Posted by: Father Tim
« on: September 19, 2011, 10:06:42 PM »Well, you know the maintenance clock, right, at your big planetary maintenance facilities, you can order the ships to "begin overhaul" This will rewind that clock. I neurotically try to keep my clocks minimized-- they routinely get overhauled at resupply and refuel runs, but I'm happy with anything on the clock under 3 years.
Bah, forget overhauls! Just keep your maintenance supplies topped up and time on your clock is nigh-irrelevant. I have ships with 20 and 25+ years on their clocks. Sure, something breaks on them every week, but it gets fixed right away and life goes on. My survey ships have enough fuel and supplies for twelve-year missions.
Plus supplies are used to repair battle damage - at double the cost. It's wise for a warship to have a pile of maintenance supplies.