Quick question on tug size and jump drives.

[Redshirt (OP)]

Okay, I know a tug can tow ships through a jump point, but does the tug need to be larger than the ship it's towing for the jump to work? And does the jump drive need to be capable of transporting the combined mass of both tug and the ship it's towing, or just the tug itself? (In other words, if I wanted to move a 100k ton asteroid mining platform to another system, would I need a 100k tug and 100k capable jump drive?)

[Charlie Beeler]

If the tug is also the jumpship then the answer is yes the tug needs to be larger than the towed ship and the jumpdrive needs to be rated for the size of the tug. 

Unless you have a really advanced jump efficency I would not plan to move ships of that size by jumpdrive.  Your better off building a jumpgate network.

[Redshirt (OP)]

Okay, that's what I thought.   Next question- I'm trying to tow some in-system asteroid miners, but when I select the tug group, the only actions available are "Tractor Specified Shipyard"- how do I tow specific task groups or ships?

Edit- nevermind; I just got it.  Select the "Task Group" checkbox on System Location Display Options.

[sloanjh]

Just to be clear, if the tug is not the jump ship, then it can be smaller than the tow.  In other words, a 10kton tug could tow your 100kton platform through a jump gate, or through a jump point that had a 100kton jump ship stationed there, or in a TG that had a 100kton jump ship.

And also to be clear: the tug and tow masses are treated independently for jumping.  So you only need a 100kton jump ship in the example above, not 110kton.

John