An LTD Design using Quartermaster Standard Design rated components
Tons: 200 Std (S Cyl) Volume: 2800 m3 Cost: MCr 60.0
Crew: 4 Mid Pass: 5 Low: 3 Emrgncy LB
Cargo: 80 Std Controls: Std Civ TL: 12
8 Size 2 Jump Drive (20 Std/Pc Fuel)
1 Maneuver G (TPlates, 56MW)
2 Empty Turret Sockets 1.5 Power Plant (100MW + 50MW)
(24 MW power available) 41.6 Fuel Rating (S 80t/h, R 3t/h)
A1 P3 J0 Sensors
10 Armor, 10 Structure
Crew Detail: 1 Engineer, 1 Electronics, 2 Maneuver
(Additional accomodations, workstations exist for 2 Gunners)
(One Lg Stateroom for Captain, Owner Aboard, or Passenger)
The SAMARKAND class is LTD's first commercial entry using the new "Quartermaster Standard Design" -rated components: sufficient stability and availability of these specifications, along with the substantial discount they provide, should at last allow for more accessible and economical blueprints. LTD must note up front that the design does not "break even" with Imperial-mandated freight charges (in any case, the bulk freight market is largely sewn up by the megacorporations). The SAMARKAND is, instead, intended for the many small groups of speculative traders that ply the trade-routes of the Imperium: its reliability, customizability, and upgradeability should make it a tempting purchase for such a small travelling group, and the breakeven point lies at just 15% of cargo devoted to reasonable speculative returns (10% if a single high passenger is carried, even less if crew serve as working shareholders).
The ship is designed with an eye towards freight and speculative cargo, pure and simple, though five small staterooms are available for middle passages (in which case a medic must be carried) in case of contractors wishing to accompany their cargo. The lavish accomodations required for High Passage licensure are not provided, though a retrofit (and the addition of a steward to the crew) could allow two or three. A single high passenger could conceivably be carried in the single large stateroom, originally intended for the captain or owner aboard, but shipboard security could be compromised as those quarters are in the crew section. Still, the possibility exists.
Indeed, flexibility is the hallmark of the SAMARKAND design. To hold costs down and allow ultimate end-user flexibility, the design includes two empty turret sockets and 24MW excess power to allow any number of weapon combinations. The SAMARKAND's minimal sensor suite can easily be upgraded after purchase with the Improved model, which at TL12 has an identical displacement. The hull (built with reliable TL10 crystaliron to allow repairs at the widest variety of ports) is braced to withstand 3G accelerations: though the installed thrusterplates cannot provide such power (1G is possible, more with an empty hold), the additional internal bracing helps withstand any rough treatment by freight dockworkers or in crowded zero-g highports. Onboard fuel scoops and purification facilities have been designed to take as little space as possible from valuable cargo holds, while allowing the ability to refuel at gas giants and thus bypass unprofitable mainworlds sunk deep in a star's gravitational well.
Moreover, LTD understands that the traditional Far Trader, while enjoying great mobility, can suffer in competition with shorter-legged Free Traders on Known Space's many 1-jump Mains. Accordingly, our new SAMARKAND is designed with dual jump-fuel tanks. Permanent tankage holds fuel for the power plant and a single jump-1. But the fuel for the additional parsec range is stored immediately aft of the cargo bay, and contains a high-quality hatch to allow use of its 20-displacement-ton space on jump-1 routes! (Engineers must take care to ensure that all hydrogen vapors are removed before freight loading, but the Imperial Bureau of Safety ensures us that the design is technically sound. LTD disclaims all responsibility for accident in cases of improper sealing of the tank entrance or of improper venting of liquid hydrogen fuel or vapors).
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: LTD Samarkand-Class Far Trader Initial Down Payment: MCr 12 Monthly Bank Payment: MCr 0.25 for 480 months; Cr 250,000 per month Annual Maintenance Cost: Cr 60,000 per annum; Cr 5,000 per month Salaries (Pilot, Navigator, Engineer, Med/Stw): Cr 17,000 per month Life Support Costs (four crew cabins): Cr 16,000 per month Monthly Fuel Costs (bought, unrefined, J2): Cr 8,026 per month TOTAL MONTHLY COSTS: Cr 296,026 total per month Five middle passages (less life support): Cr 60,000 per month Single high passage (less life support): Cr 16,000 per month Freight fees for 72 Std cargo space: Cr 144,000 per month 8 tons cargo @100% sales (Cr5,000/std): Cr 80,000 per month TOTAL MONTHLY REVENUES (85% + speculation): Cr 300,000 total per month (Convertible fuel tank can provide additional Cr 40,000 freight revenue). (Pure reliance on freight charges, even at 100% continuous capacity WITH convertible fuel tank, will cause a monthly shortfall of some Cr 89,000).
DESIGN WORKSHEET: LTD Samarkand-Class Far Trader
Component Volume Power Cost Area Crew
Cyl-S TL10 Hull 188.8 -54.5 8.7 760
Jump-2 Drive -6 25.2 -28 0.2
Jump Fuel (2pc) -40
1G Thruster Plates -4 -56 14 -12 0.1
TL12 Fusion Plant -5.4 150 15 0.2
Fuel for 1 year -1.6
TL12 Fuel Plant -7 -1.5 0
TL12 Std Civ Cntrls -1.7 -1.3 9.2 -0.3
TL12 Basic Sensors -0.3 -11.1 6.8 -12.4 0.4
TL12 Basic Commo 0 -1.3 0.2 -11 0.4
Two Turret Sockets -6 -20
Workstations x6 -3 0.012
Lg StRm (Captain) -4 -0.000 0.1
Sm StRm x6 (Crew) -12 -0.003 0.24
Sm StRm x5 (Psngr) -10 -0.002 0.2
Emrgncy LBrths x3 -6 -0.006 0.3
Cargo Hold -80
TOTALS: 1.8 24.288 79.952 676.3
Crew: Engineering - 1 59.964 discounted cost
Electronics - 1
Maneuver - 2
(Gunnery) - (2)
(Medic/Stwrd) - (1)