Minefields plan B

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[edit] Overview

This is a new plan to change the functionality of how minefields work.
Not all aspects of this proposal have to be realized at the same time, however they are supposed to unfold their full potential when used together.

[edit] Motivation

The current way minefields work is not optimal in many aspects:

  • Often you have many minefields of the same type at the same location causing lots of micromanagement.
  • The current rules of damage from hitting minefields have an artifical threshold for handling "heavy" ships differently.
  • A simple lifespan for minefields is not a practical way to manage fields.
  • A minefield is doing the same damage and has the same to-hit chances independend if it is "fresh" or almost "used up".
  • Minefields always retain the same size once laid (they can't grow).

[edit] Terms/Definitions

  • State: state refers to the minefields current state of active, inactive or cloaked.
  • Minefield Growth : The idea that a minefield recieves more ord to increase its size until the max. radius set in HConfig is met.
  • Minefield Density: Density is achieved by placing more ord into a minefield, thus effectively multiplying its potential for hits by the level of density.

[edit] Minefield Density

CMO  = Current Minefield Ordnance    = Ordnance that is currently in the minefield
RMO  = Required Minefield Ordnance   = Ordnance that is required to lay a minefield of that size
D    = Densitiy                      = CMO / RMO (rounded up)
  • Minefield density is recalculated at the end of the turn after all movement is complete, and new fields have been swept, laid and replenished and after all ship devices have been proceesed.
  • A Minefield cannot exceed a maximum density set in HConfig.
  • If a minefield has 0 or less ordnance (-> Density 0), it is removed from play.

[edit] Minefield Ord Decay

  • Current minefield lifetime is eliminated and replaced with ord decay rates dependend on the minefield state, size and density. 
BDR = Basic Ord Decay rate           = X (set in HConfig)
State: 
        Inactive                     = 1 (set in HConfig)
        Active                       = 2 (set in HConfig)
        Cloaked                      = 3 (set in HConfig)

SDR : State-dependant Ord Decay rate : BDR * Size * State * Density
  • The *estimated* Lifespan of a minefield can be calculated by dividing the minfield ordnance by the state-dependant decay rate: 
ELS = Estimated Lifespan             = MO / SDR (rounded up)
  • This will require a three way toggle that allows only 1 of the switches to be on and 1 must always be on, if active is on and you push inactive, then active will automatically flip to off.

[edit] Minefield Sweeping and Glory Devices vs. Density

  • Minesweepers will effectively reduce the minefield by one density level per turn (They remove as much ord of a minefield per turn as makes up one level of density for that minefield).
  • Glory Devices will not change. Any field within 50 lys of the glory device explosion will be eliminated regardless of its density and/or state.
  • Minefield Destabilizers will effectively reduce the minefield by one density level per turn.

[edit] Replenishing Minefields

[edit] Minefield Merging

The Minefield Command screen gets a new switch "Merge (ON/OFF)". If switched ON, you can choose a target MF. This allows you to order a MF to merge with the target MF (similar to merging Wings).

The target MF hase to be at the same X,Y co-ordinates and of the same MF type.

  • The ord will be added to the target MF.
  • The density/size of the target MF will grow depending on the MF Grow Settings (see above) to its max. density/size. Any excess ord will remain in the MF set to merge.
  • The target MF will keep its settings (state, locked, etc.).

Orders like "merge all MFs" could be done using Ministers

[edit] Hitting Mines

[edit] Minefield Detonations

Because it makes lil sense to destroy 10,000 units with a 500 ord minefield, Minefield detonations should only do as much damage as there is ord within the field.

  • When a minefield detonation occurs, ships are sorted by ID# - lowest ID number FIRST, the first ship to take damage and ord will be substracted from the minefield as if the ship had hit a mine.
    • If ord still remains repeat this step to the next higher id# and deduct ord again and apply damage.
  • Once all the ship ids have taken thier first hit and ord still remains then start with the lowest id ship and perform secondary detonations excluding ship ids that have been destroyed or hull damage > 100. if ord remains then third detonations, etc.
  • This is done until all ord is expended or there are no more ships in the field to damage.

[edit] Client Changes

[edit] Minefield Data Pad

The minefield Data Pad would change completely. The fields in the data pad would now be: 

Type:
ID:
Owner:
(X,Y):
Minefield Radius:            The radius of the field
Minefield Ordnance:          Ordnance remaining within the field
Minefield Density:           calculated by dividing current Ordnance by the Ordnance needed to lay a minefield with that size
Current Rate of Decay:       See "Minefield Ord Decay"
Estimated Lifespan:          Minefield Ordnance / Current Rate of Decay
State:                       Active, Inactive, Cloaked
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