DTU's

[shadowdragon]

ok if i am reading this right, you really don't need more than 1 dtu for a vehicle, as long as you have the power to feed it. if i need 1000 thrust from my grave module, rather than 10 dtu's i just pump 10 ep thru it. um this doesnt seem to be correct here.

so for a 64,000vl vehicle, 4vl of that is grav module, and all i need is 60 ep per round to power it at approx 90kph.

i am missing something here.....

 

[veltyen]

There may be some confusion with Drive Trains and Drive Train Units.

That 1 EP per round is the maximum power you can put into the unit. In other words, the 64,000 Vl chasis could have a single grav drive train unit, but it could take at most 1 EP, and power the vehicle along at about 1.5 kmph (750 metres per hour at cruising speed).

More sensibly it would have a 60 drive train unit grav drive (taking 240 Vl and costing 2.76 MCr) and this would allow it to cruise at 50 kmph with a top speed of just over 90.

The part about drive trains (as in multiple/singular drive trains) has to do with off road travel for ground vehicles and redundant lift for aircraft. Any drive train can have any number of drive train units in it.

 

[shadowdragon]

veltyen, where do you get that information? is it a house rule? the book specificaly says "per ep of power applied" in reference to ONE dtu. for instance, a grav dtu produces 100 thrust units PER 1 ep of power applied. while what you state above as 1 ep is max input makes some sense, i can find no actual reference in the book for said rule.
i am clear on the difference between drive trains and dtu's- i was specific in stating dtu's

 

[veltyen]

If you read that section again, and look for references to being able to supply more then 1 EP/DTU you won't find anything either.

Personally I think there may have been better ways to word that section. The "per EP" reference I always assumed to be a reference to incremental EP's rather then excess.

 

[shadowdragon]

i agree- and while having a small drive train may be nice, at some point you are going to be in a losing battle with a huge powerplant and fuel drain. maybe thats the point- to allow for more or less fuel efficient designs? like modern day compacts vs a '72 mustang mach 1?

 

[veltyen]

But from your interpretation it wouldn't be less fuel efficient.

10 EP powerplant
10 EP capable drive

has the same fuel use and thrust as

10 EP powerplant
1 EP capable drive with 10 EP piped through it

The only difference being the much smaller and much cheaper drive unit.

Using your example, try to put a 410 superblock in a modern compact without changing the transmission, the wheels, the suspension (all part of the DTU) and the first thing that happens is that the ass of the car drags on the ground, and your primary drive shaft snaps.

Try hanging a rolls royce jet engine off a cessna, pretty much the same comparrison. The wings are likely to rip off before the engine is at full speed.

 

[shadowdragon]

oops..
was distracted when i came up with that idea and had i spent 1/2 a microsecond thinking it through......
DOH!!!!!!!


*ahem*
i knew that - was just testing you.
yeah thats it.....