Question about Battle Tenders

[MasterGwydion]

6,700-ton battle tender jump 2s into a system. This used about 1,300 tons of fuel. Ten 400-ton battle riders detach from the docking clamps and move away from the tender. Tender jumps away. Do I recalculate the fuel needed to jump based on the new displacement of the ship (2,700 tons) or does it require the same amount of fuel because you are still using an engine designed to power a 6,700-ton jump field? I guess what I am asking is, are jump fields controllably variable in size or are the fields always the same size and shape with the same jump drive? I can unfortunately see going either way on this, so I thought I would check and see if you guys knew of a rule that I wasn't aware of. I need to know because, I need to know the size fuel tank I need to make two jumps with two different tonnages, but the same jump drive.

 

[Sigtrygg]

I design tenders as dispersed structures. I rule that once the carried craft are launched the tender is now at a reduced tonnage so would use the 2,700t.

If instead the tender is a different configuration and carries the 400t ships internally then the tender is still 6,700t after launching the craft.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I design tenders as dispersed structures. I rule that once the carried craft are launched the tender is now at a reduced tonnage so would use the 2,700t.

If instead the tender is a different configuration and carries the 400t ships internally then the tender is still 6,700t after launching the craft.

External docking clamps, so the size would change. I am just curious though, since the size of the jump drive being used doesn't change and I did not know if you could selectively make your jump field smaller if you wished, using less fuel and, potentially, less power. The rules for the effects on reduced ship tonnage for M-drives is pretty clear, for J-drives, not so much. Or at least, I cannot find the rule. lol

What really bakes My brain is wondering if the battle riders' computers can be linked together so that all 11 ships' M-drives could be used together. lol

 

[Condottiere]

In theory, the jump bubble works out quite well for external cargo.

You have options, including breakaway hulls.

Jumping performance (and fuel consumption) is pretty dependent on hull volume, and nearby objects.

 

[MasterGwydion]

In theory, the jump bubble works out quite well for external cargo.

You have options, including breakaway hulls.

Jumping performance (and fuel consumption) is pretty dependent on hull volume, and nearby objects.

Right, but once you eject the "cargo" and are now a smaller ship, does the size and shape of your jump bubble change or is it the same size?

 

[Condottiere]

I tend to think it depends on how much fuel is ejected, and how much energy is poured through the jump drive.

There are indications that in the future, this may be dependent on the configuration of the jump drive.

Currently, it seems dependent on the widest point of the starship, times whatever.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I tend to think it depends on how much fuel is ejected, and how much energy is poured through the jump drive.

There are indications that in the future, this may be dependent on the configuration of the jump drive.

Currently, it seems dependent on the widest point of the starship, times whatever.

Yeah. This one kind of has Me stumped.

 

[GabrielGABFonseca]

From High Guard 2022, Page 57, under 'Docking Clamp':

A ship’s Thrust and jump capability must be recalculated when another ship occupies its docking clamp, using the combined tonnage of both ships. This likely means the manoeuvre drive will be operating at a lower Thrust and the jump capability is reduced.

So yes, once the Battle Riders have been released, the Jump Tender will need to recalculate its Thrust and Jump scores based on its current volume.
However, its maximum thrust and jump limit are always capped by the ship's technology. So even if the Tender has enough Jump Drive tonnage to have a theoretical maximum of Jump 6, if it is a TL11 ship it'll only be able to do up to Jump 2, no matter what.

 

[Vormaerin]

Right, but once you eject the "cargo" and are now a smaller ship, does the size and shape of your jump bubble change or is it the same size?

The only place that I recall giving details about jump bubbles is T5. There is a formula in which the ship's volume is a factor, but it is unlikely to vary much by dropping riders. The quick reference comment is:

"For most purposes, a Jump Bubble is about five times the diameter of the average of Length, Width, and Height of the ship and centered on the Jump Drive."

The actual formula is:

 

[MasterGwydion]

From High Guard 2022, Page 57, under 'Docking Clamp':


So yes, once the Battle Riders have been released, the Jump Tender will need to recalculate its Thrust and Jump scores based on its current volume.
However, its maximum thrust and jump limit are always capped by the ship's technology. So even if the Tender has enough Jump Drive tonnage to have a theoretical maximum of Jump 6, if it is a TL11 ship it'll only be able to do up to Jump 2, no matter what.

Right, but do I use less fuel or not?

 

[MasterGwydion]

The only place that I recall giving details about jump bubbles is T5. There is a formula in which the ship's volume is a factor, but it is unlikely to vary much by dropping riders. The quick reference comment is:

"For most purposes, a Jump Bubble is about five times the diameter of the average of Length, Width, and Height of the ship and centered on the Jump Drive."

The actual formula is:
View attachment 2064

Right, but if you do not change the size of the jump drive, how does it know that the ship is smaller? I am just trying to figure out if the jump uses less fuel or not.

 

[Vormaerin]

Fuel usage is 10% of the ship's volume. If you are jumping at 1000 dtons you use 100 tons of fuel. If you drop down to 600 dtons, you only use 60 tons of fuel.

NOT being able to do that is one of the features of primitive or experimental prototype jump drives.

 

[Condottiere]

That's a lot of volume.

Not sure that the jump drive can flatulate enough in sufficient density.

 

[Vormaerin]

Right, but if you do not change the size of the jump drive, how does it know that the ship is smaller? I am just trying to figure out if the jump uses less fuel or not.

Fuel usage and jump bubble are not actually related. And the astrogator and engineer are creating a jump plan that tells the jump drive what to do, so that's how it knows.

That's how you get bad jumps or misjumps: They tell the jump drive bad info.

 

[MasterGwydion]

That's a lot of volume.

Not sure that the jump drive can flatulate enough in sufficient density.

It is as 6,700-ton ship that becomes 2,700-ton ship once it discharges it's battle riders.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Fuel usage and jump bubble are not actually related. And the astrogator and engineer are creating a jump plan that tells the jump drive what to do, so that's how it knows.

That's how you get bad jumps or misjumps: They tell the jump drive bad info.

SOM pg. 87 "The majority of fuel designated for a jump is used during this process to create the jump bubble"

Stop answering My posts.

 

[GabrielGABFonseca]

Right, but do I use less fuel or not?

Yes, all of the parameters (fuel consumption included) are recomputed based on the new tonnage.

 

[Vormaerin]

SOM pg. 87 "The majority of fuel designated for a jump is used during this process to create the jump bubble"

Stop answering My posts.

The *size* of the Jump Bubble and the *amount of fuel used* are not directly related. The size of a ship's jump bubble is the same whether it is using 400 tons to jump 4 or 100 tons to jump 1.

Anyway, sure, I'll ignore you from now on if you prefer.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Yes, all of the parameters (fuel consumption included) are recomputed based on the new tonnage.

Okay, so it is a variable size field and therefore uses less fuel. That's all I needed to know. Thanks!

 

[Anstett]

Okay, so it is a variable size field and therefore uses less fuel. That's all I needed to know. Thanks!

That does not follow.

The Jump field size is variable based on the size of the ship.
The amount of fuel used is based on the tonnage of the vehicle jumping.

Using a silly extreme example:
A ship could be 200 tons, 1 cubic ton laid out in 200 straight line sections. It would have a strange bubble and use the same amount of fuel as a hollowed out round planetoid of 200 tons.

"it is a variable size field and therefore uses less variable fuel use".