Freelance Traveller
As our mother the Frigate, bepainted and fine,
Made play for her bully the Ship of the Line;
So we, her bold daughters by iron and fire,
Accost and decoy to our masters' desire.
-- Rudyard Kipling, 1899
Originally (at Tech Level 3), "Cruiser" meant a ship operating independently. When iron and steel replaced wood and steam replaced sails at TL4, "Cruiser" replaced the former "Frigate" as the term for a medium-sized, general-purpose warship. It retains this meaning in Traveller.
Historically, cruisers filled several roles. As scouts and screening escorts (including antiaircraft defense), they provided more firepower and endurance than destroyers. As independent commerce raiders, they operated alone to shoot up enemy shipping. In squadron strength, they hunted down enemy raiders or provided extra "muscle" for task forces and battle fleets.
These are cruisers built under Classic Traveller to the maximum size of the Book 2 Starship Design system - 12000 tons, the largest hull that a Z-size modular engine can move at 1-G. They are intended to serve as "capital ships" for a small-ship campaign or medium-size ships for larger campaigns.
Three variants of each cruiser are provided:
- TL11, Jump-2, 4-G (for "low-tech Trav")
- TL13, Jump-4, Maneuver-4 (typical of the pre-3I campaigns profiled in Other Roads
- TL13+, Jump-4, 6-G (typical Third Imperium performance requirements)
To achieve this performance using stock Book 2 engines, these ships are assumed to have multiple engines.
Cruiser Worcester
Based on and named after the American Navy's ultimate TL6 light gun cruiser, the Worcester is a 12000-ton armored cruiser, primarily armed with beam weaponry, intended as a flagship/"battleship" for small-ship campaigns or a Light Cruiser for larger campaigns.
Worcester-11 CL (TL11). 12000 tons. Armor-10. Jump-2, 4-G. 2560 tons fuel. Dual bridges & Model/5s. 100 staterooms, 100 low berths. Six 10-ton laser bays, two 100-ton missile bays, 40 triple turrets (24 x BBB, 16 x SSS). 400-ton capacity shuttle bay, 2856 tons user-definable. Not streamlined. 155 crew, 35 Marines.
MCr 7455.7; 36 months. Special Rules: Multiple Engines, Hull Armor, Laser Bays, Missile Bays.
Worcester-11 Cruiser. Using a custom 12000-ton hull, the Worcester-11 is a general-purpose beam cruiser. It mounts dual Jump Drive-Z, four Maneuver Drive-Z, and four Power plant-Z, giving a performance of Jump-2 and 4-G. Fuel tankage for 2560 tons supports the power plants and allows one Jump-2. The ship has dual bridges (main and backup), each with a Computer Model/5. There are 100 staterooms and 100 low berths. The ship has six 10-ton bays, two 100-ton bays, and 40 hardpoints with fire-control. Six 10-ton laser bays, two 100-ton missile bays, and 40 triple turrets are installed 24 with triple beam lasers and 16 with triple sandcasters; 144 tons of sandcaster magazines holds 30 rounds per sandcaster. A dedicated hangar bay holds up to 400 tons of ship's vehicles. Cargo capacity is 2856 tons; the ship is not streamlined. The hull is armored to Armor-10.
The Worcester-11 requires a crew of about 155, not counting any ship's troops/Marines, assuming single-occupancy for officers and double occupancy for enlisted men; total life-support capacity is 200. Any ship's troops/Marines (up to several hundred) would be carried in modular barracks with integral life-support in the cargo hold. The ship costs MCr 7455.7, and takes 36 months to build.
The TL13 version increases performance to Jump-4 and 4-G, for an approximation of the standard Shavian Empire light cruiser:
Worcester-13 CL (TL13). 12000 tons. Armor-10. Jump-4, 4-G. 4960 tons fuel. Dual bridges & Model/7s. 100 staterooms, 100 low berths. Six 10-ton laser bays, two 100-ton missile bays, 40 triple turrets (24 x BBB, 16 x SSS). Nuclear Damper. 400-ton capacity shuttle bay, 1224 tons user-definable. Not streamlined. 165 crew, 35 Marines.
MCr 6442; 36 months. Special Rules: Multiple Engines, Hull Armor, Laser Bays, Missile Bays, Nuclear Damper.
Worcester-13 Cruiser. Using a custom 12000-ton hull, the Worcester-13 is a general-purpose beam cruiser. It mounts four Jump Drive-Z, four Maneuver Drive-Z, and four Power plant-Z, giving a performance of Jump-4 and 4-G. Fuel tankage for 4960 tons supports the power plants and allows one Jump-4. The ship has dual bridges (main and backup), each with a Computer Model/7. There are 100 staterooms and 100 low berths. The ship has six 10-ton bays, two 100-ton bays, and 40 hardpoints with fire-control. Six 10-ton laser bays, two 100-ton missile bays, and 40 triple turrets are installed 24 with triple beam lasers and 16 with triple sandcasters; 144 tons of sandcaster magazines holds 30 rounds per sandcaster. A dedicated hangar bay holds up to 400 tons of ship's vehicles. Cargo capacity is 2856 tons; the ship is not streamlined. The hull is armored to Armor-10, and a TL13 nuclear damper is fitted.
