History Main / HyperspeedAmbush

->'''[[BigBad Ghost]]:''' Wait wait wait, ''what happened to my'' '''''jamming fields?''''' Rourke, '''''what have you done?'''''
->'''[[TheHero Rourke]]:''' ''[laughs]'' Sascha, it's time!
->'''Ghost:''' Time for ''what''?
-> ''[Short Beat, a cyno lights up]''
->'''Admiral Eisen:''' '''''Jump!'''''
->'''Rourke:''' It's Hot Drop O'Clooooock!
->''[Caldari superheavy fleet warps in]''

[[folder:Anime And Manga]]

[[folder:Film]]
* In ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'', the ''Scimitar'' pulls this on the ''Enterprise'' by following under cloak, waiting until the ''Enterprise'' enters a nebula which will block outbound communications, then shooting until the ''Enterprise'' drops to impulse.
* ''Film/StarTrek2009'': We get to see the ''Enterprise'' pull one of these in the film's climax, for a GunshipRescue. Inverted earlier in the movie, where the fleet comes out of warp and [[spoiler: unexpectedly encounters the ''Narada'', and they're quickly destroyed. The ''Enterprise'' only survives because they were LateToTheTragedy.]]
** In the sequel, ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', TheDreadedDreadnought ''USS Vengeance'' is designed to overtake and gun down its quarry at warp, something most other ships can't do. [[spoiler: The ''Enterprise'' ends up getting run down by the behemoth starship and gets [[CurbStompBattle torn up pretty bad]] by it]] and is sent spinning out of the warp corridor like a boxer reeling from a sucker punch. It helps that ships don't have their shields up at warp in this era, and ArmorIsUseless.

** In ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' [[spoiler:Han bypasses the planetary shields of the Starkiller base by dropping out of hyperspace a kilometer or so from the surface.]]

[[folder:{{Literature}}]]

* Used by [[MagnificentBastard Grand Admiral Thrawn]] in Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy (Creator/TimothyZahn's most famous Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse novels). Said technique involved precise placement of interdiction ships to pull his ships out of hyperspace at a specific point. It works so well that other commanders started using the tactic whenever possible, including Admiral Ackbar.
** At another point in this series, Han Solo used a ''hyperspace microjump'' to position the Millennium Falcon exactly where it needed to be against an enemy force. This particular tactic is possible but rare in-universe, as many people point out that a micro-jump towards an enemy is so insanely risky that only a Corellian with PlotArmor would attempt it.
** The first variant happens repeatedly in the Literature/XWingSeries.

[[folder:LiveActionTelevision]]

[[folder:VideoGames]]

[[folder:WebComics]]
* In ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'', when [[PrivateMilitaryContractors the Toughs']] teraport drive was still the only one in the galaxy, they would use this strategy to great effect against enemies who thought they'd be forced to use a [[CoolGate wormgate]] instead. Various methods of preventing Teraport usage were developed later.

* ''Film/StarTrek2009'': We get to see the ''Enterprise'' pull one of these in the film's climax, for a GunshipRescue. Inverted earlier in the movie, where the fleet comes out of warp and [[spoiler: unexpectedly encounters the ''Narada'' before being destroyed. The ''Enterprise'' only survives because they were LateToTheTragedy.]]

** ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', the Rebel Fleet ran afoul of such an attack launched by [[spoiler:a very sizable Imperial fleet]] when they tried to attack the Death Star II.

** Inverted in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'': The Imperial Fleet loses the element of surprise by jumping out of hyperspace too close to the Rebel base on Hoth, causing them to be detected immediately rather than being able to sneak up on the Rebels.

* Used by [[MagnificentBastard Grand Admiral Thrawn]] in Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy (Creator/TimothyZahn's most famous Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse novels). Said technique involved precise placement of interdiction ships to pull his ships out of hyperspace at a specific point. It worked well.

[[folder:AnimeAndManga]]

[[folder:{{Film}}]]

* In the 2009 ''Film/StarTrek'' film, we get to see the ''Enterprise'' pull one of these in the film's climax, for a GunshipRescue. Inverted earlier in the movie, where the fleet comes out of warp and [[spoiler: unexpectedly encounters the ''Narada'' before being destroyed. The ''Enterprise'' only survives because they were LateToTheTragedy.]]

** In the sequel, ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', the dreadnought ''USS Vengeance'' is designed to overtake and gun down its quarry at warp, something most other ships can't do. [[spoiler: The ''Enterprise'' ends up getting run down by the behemoth starship and gets [[CurbStompBattle torn up pretty bad]] by it]] and is sent spinning out of the warp corridor like a boxer reeling from a sucker punch. It helps that ships don't have their shields up at warp in this era, and ArmorIsUseless.

* In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' two-parter "Equinox", Janeway did a rather mundane version of this against the titular ship. Since ''Voyager'' is faster than the ''Equinox'', all they had to do was catch up and knock out the ''Equinox's'' warp drive.

** At the end of ''Film/RogueOne'', the Rebel fleet [[spoiler:has successfully retrieved the Death Star plans]] and is about to retreat... [[spoiler:and then the Star Destroyer ''Devastator'' jumps in right on top of them. The first few ships actually crash into the ''Devastator'' at warp speed, being smashed like bugs on a windshield without scratching it.]]

* ''UnwindersTallComics'': In an in-universe novel by Gary P. Rastov, Krohn attempts to pull off a hyperspace ambush--but the solar system he's attacking has a fifty-second warning of his fleet's arrival. More than enough time for their Lightning Foundries to produce another fleet capable of reducing Krohn's to its component atoms.

** At the end of ''Film/RogueOne'', the Rebel fleet [[spoiler:has successfully retrieved the Death Star plans]] and is about to retreat... [[spoiler:and then the Star Destroyer ''Devastator'' jumps in right on top of them.]]

* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. This sets off the plot of "Stardrive", when our heroes witness three Federation warships exploding for no apparent reason. They rewind the tape frame by frame and discover a tiny one-man spacecraft moving at a hitherto inconceivable speed. Given that our heroes are stuck in a clapped out space freighter, they're determined to get their hands on this new stardrive, which would give them the same advantage they had with the Liberator.

*** Speaking of New Caprica, Adama jumps the Galactica past the Cylon fleet during the evacuation and into the atmosphere, launches a couple Vipers to cover the civilian's HyperspeedEscape, then jumps back into space just before hitting the ground. In a reference to ''Next Generation'' (see below) fans dubbed it the "Adama Maneuver".
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' featured a variation in the form of the "Picard Maneuver", where a ship (typically already engaged in battle) would use its warp drive to make a very short trip at very high speed[[note]]In the specific instance depicted, Warp 9. Or approximatey 1510 times the speed of light.[[/note]] to another part of the battlefield. If done properly (precise timing is required in order to not overshoot (or worse, collide with) the enemy, this allowed a starship commander to allow his ship to appear in two places simultaneously, because the sensor return from the ship's previous location had not yet gotten back to the enemy ship. This tactic was notably of limited use, only being effective against enemies who did not possess subspace sensors.

*** Speaking of New Caprica, Adama jumps the Galactica past the Cylon fleet during the evacuation and into the atmosphere, launches a couple Vipers to cover the civilian's HyperspeedEscape, then jumps back into space just before hitting the ground.

* The intro to ''{{Freelancer}}'' shows the [[TheEmpire Coalition]] fleet doing this to TheAlliance when assaulting the last Alliance-held colony after nearly 100 years of fighting. Fortunately, the Alliance manages to put up a fight, delaying the Coalition forces long enough for 5 colony ships to launch. The [[HumanPopsicle sleeper]] ships manage to break through the Coalition blockade and jump to a faraway sector. According to the original intro (before it was cut down for the game), the Solar System is destroyed by an unknown alien ship ([[spoiler:the Nomads]]) shortly after that. The game itself takes place 800 years later, when the Alliance colonists have settled many star systems and have mostly forgotten the old war.

** [[spoiler:It does so again to the second ''Normandy'', succeeding in abducting most of the crew after it uses a virus to [[SittingDuck disable the]] ''[[SittingDuck Normandy]]''.]]

* Standard defense protocol in the ''SpaceEmpires'' series: build a space station/small group of ships, plunk them at any and all wormholes in the system. Particularly effective against AI opponents (and some players) that send their ships through one at a time, rather than as a fleet; a strong enough defensive line means you don't even have to worry about planetary defenses. At least not until one of the other empires researches the ability to open wormholes manually, and by nature of the turn system, you likely don't realize this until [[OhCrap you get the combat screen as a fleet is descending on your homeworld]].

* ''Eve Online'' has several ships dedicated to either preventing targets from escaping or dragging them out of warp. Waiting next to a stargate and trying to kill anyone who jumps through is such a common tactic that it is unwise to ever allow your ship to fly long distances on autopilot.

* In ''SinsOfASolarEmpire'', every offensive maneuver against enemy planets is this until the victim researches the technology that warns them of an incoming fleet. Also, the Vasari Phase Lane Stabilizer can make its owner do this to ANY target, not just adjacent ones.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/{{Foundation}}'' trilogy novel ''Second Foundation''. The Foundation space fleet is facing a numerically superior Kalganian fleet. They send a squadron into hyperspace, with orders to return in a specific place at a specific time. They then maneuver the Kalganian fleet so the returning squadron will appear and attack them from behind with complete surprise, winning the battle.

** At the end of ''Film/RogueOne'', the Rebel fleet [[spoiler:has successfully retrieved the Death Star plans]] and is about to retreat... and then the Star Destroyer ''Devastator'' jumps in right on top of them.

** At the end of ''Film/RogueOne'', the Rebel fleet has successfully retrieved the Death Star plans and is about to retreat... and then the Star Destroyer ''Devastator'' jumps in right on top of them.

* Creator/GordonRDickson's ChildeCycle, Donal Graeme stages a daring raid against an enemy planet in Dorsai!. He uses multiple swift hyperspace jumps to simulate a huge armada attacking his enemy, even though it drives him and his crew to the edge of collapse, with each jump leaving them more and more in pain and disorientation.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' featured a variation in the form of the "Picard Maneuver", where a ship (typically already engaged in battle) would use its warp drive to make a very short trip to another part of the battlefield. If done properly, this allowed a starship commander to allow his ship to appear in two places simultaneously, because the sensor return from the ship's previous location had not yet gotten back to the enemy ship. This tactic was notably of limited use, only being effective against enemies who did not possess subspace sensors.

* Used by [[MagnificentBastard Grand Admiral Thrawn]] in TheThrawnTrilogy (TimothyZahn's most famous StarWarsExpandedUniverse novels). Said technique involved precise placement of interdiction ships to pull his ships out of hyperspace at a specific point. It worked well.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''{{Foundation}}'' trilogy novel ''Second Foundation''. The Foundation space fleet is facing a numerically superior Kalganian fleet. They send a squadron into hyperspace, with orders to return in a specific place at a specific time. They then maneuver the Kalganian fleet so the returning squadron will appear and attack them from behind with complete surprise, winning the battle.

* A fairly standard tactic in ''DarkSpace'', known as "pointjumping". Often practically required with Torpedo Ships (which are more effective than you'd imagine in space, but are still limited to close range due to the ability to dodge).

->'''Ghost:''' Time for what?