I was thinking about the lab ship and in the Spinward Marches, the
Lavalier-class Laboratory Ship
is adequate along established Jump-2 routes, but it may require detours and additional week-long jumps to bypass three-parsec gaps.
While the
Elson-class Explorer Vessel can cross those gaps directly, shorten many journeys, and reach more isolated systems. It does not have an image unfortunately.
The 400-ton Lavalier is the stronger dedicated research platform, with 85 tons of laboratory space, twenty staterooms, a 40-ton pinnace, two air/rafts, and 23 tons of cargo, but its 1-G drive, unstreamlined hull, lack of integral fuel scoops, and normally unarmed configuration make it slow and dependent upon its pinnace for wilderness refueling.
The 500-ton Elson is a more capable expedition ship, with Jump-3, 2-G acceleration, a streamlined hull, fuel scoops and purification plant, Model/5 computer, four laboratories, briefing room, medical bay, ATV, two air/rafts, and 25 tons of cargo. However, it has fewer staterooms and far less published detail, and the Traveller Wiki identifies it as a non-canon design drawn from Ship Record Sheets.
To me the Lavalier-class Laboratory Ship is fine, but I find the model 2 computer a bit lacking and it has 23 staterooms! That is much for the team. The Elson class ship has 14 staterooms and a crew of 8 which leaves room for the team.
Another option is the 'Foundation' that that forms (hires?? GM??) the team can charter a Merchant vessel that has J-2 capability. Then the team has a ship to operate from and a University and Foundation (grant?) to find artifacts.
Anyway back tot eh ship, the reason why i suggest a Merchant ship is that it has a large cargo hold and we can have a Large Cargo 'module' that contains it's own powerplant (maybe), laboratories, computer (hence the reason for the powerplant - or the Laboratory module plugs into the ship's power), briefing room, work offices, and storage. And an air raft to fly the team around.
Thoughts?
