Topic: SM2 StarShip size questions

[markc]

 I have little real world knowledge large or industrial vehicles. But a rule in Armored Assault and Star Strike have me wondering about the chage in formulas for different size ships. A medium size ship requires a larger engine then a small ship and a large ship requires a much larger engine than a medium ship.
1) Is this accurate in real life?

 If so then I think I will use interpalation to make the change in engine size smooth instead of sudden changes.
MDC

[Defendi]

Well, I haven't looked at those rules in a LONG time, but the bigger the vehicle, the more force required to move it.

[markc]

Boy again, I turn my head in the middel of the night and there you are.

 Yes I have both SM:P and SM2 starship and vehicle rules on top of a stack I look at often. But when I get in a Sci-Fi kick I have another stack I pull out to keep me entertained. Also I allready have them so I am not spending $ to get the info.

 Yes I agree that it takes more energy to move a larger mass but what got me as I said was the economy's of scale, I think it is called in bis. That is there is some point in which you become less effecient because of the size of the operation. The SM2 rules just broke it out in set size limits to make it easy.
 IMO I would also be easy to adjust the sizes based ontech levels. So if less 1000 tons is at rate x for tech level 20 then it is at .85x at tec level 25. This basicly means that higher tech societys can have larger ships that work much more efficiently. I know there are adjustments for engines and other things in other systems as well as in SM:P VM, but this does not take into account the scale at all. It is just a fixed number nio matter what scale you are using.

 I also agree that there shuold be a smallist size possible drive table adjusted by tch level, but that is just me. And since it is late I do not remember right now if there is information like that in SM2 AA, SS or SM:P VM. This IMO prevents super small power plants to power huge weapons or equipment. [I talked to you Defindi about it way back when in 2000 I think and you had good advice. Just do not let them abuse the small power plant in your game and set a limit.] I also think I built a set of armor that had a super small power plant that I hooked up crazy weapons and equipment to.

Thanks
MDC

BTW, Defindi I know you have a lot on your plate but try and give the SF field some love. Read a book, watch a movie what ever. I also know that after reading a lot of computer tec books the last thing I want to do is read a sci-fi gmae book. I know I can get burned out on a subject just like anyone else.

[Defendi]

BTW, Defindi I know you have a lot on your plate but try and give the SF field some love. Read a book, watch a movie what ever. I also know that after reading a lot of computer tec books the last thing I want to do is read a sci-fi gmae book. I know I can get burned out on a subject just like anyone else.

Why would you think that I'm not?  I'm reading the Vor Game right now.

As for the other, I would suspect that the big economy of size problems actually happen on ships that have to fight resistance, not space ships.  They need the structure to support their acceleration, but I suspect the effect on the size of the engine isn't THAT big, and if you see it in a game, it's probably an artificial balancing factor to compensate for something the designer didn't want to address by itself.

[Dark Mistress]

Well if you wanted to be really acurate then size wouldn't be everything.... stop it perverts.

In real life engines of the same size can create different amounts of power based on a number of factors. From a game point of view would be cost. So for example if a ship needed a engine rated at 200 and it took up X amount of space, it would be reasonable to assume you could really put in a engine that took up the same space as a engine rated at 150 but likely would cost double of the 200 which makes the same power.

It is early morning and I am pulling numbers out of thin air. Anyways hopefully this made as much sense to read as it did in my head this morning.

[David Johansen]

The other issue is that economies of scale run the other way too.  You can't put a little nuclear reactor in your radio controlled plane.

[markc]

 I agee with that and that is one thing I think that needs to be addressed in game. I know that Traveller has some solid min weight and volume rules but I am not sure about SM2 and SM:P, I will have to take a look later on.

MDC

[Dark Mistress]

If you wanted real detail you would need to create it or get a forum thread going and have people joint help create a more complex system.

[Oldgrue]

I'm fond of being lazy and rolling the engine into the price of the hull. After all, with a hull, all these snazzy doo-dads, FTL drives....it'd suck to not have the base powerplant included.

I'd suggest an increase in price for *improved* propulsion.  More once I get at my books.