Build:Warp Propulsion System: Difference between revisions
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For ships with the Type series of PIS installed, a roll of 2d6 should be made for every 10 minutes of travel beyond the listed time; on a result of 2, 3 or 4, the warp drive system suffers damage. Reduce the ship’s Standard, Sustained, and Maximum ratings by 25%. Repairs take one hour to one day per SU of damage as if the PIS had lost 25% of its SUs. | For ships with the Type series of PIS installed, a roll of 2d6 should be made for every 10 minutes of travel beyond the listed time; on a result of 2, 3 or 4, the warp drive system suffers damage. Reduce the ship’s Standard, Sustained, and Maximum ratings by 25%. Repairs take one hour to one day per SU of damage as if the PIS had lost 25% of its SUs. | ||
==== | ====Operating between Sustainable and Maximum speeds==== | ||
: '''''Note:''' this is a house rule.'' | : '''''Note:''' this is a house rule.'' | ||
For endurance, recovery, and overrun damage purposes, operation at any speed above | For endurance, recovery, and overrun damage purposes, operation at any speed above Sustainable warp counts as operation at Maximum warp. The ship receives no endurance extension for travelling below its Maximum rating. Operation above Standard warp but at or below Sustainable warp neither consumes nor restores endurance. Operation at or below Standard warp restores an equivalent amount of time of Maximum warp endurance, up to the ship’s rated allowance. | ||
====Recovery from | ====Recovery from Maximum warp==== | ||
: '''''Note:''' this is a house rule | : '''''Note:''' this is a house rule.'' | ||
To regain its full Maximum warp endurance, a ship must operate at or below Standard warp for a period equal to the time spent safely operating at Maximum warp. Recovery time may be divided into separate periods, combining time with warp propulsion at or below Standard warp. Travel above Standard warp does not count as recovery. | |||
If operation at Maximum warp resumes before recovery is complete, the ship’s available safe Maximum warp duration equals its rated endurance minus its unrecovered operating time. In other words, each unit of time with warp propulsion operating at or below Standard warp restores an equivalent unit of time of endurance, up to the ship’s rated allowance. Restarting the system or changing speed does not reset this allowance. | |||
: ''Example: The USS Memphis, rated for eight hours at | : ''Example: The USS Memphis, rated for eight hours at Maximum warp, operates at that speed for five hours, then travels at Standard warp for three hours. Two hours of operating time remain unrecovered, leaving six hours of safe Maximum warp available.'' | ||
====Table==== | ====Table==== | ||
Latest revision as of 03:01, 11 October 2026
6.1 Warp Propulsion System
Cost: varies
The following information—up until the nacelles entry—is provided as information on the roles of the various parts of the warp propulsion system.
The heart of any starship is its matter/antimatter reaction (M/AMR) engine, more commonly known as its warp propulsion system or warp drive. Put simply, a warp propulsion system works by annihilating antimatter with matter in a lithium- or dilithium-controlled reaction which is channeled for power. A warp propulsion system has three main parts: the matter/antimatter integrator (or matter/antimatter reaction assembly in the 24th century), the power transfer conduits and the warp nacelles. In developing the warp propulsion system, the nacelles and power transfer conduits are "bought" first, with the warp drive considered during the Power portion.
Matter/Antimatter Integrator (M/AMI) (Pre-2303): Basically, early model warp propulsion systems work the same as 24th century ones. Both annihilate matter and antimatter in a reaction controlled by lithium or dilithium crystals to produce sufficient power to propel a starship at speeds far in excess of the speed of light. However, the technology of the earlier warp drives suffers from certain limitations and restrictions which later drives do not—most notably an inability to safely attain warp speeds higher than warp 8.0 (Warp 6.5 on the TNG scale).
On early starships, the matter/antimatter reaction occurs in a matter/antimatter integrator (M/AMI; also called an intermix chamber or warp core). Located in main engineering, the M/AMI consists of a long horizontal chamber in most ships of the era. Beginning in 2271, Star Fleet discovered it could achieve a more efficient reaction with a chamber containing both horizontal and vertical sections. (Later advances in materials science and warp engine dynamics in the 2300s —specifically 2303—allowed Star Fleet to discard the less-efficient horizontal chamber in favor of wholly vertical warp cores, except in those designs, such as the Danube-class runabout, where the size or configuration of a ship required a horizontal core.)
The dilithium crystal converter assembly (DCCA), part of the M/AMI, holds the dilithium crystals in place. Most DCCAs hold four crystals, and use a dilithium sequencer to control the flow of power through them. (If anyone removes any crystals, reduce the ship’s ability to attain warp speeds proportionately.) If something fuses or damages a ship’s DCCA, the ship cannot attain warp speed or derive any power from the warp propulsion system until the engineers repair it. Special structures known as baffle plates cover the DCCA to contain the massive energy generated there and channel it into the plasma transfer conduits (PTCs) that carry it to the warp nacelles. If the baffle plates become warped or damaged, they cannot properly contain the reaction, resulting in extensive damage to the engineering section (and possibly the destruction of the ship).
The wider the engineers open the integrator, the greater the flow of matter and antimatter into the chamber, and thus the faster the ship moves. In the event the flows become too great, which could destroy the ship via an uncontrolled reaction or excessive speed (see below), the emergency overload bypass engages almost instantaneously. The bypass possesses great durability; fusing it shut so that it can’t engage would require all the power in the main phaser banks. But if it is fused, or malfunctions, the engines run wild, with a “maximum overload” (resulting in destruction of the ship) in no more than 15 minutes. (The 15-minute figure applies to ships of the 2260s and beyond. For every full 20 years prior to 2260, reduce the time by one minute.)
If the integrator does not mix the matter and antimatter in the proper ratio, an “engine imbalance” results. An imbalance of too much antimatter typically destroys the ship, since the excess antimatter contacts matter and explodes. An imbalance of matter can create a “wormhole,” a sort of “tunnel” in space that traps the ship (and possibly other objects, with which the ship may collide). Dropping to impulse speeds causes the wormhole to disappear. If a ship fails to get out of a wormhole before reaching its end, the wormhole’s terminus could put the ship at virtually any place in the galaxy, at any point in time. The plasma produced by a 23rd century M/AMI must maintain a constant temperature between 4,000o and 4,400o Celsius, or else safety margins are violated. If the temperature exceeds 5,500o C, a reaction could result which overheats the engines and destroys the ship in a tremendous explosion.
