Subsystem: Impulse Engines

==Subsystem: Impulse Engines==
Power Cost: 1 Power per .1c [1/4 = 25 Power, 2/4 = 50 Power, 3/4 = 75 Power, Full = 100 Power]
Starships use impulse propulsion systems (IPs) to move slower than the speed of light, which is required for travel within a star's gravity well, through solar systems, in starship combat, and similar situations. Impulse drives use fusion reactios to generate standard thrust via a standard Newtonian reaction the thrust pushes the ship forward through space. Starships usually drop to impulse when they encouter another ship to facilitate contact.
Impulse Engine Systems have four componets: the impulse reaction chamber (IRC), or fusion ractor of which there are three per impulse engines; the accelerator / generator (A/G); the drive coil assembly (DCA); and the vectored exhaust director (VED). Energy relased in the IRC by the fusion reaction is channled to the A/G, which raises the velocity of the plasma and feeds it on to the DCA. Electroplasma systems (EPS) taps run from the A/G to divery some energy to power other systems on the ship. THe DCA creates a field effect which aids the impluse propulsion process, then passes the energy on to the VDA, which directs it to thrust the vehicle in the desired direction.
A main impulse engine (MIE) capable of propelling a starship consists of four linekd impulse engines. These engines maybe grouped toether or drivided into two groups of two to provide balanced thrust for structures such as seperated saucer sections.
An Impulse Engine is rated for the amount of velocity it can provide, expressed as a percentage of c (the speed of light). Thus, an impulse engine might be said to provide .5c thrust meaning it can propel a ship at half the speed of light. Regardless of an engines' maxiumum sublight speed, starfleet generally limtis impulse travel to .25c (paradoxically referred to as full impulse) to minimizes the time-dilation problems whic occur as a ship approaches speeds of light travel. Onyl in starship combat situtations do starships commonly move at impulse velocities in excess of .25c
Impulse travel costs 1 point per 0.1c used per round. Thus, a ship traveling at .75 must spend 7 power per round to use it's impulse engines.
==Impulse Trusters==
Power Cost: 2 Power
Ship of sizes 5 and smaller can also install impulse thrusters, a special tyep of thruster which improves ship's speed and menuverablility. Impulse engines are also equipped with impulse capacitance cells which can provie a tiny burst of pwoer to them. By releasing the cll's power directly into the driver coils, a ship can generate a one-second burst of impulse speed when engines are otherwise not functioning due to lack of power.
Category:Subsystem