Wormholedrives and stardrives
I would like to suggest a further feature of SE4.
Wormholedrives
To differentiate between in-system ships and ships which can drive from system to system by passing the wellknown wormholes, I suggest to introduce 2 different types of engines -
one type (type 1) is the engine we know, ion-engine to quantum engine. This type of engine I call Wormhole-drive". Wormhole-Drives should cost in about 2 to 3 times as they cost now.
The other type (type 2) is for insystem ships only. Its another tech branch which is called "In-system-drives". This tech branch should be cheaper than the "wormhole -drive-tech-branch" (wow). Also the engines should not cost so much resource points. But they are not capable of "jumping" between the systems.
It should not possible to "mix" the two different types of engines. Eiter a ship has
type 1 or type 2 engines.
Why a differentiation? because this gives a wholly new view on ship construction. you have to decide to build expensive but mobile intersystem ships or cheaper ships for protection of your sun system.
"Star-drive"
A stardrive is wholly different from the wormholedrive. Mostly everyknow has recognized that the galaxy segment where the systems are placed is composed of squares. This could lead to another type of interstellar drive which I call "star-drive
component". A "star-drive" is capable of travelling a number of segment squares per
turn equal to the power of his star-drive. For example if he has a "star-drive 2"
device onboard, he can travel 2 squares per turn in hyperspace on the galactic map
without using the wormholes. A ship can only have one stardrive component onboard. A "star-drive" should be a seperate techbranch. (a very expensive of course not available before mid-game or available just for some special races)
Why making a "star-drive" possible? Because it enables new strategies to defeat an
enemy.
Secondly it makes it easy to convert "conventional" SF-settings like Star Wars or Star Trek scenario sets which uses Hyperspace or warp engines to SE4.
Fighter engines:
It should be possible to equip fighters with traditional engines like SE3 - no
in-system travelling. These engines should be cheaper, or the in-system engines more expensive (whatever suits better)It should also be possible to equip fighters with the capability to travel through wormholes (expensive engines of course) or to equip them with a "mini-stardrive".(high tech level)
what do you think about this?
klaus
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