Boarding Shuttle

[Felius (OP)]

So, I'm trying to design a small and fast boarding shuttle. 

Chihuahua class Assault Shuttle    190 tons     3 Crew     46. 5 BP      TCS 3. 8  TH 14. 4  EM 0
15789 km/s     Armour 2-2     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 2%    IFR: 0%    Maint Capacity 15 MSP    Max Repair 20 MSP    Est Time: 6. 71 Years
Drop Capacity: 1 Company   

FTR Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E500 (1)    Power 60    Fuel Use 5000%    Signature 14. 4    Armour 0    Exp 25%
Fuel Capacity 5,000 Litres    Range 0. 9 billion km   (16 hours at full power)

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes

My idea is to fill them with a marine company each, put a handful of them in a assault carrier, get close and launch them all.  I started thinking of using a Gunboat Engine, which could get me a little more speed, but them I would have more weight, which means less ships per carrier, plus in making it a fighter, it makes much easier to build them in huge amounts.

So, opinions, suggestions, criticisms? I could reduce armor a little, but I don't know if the little extra speed will make much of a difference. 

[Erik L]

The marines will lose morale if they spend any extended amount of time in the drop pods. So unless your carrier has troop quarters, that's something else you might consider.

[Felius (OP)]

That's good to know.  I wondered why the drop pods could carry the same amount in less space than the troop bay.  Hmm, yeah, I guess I'll put some Troop bays in the carrier.

[Ziusudra]

Also, include cargo handling systems on the carrier. If it takes to long to transfer them they will lose morale.

And read this thread if you want more info.

[Felius (OP)]

Question, can I transfer the marines with the shuttles still docked, or do I need to launch then first?

[Deutschbag]

I'm fairly certain you can transfer them with them still docked, in either the unit or the task group window (not quite sure which; it's a command that has something to do with parasites/motherships).

[James Patten]

You can transfer them between the carrier and the shuttle while the shuttle is docked.  However, like every command in Aurora, you have to pick a point in space and give orders to do it at that point.  Meanwhile your ship is not moving for whatever the amount of time it takes to do the transfer.  So it's a trade-off between gambling that you can transfer the troops moments before you launch your shuttles with the enemy in sight before you get shot at, or transferring them right when you transit into the system and hoping their morale doesn't plummet too much while you look for the enemy.