[IMTU] Drop Tanks

[pasuuli]

Rather than designing drop tanks, I typically use Small Hulls instead, attached to the mothership via a Docking Clamp. It's slightly inefficient, but since it follows the small craft design process it's easy, and it's (theoretically) possible to design Drop Tanks which have their own propulsion system too... i.e. once they're dropped they can fly back to the starport.

 

[locarno24]

Sounds sensible. The two concerns:

1) Drop tanks tend to get destroyed by the jump effects at lower TL. A more expensive 'mobile tanking pod' is therefore not something you'll want to use until....I think it's TL15 they automatically survive?

2) A docking clamp doesn't by default include linkages for drawing off fuel, etc - there's no problem with giving them that capability, but I'd say that justifies an extra dTon of space or so in the clamp relative to a 'normal' docking clamp for the same size ship.

 

[pasuuli]

Sounds sensible. The two concerns:

1) Drop tanks tend to get destroyed by the jump effects at lower TL. A more expensive 'mobile tanking pod' is therefore not something you'll want to use until....I think it's TL15 they automatically survive?

I think this is only a secondary concern. Drop tanks tend to be uncommon anyhow, it seems.

2) A docking clamp doesn't by default include linkages for drawing off fuel, etc - there's no problem with giving them that capability, but I'd say that justifies an extra dTon of space or so in the clamp relative to a 'normal' docking clamp for the same size ship.

That's a good point. Thanks for that.