Combustion Drive

Base Cost
Metal:	400
Crystal:	0
Deuterium:	600
Energy:	0

The Combustion Drive is a technology that allows the construction of Small Cargo and Large Cargo ships, Light Fighters, Recyclers, Espionage Probes and Crawlers. In addition, all ships that use the Combustion Drive will have their Base Speed increased by 10% for every level of the Combustion Drive technology.

In addition to increasing the maximum speed of the appropriate ships, increasing the levels of any drive technology can reduce fuel consumption in one of two ways: First, as the maximum speed increases due to the increase in drive technology, a player could reduce the speed of any fleet that has been affected by the improvement of said drive technology, and thus achieve the same flight in the same amount of time with a decreased consumption of Deuterium. For example, a Small Cargo ship would consume less Deuterium when travelling at 90% maximum speed after obtaining a level 10 Combustion Drive when compared to that of the same Small Cargo ship, on the same flight, travelling at 100% maximum speed using a level 8 Combustion Drive instead (200% - (200% * 0.1) = 180%, level 8 combustion drive).

Second, when a type of ship has had its speed limited by the inclusion of slower ships of a different type in the same fleet, the ships not flying at their normal speed will consume less fuel due to the increase in fuel efficiency from the appropriate improved drive technologies. For example, using Light Fighters in a fleet with a Death Star will automatically decrease the speed of the Light Fighters, and thus the Light Fighters will benefit from a decreased fuel consumption with every advancement to the Combustion Drive technology.

After upgrading to level 5 of the Impulse Drive, the base speed of Small Cargo ships double and they henceforth proceed to use the Impulse Drive instead of the Combustion Drive when calculating speed and fuel efficiency.

Description

The Combustion Drive is the oldest of technologies, but is still in use. With the Combustion Drive, exhaust is formed from propellants carried within the ship prior to use. In a closed chamber, the pressures are equal in each direction and no acceleration occurs. If an opening is provided at the bottom of the chamber then the pressure is no longer opposed on that side. The remaining pressure gives a resultant thrust in the side opposite the opening, which propels the ship forward by expelling the exhaust rearwards at extreme high speed.

With each level of the Combustion Drive developed, the speed of small and large cargo ships, light fighters, recyclers, and espionage probes are increased by 10%.

Requirements

• Energy Technology (Level 1)
• Research Lab (Level 1)

Prerequisite For

• Light Fighter (Level 1)
• Small Cargo Ship (Level 2)
• Espionage Probe (Level 3)
• Crawler (Level 4)
• Large Cargo Ship (Level 6)
• Recycler (Level 6)

Level Table

		Upgrade Cost			Cost of Sum
Level	Speed	Metal	Crystal	Deuterium	Metal	Crystal	Deuterium
1	1.1	400	0	600	400	0	600
2	1.2	800	0	1,200	1,200	0	1,800
3	1.3	1,600	0	2,400	2,800	0	4,200
4	1.4	3,200	0	4,800	6,000	0	9,000
5	1.5	6,400	0	9,600	12,400	0	18,600
6	1.6	12,800	0	19,200	25,200	0	37,800
7	1.7	25,600	0	38,400	50,800	0	76,200
8	1.8	51,200	0	76,800	102,000	0	153,000
9	1.9	102,400	0	153,600	204,400	0	306,600
10	2.0	204,800	0	307,200	409,200	0	613,800
11	2.1	409,600	0	614,400	818,800	0	1,228,200
12	2.2	819,200	0	1,228,800	1,638,000	0	2,457,000
13	2.3	1,638,400	0	2,457,600	3,276,400	0	4,914,600
14	2.4	3,276,800	0	4,915,200	6,553,200	0	9,829,800
15	2.5	6,553,600	0	9,830,400	13,106,800	0	19,660,200
16	2.6	13,107,200	0	19,660,800	26,214,000	0	39,321,000
17	2.7	26,214,400	0	39,321,600	52,428,400	0	78,642,600
18	2.8	52,428,800	0	78,643,200	104,857,200	0	157,285,800