Ships built prior to 2303 cannot eject their warp cores.
Matter/Antimatter Reaction Assembly (M/ARA) (Post-2302): The matter/antimatter reaction assembly is where the matter/antimatter annihilation takes place. It has three parts: the reactant injectors; the magnetic constriction segments; and the matter/antimatter reaction chamber. These pieces are organized in a columnar fashion. At the bottom and top of the column are the reactant injectors — the matter reactant injector (MRI) sits on the top and uses deuterium; the antimatter reactant injector (ARI) sits at the bottom and uses antimatter. The two work in approximately the same way, but the ARI is adapted for magnetic suspension fuel tunnels, since the antimatter cannot be allowed to touch matter, lest a catastrophic explosion occur. The MRI and ARI inject their treated materials into the magnetic constriction segments (MCSs), which align the materials for combining within the matter/antimatter reaction chamber (M/ARC). The M/ARC consists of two bell-shaped cavities joined together to direct the flow of the materials. Where the two halves are joined, there is a dilithium crystal articulation frame (DCAF) which holds a dilithium crystal. An armored hatch allows access to the DCAF when it’s time to replace or adjust the crystal.
For reasons not fully understood, dilithium is the only substance known not to react with antimatter when subjected to a high-frequency electromagnetic field. The matter and antimatter both pass through the crystal’s structure without touching it, come into contact with each other, and are annihilated in a reaction which produces an enormous amount of energy. That energy, in the form of plasma, is directed by the dilithium crystal towards the power transfer conduits (PTCs).
Power Transfer Conduits and Warp Nacelles: The Power Transfer Conduits (PTC) split the plasma into one stream for each nacelle a ship has and use magnetic constriction to force the stream(s) toward the warp nacelle(s). Along their length there are three electroplasma system (EPS) taps which siphon off power to run the ship’s systems. The PTCs terminate at the warp nacelles. The nacelles have three primary parts: plasma injection system; warp field coils; and the emergency separation system. They also have maintenance docking ports.
At the nacelle end of each PTC, the plasma injector systems (PISs) injects the plasma into the warp field coils (WFCs) as a burst of energy. The WFCs, which are split toroids made of tungsten-cobalt-magnesium and verterium cortenide, use the energy to create an intense, multilayered warp field which allows the ship to travel through space at superluminal speeds. The coils shift the energy frequencies carried by the plasma deep into subspace, creating the warp field. The sequential firing of the coils presses the warp field layers upon each other, thus making the vehicle move. Because two warp nacelles create a precisely balanced interacting warp field, most ships have that many nacelles; however, advances in warp field theory and mechanics have made ships with one, three, or four nacelles possible. Odd number nacelle designs require the designers to precisely align the odd nacelle along the X-Y plane of the ship, and in the case of three nacelles to precisely align the third one between the other two nacelles, to prevent warp field misalignment.
The nacelles also include Bussard ramscoops at their forward end. A ship can use these to “sweep” interstellar space with a magnetic field to gather stray hydrogen atoms in the event of a fuel shortage. If necessary, other gases (such as metreon gas) can be collected. By making a Routine (3) Propulsion Engineering Test, the crew can “backflush” the ramscoops, ejecting the collected gases forward or aft.
The emergency separation system (ESS) allows the crew to eject a nacelle in the event of catastrophic failure of a PIS. The computer controls this function; no Test is required for characters to activate it. In the event of a computer failure, characters can make a Moderate (6) Systems Engineering or Shipboard Systems (any Specialization) Test to perform the ejection — assuming, of course, the ejection system hasn’t malfunctioned...
Lithium and Dilithium: Warp propulsion systems use a controlled matter/antimatter reaction explosion to generate the massive amounts of energy needed to transcend the speed of light. Early warp engines, such as the one invented by Zefram Cochrane, typically used laboratory-created lithium crystals to control the reaction, but they proved unstable. Experiments conducted in the late 2240s and early 2250s with a new substance, dilithium, determined that it functions more efficiently and safely than lithium, and by approximately 2264 it had replaced lithium in almost all warp propulsion systems. The Federation and comparative societies cannot manufacture dilithium; they have to mine it. That makes sources of the mineral, such as the planets Coridan and Troyius, or the Klingon asteroid of Rura Penthe, enormously valuable (and often the sources of galactic political tension).
Dilithium is sturdy, but not invulnerable. A wide variety of phenomena, ranging from physical force to various energy and subspace fields, can cause dilithium crystals to warp, crack, or deteriorate past the point of usefulness (they also wear out through use, of course). If this occurs, the engineering department must replace them immediately or risk the destruction of the ship due to an uncontrolled matter/antimatter reaction. The engineers cannot replace the crystals without shutting down the warp propulsion system entirely. In 2286, Captain Spock of the USS Enterprise devised a method of recrystallizing dilithium using high energy photons from fission reactors which greatly extended the usable life of an individual crystal.
Because dilithium is both rare and expensive, ships often have difficulty keeping enough of it in supply, prior to 2286. A starship typically carries enough dilithium for one year of routine operation. Whenever it has to exceed Standard speed, activates shields or other power-intensive systems, it uses up more than it would by engaging in routine operations for the same period of time. Eventually the ship must obtain more dilithium. The same useage rules apply to lithium, though it is much more common.
Cardassian: The Cardassian Union uses a unique form of warp drive technology. Because Cardassian industrial processes cannot produce antimatter as pure and refined as that manufactured by the Federation or Romulans, Cardassian warp drives use a magnetic latticework focused by a mineral called ladarium to help purify the antimatter before it interacts with the matter. Without ladarium, a Cardassian ship risks catastrophic warp core breach, since it cannot fully regulate the matter/antimatter reaction and resultant power flow. Cardassian ships carry ladarium as part of their consumables, but as with dilithium and crucial spare parts, always seem to run out at inopportune moments, which gives rise to difficulties and adventures.
The maximum speed attainable by Cardassian vessels as of 2376 is Warp 9.7. Using technological information obtained from the Dominion, the Cardassians may learn how to exceed this speed, once they solve their current political troubles and can concentrate on such research again.
Klingon: The Klingons use standard matter/antimatter warp propulsion technology and impulse propulsion systems. They have conducted a few experiments with transwarp drive and other advanced forms of superluminal travel, but have never even come close to developing practical working models of such technology.
