> On 8 Jul 2022, at 15:52, W. Hopper - whopper at pobox.com (via tml list) <xxxxxx@simplelists.com> wrote:
>
> IMTU, Yes.
>
> On Fri, Jul 8, 2022, 9:19 AM Jim Vassilakos - jim.vassilakos at gmail.com (via tml list) <xxxxxx@simplelists.com> wrote:
> Do Traveller ships (the usual build with the bridge at the bow and the engines at the stern) need to flip a 180 to decelerate?
> <snip/>
If they’re using semi-realistic physics and throwing rocks off the stern for acceleration, then yes.
On the other hand, if your M-drive is not constrained by such peccadilloes as realistic physics, IYTU sp maybe not…
ForEx, if the M-drive generates a warp field that can be shaped to manipulate the gravity gradient around the ship, then you might be able to decelerate without flipping over, although perhaps not with the same efficiency.. (so you might still *want* to do the tumble!)
ISTR an article in (probably…) Analog some years back about how a torch ship might have to do a complicated corkscrew-like motion to keep the engines running while it flipped end-for-end to decelerate.
Regards, Andy

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Andrew Long
Andrew dot Long at Mac dot com