Component:whip
In Game Description
A high-power drive designed for long-distance cruising. Significantly increases the ship's top speed, as well as it's ability to maintain flank speed without damage, but at the expense of maneuverability.
Gameplay usage
The downsides are usually mitigable with experience, making it a strong option for backline assets which may wish to reposition quicker, or more aggressive frontline fleets. It provides more power output than other small drives. Most ANS capital designs prefer the better-mobility-statted FM230 Whiplash over the FM530 Whiplash, so as to be able to fit a FM580 Raider to the 5xx-series bay instead, while backlines do not care about the durability loss so much in undersizing the drive either, and even get to save 10 points.
Stats
| FM230 'Whiplash' Drive | |
|---|---|
| Faction | ANS |
| Cost | 20 pts |
| Dimensions | 5x3x5 |
| Hitpoints | 250 |
| Hitpoints to Function | 50 |
| Damage Threshold | 40 |
| Mass | 35 Tonnes |
| Catastrophic Event Prob. (Drive) | 5% |
| DC Priority | Critical |
| Crew | 10 |
| Power | +650 (kW) |
| Modifier: Top Speed | +20% |
| Modifier: Flank Damage Probability | -15% |
| Modifier: Turn Rate | -15%[1] |
| Modifier: Angular Thrust | -20%[2] |
Notes
Multiple drives do not inherently affect the mobility of a ship, only provide redundancy, however, the modifiers to a ship's mobility are a combination of all installed drives' modifiers, so installing drives with multiple of the same effect can further affect it's capability (two whiplash drives will provide more speed than one, but a whiplash and standard drive will provide no different speed than a single whiplash). If some drives are disabled, only those drives' modifiers will be removed, which may even result in the ship's mobility improving in some cases (such as a prowled drive being disabled). If all drives on a ship are knocked out, it will not be able to move altogether.
Most drives have a small and large counterpart. Asides their sizes, small variants of drives tend to have weaker negative modifiers, but are more fragile, produce less power and may or may not have better or worse positive modifiers.
The FM230's Large counterpart is the FM530, which provides more power and durability, as well as a lower top speed bonus and higher Turn Rate penalty.
Lore
Codenamed 'Whiplash', probably because the engines will make the entire ship jolt and send crewmen all over the deck when Helm sets it to full burn. The Naval Office liked the idea of applying some of the Sprinter's speed to the larger warships, and so does the Lee Helm when they hit a full ahead bell.
Overall, Whiplash drives are an Alliance favorite, until the engine room is filled with the drive grinding and the Chief Engineer is going off on one of their legendary litanies of swearing. It's a real treat.
- I. Parker, CMC
