On 24/06/2015 11:28 PM, "Grimmund" <grimmund@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Wed, Jun 24, 2015 at 5:47 AM, Greg Chalik <mrg3105@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > The reason is simple: a combatant who fires from well beyond the
> > certain-kill range gives up essentially nothing for a *chance* of
> > killing their opponent.
> >
> >>The firing combatant gives away his position and the fact that he has the
> >> capability to fire the observed weapon.
>
> This presumes the other party does not already have the firing party
> spotted and plotted.
>
> Attacking ships appear from jump, presumably they are detected by
> local defenders, and once detected, tracked.

They are detected as they exit jump space, right? From memory sensors don't track during the jump even if point of jump is known?

> Defending ships in the local gas giant are probably safe from
> immediate detection, but pretty much any other ship will become
> obvious when they maneuver.  ("Oh, look, drive flare!")

Obvious to what?

> Opening stages of the battle are detection and tracking of both
> friendly and opposition forces.  Spot and plot.
>

How did you get from detecting vessels coming out of jump to BATTLE?

> Assuming an attack with more than one ship, there is built in delay
> while waiting for all the attackers to emerge from jump, and group up.
> (And depending on the situation, refuel before they make an attack, so
> they can escape if things go poorly.)
>
> While this is happening, the attackers are also busy spotting and
> plotting the defending ships.   I mean, they aren't just sitting there
> at 100d drinking coffee and waiting for the rest of the battle group
> to drop out of jump....
>
>
> It's not like you can pop out from behind concealment and surprise
> someone, except perhaps during refueling at a gas giant.
>
Its not?
>
> You *might* be able to ambush small commercial ships, if only because
> once they emerge from jump, they typically make course for the local
> port, and you MAY be able to lurk on low power near the 100d limit.
> But even then, it's pretty unlikely the ambush ship would be in
> position to get a shot off- space being huge and all- and the longer
> the ambusher is under power in pursuit of prey, the greater the chance
> the potential prey will spot the drives.
>
> IMHO, of course.
>
> Dan
>
Greg
> --
>
> "Any sufficiently advanced parody is indistinguishable from a genuine
> kook." -Alan Morgan
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