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Old 08-10-06, 09:48 PM   #17
SeaQueen
Naval Royalty
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LoBlo
I really don't know much about any RL search tatics.... no clue whatsoever actually. I've always assumed that the best search for a square area is a zig-zag sprinting and drifting to cover more ground.

Its probably something I should look more into, but heck I'm lazy.:p
The mathematically "best" tactic depends on you knowing how far you can see with your sonar. That's part of why I always include the sonar range estimates given by the mission editor in the notes for ASW scenarios I make. It allows you to plan, make calculations, and estimates. The idea is to just choose a course that will cover the whole area eventually. The way to frustrate that, is for the target to move randomly. That ends up making your nice, orderly, optimal search look more like a random search.

In real life, (and usually in a simulation) other stuff manages to ruin your carefully planned search, so most searches (even planned ones) end up looking like random searches, even against stationary targets. That doens't mean your plan is necessarily a bad one, though. Personally, I like having a plan because it means I have to think less about things. ASW can get so cerebral so fast. I want as much as possible taken care of so that when the shooting starts, I don't have to worry about stuff that's not immediately important.

Last edited by SeaQueen; 08-10-06 at 09:53 PM.
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