More actions
m →Afterburners and microwarpdrives: Copy-edit: syntax, punctuation, paragraphing, subheading. |
m Further copy-editing. Additional links. |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
'''Propulsion modules''' are a | '''Propulsion modules''' (sometimes just "'''prop mods'''") are a group of active [[module]] which increase a ship's speed or otherwise make it more mobile, at the cost of [[capacitor|capacitor energy]]. Greater mobility on the battlefield allows pilots to dictate the range at which combat takes place, optimizing the effectiveness of their weapons and/or reducing the effectiveness of enemy weapons, to flee from or catch opponents, and even directly to evade enemy weapons fire. | ||
==Afterburners and microwarpdrives== | ==Afterburners and microwarpdrives== | ||
Afterburners ( | Afterburners ("ABs") and microwarpdrives ("MWDs") are the most common propulsion modules, and appear in almost all ship fittings. These are active modules, which when activated consume capacitor energy to significantly increase a ship's top speed and acceleration, but also increase its mass, making it less maneuverable. | ||
Afterburners | Afterburners boost a ship's maximum speed by around 130–200%, while microwarpdrives increase speed by around 500–700%. Compared with afterburners, then, microwarpdrives offer a much greater speed boost. However, they also use more capacitor energy, reduce the ship's total capacitor capacity when fitted, increase the ship's [[signature radius]] when active, can be shut down by [[scram|warp scramblers]], and are generally harder to fit. | ||
Afterburners and microwarpdrives both have 10-second cycle times, and cannot be deactivated prematurely. However, the cycle time of afterburners can be reduced to a minimum of 7.5 seconds by training the skill {{sk|Afterburner}}. Capital ship-sized afterburners and microwarpdrives have 20-second cycle times instead. These modules do not have cooldowns, and can be left running continuously, provided capacitor energy is available. | Afterburners and microwarpdrives both have 10-second cycle times, and cannot be deactivated prematurely. However, the cycle time of afterburners can be reduced to a minimum of 7.5 seconds by training the skill {{sk|Afterburner}}. Capital ship-sized afterburners and microwarpdrives have 20-second cycle times instead. These modules do not have cooldowns, and can be left running continuously, provided capacitor energy is available. | ||
The 500% signature radius bloom caused by | The 500% signature radius bloom caused by an active microwarpdrive means that a ship using one will need to fly 500% faster than normal in order to retain the same ability to dodge enemy weapons fire . While the microwarpdrive's 500% speed increase may appear to cancel this out, this is deceptive. As a result of acceleration, turning, and orbiting, a ship with a microwarpdrive will very rarely be flying at speeds approaching the full 500% bonus the drive gives, while they will always be suffering the 500% signature penalty regardless of their speed. Consequently, while microwarpdrives are very good at allowing ships to control their engagement range (and either increase or decrease the distance between themselves and their enemies), they are not very effective at helping evade enemy weapons damage. Meanwhile, while afterburners are less effective at range control, their straight speed increase makes them very effective at helping ships to evade damage. | ||
[[Faction modules|Faction]] and deadspace afterburners have improved speed bonuses. Faction and deadspace microwarpdrives, however, offer only marginal speed increases over standard variants. Instead, faction microwarpdrives offer reduced capacitor and signature radius penalties, mitigating the module's issues with capacitor stability and evasion. | [[Faction modules|Faction]] and deadspace afterburners have improved speed bonuses. Faction and deadspace microwarpdrives, however, offer only marginal speed increases over standard variants. Instead, faction microwarpdrives offer reduced capacitor and signature radius penalties, mitigating the module's issues with capacitor stability and evasion. | ||
Certain Tech 2 and Tech 3 ships—[[Interceptors]], [[Interdictors]], [[Frigates#Assault Frigates|Assault Frigates]], [[Command Destroyer]]s, and Wake Limiter-fit [[Strategic Cruisers]]—suffer less from microwarpdrive signature penalties. These ships are able to take advantage of microwarpdrive speeds, and use them to evade enemy fire. Additionally, ships designed by [[Sansha's Nation]] have a unique bonus to afterburner speed, allowing them to achieve speeds comparable to those of microwarpdrives, but with none of the drive's penalties. | |||
=== Sizes and mass effects === | === Sizes and mass effects === | ||
| Line 51: | Line 51: | ||
|} | |} | ||
The max velocity bonus listed in module info is only one factor in actual velocity increase. The maximum velocity of a ship using a propulsion module is | The max velocity bonus listed in module info is only one factor in the actual velocity increase. The maximum velocity of a ship using a propulsion module is | ||
:<math> V_{\rm max} = V_{\rm base} \times ( 1 + V_{\rm bonus} \times \frac{ \text{Thrust} }{ \text{mass} } ) </math> | :<math> V_{\rm max} = V_{\rm base} \times ( 1 + V_{\rm bonus} \times \frac{ \text{Thrust} }{ \text{mass} } ) </math> | ||
In practice, that last thrust/mass term is almost equal to | In practice, that last thrust/mass term is almost equal to 1 when using properly sized modules on frigates, cruisers, and battleships, and for such hulls the ship's new maximum velocity is about equal to its base velocity multiplied by the bonus of the propulsion module. | ||
However, certain exceptionally light-weight ships (like many [[Triglavian Collective|Triglavian]] ships) can achieve higher speed bonuses, while heavier-weight ships such as destroyers and battlecruisers will receive lower speed bonuses than their prop modules would state. This formula explains how fitting armor plates reduces the bonus of a prop module (but not the ship's base speed). This formula also dictates that fitting a ship with an undersized afterburner or MWD will provide an ineffectively small boost. (In general, the only time this is ever done is in the act of fitting a battleship-sized 500MN microwarpdrive to a capital ship, as a sort of maneuvering thruster used in single cycles to improve alignment times.) | |||
=== Tech and Meta Levels === | === Tech and Meta Levels === | ||