Power systems

[phavoc]

Power Systems: It’s not really possible to provide much relevant commentary here until the power system rules are revealed and they can be cross-referenced. You may want to expand the overall explanation of what uses power on the ship to include sensors, avionics, even the power required to maintain the shielding on the fusion plant. It would make more sense to accommodate the 20% power requirement per 100 tons.

Weapons and Systems: Is this per weapon, or per a set of weapons per turret? So does a triple missile rack require 3 pts of power, or 1? Also, sandcasters and missile racks should be rated much lower because they consume almost no power compared to an energy weapon.

Running out of Power: Normally there shouldn’t be much else to turn off for basic power, as everything listed is required for ‘basic’ operations. Turning off the coffee makers should not even be factored into the issue. On most ships if you have life support, grav plating, sensors and commo going you don’t have anything left but drives and weapons to power OR turn off for more power.

 

[AndrewW]

Power Systems: It’s not really possible to provide much relevant commentary here until the power system rules are revealed and they can be cross-referenced. You may want to expand the overall explanation of what uses power on the ship to include sensors, avionics, even the power required to maintain the shielding on the fusion plant. It would make more sense to accommodate the 20% power requirement per 100 tons.

Sensors have their own power requirement, and are not included under Basic Ships Systems. (Unless something has been changed again...)

Weapons and Systems: Is this per weapon, or per a set of weapons per turret? So does a triple missile rack require 3 pts of power, or 1? Also, sandcasters and missile racks should be rated much lower because they consume almost no power compared to an energy weapon.

Per weapon. Rated lower then one?

Running out of Power: Normally there shouldn’t be much else to turn off for basic power, as everything listed is required for ‘basic’ operations. Turning off the coffee makers should not even be factored into the issue. On most ships if you have life support, grav plating, sensors and commo going you don’t have anything left but drives and weapons to power OR turn off for more power.

There are options to reduce power.

 

[phavoc]

Sensors have their own power requirement, and are not included under Basic Ships Systems. (Unless something has been changed again...)

A ship without sensors (passive or active) would never happen to save power. That means you blind and cannot fight or defend. Which is why sensors should be part of the basic power systems you don't turn off. I did not see a rule to turn off everything but life support to save power.

Per weapon. Rated lower then one?

At MOST sandcasters and missile weapons would consume 1 point of power per hardpoint. And that would be a stretch considering there isn't much of anything to power when you compare it to the megajoules of power required for the lasers. What is consuming 25% of the power of a laser? That has to be one extremely spiffy coffee maker the gunner has installed at his missile station.

There are options to reduce power.

More than what is in the core rule book?

 

[AndrewW]

A ship without sensors (passive or active) would never happen to save power. That means you blind and cannot fight or defend. Which is why sensors should be part of the basic power systems you don't turn off. I did not see a rule to turn off everything but life support to save power.

This was done for the different types of sensors having differing power requirements, so wouldn't fit under the other.

At MOST sandcasters and missile weapons would consume 1 point of power per hardpoint. And that would be a stretch considering there isn't much of anything to power when you compare it to the megajoules of power required for the lasers. What is consuming 25% of the power of a laser? That has to be one extremely spiffy coffee maker the gunner has installed at his missile station.

It's the replicator at the gunners station to make that coffee (or tea).

Anything is still open to adjustment.

More than what is in the core rule book?

Yes, there should be.

High Guard
The High Guard book contains a complete spacecraft design system, along with full details on how power plants generate Power points and how much is needed to engage the operation of all components.

 

[Captain Jonah]

Those Gunners need a full sized top of the range coffee machine to keep them focused

As for the power cost. That one point is powering the fire control, the turret rotation and tracking systems, the auto load mechanisms for the missile or sand, the gunners workstation AND his coffee machine.

All that for one measly power seems a good deal.

Those energy hog triple lasers sucking down 12 power a turn are a far bigger problem

 

[phavoc]

Those Gunners need a full sized top of the range coffee machine to keep them focused

As for the power cost. That one point is powering the fire control, the turret rotation and tracking systems, the auto load mechanisms for the missile or sand, the gunners workstation AND his coffee machine.

All that for one measly power seems a good deal.

Those energy hog triple lasers sucking down 12 power a turn are a far bigger problem

The power consumption, proportionately at least, still doesn't fit within the model. If you have to push that much power through you've got a hell of an inefficient mechanism there. Even with all that drawing power, it's insignificant to what a single laser needs.

Now that uber replicator on the other hand... well... everybody knows it takes a lot of power to create the Wesley Crusher memorial spinach 7-layer bean dip with the milk and lemon chai-tea chaser... which in that case all is understandable.

