Glenn Myers [email removed] writes:
#I was looking over CT material as I prepared to code a set of Traveller
#Utilities when I realized I've misunderstood some things for years. I was
under
#the impression that Jump Drives "worked" by storing huge amounts of energy in
#zuchai crystals and releasing it to enter jump space. The only fuel needs
seemed
#to be that which the powerplant required to generate the huge amount of
energy.
#Then I noticed in High Guard under the section on Black Globes, page 43
#"If a ship absorbs enough energy to make a jump, and is supplied with
#sufficient fuel, it may jump at the end of the turn."
#Why is additional fuel required? How much is needed? I never noticed this
before
#because I never used Black Globes that much. I figure that someone who has
#gamed with TCS has to have encountered this at some point.
#It seems as though you have to pay twice. Does anybody know why?
Good question. Unfortunately the mechanics of jump drive seem to have changed
with each new generation of Traveller, and never quite got a full explanation,
with _detailed_ rules that weren't ambiguous.
Here're my house rules for CT and MT:
In order to jump, a starship must have a jump drive (high output power plant)
powered up and producing energy. The first faze of the sequence is to divert
energy into the jump capacitors. After the (zuchai crystal) capacitors are
fully charged (generally during the relatively low-output "power-up" cycle of
bringing the jump drive online), energy from the capacitors is shunted to the
lanthanum grid along with remaining output from the J drive. The remaining
several (mili?)seconds of the jump initiation is sustained by the J drive
alone.
Graphically:
Time--->
.......................................
O .
u .
t .
p .
u .
t .
.
|---- Charging Capacitors------------|-Initiation-|-Completion-|
Time--->
.
.
.
........................
I
n
p
u
t
Chart 1 represents the output produced by the Jump drive. Chart 2 represents
the input of energy into the lanthanum grid. Neither is to scale, since I
postulate a lengthy "warm-up" phase. It's this warm-up phase that the
black-globe rules allow you to "ignore," but you must still have a jump-drive
online and ready to roar (with a full [maybe 95%] fuel supply for the jump.)
In my campaigns, it's assumed that the drive is being brought online during the
phases previous to the jump.
In any event, it's all hand-waving and magic... :)
(Especially since the MT Starship Operator's Manual states pretty explicitly
that this rule no longer applies. Just goes to show that you can't trust an
old Vilani fart farther than you can smell him...)
My personal feeling is that capacitors were intoduced without much thought, and
that they haven't been exploited in standard designs enough. (Enclosed is my
[Updated] Ape class fighter, as an example: [High Guard design])
Date: 12/31/93
-Off-
---Def---
FS-???? Gibbon FS-0106611-D00000-05002-0 MCr15.611 8 tons
batteries bearing 1 1 Crew=1
batteries 1 1 TL=15
Passengers=0 Low=0 Cargo=0 Fuel=0.04 EP=0.48 Agility=6
Hull: 1 8.00 Tons 120KCr/Ton 960KCr
M-Drive: 6 17% 1.36 Tons 500KCr/Ton 680KCr
P-Plant: 6 6% .48 Tons 3000KCr/Ton 1440KCr
Fuel: 0.5% 0.04 Tons
Armor: 13 14% 1.12 Tons 300KCr+(1300KCr/Ton) 1756KCr
Capacitor 54EP 1.50 Tons 4000KCr/Ton 6000KCr
Computer: 1 1.00 Tons 2000KCr 2000KCr
Fusion Gun: 5 2.00 Tons 2000KCr 2000KCr
Missile: 2 750KCr 750KCr
Pilot Couch: 0.50 Tons 25KCr 25KCr
--------- --------
8.00 Tons 15611KCr
The Ape class fighter, while small in stature more than makes up for its
diminutive size with its blazing fusion gun, uncanny agility, and thick hide.
The 8 ton needle-shaped fighter is available (with slight modifications) at
tech level 12 and higher. The fighter mounts maneuver-6 and power plant-6
which produces 0.48 energy points, providing an agility rating of 6. Fuel
tankage is minimal, at 0.04 tons, giving a duration of 2.5 days constant
operation. Fuel scoops allow for easy refueling, and the craft may burn
unrefined fuel directly.
Much of it's 20% size reduction is due to the 1.5 ton capacitor that it leeches
engergy off of in combat situations. The capacitor can provide enough energy
to the craft's fusion gun for 27 turns of combat. A missile rack rounds out
the armament. The hull is armored to a strength of 13.
The fighter has no bridge, but does carry a Model/1 computer. For crew, the
craft carries a pilot/gunner, requiring one couch. As no gunner has been
provided for, the pilot may only fire one weapon at a time.
Many commanders are willing to endure this short duration in exchange for the
25% increase in guns (and the comparative strength of the fusion gun) that can
be brought against the enemy compared to conventional 10 ton fighters.
The TL 14 variety is same basic configuration, except that the armor factor
drops to 7. The volume obtained by the reduction in armor is used to
supplement the power plant. Double the cost of the power plant, but reduce the
cost for the armor.
The TL 13 variety is the same as the TL 14 version except that the armor factor
drops to 3, and the fusion-gun rating is reduced to 4.
The TL 12 variety is the same as the TL 13 version except that the maneuver
drive, power plant, and agility ratings are all reduced to 4, and the missile
rating is reduced to 1. The volume obtained by the reduction in the manuever
drive is used to supplement the power plant.
Below TL 12, this class of ship just isn't possible...
Design notes: As it stands, the only rules that were bent were the 1-ton
minimums on the fuel requirement, and the provision of two different weapon
types on board.
Oh yeah, the capacitor rules are on pages 31 and 42 of my edition of High
Guard (c) 1980 under the headings "Screens" and "The Black Globe",
respectively. I think this design is a logical extension of those rules.
- --
[email removed]