The maximum speed attainable by Klingon vessels as of 2376 is Warp 9.8.
6.1.1 Nacelles
(Required for most FTL vessels)
Cost: Varies
Power Requirement: 1 Power for every 0.2 of warp speed
- Note: The ship's maximum warp factor should be used for budgeting the ship's mandatory power requirements.
Available: 2063
There are two different designation systems for nacelles used by Star Fleet and its preceding agencies: the first was used up until 2312, when nacelles were redesignated according to how they performed under the TNG Warp Scale (this was done retroactively, in some cases). The first system labels the nacelles by Mark, while the latter system uses Type. Nacelles from one system are different than those used under the other, as the latter type began incorporating the third-generation knowledge of warp mechanics.
Decide how many nacelles your ship has, from one to four. The base number you choose doesn’t matter or affect the SU mass cost—four nacelles cost as many as one or two, and the number chosen has no particular effect on gameplay. The Nacelle Table indicates the types available, their SU mass cost, and the Standard / Sustained / Maximum warp speed each can attain. Standard velocity (aka, cruise speed in Timo's Guide) is the speed at which a ship commonly cruises through space. Sustainable velocity is the highest speed it can maintain without stressing the ship or its engines. Maximum velocity (aka, max speed) is the highest speed it can attain (see also Plasma Injection System, below).
Warp travel costs 1 Power for every .2 of warp speed (or fraction thereof), or 5 Power for every full warp factor. For example, a ship moving at Warp 5 must spend 25 Power per round to do so; one moving at Warp 7.5 spends 38 Power. (Since combat rarely takes place at warp speed, this cost usually does not come into consideration during play.)
Ships designed prior to 2269 almost always have two nacelles—no more, no less—because warp field theory had not yet advanced to the point where Star Fleet technology could reliably generate a stable warp field with one, three, or four nacelles. One-nacelle arrangements became available in 2269, with three- and four-nacelle arrangements in 2284.
Retractable nacelles (+3 SU) became available in 2337.
Variable-geometry nacelles (+5 SU) became available in 2371, as part of the efforts to overcome the Warp 5 speed damage effect on local subspace. This reduces the Power cost for Sustainable and Maximum warp speed by 2. Variable-geometry nacelles cost +5 SUs; it takes 5 Power and one round to alter the nacelles’ position.
Embedded nacelles can only be installed on Cardassian and Klingon vessels (to date) of Size 5 or larger, but they do help make shields stronger, because the shield radius becomes smaller (increase Threshold by 10 and Protection by 100 for no additional Power cost). The cost, however, is that the warp field is slightly less efficient (reduce Standard, Sustainable, and Maximum speeds by 0.1 each) and the embedding also costs 4 x Size. Star Fleet has not yet adopted fully embedded nacelles because it dislikes the loss of speed entailed and is concerned about the health and safety implications they might have for a ship’s crew, but has employed some of the principles to design ships such as the Saber and Steamrunner classes with partly embedded nacelles.
Note: Speeds listed with the Mark series are according to TOS (“The Original Scale”), also known as the Cochrane Scale. The Type series, first introduced in 2313, is listed in the TNG (“Terrance-Neltorr Graduated”) Scale, which was adopted in 2312. TOS factors are marked with a lower-case "w"; TNG factors are indicated by a capital "W".
Special Note Regarding Nacelle Mass (versus SU)
SFC moves away from using SU to define the “cost” of nacelle sets. Timo makes a compelling argument that nacelles constitute a substantial proportion of a vessel’s total mass—something Spacedock does not model especially well.
Instead, SFC determines the mass assigned to each nacelle set (regardless of how many individual nacelles the set contains). The vessel’s standard warp speed—the speed at which it is expected to cruise most often—accounts for the largest share of that mass cost. The technologies required to achieve sustained and maximum warp speeds add comparatively less. Enhancements that raise any of these speed ratings, applied to successive nacelle sets, increase their required mass accordingly.
The vessel’s target mass determines the metric-ton mass represented by each SU. Multiplying the target mass by the applicable nacelle-mass percentage produces the mass allocation, in metric tons, for that nacelle set. The equivalent SU value should be displayed alongside the tonnage.
Nacelle attributes—such as retractability or variable geometry—continue to use their original Spacedock SU costs.
Tables
Note: Designations, mass cost, warp speeds, and the year of availability have all been changed from those originally provided by Spacedock and Ship Recognition Manual v4: The Original Series; additional nacelles have been added as well.
21st Century Nacelles
| Nacelle Tech |
Mass | Standard / Sustainable / Maximum Warp Speed |
Year Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark 1 | 15% | 1.0 / 1.01 / 1.02 | 2063 |
| Mark 1A-2.5 | 15.81% | 1.02 / 1.06 / 2.5 | 2064 |
| Mark 1B-2.5 | 15.92% | 1.02 / 1.12 / 2.5 | 2069 |
| Mark 1B-2.58 | 16.08% | 1.05 / 1.12 / 2.58 | 2072 |
| Mark 1C-2.58 | 16.38% | 1.05 / 1.28 / 2.58 | 2075 |
| Mark 1C-2.7 | 16.63% | 1.09 / 1.28 / 2.7 | 2078 |
| Mark 1D-2.7 | 16.99% | 1.09 / 1.5 / 2.7 | 2082 |
| Mark 1.1 | 17.31% | 1.14 / 1.5 / 2.86 | 2083 |
| Mark 1.1A | 17.71% | 1.14 / 1.78 / 2.86 | 2087 |
| Mark 1.1A-3.05 | 18.07% | 1.19 / 1.78 / 3.05 | 2091 |
| Mark 1.1B | 18.46% | 1.19 / 2.1 / 3.05 | 2092 |
| Mark 1.2 | 18.70% | 1.22 / 2.1 / 3.28 | 2094 |
| Mark 1.2A | 18.92% | 1.22 / 2.3 / 3.28 | 2095 |
22nd Century Nacelles
| Nacelle Tech |
Mass | Standard / Sustainable / Maximum Warp Speed |
Year Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark 1.2B | 19.34% | 1.25 / 2.5 / 3.5 | 2100 |
| Mark 1.3 | 20.00% | 1.35 / 2.5 / 3.5 | 2108 |
| Mark 1.3A | 20.09% | 1.35 / 2.6 / 3.5 | 2108 |
| Mark 1.5 | 21.09% | 1.5 / 2.6 / 3.6 | 2108 |
| Mark 1.5A | 21.23% | 1.5 / 2.75 / 3.6 | 2127 |
| Mark 2 | 24.30% | 2.0 / 2.75 / 3.85 | 2127 |
| Mark 2.1 | 24.53% | 2.1 / 2.95 / 3.85 | 2127 |
| Mark 2.1-4.2 | 24.70% | 2.15 / 2.95 / 4.2 | 2127 |
| Mark 2.3 | 25.13% | 2.35 / 3.1 / 4.2 | 2141 |
| Mark 2.3-4.55 | 25.21% | 2.35 / 3.1 / 4.55 | 2145 |
| Mark 2.6 | 25.82% | 2.6 / 3.35 / 4.85 | 2146 |
| Mark 2.9 | 26.26% | 2.9 / 3.6 / 5.2 | 21511 |
| Mark 3 | 27.00% | 3.0 / 4.0 / 5.0 | 2162 |
| Mark 3A | 27.21% | 3.05 / 4.2 / 5.0 | 2162 |
| Mark 3A-5.25 | 27.27% | 3.05 / 4.2 / 5.25 | 2162 |
| Mark 3.1 | 27.63% | 3.15 / 4.45 / 5.25 | 2183 |
| Mark 3.1-5.55 | 27.69% | 3.15 / 4.45 / 5.55 | 2192 |
- Note 1: SFC has determined this nacelle is the one used by the Enterprise class.
