Hi kaladorn,

On 09/28/2020 6:08 PM xxxxxx@gmail.com wrote:

On Mon, Sep 28, 2020 at 6:27 PM Thomas RUX < xxxxxx@comcast.net> wrote:

Hello all,

After another review of the article I may have found another bit of errata and help with the meaning of a line of text.

1. Errata Berthing: "The maximum number of landing bays available in a starport can be set by a simple calculation. The chart shows a basic number modified from the star system's UWP figure (P); thus, the number for a Class A port in a system with an UWP Population Code of A (10) is 11."

The Starport Contents Table has the following entries:

Class A = P - 0, Class B = P - 1, Class C/F = P - 2, Class D/G = P - 3, and Class E/H = p - 4.

In order to get the number of 11 for a Class A port the calculation should be P + 1.

In this case I would recommend changing the calculation of P - 0 to P + 1.

The steps up are a change of +1.

P-4 -> P-3 -> P-2 -> P-1 -> P-0

So that progression is very even throughout the range.

What would be easier to change is the line that says :

"The maximum number of landing bays available in a starport can be set by a simple calculation. The chart shows a basic number modified from the star system's UWP figure (P); thus, the number for a Class A port in a system with an UWP Population Code of A (10) is 10."

That retains the symmetry and even steps as you go E->D->C->B->A and still requires only one change.

Is there an argument in favour of the P+1 making the progression uneven only at that point?

In this case one could change either the text example from 11 to 10 or changing the table calculation from P - 0 to P +1.

However, there are other entries that the progression is uneven. Examples of uneven progression:

Extrality: Class A = 3+, Class B = 4+, Class C/F = 6+, Class D/G = 8+, and Class E/H = 10+

Starship Construction: Class A = T +2, Class B = T +0, Class C = T -2, Class D = T -4, and Class E = T -8

Spaceship Construction: Class A = T +4, Class B = T  +2, Class C = T -0, Class D = T -3, and Class E = T -6

Major Repair: Class C/F = 5+, Class D/G = 9+, and Class E/H = 12+

My preference is to change the table entry from -0 to +1 since I feel that a Class A port will be able to service more vessels than a Class B.

2. Shipbuilding: "...However, note that if starships can be built at a port, spaceships are automatically possible as well...."

Does the text mean that spaceship construction is automatically possible?

If I recall, the only places Starships can be built is Port type A (maybe B?).

Per CT, MT, TNE, T4, GT, T20, MgT, and T5 only Class A ports can construct starships.

In The Compleat Starport class A through E can build starships provided that a 2D6 roll is less than or equal to a target number. The target number is found by using the calculation of Technology Level - a modifier.

Starship Construction: Class A = T +2, Class B = T +0, Class C = T -2, Class D = T -4, and Class E = T -8

All they are saying is that if you can build a starship (which is to say 'a spaceship with jump drive'), then you can build a spaceship there ('a spaceship without jump drive').

So, yes, in order to build a starship, you build a spaceship but add in a jump engine. There's no sensible way you could ONLY build a starship and not also a spaceship. I can imagine no case where I could build all of the systems that a starship needs (everything a spaceship needs plus a jump drive and software) where I could not instead choose to build a spaceship (everything a spaceship needs but no jump drive or jump software).

That's how I see it...

Thank you kaladorn, a.k.a. TomB, for confirming that I was on the right track for a change.

Tom Rux

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