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ZzaphodD
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 Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 8:29 pm Post subject: Tracking a ship through hyperspace.. |
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At several places tracking ships through hyperspace are mentioned.
Also, 'escaping into hyperspace' is a common practice.
How is tracking done, if possible? Do you need a tracking device, or is there some kind of hyperspace trail one can follow with the right equipment? |
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Ankhanu
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| Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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From the material I've encountered, tracking is done via a homing beacon planted on the ship (whether it works while IN hyperspace, or simply reveals the ship when it resumes normal space, I'm not sure) or, failing that (as that's an uncommon occurrence) an observer can extrapolate a destination based upon the trajectory of the vessel entering hyperspace. With the trajectory the vessel took to enter hyperspace, with sufficient computing power the most likely destinations can be guessed.
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bobenhotep
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| Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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| i read it as the probable trajectory method. some use 3 jumps, one to the edge of system, one to another point outside the system, then another into the system, to disguise their origin, or to fake a probable origin... |
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ZzaphodD
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| Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Ankhanu wrote: | | From the material I've encountered, tracking is done via a homing beacon planted on the ship (whether it works while IN hyperspace, or simply reveals the ship when it resumes normal space, I'm not sure) or, failing that (as that's an uncommon occurrence) an observer can extrapolate a destination based upon the trajectory of the vessel entering hyperspace. With the trajectory the vessel took to enter hyperspace, with sufficient computing power the most likely destinations can be guessed. |
Yes, I remember something from Crackens rebel field guide about the homing beacons, which could be followed by detecting when the beacon crossed holonet communication beams or something like that.
The 'extrapolate destination' pops up a few times, but seems very easy to work around(see above). Also, looking at hyperspace routes, you seem to be able to turn in hyperspace making extrapolating useless.
So no 'following' a ship in hyperspace with sensors then? |
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bobenhotep
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| Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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no you cant follow them in hyperspace. what do you think this is, star t**k?
had to say it...
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hisham
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| Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 10:01 am Post subject: |
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Cracken's Rebel Field Guide had the S-thread homing beacons which allows you to track a ship through hyperspace via broken S-threads which criss-cross hyperspace because of hyperspace radio transmissions or some such.
I think the homing beacons of the movie has been retconned to be derived from this technology.
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ZzaphodD
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| Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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| hisham wrote: | Cracken's Rebel Field Guide had the S-thread homing beacons which allows you to track a ship through hyperspace via broken S-threads which criss-cross hyperspace because of hyperspace radio transmissions or some such.
I think the homing beacons of the movie has been retconned to be derived from this technology. |
Yes, thats what I was thinking about.
So basically its that, or 'projecting last known trajectory' which seems rather impossible given size of the galaxy and the fact that you dont travel in a straight line in hyperspace. |
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Ankhanu
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| Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 8:57 pm Post subject: |
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| ZzaphodD wrote: | | ... 'projecting last known trajectory' which seems rather impossible given size of the galaxy and the fact that you dont travel in a straight line in hyperspace. |
That's where a powerful Nav computer comes in to play. It would be utterly impossible to make those calculations without it. A in just the same way that a nav computer calculates your route through hyperspace along a vector you provide, you can use those same algorithms to determine the possible outcomes of a single trajectory (of which there may be many). Though hyperspace routes are not linear, nor are they infinite (well, they are, but the ones that don't result in death are finite), there is a limited number of possible routes from any given origin/direction. The factors that would result in a successful jump are intrinsically integrated into the computer used to make the calculations. The only other choice is to have a Jedi use their instincts in lieu of a nav computer, but I can't see that working very well in this sort of circumstance.
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Kira Firestorm
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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What about the ultra rare Crystal Gravit Trap sensor?
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Praxian
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| Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 2:09 am Post subject: |
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| Kira Firestorm wrote: | | What about the ultra rare Crystal Gravit Trap sensor? |
No bet. Primarily because it's ultra rare. 
As it pertains to "Tracking through Hyperspace", they try and use trajectories to figure out where they're going / and / or have something that sends out small bursts to beacons designed to listen for them that's attached to the hull. |
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remo moxey
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| Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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This probably won't help but I remember reading two ways to track through hyperspace. One is the already mentioned using trajectory to find possible end spots.
I also remember a thing from the X-wing series from Stackpole that the Lusankya was leading a task force to attack Rogue Squadron and they figured out it was a trap. The Capt. told them to revert to realspace. when asked about the rest of the task force the Capt. said if they weren't monitoring for some such energy as the Lusankya dropped out of hyperspace it was their own fault.
This might be because they knew the end spot and were following each other through hyperspace. It made me think that there is some energy burst or something as ships enter and leave hyperspace that is detectable. |
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garhkal
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| Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 4:26 am Post subject: |
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There is. It is called (iirc) A hyperspace corona.
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atgxtg
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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| bobenhotep wrote: | no you cant follow them in hyperspace. what do you think this is, star t**k?
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Tell that to Tarkin.
There is also the "caluclate all possible desintaions along thier path" or some such used in ESB.
I suspect this works as follows:
-Ship enters hyperpace pointing in direction X and moving towards it.
-Other ship(s) can pick up that heading with thier sensors (at least for the first fraction of a second or so, they would need to be able to do that just to be able to make a hyperace jump).
-Other ship(s) check that heading on on thier star maps and see which systems that Ship A's projected course goes through or comes close to. Probably something like a 1-2 degree cone along the flight path. maybe even a larger cone.
-Ship A's course is compared to know hyperspace routes, and the known data on the possible desntinations to see which systems are the most probable choices.
In game terms's I'd go with a Astogation roll to determine possible/probably destinations. A good sensor roll would reduce the difficulty a little, and the higher the roll, the closer the guess. |
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Hellcat
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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As some have pointed out, you can try plotting based on course and sending to a suspected destination. Of course there are problems with that. One is if there are several possible destinations along that particular course. This is easily overcome by sending ships to each possible destination. It's more resource intense but more likely to catch the target ship.
The second bigger problem is a microjump. With a microjump you're only in hyperspace for a few seconds and drop back out in the same system, but with luck way out of sensor range ships chasing you. You can then alter course and jump to a completely different location. The only way to overcome microjumps is to send ship to every possible destination from that system. Microjumps can become greatly resource intense, which may mean that unless their highly wanted that whoever is after them is willing to loose a few battles just to catch them then it becomes better to let them get away. If there are only five points you can travel to from a particular system then it's worth the resources. If there are hundreds of possible points to reach from the system, it may not be worth it.
The best bet would be to either manage to attach a homing beacon to the ship (or someone or some droid on the ship) or to have a mole aboard ship who calls out the destination.
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Praxian
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| Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:29 am Post subject: |
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I have a player who use Micro Jumps a lot. He'll usually stay in H-space for 20 minutes, then drop out and reconfigure. Sure, his costs to resupply at a port goes up a bit more, but he's happy to pay that for the cost of not getting caught.  |
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