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Sniper297 · 01-25-14, 01:43 PM

The AI cheats, there's no other way.

AQS-13/A from a Sikorsky SH-3D antisubmarine helicopter, 1978. Max range 20,000 yards, but only under ideal conditions, and in passive mode you MIGHT hear a noisy surface ship at 10k yards. They would have loved that in WWII, but regardless of how good any sonar is - you can't hear what's not making noise. Soviet nukes back in the 70s had some pretty noisy reactor pumps, that's why they went back to diesel electric with the KILO class. Our subs were really quiet unless they were running fast and shallow, I know exactly what you mean about the augmenter.

WWII the technology just wasn't there, the way the hunter-killer groups in the Atlantic found Das Boot was by flying radar equipped Avengers off of jeep carriers - at night. On the surface. After that stick a pin in a chart and draw a 100 mile radius circle, patrol that circle - he has to come up somewhere in that circle within 48 hours. Every time he pops up to recharge batteries the TBMs get him on radar, attack again to force him under, repeat until power is gone and he can't stay submerged.

In SH4:

With wussie mode on you click on a tin can, and get the circles. Outer is visual detection (in good weather), 5500 yards. Inner is passive sonar, 3800 yards (really optimistic for WWII), the wedge cut out of the back is the dead zone (from screws and machinery noise, good place for a sub to sprint). The half circle in front is active sonar, 550 yards (again in ideal conditions, sub shallow and at a 90 degree angle).

Again, I've done some testing on this, if a destroyer is 10,000 yards away when you torpedo a nearby ship, no matter which direction you go, how fast or slow, how many decoys you kick out or how deep you go, the clairvoyant AI will make a beeline straight for you every time unless the crew is set for novice or poor.

The problem may be programming limitations, but every aspect of the AI is oversimplified. Worst example is your own crew's limited intelligence;

"SHIP SIGHTED! BEARING 065! LONG RANGE!"
Yeah, that's the 83rd time you reported the same ship, we're in the middle of an end-around, if you lose sight of him for a few minutes you don't need to report him as a new contact every time you reacquire him.

BAM!!! "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK SIR! WE'RE TAKING DAMAGE SIR!"
Cripes, where did that evil destroyer come from?
"I REPORTED HIM 15 MINUTES AGO, SIR! FIVE MINUTES AGO HE TURNED TOWARD US AND WENT TO FULL SPEED, BUT I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT SINCE HE WASN'T A NEW CONTACT!"
Scurvy dog, go walk the plank.

01-25-14, 01:43 PM	#8
Sniper297 The Old Man Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Philadelphia Shipyard Brig Posts: 1,386 Downloads: 160 Uploads: 19	The AI cheats, there's no other way. AQS-13/A from a Sikorsky SH-3D antisubmarine helicopter, 1978. Max range 20,000 yards, but only under ideal conditions, and in passive mode you MIGHT hear a noisy surface ship at 10k yards. They would have loved that in WWII, but regardless of how good any sonar is - you can't hear what's not making noise. Soviet nukes back in the 70s had some pretty noisy reactor pumps, that's why they went back to diesel electric with the KILO class. Our subs were really quiet unless they were running fast and shallow, I know exactly what you mean about the augmenter. WWII the technology just wasn't there, the way the hunter-killer groups in the Atlantic found Das Boot was by flying radar equipped Avengers off of jeep carriers - at night. On the surface. After that stick a pin in a chart and draw a 100 mile radius circle, patrol that circle - he has to come up somewhere in that circle within 48 hours. Every time he pops up to recharge batteries the TBMs get him on radar, attack again to force him under, repeat until power is gone and he can't stay submerged. In SH4: With wussie mode on you click on a tin can, and get the circles. Outer is visual detection (in good weather), 5500 yards. Inner is passive sonar, 3800 yards (really optimistic for WWII), the wedge cut out of the back is the dead zone (from screws and machinery noise, good place for a sub to sprint). The half circle in front is active sonar, 550 yards (again in ideal conditions, sub shallow and at a 90 degree angle). Again, I've done some testing on this, if a destroyer is 10,000 yards away when you torpedo a nearby ship, no matter which direction you go, how fast or slow, how many decoys you kick out or how deep you go, the clairvoyant AI will make a beeline straight for you every time unless the crew is set for novice or poor. The problem may be programming limitations, but every aspect of the AI is oversimplified. Worst example is your own crew's limited intelligence; "SHIP SIGHTED! BEARING 065! LONG RANGE!" Yeah, that's the 83rd time you reported the same ship, we're in the middle of an end-around, if you lose sight of him for a few minutes you don't need to report him as a new contact every time you reacquire him. BAM!!! "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK SIR! WE'RE TAKING DAMAGE SIR!" Cripes, where did that evil destroyer come from? "I REPORTED HIM 15 MINUTES AGO, SIR! FIVE MINUTES AGO HE TURNED TOWARD US AND WENT TO FULL SPEED, BUT I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT SINCE HE WASN'T A NEW CONTACT!" Scurvy dog, go walk the plank.