Ok, so we're wondering about a few things regarding computers and power plants on starships in T20. First, the easy one-
1. Can I underpower my M-drives to get a lower acceleration, but saving EPs? An example would be a standard scout ship with 2-G Maneuver drives. Can these be underpowered with only .5 EP per unit (2 units = 1 EP) and fly at only 1-G? Seems to me this was probably intended, since all the drives say that their rating is the "MAXIMUM" acceleration. This implies that they can adjust for any acceleration between 0 and this rating. In space, I can't think of any reason besides low velocity docking maneuvers to go at anything less than your maximum acceleration with the only exception being when you want to route power to fire weapons and still retain some amount of Agility.
2) Ok, this is more confusing. The first question is what does it mean in the SHIP design section when it says that a Model/1 BIS computer has "5 CPU" free? How does this convert into PPs to run programs? What programs is this already assumed to be running?
How does the Model/1 computer in the ship design section compare with the Model/1 Ship's Computer in the standard designs chapter? Is it the same thing? (looks that way to me...but how do you know how many PP it has left?) Finally, what does the (x4) mean in the CPU column for the Ship's Computer on pg 282?
Thanks!
1. Can I underpower my M-drives to get a lower acceleration, but saving EPs? An example would be a standard scout ship with 2-G Maneuver drives. Can these be underpowered with only .5 EP per unit (2 units = 1 EP) and fly at only 1-G? Seems to me this was probably intended, since all the drives say that their rating is the "MAXIMUM" acceleration. This implies that they can adjust for any acceleration between 0 and this rating. In space, I can't think of any reason besides low velocity docking maneuvers to go at anything less than your maximum acceleration with the only exception being when you want to route power to fire weapons and still retain some amount of Agility.
2) Ok, this is more confusing. The first question is what does it mean in the SHIP design section when it says that a Model/1 BIS computer has "5 CPU" free? How does this convert into PPs to run programs? What programs is this already assumed to be running?
How does the Model/1 computer in the ship design section compare with the Model/1 Ship's Computer in the standard designs chapter? Is it the same thing? (looks that way to me...but how do you know how many PP it has left?) Finally, what does the (x4) mean in the CPU column for the Ship's Computer on pg 282?
Thanks!