[userx]

Sorry for the long post but I hope it’s worth the read. Being a Star Trek fan I’m enjoying this mod and I think your 1.1 changes will be a welcomed enhancement. I have a suggestion that could help bring ship movement more in line with the Star Trek universe.

I’d like to suggest that warp drive should be a technology available from the beginning (or attainable within a few turns … Physics I). Without warp drive capable ships, one would not be exploring nearby solar systems. I’d like to also suggest that warp drive technology be broken into two areas of research: Warp Technology (1-6) which provides the “Warp Core” component, and a new tech area, Warp Engine Design (1-6) which provides the “Nacelle Engines.” Propulsion technology (1-8) tree provides the “Impulse Engine” component.

These three components collectively would form the basis of ship propulsion in the mod.

The Impulse Engine component (1-8) primary function is to move the ship during combat. It would generate 1 Bonus Movement point (representing sub-light movement capabilities) and (1-8) Combat Movement points. It would also carry a limited amount of “supply.” (Limited One Per Ship)

Warp Core component (1-6) primary function is to provide a star ship with energy to power its warp engines. It would carry the majority of a ships supply (1000-3500) points and generate (2-12) bonus movement points. (Limited One per ship – though the computer sometimes gets away with putting two on large ships?)

Nacelle Engine component is the engines that propel the ship. Each engine would generate (1-6) Standard Ship Movement. They carry not supply or generate combat movement bonuses. (Limited Two Per Ship)

For example, a ship with an Impulse Engine Type III, Nacelle Engine IV, and Warp Core II would have Ship Movement of 13, Combat movement bonus 3, and carry 2000 supplies.

This system would allow for a maximum ship movement of 29. If you think that’s too high, in ST:TNG, the enterprise at warp 8 can travel across one sector (20 light years) in about 7 days. This also allows for some interesting combinations. For example, the Klingons could focus on improving impulse engines for combat advantages while the Romulans could focus on Nacelle Engines for fast ships. The Federation could focus on a balance between speed (Nacelle Engines) and long range capabilities (Warp Core).

Below are examples of each component.

Name := Impulse Engine I
Description := Standard Ion Engine for sub-light inter-system travel.
Pic Num := 9
Tonnage Space Taken := 10
Tonnage Structure := 20
Cost Minerals := 200
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 50
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base\Drone
Supply Amount Used := 10
Restrictions := One Per Vehicle
General Group := Sub Light Engines (note new Category)
Family := 200
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := Propulsion
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 3
Ability 1 Type := Movement Bonus
Ability 1 Descr := Generates 1 bonus movement point.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 1
Ability 1 Val 2 := 1
Ability 2 Type := Combat Movement
Ability 2 Descr := Generates 1 bonus combat movement point.
Ability 2 Val 1 := 1
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Ability 3 Type := Supply Storage
Ability 3 Descr := Can store 500 units of supply.
Ability 3 Val 1 := 500
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Warp Core I
Description := Main anti-matter power source.
Pic Num := 889
Tonnage Space Taken := 40
Tonnage Structure := 40
Cost Minerals := 600
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 400
Vehicle Type := Ship
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Engines
Family := 42
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Warp Technology (1-6)
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := Warp Engine Design
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Number of Abilities := 3
Ability 1 Type := Extra Movement Generation
Ability 1 Descr := Generates 2 bonus movement point.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 2
Ability 1 Val 2 := 1
Ability 2 Type := Supply Storage
Ability 2 Descr := Can store 1000 units of supply.
Ability 2 Val 1 := 1000
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Ability 3 Type := Armor
Ability 3 Descr := Delicate will be destroyed before any other component.
Ability 3 Val 1 := 0
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Nacelle Engine I
Description := Creates a warp field surrounding a ship.
Pic Num := 26
Tonnage Space Taken := 10
Tonnage Structure := 20
Cost Minerals := 200
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 50
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base\Drone
Supply Amount Used := 10
Restrictions := Two Per Vehicle
General Group := Engines
Family := 9
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Warp Engine Design (1-6)
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := Warp Technology
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Number of Abilities := 1
Ability 1 Type := Standard Ship Movement
Ability 1 Descr := Generates 1 standard movement.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 1
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Hope there is something here to consider for your mod.