NOT setting search arcs

[LoBaron]

Just to make sure that I understood this correctly:

When NOT setting search arcs the manual states that the arc will be set at random but does not
refer to the number of planes set on search mission.

The way I see it this means that if I do not set the search arc on a squadron that contains a sufficient number of
planes it still will search the area round the base in a 360° circle?

[Jaroen]

ORIGINAL: LoBaron

Just to make sure that I understood this correctly:

When NOT setting search arcs the manual states that the arc will be set at random but does not
refer to the number of planes set on search mission.

The way I see it this means that if I do not set the search arc on a squadron that contains a sufficient number of
planes it still will search the area round the base in a 360° circle?

That would only be possible with an 18 plane group flying a 100% naval search (= 2 x 180 degrees, AM + PM) collecting fatigue quickly. But you always set the search percentage of planes flying yourself! The default is 0 (or 20?) so be aware that you do need to set that percentage to something higher or you won't be flying any (real) searches.

I was wondering about that random arc myself. Would that be one arc per group of planes or one arc per plane? Most likely one arc per group of planes flying. Thus an 8 plane Catalina squadron set on 70 % search (= 1/3) will fly 6 planes AM and 6 planes PM covering a 120 degrees search arc. And that 120 degrees search arc would be in a random direction. Right???

[LoBaron]

ORIGINAL: Jaroen
That would only be possible with an 18 plane group flying a 100% naval search (= 2 x 180 degrees, AM + PM) collecting fatigue quickly. But you always set the search percentage of planes flying yourself! The default is 0 (or 20?) so be aware that you do need to set that percentage to something higher or you won't be flying any (real) searches.

The necessity to set the search percentages has not changed in patch two, only the interface where to set it is new. [;)]
Setting 18 planes to naval search is possible without too much fatigue for quite a number of squads (e.g. Betties, Mitchells,...).
I use multiengine level bombers frequently for search missions if I want to cover a larger area.

I was wondering about that random arc myself. Would that be one arc per group of planes or one arc per plane? Most likely one arc per group of planes flying. Thus an 8 plane Catalina squadron set on 70 % search (= 1/3) will fly 6 planes AM and 6 planes PM covering a 120 degrees search arc. And that 120 degrees search arc would be in a random direction. Right???

Yes thats correct. I only wonder if your above example with 18 planes would result in a clean 360° search arc AM+PM or that random really means random and it could
happen that the 18 AC could cover less because the PM flights sometimes overlap with the AM flights.

[findmeifyoucan]

All the information you need is published in the interface addendum along with also a pilot management addendum as an addition to the manual attached to both the Beta patch 1094b and the official second patch 1095!
Blue arcs are morning searches and green arcs are afternoon searches.
As soon as you click on a percentage for searches or Asw searches a whole new menu pops up where you can select degree searches 0 to 360 or select on map by left clicking the start search and right clicking for the end search range.

Tony

[bradfordkay]

My question about the random arcs is whether the arcs are truly random (i.e., one plane searches from 10 to 20 degrees, another from 50 to 60, another from 240 to 250, etc) or do they choose a random starting point and then search in a clockwise manner from that random starting point? 

[jackyo123]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

My question about the random arcs is whether the arcs are truly random (i.e., one plane searches from 10 to 20 degrees, another from 50 to 60, another from 240 to 250, etc) or do they choose a random starting point and then search in a clockwise manner from that random starting point? 

based on some results, i would wager that each plane makes a random die roll from 1 to 36, and whatever number comes up, it searches those 10 degrees (for instance - if it rolled an 11, it would search from 110 degrees to 119 degrees). Each plane assigned to the mission would make its own roll (so if you had search set for 30% of a 15 plane squadron, 5 planes would make rolls).

The reason I believe this? Well, i had 3 catalinas, set on 100% search, at johnston. they failed to detect a couple of enemy task forces within 2 hexes for a couple of turns, then they poped up.

[Lrfss]

ORIGINAL: jackyo123

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

My question about the random arcs is whether the arcs are truly random (i.e., one plane searches from 10 to 20 degrees, another from 50 to 60, another from 240 to 250, etc) or do they choose a random starting point and then search in a clockwise manner from that random starting point? 

based on some results, i would wager that each plane makes a random die roll from 1 to 36, and whatever number comes up, it searches those 10 degrees (for instance - if it rolled an 11, it would search from 110 degrees to 119 degrees). Each plane assigned to the mission would make its own roll (so if you had search set for 30% of a 15 plane squadron, 5 planes would make rolls).

The reason I believe this? Well, i had 3 catalinas, set on 100% search, at johnston. they failed to detect a couple of enemy task forces within 2 hexes for a couple of turns, then they poped up.

I believe this to be the case as well and have seen the same results as you mentioned! Would be nice to know for sure however?

[bradfordkay]

ORIGINAL: jackyo123

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

My question about the random arcs is whether the arcs are truly random (i.e., one plane searches from 10 to 20 degrees, another from 50 to 60, another from 240 to 250, etc) or do they choose a random starting point and then search in a clockwise manner from that random starting point? 

based on some results, i would wager that each plane makes a random die roll from 1 to 36, and whatever number comes up, it searches those 10 degrees (for instance - if it rolled an 11, it would search from 110 degrees to 119 degrees). Each plane assigned to the mission would make its own roll (so if you had search set for 30% of a 15 plane squadron, 5 planes would make rolls).

The reason I believe this? Well, i had 3 catalinas, set on 100% search, at johnston. they failed to detect a couple of enemy task forces within 2 hexes for a couple of turns, then they poped up.

I think for the most part you are right, but for a different reason. The developers tell us that this is actually the way the air search has always occurred in WITP, and I recall that single small squadrons in that game could have sightings all over the place on either the AM or PM search.

[Mistmatz]

The mission is called 'naval search' and not 'naval find'. So even if a sector is searched it's not guaranteed that a vessel or TF in that sector will be found.

I believe the probability of actually finding something in a sector that was undetected before (no/low detection level) is lower than in WitP. And thats probably a good thing.