TNE FF&S Mass Driver Design: Required Energy

[snrdg082102]

I've been pondering if the word I highlighted as bold text in the following step for the Mass Driver is correct. The original text is on TNE FF&S p. 110.

A-8. Required Energy: The energy required to accelerate the projectile to the desired muzzle velocity is a function of the total generated muzzle energy and the efficiency of the weapon in converting electrical power quickly to magnetic force (which is a function of tech level). The required energy (in joules) is equal to the weapon's muzzle energy multiplied by the weapon's tech level efficiency, as shown on the following table. Note table is not included.

Muzzle energy, per A-7, is measured in megajoules multiplying by the TL efficiency value should still return an answer in megajoules, right?

 

[shield]

yes

 

[snrdg082102]

yes

Shield you are a person of few words

So the text of:

A-8. Required Energy: The energy required to accelerate the projectile to the desired muzzle velocity is a function of the total generated muzzle energy and the efficiency of the weapon in converting electrical power quickly to magnetic force (which is a function of tech level). The required energy (in joules) is equal to the weapon's muzzle energy multiplied by the weapon's tech level efficiency, as shown on the following table. Note table is not included.

probably should read as follows:

A-8. Required Energy: The energy required to accelerate the projectile to the desired muzzle velocity is a function of the total generated muzzle energy and the efficiency of the weapon in converting electrical power quickly to magnetic force (which is a function of tech level). The required energy (in megajoules) is equal to the weapon's muzzle energy multiplied by the weapon's tech level efficiency, as shown on the following table. Note table is not included.

 

[shield]

Spent most of yesterday on trains, brain had died about 1/2 way through the journey.

Either text is fine, depends if you are doing your design calcs in Joules or Mega-Joules

Cheers
Richard

 

[snrdg082102]

Spent most of yesterday on trains, brain had died about 1/2 way through the journey.

Either text is fine, depends if you are doing your design calcs in Joules or Mega-Joules

Cheers
Richard

Second try the first one got the message web page/site cannot be found. Of course I wasn't smart enough to copy the original just in case and I'll have to start over.

Being at sea, with the USN, my brain would go on a holiday occasionally. Of course some, usually the higher pay-grades, would say my brain died.

Taking the text in A-8 Required Energy literally, which is what I did, is what prompted my thread to check my math and understanding of Steps F. Power Requirement and E. Reloading. Step F indicates that A-8. Required Energy is measured in megajoules. Step A-8 text indicates the unit of measure is in joules you have to convert to megajoules which results in a really small power measurement in megawatts.

I'm just making sure I'm on track, especially if I share my designs and/or game design aid spreadsheets with the TNE community. I really do try to follow the design system steps as provided by the official documentation first and then by modified rules. This means that I also try to provide a data sheet with the original design system numbers and another with the modifications.

 

[shield]

step A7 gives muzzle energy in mj. Step A8 has to be in mj as well as it is an efficiency scale factor.

it then matches step F where Er is in mj.

step F makes sense as the more seconds we spread the required energy over, the less mw i need.

think that covers it

 

[snrdg082102]

step A7 gives muzzle energy in mj. Step A8 has to be in mj as well as it is an efficiency scale factor.

it then matches step F where Er is in mj.

step F makes sense as the more seconds we spread the required energy over, the less mw i need.

think that covers it

I just noticed missing data in my last post. Basically Step A-8 states that "The required energy (in joules) is equal to the weapon's muzzle energy multiplied by the weapon's tech level efficiency, as shown on the following table."

Reading without taking the time to ponder the words gives the impression that the output of Muzzle Energy x Efficiency = Required Energy is measured in joules not megajoules.

Now the questions is did I do the math correctly for Steps E and F?

 

[shield]

Think it should be MJ then it is consistent with the previous step and the following steps.

 

[snrdg082102]

Think it should be MJ then it is consistent with the previous step and the following steps.

Why couldn't I have been as direct and to the point about the wording. Guess I'm a little verbose.