Timing of jumps with a fleet of ships

[Condottiere]

I think the issues are surprise, momentum, cohesion and defeat in detail.

 

[McPerth]

To me that looks like a 1 hour arrival window (167.2-168.2 hours) ... not a 34 hour window.

I quoted only the part about synchronized jumps... The whole errata clarifications is:

Page 64, Step 4, Hours in Jump Space (clarification and addition): The formula given for normal jumpspace
exit is: 124 hrs + (2D×6 hrs), yielding a result of from 136 - 196 hours (5.7 to 8.2 days). However, this does not account for military operations when vessels know they have to arrive in unison. Such vessels spend significantly longer at the start computing and sharing jump vector computations. This leads to a much more accurate jump exit at the other end, with the error dropping significantly

If double the jump preparation time is spent with all the affected ships in computer link via communication lines,
use the following formula instead: 167 hrs + (2D×0.1 hr), yielding a result of from 167.2 - 168.2 hours. Most ships will arrive within minutes of each other, with the worst spread being up to an hour apart. Constant communication during the jump vector generate is essential for this to work, and double the normal jump vector generation time must be observed. But when getting there "on a dime" timewise is essential, then this technique is the key. Most civilian vessels don't bother.

By the way, I suggested this change:

If double the jump preparation time is spent with all the affected ships in computer link via communication lines, roll usual time (124 + (2d x 6) hours) for the 'main fleet time' in jump. To know the exact arrival of each ship, modify this 'main fleet time' by (2d - 7) x 0.1 hours, yelding a variation of 30 min over or under calculated time. Most ships will arrive within minutes of each other, with the worst spread being up to an hour apart. Constant communication during the jump vector generate is essential for this to work, and double the normal jump vector generation time must be observed. But when getting there "on a dime" timewise is essential, then this technique is the key. Most civilian vessels don't bother.

As I thought that synchronized jump should have the same unpredictability that usual one (5.7-8.2 days), just all the ships share the same, while the errata as given made the whole fleet jump more predictability.

 

[Spinward Flow]

By the way, I suggested this change:

Can we all just stipulate that what we want to see (and have be possible) in terms of naval fleet movements through jumps basically amounts to ... well ... THIS ...

Yes it is total Rule of Cool ... but sometimes the Rule of Cool flat out deserves to WIN as a reasonable expectation.

 

[Condottiere]

I miss the Rule of Coal.

 

[whartung]

Care to revise and extend your remarks?

JTAS #24

Jump takes 168 hours (±10%) to complete.

That's ±16.8 hours. Meaning 16.8 hours early to 16.8 hours late. A window of 33.6 hours. Which is close enough to 34 hours.

 

[aramis]

Can we all just stipulate that what we want to see (and have be possible) in terms of naval fleet movements through jumps basically amounts to ... well ... THIS ...

Yes it is total Rule of Cool ... but sometimes the Rule of Cool flat out deserves to WIN as a reasonable expectation.

It is, for me, the ultimate in uncool...
I prefer my battles to be a dozen ships or fewer... that travesty of Picard has more ships on screen than the federation had during the borg war.

It also has most of them being a singular cruiser class...

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Can we all just stipulate that what we want to see (and have be possible) in terms of naval fleet movements through jumps basically amounts to ... well ... THIS ...

No, absolutely not. The spread in jump duration is a quirk, that gives rise to serious tactical considerations. It gives texture to the otherwise featureless space. Much more interesting...

 

[mike wightman]

It also raises lots of questions with regards to reference frames and relative motion too.

 

[Condottiere]

And why you have carriers and battle tenders, or at least, a tactical and operational reason.

 

[whartung]

I liked Picard. We can't seem to get season 2 though, so haven't seen it yet.

 

[aramis]

I liked Picard. We can't seem to get season 2 though, so haven't seen it yet.

Season 2 is an interesting, if odd, time travel bit.

it does, however, highlight a lot of issues with certain technologies that ate TL17+ in Travelller.
It's also a deeply political message, so really, further discussion of it is probably best in the pit.

 

[Silverhawk]

As I thought that synchronized jump should have the same unpredictability that usual one (5.7-8.2 days), jsut al lthe ships share the same, while the errata aas given made the whole fleet jump more predictability.

I agree with you that your suggestion makes better sense. Why should a fleet have less overall variability. It is one thing to keep the fleet together with arrival window being +/-1 hour but to eliminate the larger variability always seemed odd.

 

[Drew]

The Oort cloud is way too far away from the inner system, where most interesting things happen, it's weeks of acceleration away.

It's difficult to hide in empty space, but you can create the wrong impression. To paraphrase Honor Harrington, surprise is when what you see, isn't actually what you see. E.g. you see a battleship, but it's actually a freighter with ECM posing as a battleship.

To become less visible you can supposedly use black globe generators. Preposition your ship, accelerate to build a vector toward the target, turn the globe on completely; you are almost invisible but can also not see out. Let your vector take you to a preplanned position, hopefully undetected by the enemy, turn the globe off, you are now visible and can see out again.


You can hide on, in, or behind planets and gas giants, but that is probably more for defenders.

You just gave an idea of a major deception ploy. Is it possible to have basically a drone fleet of low-cost jump-capable vessels with a specifically manufactured ECM launched effectively at the other side of the system?

 

[Condottiere]

I was thinking eight semimegatonne spherical freighters.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

You just gave an idea of a major deception ploy. Is it possible to have basically a drone fleet of low-cost jump-capable vessels with a specifically manufactured ECM launched effectively at the other side of the system?

I see no reason for why it would not work. We have no rules for exactly how it works, but otherwise I would say go right ahead...

 

[Spinward Flow]

basically a drone fleet of low-cost jump-capable vessels

Hard to get cheaper than stripped down Scout/Couriers running on pre-programmed automation as disposable drone targets.

a specifically manufactured ECM

No doubt can be done ...

launched effectively at the other side of the system?

Navigator-1 and Computer-1 are all the skills I can think of as being necessary to execute this maneuver ...