Re: Star System Attack

Chris Klug writes:

@:)  If whatever FTL technology you use allows entry into a solar
@:) systems at *any* point, then there is no effective way to defend a
@:) solar system; it's just too damn big to position any kind of ships
@:) to protect against all the potential angles. Delta-V, thrust,
@:) etc., all prevent an adequate coverage of the area (unless you
@:) have unlimited defensive resources).

  Or high enough technology.  I think a solar system is in some ways
analogous to an ocean, which can, to some extent, be defended.	That's
because, while oceans are big, there are only a limited number of
places that people want to go to in them, and you can defend those and
the logical approaches to them.  Given today's technology, I think it
would take so long for an attacker to proceed from the outer reaches
of the system to the inner planets that the planet under attack might
as well build a defense force on the spot.  Fleets would be required
to defend small colonies and stations that are not self-sufficient.

@:) An entry (jump) point metaphor allows strategic defense while at
@:) the same time logically encouraging *realistic* battles.

  While I think jump points work well enough, "realistic" is
definitely a subjective term when your talking about completely
fictional material.  Myself, I prefer to keep the grand strategic
assault, so I don't usually like wormholes or jump points.  Actually I
think I prefer Star Trek's warp travel which doesn't prevent ships
from being detected or intercepted, it just makes them fast.

-joachim