I was sprinting on zig-zags of about 15 degrees each way off of base course. I wasn't actually changing course at flank; only after stopping to listen.
However, I see your point: sprinting on base course would yield increased forward progress and then I could simply pivot when slowed down to listen. Of course, you would probably have longer drift portions, since you would need for the TA to come about. I had been changing course prior to a sprint and thus using the sprint to also stabilize my TA.
I agree that the mission probably doesn't reflect a realistic use of such a high value resource. There are some even more amusing single missions where you are doing the same kind of escort, but in water barely deep enough to submerge ... leaving you with no choice, but to cavitate like a blender.
Maybe its time to just start playing SCXIIc and the community designed missions and campaigns.
