Stutterwarp2

Copyright © 1996 by Gerry Smit ( avonsmit AT netcom DOT ca).  All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer

Stutterwarp2 was distinct and different from the Eber stutterwarp of 9.4.

It was never published, and was only in the planning stages at GDW.  The intent was first and foremost to increase sales by increasing interest in 2300 AD.  This was being done for a number of reasons.  Apparently there were many, many, many complaints about a dead-end American/Australian Arm from American consumers.  This would open that ( and all other) arms wide open.  It would allow an end-run into Kafer space, allowing campaigns to smack Kafer homeworlds.  Shades of the board game Imperium, and the Nth Interstellar Wars ( Terra got Tech 12 -- and hence jump 3 -- before the 1st Imperium, and thus nailed them).  Obviously a product or two dealing with this could have come out ( Where's 5th Frontier War when you need it?).

Space navigation problems for the 3d-mathematically-disadvantaged would more or less disappear, as 11 light-years would be enough to go most anywhere.  You might need a few rest-stops along the way, but you wouldn't need a convoluted nav run ( like the Chinese Arm) to get there.  ( Hell, that's the whole point of the 7.7 LY limit.  Stellar cartography becomes important.  There are choke points!)

Those were the marketing reasons for introducing Stutterwarp2.  Now, that leaves the "explanation" part ( i.e. how to sell it to current players and referees  -- GDW used to be good at this -- see jump drive changes in Traveller, Mega-T, and TNE).  The main part of the introduction of Stutterwarp2 would be your basic "discovery/breakthrough".  It may or may not have been enhanced and or accelerated by any of: Eber stutterwarp investigations ( of nuked ruins ???); stutterwarp tug experiments; and of course the infamous "fine-tuning the drive for one day delay of discharge" ( Kennedy's RULE!!  They'll go about 13 light-years!) -- which even GDW had been ignoring for most of its run with 2300.

Stutterwarp2 products would have had very interesting ( if they were to have been done right) points to consider.

• Just who has it?
• How did they get it?
• How fast does everyone else steal it?
• Do the French start with it, or are they gunning for your "red-clearance PC's" test-driving the first Stutterwarp2 ship?
• What if the Kafer's capture a test-bed model?
• Would they know what they had?
• How fast could they bring it on-line?
• How panicked would earth be now?
• Would that be enough to get earth to ally together and boot the Kafer off the French arm?

Remember 2300 AD is post twilight war.  Multi-national military alliances like NATO and the Pact are to be avoided.  World Wars 1 - 3 were fought because of them.  France is ahead because it backed out of NATO and didn't get hit as hard....

Too bad GDW couldn't get enough stuff thru its schedule to have produced it.