Related post here:
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10640.msg150010#msg150010 - In the above reply, I mentioned Compact Jump Drives as a concept, as well as a dedicated "Self-Jump" type. I aim here to flesh out that idea. To wit:
--- The "Self-Jump" option is the one I like the most and the idea I'm most attached to. I'm no coder, but it seems to me the simplest solution, easiest to implement and elegant to boot. Well, so says I at least.
In the reply above I went into having "Squadron Jump Size 3" as the pre-requisite. However, while I see that as the simplest to implement of the ideas I put forward, I
like this one far more. When the player researches "Jump Drive Efficiency 4", in addition to that tech, two more are unlocked with it. The first being "Squadron Size 'Self-Jump'" which lowers the Jump Drive size to 0.75 of a normal one, giving an effectively 25% cheaper Drive for 25% more efficiency. The second being a "Squadron Jump Range '0km'" option for Squadron Jump Range, which gives 0.75 again, but limits the drive to coming out right on top of the Jump Point. Squadron Jump would still reduce the Jump Shock, but if the JP was guarded... well, good luck!
--- I think this idea would be the easiest one to implement as it uses already existing variables, mechanics and options, and just builds on them. It also adds no extra techs to the tech tree. It adds no special rules, as it follows all the established Jump mechanics, but does something different with them. One thing which it does change that might be harder, at least to my untrained eyes, would be that Jump Drive Minimum Size would need to automatically apply the 0.75 if the Drive was too small to Squadron Jump in the first place. In terms of, "Why add this at all?", I think it would some nice options for Fighters, FACs while giving larger Warships the option to be specialized for extended operations by trading away some Jump capabilities for tonnage that could be used for things like fuel, deployment, Engineering, MSP, mission payload etc.
--- Also, I think it would open up the Role Play a little more by having space feudalist, city-states, confederations etc. having options for restricting stabilization of Jump Points, with unauthorized attempts perhaps being an act of war. Tenders operated by the noble lord, with squadron jump ships for their vassals and self-jump, 0km squadron jump drives for select "merchants" or "messengers" springs to mind among many things. For compact drives, I'll refer anyone reading this back to the link above, as I'm not too enthusiastic about them myself. Anyone who wishes to flesh out those ideas is welcome to do so in the replies of this thread though, and of course as always, feedback is encouraged and welcome.
