Evening PDT Rupert Boleyn,

On September 28, 2017 3:25:00 PM, Rupert Boleyn" <xxxxxx@gmail.com wrote

>>On 29 Sep2017 1024, tmr0195@comcast.net wrote:
>> Afternoon PDT C. Berry,
>>
>> Per MT Starship Operator's Manual Vol. I p. 3 when over-driving the
>> engineer has to monitor the drive status with increasing attention "to
>> make sure no overloads develop or warning lights appear."
>>
>> "The more pronounced the overdrive, the closer the engineer must monitor
>> the drive status. The plates nay be overdriven by up to 40% for extended
>> periods of time (days) with few harmful effects if the overage is done
>> skillfully."
>>
>> UTP 1: Monitoring the MD being over-driven up to 40% of normal rating
>> Routine or Difficult, Engineering, Edu, days over-driven, Uncertain

>As combat turns are around the 15-20 minute mark in most versions of
>Traveller, that makes 'rated +40%' the standard 'full combat thrust'
>setting. As none of the rule sets' combat rules assume this (as can be
>seen when you check the distances and velocities they show you getting
>for a turn's acceleration), no way I'm having it IMTU.

Technically, the ships will have fractional G's of acceleration but to make the game more playable the game designers decided to use the increments of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6G.

Looking in the index  of MT Starship Operator's Manual Vol. 1 there is no references about combat, which indicates to me that the manual is discussing non-combat situations. Combat changes how hard the task is to perform.

From MT Player's Manual p. 9 "How Long Does This Task Take?" I discovered the UTP 2 time of < 5 minutes is off the mark.

How Long Does This Task Take?

     The time increment on a task profile is 10% of the typical task duration. A roll of 3 dice (whose average result is 10) determines how many increments the task takes. The increments are always "one-tenth" of the typical task duration.

     If the duration of the task doesn't matter, the task is "Instant" and that's that. No time roll is made.

     If the duration always takes the same time, the task is "Absolute". No time roll is made.

     The duration of an attempt equals the increment time 3D (after any DMs are applied). The minimum is 3 increments.

UTP 3 Combat:

Over-driving the MD in combat I would say that the task is more like

Formidable, Engineering, Edu, Combat 20 minutes x 10% = 2 minutes, at least Hazardous but more likely Fateful

Referee: Any mishaps automatically damage the MD resulting reduction of the G rating or probably something more along the lines of blowing up the ship, burning out the MD, or something equally bad.

Not having a handle on the rest of the instructions I am sure UTP 3 is incomplete, but I hope that it does show that attempting to over-drive the MD is trickery than under non-combat situations.

Of course I am probably out to lunch as happens all to often when I have minimal understanding of the rules.

Tom Rux