Aliens Suck - In need of a better engine.

[Jacob/Lee (OP)]

The Delta Trianguli Aliens #1024 are currently annoying the hell out of me, they keep kiting my ships with their "Van Den Hoek" class ship, which fires nuclear missiles.  They are triple the speed of my ships, and they actually go about 1 km/s faster than my ships just to keep the lead.  My ships's design overview shows this engine:

Magneto-plasma Drive E0. 8 (26)    Power 200    Fuel Use 8%    Signature 200    Armour 0    Exp 1%

Currently, all of the engines together generate 5200 power, which is not nearly enough to catch up to these bastards.  My question, how do I get the next tier of engine, if there is one? What tech is required to "unlock" them on the research menu? If not, how do I go about making my engines strong enough to catch up to these enemies?

[Thiosk]

Engine tech is tied to reactor tech.  You have to get into some reactor research before your scientists can figure out what the next big thing in propulsion technology is.

[chrislocke2000]

The description of your engines would indicate that you are using civilian engines on your ships which I think have a far worse power to weight ratio. Try fitting out some ships with military versions and also doing some research in less efficient but more powerful engines, might help. Failing that research reactor tech as Thiosk has suggested

[Mel Vixen]

That or you go with a "Power efficiency" tech. Sure you get a higher Fuelconsum (which shouldnt bother much with civ engines) and a higher explosion chance but early on its a good way to get faster ships for cheap. It also wouldnt change the weight of your ship.

A third way would be getting new armor for your ships. Armor techs reduce the weight of ships armorbelts and thus can give you a a small but helpfull Boost in speed.

[Jacob/Lee (OP)]

The engine was actually military, I don't know where you got the impression it was a commercial engine.

[Charlie Beeler]

The engine was actually military, I don't know where you got the impression it was a commercial engine.

The power level and fuel usage (as well as system notation) is consistant with a comercial magneto-plasma engine(4th level tech).  A military engine with a power level of 200 would be solid-core which is several levels higher(9th level).