What real use are escape pods?

[swordtart]

It isn't EXPLICITLY in the rules not do the rules EXPLICITLY say it isn't right. The only example is for 2 hulls. If there were an example for 3 hulls then it would be explicit one way or the other. I know of no official examples for more than 2 hulls.

It is explicit that is it 2% of the Combined Hull Tonnage. Not 2% per section. If it were per section it would have to be 1% per section anyway for it to remain consistent with the 2% for the inferred example of two hulls.

In fact the description mentions two OR MORE independent vessels.

If it gave an example of 3 hulls and the extra tonnage required were 3%, 4% or 6% it would be inconsistent with the rule.

Since it doesn't give an example of 3 hulls there is no inconsistency and 2% regardless of the number of sections is the only possible interpretation consistent with the RAW.

Personally I'd be happy to go with 2% of the tonnage of the smaller vessel, but that is a change to the rules.

EDIT:
There is an official example with more than 1 breakaway section. The Deepnight Endeavour (Great Rift Adventures 1-5 p45) is 100,000 DTons and has 6 breakaway fuel modules of 10,000 Dtons each.

The tonnage lost to the breakaway aspect is 2,000 DTons. This 2% of the combined tonnage.

 

[rinku]

I mean, how much is in each section is going to depend a bit on the design anyway. If the engineering section and the main section are built as breakaways, you already have them as fully sealed and functional sections, and mostly need to just double up on the bulkheads between them. One bulkhead already exists, so the new bulkhead could be placed in either section, or shared between them if it's not a retrofit.

If you're building something that breaks away that doesn't normally have bulkheads on all sides, like a stateroom, it'll definitely need some of the 2% - probably split in that case.