Chapter 272: Changes
The propulsion system of the Swarm, as it stood now, seemed somewhat outdated.
Although it surpassed the escape velocity of the neighboring star system, it only reached 50 km/s.
In reality, however, this speed was more than sufficient for close-range space combat. Let’s not forget, the space octopuses could accelerate to this speed in a short amount of time.
The Riken fleet, while capable of flying at approximately one-fifth the speed of light, needed an extended acceleration period to reach that velocity, and that required the activation of specialized engines.
Even though this acceleration period was far shorter than when using solar sails, in a space engagement, there wouldn’t be time for such prolonged acceleration.
Moreover, within a solar system, achieving such high speeds was impossible due to the complexity of the environment. Obstacles abounded, and traveling too fast would lead to collisions and destruction.
As such, in terms of short-range agility, the Riken warships might not even be as nimble as the space octopuses.
That said, a distance of 600 million kilometers was still a challenging one to traverse quickly. At such distances, it was difficult to effectively threaten the enemy with any form of attack.
Both sides needed to close the gap to a certain proximity before combat could erupt.