Actually, I think the big deal with fixed thruster plates is
that GDW didn't want to figure out the physics of fully
articulated thrusters. I think it would be realy neat --
you could run fast, stop on a dime, and perform marvelous
acts of death-defying agility (a la Hawker Harriers).
I just can't justify any contraption that would be able to
take the force and allow the thruster to move around inside
the ship. Not to mention what moving this big thing is
going to do to your center of gravity and bending moments.
Richard