Observations on Gravity and FTL

Gravitational affects on translight or hyperspatial universes is greatly increased over the normal universe. Gravity bend the space-time continuum much more easily than in normal space, and thus, gravity wells have the effect of halting or endangering hyperspatial flight.

Because hyperspace is a parallel universe, planets and stars in normal space exert influence over hyperspace. Thus, FTL travel within a planetary or stellar gravity well is rendered impossible, as the distortion gravity causes would scramble a ship’s molecular structure. Standard hyperdrives have safety cutouts installed to prevent this. However, the distortion has been used in the past as a weapon. The warlord Makaan created an ECM hacking unit that overrode the safeties on enemy ships and sent them into hyperspace, even within a gravity well.

Subspace or warp travel is not affected nearly as much as hyperspatial, but getting within “low” orbit will cause damage to both ship and drive. As warp drives do just that, warp the fabric of space, the result would be spectacular, though preferably watched from another universe.

Jump drives suffer little to no affect from gravity. As most jump drives create a ship-sized wormhole from current location to destination, gravity exerts no pull over it. This makes jump drives an effective - if limited range - FTL unit. There are drawbacks, however. Gravity must be constant at the destination, and the vessel transiting must compensate adequately.

“Slipstream” space, or slipspace, is among those most affected by planetary and stellar gravity, but this does not spell doom for any starship entering it. The slipstream is a universe in which there seem to be no planetary, stellar, or other masses, save the vessels traveling through it. This means that a gravity well will merely alter a ship’s course slightly- something that any navigator can compensate for with a push from a thruster. However, the slipstream is an incredibly imprecise method of FTL travel. Ships may emerge from slipspace over one million kilometers off course. This makes for a very long trip in-system from it’s edge, the only safe entry point.

This study has been conducted by the Commonwealth Science Academy. FTL distortions tested board the academy vessel Altum. Report written and edited by project leader, Dr. T. Hyell (PhD, B.Thau).

the kikiwi don't need FTL travel. you'll see when they get that far.

superninjakiwi wrote:

the kikiwi don't need FTL travel. you'll see when they get that far.

No FTL, interstellar travel will take hundreds or thousands of years.

it's called Warp Points. try to ingnore the text reffering to some sci-fi thing or another, other than that the information is true.

Fleet Commander Error wrote:

superninjakiwi wrote:

the kikiwi don't need FTL travel. you'll see when they get that far.

No FTL, interstellar travel will take hundreds or thousands of years.

Thank god the "warp drives" in warhammer40k don't use the star trek version of a warp drive...We use "The warp" or "Warp Space"

You can't go faster than light in a gravity field. That's true in every science fiction series that I know of that talks about it (Star Wars, Star Trek, Known Space, Old Man's War, Halo, Battlestar Galactica (I think), etc). It should be the same here, because it's a good mechanic.

/me agrees with the above jedi-like creature.

This may or may not have been an attempt to provide a balanced set of FTL option. each has strengths and weaknesses.

you... i like your signature... it's the first one to have me in it.