[Spaceships][Vorkosigan] Off-Size Systems and Power

[Langy]

An Antimatter plant (which does exist in Vorkosigan) produces 4 PP, by the 1/3 rule, a small Antimatter plant would produce 1.333PP which would be enough to power a single, normal size, high-energy system, which contradicts the statement that a small power plant cannot provide enough power for a normal system!

Yes, but there are no 3PP power plants. They likely didn't include the 1/3 rule because you'd wind up with fractional power points - which increases game complexity slightly.

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by Langy

Yes, but there are no 3PP power plants. They likely didn't include the 1/3 rule because you'd wind up with fractional power points - which increases game complexity slightly.

The solution is to make the small power plants put out normal power, and just triple the output of the full-size ones. And obviously, triple the consumption of the full-size systems, too.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Diomedes

The solution is to make the small power plants put out normal power, and just triple the output of the full-size ones. And obviously, triple the consumption of the full-size systems, too.

Or just don't be afraid of fractions...

Technically there are 3PP powerplants in the form of de-rated antimatter (and de-rated super fusion and total conversion, if available). But yeah, this looks much like opting for simplicity over accuracy, unless there's a strange setting rule involved.

[jacobmuller]

originally posted by Ulzgoroth: This would make installing a one SM larger power plant in a spaceship much more economical than 3 or more normal SM power plants!

Maybe I'm wrong but, depending on SM, you'd either pay the same or an extra 11'%.
The benefits come from fitting in extra, just good enough, optional systems - versatility at the cost of effectiveness. Just like a PC with 3 ok melee skills v's one good skill.

Larger Defenses "Use twice the dDR or reflected damage dice of the original system." This sounds good but it's like the Power Plants - depending on SM, you get nothing extra or lose perhaps 12% compared to three normal SM units.

NB: the Courier on p206 uses Off-Size defense systems but the stats seem wrong. If I'm reading the rules right, it should be 100dice and dDR 2/233. SM4 defense values are not 1/3rd SM5. For that matter, keeping consistancy with the Larger Sytems, it should be "use 1/2 dDR" etc, not 1/3.