The Worcester-13 requires a crew of about 165, not counting any ship's troops/Marines, assuming single-occupancy for officers and double occupancy for enlisted men; total life-support capacity is 200. Any ship's troops/Marines (up to a couple hundred) would be carried in modular barracks with integral life-support in the cargo hold. The ship costs MCr 6442, and takes 36 months to build.
Further increasing the performance to the Third Imperium standard of Jump-4 and 6-G provides an Third Imperium light cruiser:
Imperial Worcester CL (TL13). 12000 tons. Armor-10. Jump-4, 6-G. 5160 tons fuel. Dual bridges & Model/7s. 100 staterooms, 100 low berths. Six 10-ton laser bays, two 100-ton missile bays, 40 triple turrets (24 x BBB, 16 x SSS). Nuclear Damper. 400-ton capacity shuttlebay, 794 tons user-definable. Not streamlined. 175 crew.
MCr 6947.5; 36 months. Special Rules: Multiple Engines, Hull Armor, Laser Bays, Missile Bays, Nuclear Damper.
Imperial Worcester Cruiser. Using a custom 12000-ton hull, the Imperial Worcester is a general-purpose beam cruiser for the likes of the Third Imperium. It mounts four Jump Drive-Z, six Maneuver Drive-Z, and six Power plant-Z, giving a performance of Jump-4 and 6-G. Fuel tankage for 4960 tons supports the power plants and allows one Jump-4. The ship has dual bridges (main and backup), each with a Computer Model/7. There are 100 staterooms and 100 low berths. The ship has six 10-ton bays, two 100-ton bays, and 40 hardpoints with fire-control. Six 10-ton laser bays, two 100-ton missile bays, and 40 triple turrets are installed 24 with triple beam lasers and 16 with triple sandcasters; 144 tons of sandcaster magazines holds 30 rounds per sandcaster. A dedicated hangar bay holds up to 400 tons of ship's vehicles. Cargo capacity is 794 tons; the ship is not streamlined. The hull is armored to Armor-10, and a TL13 nuclear damper is fitted.
The Imperial Worcester requires a crew of about 175, not counting any ship's troops/Marines, assuming single-occupancy for officers and double occupancy for enlisted men; total life-support capacity is 200. Any ship's troops/Marines (up to a couple hundred) would be carried in modular barracks with integral life-support in the cargo hold. The ship costs MCr 6947.5, and takes 36 months to build.
Tech level 14-15 versions would have upgraded computers and nuclear dampers and more compact TL14+ armor, recovering some of the user-definable space.
Cruiser/Carrier Mogami
Before the advent of nuclear dampers and meson guns/screens at TL12, missiles (especially nuclear missiles) remain the primary ship-killing weapon. Because a single nuke can cause catastrophic damage, doctrine up to TL12 is to spread the risk and firepower over many smaller and cheaper hulls.
And the smallest hulls are those of fighters. Below TL12, "Carrier Navies" centered around fighters and small missile-armed "torpedo boats" rule the sky. And fighters need a carrier to operate as anything other than ground-based system defense.
Named after Japan's longest river, the Mogami is a hybrid 12000-ton cruiser with the fighter capacity of a 6000-ton light carrier. The launch/recovery bay can pass up to 30-ton Ship's Boats; with modular Marine barracks fitted into the hangar deck, the cruiser can carry and assault-land a Marine battalion.
The ship's fighter wing is assumed to consist of 40 single-seat, 10-ton lightweight fighters and 20 two-seat, 20-ton heavy fighters with the ability to launch/recover 40 each turn. Assuming 10% of the complement are "spares" down for maintenance, the wing is organized into three 12-light fighter squadrons and one 18-heavy fighter attack squadron.
Mogami-11 CLV (TL11). 12000 tons. Armor-6. Jump-2, 4-G. 2800 tons fuel. Dual bridges & Model/5s. 200 staterooms, 200 low berths. Three 10-ton laser bays, four 100-ton missile bays, 40 triple turrets (24 x BBB, 16 x SSS). 1200-ton capacity hangar bay with rapid launch/recovery facilities for 30-ton small craft, 1880 tons user-definable. Not streamlined. 290 crew, 40 Marines.
MCr 5204.6; 36 months. Special Rules: Multiple Engines, Hull Armor, Laser Bays, Missile Bays, Rapid Launch/Recovery Facilities.
