Non OTU: So, interesting idea here. Want opinions.

[mike wightman]

I wonder how far the JWT could detect the 300K of a ship?

 

[kilemall]

I'm afraid this is not entirelly correct...

FTL in 2300AD can be detected by the gravitic sensors as a line of points. This is the basis of shadowing ships, as commented in the strategies in the scenarios Lone Wolf and Tree Blind Mice, both published in Challenge issues 33 and 37 respectivelly...

IIRC the description made the gravitic sensors actually instantaneous but range limited, which led me to consider a form of FTL comms where the ship’s maneuver pattern conveyed messages. Since then, the proof of gravity wave detection as light speed makes this rule a bit unpalatable.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Likewise, a detection of a jump flash does not ipso facto provide the detector with course, velocity, tonnage, hull configuration, armament, crew compliment, transponder signal, etc. etc. etc. information that can perfectly pinpoint an incoming starship and what it's going to do over the next few hours from solar orbits away.

IMTU you get an "intensity" reading from either an inbound or outbound jump flash, and can learn Jn*tonnage, give or take sensor error and perhaps ECM effects. The departure and/or arrival point can suggest the direction of the destination/origin, within limits and with the ability to spoof that to some extent by picking a sub-optimal entry or exit point (astrogation skill helps).

 

[Commander Truestar]

As "I have read" the books, Jump is not dependent on "creating" a bubble.

As I understand it, a ship making a jump space transit must:
1) Form the jump bubble via the initial burn of jump fuel into the Jump drive
2) "Tumble into" the forming jump bubble...which is the causal event for directing where the ship will travel to while in jump space
3) *Maintain* that jump bubble by continuously feeding energy from the jump capacitors (zuchai crystals, etc...)

So, IMO, you can't transit jump just by having a bubble formed around you

With regard to the mention by @McPerth above, I believe the "jump projector" was misnamed and was a weapon. However, it does seem to support my point of view:

MT:RM page 59: "Jump projectors induce a jump field around the target, causing it to misjump."
So, a jump field (or bubble) does form around the target vessel. But, since that vessel is not continuing to support the field with the energy required to support it....that ship automatically misjumps.

 

[Grav_Moped]

As I understand it, a ship making a jump space transit must:
1) Form the jump bubble via the initial burn of jump fuel into the Jump drive
2) "Tumble into" the forming jump bubble...which is the causal event for directing where the ship will travel to while in jump space
3) *Maintain* that jump bubble by continuously feeding energy from the jump capacitors (zuchai crystals, etc...)

#3 is edition-dependent. '77 rules and MgT (all versions) don't require power to the jump drive after the initial burn; in FFE's systems from HG'79 onward it does, except for Collector power -- but perhaps Collectors actually do power the jump drive during transit (not specified).

 

[aramis]

I'm afraid this is not entirelly correct...

FTL in 2300AD can be detected by the gravitic sensors as a line of points. This is the basis of shadowing ships, as commented in the strategies in the scenarios Lone Wolf and Tree Blind Mice, both published in Challenge issues 33 and 37 respectivelly...

Challenge articles aren't authoritative, and the physics per the rules in both GDW editions don't have gravitic sensors; there is no gravitics tech, either.

Noting that it's now firmly scientifically established that gravity waves travel at C, there's no way that a gravitic sensor ahead of the ship can detect it until it passes..

Y2300U may vary.

 

[kilemall]

Challenge articles aren't authoritative, and the physics per the rules in both GDW editions don't have gravitic sensors; there is no gravitics tech, either.

Noting that it's now firmly scientifically established that gravity waves travel at C, there's no way that a gravitic sensor ahead of the ship can detect it until it passes..

Y2300U may vary.

Might check Star Cruiser, you definitely could detect the ships way out.

 

[McPerth]

Challenge articles aren't authoritative,

Well, I don’t know how canon can be those adventures considered (the writer is David Nilsen, if this means anything about this issue), but the rules for shadowing are quite consistent with other 2300 AD published material, where shadowing ships while at FTL is mentioned. E.g. in Invasion book the secret Kaffer base was discovered when the US frigate Spitfire pursued (that’s the word used, but I guess it must have some way to shadow it, and so having it detected) a raider from Eta Bootis to it.

And if there’s better canon material about space navy doctrine and non tactical movement, strategies and detection, I don’t know about it…

And, even if not, the stutterwarp is no longer FTL at the 0.0001 G threshold, and I guess that means few encounters will be with ships arriving at FTL, and they are detected before, so making surprise unlikely at best. All ambushes (at least that I can remember now) in Invasion supplement are by the defender, who can power down their ships and mask them with debris/asteroids/whatever, while I don’t remember any instance of the attackers ambushing the defenders. At most they surprised them when they were not expecting trouble and the attacker could close by seeming not a threat (or strategic surprise by attacking where the enemy was weak or absent, but not tactical one), but not because they were undetected

 

[McPerth]

As "I have read" the books, Jump is not dependent on "creating" a bubble.

(...)

Information about this in Traveller is (IMHO) a little contradictory…

On one side, CT:LLB5 (page 42), when talking about the Black Globe, seems to point power alone is not enough to jump, as even if you have your power sinks full, you can only jump if you also have the needed fuel (so supporting your view)…

If a ship absorbs enough energy to make a jump, and is supplied with sufficient fuel, it may jump at the end of the turn.

OTOH, Annic Nova (and any other reference to jump collectors in latter editions) seem to point the opposite, as it does not need the fuel to jump…