Tom,

This is Guy Garnett, I did the original design for T4 QSDS.  I'll do my best to answer your questions.  One caveat: QSDS for T4 was was done quite a while ago.  While I still have most of the files I used to put it together, I didn't keep detailed notes about the decisions.  So the following is my best recollection, supported by the files and spreadsheets that I have.

> Q: How was the Standard Hull Configurations Armor USD factor determined?  I’ve tested the standard hull configurations table using TNE FF&S Mk 1 Mod 0 with my results at worst being plus or minus 0.5 from those in the table. With the exception of the Armor  values. Per TNE FF&S the minimum armor value is 10 x the maximum acceleration in Gs a vessel can pull.

The hulls were designed using TNE FF&S and try to reflect suitable hulls for each of the "standard" Traveller starships.  All hulls were built at TL-10 out of CrystalIron and include extended life support, gravitational compensation, basic access to the interior (airlocks and hatches), controls, fuel scoops, and CG Lifters.

The FF&S armor value was set based on the intended role.  For examples, the 400-ton airframe cylinder is intended for a Fat Trader, and has FF&S armor of 10 (the minimum for a 1G hull); on the other hand, the 800-ton un-streamlined sphere is intended for use in a Broadsword-class mercenary cruiser, and has extra armor (FF&S armor value 200).

I suspect that your confusion comes from the fact that the T4 armor values aren't the same as FF&S armor values.  The following table should help make sense of things:
 T4 Armor    FF&S Armor
 0           0 to 19
 10          20 to 39
 20          40 to 79
 30          80 to 119
 40          120 to 159
 50          160 to 199
 60          200 to 249

> Q: My testing using TNE FF&S has matched the numbers for the Jump Drive, HEPlaR Drive, Thrust Plate Drive, Standard Civilian Controls, and Standard Military Controls.

Excellent!  :-)

> Q: The TL 9 Basic Sensor system I’m a bit off on the Volume in displacement tons and cost. My Volume calculations for cubic meters add up to 14 m^3, however when I round the radar processor and antenna to the first decimal place my number matches the one on the Standard Sensor table. The cost I get is 13.8 versus 13.5 which I thinks is due to the radar’s antenna cost not being included. The cost requirement for the radar is part of the Consolidated TNE Errata.

I'm pretty sure that I didn't have access to all of the errata when T4 QSDS was being done - so really, I'm the one who is a bit off. Your figures look correct.

> Q: On the Standard Sensor Systems table the USD column has the following entry: TL 9 Basic Sensor System USD A0 P2 J0[...] Have I made the right conclusion on the active and passive bits of data?

I think so.  This is one area where I don't have a lot of information, since it looks like the data in the tables was just entered directly.  I probably quickly added up data from FF&S and entered it, without bothering to make a design formula.  Similarly the USD values are just entered in the table as a text string, not computed.

However, I do have some notes that say:
 Active/Passive Sensors: Use short range (in cbt, modified by TL difference attacker/defender)
 Stealth/EMM/ECM: Use short range (in cbt, modified by TL difference attacker/defender)

> Q: How was the Jammer data calculated?

Based on the above, I suspect the jammer data are based on the FF&S short range of a suitable radar jammer or AEMS jammer, divided by 30,000 just like the active and passive sensor values.  I'm also fairly sure that jammers are only actually installed for military sensor systems - civilian sensor systems don't include jammers.

That said, there is a discrepancy with the TL-10 Small Military sensors - there is no jammer value supplied (even though TL-9 and TL-11 small military sensors include jammers).  I don't know if I forgot to include the jammer in the sensor package, or forgot to include the jammer's capability in the USD.  Going by the pattern of the rest of the small military sensor packages, it should have a J2 jammer included.

---Guy "Wildstar" Garnett
xxxxxx@prismnet.com