Re: [TML] 1G ship vs Size 8 world. Rupert Boleyn 30 Sep 2017 21:17 UTC

On 30Sep2017 1235, Grimmund wrote:

> Nobody* wants to calculate mass of the cargo, calculate the g's the ship
> can pull with that extra mass, then recalc time to jump spot based on
> the new G rating, etc etc.
>
> So we just call it 1g, 2g, whatever, it's close enough, and get about
> the game.

Sure, but a +40% boost from running the engines over their rated levels,
and the engineering check is fairly easy and only has to be done every
few hours? *Everyone* will do it in combat, and it's noticeable even
with rounding to fit into nice hexes, etc. (and Traveller didn't
originally use hexes for space combat). Even if you drop all fractions,
'3G' becomes '4G', '4G' becomes 6G', '5G' becomes '7G', and '6G' becomes
'8G', and while 1-2G ships run by PCs won't do it (no in-game
advantage), higher G ships will, and it's far too noticeable to
disappear into fudging of game turn durations, rounding of distances to
fit in hexes (assuming they're used), etc.

As we don't see this effect in CT, MT, TNE, or GT (I'm not familiar
enough with other versions to know whether they do or do not show such
an effect), the Traveller combat systems are pretty clear on engines not
being able to run above their rated acceleration for long enough, or by
enough, or it to show on a 15-20 minute time scale.

--
Rupert Boleyn <xxxxxx@gmail.com>
Chief Assistant to the Assistant Chief