I forwarded the question to Jerry but I can't guarrantee a response: Here's my
take on the subject
> Phil might be the best one to answer this, but in case it has been
Thus while you can place a station out in the area, it won't be in a stable
orbit. Additonally, you must have Alderson Survey equipment to keep track of
the Alderson point as it fluctuates and then a maneuvering drive to stay on
station. Even then it does not guarrantee that you will have your crosshairs
on the right place at the right time, plus the Alderson confusion effect works
both ways because if the target doesn't know where he is in relation to the
universe (and the universe Vice versa), neither does the aimer... This is the
hazard of introducing instantaneous travel into an Einsteinien universe... My
suggestion is to have a mobile defense. Remember the Alderson point is
maintained in reference to the two stars not their systems, therefore you will
not be in a stable orbit and stations will drift.
Phil might be the best one to answer this, but in case it has been discussed
before, I thought I would toss it out publically; while it is lanbelled
"off-
topic", I think the gaming implications for _Full Thrust_ are pretty
darn clear.
Just how big is an Alderson point?
I'm asking because it has a tremendous impact on how you protect a system. If
the points are small, then fixed defenses a la _Starfire_ can turn every
hostile warp assault into a buzz saw.
_Starfire_ warp points, IIRC, are extremely small, with some being so
small as to limit the size of vessels that may transit them. McCollum's
foldspace points appear to be bigger, but still small enough that fixed
defenses or a fleet can opretty much get off an immediate shot against anyone
coming out of a foldspace jump.
I don't remember seeing this in the CoDo universe. IIRC, the only defenses we
really see are mobile, and they consist of 1) the _Defiant_ off New
Chicago, and 2) the Crazy Eddie squadron inside the supergiant. The latter is
clearly a special case (presumably the outcoimg ships are pretty disoriented
by appearing in a sun), and the former, if memory serves, involved the captain
lamenting that the _MacArthur_ appeared so close.
Any help appreciated!
On Sep 30, 1997 at 3:05:16 PM, "Phillip E. Pournelle" <pepourne@nps.navy.mil>
wrote:
> I forwarded the question to Jerry but I can't guarrantee a response:
Thanks, Phil!!
[my original question snipped]
> If I recall correctly, Alderson Points drift around an area based on
> keep track of the Alderson point as it fluctuates and then a
Okay, that fits. I also remember a comment from "Reflex" to the effect that
the captain of the _Definat_ really wished the HQ in New Chicago would
send out a survey ship so they could determine exactly where the point was. If
the point has a tendency to wander around a bit, that would add to the
necessity of such a survey. It might be needed anyway, of course, even if the
point didn't move; determine an exact point in space relative to the star
would be tough enough to do, and if the point DOEs move, getting it right to
within a
couple of hundred kiloklicks -- or more -- might be considered
extraordinairily lucky.