GURPS Spaceships Design Spreadsheet

[kmunoz]

That could be interesting!

Did I miss where you put RC12? I was having that problem getting RC11 to open properly...

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by kmunoz

That could be interesting!

Did I miss where you put RC12? I was having that problem getting RC11 to open properly...

I quietly uploaded it without posting an update message. Just re-download and it should be RC12. The Energy Bank will be in RC13 (along with a few other changes I've made).

[kmunoz]

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

I quietly uploaded it without posting an update message. Just re-download and it should be RC12.

Great! Thanks.

[adm]

Energy Banks look reasonable, and appropriate for some ships.

[DaltonS]

I agree that the "Energy Bank" is a system that is long overdue. I think part of the problem is that high energy systems requiring a "recharge time" or "firing rate" were assumed to include an intrinsic energy bank that took that long to become fully charged from the stated energy draw after being fully depleted. Recharge times for independent Energy Banks may be calculated by making the bank a "High-Energy System" that is only drawing power when being charged. This would allow an Energy Bank to be downgraded (with appropriate discounts) by imposing limits on capacity, recharge and discharge rates.

Dalton “who really wonders why this took so long” Spence

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by DaltonS

This would allow an Energy Bank to be downgraded (with appropriate discounts) by imposing limits on capacity, recharge and discharge rates.

Hmm, I kind of like the idea of offering a discount on lower recharge/discharge rate. I may have to crib that idea. Let me think on that. As for capacity, that's already handled relatively well by taking a Half-Sized or Smaller SM Bank. Beyond that I don't see much need to lower capacity. Another option may be to offer them as a Habitat offering. Number of PPh per cabin module would scale with ship size - for instance, a TL8 battery provides 2PPh, so would provide 1/3rd PPh on a SM+8 ship but only 1/30th PPH on a SM+10 ship, meaning you'd have to install 30 to get 1PPh. This is less useful for Batteries, because the number of PPh is fairly low, but could be useful with Power Cells, allowing a cabin or three to provide a couple PPh.

[DaltonS]

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

Another option may be to offer them as a Habitat offering. Number of PPh per cabin module would scale with ship size - for instance, a TL8 battery provides 2PPh, so would provide 1/3rd PPh on a SM+8 ship but only 1/30th PPH on a SM+10 ship, meaning you'd have to install 30 to get 1PPh. This is less useful for Batteries, because the number of PPh is fairly low, but could be useful with Power Cells, allowing a cabin or three to provide a couple PPh.

More useful if you think in terms of PPt depending on turn length. Being able to get one final shot with a concealed weapon could be a nasty surprise for some pirate.

Dalton “not that I have anything against pirates” Spence

[kmunoz]

Dangit, all of this is making me want to work on my tabletop tactical space combat game again. :(

[Kale]

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

Hmm, I kind of like the idea of offering a discount on lower recharge/discharge rate.

A few recharge options would really help add flavor and impact combat tactics. For instance a non-rechargeable option with double the PPhrs could be built as a modular component into a ship. They could be 'phaser batteries' or whatever that let a ship bring tremendous energy armament to bear with limited endurance.

[RogerBW]

Energy banks certainly open up possibilities for asymmetrical combat: a craft charges from solar panels or a mother ship, engages in a short and vicious combat, then leaves to recharge.

My Dymka corvette, which currently runs two super fusion reactors, could downgrade that to two Smaller System Energy Banks and squeeze in another 300MJ laser turret. It needs 9 PP for an alpha strike, and at TL11 has 60 PP-turns to play with. If it's still alive after six turns of firing, the enemy is either dead or stupid.

Why two Smaller System Energy Banks? Because the last slot is a Smaller System Solar Panel Array, which generates 0.3 pp and can therefore charge the banks from flat in ten hours.

Have you considered making this into a Pyramid article? I think it deserves greater prominence than a forum post.