Tech Levels & Jump Drive rather screwed

[chrisboote]

Mongoose Traveller says that;
a B drive can produce jump 2 in a 200 ton hull
and
a C drive can produce jump 3 in a 200 ton hull
and
both will produce jump 1 in a 400 ton hull

But Jump 3 is supposed to be discovered at a higher tech level than jump 2 - hence the whole reason for the Terrans whupping the Vilani

Jump 6 is supposed to be TL15 - yet a C drive will give jump 6 in a 100 ton hull

It's all very inconsistent

 

[CosmicGamer]

Jump 3 is supposed to be discovered at a higher tech level than jump 2 is not the same as C drives being discovered at a higher tech level than B drives.

The book repeatedly says potential. Maybe all drives can't reach the full potential.

Perhaps you need to ask the shipyard what tech level the drive is?

Engineer shakes his head at the fancy business man using a drive potential table to try and design a jump six ship. "Ya silly goose, where do ya think ya are?" Takes the table from the mans hand, looks at it, and laughs. "This ain't gonna do ya no good because we ain't no egghead high stellar facility with the tech to give ya the max potential listed. Any ship built here will only give ya jump 2 at best."

 

[Vile]

The link between jump capacity and tech level comes in the software, not the hardware. Jump Control/2 programs are available at TL-11, Jump Control/3 at TL-12. The "Performance by Hull Volume" table only indicates drive potential - no matter how big your jump drive is relative to your hull volume, if you haven't got the software it's not going to make the jump.

 

[captainjack23]

Two approaches I've always considered:

Those drives in the book are developed at the high technologies and are capable of all the potential jumps.

Lower tech versions simply won't be installed on hulls that give "impossible" values -why would one ? Its just a waste of space, and with MGT, they take the same amount of damage as a smaller one.

Any help ?