FT Taskforce and Fleet Actions

OK, I've mumbled some things about this in the past and now I'm 
starting to think about this in more detail now that I've got a few 
things taken care of.

I have in the past, begun to think about an extension to Full thrust 
that allows for a better scale of scenario build up rather than the 
basic X-thousand points and a table kind of matches.

The basic concept is that the table top that we normally play with is 
a very small fraction of the total space around a system.  This total 
space is likely to be subdivided off with hexes for ease of diagonal 
movement. Its not super accurate, but its a good balance between a 
grid and free angles and distances. At the center of your 'map' is 
your system core at about an Astronomical Unit (Distance from Earth 
to Sun). Each hex is about .5 AU's

The thing I'm stumped on is exactly how to represent movement based 
upon a task force's (and specifically the ships comprising said task 
force) movement across individual hexes. I want the scale of 
acceleration between each ship to be represented nicely but not too 
quickly.

Does 1 hex per Thrust point per turn seem correct? It'd make it easy 
to work up movement velocities but I don't want a task force that is 
at an obscene speed to come to a halt in one hex. They should spend 
several turns after a turn around retro-thrusting to slow down.

Once two groups of ships meet in the same hex, they get moved to the 
play table and there you perform the quick battle. This could allow 
for some really interesting actions between a scout trying to get 
close to perform close ID's of ships and not getting whacked by the 
taskforce... It could also allow for groups that have a slight edge 
on velocity overtaking a group that is slightly slower and running 
them down.

Basic principles are:

1 Hex = .5 AUs and a nebulous area of one ship scale (std FT scales 
or Ship Action Scale) map.

80-100 hexes across is the overall map known as Theatre Action Scale

At the edge of the Theatre map is the hyper limit for safe FTL 
transition. FTL transition near the Primary or other major/minor 
planets will have varying degrees of hazard. FTL into the system is 
only on the edge, closer in results in ship/task force loss. 
Transition further out results in longer times to enter the system 
and is reserved for special scenarios as it takes a week or more to 
FTL that far out and thrust in at low speed to avoid detection.

Any asteroid belts will have a maximum safe speed for transition 
across, this is represented either by picking your way through safely 
or by using thrust to go around in the 3rd dimension (abstracted just 
like in Ship action scale).

Ships that do not FTL, thrust, maneuver, fire energy weapons or emit 
ECM/Sensors will not be placed on the Theatre map.

Ships that have FTL'ed, thrust-ed, maneuvered, fired energy weapons 
or emitted EMF energy will be represented as a task force icon/model. 
Highest thrust burn used by the task force and varying degrees of 
information based on weapons fire and or sensor use will refine the 
information available about that particular task force. Data 
available would be kind of sensors, total mass and thrust, type of 
weapons fire, etc.

Taskforces will be those ships in a specific hex. They could be a 
full battle line, a convoy of cargo vessels, a small CA/DD task 
force, ships (CLs/DDs/FFLs) on picket duty, a Scout(s), or a 
anti-scouting DD screen.

Range for sensors is still being refined but I'm leaning towards a 
concept where higher grade sensors under the current model allow for 
broad sweep scans of areas or quadrants for detecting silent running 
vessels. A question is levels of stealth...

Fighter groups will be detectable at closer or further ranges 
depending on what really feels right. They will be detected at much 
closer ranges compared to ships (Active and passive). Probably 1-2 AU 
on passive, 6-8 AU on active

I arrived at this scale as a balance between realism and playability. 
Too fine a scale and you've got an im-measureably huge map with 
thousands of hexes. Too course and the tactical flexibility isn't 
quite real enough. Distant Binary systems would be represented by two 
big maps, close binary stars aren't likely to be sites of any large 
population center other than a temporary military, corporate or 
scientific post.

The combination of sensor effectiveness and range will make the need 
for sensor pickets and scouting extremely important in the game. It 
will also allow for varied developments of carriers being separated 
from gun type groups and still contributing to the fight in a 
realistic manner very important. Hunt the carrier/assault group 
scenarios would be very playable and very fun. The use of bogeys and 
weasel boats will up the ante quite nicely too.

Keep in mind, I'm still batting the concepts around but the basic 
idea seems solid and playable. Thoughts comments?