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A thought struck me while reading this question.

Spoilers:

We see Finn and Rose jump away from the chase, get their ship (and thus any navigational data stored on it) destroyed, and yet, hours later, they are able to jump right on top of the First Order ships using a freshly stolen ship that had never been near the chase before.

Given all of that, shouldn't it be simple for a few star destroyers to make a short but safe jump away and then jump back ahead of the Resistance ships only a few minutes later? How were Finn and company able to accomplish this when the First Order apparently could not? Did DJ hack hyperspace?

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    This falls under the same reasoning as Game of Thrones S7 E6, they thought all they had to do was wait to get what they wanted. Why waste resources when in 16 hours it'd be theirs anyway?
    – TheLethalCarrot ♦
    Jan 5, 2018 at 9:03
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    I'm not sure if this will be answerable without a justification in the novel, but based on the question referenced, maybe it was a risky procedure and the First Order didn't believe they need take that risk, whereas Finn and Rose had little option but to take it (that doesn't explain why DJ went along with it though). Alternatively, perhaps smaller ships can micro-jump with greater accuracy?
    – delinear
    Jan 5, 2018 at 11:12

3 Answers 3

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Some dialogs in the movie imply that the planet Crait was uncharted territory for the first order (the visual dictionary says something along the lines "long fallen off the maps")

The resistance seem to know about Crait and they had the navigational data to jump to the system in the first place. So it seems likely they would have some more navigational data in this system. When the base was first build they would have explored a lot of Hyperspace routes around it, to get their from many spots in the Galaxy and to have a lot of exit spots to flee the systems.

So Rose and Finn could have gotten the navigational data of the Crait system with them, for an easy jump back. It is likely that BB-8 had the navigational data and could upload it to the new vessel.

The first order was just following the same Hyperspace route the resistance took in the first place. Without reliable navigational data in an uncharted system, every jump is a gamble. And one doesn't risk a capital ship on a gamble, if victory is assured with a little patience.

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  • And I recon, if they didn't get the data from DJ or somewhere else, they most likely will need to fly several hours back to the original route they took to get there for a save jump back...
    – Falco
    Jan 5, 2018 at 23:08
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    It occurs to me that it's entirely plausible that BB-8 held the needed navigational data. And as this answer explains why the FO would find it risky to end the chase, I find it the most satisfying.
    – Harabeck
    Jan 6, 2018 at 15:05
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There is no reason for First Order to bother to, so we don't know if they could or could not. They knew for sure they would catch up to the Resistance ships, since the movie dialogue of Hux shows they were aware that the Resistance is running out of fuel. They are basically toying with the Resistance (note Hux's line about firing on the ships: "show them that we care").

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    Exactly, what's the point in trying some potentially risky manoeuvre when in 10 hours they'll be destroyed anyway.
    – TheLethalCarrot ♦
    Jan 5, 2018 at 15:38
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They received the current hyperspace coordinates of the First Order fleet from Poe when they contacted him.

“Once we’re done, the Resistance will give you whatever you want.” Rose wasn’t sure if that would be the case, or if the Resistance had any credits to dole out. But just as Captain Dameron had transmitted them the current coordinates of the Destroyers, she knew he’d make a strong argument to the Resistance leadership to pay the thief—if they all survived.

The Last Jedi: Official Junior Novelisation

On arrival they used active sensors to pinpoint the fleet's present position.

Rose had known the First Order fleet would be waiting for them, but she still felt her chest tighten when the Libertine emerged from hyperspace and she spotted the task force on the outer edge of the yacht’s sensor cone.

The Last Jedi: Official Novelisation

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