Active Sensors unable to find vessels below certain TCS
TL;DR:
Designing stealth fighters with a cloaking device can give you an effective cross section that no active sensor is able to find, at ANY range, even point blank, that is 0km. Tested with approx 0. 4995 TCS, but rumoured to work also with 0. 545 (and possibly larger tonnages). All technology was tested with Inertial Confinement. All sensors were maxed in HS and included resolution 1.
Intro:
After a long design process I ended up with a 500ton Cloaked Figher with a TCS of 0. 4995 called "Apex" (see attachment). During testing it was found that the fighter managed to not only remain undetected at around 600k km, but get even closer.
It turned out that the fighter is completely undetectable, even at 0km (see attachments), except by Thermal Sensors.
Method:
SM-mode. Create new race on Earth. We now have two factions. Remove all Deep Space Tracking from both factions. Give first faction Sensor Ships and the other Stealth Fighters. Spawn ships on both sides. Turn on actives for Sensor Side. Note ranges, experiment with movement. Check that data matches on both sides.
Reproduction of above observation:
Research Inertial Confinement (SM give all <250,001 RP). Design smallest cloak possible. Put on fighter. Spawn said fighter and attempt to find said fighter on another faction's side with resolution 1 active sensors.
This "exploit" has been tested by more than one person and is (most likely) confirmed. This was discussed at some lengths at the Discord Channel in which this "strategy" was deemed to be "cheese".
I DO NOT know the threshold of TCS.
This find might be relevant for the development of C# Aurora.