23rd Century Nacelles
| Nacelle Tech |
Mass | Standard / Sustainable / Maximum Warp Speed |
Year Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark 3.2 | 28.11% | 3.25 / 4.75 / 5.55 | 2220 |
| Mark 3.2A | 28.41% | 3.25 / 5.05 / 5.95 | 2220 |
| Mark 4 | 30.10% | 4.0 / 5.0 / 6.5 | 2220 |
| Mark 4.05 | 30.12% | 4.05 / 5.0 / 6.5 | 2225 |
| Mark 3.3 | 28.67% | 3.35 / 5.05 / 6.3 | 2231 |
| Mark 3.3A | 28.98% | 3.35 / 5.5 / 6.3 | 2245 |
| Mark 3.5 | 29.73% | 3.5 / 6.0 / 7.0 | 2245 |
| Mark 4.05B | 30.16% | 4.05 / 5.15 / 6.5 | 2245 |
| Mark 5 | 31.30% | 5.0 / 6.0 / 7.0 | 2245 |
| Mark 4.1 | 30.23% | 4.1 / 5.15 / 6.65 | 2249 |
| Mark 5.1 | 31.31% | 5.1 / 6.0 / 7.2 | 2249 |
| Mark 4.1B | 30.29% | 4.1 / 5.35 / 6.65 | 2257 |
| Mark 5.1A | 31.32% | 5.1 / 6.2 / 7.2 | 2257 |
| Mark 4.2 | 30.41% | 4.2 / 5.35 / 6.9 | 2262 |
| Mark 5.2 | 31.34% | 5.25 / 6.2 / 7.45 | 2262 |
| Mark 5.2A | 31.36% | 5.25 / 6.45 / 7.45 | 2262 |
| Mark 4.2A | 30.49% | 4.2 / 5.6 / 6.9 | 2265 |
| Mark 4.3 | 30.66% | 4.35 / 5.6 / 7.2 | 2265 |
| Mark 5.4 | 31.38% | 5.4 / 6.45 / 7.8 | 2265 |
| Mark 4.3A | 30.75% | 4.35 / 5.9 / 7.2 | 2266 |
| Mark 4.5 | 30.94% | 4.5 / 5.9 / 7.55 | 2267 |
| Mark 4.5A | 31.02% | 4.5 / 6.2 / 7.55 | 2267 |
| Mark 4.6 | 31.22% | 4.65 / 6.2 / 7.95 | 2267 |
| Mark 5.4A | 31.40% | 5.4 / 6.75 / 8.1 | 2267 |
| Mark 5.6 | 31.43% | 5.6 / 6.75 / 8.1 | 2267 |
| Mark 5.6A | 31.45% | 5.6 / 7.1 / 8.55 | 2267 |
| Mark 6 | 31.50% | 6.0 / 7.0 / 8.0 | 2268 |
| Mark 6.2 | 31.52% | 6.2 / 7.0 / 8.25 | 2268 |
| Mark 6.2A | 31.54% | 6.2 / 7.35 / 8.25 | 2268 |
| Mark 4.6A | 31.32% | 4.65 / 6.55 / 7.95 | 2270 |
| Mark 4.8 | 31.53% | 4.8 / 6.55 / 8.45 | 2270 |
| Mark 4.9 | 31.98% | 4.95 / 7.5 / 9.0 | 2270 |
| Mark 5.9 | 31.53% | 5.95 / 7.5 / 9.0 | 2270 |
| Mark 6.4 | 31.57% | 6.45 / 7.35 / 8.5 | 2270 |
| Mark 6.4A | 31.59% | 6.45 / 7.8 / 8.5 | 2270 |
| Mark 6.9 | 31.69% | 6.95 / 8.5 / 9.0 | 2270 |
| Mark 7 | 31.70% | 7.0 / 8.5 / 9.0 | 2270 |
| Mark 7.2 | 31.76% | 7.2 / 8.5 / 9.3 | 2275 |
| Mark 7.2A | 31.76% | 7.2 / 8.85 / 9.3 | 2277 |
| Mark 7.4 | 31.92% | 7.45 / 8.85 / 9.7 | 2279 |
| Mark 7.4A | 31.97% | 7.45 / 9.15 / 9.7 | 2281 |
| Mark 7.9 | 32.26% | 7.95 / 9.5 / 10.5 | 2284 |
| Mark 8 | 32.30% | 8.0 / 9.5 / 11.0 | 2289 |
| Mark 8-11.5 | 32.31% | 8.0 / 9.5 / 11.5 | 2293 |
| Mark 8.5 | 32.50% | 8.5 / 10.0 / 12.0 | 2299 |
24th Century Nacelles
Note: It is important to understand that the values listed on this table are in the TNG scale, which was adopted in 2312. However, when these multiphasic nacelles were first introduced (2305), the OCU scale was still in effect and the nacelles were noted to achieve lightspeed multiples aligned with the OCU warp factors.
