Alvin's tactical plan was quite successful.
First, a feint attack was made to draw away a wave of defense forces, then they turned around and, with Shaga's cooperation, rapidly assaulted the engine control room.
If given a choice, being able to blow up the engines would be the best option.
But planting bombs powerful enough to destroy the starship's engines requires time, and guarding them to prevent disarmament adds to the difficulty, not to mention limited escape space after the explosion... Overall, it presents certain challenges.
Moreover, a starship's engines are never just one, and there will be more than just the main engine, particularly at the level of a destroyer.
Shutting them down can certainly affect the entire warship's power performance, but whether it can actually slow it down enough for the pursuing Alliance Navy to catch up is uncertain.
Of course, if pushed to the extreme, perishing together with this warship's engine room is also an option.
