Concealed Costs?

[Gabe Mitchell]

On a couple of threads I've glanced over, it seems that I've evidently been missing something, so hopefully you can help me out. Is there a reduced cost for concealed systems (like the retractable warp nacelle for the Prometheus-class saucer section and several of its' weapons systems), and if so, where does it say that?

[Sea Tyger]

p. 10 of Starships, second paragraph of the second column, in the Separation Systems section.

Basically, any equipment that is only used when the ship is separated costs one space less (minimum of 1).

[CmdrBluejeans]

That's a question that's always bothered me, actually ...

Does a separation-capable ship's Concealed Weapon's OV add to the ship's Weapon Reliability at all times, only when revealed by separation, or never?

Inquiring minds want to know!


CmdrBJ

[Don Mappin]

Only when revealed. I believe the Galaxy-class write-up should properly reflect this; different ratings for standard configuration and separation. If it doesn't, it should!

[CmdrBluejeans]

Hrm. Let us posit a 'standard' separation-capable ship, in which the saucer, when separated, has only an impulse drive.

Now, as we all know, there are many instances where a ship's impulse drive might have a higher reliability than its warp drive, only to be 'pulled down' by the Warp Drive's lower reliability when determining the overall reliability of the propulsion systems.

What happens, then, if such a ship separates? Does the saucer section, which lacks warp drive, suddenly have a higher reliability than the stardrive section, on its propulsion systems? This seems almost counterintuitive in some respects.

CmdrBJ,
bored at work,
posing hypotheticals
("If a Defiant leaves New Albuquerque, heading corewards,
at Warp 9.85, and a Borg Cube, travelling perpendicular to
its path...")

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by CmdrBluejeans
Hrm. Let us posit a 'standard' separation-capable ship, in which the saucer, when separated, has only an impulse drive.

Okay, different topic entirely than weapons. I *do* remember working through this idea myself and the problems it posed. That's why a vessel always uses (as an example) the lowest rated propulsion system on a vessel, irregardless of where it's located.