Re: [FT]SML question

Bif Smith wrote:

>
> This also asumes there is no limit how deep into the gravity well of
the
> star you can actually use the FTL drive. If you cannot use a FTL
within a
> certain limit of the star, a whole new tactic opens up relating to
attacking
> a fleet as it travels in system (or being able to see what is coming
towards
> you and running before you`re killed <G>).

It cannot be that restrictive a limit, or some things become difficult.
Thrust 2
must be practical for a merchant (the sample cargo ships all have thrust
2), so
the time to get far enough out of the star's gravity well (and back in,
on the
return trip)can not be an overly significant amount of the total trip
time.  If
it takes several weeks to get to the jump threshold (at thrust 2) and
only a few
days to get to the destination star, it would be unusual to see a cargo
ship
with less than thrust 10.  The capital cost, and loss of cargo space is
unimportant, it gets to the jump threshold in only a twenty-fifth of the
time,
and could make two (or more) trips before the slower, cheaper vessel
(with more
cargo space) gets to the first jump.  Thrust 2 only makes sense if the
distance
jumped does not depend on thrust, and it will be a very long trip with
no stops.

The preponderance of thrust 2 merchants strongly implies that it only
takes a
week to get to the jump threshold of a planet, anything more, and it
pays to
have higher thrust cargo ships (this assumes 1000km to the MU and 1000
seconds