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Fidd · 12-07-23, 08:38 AM

91. No safe depth from ASDIC/Hydrophones/DC's

I would like to see the end of the "get to 185m and you're completely safe from detection/DC attack".

To that end, there needs to be a new geometry applied to detection, with Asdic providing accurate range, bearing and depth, whilst the u-boat remains inside asdic range, and the escort has not closed to the range where the ASDIC loses contact. As the escort loses ASDIC contact, the escort hydrophones can estimate (rough) range and bearing, and speed of target (if heard) but not depth.

AI would be programmed to establish the depth, range and bearing, then to prosecute an attack at speed on the last known location from ASDIC, adjusting for hydrophone readings of range and bearing, but assuming no depth change.

Once ASDIC contact is lost, an escort (and any others joining the hunt) would execute a "lost contact" pre-programmed ASDIC search, which requires establishing some distance from the u-boat before commencement. If the u-boat is making noise, then that (bearing and rough-range) is used instead to bring the ASDIC onto the u-boat, resulting in a shorter interval for the next attack. If the boat has gone silent: dead-slow/creep-mode, no torpedo reloads (?) then it typically takes longer for an escort to re-establish ASDIC contact. The deeper a u-boat is, the greater the potential distance between where the escort drops DC's and the position and depth of the u-boat when they go off, again, if silent, the escort gains no adjustments from the hydrophones, and the DC'ing is less accurate.

If a u-boat manages to avoid being picked-up by AI ASDIC+Hydrophones, on it's lost contact search, then the escort prosecutes another. If the u-boat evades being located on the second, then it has escaped the escort and the convoy de-alerts. If the search period (configured in lobby) is medium, rather than short, then 3 searches have to be evaded, if long, then it's four.

The above system would greatly assist in forming a spectrum of difficulty for the game, by making operations in long period searches in shallow water extremely difficult to survive, through to short search periods in deep water being much easier to survive, but, and this is crucial, still involving some risk, as now ASDIC detections at 185m would still be possible, resulting in a DC attack, albeit a less accurate one...

12-07-23, 08:38 AM	#109
Fidd XO Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Blighty! Posts: 437 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	91. No safe depth from ASDIC/Hydrophones/DC's I would like to see the end of the "get to 185m and you're completely safe from detection/DC attack". To that end, there needs to be a new geometry applied to detection, with Asdic providing accurate range, bearing and depth, whilst the u-boat remains inside asdic range, and the escort has not closed to the range where the ASDIC loses contact. As the escort loses ASDIC contact, the escort hydrophones can estimate (rough) range and bearing, and speed of target (if heard) but not depth. AI would be programmed to establish the depth, range and bearing, then to prosecute an attack at speed on the last known location from ASDIC, adjusting for hydrophone readings of range and bearing, but assuming no depth change. Once ASDIC contact is lost, an escort (and any others joining the hunt) would execute a "lost contact" pre-programmed ASDIC search, which requires establishing some distance from the u-boat before commencement. If the u-boat is making noise, then that (bearing and rough-range) is used instead to bring the ASDIC onto the u-boat, resulting in a shorter interval for the next attack. If the boat has gone silent: dead-slow/creep-mode, no torpedo reloads (?) then it typically takes longer for an escort to re-establish ASDIC contact. The deeper a u-boat is, the greater the potential distance between where the escort drops DC's and the position and depth of the u-boat when they go off, again, if silent, the escort gains no adjustments from the hydrophones, and the DC'ing is less accurate. If a u-boat manages to avoid being picked-up by AI ASDIC+Hydrophones, on it's lost contact search, then the escort prosecutes another. If the u-boat evades being located on the second, then it has escaped the escort and the convoy de-alerts. If the search period (configured in lobby) is medium, rather than short, then 3 searches have to be evaded, if long, then it's four. The above system would greatly assist in forming a spectrum of difficulty for the game, by making operations in long period searches in shallow water extremely difficult to survive, through to short search periods in deep water being much easier to survive, but, and this is crucial, still involving some risk, as now ASDIC detections at 185m would still be possible, resulting in a DC attack, albeit a less accurate one...