| Nacelle Tech |
Mass | Standard / Sustainable / Maximum Warp Speed |
Year Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 22.00% | 1.25 / 1.25 / 1.25 | 2305 |
| Type 1A | 22.10% | 1.2 / 2.0 / 3.0 | 2305 |
| Type 2 | 23.30% | 2.0 / 3.0 / 6.0 | 2305 |
| Type 3 | 23.50% | 3.0 / 6.0 / 7.0 | 2305 |
| Type 4 | 22.20% | 4.0 / 6.0 / 7.0 | 2305 |
| Type 5 | 22.30% | 5.0 / 6.0 / 7.0 | 2305 |
| Type 5.4 | 22.40% | 5.0 /6.0 /7.4 | 2305 |
| Type 5.6 | 22.50% | 5.0 / 6.0 / 7.6 | 2305 |
| Type 5A | 22.80% | 5.0 / 7.0 / 8.0 | 2305 |
| Type 6 | 22.60% | 6.0 / 7.0 / 8.0 | 2305 |
| Type 7 | 22.70% | 7.0 / 8.0 / 9.0 | 2305 |
| Type 1B | 22.90% | 1.5 / 3.0 / 5.0 | 2307 |
| Type 6.4 | 23.00% | 6.0 / 7.0 / 8.4 | 2307 |
| Type 4.4 | 23.10% | 4.0 / 6.0 / 7.4 | 2309 |
| Type 6.9 | 23.20% | 6.0 / 7.0 / 9.0 | 2310 |
| Type 6.92 | 23.40% | 6.0 / 7.0 / 9.2 | 2312 |
| Type 7A | 23.60% | 7.0 / 9.0 / 9.2 | 2314 |
| Type 4.8 | 23.70% | 4.0 / 6.0 / 8.0 | 2316 |
| Type 5A2 | 23.80% | 5.0 / 7.0 / 8.2 | 2316 |
| Type 6.96 | 23.90% | 6.0 / 7.0 / 9.6 | 2316 |
| Type 6A | 24.00% | 6.0 / 8.0 / 9.0 | 2317 |
| Type 7.2 | 24.10% | 7.0 / 8.0 / 9.2 | 2317 |
| Type 5A6 | 24.20% | 5.0 / 7.0 / 8.6 | 2319 |
| Type 6A2 | 24.30% | 6.0 / 8.0 / 9.2 | 2319 |
| Type 4A | 24.40% | 4.0 / 7.0 / 7.8 | 2323 |
| Type 5B | 24.50% | 5.0 / 7.0 / 9.0 | 2325 |
| Type 6A6 | 24.60% | 6.0 / 8.0 / 9.6 | 2326 |
| Type 4A2 | 24.70% | 4.0 / 7.4 / 8.2 | 2327 |
| Type 4.86 | 24.80% | 4.0 / 6.0 / 8.6 | 2328 |
| Type 4A6 | 24.90% | 4.0 / 7.4 / 8.6 | 2328 |
| Type 5C | 25.00% | 5.0 / 8.0 / 9.0 | 2328 |
| Type 6B | 25.10% | 6.0 / 8.6 / 9.2 | 2328 |
| Type 4.9 | 25.20% | 4.0 / 6.0 / 9.0 | 2329 |
| Type 5C2 | 25.30% | 5.0 / 8.0 / 9.2 | 2330 |
| Type 7.6 | 25.40% | 7.0 / 8.0 / 9.6 | 2330 |
| Type 4B | 25.50% | 4.0 / 7.4 / 9.0 | 2331 |
| Type 4.92 | 25.60% | 4.0 / 6.0 / 9.2 | 2332 |
| Type 4B2 | 25.70% | 4.0 / 7.4 / 9.2 | 2332 |
| Type 6B6 | 25.80% | 6.0 / 8.6 / 9.6 | 2332 |
| Type 6C | 25.90% | 6.0 / 9.0 / 9.2 | 2332 |
| Type 5C6 | 26.00% | 5.0 / 8.0 / 9.6 | 2335 |
| Type 6C4 | 26.10% | 6.0 / 9.0 / 9.4 | 2336 |
| Type 4C | 26.20% | 4.0 / 8.0 / 9.0 | 2337 |
| Type 5B2 | 26.30% | 5.0 / 7.0 / 9.2 | 2337 |
| Type 6C5 | 26.40% | 6.0 / 9.0 / 9.5 | 2337 |
| Type 6D | 26.50% | 6.0 / 9.2 / 9.6 | 2337 |
| Type 7A6 | 26.60% | 7.0 / 9.0 / 9.6 | 2337 |
| Type 7B | 26.70% | 7.0 / 9.2 / 9.4 | 2337 |
| Type 4B6 | 26.80% | 4.0 / 7.4 / 9.6 | 2338 |
| Type 5D | 26.90% | 5.0 / 8.4 / 9.0 | 2338 |
| Type 4D | 27.00% | 4.2 / 6.5 / 8.0 | 2340 |
| Type 6C6 | 27.10% | 6.0 / 9.0 / 9.6 | 2340 |
| Type 4C2 | 27.20% | 4.0 / 8.0 / 9.2 | 2342 |
| Type 4C6 | 27.30% | 4.0 / 8.0 / 9.6 | 2342 |
| Type 6D7 | 27.40% | 6.0 / 9.2 / 9.7 | 2344 |
| Type 6E | 27.50% | 6.0 / 9.4 / 9.6 | 2344 |
| Type 7.8 | 27.60% | 7.0 / 8.0 / 9.8 | 2344 |
| Type 5E | 27.70% | 5.0 / 9.0 / 9.2 | 2348 |
| Type 5E3 | 27.80% | 5.0 / 9.0 / 9.3 | 2349 |
| Type 5F | 27.90% | 5.6 / 8.4 / 9.0 | 2349 |
| Type 6D8 | 28.00% | 6.0 / 9.2 / 9.8 | 2349 |
| Type 5D6 | 28.10% | 5.0 / 8.4 / 9.6 | 2350 |
| Type 7A8 | 28.20% | 7.0 / 9.0 / 9.8 | 2350 |
| Type 5E6 | 28.30% | 5.0 / 9.0 / 9.6 | 2351 |
| Type 6D9 | 28.40% | 6.0 / 9.2 / 9.9 | 2351 |
| Type 5B6 | 28.50% | 5.0 / 7.0 / 9.6 | 2354 |
| Type 7B8 | 28.60% | 7.0 / 9.2 / 9.8 | 2355 |
| Type 6D92 | 28.70% | 6.0 / 9.2 / 9.92 | 2356 |
| Type 7C | 28.80% | 7.0 / 9.6 / 9.8 | 2359 |
| Type 6D94 | 28.90% | 6.0 / 9.2 / 9.94 | 2360 |
| Type 6E8 | 29.00% | 6.0 / 9.4 / 9.8 | 2360 |
| Type 6D96 | 29.10% | 6.0 / 9.2 / 9.96 | 2365 |
| Type 7C9 | 29.20% | 7.0 / 9.6 / 9.9 | 2365 |
| Type 6D97 | 29.30% | 6.0 / 9.6 / 9.975 | 2369 |
| Type 6D98 | 29.40% | 6.0 / 9.2 / 9.982 | 2369 |
| Type 6E9 | 29.50% | 6.0 / 9.4 / 9.982 | 2369 |
| Type 8 | 30.00% | 8.0 / 9.6 / 9.95 | 2373 |
6.1.2 Warp Drive Systems Upratings/Downgrades
Cost: Varies
Power Requirement: Adjusted with the nacelles' power requirements
The bonus provided by the upratings packages adds to any one category of warp speed (Standard, Sustainable, Maximum), but Maximum cannot be increased beyond Warp 9.982 as of 2376. A ship may install as many uprating packages as it has space for and its designers desire. It is represented by increased warp drive equipment (i.e., more required SU space) to account for the increased capability. A downgrade reduces any one category of warp speed. A ship may downgrade its systems as much as its designers desire, though Star Fleet is not likely to allow more than a 0.3 reduction to any category of warp speed for efficiency reasons. This is achieved by miniaturization of the equipment (itself a viable reason for the downgrade).
If a ship gets overhauled with newer technology warp engines, the packages must also be re-installed and re-calculated (if installation is even desired).
Table
| Upgrades | + Mass | Bonus to One Category |
