On Wed, Jun 24, 2015 at 3:11 PM, Greg Chalik <mrg3105@gmail.com> wrote: >> Attacking ships appear from jump, presumably they are detected by >> local defenders, and once detected, tracked. > > They are detected as they exit jump space, right? From memory sensors don't > track during the jump even if point of jump is known? Presumably, they are detected by local ships when they exit jumpspace, yes? A little light goes off on the sensor panel, says a ship (or several) has exited jump space, and gives an approximate range and bearing? System defense and traffic control take a look to establish who/what has popped out of j-space. The closer to the border, the faster they check. Two sensor stations give you a reasonably solid fix. After that, passive sensors can track it until system control confirms the identity and is satisfied it's not threatening. (or, you know, confirms it is a Zhodani/KKree/Solomani/whatever commerce raider/invasion fleet/whatever.) >> Defending ships in the local gas giant are probably safe from >> immediate detection, but pretty much any other ship will become >> obvious when they maneuver. ("Oh, look, drive flare!") > > Obvious to what? Passive sensors. If your ship is ballistic, it's harder to spot. If it's under power, presumably, it is generating a lot of EM noise. If your sensors are good enough, you should be able to spot and plot all the noisy bits, starting with those in the direction you intend to travel. >> Opening stages of the battle are detection and tracking of both >> friendly and opposition forces. Spot and plot. > How did you get from detecting vessels coming out of jump to BATTLE? Presumably, one of the main jobs of system traffic control is to be on the lookout for any ships breaking traffic control patterns. The Imperium may be one big, happy place (or not, depending) but local traffic control will generally be on watch to look for any sort of, say, Aslan force looking for new land. -- "Any sufficiently advanced parody is indistinguishable from a genuine kook." -Alan Morgan