What does 'Commerce Raiding' entail?

[dean]

In that, gravity's role is the same as the snakes and snails and puppy dog tails I wrote about early, both are of no consequence because both are ignored in the rules.

Quote of the Week again, Bill!

 

[Theophilus]

Wrong. Earth orbits outside of Sol's 100D limit even after taking into account the perigee. Even Earth's 100D limit is outside of Sol's 100D limit.



You could leave jump out past Pluto but, if you still need to touchdown in Earth, you're still going to approach Earth one way or another. The longer you spend in normal space, the more opportunities you have to be attacked.


Regards,
Bill

Bill,
First off how is this wrong? My statement was that Sol would pull a ship out of JS, between mars and earth. So why is this statement wrong? As your post says earth orbits outside Sol's 100d limit, mars orbits inside the 100d limit. Correct?


Secondly, my post concerns the actual commerce raider, not a merchant ship. Obviously all the merchants will be grouped around the earths 100d limit. While a missile slinging raider or raiders could exit jump anywhere in the system. Perhaps I was vague in my post, sorry for the confusion.

 

[Whipsnade]

First off how is this wrong?

Theophilus,

I'd say that "wrong" is always relative to the statement being made.

My statement was that Sol would pull a ship out of JS, between mars and earth. So why is this statement wrong?

That statement is wrong because Sol's jump limit isn't between Earth and Mars.

As your post says earth orbits outside Sol's 100d limit, mars orbits inside the 100d limit. Correct?

Ahhh... now I understand why your statements have been wrong! You've been making a gross conceptual error. You see...

Mars orbits beyond the Earth.

Mars isn't between the Earth and Sol, Mars is between the Earth and the Asteroid Belt. Earth is in Orbit 3 and Mars in is Orbit 4. So, when mapping Sol's jump limit, we have the Limit, then Earth, then Mars.

Secondly, my post concerns the actual commerce raider, not a merchant ship.

Ahhh... now I know why my statements have been wrong! I've been making a gross conceptual error too!

As you surmise, raiders can pop out just any old where in the system, just as long as it isn't inside any of the jump limits within the system, and raiders are going to do just that to "stooge" around with any defenders.

They'll take up threatening vectors, try to "squat" along likely in-system courses, and do lots of other things to divert and decoy the defenders away from the areas where merchantmen are likely to be. They'll do that all in the hopes that they can sling the occasional missile or coherent beam of light/plasma/other particles at a merchie or two.

As you already pointed out, the defenders have to "win" all the time while the raiders only have to "win" every once in a while.


Regards,
Bill