As long as we're talking about fractional power output....
Apparently, it is possible to run a power plant at a greatly reduced
level. In the MT Referee Manual, there is a sidebar somewhere that
mentions a maneouver invented by a Terran admiral involving tuning down
the output of his ship's fusion reactor. Enemy vessels would detect
emissions indicating a smaller, less powerful ship than was actually
present, and close to attack. The Terran ship would then put the plant
back on full power, and wreak havoc on the unsuspecting and outgunned
enemy. The great risk of this tactic was that the attempt *quickly*
change the power output of the fusion reactor ran the risk of making
it dummy out and either shut down or remain at the decreased level,
turning the tables on the unfortunate Terrans. When it worked, it
was a devastating tactic, however.
I think that the roll required was on the order of a hasty warm restart
attempt in terms of the task used.
- - --Steve