Ship roles (division of labor)

[Taqwus]

Quantum reactors? ISTR that it actually takes a fair bit of research in Resupply (7? 8?) to get there, and each QR has a fairly considerable cost. The solar collectors might still be useful for a cheap low-tech long-range probe...

Given that maintenance seems to be something like 20% ship cost/turn (vague recollection), those radioactives from the QR (and master computers, if you use 'em. Those are EXPENSIVE.) can add up.

But it seems reasonable to me for the QR to obsolete older tech in the same branch. I wouldn't use Crysarmor I if Crysarmor III were available, and usually there's not that much call for standard ion engines if you've got jacketed...

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night