Posted by: joeclark77
« on: December 31, 2013, 04:25:21 PM »I usually use commercial engines of size 40 or 50 (2000-2500T) and 0.25 or 0.30 power multiplier. This is dramatically more efficient than what the game seems to recommend for a commercial engine (size 25, 0.50 power). One of my big commercial engines with a single fuel tank (+ jump drive + sensors) is usually adequate for a *very* long range survey vessel. Your freighters will be a bit larger and slower than otherwise, but the fuel savings will be profound.
For military ships, I have sometimes used 0.80 power to get much longer range. Nowadays I prefer to use 1.0 power and have fuel tankers to extend my attack range. From there, I'll try increasing the engine size and increasing the power so that the efficiency ratio (aka fuel per engine power hour) stays about the same. So instead of a size 5, power 1.0 engine I might make a size 20, power 1.10 engine and get higher speed for the same fuel.
For military ships, I have sometimes used 0.80 power to get much longer range. Nowadays I prefer to use 1.0 power and have fuel tankers to extend my attack range. From there, I'll try increasing the engine size and increasing the power so that the efficiency ratio (aka fuel per engine power hour) stays about the same. So instead of a size 5, power 1.0 engine I might make a size 20, power 1.10 engine and get higher speed for the same fuel.