Installing larger than necessary drive/power plants?

[wombatzoner]

Is there any benefit from installing a larger than necessary drive or power plant in a starship hull? For example installing a type G drive in a 300 dTon hull gives you jump or maneuver 4, but so does the smaller, less expensive, cheaper to feed type F drive.

Unless you got a deal on a type G, why would ever install one in that size hull?

 

[dmccoy1693]

My first thought. Simplicity. If a company only produced Engines A, D and G at that location, and you need a replacement. Those are your options. Its rather silly to assume that every location offers every part to every kind of engine.

If your car engine catches on fire, melts into a pile of twisted unsalvagable metal and needs replaced and you drive a Honda in a town that only has a Ford dealership, either you can pay to have the ace mechanic jerryrig your car to work with ford motor or you can rent a car and wait for a honda engine to come in.

 

[EDG]

I asked about this ages ago and got no answer. I came up with some rules for them though...

EDIT: Found 'em: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=36579

 

[rust]

Unless you got a deal on a type G, why would ever install one in that size hull?

Another example would be a jump tug. With a type G your 300 dton ship
could still jump 2 parsecs with 500 dtons of cargo modules attached to it,
while a type F would be reduced to 1 parsec under such conditions.

 

[BP]

As rust said...

I've used over-sized drives and power plants for ships that are designed for in system tugs and as 'parasite host ships'. Have thought of using them for a 'swarm'/'transformer' style configuration as well...

 

[dmccoy1693]

Another example would be a jump tug. With a type G your 300 dton ship could still jump 2 parsecs with 500 dtons of cargo modules attached to it, while a type F would be reduced to 1 parsec under such conditions.

Excellent idea.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Add in those Docking Clamps from HG and you are ready to become a Ferry!

Seems to me, there could be some profit in having a Jump Tug between two systems with LOTS of trade. Sublight ships could move back and forth and the Tugs carry all that extra tonnage for the engines and jump fuel. Some companies might even be able to make a profit using their own ships. Especially if several worlds in each system are settled/colonized. There would be lots of interplanetary trade which could be collected and then jumped to the other system without have to load/unload the cargo (and pay the associated fees/tarrifs/taxes).

1 jump capable ship and 4 STL ships would be a lot cheaper than 5 FTL ships. Not sure if the economics work out though.

 

[Mithras]

Probably irrelevant, but in CT a hit to a drive reduced the drive letter by one level. Thus, a higher drive level mirrored auxiliary powerplants and redundant systems.

 

[brionl]

Probably irrelevant, but in CT a hit to a drive reduced the drive letter by one level. Thus, a higher drive level mirrored auxiliary powerplants and redundant systems.

That was my first thought too. Then my second thought remembered that they don't do that no more.

 

[EDG]

Seriously, take a look at the link I posted. It gives you something interesting to do with the bigger drives (if not the power plants - I guess they can just take more hits). .