IBlameRoadSuess posted:

It takes ships about ten years to get to Helghan/Vekta. (assuming there haven't been any more advancements in propulsion technology that would allow ships to go faster.) The reason Helghan is a chokepoint isn't because of the territory, it's because it's literally the only place to get fuel for several light-years. Sure you could try to move past them while not getting any fuel, but what are you gonna do when you run out, in the middle of nowhere, or on a collision course with a planet, or the star in the system you're in? And even if Helghan isn't the only place to get fuel, it's certainly the closest, and I would think that even after 10 years your tank might be running a little low. And remember, even if you're dealing with just trade ships, and not colony ships, these things are taking around ten years to get to Helghan, then ten years to get back, or maybe a couple more years to get where they're going. Unlike in something like Star Wars; traveling between planets isn't something you can just DO. You can't press a button and zoom into hyperspace and appear above Gyre for a cup of tea around lunch time. Traveling between planets in the Killzone universe still takes YEARS.