All,
I just returned from a short paid vacation aboard a Coast Guard 210ft Cutter.
While aboard bored (we are the aviation support and spend our time sleeping,
eating and flying in that order) I was wondering about the mission and roles
of such a vessel and how they would work in the GZG verse.
Cutter is 210 ft long
Compliment 9-12 officers 60-70 enlisted
Armament 1 25mm cannon 2.50 HMG
1 HH-65 Dolphin SSR Helicopter
1 RHI w 5 crew and GPMG
Our main threat is lightly armed fast smugglers and slow moving fishing
trawlers (they tend to think more of thier livelyhood than of the future and
so have some tendency to ignore spawning aviodance, size rules).
I think of this as some sort of Customs type setup in GZG parleance.
Any ideas?
<sarcasm>
I'm sorry. You have the wrong mail list. This is the Digital Camera /
Medieval / Species survival list.
Please direct your question to a more appropriate one;)
Thank you.
</sarcasm>
Pete
> From: "Bob Makowsky" <rmako@coqui.net>
***
<sarcasm>
I'm sorry. You have the wrong mail list. This is the Digital Camera /
Medieval / Species survival list.
Please direct your question to a more appropriate one;)
Thank you.
</sarcasm>
***
As an instigator, I offer apology.
Still, with the sarcasm a thought or two on the subject at hand would have
been ok.
Bob, forgive my ignorance, but isn't 210' for what a cutter used to signify on
the large size?
Would the one inch even come close to a class 1 beam?
Also, trying to model the helo-in-space just doesn't track. A single
fighter doesn't seem appropriate.
***
1 RHI w 5 crew and GPMG
***
I'm assuming crew of 5 and general purpose machine gun, but can you identify
what an RHI is, and, of course, point out if I made a misstep on the first
part.
If it's a real boat, then two 'boats' with the differences of a boat and a
helo beggers my imagination.
I'm thinking this would have to take a Full Thrust variant to do justice,
though one I certainly wouldn't mind playing in.
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> On Fri, 6 Apr 2001 devans@uneb.edu wrote:
> Bob, forgive my ignorance, but isn't 210' for what a cutter used to
That had me wondering as well. Same for crew of 70, you're starting to lean
topwards frigate, there?
I thought cutter was pretty much the same as fast patrol boat, but I could
have been wrong?
Cheers,
[quoted original message omitted]
Hi,
I would probably class this as a frigate in FT terms. Does the USCG have ANY
ship that is not called a "cutter?" I think that it may be a historical
oddity.
Very lightly armed, as their main opponents are unarmed "merchant" vessels.
Class 1 beams would be more than enough. Not sure about the FTL though. They
tend to stay within the 200 nm limit. I would venture so far as to suggest no
missles or armour as well.
> ***
Rigid Hull Inflatable. A small craft (~14'-50') with inflatable
rubber tubes for sides and a (normally) fibreglass V-hull. The
inflatable tubes provide stability and the rigid hull is a huge help in any
kind of sea state above glass calm. In the last 15 years these craft have
become the standard for search and rescue work.
In space, I see them as being a shuttle, like the helicopter.
> I'm assuming crew of 5 and general purpose machine gun, but can you
Think: cost. Your imagination should be able to take it from there;)
> I'm thinking this would have to take a Full Thrust variant to do
Cheers,
From: "Bob Makowsky" <rmako@coqui.net>
To: <gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>
> I just returned from a short paid vacation aboard a Coast Guard 210ft
I have the 'Rio Grande' class Coast Guard 'Corvette' in my Latin American
Fleet:
I think that the USCG uses the term cutter for a wide range of ships. I know
that
around the Great Lakes it is used for the 50-70' ships that are mainly
used for
SAR, and 100'+ ice breakers. I also had a chance to tour the Barbara
Morbtity as it went through from the shipyards (Wisconsin, I think) to it's
posting in Alabama. It was around 200'. and was used as a bouy tender, but had
deck mounts for some guns if needed.
I'd say that the helicopter would fall under the FT/DS interface found
in MT.
Probably same sort of boarding/drop shuttle. My take would be:
http://members.toast.net/chanfaunce/barbmorb.gif
Optionaly the Class-1 could be swapped for 1 PDS or 1 Mass Cargo
> Derk Groeneveld wrote:
> That had me wondering as well. Same for crew of 70, you're starting to
> Cutter is 210 ft long
I'd call the FT equivalent either a Corvette or Frigate. The UNSC has
a Frigate-sized Patrol Cutter.
> I think of this as some sort of Customs type setup in GZG parleance.
Because of the inherent fragility of FF size vessels, you need to be either
very careful or somewhat creative in scenario design. The
average FF has only 4-8 Hull, so you need low powered opponents and
victory conditions that do not necessarily involve heavy combat.
It can be done. I've got a few in the rough stage.
I think it is more frigate sized as well but armed like a small patrol boat
<G>.
As far as helos in space, we are used as transport, Medevac, Patrol, and
interception of unarmed targets. I guess a pinnace would be more like it.
RHI- Rigid Hulled Inflatable. Lowered from the ship to carry a boarding
team to another vessel for customs/security/safety boarding.
I think that the size does not really fit well with GZG. Its a bit large for
the capabilities. Inclusion of larger crew is due to older systems that
require more humans in the loop plus a larger damage control group.
One thing that I did notice. Crew size includes Non-Rated crew that are
learning their jobs. These could be included in Stargrunt or FMA:S boarding
ops as an extra section of greens.
Bob Makowsky
[quoted original message omitted]
Tony,
Thanks for jumping in and you are correct. I would argue that FTL is built in
as we have many of our larger cutters (210', 270', 378') patrolling well
outside the 200 mile EEZ. These ships are capable of sustained operations for
weeks at a time and with underway replenishment (UNREP) they can stay out for
unlimited times.
In FT terms I think of them as over crewed and built for longer patrols
outside the normal space lanes. SAR capabilities would include large sensor
arrays both active and passive. Helo is a much faster, longer ranged transport
than the RHI but one with limited range.
I have too much family commitment this weekend but if I get a chance I will
try to design something for posting.
Bob Makowsky
[quoted original message omitted]
Karl,
The 2 on that page both fit the same idea. Our RL cutters are slower (faster
than fishing boats the threat when they were built) but slower than smugglers
the current threat. I think if the CG was designing a patrol class vessel
today they would tend to be lightly armed but faster and if possible with some
sort of disabling armament. (We have been doing alot of experimentation with
disabling vessels from the air without damaging the crew. So far no really
effective methods).
Thanks for the input.
Bob Makowsky
[quoted original message omitted]