What if...

[Carlos_Benitez]

A ship has 3 means of propulsion;

• Afterburner - the Thruster. Can be blown off, thus negating this propulsion.
  
• Cruise. Currently un-breakable, apart from temporary disabling by CD.
  
• Basic Impulse
  

Afterburner can be disablied. Cruise can be disrupted, but only for a short time. Impulse is faster than people give it credit for, and should be left well alone.

I like the idea of having a "Cruise Generator" equipped on a ship, that can be damaged, disabling Cruise until it's been repaired. Just imagine it;

"This is the Corsair Cruiser Cronus to all friendly ships in the area. My Cruise Generator has been disabled. To all friendly ships please respond."
"Recieved Cronus...what do you need?"
"Bring me a Cruise Generator repair kit! Fast!" (like a nanobot for cruise drive)
"Roger"
"Repairs completed. Let's get outta here."

or....

"Disable his cruise engines amigo. Leave him stranded here in Omega-41...to die slowly by radiation poisioning."
"We've taken down his Cruise generator, senor"
"Heheh. Good...let's see him get out of THAT!"

Bounty hunter then races, on impulse and afterburn to get to a friendly base or jumphole before the radiation gets to them. Will they outsmart the Corsairs and survive? Who knows!?

Disabling Cruise engines would allow a lone ship to "limp" out of the system on impulse, or enginekill+afterburn.

I think we should leave basic impulse drive well alone, though.

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