Hello Cian,

Yes, the drives and the power plant are customized in CT LBB 5 HG 2e, but can also use CT LBB 2 drives and power plants if they meet the CT LBB 5 HG 2e criteria. One of the criteria is the Drive Tech Level Rating Table which for example shows that a J1 drive is available at TL 9 and 10.

A CT LBB 2 100 ton hull with a J6 Type C drive drive is available at TL 9 per the CT LBB TL Chart. The J6 Type C is 20 tons, unfortunately the Standard Hulls Table has the Drive space at 15 tons, which means the J6 drive is not available at TL 9 for a 100 ton hull.

A CT LBB 2 200 ton hull with a J6 Type F drive drive is available at TL 10 per the CT LBB TL Chart. The J6 Type F is 35 tons, unfortunately the Standard Hulls Table has the Drive space at 15 tons, which means the J6 drive is not available at TL 10 for a  200 ton hull.

A CT LBB 2 400 ton hull with a J6 Type M drive drive is available at TL 12 per the CT LBB TL Chart. The J6 Type M is 65 tons, unfortunately the Standard Hulls Table has the Drive space at 50 tons, which means the J6 drive is not available at TL 12 for a  400 ton hull.

A CT LBB 2 600 ton hull with a J6 Type T drive drive is available at TL 13 per the CT LBB TL Chart. The J6 Type T is 95 tons, unfortunately the Standard Hulls Table has the Drive space at 95 tons, which means the J6 drive is not available at TL 13 for a  600 ton hull.

A CT LBB 2 800 ton hull with a J6 Type W drive drive is available at TL 15 per the CT LBB TL Chart. The J6 Type W is 110 tons, fortunately the Standard Hulls Table has the Drive space at 165 tons, which means the J6 drive is available at TL 15 for a  800 ton hull. Unfortunately, the Power Plant 6 Type W requires 64 tons of space. Drive Space 165 - JD 110 - Power Plant 64 = 55 - 64 = -9 tons.

A CT LBB 2 1,000 ton hull with a J6 Type X drive drive is available at TL 15 per the CT LBB TL Chart. The J6 Type X is 115 tons, fortunately the Standard Hulls Table has the Drive space at 165 tons, which means the J6 drive is available at TL 15 for a  1,000 ton hull. Unfortunately, the Power Plant 6 Type X requires 67 tons of space. Drive Space 165 - JD 115 - Power Plant 67 = 50 - 67 = -17 tons.

Without the CT LBB 3 TL Chart a J6 drive is not possible for use in the six standard hulls due to the constraints of the Drive Space requirements.

With the CT LBB 3 TL Chart the first availability for a J6 drive is TL 15.

Tom Rux

On October 11, 2019 at 4:07 PM Cian Witherspoon <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:

On Fri, Oct 11, 2019 at 15:53 Thomas RUX < xxxxxx@comcast.net> wrote:

Howdy again Phil,

The jump fuel calculations are the same in CT LBB 2 and CT LBB 5 HG. The calculation for power plant fuel is different.

I agree that CT LBB 2 is primarily used to design civilian and light military hulls. However, using CT LBB 5 HG you can build hulls with smaller drives in the civilian hulls than those in CT LBB 2. CT LBB 5 HG gives the designer the option to use the CT LBB 2 jump drive, power plant, and maneuver drive with the caveat that the CT LBB 2 fuel consumption formulas must  be used.

Tom Rux

Looking at my copy, it looks like my position is actually vindicated! 

CT B5 HG, 1980 revision, page 22, under section heading Drives:

“Custom-built drives must be produced and installed while observing restrictions as to Tech Level and interior space. It is possible to include standard drives (at standard prices) from Book 2 if they will otherwise meet the ships requirements; such drives use fuel as indicated by the formulas in Book 2.”

Yes! The problems were only imagined! And magnified! And then canonized! And... well, this presumed that you don’t make the argument that standard drives by tech level are superseded by jump potential by tech level.