Proposal: Remove the hard speed limit and replace it with the variable one. Meaning, that the actual current speed limit is local and depends on: a) The space conditions: how much micro-dust and debris there is. This will lead to potentially changing the speed limit down, due to the results of space battles or changes in the space weather. b) The ship's protection: each ship by default should have a space-travel shield, that comes with the engine and protects the hull in accordance with the design of its engine subsystem -- such a shield safely deflects only up to N/second particles per square meter. If the ship travels in such a way that the actual speed is above the safe speed limit, it will: - require exponentially more power to be spent on protection - cause ship to receive exponentially increasing and potentially critical damage with probability sharply increasing to 100% This will finally make the speed limit meaningful! Also, bigger ships, in some designs, will have the capability to actually travel faster, than the smaller ones. They will still have far lower acceleration (and turning rate), but, provided they have a powerful shield, over the course of a long time they will be able to reach much higher speed. It will also make space course-plotting an important part of the gameplay.
