Hyperspace Combat and the Solarian Leauge Navy

n7axw wrote:Secondly, IIRC, In HAE, Wayfarer had LACs that she deployed in hyper. I would presume that if Wayfarer could do it, a CLAC can do the same thing.

Jonathan_S wrote:... Also, the convoy commander would have to be pretty sure they wouldn't need to jump to a different band; because if they were force to do so they'd be abandoning any LACs that had moved too far from the convoy - so you'd need to balance the risk of abandoning LACs against their addition to the fight.

Weird Harold wrote:That's why the SLN's only point of advantage would be in a grav wave where missiles and LACs can't be used.

Intercepting fleets and/or convoys in a grav wave is possible -- cf Heleln Zilwicki the elder -- but it would not seem a cost effective tactic, taking far more ships (and luck) to guarantee an interception than simply lying doggo near the hyper-limit with a few ships.

SWM wrote:I would like to point out that David has discussed the possibility that merchant convoys could tractor a few LACs to their hulls to provide protection. He did not state specifically that he was going to write that in, but it sounded like he probably would.

Jonathan_S wrote:

n7axw wrote:There seems to me to be some things to consider here.

The most obvious has to do with the comparative quality of the sensors both sides are using. Sollies are probably superior to merchi sensors. But if the escort is Sag-cs or Rolands, the Sollies probably get spotted before they spring their surprise.

Secondly, IIRC, In HAE, Wayfarer had LACs that she deployed in hyper. I would presume that if Wayfarer could do it, a CLAC can do the same thing. Given the poor sensor conditions in hyper, a wing of graser armed Shrikes would be far harder to detect than BCs and could rather unpleasantly turn the tables on who surprises who.

Don

If both groups are under power then yes, I'd expect the RMN escorts to spot the SLN units at least a bit before they themselves were spotted. But if the SLN are coasting along with their drive down (or if in a 'wave at least having their sails tuned just to steady them) they can much more easily be stealthed. In that scenario the RMN's superior sensors are probably more than offset by the vastly different levels of detectability of the two forces.

As the the LACs. Yes, assuming the convoy is outside a grav wave and assuming a CLAC is present it's certainly capable of launching LACs in defense. Now a CLAC is a pretty high value asset to use for routine convoy escort; I doubt any but the most valuable convoys would rate that level of protection. Also, the convoy commander would have to be pretty sure they wouldn't need to jump to a different band; because if they were force to do so they'd be abandoning any LACs that had moved too far from the convoy - so you'd need to balance the risk of abandoning LACs against their addition to the fight.

Weird Harold wrote:

Jonathan_S wrote:... Also, the convoy commander would have to be pretty sure they wouldn't need to jump to a different band; because if they were force to do so they'd be abandoning any LACs that had moved too far from the convoy - so you'd need to balance the risk of abandoning LACs against their addition to the fight.

Isn't standard practice for CLACs to hyper out when possible and meet their LACs at a prearranged point away from the combat? Seems like that should apply to a theoretical need to change bands as well as it does to N-space tactics.

Gun Boat Diplomacy wrote:maybe I'm wrong but didn't Saganami and Zilwici die honorable deaths fighting overwhelming odds in hyper? why would we think that a Sollie fleet would stand a chance against the GA fleet? granted, a commerce raiding force might stand a chance....if there were no escorts

Gun Boat Diplomacy wrote:maybe I'm wrong but didn't Saganami and Zilwici die honorable deaths fighting overwhelming odds in hyper?