Warp

Warp DRIVE

Warp drive is the way that ships in Star Trek travel Faster Than Light (FTL). In Star Trek the warp drive creates a warp field or bubble that warps space time thus allowing super luminal travel speeds.

Full Thrust has an FTL system and this is used as a direct subsistute for the warp drive. Thus the FTL system is the Warp Drive. Combat at warp isn’t really covered that well in Full Thrust but the rules from second edition page 23 for FTL out and FTL in are used but slightly modified. The modifications to the FTL system are the addition of a maximum warp factor for the ship. This is the maximum warp it can use, so for a freighter it might be warp 6 but for a cruiser warp 9.

As warp drive is very stable in Star Trek the rules for the ship failing to reach warp are ignored except in the case of the FTL drive having been damaged in the battle. In this case roll a D6 and on a roll of 1 the warp drive fails to form a warp bubble and the ship cannot leave and the warp drive needs a successful repair roll for going to warp to be attempted again. The rules for damage to adjacent ships from FTL are also ignored as warp in Star Trek doesn’t have this danger.

For warping in the rules from page 24 apply with choosing a target point and then rolling a dice for course and deflection from the planned entry point this is warp drift. The rules to multiply the error on a roll of 6 are ignored because Star Trek warp in isn’t that inaccurate.

Engaging At Warp

There are many scenes in Star Trek where battles take place at warp. There are some inconsistencies too. The use of energy weapons at warp or beaming at warp are not allowed due to the speed involved. The only warp capable weapon is the photon torpedo and equivalent self guided munitions as it has its own warp drive.

Due to the speed of warp factors relative to each other any warp engagement assumes the same warp factor. Orders can be written to change the warp factor up or down by one level per turn. If the ships warp factors are different then they immediately disengage as they have basically shot past each other. For example warp 2 is 8c ( c is the speed of light, warp 1 = c ) while warp 3 is 27c its impossible to simulate this difference in velocity with a gaming table. The episode Journey to Babel has the Orion ship rush past at warp 10, this is clearly an error in the writing that doesn’t match the realities of warp speeds.

The ships current warp factor acts like thrust for manouver, your speed is your warp factor which is a constant and half the warp factor can be applied to course changes. So at warp 2 you always travel 2 MU and can turn up tp 1 facing. Warp 3 you always travel 3 MU and can turn up to 2 facings. Orders ar warp are to either increase warp speed by plus or minus one warp factor or to make turns depending on the current warp factor.

If two ships at the same warp factor stay at the same warp factor or drop out of warp at the same turn then they remain engaged. If they drop out of warp they re-enter the impulse playing area relative to their current warp positions but applying the warp in drift rules. In reality remaning in contact is quite difficult and the ships will disengage most times.