Along the outside of the hull are combined counter-weight nuclear charges. When detonated these cause the ship to “jump” in a given direction, with the intent of avoiding the impact of an enemy attack or a stray asteroid. Though these may damage the ship's hull, the general consensus is that they're a much better alternative than a direct hit from an enemy's main gun. Due to the high velocities of most conventional weapons these devices are usually only effective against mid-to-long ranged attacks.