The Picard Maneuver

[Kairu]

So I've been doing the Clone Wars RPG, and a member who has never seen Star Trek is, in lamest terms, preparing for the Picard Maneuver. It's a smuggler's freighter, about the same size as the Millennium Falcon, versus a CIS Providence Cruiser. I know that Star Wars doesn't specify numbers and stats, ever, but in theory, would it be possible? Say if the freighter went into hyperspace, and plugged the coordinates right before the CIS bridge, and fired it's weapons at the bridge, it would be enough to destroy the ship, right? (like in RotJ where the A-wing flew threw the Executor's bridge). Your thoughts? Also, has it ever been conceived/possible for Halo? I'm curious on that too, since slipspace is a different, yet theoretically possible concept. And I find it rather interesting :P

[Naked Crook]

For starters...not possible in halo. The movement of conventional ships (Covenant and UNSC ships) is based on emerging from another layer of space, and in effect, not precise enough for exact movements. Perhaps a Foerunner ship could do it...but only Forerunner. As for Star Wars...Hyperspace is another layer of space. Precision is unknown, but we do know this: Hyperspace is not real space. Real space is defined as our plane of space, where planets and space bodies exist. Both Halo and Star Wars utilize psudomotion in different forms of subspace. In other words...FTL speeds does not happen in the confines of our dimension of space time. Gravity Wells (otherwise known as gravitational fields) could cause fatal errors in hyperspace transitions. If Ship A and and Ship B were in close proximity, and Ship B was smaller, and ship A was of an unspecified sizable mass, rather, sizable enough to impact the movement of Ship B, Ship B would be destroyed upon entering hyperspace. THis is how Interdictor class cruisers prevent hyperspace transitions. Interdictors are essentially a gun to the heads of enemy combatants, the gun being the gravity well generators. The Calculations for Hyperspace are incredibly complex. Precise knowledge of your destination is needed to perform a jump. For example, given your scenario, and all the information above, I would assume that unless your pilot knew EXACTLY what was going on with EVERY variable in real space at that moment, including the EXACT position of the Providence class ship, down to the nanometer at exactly at the time when he would transition back into realspace, it would be possible. It is not possible in my opinion. Simply because even if your pilot made the highly precise calculations in the middle of battle, and took into account the exact time it took him to make the calculations to transition to hyperspace, as well as calculating the speed and trajectory of the enemy ship and factoring that into the hyperspace calculation, the time needed to actually initialize the transition would immediately invalidate the calculations because unless your pilot was able to perform actions with exact 0 delay, and your engines were able to respond with 0 delay, and the ship's systems were able to respond with 0 delay, and if all calculations could be made with 0 delay, then all the calculations would not reflect the exact realspace position of the providence class starship, and a hyperspace transition would destroy both ships. So no...your scenario could not happen with a result favoring the life of your freighter pilot. However...this is simply conjecture...feel free to take this as you will.

[Kairu]

That, as descriptive as it was, sank in well at this hour. Thanks Jon!

[Naked Crook]

The pleasure was mine.

[Moffxanatos]

Hyperspace and Subspace are two different, albeit quasi related things, in Star Wars (Both Hyperspace and Subspace based communications and sensors are talked about, the former being invariably faster and longer range than the latter, which is considered more primitive and shorter ranged.) While it is possible to come out of hyperspace directly in orbit of a planet safely (we see this numerous times) Doing so while in the same system is not. As for being able to take out a CIS bridge with a freighter, I suppose if the shields are already down that would be possible. As for destroying both ships, that is highly unlikely, In Dark Empire iirc a trio of Star Destroyers slammed into the Executor due to a Hyperspace jump malfunction (I believe it was sabotage) The Executor was unharmed however. Micro Jumps do exist, and have been done on occasion, but there is a minimum range due to the sheer speed of Hyperdrive. That range is far beyond normal combat ranges.

[Naked Crook]

As for destroying both ships, that is highly unlikely, In Dark Empire iirc a trio of Star Destroyers slammed into the Executor due to a Hyperspace jump malfunction (I believe it was sabotage) The Executor was unharmed however. Micro Jumps do exist, and have been done on occasion, but there is a minimum range due to the sheer speed of Hyperdrive. That range is far beyond normal combat ranges. Wait...What? According to the Wiki entry for Hyperspace... Hyperspace collisions, whether they be intentional or by accident, could devastate or even destroy a planet. So...you can destroy planets...but not ships? What? WTF is wrong with Star Wars? Considering the fact that the output of the reactors of many Capital ships rivaled or eclipsed that of a star, and that the energies needed to make hyperspace travel possible were vast, one could unleash a great deal of destructive power on a target. Even if a planet had its planetary shielding up at the time of a hyperspace collision, it could still have the potential to kill millions on a world such as Coruscant just due to the fallout. This sounds like Star Wars contradicting Star Wars... How does an engine have more power than the sun? Have these people heard of Science? Albert Einstien is spinning his grave...

[cubanpete24]

DOUBLE SUN POWER!

[Kairu]

I never heard of the concept of "Micro-Jump" until now. Apparently it's a legitimate concept in star wars. But it still touches on Jon's rule of Star Wars, it isn't explained in detail (with numbers) as to how it works. It's certainly and interesting concept, though.

[Naked Crook]

Lol...Star Wars...it is a mystery