Silly Question Time: High Guard Ship Upgrades

[SSWarlock]

HG states that weapons and screens "...remain available for three Tech Levels before...further improvement becomes too difficult to be cost-effective."

This begs the question what if some horrifically wealthy entity came along and decided it was cost-effective? Three upgrades raise the cost of the weapon/screen to 200% of its base cost. What would be a reasonable cost to gain a fourth, fifth, et cetera upgrade slot, assuming the TL allows for it?

Thoughts?

 

[barnest2]

300% for four
400% for five
600% for six
800% for seven
1000% for eight
1500% for nine
2000% for ten

It's horrifically expensive and completely made up but its not a bad chain

 

[GamerDude]

300% for four
400% for five
600% for six
800% for seven
1000% for eight
1500% for nine
2000% for ten

It's horrifically expensive and completely made up but its not a bad chain

Ok, so who in the Imerium, outside of Duke Norris and Bill Gates LXXVIII, could afford to go "all the way"? *grin*

"Duke Norris is big enough he doesn't need shields on his ship, he just glares at the enemy and they stop firing."

 

[far-trader]

You'll soon find your game broken badly if you pursue this

...however, IF one were to extrapolate then it should be a curve to infinity.

I'd go something like:

TL -- cost / tons

-2 = 200% / 400% (might as well go a step the other way too)
-1 = 150% / 200%
=0 = 100% / 100%
+1 = 110% / 90% (that's really pretty cheap, but marginal bonus)
+2 = 125% / 75%
+3 = 200% / 60%
+4 = 575% / 50%
+5 = 2450% / 45% (the tonnage bonus is just a wag and almost maxed out)
+6 = 11825% / 40%
+7 = 58700% / 40%
+8 = 293075% / 40% (ok, not infinity but are you still buying it at this cost when you can get a white globe for a fraction of the price )

 

[barnest2]

Mathematically, his makes more sense. Mine is more playable.

 

[SSWarlock]

Heh. My thoughts exactly.

I do like the your cost breakpoints and percentages, barnest2. I was originally thinking of just doubling the previous percentage breakpoint (200, 400, 800, 1600) but the offered ones seem to me to be more..fitting, for no reason I can put my finger on.

My initial reaction was that no one would ever go for 10 upgrade because of TL limitations and the number of useful upgrades.

For example, the lowest TL weapon is the basic missile at TL6 so, in theory, if one has all the money in the Imperium they'd still be limited to TL15 - 6 = 9 upgrades. And some of the available upgrades are mutually exclusive (Hi Yield vs. Very High Yield) or completely useless to missiles (Long Range, Variable Range, Easily Repairable, Tonnage Reduction).

However, the use of missile bays would allow all ten to be taken if some are assigned to the bay (Resilient, Accurate, Easily Repairable, Tonnage Reduction x3) while others are assigned to the missile (Very High Yield).

That bay can even fire Smart, High Yield nukes making it one very scary, albeit hair-raisingly expensive, missile bay.

Edit: Woops..since Smart missiles are TL8, that bay can't fire Smart, High Yield ordnance unless the bay loses two slots worth of upgrades. TL15 - 8 = 7. And it still can't receive all 10 slots of upgrades because TL15 - 6 = 9. This is what I get for typing this up while eating dinner in front of the TV when Kate Middleton is being discussed.

 

[atpollard]

Once the TL maxes out for improvements, just use the -5% per TL cost reduction to make it cheaper ... up to 30% cheaper.

 

[Emperor Herdan]

Once the TL maxes out for improvements, just use the -5% per TL cost reduction to make it cheaper ... up to 30% cheaper.

I Agree. Thats what I've done for some items on the 1200 dTn Darrian ship I posted in the MGT-Aids forum.

Take care

E. Herdan

 

[SSWarlock]

Oh my. Very good point re: cost reductions due to TL. I'd forgotten about that.