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Fusion vs Nuke


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Ok, I SRP'ed Mk 2 Nuke Engines and have a decision to make... Continue with Mk3 Nuke Engines or pick up Mk 1 Fusion's...

 

Anyone have an opinion? Seems (on the surface at least) like I should jump to the Mk1 Fusions and move up that branch. But, maybe the Mk3 Nuke Engines (or Mk 4 or Mk 5 if the tech line doesn't end sooner) will open up other doors for better engines later???

 

Can anyone provide any tangible reasons to continue up the Nuke Engine tree (past Mk2's)?

 

Thanks

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Nuclear engines are supposed to handle combat damage better. I take that to mean that they are harder to destroy and go critical less frequently.

 

So, if you are concerned about how they perform in combat then you would likely want to go with the Nuclear ones. If not, then you are free to go either route.

 

Following the nuclear tree you will top out at a lower level than you will following other routes.

 

:blink::cheers:

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Prossspective,

 

it all dependsss on your prossspective.

 

It isss belived that enginesss ssstop at Mk VI, but hasss not been proven (or if it hasss been no one hasss publissshed it on the forumsss). Therefore Mk VI Nuclear Engine isss the sssame asss Mk I Antimatter for thrussst at 8000 per engine (on the firssst anz the Mk I Antimatter had a lisssted thrussst of 16,000), but you may have hit a deadend and that isss the bessst you can do? Or perhapsss Mk VI Nuclear Engine opensss up a new engine branch (wouldn't sssurprise me), having heard of total conversssion enginesss. Or is could open up new branchesss of the tech path for thossse willing to take a risssk?

 

CTO, Sssarasss

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The Nuclear line does indeed have a dead end, but plain old Nuclear engines are supposed to have a 'higher' integrity than the other 'faster' lines.

 

The trade off for research is that one will be able to go much 'faster' with Fusion/Anti-Matter/Total Conversion (absolutely brilliant for convoy routes), but that these engines may prove a liability in combat. So, it opens up a lucrative market in trade for engines....... :cheers:

 

Pete is reviewing this and will publicise the result as soon as he can (Note: this means that the odd Naval Battle report that we have seen with Fusion engines will result in slightly lower Integrity values than they showed).

 

Chief Warmaster to Ur-Lord Tedric

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*promptly changes designs of warships....*

:P

 

I'm not sure that's necessarily wise either (depending on what you've changed it too.....) :ranting:

 

Unless you can spare the RCs to go down both routes when you've researched Mk II Nuc's, you are left with the choice of having slightly stronger warships vs being able to move them around quicker. Strategic mobility may outweigh a relatively small tactical advantage.

 

Let's assume that Pete does decide to reduce the Integrity of Fusion Engines by 0.5 (and, if we read the ANZ description correctly, he could decide to do something else like give them a probability of exploding after 50% damage, or something).

 

If you keep with the Nuclear line it will top out, the Fusion Line probably goes at least one level higher and maybe more. To achieve a certain speed with the Nuc's you might well devote 20% of your ship to engines. Now, with the next level of Fusion engines you can achieve the same speed with 10% of the ship with engines, even if they're 'weaker'. Now, whilst they themselves could be weaker, you could use the 10% freed up for some nice armor and your ship would actually end up having a higher integrity....

 

So, whilst in the short term, the Nuclear line may provide slightly stronger warships, it will end - the others won't end so quickly.

 

That's the dilemma we all face...

 

And the higher level engines may all get similarly 'weaker' for the same reasons. Trade speed for stablity - a very normal technological choice.......

 

Chief Scientist to Ur-Lord Tedric

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Don't forget, also, that the Nuke line is cheaper to research than the equivalent level of Fusion (Or AntiMatter, or TC)

Not sure what you mean, oh scurrying and industrious one....? :thumbsup:

 

In terms of 'trust', the choice between Nuclear and Fusion would seem to be the same 'cost' in terms of research.

 

eg the number of RC points to research Mk III Nuclear or Mk I Fusion (same thrust available) is the same.....

 

Chief Scientist to Ur-Lord Tedric

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We've heard it said (not that we've actually tried it, because A) we're so darn good at research and :thumbsup: we still think you're kidding about this 'combat' thing, so we're going for speed) that Mk III Nuke takes less time to research than Mk I Fus and Mk IV is relatively even faster than Mk II Fus.

Is this information in error?

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