Z
- "The converter coil carries a low gauge because the impulse fusework on the entire machine is only rated for a 1000z buildup. My method gets extra speed, but risks shorting out the whole system."
- ―General Airen Cracken, on his procedure for increasing the speed of turbothrust-enhanced landspeeders
The z was a unit of measurement in use during the Galactic Civil War that described the amount of energy buildup the impulse fusework of certain devices could contain. Multiple devices, such as lectrotickers, airspeeder afterburners, and blasters had components that utilized the z in their measurements.
Applications
The z was a unit of measurement that, by the time of the Galactic Civil War, was utilized to describe the extent to which impulse fusework of some devices could contain energy buildup.[1]
A lectroticker included four pieces of wire rated 30z to 42z, all connected to both a sense-plate and a data compiler. Airspeeder afterburners could be rigged for a power increase by first cutting the circuits on the impulse intake regulator, then installing wire cables rating 20z to 23z from the engine to the burners. Another application was through modifying a blaster to have a hair trigger, first by running a scomp link or mini-cables in the Tarris 800 line from the trigger adaptor to the impulse slot, then by adjusting the frequency rate of the impulse slot plugged into the V-4 plug from 42z to 83z.[1]
A landspeeder capable of turbothrust could safely tolerate a 1000z buildup. The manufacturers would install low gauge turbothrust converter coils to prevent them from exceeding that amount. Rebel General Airen Cracken thought to exchange these for larger gauge versions from more powerful machines, increasing the craft's top speed. However, this procedure would allow the machine to surpass its intended buildup limit, possibly disabling the craft. Cracken himself totaled two speeders this way.[1]
Behind the scenes
The z unit was mentioned in Cracken's Rebel Field Guide, a 1991 in-universe supplement to Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game written by Christopher Kubasik.[1]
Sources
- Cracken's Rebel Field Guide (First mentioned)