Shields - FTL Speed

This shield configuration reorients the envelope into a slipstream-stable form, allowing a ship to accelerate past light-speed by sliding through disconnected layers of reality. Larger ships have the potential to travel faster due to their power output and stronger shield frames, but all must sacrifice full defence to gain that speed.

Cost:

Cost per Die: 5 Points
Required Configuration: 2 Hard Dice (Total: 20 Points)
Available To: Any mobile ship with Shields; not available to Stations or Planets

Summary

Effect: Enables faster-than-light travel. Allows ships to reach theoretical speeds exceeding 6 Light Years per hour (calculated as 57.5 trillion yards per round). However, the actual speed achieved is limited by the ship’s shield architecture and power output.

FTL flight does not obey physical inertia, but turning and acceleration are still delayed by the system’s complexity and heat exchange limitations. To travel at full FTL speed, ships must reduce or disable their Hard Armour shielding.

Speed Rules

• Maximum FTL Speed = Power Attribute × Max Shield Armour HD
• -1 Light Year/hour for each active Hard Die in Shields - Armour
• Takes time to accelerate to top speed after initiating FTL
• Takes time to turn when moving faster than FTL 1

Additional Properties

• Attached: Requires Shields - Armour to be active and installed.
• Booster x14 (Speed): Multiplies Speed capacity enough to support 6+ LY/hour travel.
• No Physics: Ship ignores conventional inertia and gravitational effects.
• Delayed Effect (Acceleration): Takes time to reach top speed.
• Delayed Effect (Turning): Takes time to turn when above FTL 1.
• Limit: Speed is capped based on Power Attribute and shield specs.
• Focus: Must be installed in the ship’s shield matrix.
• Bulky: Cannot be modularised or transferred.
• If/Then: Requires external power source to function.

Power Construction

• Quality (Useful): +2 Points
• Capacity (Speed): +0 Points
• Attached (to Hard Armour Shield): -2 Points
• No Physics: +1 Point
• Booster x14 (Speed): +14 Points
• Limit – Max Speed = Power Attribute × Shield HD: -1 Point
• Limit – -1 LY/hour per active Shield HD: -2 Points
• Delayed Effect (Acceleration): -2 Points
• Delayed Effect (Turning): -2 Points
• Focus: -1 Point
• Bulky: -1 Point
• If/Then – Requires External Power Source: -1 Point

Total Cost per Die: 5 Points Total for 2 Hard Dice: 20 Points