[Fidd]

48. "Convoy commander"

As a precursor to playable escorts, it'd be interesting to consider there being a single player who had some measure of control on the convoy, determining (within allowable limits) when, by how much, and how frequently, the convoy changes heading. Additionally, it'd be good if the convoy commander was able to detach an escort to prosecute asdic searches in a given location, and for how long it, (and any other boats directed to the same area) would prosecute searches and attacks. In all other respects, (for now) the escorts AI would be in effect, with the only changes being that they can be directed to an area on the map, and the duration of asdic searches and attacks. It might well be the case, that a destroyer is despatched to force a u-boat down, and then a Flower or Bittern is used for the attacks whilst the destroyer goes tearing back to the convoy...

This would start to introduce a PVP "battle of wits" between the u-boat players, and the enemy, with dispositions of escorts being more varied as escorts are used to hunt a particular u-boat; and conversely, that other uboats may then be able to exploit a thinned escort screen....

The "convoy commander" would be on the bridge of a Tribal or Bittern, on the "flying bridge". He'd hear pings and echoes, as well as radio reports generated by other escorts detecting a u-boat, or any ship seeing any part of a u-boat. Locations would be given in relation to his position. "3nm SE of you" for example. In time, other player-operated roles might exist on the escorts such as asdic operator, hydrophone operator, gunnery officer, DC officer and navigator.

In order to remove as much of the boredom as possible, I suggest that allied escort crews be able to "teleport" to and from any escort. If leaving one un-crewed, this is notified to the convoy commander, allowing him to set an area to which it should now move, operating under it's AI control. This will allow a limited number of allied players to prosecute DC attacks on a u-boat whilst the convoy commander moves other escorts to other contacts, which they can then teleport to later, in order to "do the fun bit". This mixture of AI and player operated behaviour allows the AI to deal with the humdrum patroling side, whilst giving the attacks themselves the best possible reality. As a human player is capable of much better tactical decisions - he might choose to keep an asdic search going for some time, dropping DC's sporadically - in order to keep a u-boat down long enough for the convoy to move away a distance - or hunt it until it's sunk!

It's also possible that a skeleton crew of players operates each escort, only joining a particular escort to a fully-crewed status for the asdic search/DC attack when it's general location is known....

I'm firmly convinced that this mixed AI/real-player solution, if it can be coded, allows for a given number of escorts to be controlled according to the mind of the convoy commander, whilst keeping at a minimum number of additional players required to crew them, and therefore reduces the load on the server that another 30 (allied) players would involve to crew all escorts.... It would also reduce the boredom involved of "dashing about" in a Corvette at 18 kts!

The general effect of these changes, especially in concert with variable detection ranges (#46), would be to create uncertainty as to whether or not, or when precisely, a u-boat is detected. Because the response to a detection is driven by a human mind, rather than AI, and instead AI is used more to do the bidding of that human mind, traps and stratagems may be used to counter a u-boat attack. Examples might be: Chasing down an intial detection with tribals or bitterns, then human players take over the tribals to prosecute initial attacks, whilst a flower-class is sent also. When the flower arrives, it takes over from the Tribal and continues with searches/dc attacks whilst the Tribal is sent haring back to the convoy to close any gap in the escort screen. A Bittern in then sent to join the Flower class, taking over the search/attack, releasing the Flower-class to chase the rear of the convoy (initially). Finally the Bittern leaves to rejoin the convoy, leaving the u-boat now well out of a firing position, if indeed it has survived. The CC would then direct Flowers towards the front of the convoy as opportunity arises, with faster escorts covering the rear of the convoy?

Intelligent use of the escorts, with players in the above example manning the Tribal, Flower class, Bittern sequentially, would cause much longer asdic searches/dc attacks. With no "safe depth" from asdic contact, (but in practical terms a relatively safe depth for dc hits) it would also allow for a more finessed damage-model to be put in place over time, and a much more varied gaming experience for an evening's play. So human-augmented AI, where decisions are placed in the hands of the human "convoy commander" (CC), with AI manning escorts and complying with directions from the CC eg "go hear and asdic search" to a given ship, and human players jumping at will into escort ships previously manned by AI, allows for a minimal number of allied players to give the convoy defense a much more realistic and intelligent defence?

Rendering range of a uboat to a human escort player would need to be linked to light-level and visibility, to side-step players using gamma to see u-boats further out, at least mostly.