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Old 12-05-19, 02:20 PM   #10
Fidd
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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I fully agree with you about the escort AI badly needing a major overhaul. As it stands, the AI escorts are so predicatable, in so many ways that insertion of a u-boat into a firing area is endlessly repeatable in more or less complete certainty one won't be detected or otherwise inconvenienced by an escort doing the unexpected.

Personally I can't wait for playable escorts, and the ability of the captains thereof to take unpredictable decisions. It'll make for a much tenser gamer for all concerned. I'd also like to see the possible formation of hunter-killer groups as an adjunct to normal escorts circa '43 onwards.

Another area that requires a lot of development is the damage model to various classes of merchants, in particular the notion that 1 torpedo hit auto-magically results in any given ship sinking within minutes. A more nuanced damage model where crippled ships fall out of the convoy screen, and require further torpedoes or deck-gun action would be a lot better, and more torpedoes being required for the larger ships (as a generalisation) better still.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Kermit the Frog View Post
I know it is a thread about AI only, but i have plenty remarks about these future amazing game, so here you go:

1. AI – in simple words they're too easy. DD sensors are good modelled, but AI is way to easy, to passive and to predictible (especially at hard level – it is not hard at all easy). It misses a “Human” factor. Escort vessels shall in no circumstances sail with constant heading. Shaips had eaven an automatic mechanism altering their HDG in some pre-programmed shema. A typical behave shall look like these:
- A ZIG – ZAG phase with greather speed than the convoy does, 10-13kts with ASDIC turned on. (Above 13 kts speed ASDIC doesn’t work)
- A “Full stop phase” a boat is listening on Hydrophone. U-boat making too much noise on surface schould be detected.
- Speed up to cath “default” position I convoy screen.
- ASDIC shall be constantly turned on (except of “listening” phase)
2. Night fight.
- A muzzle flash of U-Boat gun shall trigger immediate salvo of flares,
- Shortly after detecting a U-Boat (if he’s highlighted by flares) Escort shall do a RAPID FIRE of everytching what’s on a escort vessel. Naval artilery, AAA artilery, Heavy machine guns.
- Vessel comunicates U-Boat position to other escort vessels. Especially the one sailing behind a convoy – a killer shall came to help.
- Escort closes distance rapidly NOT IN A STRAIGHT LINE!
- Surface ship is usually more stabile gun platform, has better (bigger) distance measure devices. Fire accuracy of 100-150mm shall become better with every salvo. A trained DD or Sloop crew shall get correct distance to the target not later than after 3’rd salvo.
3. U-boat on periscope depth (except of shallow water) shall be easy and clearly detected by ASDIC. Escort should be as aggressive as it’s possible in these case. Ramming, shooting to periscope if it’s spotted in a searchlight.
4. Escort shall use a torpedo trace to find a U-Boat:
- If torpedo is detected: U boat is probably 800 – 1500m from her target somwhere on the track left by torpedo
- If only a hit is detected - Escort runns at greatest speed to the most possible fire position: about 800m from ship targeted by U-Boat, on 90° AOB
5. U-Boat behave under water.
- Trim is a grat idea, but balance tanks are still under development? Right? There are two of them. One at the Bow one at the Stern.
- Leckage. They mostly happen at 12-30 m. Deeper pressure “seals” all the boat (if It’s not damaged). The only exception is a exhaust pipes Valves. They’re opening “inside” not “outside”, so they’re closed by heavy lock mechanism and they’re not sealed by the preasure. Every DC affecting a U-Boat shall trigger a quick, temporary leackage (usually response of the crew is quick since is a known weak spot).
6. How about introducing a Doppler effect on hydrophone? (Finally!!!!). Right from the beginning It’s the easiest known way to estimate if contact is closing the distance or moves away.
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