Radar horizon and ESM

[MBot]

I have been testing some surface engagements today with onboard sensors only (no OTH targeting). One thing I noticed is that ESM detection of a enemy ship appears only shortly before you pick him up on your own radar. The Sovremenny for example appears on ESM at about 24 NM while your own radar picks him up at about 23 NM. Is that correct? Since his radar is on a mast, I would expect to pick up ESM signals a lot earlier than his radar returns (which I guess come manly from the hull). I know the radar model of DW is not perfect, but is earth curvature modeled at all?

Edit: Actually earth curvature must be there, as far away visual contacts have only their masts visible.

[Rip]

Originally Posted by MBot

I have been testing some surface engagements today with onboard sensors only (no OTH targeting). One thing I noticed is that ESM detection of a enemy ship appears only shortly before you pick him up on your own radar. The Sovremenny for example appears on ESM at about 24 NM while your own radar picks him up at about 23 NM. Is that correct? Since his radar is on a mast, I would expect to pick up ESM signals a lot earlier than his radar returns (which I guess come manly from the hull). I know the radar model of DW is not perfect, but is earth curvature modeled at all?

Edit: Actually earth curvature must be there, as far away visual contacts have only their masts visible.

IRL you would get ESM hits as much as twice the distance you could pick a ship up on radar just at a lower strength. Air radars can be picked up from amazing distances if the transmitting platform is high enough. DW does not model the full range of ESM signal strengths all that well. Doing so (having lobes or intercepts that don't appear every sweep) can be very complex. The range you can pick them up is also heavily influenced by the frequency band of the raday. Long range EW radars actually curve a substantial amount with the earth's surface.