FTL tactical/strategic schema

Here's one way of working FTL to allow the various scenarios we'd all
like
to have for FT.

In deep space, a ship exiting FTL must either wait a certain amount of
time,
or get a certain minimum distance away from their last exit point to
jump
again. Using the 1 turn=20 in/1"=10000 km, time must be say 20 turns,
distance, call it 400 mu, reduced by 40 every turn. (Play with the
numbers
however you want, this is just a first cut) If you jump inside the time
space limit, the interference from the last exit point will mess with
the
next jump and put you off course in an unknown direction.

FTL emergence sends a detectable FTL signal - travels at say 200AU/hour
(tachyon burst/ultraspace ripple/other PSB), and a group ready to
respond
can zero in on the source as an FTL target destination. 

As an example an invading thrust 6 fleet can hang around the point for 6
hours 40 minutes, or thrust at amximum burn for 2 hours nad 40 minutes
to
clear the interference zone.This gives 0.5-4.5 hours for the defenders
to
jump and intercept. - and by jumping into the region, they create a new
interference zone.

As you get closer in the system, the jumps get smaller, and the time and
size ofthe interference zone shrink, but then, so does defender response
time.

The 'interference zone' still allows ships to jump out of battle, But
they're going on a wild ride to parts unknown, which can be downright
dangerous near the various gravity wells of an inner solar system.

Seems like a system like this could allow alot of the strategic and
tactical
scenarious people are looking for. 'Bottlenecks' wouldn't really exist
traffic wise. Stations would be for defendfing particular pieces of real
estate. Pirates could zero in on shipping, and frieghter FTL's would
have
more limitations than military craft, so ambushes could occur.

2 more quatloos.

Noam

"I've always wanted to fight a desperate battle 
against incredible odds." - Grig (The Last Starfighter)