|---|---|---|
| Package 1 | +6% | + 0.1 or + 0.15 |
| Package 2 | +12% | + 0.2 |
| Package 3 | +18% | + 0.3 |
| Package 4 | +21% | + 0.4 |
| Downgrades | SU | Reduction to One Category |
| Package 1 | -3% | - 0.1 |
| Package 2 | -6% | - 0.2 |
6.1.3 Plasma Injector System
(Required for most FTL vessels)
Cost: Varies
Power Requirement: none
The quality and efficiency of a ship’s Plasma Injector System (PIS) indicates how long it can maintain its Maximum warp speed. For every minute of travel beyond the listed time, a ship with the Class series of PIS takes 10-60 (1d6 x 10) SUs of damage as the ship begins to shake itself apart (no defense applies; determine the location of the damage randomly). Additionally, there is a 40% chance the warp propulsion system suffers additional damage; the PIS loses 25% of its SUs, which reduces the ship’s Standard, Sustained, and Maximum ratings by 25%. Repairs take one hour to one day per SU of damage the PIS sustained.
Starting in 2271, new warp theories began to rapidly manifest as new warp realizations and PIS technology began to bound ahead in capability. This increase in plasma injection efficiency led to the adoption of a new nomenclature series. Since the release of the Type J PIS in 2279, no significant increases have been made.
For ships with the Type series of PIS installed, a roll of 2d6 should be made for every 10 minutes of travel beyond the listed time; on a result of 2, 3 or 4, the warp drive system suffers damage. Reduce the ship’s Standard, Sustained, and Maximum ratings by 25%. Repairs take one hour to one day per SU of damage as if the PIS had lost 25% of its SUs.
Operating between Sustainable and Maximum speeds
- Note: this is a house rule.
For endurance, recovery, and overrun damage purposes, operation at any speed above Sustainable warp counts as operation at Maximum warp. The ship receives no endurance extension for travelling below its Maximum rating. Operation above Standard warp but at or below Sustainable warp neither consumes nor restores endurance. Operation at or below Standard warp restores an equivalent amount of time of Maximum warp endurance, up to the ship’s rated allowance.
Recovery from Maximum warp
- Note: this is a house rule.
To regain its full Maximum warp endurance, a ship must operate at or below Standard warp for a period equal to the time spent safely operating at Maximum warp. Recovery time may be divided into separate periods, combining time with warp propulsion at or below Standard warp. Travel above Standard warp does not count as recovery.
If operation at Maximum warp resumes before recovery is complete, the ship’s available safe Maximum warp duration equals its rated endurance minus its unrecovered operating time. In other words, each unit of time with warp propulsion operating at or below Standard warp restores an equivalent unit of time of endurance, up to the ship’s rated allowance. Restarting the system or changing speed does not reset this allowance.
- Example: The USS Memphis, rated for eight hours at Maximum warp, operates at that speed for five hours, then travels at Standard warp for three hours. Two hours of operating time remain unrecovered, leaving six hours of safe Maximum warp available.
Table
| Plasma Injector System |
SU | Duration of Maximum Warp Speed |
Year Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 0 | 1 | 10 – 30 minutes | 2063 |
| Class A | 2 | 1 hour | 2071 |
| Class B | 4 | 2 hours | 2099 |
| Class C | 6 | 3 hours | 2112 |
| Class D | 8 | 4 –5 hours | 2134 |
| Class E | 10 | 6 hours | 2150 |
| Class F | 12 | 7 - 8 hours | 2161 |
| Class G | 14 | 9 - 10 hours | 2175 |
| Class H | 16 | 11 - 12 hours | 2186 |
| Class I | 18 | 13 - 16 hours | 2220 |
| Class J | 20 | 17 - 20 hours | 2245 |
| Class K | 22 | 21 - 24 hours | 2260 |
| Type A | 2 | 1 – 4 hours | 2271 |
| Type B | 4 | 5 hours | 2272 |
| Type C | 6 | 6 hours | 2273 |
| Type D | 8 | 7 hours | 2274 |
| Type E | 10 | 8 hours | 2275 |
| Type F | 12 | 9 hours | 2276 |
| Type G | 14 | 10 hours | 2276 |
| Type H | 16 | 11 – 12 hours | 2277 |
| Type I | 18 | 13 – 24 hours | 2278 |
| Type J | 20 | 25 – 28 hours | 2279 |
6.1.4 Coaxial Warp Drive
Cost: Varies (see table)
Power Requirement: Varies (see table)
Available: 2374
Coaxial warp drive systems operate on different principles than standard warp drives. Instead of creating a warp field and manipulating that to create propulsion, a coaxial warp drive creates a warp field and then “folds” space (perhaps in a manner similar to the folded-space transport posited by the Elway Theorem). This allows a ship to travel immense distances instantly. Furthermore, due to the technique used, a ship runs no danger of accidentally colliding with space objects, since it’s not actually traversing normal space.