 

[Captain Jonah]

Those Gunners need a full sized top of the range coffee machine to keep them focused

As for the power cost. That one point is powering the fire control, the turret rotation and tracking systems, the auto load mechanisms for the missile or sand, the gunners workstation AND his coffee machine.

All that for one measly power seems a good deal.

Those energy hog triple lasers sucking down 12 power a turn are a far bigger problem

The power consumption, proportionately at least, still doesn't fit within the model. If you have to push that much power through you've got a hell of an inefficient mechanism there. Even with all that drawing power, it's insignificant to what a single laser needs.

Now that uber replicator on the other hand... well... everybody knows it takes a lot of power to create the Wesley Crusher memorial spinach 7-layer bean dip with the milk and lemon chai-tea chaser... which in that case all is understandable.

Well either they don't want to have Missiles and Sand casters using zero power which would allow the abuse of them firing without the ship being powered (I've had players that would try that one) and simply set 1 power as the lowest possible to not bother with fractions OR those gunners are running holo suites, low grav massage chairs and personal environmental systems inside their gunnery stations. :lol:

 

[phavoc]

Well either they don't want to have Missiles and Sand casters using zero power which would allow the abuse of them firing without the ship being powered (I've had players that would try that one) and simply set 1 power as the lowest possible to not bother with fractions OR those gunners are running holo suites, low grav massage chairs and personal environmental systems inside their gunnery stations. :lol:

Easy enough to fix. Make it so 1pt of of power PER HARDPOINT powers 3 missile or sandcaster weapons. Or make the gunners give up their fancy coffee makers, their replicators and grav massage chairs.

 

[Captain Jonah]

WHAT ! ! ! !

Give up the coffee makers and luxury options in the gunnery control !

Never.

You'll be asking the Engineers to dismantle the jump drive stills next :shock:

 

[AndrewW]

All the gunners are using full holographic environments to project the target and track the missiles flight (at least that's the official explanation, they are really being used to play a certain Sci-Fi RPG when not tracking missiles of course)...

 

[phavoc]

You'll be asking the Engineers to dismantle the jump drive stills next :shock:

The stills NEED to remain. One never knows when industrial-grade widget cleaner is needed. It also doubles as an emergency wound cleaner and all around handy first-aid liquid. Goes great over ice too.

All the gunners are using full holographic environments to project the target and track the missiles flight (at least that's the official explanation, they are really being used to play a certain Sci-Fi RPG when not tracking missiles of course)...

I wonder if most gunners in the 52nd century are Master Chief, Call of Duty or Destiny fans?

 

[Condottiere]

The stewardesses need something to do, especially beverage dispensing, whether cold or hot, from the galley.

 

[Captain Jonah]

The stewardesses need something to do, especially beverage dispensing, whether cold or hot, from the galley.

They get to stand behind the captain in camera shot so they can look frightened when the ship is in combat and then can run around or fall over as the bridge sways from side to side. Same applies to Stewards.

Also someone is needed to crew all those extra workstations on the bridge when the captain is on the comm to another ship so the bridge looks busy

 

[Condottiere]

That's a separate branch: bridge bunnies.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

We call the Yeoman in the Star Navy.

The term Bunny as a cute-cuddly thing stopped being used after the great Vorpal-Bunny mutation of 2047...

Seriously though, I understand the GAME term to require power for missile and sandcasters, but the ratios still seem off.

Maybe 1 Energy Point is required PER TURRET or PER BARRAGE for fire control regardless of the weapons installed (assuming Barrages still exist).

 

[Condottiere]

All you need is enough power to throw out either the missile or the canister to clear the spaceship.

In the right direction.

This happens once every six minutes, whereas I understand the energy weapons constantly keeping taking pot shots.

 

[Captain Jonah]

Maybe one power per turret just to power the turret and systems then give Missiles and Sand power 0.

So a triple laser is 13 power not 12 but a triple missile is 1.

If they are allocating power to sensors and systems in high guard then adding turrets isn't going to be a big problem and you can just factor it in for the big stuff.

 

[phavoc]

Maybe one power per turret just to power the turret and systems then give Missiles and Sand power 0.

So a triple laser is 13 power not 12 but a triple missile is 1.

If they are allocating power to sensors and systems in high guard then adding turrets isn't going to be a big problem and you can just factor it in for the big stuff.

That's a really good idea. 1pt of power to make a turret active - it powers all local missile and sand launchers, reloading machinery and the turret itself. Any energy weapon requires additional power. Any turret that is unpowered may not fire any weapon.

It's simple, it doesn't break the new system and it's far more logical. While I think it's still high on power consumption (just how many megawatts does a PP generate??), but it works.

Great idea!

 

[MongooseMatt]

Used!

 

[Captain Jonah]

Used!

Who let him in here, stealing all our good ideas :lol: