Collapsibles and Drop Tanks

[jason taylor]

As I understand the problem with these is that it detracts from the paradigm of having thick traffic routes, and therefore they need limitations. FT did not suggest what they were.

Two possible ones:

Collapsibles take up holdspace. They are only worth it for really high profit cargo.

Drop tanks require external craddles. And here's a thought: on a critical failure they can be lost in jump space leaving a ship stranded.

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

As I understand the problem with these is that it detracts from the paradigm of having thick traffic routes, and therefore they need limitations. FT did not suggest what they were.

Two possible ones:

Collapsibles take up holdspace. They are only worth it for really high profit cargo.

Drop tanks require external craddles. And here's a thought: on a critical failure they can be lost in jump space leaving a ship stranded.

Canonically, yes, collapsibles take up cargo space when collapsed, and more when full. They're installed in the cargo bay.

Canonically, the tanks have to clear the 100 diameter limit of the ship or be destroyed.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

A
Drop tanks require external craddles. And here's a thought: on a critical failure they can be lost in jump space leaving a ship stranded.

From _extremely_ finicky discussions involving drop tanks (during the GT:Starships palytest mostly) drop tanks can not be a ship's only fuel tanks. The drop tanks must be fed intot he regular tanks to refill empty tanks or fed through the regular tanks (and then dropped) when making extended Jumps.

So drop tanks or no drop tanks you still have your regular tanks and the normal opportunities to refuel so you might not be stranded. Maybe if yiou were trying to carry the tanks into a place where there was absolutely no way to refuel you could ahve this problem but that's not really very likely.

But soem of the reasosn GT:Starships has the Fiery-class with its' permanent tankage as a replacment for the Gazelle. you can take this as canon implying the the Gazelle-class was moslty a failure ad that is how I would take things IMTU.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

From _extremely_ finicky discussions involving drop tanks (during the GT:Starships palytest mostly) drop tanks can not be a ship's only fuel tanks. The drop tanks must be fed intot he regular tanks to refill empty tanks or fed through the regular tanks (and then dropped) when making extended Jumps.

So drop tanks or no drop tanks you still have your regular tanks and the normal opportunities to refuel so you might not be stranded. Maybe if yiou were trying to carry the tanks into a place where there was absolutely no way to refuel you could ahve this problem but that's not really very likely.

Surely, but I was envisioning using the main tanks to get to the mid point of the gap and the drops to finish. Though perhaps the reverse might be more efficient.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Surely, but I was envisioning using the main tanks to get to the mid point of the gap and the drops to finish. Though perhaps the reverse might be more efficient.

No, by what several senior Grognards insisted was the way thing worked. You had to use the internal tankage first. Then you'd have retain your "drop" tanks for a full refuel at the target before your return.

A simpler system of carrying fuel for 2 jumps instead of just 1 makes more sense.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

No, by what several senior Grognards insisted was the way thing worked. You had to use the internal tankage first. Then you'd have retain your "drop" tanks for a full refuel at the target before your return.

A simpler system of carrying fuel for 2 jumps instead of just 1 makes more sense.

If so than in fact breaking the attachments in midjump will leave you stranded in space. Unless you brought spares along.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

If so than in fact breaking the attachments in midjump will leave you stranded in space. Unless you brought spares along.

You mean Jump space? Then no, one of the complexities that is necessary for the "initiate Jump but leave your drop tanks behind you" is that you use all H2 before entering Jump space.