Mogami-11 Cruiser. Using a custom 12000-ton hull, the Mogami-11 is a hybrid cruiser/carrier. It mounts dual Jump Drive-Z, four Maneuver Drive-Z, and four Power plant-Z, giving a performance of Jump-2 and 4-G. Fuel tankage for 2800 tons supports the power plants, allows one Jump-2, and 240 tons for the fighter wing. The ship has dual bridges (main and backup), each with a Computer Model/5. There are 100 staterooms and 100 low berths. The ship has three 10-ton bays, four 100-ton bays, and 40 hardpoints with fire-control. Six 10-ton laser bays, two 100-ton missile bays, and 40 triple turrets are installed: 24 with triple beam lasers and 16 with triple sandcasters; 144 tons of sandcaster magazines holds 30 rounds per sandcaster. A dedicated hangar bay holds up to 1200 tons of ship's vehicles, with rapid launch/recovery facilities for up to 40 30-ton small craft. Cargo capacity is 1880 tons; the ship is not streamlined. The hull is armored to Armor-6.
The Mogami-11 requires a crew of about 120, plus 170 for the fighter wing (10 launch/recovery crew, 100 flight crew, and 60 maintenance personnel), not counting any ship's troops/Marines, assuming single-occupancy for officers and double occupancy for enlisted men; total life-support capacity is 400. Any ship's troops/Marines (up to several hundred) would be carried in modular barracks with integral life-support in the cargo hold. The ship costs MCr 5204.6, and takes 36 months to build.
The TL13 version increases performance to Jump-4 and 4-G, at the expense of 200 tons of hangar bay and almost all of the user-definable space; the resulting ship would not be out of place in the Foible Federation.
Mogami-13 CLV (TL13). 12000 tons. Armor-6. Jump-4, 4-G. 5200 tons fuel. Dual bridges & Model/7s. 200 staterooms, 200 low berths. Three 10-ton laser bays, four 100-ton missile bays, 40 triple turrets (24 x BBB, 16 x SSS). Nuclear damper. 1000-ton capacity hangar bay with rapid launch/recovery facilities for 30-ton small craft, 242 tons user-definable. Not streamlined. 300 crew, 40 Marines.
MCr 5058.2; 36 months. Special Rules: Multiple Engines, Hull Armor, Laser Bays, Missile Bays, Rapid Launch/Recovery Facilities, Nuclear Damper.
Mogami-13 Cruiser. Using a custom 12000-ton hull, the Mogami-13 is a hybrid cruiser/carrier. It mounts four Jump Drive-Z, four Maneuver Drive-Z, and four Powerplant-Z, giving a performance of Jump-4 and 4-G. Fuel tankage for 5200 tons supports the powerplants, allows one Jump-4, and 240 tons for the fighter wing. The ship has dual bridges (main and backup), each with a Computer Model/7. There are 100 staterooms and 100 low berths. The ship has three 10-ton bays, four 100-ton bays, and 40 hardpoints with fire-control. Six 10-ton laser bays, two 100-ton missile bays, and 40 triple turrets are installed: 24 with triple beam lasers and 16 with triple sandcasters; 144 tons of sandcaster magazines holds 30 rounds per sandcaster. A dedicated hangar bay holds up to 1000 tons of ship's vehicles, with rapid launch/recovery facilities for up to 40 30-ton small craft. Cargo capacity is 242 tons; the ship is not streamlined. The hull is armored to Armor-6, and a TL13 nuclear damper is fitted.
The Mogami-13 requires a crew of about 130, plus 170 for the fighter wing (10 launch/recovery crew, 100 flight crew, and 60 maintenance personnel), not counting any ship's troops/Marines, assuming single-occupancy for officers and double occupancy for enlisted men; total life-support capacity is 400. Any ship's troops/Marines (up to several hundred) would be carried in modular barracks with integral life-support in the cargo hold. The ship costs MCr 5058.2, and takes 36 months to build.
Achieving the Third Imperium performance of Jump-4 and 6-G requires thinning the armor from Armor-6 to Armor-4; the resulting design is still pretty tight:
Imperial Mogami CLV (TL13). 12000 tons. Armor-4. Jump-4, 6-G. 5400 tons fuel. Dual bridges & Model/7s. 200 staterooms, 200 low berths. Three 10-ton laser bays, four 100-ton missile bays, 40 triple turrets (24 x BBB, 16 x SSS). Nuclear damper. 1000-ton capacity hangar bay with rapid launch/recovery facilities for 30-ton small craft, 282 tons user-definable. Not streamlined. 310 crew, 40 Marines.
MCr 4953.1; 36 months. Special Rules: Multiple Engines, Hull Armor, Laser Bays, Missile Bays, Rapid Launch/Recovery Facilities, Nuclear Damper.
