Jump-Space

Aplha 1-1

Spaceman
Ok before everybody bangs thier heads on thier keyboards thinking this's another jump drive question, don't.
After reading a discussion in another thread about which fighters do and don't have jump-drives, is there any reference as to why? Is the drive too big to fit on smaller fighters, or is there an environmental change in jump-space (such as massive pressure, corrosive particles...) that thinner armoured craft can't handle?
 
I guess it can depend on the reference material:

A possible implication from the WC2 game and its addons is that jump drives are generally too large to fit on a fighter craft. Attempts to miniaturise jump technology to fighter size craft (a la the Morningstar) was not too sucessful.

In WC3 only the Excalibur exhibited jump capability but most Kilrathi fighters can indeed jump, so I don't think any reason can be inferred there.

In Privateer the smallest player ship is the size of a fighter and jumps with no problem whatsoever.

So I don't think we can draw any real conclusions from game material alone. Maybe one of the books have an explanation?
 
Most stealth fighters had a jump drive, and they are small and weakly armored. So I guess in the end its mostly a monetary issue.
 
I don't remember what SO2 had to say about the Morningstar's jump drive, but I do not think miniaturisation was what it was all about - remember, the Rapier I (from the movie) had a jump drive, and it's one of the smallest ships used by Confed.

Probably it's a combination of cost and space issues - a fighter shouldn't cost more than it absolutely has to; and even if a jump drive is small, space is still limited, so having a jump drive might mean being unable to take some other equipment.
 
Don't forget the Broadsword. It wasn't much larger then most other fighters, but it had a jump drive that was used in a few missions in WC2.

I agree with the cost thing though. The mini-jump drives probably cost more then their larger counterparts. Tax dollars should only be used in area's where it is absolutely necessary, why the hell would a Hornet, or an Epee, or an Arrow need a jump drive? Why would you send them that far away from their carrier?

The bomber's (and heavy fighters) made sense, because long range search and destroy missions were necessary to clear cap-ships and Space Stations (and even planets /w the ol' T-bomb) without putting the carrier at risk or giving away its location.

Also the added weight of the jump-drive slows a fighter down, kinda defeating one of the main advantages of the light-fighters (speed and agility).
 
I think there is a substantial size difference there.
The Morningstar is under 2/3 the length and 20% of the mass of a Broadsword.

As a third comparison the Crossbow is 2/3 the length of a Broadsword, twice the mass as a Morningstar, but yet better protected than a Broadsword (in-game shield and armour stats were identical between the two bombers, though)
 
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I'm going on reason here,
but what about efficiency?
Why put a jump drive on anything that doesn't really have the range to make it worthwhile?
Bombers are typically longer range craft and as such it might be more feasible to include a jump drive on them. Light fighters on the other hand, don't have the range to really necessitate a jump drive. They tend to be closer to carriers as a result of reduced range and really don't need to jump independently of their carrier.
Mercs, pirates and the like tend not to travel in very organized systems and are usually without a carrier, making jump-drive a must.
 
It seems like a jump drive would be a very practical expense. If it's cost, at least a portion of the fighters should have it. Most of the jumps we see are peaceful, but when jumping into hostile territory it would pay off to have some fighters already launched and ready to engage when your capships exit jumpspace.
 
Bombers are typically longer range craft and as such it might be more feasible to include a jump drive on them. Light fighters on the other hand, don't have the range to really necessitate a jump drive.

Don't forget that bombers are sitting ducks without their escorting fighter cover. One of the major advantages of the P-51 in WW2 was it's greatly extended range. It was able to fly along side the bombers all the way to the target while earlier escort fighters had to turn back early when fuel got low, leaving them to fend for themselves.
 
be vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits

Don't forget that bombers are sitting ducks without their escorting fighter cover. One of the major advantages of the P-51 in WW2 was it's greatly extended range. It was able to fly along side the bombers all the way to the target while earlier escort fighters had to turn back early when fuel got low, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Good point McGruff. Would it make any difference in terms of notice on behalf of the enemy if one or a small number of bombers slipped in versus a full out bombing squadron with fighter escort?
 
Ok so smaller vessels can survive a jump then. But I recall (at least of 2669) that jump drives arent all that expensive.
Also what about the reference in the WC4 novel about the border worlds having some kind of tech to open up jump points for other craft? If any given capship was to open up a jmp-point, could a fighter fly through also?
On longer jumps, could a carrier launch fighters before breaching back into realspace, in preperation of an attack?
 
typically smaller forces have a better, but still not good chance of slipping through enemy occupied territory unnoticed. But some measure of stealth is required.. if you can obscure your sensor echo from the enemy, you stand a good chance of continuing unseen.

The problem with a small force is that from the point of detection their survival expectancy is nil.
 
Ok so smaller vessels can survive a jump then. But I recall (at least of 2669) that jump drives arent all that expensive.
Also what about the reference in the WC4 novel about the border worlds having some kind of tech to open up jump points for other craft? If any given capship was to open up a jmp-point, could a fighter fly through also?
On longer jumps, could a carrier launch fighters before breaching back into realspace, in preperation of an attack?

You're right, i borrowed the novel, and just read that. Its a corvette i think that opens a rift or tear in a jumpoint that allows small ships to jump without having to rely on Jump engines.

I wonder why they never expanded on that. You could do a magnum launch without having to risk your carrier and your jumpcapable small ships.

but i doubt you can launch during a jump, since its pretty much instant.
 
Yeah but under that system, if the corvette bites it, the rest of the fighter escort is screwed

That's true i guess, but with the corvette on the carrier side of the jump point, its highly unlikely to get pasted, even it were then the carrier could jump through recover its fighters, if there are any to be recovered, and jump back again.

Or not, as Tolwyn would say, a carrier is more important than a bunch of fighters.
 
unless for some completely crazy reason you, the admiral, decided to go as a member of the strike force and were in one of those fighters:D

hey, once a pilot, always a pilot, right?
 
You're right, i borrowed the novel, and just read that. Its a corvette i think that opens a rift or tear in a jumpoint that allows small ships to jump without having to rely on Jump engines.

I wonder why they never expanded on that.

Things like that are invented to provide an interesting twist once in a while. Often in situations like this, things that sound cool ruin things if they could just be used any time. Jump gates like in Privateer 2 seem like the natural evolution of the idea. And as others have pointed out, using a gate or ship in this fashion could be kind of scary. You run the risk of getting stranded on one side if the jumping device gets destroyed.

but i doubt you can launch during a jump, since its pretty much instant.

Many are, but there are jumps that take hours.
 
Jump gates like in Privateer 2 seem like the natural evolution of the idea.

Don't forget about the massive wormhole gate in Prophecy (I know its the enemy's, but how long before Confed starts building those?)

BTW: Just how canonical is Privateer 2? I think there is only one mention of (a) Confederation in a news post, and you can see a derelict Talon on one mission...but those seem to be the only things linking P2 to Wing Commander. Not even any one of the Tri-Systems can be found on the poster map that came with Prophecy. Don't tell me that they are supposed to be the "Aligned Peoples" (Although it would be very interesting if thats the direction Ser Lev Aries took the Kindred :p ).
 
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