Re: Sensor Range Question [Evasion]

Thomas Anderson wrote:
> 
> On Wed, 28 Apr 1999, Nyrath the nearly wise wrote:
> 
> >	  The reason most jump drives in SF use fixed jump points
> >	  is the reason given in Pournelle's "The making of the
> >	  Mote in God's Eye".
> 
> i really must read that ...

	I believe it is collected in Pournelle's
	A STEP FARTHER OUT.  Long out of print, it
	has lots of valuable information in it.
	Perhaps Pandora's books or other used book finder
	has it.

> >	  Without the choke points mandated by
> >	  fixed jump points there would be few, if any, space battles.
> >	  Space is so freaking huge that battles can only happen
> >	  by mutual consent, lacking such choke points.
> 
> a common theory. i'm not entirely sure i believe it (who woulda thunk
it,
> eh?). basically, the theory is that without special points in space,
there
> can be no battles, as battles have to take point at a certain point
(well,
> within a certain relatively small volume). i have two objections.
>
> secondly, i don't think battles do need special points. the same
theory,
> applied to modern naval or aerial warfare, would predict a lack of
> battles, when in reality there is certainly no shortage. in these
cases,
> the sites of battles are decided by interception: one side will chase
the
> other until they meet, and then they will fight. this, in turn,
depends on
> the relative speed and points of origin of the forces.
> > 
> you would have to initially acquire them by their jump signature
(think
> gravity waves, tachyons and magnetic fields, etc). the attacking fleet
> would probably be able to figure out where the defending fleet was
from
> the positions of planets.

	Well, you are making the tacit assumption that there *is* a
	jump signature.  There are many SF stories where ships just
	quietly appear at their jump destination.  

	The enemy fleet could suddenly appear englobing your fleet
	and catch you in a murderous cross fire.

	Or enemy bomber could materialize over your planets or space
	installations moving at about 0.99c relative, flush their bomb
	racks, and instantly jump out.	You'll see the bombs about the
	same time they detonate.