Imperial Mogami Cruiser. Using a custom 12000-ton hull, the Imperial Mogami is a hybrid cruiser/carrier. It mounts four Jump Drive-Z, six Maneuver Drive-Z, and six Power plant-Z, giving a performance of Jump-4 and 6-G. Fuel tankage for 5200 tons supports the power plants, allows one Jump-4, and 240 tons for the fighter wing. The ship has dual bridges (main and backup), each with a Computer Model/7. There are 100 staterooms and 100 low berths. The ship has three 10-ton bays, four 100-ton bays, and 40 hardpoints with fire-control. Six 10-ton laser bays, two 100-ton missile bays, and 40 triple turrets are installed: 24 with triple beam lasers and 16 with triple sandcasters; 144 tons of sandcaster magazines holds 30 rounds per sandcaster. A dedicated hangar bay holds up to 1000 tons of ship's vehicles, with rapid launch/recovery facilities for up to 40 30-ton small craft. Cargo capacity is 282 tons; the ship is not streamlined. The hull is armored to Armor-4, and a TL13 nuclear damper is fitted.
The Imperial Mogami requires a crew of about 140, plus 170 for the fighter wing (10 launch/recovery crew, 100 flight crew, and 60 maintenance personnel), not counting any ship's troops/Marines, assuming single-occupancy for officers and double occupancy for enlisted men; total life-support capacity is 400. Any ship's troops/Marines (up to several hundred) would be carried in modular barracks with integral life-support in the cargo hold. The ship costs MCr 4953.1, and takes 36 months to build.
Other Variants:
The above baseline designs are not streamlined (and thus dependent on separate fuel-skimmers and tankers). Adding streamlining and its accompanying self-refueling ability costs an additional MCr 109.1/ship.
Tech level 14-15 versions would have upgraded computers and nuclear dampers and more compact TL14+ armor, recovering some of the user-definable space.
Historical Footnote/Design Notes
Worcester: The original USS Worcester (CL-144) was originally built as part of the American Navy's buildup during the Second World War. Incorporating autoloading mainguns, heavy-caliber autocannon, and radar fire-control, she represented the ultimate Tech Level 6 gun cruiser, intended primarily as an antiaircraft screening ship with secondary anti-ship and shore-bombardment functions. Though ten of the class were planned, only two (USS Worcester and USS Roanoke) were completed as the end of the war cut short all naval construction. Expensive and manpower-intensive, they saw an uneventful peacetime career during the first half of the Cold War before being made obsolete by missile developments.
The Traveller version is scaled from the armament; the six laser bays represent the original Worcester's six twin 152mm turrets (dual-purpose, with autoloaders) and the triple laser turrets her secondary 76mm autocannon. The two missile bays were added to give the ship some missile punch (with some justification as her predecessors, the Atlanta & San Diego-class antiaircraft cruisers, incorporated two banks of torpedo tubes), and the sandcasters were added to fill out her tonnage. Leftover space was used to add heavy hull armor.
Mogami: Named after the longest river in the Japanese home islands, the HIJMS Mogami was a state-of-the-art Tech Level 6 cruiser on the other side of the same war. After Japan's aircraft carrier force was completely destroyed in the defeat at Midway, the Japanese Navy became obsessed with making up the losses by converting as many ships as possible to aircraft carriers (the new capital ships). And the Mogami, badly damaged in the same battle, was one of them. In what was to be her second rebuild, her after gun turrets were replaced by a half-length flight deck intended to hold a squadron of catapult-launched seaplanes.
The "hybrid seaplane cruiser" idea turned out to be a bust; the flight deck could not operate actual carrier-based aircraft, the expected high-performance seaplane fighters never got beyond the prototype stage, and by the time Mogami rejoined the surviving Combined Fleet, all of the Imperial Navy's experienced pilots had been killed as the Americans relentlessly advanced across the Pacific towards Japan. Mogami died in the last major fleet action of the war, accompanying Japan's two oldest battleships in a suicide charge up Surigao Strait directly into the guns of six American battleships.
Ironically, advances in helicopters at TL7 and the introduction of VTOL aircraft at TL8 would have made Mogami's half-flight deck practical. Such a ship could screen a task force with anti-submarine helicopters, provide basic air cover to a convoy with VTOL aircraft, or bombard a shore with her guns while landing Marines by helicopter.
The Traveller version was created by taking a Worcester hull and displacing some of the weapons and armor with the fighter bay of a light carrier. The three laser bays represent the original Mogami's three remaining gun turrets; the four missile bays (twice as many as the Worcester) her four banks of "Long Lance" torpedo tubes. The rapid launch/recovery facilities are scaled around a 30-ton Ship's Boat to allow the ship to double as a Marine transport/lander if necessary.