A coaxial warp drive can fold space each round. This translates into velocities far in excess of Warp Factor 9.9. (See below table for exact speeds.) To build a coaxial warp drive, buy a warp engine (i.e., M/ARA) as normal for your ship. Then buy a coaxial warp drive system from the accompanying table, which also indicates SU cost. That cost includes the cost of nacelles and other components found in a normal warp propulsion system.
Because coaxial warp drive is still an experimental and unproven technology which is prone to overload due to particle instabilities, characters must make a Challenging (10) Propulsion Engineering (Coaxial Warp Drive) Test every round to use it successfully. Failure indicates the drive breaks down; the ship cannot use it again until engineers make repairs (this takes 1d6 hours and a successful Moderate (8) Propulsion Engineering (Coaxial Warp Drive) Test). Dramatic Failure indicates that the drive catastrophically breaks down. This destroys the ship, kills everyone aboard, and collapses space in an area with a billion-kilometer radius around the ship.
To stabilize the coaxial warp drive, a ship can establish a symmetric warp field. This requires a Moderate (8) Propulsion Engineering (Warp Drive) Test. If the Test succeeds, the field is established; it costs 10 Power per round and reduces the Difficulty for the Test to operate the coaxial warp drive correctly to Moderate (8). If the Test fails, the ship cannot establish the field at all (further Tests are not allowed) for one day. If it’s Dramatically Failed, the effects are as per failure, plus subspace stresses result which cause 4d6 damage to the ship (only the structural integrity field protects against this).
(To be re-written with the chosen roll rules.)
Not readily available to Star Fleet, the technology was first encountered in 2374.
(Romulan: The Romulans have conducted experiments with coaxial warp drive, but—like the Federation—they have yet to develop a practical working model.)
Table
| Coaxial Warp Drive Type |
SU | Power Per Round |
LYs per minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 75 | 40 | 2 |
| Type 2 | 100 | 80 | 3 |
| Type 3 | 125 | 120 | 4 |
| Type 4 | 175 | 160 | 5 |
| Type 5 | 225 | 200 | 6 |
6.1.5 Quantum Slipstream Drive
Cost: 80
Power Requirement: 120 Power per round
Available: 2374
Quantum slipstream drive (QSD), like a coaxial warp drive, allows a ship to move at velocities far exceeding standard warp drive—approaching the upper Warp 9.999 range. The system routes energy from the quantum drive to the main deflector, which creates a “slipstream” in subspace through which the ship travels. Due to the slipstream’s size, a ship without a QSD can enter it and travel along behind the vessel generating the “tunnel.” The instabilities created by a quantum slipstream pose significant dangers to a ship, in that it places enormous pressure on the ship’s SIF and hull, and can rupture the latter. Furthermore, maintaining the slipstream is difficult, and if it collapses, it can damage or destroy the ship(s) inside it.
Using a quantum slipstream drive requires a Challenging (9) Shipboard Systems (Flight Control) Test every round. If the Test fails, the instabilities cause 120+8d6 damage to the ship (only Resistance and the SIF protect against this damage) and the ship drops out of the slipstream. If the Test results in a Dramatic Failure, increase the damage to 200 x 1d6. If the Test succeeds, a QSD allows a ship to travel at the rate of 300 light-years per hour (just under half a light-year per round).
A QSD requires 80 SUs and includes all parts needed to operate the system; the ship does not have to buy nacelles or the like. However, it may wish to buy a warp propulsion system to act as a backup for the QSD; if so, it must buy all necessary parts for such a system.
Not readily available to Star Fleet, the technology was first encountered in 2374.
6.1.6 Soliton Wave Propulsion
Cost: none
Power Requirement: none
Available: 2368
This form of propulsion, first tested in 2368 by Dr. Ja’Dar of Bilana III, uses a soliton wave (a nondispersing wavefront of subspace distortion) to “push” a starship through space in much the same way a wave of water pushes a surfboard. To function, it requires soliton wave stations at either end of the space traveled (for example, the two planets forming the hubs of a trade route). When it works properly, ships are propelled quickly between the two points. However, the wavefront has so far proven difficult to control, and when out of control can damage the ship using the system.
Using a soliton wave propulsion system requires a Moderate (5) Shipboard Systems (Flight Control) Test from the pilot of the ship, and one or more Moderate (7) Propulsion Engineering (Soliton Wave Propulsion) Tests from the person operating the equipment. If either Test is failed, the ship takes 12d6 damage (only the SIF protects against this damage) and drops out of the wave. For Dramatic Failure, increase the damage to 20d6. If both Tests succeed, the ship travels at Warp 9.0 at no Power cost. Soliton wave propulsion requires no SUs on a ship using it.
(Romulan: The Romulans have conducted experiments with soliton propulsion, but—like the Federation—they have yet to develop a practical working model.)
6.1.7 Transwarp Drive
Cost: 15 x Size
Power Requirement: (15 x Size) Power per round
Available: 2369
Used by, among others, the Borg, transwarp drives allow a ship to create a “corridor” in space-time from one place to another. A ship using the corridor travels at Warp 10, a velocity unattainable with standard warp drives. A transwarp drive does this by emitting tachyons which breach the subspace barrier and allow the ship to create a transwarp corridor (similar in many ways to a wormhole) by “folding” subspace.
The Federation began experimenting with transwarp drives in the 2280s, with the USS Excelsior serving as a testbed for the prototype. Unfortunately, the trials were a failure, in that Star Fleet could not determine how to exit the transwarp corridor at a predefined point (the desired destination). Theories also posit that transwarp travel could cause disfiguring mutations in humanoids. However, encounters with the Borg beginning in 2369 showed that they had solved these problems and developed a transwarp drive at least 20 times faster than conventional warp drives.
