HEPLar?

[AllenS]

here's a question: will ships in the revised New Era use HEPlar drives? or will they be retconned to use reactionless drives?

Myself, I always thought it would be interesting to have both drives used alongside each other. Perhaps the area of space the RC was in was poor in lanthanum or some other element neccesary for the construction of reactionless drives, so they had to make do with HEPlar instead. Relic ships would of course possibly have reactionless drives (and be highly prized) or maybe would need to have their drives replaced by HEPlar thrusters, which of course would have a major impact on their efficiency, since HEPlar requires fuel. Perhaps the extreme efficiency of the drive can be explained as a Hiver technical innovation, or they can be altered to be a bit more realistic.

The Regency should, imo, be retconned to still have reactionless drives. This would give them something of an advantage over the RC, I would think.

Thoughts?

Allen

 

[jalexandratos]

Originally posted by AllenS:
here's a question: will ships in the revised New Era use HEPlar drives? or will they be retconned to use reactionless drives?

Thoughts?

Yeah, get rid of HEPlar. It's obvious that they were only created in order for Brilliant Lances/Battle Riders to make sense and be playable.

 

[T. Foster]

The Lisa Davies stories on the T20/TNE site seem to indicate that the RC is now using reactionless thrusters (this actually caused a minor uproar on the TNE-RCES list when those stories first appeared). The draft version of Diaspora Phoenix mentioned HEPlaR a couple times, but I haven't checked to see if that's still the case in the released version.

I believe MJD's intention is to 'silently' drop HEPlaR in favor of standard Traveller thrusters for the sake of uniformity and consistency in the overall setting -- in other words, since GDW rewrote canon to give the Regency HEPlaR, MJD is justified in rewriting it back to give the RC thrusters.

 

[AllenS]

[I believe MJD's intention is to 'silently' drop HEPlaR in favor of standard Traveller thrusters for the sake of uniformity and consistency in the overall setting -- in other words, since GDW rewrote canon to give the Regency HEPlaR, MJD is justified in rewriting it back to give the RC thrusters.[/QB][/QUOTE]

That's ok with me. I just thought the idea of a culture that couldn't use reactionless thrusters and so had to rely on a more inefficient manuever drive to be rather interesting. For the sake of consistency, that is a detail that probably should be altered.

Allen

 

[jalexandratos]

Originally posted by AllenS:
[I believe MJD's intention is to 'silently' drop HEPlaR in favor of standard Traveller thrusters for the sake of uniformity and consistency in the overall setting -- in other words, since GDW rewrote canon to give the Regency HEPlaR, MJD is justified in rewriting it back to give the RC thrusters.

That's ok with me. I just thought the idea of a culture that couldn't use reactionless thrusters and so had to rely on a more inefficient manuever drive to be rather interesting. For the sake of consistency, that is a detail that probably should be altered.

Allen[/QB][/QUOTE]

Actually, there was on old Challenge article about lo-tech starships. My memory is foggy, but I recall stuff like 200-ton traders with J1 and Fission powerplants/drive units.

Sounds exactly like what you're discussing. It also dovetails rather nicely in terms of fundamental tech shifts. Example, at TL11+/TL12 HEPlar just isn't produced anymore b/c most manufacturers have retooled for the more efficient and desirable Reactionless Thrusters. Though obviously the technology may still be available (sorta like modern-day specialty companies that still produce vaccuum tubes).

I think it adds the flavor element that you're seeking and sorta tidies things up.

Hmm, I wonder if I can apply this logic to the J-boat/Leviathan thread?

 

[Liam Devlin]

Actually, there was on old Challenge article about lo-tech starships. My memory is foggy, but I recall stuff like 200-ton traders with J1 and Fission powerplants/drive units.
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Sounds exactly like what you're discussing. It also dovetails rather nicely in terms of fundamental tech shifts. Example, at TL11+/TL12 HEPlar just isn't produced anymore b/c most manufacturers have retooled for the more efficient and desirable Reactionless Thrusters. Though obviously the technology may still be available (sorta like modern-day specialty companies that still produce vaccuum tubes).

I think it adds the flavor element that you're seeking and sorta tidies things up.
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MAkes lots of sense if something is too expensive to produce and a replcement technology has come along, why keep making them. Makes fer a nice canon patch.
STill, the Wilds worlds with lower tech (non RC) out there hanging on, getting back into space/ remaining even viable for insystem travelling...heplar is OKay by me.
Post 1248..thats MJD's call, true.