I always wondered about that; in my designs, I often solved the problem by
installing a second (backup) smaller plant, sized for the Life Support +
Electronics + about Maneuver-1 power. Thus, higher performance ships didn't
eat full fuel... though this idea doesn't scale well to ships smaller than
200 tons.
and Re: Jump Fuel
There was origionally (long long ago) in the ship operations rules
something that said that the ship used all its jump fuel no matter the range.
At some point, the concept of a Jump Govenor was introduced; something that let
the ship burn only the jump fuel for the actual distance being jumped... neither
of those concepts made it as far as MegaTraveller. IMHO; there is now a tacit
assumption in the craft rules that a Jump Govenor is installed, and you will
only burn the fuel for the distance you are travelling. Though it ought to
be brought up with Marc Miller one of these days...
- - -george william herbert
[email removed]