I mean, this baby is essentially the Space Dock from BFG, but it doesn't perform the primary mission, which is indicated by its armaments, even though in my version the use of those armaments is itself a secondary function. That said...
The Wayfarer Station in the Core Rules has Space 80 (78 used) and Power 50 (47 used). The components listed are:
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Generatorium (?)
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Multiple Void Shield Array (power 7, space 2)
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Vitae Pattern Life Sustainer (power 5, space 3)
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Station Master’s Bridge (power 2, space 2) +10 to repair checks
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2 Keel Mars Macrocannon Batteries (power 8, space 4)
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1 Keel Starbreaker Lance (power 6, space 4)
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3 Civitas Decks (?)
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Docks (power 7, space 14)
- Hydroponics Decks (?)
Now I've parsed the unevaluated decks and given them numbers, but the whole setup just doesn't work. To begin with the station doesn't have an Augur Array. That just won't do. The BFG version has hangars, which makes total sense to me since it's a dock, and its primary mission should be loading/off-loading. The given bridge suggests that the primary mission is repair. I'd think that a secondary mission.
Look, a normal transport ship only has a dozen or so Halo barges. Yet to fill up a main cargo hold would probably take thousands of shuttle runs to the surface and back (maybe tens of thousands), and that doesn't even resupply the ship, which needs air, water, food, and fuel, not to mention replacement crew. The logistics don't sit well with me. A colony that is visited regularly and has something to offer a merchant ship needs an orbital platform to warehouse a cargo large enough to fill a couple merchant ships, maybe even more. That means it needs hangar space for all those landing Halo Barges. The bridge should be something of a cross between a Commerce Bridge and a Flight Command Bridge.
Here's my take.
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Generatorium (50)-9
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Shield Array 7- 2
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Life Sustainer 5- 3
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M-100 Augur Array 3- 0
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Bridge 2- 2
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2 Jovian Bays 2- 12
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1 Lance 6- 4
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Docks 7- 14
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2 main cargo holds 4- 8
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3 Voidsman Quarters 6- 12
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2 Extended Supply Vaults 2- 8
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2 Arboretums 4-6
That takes up 48 of the 50 available Power and all 80 of the 80 available Spaces. I made the Generatorium a bit smaller than those on ships since there is no need for exhaust engines, other than for minor adjustments to maintain the orbit. I used Voidsman Quarters for the Civitas Decks and Arboretums for the Hydroponics Decks. I'd think that most of the time the station would be resupplied from planet-side, but I tried to stick with canon as much as was reasonably possible. The hangars would probably keep around 2-4 squadrons of Furies for recon purposes, and otherwise would maintain a fleet of 200-300 Halo barges, half of which would be dirt-side at any given moment (more military small craft could be planet-side and redeployed if conflict is expected). This configuration should be able to keep a steady stream of shuttles moving and be able to refill its warehousing space between visiting ships. AP Bonuses for Trade add up to 425, not including the small craft themselves, but I don't use those RAW anyway. This station can handle 4 escort/transport-sized vessels simultaneously.
So I'm looking for ideas, things I've overlooked, etc. After that, I'll work on the actual space station from BFG, which is a bit larger.
Hmmm...looking at the Orbital Dock again, I missed something in the translation. It has a macrocannon battery instead of a lance, and apparently a Mars-pattern model. That saves 2 power and 2 space. The Space Station seems to have Hecutor batteries on it. Well, I'll just chalk that up to customization. In the end, any RT will cram on every available component, depending on their tastes. Some just can't do without a Shrine to the Emperor.
My Colony Endeavor rules require RTs to make, or contract for, many voyages back to civilization in order to build an Orbital Dock, but I don't charge them PF for it, like I might a new ship. Instead, after it's done it increases the PF of that colony. Now defenses are expensive, and while I don't charge PF for them, either, the PF of the hosting colony goes down (to account for maintenance and salaries, etc.).
Edited by Errant Knight