What essential buildings should a spaceport have?

[Hobby Services]

One obvious thing seems to have been left out:  one or (preferably) more parked starships or shuttles.  Having a starport without ships is like a bus station without a bus in sight, and many Gaean Reach ships are pretty small in 28mm scale.  For Vancian Rogue Stars, they could easily be the scenario objective, or one or both crews could start on board one. 

[vodkafan]

One obvious thing seems to have been left out:  one or (preferably) more parked starships or shuttles.  Having a starport without ships is like a bus station without a bus in sight, and many Gaean Reach ships are pretty small in 28mm scale.  For Vancian Rogue Stars, they could easily be the scenario objective, or one or both crews could start on board one. 

I mentioned the space ships at the beginning of my post; I have 3 large ones and 6 small ones. In one of the large ones (a tubby freighter) I plan to have 3 playable decks.

[dadlamassu]

Hospital/medical centre
Quarantine/containment area with suitable cells, pens, office, security
Duty Free Sales area/market
Power plant
Radar/communications centre
Vehicle park

The very secret (but well known) area where all the Government/Corporation conspiracies, devious and dodgy goings on take place

[vodkafan]

I sort of like the notion of different landing pads, perhaps different heights with service lifts and cargo lifts, perhaps with some smaller structures off to the sides of the pads for things like passenger lounges, cantina's, bars, duty free types . . . . and then perhaps more industrial types such as cargo storage (warehouses, container yards etc), shipping deppo and haulage company offices. I guess some form of security as well.

I realise that might be a lot, but they are all of the things that come to mind when I consider ideas for a spaceport.

Maybe based around something a little bit like this:

Mcfonz, I like where you are going with this....but I plan mine to be a different shape, perhaps hexagonal, with the landing pads more asymetrical and on varying levels. That piece of kit reminds me of the mining rig structure on Outland

[Etranger]

This is the Traveller RPG take on spaceports http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Starport

It depends upon how big you expect it to be. To take the analogy of an airstrip - the most basic would be a rough strip, with perhaps a shed and fuel bowser, if that, all the way up to something the size and complexity of Heathrow or LAX.







These are the basic facilities at Harmony City. There is a Comms shed, some refuelling facitilites, a taxiway (since extended) and a landing pad.

[vodkafan]

I really like theoverview you've done for your Spaceport. You only need a Cantina , as stated above aaaaaand a Landspeeder / speeder bikes rental

Thanks huesped. In the Jack Vance books they have "Aircars", "flitters" and barges that go higher in the air. I have something planned for those, but the rental place would be outside the spaceport perimeter, as would local forms of ground transport.

[vodkafan]

This is the Traveller RPG take on spaceports http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Starport

It depends upon how big you expect it to be. To take the analogy of an airstrip - the most basic would be a rough strip, with perhaps a shed and fuel bowser, if that, all the way up to something the size and complexity of Heathrow or LAX.


These are the basic facilities at Harmony City. There is a Comms shed, some refuelling facitilites, a taxiway (since extended) and a landing pad.

Thanks Etranger. Yes mine would be aiming towards the more basic set up to keep it manageable for a game.

[Etranger]

There are a lot of other bits and pieces that you can add on as you go too, which is one reason why my stuff is all modular.





A repair shop for skimmers and vehicles, run by a retired 'free trader'...


Harmony City (one version at least) with Starport in the distance.

[vodkafan]

Some form of security building, maybe some defensive turrets, Garages for towing/maintenance vehicles.

Don't forget a wind-sock as well

Lighting stanchions... and I know it's not a building but as well as landing pads, I would expect to see a runway or two.

Lighting.....now that's a thought

[vodkafan]

Hospital/medical centre
Quarantine/containment area with suitable cells, pens, office, security
Duty Free Sales area/market
Power plant
Radar/communications centre
Vehicle park

The very secret (but well known) area where all the Government/Corporation conspiracies, devious and dodgy goings on take place

I don't think I would need the power plant, unless it was part of the game scenario....It's all got to fit on a 4 x 4.

[The_Beast]

House of ill repute.
...
As to the shanty-town, seek inspiration from the, all to many, images of such things on this planet, right now.

I actually thought of the first, then decided it might be IN the shanty town.

Ultimately, I assumed it would be in back rooms of the cantina, or a not-yet-suggested casino.

Doug

[tomrommel1]

nice ideas

[has.been]

You are suggesting a star port  should have a 'casino'.
Do you wanna bet?

I'll get me coat.

[zemjw]

If you're looking for refuelling scenery, have a look at the Ainsty Pipe Farm stuff.

Battlesystems had a recent kickstarter that has some modular cardboard scenery that could come in handy - link. It has some stuff for creating an arrival bay, basically a giant hanger

DarkOps do MDF scenery that may be useful.

Can't actually think of much more in terms of buildings, perhaps something out of place with everything else for use as an alien quarter, eg a geodesic dome.

There should probably be a bus stop or taxi rank for folks getting to/from the startport

The Mantic deadzone scenery may be usable for shanty town buildings or a rundown part of the starport.

[n815e]

Shuttle 'buses' and toilets.  Restaurants.  Shady individuals.