Assuming the difficulties were overcome, a transwarp drive would work as follows. It occupies 15 x Size in SUs. This SU cost includes all parts needed to operate the system; the ship does not have to buy nacelles or the like. However, it may wish to buy a warp propulsion system to generate Power or to act as a backup for the transwarp drive; if so, it must buy all necessary parts for such a system. If it has normal nacelles, it must establish a depolarization matrix around the ship’s fuselage to prevent the transwarp velocity differential from tearing the fuselage away from the nacelles.
When activated, a transwarp drive creates a transwarp corridor which allows a ship to cross distances as if traveling at 20 times its normal Maximum warp speed.
Operating a transwarp drive requires a Challenging (10) Propulsion Engineering (Transwarp Drive) Test. Success means the ship travels the desired distance. Failure means the drive breaks; it takes 1d6 hours and a successful Moderate (8) Propulsion Engineering (Transwarp Drive) Test to repair it. Dramatic Failure indicates that the drive malfunctions, taking the ship an enormous distance off-course (the Narrator determines exactly how much; 1d6 x 100 light-years is a good rule of thumb). It then breaks, requiring 1d6 days and a successful Challenging (9) Propulsion Engineering (Transwarp Drive) Test to repair.
After a transwarp drive is used, the transwarp corridor remains open for 1d6 rounds. Other ships can enter it with a Routine (4) Shipboard Systems (Flight Control) Test during that time and make use of its properties even though they lack transwarp drive—but when the corridor shuts, they’re stuck on the other end.
(Romulan: The Romulans have conducted experiments with transwarp drive, but—like the Federation—they have yet to develop a practical working model.)
6.1.8 One-Way Warp Propulsion
Cost: 60
Power Requirement: none
Some species, most notably the Romulans, develop a more limited form of warp propulsion technology before proceeding to true warp drives. Known colloquially as one-way warp propulsion, this drive allows the ship to travel at warp speeds—once. When the ship shuts off its warp drive, or it runs out of fuel, it must limp back home on impulse (a journey of months or years).
A one-way warp drive typically consists of a single-use magnetic bottle towed behind a ship. The bottle contains superdense plasma. To achieve superluminal speed, the ship detonates the plasma, creating a short-lived, controlled black hole that propels the ship to a designated destination within 300 light-years. Once used, the system cannot function again until it can have the bottle reinstalled and the superdense plasma resupplied at a properly-equipped space station.
Activating a one-way warp propulsion system requires a Moderate (6) Propulsion Engineering (Warp Drive) Test to ensure the bottle is properly calibrated to send the ship to the desired destination (anywhere within 300 light-years). If the Test fails, the ship ends up at the wrong destination (typically 1d6 light-years off-course per point the Test failed by); Dramatic Failure destroys the ship in a massive explosion. The trip takes one minute per light-year traveled.
A ship with a one-way warp propulsion system must buy an IDF (with Strength 6) at half the normal cost. Ships with one-way warp propulsion systems typically have very primitive ion power generation systems that occupy 50 SUs and generate 150 Power per round. They may also have impulse engines and solar power generation.
6.1.9 Ion Propulsion (Advanced)
Cost: 60
Power Requirement: Varies (see table)
Some advanced civilizations, such as the Eymorg under the influence of the Teacher, use a form of propulsion and power generation known as ion propulsion. More sophisticated than Federation, Romulan, or Klingon technology, ion propulsion of this nature provides greater speed and more power than comparative Star Fleet engines (see accompanying table). Ships with ion propulsion systems do not need standard power generation or warp propulsion systems, but must buy a standard PIS system. The below table provides warp speeds in the Cochrane Scale.
Table
| Ion Engine Type |
SU | Standard/Sustainable/ Maximum Warp Speed |
Power Generated per Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type I | 100 | 6.0 / 7.0 / 8.0 | 400 - 449 |
| Type II | 120 | 7.0 / 8.0 / 9.0 | 450 - 499 |
| Type III | 140 | 8.0 / 9.0 / 10.0 | 500 - 549 |
6.1.10 Taurhai Gravity Induction Drive
Cost: Varies
Power Requirement: Varies (see table)
As described on page 96 of Book One of the Way of D’era boxed set, the Taurhai use a gravity induction drive (also referred to as a “subspace funnel”) to create what amount to “micro-wormholes” (though they don’t necessarily function identically to naturally-occurring wormholes found in space). Their ships then “fall” or “slide” through these funnels in subspace, crossing light-years in mere seconds. Though the use of a gravity induction drive creates a graviton wavefront and wake which other ships can detect, once the ship enters subspace via its “funnel” other ships cannot detect it, allowing it to “appear” seemingly instantaneously in position to make devastating surprise attacks.
Activating and using a gravity induction drive requires two full rounds of effort by most of the ship’s engineering crew per jump (one round to prepare the drive, one round to activate it). During normal travel, simply use the “LY Per Minute” column in the accompanying table to determine how fast the ship travels with its ongoing series of jumps. In combat situations or other crises, the “Maximum Jump Length” column may come into play, giving the Romulans a slim chance to catch a Taurhai ship before it escapes them completely.
Taurhai ships have matter/antimatter cores to generate power on their ships — large ones, given the power requirement of their gravity induction drives. They buy them using the normal Spacedock rules. They do not buy nacelles or other warp propulsion system elements to drive their ships directly with M/AM power.
The accompanying table provides details on gravity induction drives, including the maximum length of the “jump” the ship can make, and the maximum number of light-years the ship can cross per minute using the drive.
Typically a ship can only use its Gravity Induction Drive for about two to three hours per day total, either continuously or spread over the course of the day; this means a maximum of 1,080 jumps per day. More than that poses a severe risk of breakdown. For each jump beyond 1,080, the Narrator rolls 1d6; on a roll of 1, the engine breaks down and requires 2d6 x 4 hours to repair.
Table
| Type | SU | Power | Maximum Jump Length |
LYs Per Minute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class I | 200 | 150 | 0.5 ly | 3 |
| Class II | 250 | 200 | 1 ly | 6 |
| Class III | 300 | 250 | 2 lys | 12 |
| Class IV | 350 | 300 | 3 lys | 18 |
Construction Rules Index
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- Back to Chapter 6.0: Propulsion Systems
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