Rules, rules, rules

[TrueZuluwiz (OP)]

Here's my Question: All through the Rigellian Diary (which I'm now again in the the middle of) There are constant references to "tuning engines" and "detuning engines".

 For instance:         "The two Ark Royals engage their engine tuners and the Battlestar Antarctica detunes her engines as the enemy fighters move within one and a quarter light seconds."   (A direct quote from page 534)

    Now just what is the difference between tuning and detuning your engines? They both make you go faster for a specified time, right?

And no, I'm fairly sure it doesn't involve Rule No. 6. At least I hope it doesn't.

[Brian Neumann]

Tuning an engine requires a specific tech.  At tech 7 it is a one hull space per engine room item and at tech 11 it is a seperate item that uses 20% of the space that the ships engines use.  In both cases it allows for a short burst of tactical speed (around 20 turns per strategic turn) of one extra point of movement.  The reason you can not use it indefinately is that it produces radiation that destroys the ship.  Something like one point of damage every d10 rounds.

Detuning an engine could be done at any tech level.  You took a -4 on all of your to hits and got a one point boost to speed for a short time.  I think it was about 20 turns as well.  After this the engines would start to burn out and be destroyed from the engine being run at such a high level.

Hope this helps with the story.

Brian

[Edsel]

Detuning an engine carries a greatly increased threat of burning out your engines.

Using engine tuners does not increase the burnout threat but it creates a lot of radiation and a ship is limited to how long it can tune before the crew starts dying off. You can use it for no more that 15 tactical turns before you start to kill off crew at that rate of 1 system per additional tactical turn of use.