Just awake and saw this. I'll read through it proper once I'm in the office and I'll post a response then. 

Only things I ever designed for university and in jobs were aircraft engines and propulsion system. It's what I have my degree in. So in my mind it's what I almost always think of when talking energy. I 100% can confirm that MPD the first plasma engines being developed do indeed accelerate very slowly, but for a much longer time leading to better overall accelerations in the frictionless of space! 	



@[u]EVERYONE[/u]
Those with less of an interest in the hard science don't worry! Don't be put off by all this chat, feel free to ask any other questions. If you just want to apply and know that the mechs work, feel free :sun Looking forward to seeing some characters before the weekend hopefully :gray

Actual response:




[@Beach Burrito]


[b]Flywheels[/b]
Actually in fact flywheel generators are used in high-end air/spacecraft applications as gyroscopes called reaction wheels and they are used as attitude adjusters. I think the currently best proposed solution to a lot of the problems that the system has is the idea of stacked layers of flywheel generators rotating in alternating directions. Kind of like how the Russians make the world's best attack choppers by using co-axial pairs of main rotors.

Friction is a big issue. Obviously the actual wheel housing can be made vacuum but there's still friction between moving parts. An idea, but maybe too far of a leap would be suspension of the wheels in the vacuum via non-traditional means i.e. gravitationally or magnetically suspended. The high energy thing wouldn't really be an issue I don't think, I think it's safe to assume materials' properties quality has dramatically increased in this setting and the whole process would be pretty stable. For general operations I'd assume the thing doesn't run at full capacity but is perhaps also used an energy source for the boosters/burst movement systems and energy weapons and the generator can be pulsed when needed. That's a main advantage of such a power supply.


[b]EPG:[/b]
I know quite a deal about rail gun operation. It's been my favourite weapon system for some time and I even considered including it in my masters, but its one of the few weapon systems without and aerial application being realistically possibly an time soon!
The railguns I'd envisioned here were standard two rail rifles, but instead of ferromagnetic rounds, having the projectile rest on a 'bed' of plasma which would complete the circuit and accelerate the round. Reason being, initial fire is more energy intensive, but any round type/material can be used.

Essentially what your suggesting is a system somewhat similar, in that the round itself need not be conductive, and that the loaded EPG 'magazine' would provide the emp burst to complete the circuit, power it, and add an additional explosive kick. Correct?