.
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Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.
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