Multiple slingshots

[AdrianH]

Assuming the layout permits it, are you allowed to do two slingshots in one move? If I read the stellar debris rules correctly, a moon of a planet is placed 4D inches from the edge of the planet's template; a sufficiently low roll on that 4D should put the moon close enough to the planet that a ship could slingshot round or over the planet, enter the moon's gravity well, and slingshot again - is there anything in the rules to forbid this?

Whether it would be tactically useful is another matter, but just for amusement, if it's legal and I get the chance then I'm going to do it.

 

[Triggy]

By jack-knifing between them at breakneck speeds, we might just get some sort of gravity boost ...or something.

I can just picture this in a game!

 

[lastbesthope]

Ah-hah! A new version of the 3-body problem.

LBH

 

[AdrianH]

By jack-knifing between them at breakneck speeds, we might just get some sort of gravity boost ...or something.

I can just picture this in a game!

That raises another question which hadn't occurred to me earlier. If that 4D distance roll is really low, the moon might be well inside the gravity well of a gas giant. That would mean a ship could be in both gravity wells and have both bodies in its forward arc simultaneously. In that case, does it choose which one to use for the slingshot or does it get to add them together?

I'd say add them. It won't happen often, so when it does, make full use of it.

 

[Triggy]

I'd say you can use multiple "gravity boosts" in sequence but if you have two in arc then you resolve one at a time. Whether you should have both available is another matter. I wouldn't mind though.

 

[lastbesthope]

It's interesting, you'd need to consider when your move 'ended' as that is part of the definition of whether you can get a slingshot or not.

Does the move 'end' after normal movement or after the first slingshot as far as the second slingshot is concerned?

LBH

 

[Burger]

I would say that if you end up in 2 gravty wells you can choose which one to take advantage of. At the end of the bonus movement if you have another planet in arc/range then you can use that too, etc.

 

[Triggy]

Thinking about this again though I may not allow it as this ruling would imply that if you use a slingshot from a planet and keep it in your front arc you can use it again and again for as many times as you wish...

I'd probably rule now that you can only use one slingshot per turn (of your choice).

 

[AdrianH]

Does the move 'end' after normal movement or after the first slingshot as far as the second slingshot is concerned?

I'd say both. The move ends after normal movement. The ship is now in a gravity well so it gets to slingshot, effectively giving it a bonus move. When that ends, if it's in another gravity well then it gets another bonus move.

Thinking about this again though I may not allow it as this ruling would imply that if you use a slingshot from a planet and keep it in your front arc you can use it again and again for as many times as you wish...

The table tells you how much of a slingshot you can get from one body, and I believe it's all or nothing - if you choose to take the slingshot from a gas giant, you must move all 8". Taking a second slingshot from the same gas giant would mean you get a total slingshot from that gas giant greater than what is listed. There does not seem to be anything forbidding you from getting a second slingshot from a moon if the first slingshot puts your ship in its gravity well, though. So I'd suggest that you're allowed slingshots from as many bodies as you can reach in succession, but only one from each.

 

[lastbesthope]

Does the move 'end' after normal movement or after the first slingshot as far as the second slingshot is concerned?

I'd say both. The move ends after normal movement. The ship is now in a gravity well so it gets to slingshot, effectively giving it a bonus move. When that ends, if it's in another gravity well then it gets another bonus move.

Sorry to be pedantic, but a slingshot doesn't get you a bonus move, it get's you bonus movement, a subtle but important difference.

LBH