ship and fuel questions

[RocketTurtle]

I recently got my hands on T4 and I couldn't find any reference to how much fuel is used up in a jump? However, I recall from somewhere is that all jump fuel is used up in a jump. Is this correct?

I also noticed that in T4, the far trader design as a fuel purifier on board that could process 10 tons unrefined fuel into refined fuel. How long is this process. Why would any captain buy refined fuel for his ship when he could buy unrefined fuel and process it? Is the refined fuel for other purposes, such as other vehicles and systems?

Oh and how large is a typical Free and Far trader? Could you provide a description in say, stacked cars or deisel truck cargo containers?

- Anthony

 

[CarlP]

>Why would any captain buy refined fuel for his ship when he could buy unrefined fuel and process it?

Well, here are a few ideas that occur to me. Bear in mind, I don't know what any of the numbers would be (i.e., cost of the fuel purifier), so a financial analysis might make it a moot point.

1. The cost of the fuel purifier is high enough, it won't pay for itself quickly enough.

2. The tonnage the fuel purifier takes up cuts into space that would be better spent on cargo.

3. The effort of collecting unrefined fuel to run through the purifier is just not worthwhile. (How many merchant captains really want to skim a gas giant on the way into the system?)

4. The time it takes to go out and load up on unrefined fuel, then purify it, could better be spent looking for cargo, and getting it loaded.

It seems to me that any ship that is going to be operating in civilized areas wouldn't want to bother with the fuel purifier. It's just not worth the hassle most of the time.
Where it comes into play is if a ship is going to be spending time on the fringes of civilization, where refined fuel might not be so easy to come by--such as a scout ship or player-character ship.

Anyway, that's just my two credits on the issue.

Carl

 

[Liam Devlin]

Good stuff CarlP!

Add to that Rocket Turtle:

Refined fuel (as a possible tweak) gives less chance of misjump! And allows you to run a year maintenance free(28 jumps--like cars on higher grade gas-beter performance/mileage!).

Gas giant refuelling is not risk free (look at the Linkworlds "Kursis charter" for just such mishaps!).

Gets you straight to port, when selling time is of the essence!(Ask anyone who's been beaten to market!)(no delays at GG!).

just some additional thoughts,heretically yours,

 

[daryen]

To answer the original question, if your ship already has a fuel purifier, there is no reason to buy refined fuel. Note that this does not necessarily mean skimming; starports will also sell unrefined fuel for a lot less than refined fuel.

The point about not bothering to include a fuel refiner is correct, but since we are talking about typical "player ships" (e.g. a far trader), it is always going to be advantageous to have that refiner.

Its the big ole corporate barges (either cargo or passenger) that are going to forgo purifiers and just buy the pre-refined fuel. Do note, however, that if you plan on buying only refined fuel, you are restricted to types A and B starports. Types C and D only sell unrefined fuel, and types E and X don't sell any.

 

[womble]

Hi Rocket Turtle

There's a discussion of the economics of refined and unrefined fuel here

http://www.travellerrpg.com/cgi-bin/Trav/CotI/Discuss/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=40;t=000198

Basically, there's no reason not to have a fuel refiner if you've got room for it. It saves more money than most cargo space will make, given Canon prices for unrefined and refined fuel (100Cr/T & 500Cr/T respectively). More if you get raw water, crack the hydrogen out of it (canonical capability of any starship power plant, I believe) and refine it yourself.

Add the fact that you have a 1% chance per jump of wiping out utterly if you use unrefined fuel, and almost every ship should make space for a refining plant.

Luck
R