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I tried to at least alleviate the WMD problem by cribbing from Poul Anderson et al:

Drives IMTU (In My Traveller Universe)

Maneuver drive (M-drive) (TL9) moves a ship through space without perceived acceleration. It does not create kinetic energy. If the drive field around the ship hits large amounts of matter the breakers pop or the drive explodes or melts down. Any increase in potential energy is provided by the ship's power plant. Any decrease in potential energy turns into heat. When the drive turns off the ship resumes the intrinsic velocity it had before the drive turned on*.

To change your intrinsic velocity you need a source of thrust, or to play games with M-driving into a gravity field, turning off the M-drive while you fall, turning it back on to climb up, etc.

Thrust engines (T-drives) exists in a myriad of forms at different tech levels, but most starships use a standard type which uses power from the ship's power plant to heat up reaction mass and shoot it out a nozzle in the desired direction. The reaction mass is usually the surrounding atmosphere, or onboard hydrogen, although other onboard types of reaction mass can be used. This exhaust is often very hot, but a cooler mode is available so you can land in the bush without starting a forest fire.

The acceleration from T-drives is experienced normally, there is no easy way to counteract it.

(Air rafts and such also need a source of thrust besides their anti-gravity.)

Yes, these means ships have three kinds of drives, not two. For purposes of skills, feats, etc, any of them apply equally to M-drives and T-drives.


* Yes, I know I am creating a preferred reference frame, and time travel. I have a waiver here signed by Aristole, Newton, Einstein, Hawking, Cochrane, and both Popes. Go away.

(Yes, it is somewhat like the stutterwarp from 2300 AD, though I am largely cribbing from Poul Anderson.)

(Three drives is because I also discussed the FTL drives.)